‘I don’t know where that is. I didn’t travel anywhere else in this area before coming to this farm. And,’ he looked down at Wynand in the bed, ‘I think we will need help with your father. Is there anyone living near here who can help us? He’ll need washing and turning around.’
‘No one. We’re the only ones out here in the Cederberg. But there is the widow Reijnhardt. Tante Marta. Persistent as a mosquito after Pa. She’s in Jan Dissels Vlei too. She would come right away.’
‘I must go to Jan Dissels Vlei, then. You’ll have to tell me the way.’
Neeltje’s brow was furrowed in thought.
‘Tante Marta won’t travel alone with you.’
‘You’ll have to go with me then. I know it’s not proper, but we have no choice. How long would it take?’
‘We could leave at dawn and be back the day after tomorrow.’
Roeloff looked at Zokho.
‘You must go,’ Zokho said.
‘What about the baby?’
‘It won’t come yet.’
Roeloff turned to Wynand Roos. ‘Do you want us to fetch the doctor, Oom?’
Wynand blinked.
‘We’ll also get the wid …’
Neeltje kicked his foot.
‘Don’t tell him that,’ she whispered. ‘He’ll get worse. We’ll leave at dawn, Pa. Zokho will stay with you in the house. Twa will look after things.’
‘He’s handy with a gun,’ Roeloff added. ‘We won’t be away long.’
That evening Neeltje put a few things together for the trip.
‘You’ll be all right by yourself, Zokho, you and Twa?’
‘Yes.’
‘There’s soup in the pot. Give Pa the soup in the morning. You and Twa take the meat.’
‘Your father won’t open his mouth if he knows what it is.’
‘Don’t tell him.’
Zokho watched her wrap a few strips of biltong and bread into a cloth.
‘You’ll be back by sunset tomorrow?’
Neeltje looked up.
‘The day after. Why, are you afraid?’
‘No.’
‘What then?’
‘I’m thinking that—I’m thinking it will be quiet around here.’
‘That’s not it, Zokho. What is it?’
Zokho looked down at her hands.
‘Something will happen on this journey.’
‘What?’ Neeltje came to stand in front of Zokho and put her hands on her shoulders. ‘You’re talking strange things, Zokho. What will happen?’
‘I don’t know. I feel it in here, under my heart.’
Neeltje laughed.
‘You’re feeling the baby. You’ve said yourself he was kicking your insides. What can happen on this journey? I’ve been over these mountains twice since I was born.’
Zokho said no more.
Roeloff and Twa came into the kitchen.
‘I’ve asked Twa to have my horse saddled first thing. We’ll have to go on one horse, the mare’s getting ready to foal. The oubaas’s horse will stay in case Twa needs it to go after the sheep. I told him to keep an eye on things. He and Zokho are in charge.’