Snare of Serpents (33 page)

“I … I see. Lilias wanted to have the cheapest. That Society was lending the money and she could not bear to be in debt.”

“Very worthy sentiments.”

“So it was you who …”

“I had you moved. I paid the extra so that you could enjoy the voyage in comfort.”

I felt myself flushing. “But … we must pay you back.”

“Certainly not.”

“Lilias …”

“Lilias need know nothing of the transaction. Just imagine her feelings. Besides, she would feel she had to pay me. That would be as bad as paying the Society. And you know how she hates to be in debt.”

I was silent for a moment. Then I said: “I can pay you.”

“I shall refuse to take it.”

“But you must.”

“Why? It was a little gift. It was nothing. And think what a pleasure it has been for me … and for Myra … to have your company, which we could not have had, you know, if we had had to be separated on different sides of the barriers.”

“It was very good of you, but you must allow me to refund the money, my share at least.”

“I will not allow it.”

“I cannot accept.”

“My dear … D-Diana, you already have.”

“But …”

“No buts please. Think of proud Lilias. She must go on believing that there was a misunderstanding in allotting the cabins and when it was realised it was put right.”

“Why should you do this?”

“Because I could not bear to think of you two ladies in such conditions. I should not have told you.”

“But you have.”

“It slipped out. Perhaps I wanted to let you know that I wanted to help you. After all, it is a big step you’re taking and I suggested you should come to South Africa. I very much want it to be a success.”

“You are very good and I am grateful to you. But I would rather …”

“Will you please me in this matter? Say no more about it. I have been delighted to have your company … so has Myra. In fact, we have all had a pleasant voyage.” He laid his hand on mine. “Please see it this way … and not another word about the matter.”

I should have guessed. We had paid so little for the voyage.

We had been so inexperienced in these matters. It was good of him to be concerned. That was how I must try to see it. But the discovery did make me feel a little uneasy.

I
N TWO MORE DAYS
we should reach our destination. One could sense the tension throughout the ship. For myself—and I knew that Lilias felt the same—there was an immense excitement which at times would almost be overcome by a fearful apprehension. There were times when it was brought home forcibly to us that, somewhat blithely, we had decided to leave all that was familiar to start an entirely new life.

We now began to ask ourselves how well equipped we were to do this and we were very preoccupied. We would sit in silence staring out over the sea, each aware that our thoughts were running on similar lines.

Roger Lestrange, I was sure, was fully aware of our feelings; he continually sought to allay our fears. All was going to be well. He would be at hand. We must remember that we had friends.

I remember vividly that sunny day, sitting there on the deck, looking out over an aquamarine sea with scarcely a ripple to disturb its tranquility. Lilias and I had been joined by Roger and Myra. Poor Myra; I guessed her apprehensions about her new life were as deep as mine and Lilias’.

The captain, who was on his daily round of the ship, came into sight.

“Good afternoon,” he said. “Lovely day.”

We agreed that it was.

“Soon be there,” he added.

“On a day like this it seems too soon,” said Roger.

“Yes … and the weather is set fair for the next few days, it seems. Though the Cape can be tricky.”

“Indeed,” said Roger. “I’ve had experience of that.”

The captain smiled and his eyes rested on Lilias, Myra and me.

“You young ladies will be visiting South Africa for the first time.”

“Yes,” said Lilias.

“You could have chosen a better time, wouldn’t you say, Mr. Lestrange?”

“It will probably blow over,” said Roger.

“This time it seems to be a little more serious.”

“Oh, there’s been trouble before?” said Lilias.

“Oh yes … brewing for years, but I’d say that now it seems to be coming to the boil.”

“The captain is referring to Kruger. He’s getting rather truculent just now.”

“It’s been seething for some time, I know,” said the captain. “But after the Jameson Raid … well, things have gone from bad to worse.”

“Why is this?” I asked.

“What would you say?” asked the captain, looking at Roger.

“It’s simple. Cecil Rhodes wants a British South Africa. Kruger wants it for the Afrikaners. It will be all right. Kruger wouldn’t dare go too far.”

“We’ll wait and see,” said the captain. “Well, I must be getting along. I’ll see you later.”

After he had gone I turned to Roger. “I should like to know more about these matters.”

“Of course. You’re going to live there. Naturally enough you want to know.”

“The captain seemed quite concerned,” said Lilias.

“Well, to put it briefly,” said Roger, “this jostling for power has been going on for some time, but when diamonds and gold were found in the country, it meant that people came and settled from elsewhere. They were mostly British subjects. Consequently the population changed and the newcomers, whom the Afrikaners called Uitlanders—Outlanders, of course—wanted to play a dominating role in the administration of the country. Paul Kruger was President of the Transvaal and he could see what was coming.”

“He’s a very strong leader, I believe,” said Lilias.

“Indeed he is. He realised at once that if the Uitlanders were given a vote the Afrikaners would be outnumbered, with disastrous consequences to them. They were suspicious of the British who, right from the first, had maintained a different attitude towards the black population. When the emancipation of slavery had taken place in Britain the British wanted to extend it to South Africa. This was something which the Boers could not tolerate because it robbed them of the labour on their farms. It is a long story of conflict.”

“And now the captain seems to think it is ‘coming to the boil.’ “

“We’ve been thinking that for some time. The reason that there is a scare now is because Kruger has ordained that no Uitlander may have a vote in the presidential elections, and only those who have lived fourteen years in the country and are forty years old can vote in the Volksraad elections. That is for the parliament, of course.”

