‘Nothing, Pa—is there?’
Elsie took Bessie from Soela and sat down. She felt bad for Willem. His son had embarrassed him, she knew at what cost. David was unpleasant and was harassing his wife and being rude to the knecht on purpose. Asking him what part of the pig he wanted. Who did he think he was? He was a pig himself. David felt her stare and looked up. The poisonous look she gave him left no doubt that whatever tenuous link had been established between them was gone.
The meal was a sombre affair, with long faces and awkward talk, not the celebration the Jouberts had had in mind when they invited the Kloots and slaughtered a pig they had specially bought and fattened for the occasion. It wasn’t only Christmas they were celebrating, but also the changes Joubert had made to his house, building on an extra room, and fitting doors made with wood he’d brought back all the way from Stellenbosch.
‘Well, that’s that,’ Jan Joubert said when it was over, raising himself from the bench. ‘We’ll take our brandy on the stoep, a man can suffocate in this heat.’
The women were only too glad to be rid of them and huddled around clearing dishes, making coffee, each one waiting for the other to speak. Soela went inside to put Bessie to sleep and Drieka opened the subject.
‘You saw what happened. That was nothing compared with what he does to her at home. It’s getting really bad.’
‘How did she get those bruises on her face?’ Elsie asked.
‘It was about the servant, Katrijn, the one who had the baby. Soela went to see her. She had seen David with Katrijn some weeks before, and accused him of being the father. He hit her in front of the servant and dragged her out by her hair. By the time Willem got there, it was all over, and she was unconscious.’
‘I’ve never hated anyone,’ Elsie said. ‘It’s wrong to hate, the Lord forbids it. But he’s raised ugly feelings in me—I can’t even bear to look at him. I don’t know why I never saw this in him before.’
‘You saw it, Ma,’ Diena said. ‘You didn’t want her to go back, remember? You thought he would change. We all hoped for the best for Soela, though we never spoke about it.’
‘He’s dangerous, Elsie, and getting worse,’ Drieka said. ‘Something’s got to be done. Willem’s sick at this whole business. He can’t control David, and you know his health isn’t good. And he already blames himself.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘For Roeloff. He feels that David is his punishment.’
‘I never did believe that Roeloff killed that stallion.’
‘He didn’t,’ Diena said.
‘How do you know?’ Elsie asked.
‘Sanna said Hennerik saw David and Soela in the barn.’
‘I thought it was Roeloff with Soela in the barn.’
‘That was earlier. Later, while we were in the kitchen and Roeloff was sleeping, David and Soela went out there. He forced her. When Soela cried, he hit her and said it was to remind her of her sin. He was later seen coming back to the barn by himself. Hennerik was too afraid to say anything.’
‘Did you know this, Drieka?’
‘I only found out later.’
‘Did you tell Willem?’
‘What good would that do? Roeloff had already gone. And things are bad enough. The other day David raised his hand to his own father.’
‘It would help Willem, if he knew. That’s what’s eating at him. If he knew for certain it wasn’t Roeloff, he could still do something about making amends. He could send the kommando to look for him, make things right. Willem has to right that wrong. He probably knows in his heart that it wasn’t him. Roeloff was always his favourite, Harman told me. That boy reminded him of Lisbeth.’ The reference to Willem Kloot’s first wife had popped out before she could stop herself.
Drieka coloured a little.
‘Then why was he always at him? Roeloff could do no right in his eyes.’
‘Who knows? People sometimes do things they don’t understand. Why does your brother do what he does?’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Never mind.’
‘I want to know what you mean.’
‘I’m sorry, Drieka. That was wrong of me. Forget what I said. All I meant is that everyone has faults. We have no quarrel. Tell Willem what you know, it’s not too late.’
‘I don’t know if he would do anything. You know how he is.’
‘Whether he will or not, you have to calm his mind. He’s racked with guilt. Now, I must go talk to Soela.’
Elsie found Soela in her childhood room, lying next to Bessie on the bed.
‘I’ve not seen you since October, Soela. You sent no word about how things were going.’
‘Things are as you see them, Ma.’
‘I can see from those bruises on your face. What did he do, take his fist to you?’
Soela didn’t answer.
‘There’s too much hate. He can’t forget the past,’ Elsie said.
‘I’ve paid for the past. Over and over. I no longer feel bad about what I did.’
