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.Grace possessed them still.Not knowing what to do with them, she had put them away against the day she would pass them along to Mona.That had been nine years ago.At first Mona had been too grief-stricken, Grace thought, to be given the letters.Later she had decided they would only open Mona's wounds.Perhaps, Grace thought now, I should simply destroy them and lay that dark chapter to rest.She heard footsteps crunching over the dirt and then a voice calling softly, "Dr.T?"It was Tim.He had always called her Dr.T.When he stepped into the light which spilled from her tent, he apologized for disturbing her and asked if he could speak with her."I guess what I've really come for is to say good-bye, Dr.T," he said as he sat down."We're leaving next week.""Yes," she said softly."I know.""Now that everything's wrapped up, no use in hanging around for Freedom Day.I don't think I care to see the Union Jack come down once and for all.""Perhaps it won't be so bad."Tim thought for a moment, twisting his hat in his hands.Then he said, "We do wish you would come with us, Dr.T.Alice's sheep farm is doing smashingly, and Tasmania is a beautiful place.Clean and quiet, if you know what I mean."Grace smiled and shook her head."Kenya is my home.I belong here.And here I shall stay.""I don't expect I'll ever be coming back.I was born here, you know, but I feel like an outsider.'Kenya for Kenyans' is what they're saying.Then what am I if not a Kenyan? I hope you'll be all right, Dr.T.""I shall be fine, Tim.Besides, I won't be alone.I shall have Deborah."Tim avoided meeting Grace's eyes.It was an uncomfortable subject for him—Deborah.Perhaps if, eight years ago, Mona had agreed to marry him.But no.Tim wasn't the marrying kind.He needed his freedom, needed his special friendships, which did not include women.As for the child, well, Mona felt the same way: that Deborah was a mistake and an embarrassing reminder of a night they both preferred to forget."Before I go, Dr.T," he said quietly, staring down at the canvas floor, "there's something I want to tell you.I don't know, I just don't feel I can go to Australia without getting this off my chest.It's about the night the earl was killed."Grace waited.He finally looked up."I was the bloke on the bicycle."She stared at him."I didn't kill the earl, though! I don't mean to say that.What happened is, I couldn't sleep that night, so I went downstairs for a drink.I saw the earl out on the drive, getting into his car.I wondered what he was up to.When he drove off, I went outside and saw the bicycle.I decided to follow him.I saw the car up ahead turn onto the Kiganjo Road.He was going a lot faster than I could pedal, so it was some time before I caught up with him.I saw his car pulled over to the side, the motor still running.When I got close, I thought the earl had fallen asleep.He had had so much to drink, you know?""Yes, I know.""I pulled up alongside and peered in.Then I thought maybe he was ill or something.So I got off the bike and slipped in the mud.That's why there was mud on the passenger seat.As soon as I saw the gun in his hand and the bullet wound in his head, I knew what had happened.Whoever did it must have gotten away just before I arrived.I didn't see anybody or hear anything.And then, because I was so scared, I threw the bicycle into the bush when a tire blew, and I ran all the way back to Bellatu.""Why didn't you tell this to the police?""What good would it have done? I couldn't have told them who did it.And they'd have arrested me on suspicion of the earl's murder.Everyone knew we hated each other."He looked at Grace and said softly, "I guess we'll never know who did it, will we?""No, I don't suppose we ever will.But I don't think it matters anymore.Almost everyone who was a part of it is dead.It's best forgotten.""I'll say good night then, Dr.T.Geoffrey is taking us on one of his game runs in the morning!"Grace held out her hand, and he took it."Take care, Tim," she said."And good luck."IT WAS GEOFFREY'S experience that the most resisting of women eventually succumbed to the magic and enchantment of the African bush.He had countless clients who could vouch for as much.So when he walked through the dark to Mona's tent, recalling how animated she had become at dinner and the way her cheeks had burned, he had high hopes.That, and a chilled bottle of champagne.Mona didn't seem at all surprised to see him at the doorway of her tent, sending his hopes even higher.But when she said, "I'm glad you came, Geoff.I have something to tell you," the tone in her voice caught him off guard."What is it?" he said as he opened the champagne.When he offered Mona a glass, she refused it."I've sold the farm, Geoffrey."He looked at her.Then he sat down, stunned."You can't mean it! The whole thing?""All five thousand acres.""Good God, I thought you would never sell! What on earth changed your mind?"She turned away.She had put off telling him the news until now because she knew it would result in a row.But there was almost no time left; he had to be told.Nonetheless, she couldn't tell him the truth.That she had decided to sell the coffee estate because of a little boy.After the day she had found Deborah and Christopher Mathenge in her parents' bedroom, Mona had wept as she had never wept before.She had taken to her bed and finally released all the tears and pain that she had sealed inside herself since the night of David's death [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]