On his belly Dirk reached for the pitchfork against the wall, but
braided leather exploded around his wrist. He shouted again and rolled
on his side to nurse the hand against his chest.
Ruth hit him and he writhed across the floor towards her like a wounded
leopard with its hindquarters shattered by buckshot.
Step by step Ruth retreated before him, and the long lash hissed and
cracked.
Without mercy she beat him until his shirt hung in tatters from his
waist and shoulders, exposing the smooth white skin with the fat
crimson welts superimposed upon it.
She beat him until his shouts turned to shrieks and finally to
sobbing.
She beat him until he lay shivering, moaning, moving feebly with his
blood sprinkled in dark blobs on the stone paving around him.
Then she folded the whip and turned to open the door. In the stable
yard, standing in silent curiosity, were gathered a the grooms and the
household servants.
Ruth selected four of them.
'Take the Nkosikana to his room.'
Then to one of the grooms' 'Ride to the Nkosi. Tell him to come
quickly.'
Sean came quickly; he came wild with anxiety and nearly tore the door
off Dirk's bedroom in his haste. He stopped dead on the threshold and
stared aghast at Dirk's back.
Stripped to the waist, Dirk lay face downwards on his bed and Ruth
worked over him with a sponge. On the table beside her stood a
steaming basin and the pungent reek of antiseptic filled the room.
'Good God! What happened to him?'
'I beat him with a stock whip- Ruth answered him calmly and Sean gaped
at her, then dropped his gaze to Dirk
'You did that?'
'Yes.
The anger tightened Sean's mouth.
'Jesus God! You've cut him to pieces. You've half killed him.
' And he glanced at Ruth. 'Why?'
'It was necessary.' The absolute assurance and lack of remorse in her
reply confused Sean. He was suddenly uncertain in his anger.
'What did he do?'
'I can't tell you that. It is something private between us. You must
ask Dirk. ' Sean crossed quickly to the bed and knelt beside it.
'Dirk. Dirkie, my boy, what happened? What did you do?'
And Dirk lifted his face from the pillow and looked at his father, 'It
was a mistake. It doesn't matter. ' Then he buried his face in the
pillow once more, and his voice was muffled, so Sean had excuse for not
believing that he had heard correctly.
'What did you say?' he demanded, and there was a short delay before
Dirk replied quite distinctly.
'I said-it was my fault. ' 'That's what I thought you said. ' Sean
stood up with a puzzled expression on his face. 'Well, I don't know
why you sent for me, Ruth. You seem to have the situation fairly well