menacingly and reached with her slender snakelike neck. He put out his
hand to her and she took his fingers between those terrible teeth and
nibbled them tenderly. Then, finished with pretence, she snorted,
pricked her ears and nuzzled his chest and neck.
'Where is her blanket'? Has she eaten? Put the saddle and bridle in
the car.' Dirk snapped a chain of questions and instructions at the
stable-boys as he caressed Sun Dancer's face with the gentle hands of a
lover.
So many contradictions in one person. Sean watched his son with
sadness heavy upon him, oppressive as this red dawn Where did I go
wrong?
'Nkosi, I will walk down with the horse.' Mbejane sensed his mood and
sought to end it.
'Better that a man of your station should ride with me in the
motor-car, ' Sean demurred, and took a fiendish pleasure in the shifty
glance that Mbejane cast at the great gleaming Rolls parked at the far
end of the yard. It has eyes like a monster, thought Mbejane and
looked quickly away.
'I will walk with the horse and see that it comes to no harm,' he
announced.
'As you wish,' Sean agreed. The small procession set off towards
Ladyburg. The two grooms leading Sun Dancer in her red tartan blanket,
and Mbejane following sedately with his small black sons carrying his
carved stool and his spears behind him.
Two hours later Sean drove the Rolls into the field behind the
stockyards. Staring straight ahead, both hands gripping the wheel so
that the knuckles of his hands gleamed white-Sean did not hear the
shouted greetings nor see the gala crowds and the bunting until the
Rolls bumped to a halt in the grass and his hands unfroze from the
wheel. Then he exhaled gently and the rigid muscles of his face
softened into a grin of uncertain triumph.
'Well, we made it! ' He spoke as if he were not quite certain.
'You did very well, my dear.' Ruth's voice was also a little scratchy
and she relaxed her protective hold on Storm.
'You should let me drive, Pa.' Dirk was lounging against the saddlery
on the back seat. Sean turned furiously upon him, but Dirk was too
quick. He flung open the door and was absorbed into the crowd that had
gathered around the Rolls before Sean could assemble his words. Sean
glowered after him.
'Hello, Sean. Nice to see you. ' Dennis Petersen had opened the door
at his elbow and Sean hastily rearranged his features into a smile.
'Hello, Dennis. Nice turn-out.'
'Everybody in the district,' Dennis assured him, as they shook hands,
and then looked with satisfaction around the field.
There were at least fifty carriages parked haphazard along the
stockyard fence, an open wagon had been arranged as a refreshment stall
with silver urns of coffee and piles of cakes laid out upon it. A dog
fight was in progress near the gate, while small boys in already wilted
church clothes shrieked and whooped and chased each other through the
