And suddenly Michael's expression changed, the corners of his mouth
drooped and his eyes were dark with regret at having found, and lost,
so soon.
'No,' he said, lifted his hand in a gesture of farewell, and wheeled
his horse. Crouched forward on its neck he drove in savage pursuit of
the buggy.
'Michael,' Sean called after him, but he did not seem to hear.
And so Sean went back to war. The farewell was an ordeal. Ada was so
brave about it that Sean wanted to shake her and shout,
'Cry, damn you! Get it over with! ' Dirk threw one of his more
spectacular fits. He clung to Sean and yelled until he almost
suffocated himself.
By the time the train pulled out Sean was in a towering rage that
lasted until they reached Pietermaritzburg four hours later.
He took his anger into the saloon on the station and sedated it with
half a dozen brandies. Then, with Mbejane carrying his luggage, he
worked his way through the crowd on the platform, searching for an
empty compartment on the northbound express. As traffic was on
military permit only, his fellow travellers were exclusively clad in
khaki. A vast, drab throng speckled with gay spots of colour, women
who were sending men to war and not very happy about it. The sound of
weeping blended with the roar of loud voices, men's laughter and the
occasional squeal of a child. Suddenly, above it all Sean heard his
name called. He peered about and saw an arm waving frantically above
the heads of the crowd.
'Sean! Hey, Sean!' Saul's head bobbed into view and then disappeared
as he hopped up and down. Sean fought his way through to him and they
shook hands delightedly.
'What the hell are you doing here?' Saul demanded.
'Heading back to duty-and you? 'A week's leave just ended.
Came down to see the baby. My God, what luck I spotted you!'
'Is Ruth here?' Sean could not contain the question.
'She's waiting in the carriage outside.
'I'd like to have a look at this infant.
'Of course. Let's find a couple of seats first and dump our luggage,
then we've got twenty minutes before the train leaves.
Sean saw her as they came out on to the front steps of the station
building. She sat in an open carriage while a coloured coach boy held
a parasol over her. She was dressed in dove-grey with big
leg-o'-mutton sleeves slashed with pink and a huge hat Piled with pink
roses. Her face was in profile as she leaned forward over the bundle
of white lace on her lap. Sean felt the leap in his chest as he looked
at the calm lines of her face. He stopped and whispered,
'My God, she's lovely,'
and beside him Saul laughed with pleasure.
'Wait until you meet my daughter!
She did not see them approach the carriage, she was too intent on her
child.
'Ruth, I've a surprise for you, ' bubbled Saul. She looked up and Sean
was watching her. She went rigid with shock, staring at him while all
