Garrick and Anna Courtney were not there, nor had they acknowledged the
invitation.
Brilliant sunshine blessed the day and the lawns were smooth and green
as expensive carpets. There were long trestle tables laden with the
fruits of Ma Goldberg's kitchen and the products of Ben Goldberg's
brewery.
Storm Friedman went from group to group of guests, boosting up her
skirts to display the pink ribbons in her pantaloons, until Ruth caught
her at it.
Having found his first taste of champagne very much to his liking, Dirk
went on to drink six glasses of it behind the rose bushes. He was then
copiously ill. Fortunately Michael found him before Sean did, and
spirited him away to one of the guest roomns and left him there to
languish.
With Ruth on his arm, Sean inspected the display of wedding gifts and
was impressed. He then circulated among the crowds on the lawn until
he reached Jan Paulus and fell into an earnest political discussion.
Ruth left them to it and went to change into her going-away clothes.
The prettiest and most blonde of Ada's young ladies caught the bouquet.
Immediately thereafter she caught Michael's eye and blushed to match
the crimson carnations in her hand.
Amid a hum of appreciative comment and a snowstorm of confetti Ruth
returned and, a queen ascending the throne, took her seat in the Rolls.
Beside her Sean, in dust coat and goggles, steeled himself, muttered
his usual incantations and gave the Rolls its head. Like a wild horse
the machine seemed to rear on its hind wheels and then tear down the
driveway scattering gravel and guests. Ruth clutching desperately at
her hatful of ostrich feathers and Sean shouting at the Rolls to
'Whoa! There, girl, --they headed out along the road that led through
the Valley of a Thousand Hills to Durban and the sea, and disappeared
in a tall column of dust.
Three months later, having picked up Storm from Ma Goldberg en passant,
they reappeared at lion Kop homestead. Sean had put on weight and both
of them had that smugly complacent look found only in the faces of
couples returning from a successful honeymoon.
On the front stoep and in the outbuildings of Uon Kop were the crates
and packing-cases which contained wedding gifts, Ruth's furniture and
carpets, and the additional furniture and curtains they had purchased
in Durban. Ruth, ably assisted by Ada, threw herself joyously into the
task of unpacking and moving in. Meanwhile Sean began a tour of
inspection of the estate to determine how much of it had suffered in
his absence, and he felt vaguely cheated when he found that Michael had
managed very well without him. The plantations were trim and cleared
of undergrowth, the vast black scar through their centre was nearly
obliterated with freshly planted rows of saplings, the labour force was
half as productive again under the new incentive payment scheme which
Michael, in consultation with the Accountant, had introduced. Sean
gave Michael a lecture on 'not getting too bloody clever' and 'learning
to walk before you ran' which he ended with a few words of praise.
Thus encouraged, Michael approached Sean one night when he was alone in
