began the campaign. His first convert was Ruth Courtney, won over by
the prospect of the excitement associated with an election battle
rather than by Sean's oratory. Now a week or more of every month was
spent in travelling about Natal to attend political gatherings. Ruth
rehearsed Sean in his speech he had only one-until he was word perfect.
She kissed the babies and played hostess to the wives, tasks in which
Sean showed no special aptitude. She sat beside him on the platform
and restrained him from going down into the audience to engage in
hand-to-hand combat with hecklers. The way she smiled and the way she
walked certainly lost no votes for the South African Party. From
London Lord Caisterbrook promised his support, and it looked as though
Sean could count on twenty-two seats out of the Assemblys thirty.
On the level ground below the escarpment, nearby the Baboon Stroom, lay
the plant of the Ladyburg Wattle Co-operative Maine Bob wok shape. It
covered ten acres of ground and beyond the cottages of the employees
were laid out in neat blocks.
Despite Michael's vehement protests, Sean bowed to the will of his
fellow directors and a consulting engineer was employed until such time
as the plant was in production. Without him they would have lost a
year's harvest of bark, for although Michael was eager and tireless,
yet he was a young man with no practical experience. Even with the
older man to help him, the plant was still a long way from ready before
the season's cutting began.
When at last the tall silver smoke stack began spewing smoke and the
furnaces lit the night with a satanic glow, there were thousands of
tons of bark piled up in the open-sided warehouses around the
factory.
It was a wonderful season. Good rains had filled the bark with rich
sap and when the year ended the Co-operative had shown a profit of ten
thousand pounds on its first year's operation Lion Kop Estates a profit
four times greater. Sean had been in and out of debt as swiftly as a
small boy visits the bathroom when sent to wash his face.
Despite the good rains, there were only three spectacular storms that
summer. On each occasion Sean was away from Lion Kop on business.
While the lightning leapt across the hills and the hammer strokes of
thunder broke over the valley, Ruth stood at the window of their
bedroom and lamented another wasted opportunity. Mbejane did much
better-all his seed brought forth fruit and he reaped four fat sons
that season.
It was a busy year for Dirk Courtney also. After his resounding defeat
at the thin end of the stock whip Dirk and Ruth fell into a state of
wary neutrality-but he conceded control of Lion Kop to her.
Storm Courtney he ignored unless she was in Sean's lap or initial
riding on his shoulder. Then he watched them covertly until he could
find an excuse to interrupt their play or to get away from Lion Kop.
His absences became more frequent; there were trips to Pietermaritzburg
and the surrounding districts to play rugby and polo; there were
mysterious night excursions to Ladyburg, and in the day he rode away at
dawn each morning, Sean believed he rode to school until he received a
