of parliament in Cape Town all the ministers and the entire diplomatic corps were forced to move down from Pretoria a thousand miles to the north, and official residences had to be maintained in both cities at enormous expense.
Manfred De La Rey's ministerial residence was an elegant Edwardian mansion set in acres of its own private lawns and gardens.
As RoeIf Stander parked his shabby little secondhand Morris in front of this imposing building, it seemed oddly out of place.
Sarah Stander had been desperately trying to arrange a private 'meeting with Manfred ever since her son had been convicted and sentenced to death. However, Manfred had been in Pretoria, or at his ranch in the Free State or opening a memorial to the women who had died in the British concentration camps during the Boer war, or addressing the National Party caucus, and therefore unable to see her.
Sarah had persisted, telephoning his office at parliament every day, telephoning Heidi at home and pleading with her, until at last Manfred had agreed to see her at seven o'clock in the morning before he left for parliament.
Sarah and Roelf had driven in the Morris from Stellenbosch, leaving before sun-up so as not to be late for the appointment. When the coloured butler showed them through to the dining-room, Manfred and Heidi were seated at the breakfast table.
Heidi sprang up and came to kiss Sarah's cheek.
'I am sorry we have not seen you for so long, Sarie.' 'Yes,' Sarah agreed bitterly. 'I also am sorry - but as you explained to me, Manie has been too busy for us.' Manfred stood up from the head of the table.
He was in his shirtsleeves and the linen table napkin was tucked into the top of his dark suit trousers.
'Roelf,' he smiled, and they shook hands like old friends.
'Thank you for agreeing to see us, Manie,' Roelf said humbly. 'I know how busy you are these days.' The years had not been kind to Roelf Stander, he had greyed and shrunk and Manfred felt a secret satisfaction as he studied him.
'Sit down, Roelf.' Manfred led him to a place at the breakfast table. 'Heidi has ordered breakfast for you - will you start with porridge?' He seated Roelf and then reluctantly turned back to Sarah. She was still standing beside Heidi.' 'Hello Sarie,' he said. She had been such a pretty little thing. They had grown from childhood together. There were still the remains of that girlhood beauty in her eyes and the shape of her face. The memory of the love they had once shared rushed back to him, and he felt the sweet nostalgic yearning for his youth. He had a vivid image of her lying naked on a bed of pine needles in the forest high up on the slopes of the Hottentots Holland mountains on the day that they had become lovers.
He searched in his heart for a vestige of what he had felt for her then, but he found none. Any love that once had flowered between them had been smothered by the knowledge of her treachery. For more than two decades he had delayed his revenge, contenting himself with slowly undermining and reducing this woman to her present state, waiting for exactly the right moment to extract the final retribution. It had come - and he savoured the moment.
'Hello, Manie,' she whispered, and she thought, 'He has been so cruel. He has filled my life with pain that has been difficult to bear.
Now all I ask from him is my son's life - surely he will not deny me that also.' 'So, why have you come to see me?' Manie asked, and Heidi led Sarah to a seat at the table. She took the silver tea-pot from the coloured servant and told him, 'Thank you, Gamat, you can leave us now. Please close the door.' And she poured steaming coffee into Sarah's cup.
'Yes, Sarie,' she agreed. 'Tell us why you have come to see us.' 'You know why I have come to you,' Sarah said. 'It is Kobus.' A deathly stillness held them all over the slow passage of the seconds, and then Manfred sighed.
'Ja,' he said. 'Kobus. Why do you come to me about Kobus?' ,x want you to help him, Manie.' 'Kobus has been tried and convicted of a sickening act of senseless brutality,' Manfred said slowly. 'The highest court in the land has decreed that he must die on the gallows. How can I help Kobus?' 'The same way you helped that black terrorist, Moses Gama.' Sarah was pale and the coffee cup clattered as she tried to set it down on the saucer. 'You saved his life - now save the life of my son.' 'The state president exercised leniency in Gama's case--' 'No, Manie,' Sarah interrupted. 'It was you that changed it. I know - you have the power to save Kobus.' 'No.' He shook his head. 'I haven't got that sort of power. Kobus is a murderer. The worst kind of killer - one without compassion or remorse. I cannot help him.' 'You can. I know you can, Manie. Please, I beg of you, save my son.' 'I cannot.' Manfred's expression set. His mouth hardened into a straight unrelenting line. 'I will not.' 'You must, Manie. You have no choice - you must save him.' 'Why do you say that?' He was becoming angry. 'There is nothing I must do.' 'You must save him, Manie, because he is your son also. He is the child of our love, Manie, you have no choice.
You must save him.' Manfred sprang to his feet and placed his hand protectively on Heidi's shoulder. 'You come into my house and insult me and my wife.' His voice shook with the force of his anger. 'You come here with wild stories and accusations.' RoeIf Stander had sat quietly through it all, but now he lifted hi head and spoke softly. 'It is true, Manie. Every word she tells you i true. I knew she was carrying your child when I married her. Sh told me frankly. You had deserted her - you had married Heidi am I loved her.' 'You know it is true,' Sarah whispered. 'You have always known Manie. You cannot have looked into Kobus's eyes without knowing Both your sons have your yellow eyes, Manie, Lothar and Kobus both of them. You know he is your son.' Manfred sank back on to his chair. In the silence Heidi reache( across and deliberately took his hand. That reassuring touch seemet to rally him.
'Even if that were true, there is nothing I would do. No matte] whose son he is, justice must run its course. A life for a life. He mus pay the penalty for his deed.' 'Manie, please. You must help us--' Sarah was weeping now, ant the tears at last spilled down her pale cheeks. She tried to thro herself at Manfred's feet, but Roelf caught her and held her. She struggled weakly in his arms, but he held her and looked all Manfred.
'In the name of our friendship, Manie, everything we have done and shared - won't you help us?' he pleaded.
'I am sorry for you, Roelf.' Manfred stood up again. 'You must take your wife home now.' Roelf drew Sarah gently towards the door, but before they reached it Sarah pulled out of his hands and faced Manfred again.
'Why?' she cried in anguish. 'I know you can - why will you not help us?' 'Because of you White Sword failed,' he said softly. 'That is why I will not help you.' She was struck dumb by the words, and Manfred turned to Roelfi 'Take her away now,' he ordered. 'I have finished with her at last.' During the long journey back to Stellenbosch Sarah huddled in the passenger seat and sobbed brokenly. Only when Roelf parked the Morris outside their cottage did she straighten up, and her voice and her face were ruined with griefi 'I hate him,' she. repeated. 'Oh God, how I hate him.' 'I spoke to David Abrahams this morning,' Isabella said, leaning forward in the saddle to pat the mare's
