Through it all Debra showed iron control, but even she at last succumbed
and she, her mother, and Ella Kadesh all broke down simultaneously at
the departure barrier of Lad Airport and hung around each other's necks,
weeping bitterly.
The Brig and David stood by, stiff and awkward, trying to look as though
they were not associated with the weeping trio, until the first warning
broadcast gave them an excuse for a brief handshake and David took
Debra's arm and drew her gently away.
They climbed the boarding ladder into the waiting Boeing without looking
back. The giant aircraft took off and turned away southwards, and as
always the sensation of flight soothed David; all the cares and tensions
of these last few days left on the earth behind and below, he felt a new
lightness of the spirit, excitement for what lay ahead.
He reached across and squeezed Debra's arm.
Hello there, Morgan, he said, and she turned towards him and smiled
happily, blindly.
It was necessary to spend some time in Cape Town before they could
escape to the sanctuary of Jabulani in the north.
David took a suite at the Mount Nelson Hotel, and from there he was able
to settle the numerous issues that had piled up in his absence.
The accountants who managed his trust funds demanded ten days of his
time and they spent it in the sitting-room of the suite, poring over
trust documents and accounts.
In two years his income had grossly exceeded his spending, and the
unused portion of his income had to be re-invested. In addition the
third trust fund would soon pass to him and there were formalities to be
completed.
Debra was hugely impressed by the extent of David's wealth.
You must be almost a millionaire, she said in a truly awed voice, for
that was as rich as Debra could imagine.
I'm not just a pretty face, David agreed, and she was relieved that'he
could talk so lightly about his appearance.
Mitzi and her new husband came to visit them in their suite. However,
the evening was not a success.
Although Mitzi tried to act as though nothing had changed, and though
she still called him warrior, yet it was apparent that she and her
feelings had altered.
She was heavily pregnant and more shapeless than David would have
thought possible. It was half-way through the evening before David
realized the true reason for all the reserve. At first he thought that
his disfigurement was worrying them, but after Mitzi had given a
barr-hour eulogy of the strides that Cecil was making at Morgan Group
and the immense trust that Paul Morgan had placed in him, Cecil had
asked innocently, Are you thinking of joining us at the Group?
I'm sure we could find something useful for you to do - ha, ha! David
could assure them quietly.
No, thank you. You won't have to worry about me, Cecil, old boy. You
take over from Uncle Paul with my blessing Good Lord, I didn't mean
that, Cecil was shocked, but Mitzi was less devious.
