behind me like the Israelites.
We intercepted Anglo-Sturvesant at the glass exit doors, and I dropped Sally’s hand to crack the inner circle. I broke through at the first attempt and Louren nearly tripped over me.
‘Ben.’ I saw immediately how tired he was. Pale beneath the gold skin, purply smudges under the eyes - but a warm smile cleared the fatigue for a moment. ‘I’m sorry. I should have warned you not to come. Something has come up. I am on my way to a meeting now.’
He saw the expression on my face, and clasped my shoulder quickly.
‘No. Don’t jump to conclusions. It’s still on. Be at the airfield at five o’clock tomorrow morning. I’ll meet you there. I must go now. I’m sorry.’
We shook hands quickly.
‘All the way, partner?’ he asked.
‘All the way,’ I agreed, grinning at the schoolboy inanity and then they swept on by and disappeared through the glass doors.
We were halfway back to Johannesburg before Sally spoke.
‘Did you ask him about me? Is it fixed?’
‘There wasn’t time, Sal. You saw that. He was so rushed.’
Neither of us spoke again until I turned into the grounds of the Institute and parked the Mercedes beside her little red Alfa in the empty car park.
‘Would you like a cup of coffee?’ I asked.
‘It’s late.’
‘It isn’t. You won’t sleep anyway - not tonight. We could have a game of chess.’
‘All right.’
I let us in at the front door and we went through the public rooms, crowded with glass cases and wax figures, to the private staircase that led to my office and flat.
Sal lit the fire and set out the chessmen while I made coffee. When I came back from the kitchen she was sitting cross-legged on a tooled leather pouffe, brooding over the ivory and ebony chessboard. I caught my breath at the fresh dimension of her loveliness that the light and setting presented to me, She wore a patchwork poncho, as brilliantly coloured as the Oriental carpets strewn on the floor about her - and the gentle sidelighting glowed on the soft sun-touched olive of her skin. Watching her, I thought my heart might burst.
She looked up with those big soft eyes. ‘Come,’ she said, ‘let’s play.’
If I can weather the storm of her first lightning, volatile attacks then I can smother and wear her down with pawn play and superior development. She calls it the creeping death.
At last she toppled her queen with a little groan of exasperation and stood up to pace restlessly about the room, hugging her own shoulders under the vivid poncho. I sipped coffee and watched her with covert pleasure until suddenly she swirled and faced me with long legs astride and clenched fists on her hips, her elbows tenting the poncho around her.
‘I hate the bastard,’ she said in a tight, strangled voice. ‘A big arrogant god-man. I knew the type as soon as I saw him. Why, in the name of all that’s holy, does he have to come with us? If we make any significant discovery, you can guess who will hog all the glory.’
I knew immediately she was talking of Louren - and I was startled by the acid and gall in her tone. Later I would remember it, and know the reason. But now I was stunned and then angry.
‘What on earth are you talking about?’ I demanded.
‘The face, the walk, the flock of idolaters, the condescending air with which he dispenses favours, the immense overpowering conceit of the man—’
‘Sally!’
‘The casual, unthinking cruelty of his presumption—’
‘Stop it, Sally.’ I was on my feet now.
‘Did you see those poor little men of his - shaking with fright?’
‘Sally, you’ll not talk of him like that - not in front of me.’
‘Did you see yourself? One of the gentlest, kindest, most decent men I have ever known. One of the finest brains I have ever been privileged to work with. Did you see yourself, scampering and tail-wagging - God, you were rolling on your back at his feet - offering your belly to be tickled—’ She was almost hysterical now, crying, tears of anger running down her face, shaking, white-faced.
I could not answer her. I stood stricken and numb - and her temper changed. She lifted her hand and pressed it to her mouth. We stared at each other.
‘I must be mad,’ she whispered. ‘Why did I say those things? Ben, oh Ben. I’m sorry. So very sorry.’
And she came and knelt before me, her arms went around my body and she hugged me to her. I stood like a statue. I was cold with fear, dread of what was to come. For although this was what I had long prayed for, yet it had come so suddenly, without a moment’s warning, and now I had been thrust far beyond the point of no return, into unknown territory. Sally lifted her head, still clinging to me, and looked up into my face.
‘Forgive me, please.’
I kissed her, and her mouth was warm and salty with tears. Her lips opened under mine, and my fear was gone.
