BY dawn Ruth knew that she would bear a son, though Sean felt it was a
little soon to tell for certain.
After bathing, they ate breakfast in bed together with a renewed sense
of intimacy. Ruth in a white silk gown, with her hair loosed into a
shiny mass on her shoulders and her skin glowing as though she had been
freshly scrubbed, was extreme provocation to Sean.
Consequently they arrived late at the City Hall, much to the agitation
of Sean's supporters.
The counting was well advanced. In a roped-off section of the hall
ballot officers sat in silent industry at the tables piled with the
small pink slips of paper. On a placard above each table was printed
the name of the district and the candidates, and between the tables
scrutineers paced watchfully.
The body of the hall was filled with a milling, humming swarm of men
and women. Before it engulfed them Sean caught a glimpse of Garry and
Anna moving through the press, then for the next ten minutes he was
subjected to an orgy of hand-shaking, back-slapping and well
wishes-interrupted by a bell and a complete silence.
'The result for the legislative assembly seat of Newcastle .
a high thin voice announced in the hush Mr. Robert Sanipson 986 votes.
Mr. Edward Sutton 423 votes . And the rest was lost in a burst of
cheers and groans. Sampson was the South African Party candidate, and
Sean fought his way through the pack that surrounded him.
'Well done, you old son of a gun,' shouted Sean and beat him between
the shoulder-blades.
'Thanks, Sean. It looks as though we are home and dry-I never expected
a majority that size!' and they wrung each other's hands
deliriously.
The morning went on with intervals of excited, buzzing ten exploding
into applause as each result was announced.
Sean's confidence rose as his party captured each seat they had
expected, and one that they were resigned to lose-but then the bell
rang again and in the satire impersonal tone the Chief Registration
Officer at last announced: 'The resuk for the legislative assembly seat
of Ladyburg and the lower lbgela-' he felt the cold emptiness of
apprehension in his stomach, and his breath burning up the back of his
throat.
Standing beside him he could sense the rigidity of Ruth's body and he
groped for her hand.
'Colonel Garrick Courtney 638 votes. Colonel Sean Courtney 631
votes.'
Ruth's hand squeezed hard, but Sean did not reply to the pressure.
The two of them stood very still, a tiny island of quiet in the surge
and roar-in the triumphant cheers and despairing groans-until Sean said
softly: 'I think we'll go back to the hotel, my dear.
'Yes,' she answered as softly, and the sound of her voice was helpless
pity. Together they started across the floor and a way opened for
them. A passage lined by faces that bore expressions of regret,
happiness, curiosity, indifference and triumphant malice.
