Roeloff knew the moment they came within sight of the house that something looked wrong. It got dark quickly on the Cederberg mountains, and it was just at that twilight time when he could still see the outline of the dwelling, but not make out people or animals.

‘There’s no smoke in the chimney. I hope everything’s all right.’

‘It looks too quiet.’

They arrived at the empty kraal and saw the dead ewe.

‘We’ve been raided!’

Neeltje felt suddenly cold.

‘Oh, my God, Pa! Come with me to the house, Roff.’

They passed Twa’s hut and stopped.

‘Look at this. Bones.’

Roeloff had already seen them.

‘Twa!’ he called to the hunter.

There was no answer.

They arrived at the buitekamer where Roeloff had his quarters. Neeltje waited at the door while he went inside.

‘Neeltje!’

She went into the dark room, and looked to where he was pointing to something on the bed.

‘She’s had the baby …’ Neeltje whispered.

Roeloff opened the kaross and they looked down at a pink-skinned infant. His navel was raw and his face was wet, as if he had cried himself to sleep.

‘A son,’ he said hoarsely. ‘I’m a father.’

‘He’s beautiful, Roff. Look at his hair. It’s the colour of a moon, almost silver.’ She put her finger into the tiny hand. The hand tightened around it immediately. She leaned down and picked him up.

‘Where’s his mother?’

‘She must be in the house with my father.’

Roeloff went to the little hollow in the wall where Zokho kept her beads and antelope strips. There was nothing there. ‘Her digging stick’s gone.’

‘Zokho wouldn’t just walk off and leave her baby.’

‘She has.’

‘Let’s go to the house and see if she’s there. I hope nothing’s happened to Pa.’

‘We can’t tell him anything about the sheep, Neeltje. We don’t know ourselves. It will set him back. What about the baby?’

‘I’ll take him and dress him in something warm. Do you think Twa could have done that—to make it look like we’ve been raided, and taken the sheep?’

He stepped in front of her.

‘Never say that about Twa, Neeltje. He’s not like that. And where would he go with the sheep? I thought you knew his character.’

‘What about the bones at his fire?’

He let go of her arm.

‘I don’t know, but he’ll have to answer for that. It’s possible he’s gone after the thieves. Twa’s never stolen from me. I’ll check the spoor.’

They entered the kitchen. The house was cold and smelly. The fire had gone out, and no one had cooked or cleaned, or attended to anything. Roeloff lit the lamp on the table and they went behind the partition.

‘Pa!’

Wynand closed his eyes in relief.

‘We’re back, and we have good news. But, first, are you all right? It looks like you are. Oom Otto says you’ll get better. He cannot come now because of his leg, but he’ll come soon to see you. He gave us medicine to build up your strength.’

She noticed her blankets on the bed. There was much effort on her father’s part to speak.

‘Are you all right?’

He blinked.

The baby started to cry.

‘You’re wondering about this baby? That Zokho, I’ll wring her neck when I find her. Where is she? Did she feed you?’

He shook his head to say that she hadn’t.

‘Who changed your blankets?’

He looked to the window.

‘Twa?’

Her father nodded.

‘He gave you something to eat?’

The effort to communicate was too much, and Wynand Roos closed his eyes.

‘The doctor says you’re to rest and not to worry about anything,’ Roeloff said. ‘Twa and I will manage. Oom Otto says he’s seen this before. You have to believe that you’ll be your old self again soon.’ He turned to Neeltje. ‘I’ll start the fire, the baby’s hungry. My, my, listen to him!’

‘Check the cow in the barn, Roff. For milk for him.’ She didn’t want to voice her fear in front of her father that the milk cow too might have been taken.