Evie’s heart swelled and she slipped off the chair to join him kneeling on the floor. Bending forward, she kissed him, softly, feeling the warmth of his lips against hers. ‘I can never feel anything but complete love for you, Arthur. You are the love of my life and I thank God for sending you back to me.’

She kissed him again, tentatively at first, then as he responded, their kiss deepened and his arms went around her, holding her as if he wanted never to let her go.

Evie let her lips explore his face. His thin lined face. The dark sunken area around his eyes. ‘Come to bed,’ she said at last. ‘Show me those scars and I’ll show you how much I love you.’

Arthur gave a deep, shuddering sigh. ‘You need to know. I’m going away, Evie. The Permanent Secretary offered me a new posting this afternoon. I’ve accepted. I’m going to turn down the Oxford job. I’m leaving England.’

‘Where? When?’

‘In a couple of weeks. Kenya.’

Fear closed her throat and she felt her mouth dry. He had come to say goodbye. She felt a conviction that, come what may, she belonged with this man. She stroked a hand over his face. ‘Where you always wanted to return. You’ve finally got what you wanted and deserved. Back to those primeval plains – that savage beauty you love so much.’

‘You remembered?’

‘I have remembered everything you ever said to me, Arthur. It’s what’s kept me going all these years.’

‘Will you come with me?’ His voice was quiet, disbelieving.

Her heart leapt inside her ribcage. ‘Of course, I will. I’d follow you to the ends of the earth, Arthur Leighton.’

‘Really? You’d leave everything here and come to Africa with me? A broken wreck of a man?’

‘Try and stop me.’

‘What about the children?’

‘We come as a package. That’s the only condition. As long as they want to come too. And knowing how Hugh feels about lions and elephants I think it’s a foregone conclusion. I’d like Jasmine to want it too – but I have a feeling she will. But what about you, will you have us all?’

‘Nothing would make me happier.’ Arthur gave a rueful smile. ‘He knew, you know.’

‘Who knew? And knew what? You’re speaking in riddles again.’

‘Doug. He asked me to take care of you and the children. He said he knew you loved me.’

Evie was distraught. ‘He knew?’

‘He told me he was glad. That we would have each other.’

‘But you were married to Veronica.’

‘Doug never liked poor Veronica. And maybe he knew what would happen. A dying man’s vision. You heard Veronica died in a camp?’

Evie nodded. ‘Mary Helston was interned with her. Mary told me Veronica saved her life. She said Veronica was the only reason Mary and several others survived. Veronica was incredibly brave and stole food and medicines. But the Japanese caught her in the end.’