“It seems hardly fair if these Uitlanders had settled in the country.”

“Exactly. Besides, many of them have become wealthy and are contributing considerably to the finances of the country and yet are denied a vote. You could not expect men like Cecil Rhodes and Jameson to stand aside and let such a state of affairs go on.”

“Then, of course, there was the Jameson Raid,” said Lilias.

“That delayed matters for some time. Especially when the Emperor of Germany sent a telegram congratulating Kruger on his success in the affair; on the other hand, there is no doubt that the British government is more determined than ever to show its strength.”

“So it does seem as though there is some danger of big trouble?” said Lilias anxiously.

“As I say, the trouble is not new. It will be sorted out, no doubt. Negotiations are going on now, I believe, between Joseph Chamberlain, who is Secretary of State for the Colonies, and Jan Smuts, Kruger’s young State Attorney. Being away all this time, I have only heard what is happening through the British press.”

“We did not take very much notice of it,” said Lilias. “Since we decided to come to South Africa there has been so much to do.”

“I should forget it.”

“But if there is this conflict between the Afrikaners and the Uitlanders, of whom we should be regarded as members, might they not be a little hostile towards us?”

“My dear lady, nobody would be hostile to you, I am sure. No, no. They will be delighted to have you come to give your skills to their children. I am sure you will find a warm welcome awaiting you. Moreover, I shall be nearby. Riebeeck House is not far from the schoolhouse. So I shall be at hand if needed.”

I felt he was expecting us to say that we were greatly comforted, but I—and I am sure Lilias felt the same—could not truthfully say that. We were beginning to wonder with a certain trepidation what lay ahead of us.

C
APE
T
OWN WAS BEAUTIFUL.
I wished that we could have stayed to explore. The sun was welcoming; the people seemed friendly. From what I had heard from Roger and the captain, I had been prepared for a hostile reception from some members of the community. We were Uitlanders; and there was a controversy in progress among the people here. But there was no sign of this.

I marvelled at the grandeur of the Table Mountain and Table Bay.

“What a beautiful country!” I cried; and Lilias agreed with me.

We smiled at each other. We both felt that it was going to be all right.

The long train journey through the veldt was of absorbing interest, if somewhat exhausting. It was five hundred and forty miles from Cape Town to Kimberley and Roger had warned us that it would take thirty hours.

“It’s fortunate that you do not have to trek,” he added.

We had to be grateful to him. Throughout the journey, his air of authority brought him the best and immediate attention; and we shared in that.

“How different it would have been without his help,” I said to Lilias, and she agreed.

At last we arrived in Kimberley.

Roger Lestrange insisted on taking us to the schoolhouse before going on with Myra to Riebeeck House.

As we drove through the town, Lilias and I gazed intently from the windows of the carriage.

“It’s a prosperous town,” Roger told us. “It’s growing fast. That is what diamonds have done for it. Besides, it’s on the direct route from Cape Town to the Transvaal.” With pride he pointed out some of the fine buildings—the Town Hall, the High Court and the botanical gardens.

Lilias and I exchanged gratified glances. We had said when we heard of the troubles of this country that we should have been better in Australia or New Zealand. But this was very agreeable.

The carriage had drawn up before a small white building set back from the road in a kind of courtyard.

“The schoolhouse,” announced Roger.

The door opened even as he spoke and a man emerged. He was in his early thirties, I imagined, fresh-complexioned and smiling.

“Mr. John Dale,” said Roger. “Let me introduce you to the new schoolmistresses, John.”

“This is Miss Milne and Miss Grey?” said the young man, looking from one of us to the other.

“This is Miss Grey,” said Lilias. “I am Miss Milne.”

He shook her hand and then mine.

“And this,” said Roger Lestrange, “is my wife.”

John Dale held out his hand and shook Myra’s.

“Welcome to Kimberley,” he said. “I hope you will be very happy here, Mrs. Lestrange.”

Roger stood smiling benignly and said: “Well, we have had a long journey and my wife and I will be off. Can I leave the ladies in your care, John?”

“Certainly.” He turned to us. “Do please come in. Let me take your baggage.”

“There is much more to come,” said Lilias.

“Of course. But now, let’s get in.”

“So,” said Roger, “we’ll leave you.”

We thanked him sincerely for all he had done.

“We shall be seeing you soon. We shall want to hear what you think of it and how you are settling in, shall we not, Myra?”

“Oh yes … yes. Please come and see us soon,” said Myra.

“Of course they will, my dear,” put in Roger. “We’re so close. You’re not going to lose them. Well, we shall be getting on. You’re safe in John’s hands. Au revoir.”

We had stepped into a hall and John Dale brought in our bags and set them down.

“Now,” he said. “Let me explain who I am. I’m a member of the council which looks after the town. We have been very concerned about the education of our young people. It’s a very small school, as you will see. We’ve never had more than about twenty pupils. The difficulty has been to get teachers who stay. Originally we had a Miss Groot who was here for twenty years. Then she became too old and we had a young woman who stayed for two years, married and went away. Since then we have found it difficult to find someone who would come and feel a real interest in the school. When Mr. Lestrange told us about you, we were delighted. I hope you will like it here.”

“And I hope you will find us satisfactory,” said Lilias.

“There are two of you …”

He hesitated, and Lilias said quickly: “Yes, we know that you only needed one teacher.”

“The fact is that we should like to have two teachers … but the funds won’t run to it. If we had more pupils, well then, we should need more teachers. But the fees we charge are not large and the school is really supported by the town … and sometimes it seems that not everyone gives education the respect it deserves.”