Girl with the Golden Voice (46 page)

Tom was amazed that many members recognised him for the kidnap and escape in the Kakamega Forest and for being, as many still believed, the man who would soon be the husband of Rebecca Kamau. In the social gathering after the formal meeting was over Rebecca was the hot topic. Delegates were ecstatic that she was a party member, one of them. Tom mused that if she was the candidate for election, Serena would have a solid gold winner. The men would find her irresistible. But he left the meeting surprised but pleased that he was still the Serena man for Nakuru South.

As the white aircraft took off and turned for its home base on Crescent Island, Toni and his musicians were arriving at the Bomas for their second and last concert.

ary made sure that the money Rebecca made from singing with the band was sent back to her account in the Westlands branch of Barclays. Rebecca had lost interest in money. She loved everything about South America, especially the energy and optimism of the people.

‘I could live here, Mary. I could soon learn one of these beautiful languages. I can imagine myself spouting streams of Spanish or is it Portuguese, like that girl in the restaurant last night. She was mad about something, but her anger sounded like poetry.'

‘You can live here if you really want to. Perhaps that would put Julius off. He'd be nothing over here without Daddy close by.'

‘He would have Tom killed if I did that. He would suspect some plot.'

‘Tom could come over.'

‘No good. I know that to Julius I'm a sort of prize. God help us! Me, a prize. He doesn't love me. I'm a toy and look out the one who tries to deprive him of the toy. Once we are married, for sure, he'll be on the lookout for some new plaything.'

Rebecca kept busy. On stage there was no problem. Off stage, she exercised, she started another diary, she, with Monica and Dorcas, took lessons in Spanish. They did not learn a lot, but they enjoyed the hilarious moments of their failures, especially in their pronunciation of the simplest words.

On the twenty-second day of the separation Toni was excited by news he had just read on the Internet. The date of elections had been announced back home, June eighteenth

‘Are you sure of the date?'

‘Of course I am, Rebecca.'

‘That was the day when Tom and I were to be married.' She broke the resulting embarrassed silence with a hasty, ‘I'm so sorry. I wasn't thinking,' and left the room.

In the late afternoon she telephoned the Rubai house in Karen. She had worked out her times well. Sally was alone at home.

‘Please, tell Julius that I will be in Nairobi on May twenty-first.'

‘Wonderful! So, we can set the party for May twenty-fifth? I happen to know that it's a quiet night in the Muthaiga.'

Rebecca's reply was delayed so long that Sally started to wonder if they had been cut off. At last, it came. ‘Um, yes. The twenty-fifth. That would be … perfect.'

‘Don't worry about your folks. I'll let them know. I'm so looking forward to having another female in the family. You could have the wedding ceremony in State House.'

‘What do you mean?'

‘You haven't heard?' Sally was genuinely surprised. ‘KANU have asked Abel to stand for president. He's out more than ever now. Meetings all over the place. Julius is usually with him. Oh, yes, Julius is looking for a property on the lakeside.'

‘Naivasha?'

‘Of course, darling. He thought he ought to have a house in the district he's representing. And he thought you would

like the idea. Julius is a changed man. I think that's got a lot to do with you. Abel is very pleased.'

For an hour after putting down the receiver, Rebecca sat on her hotel balcony staring down at the street below. She recalled many words and events of her recent past. She had said to Mary that a lot could happen in thirty-five days. It had, but not in a way she had hoped for. The scenario of the life she had opted for was rolling on and the reality was proving to be worse than the idea.

She had never actually said yes to Julius but nor had she said no. Her courage had failed her on this. No doubt such details had slipped his mind when telling his parents about his hopes. So, they were laying down plans for their future daughter-in-law's engagement party and wedding. There was to be a home on the lake, a prospect that she dreaded. Had they organised the names of the children who would be the fruit of this wonderful match?

The pain was more intense than ever, huge despair with no way out.

For a few fleeting seconds she contemplated the ultimate escape. It would be … easy. From the balcony to the pavement below would be enough to make sure. A cold shudder knocked that idea on the head. A mouthful of tablets and a glass of strong drink, the thought of that made her want to throw up. She only had to visualise her mother and father standing over her coffin and the notion evaporated to be replaced by a tiny, inexplicable surge of optimism. She would create something to be proud of. She would get back her freedom. Nothing would break her spirit. And she would begin this new life at that very moment. If she could not shut down the fever of the mind churning out seemingly uncontrolled thoughts by the hundred, she would cool down a part of her where she did have control. She stepped into the shower and turned the cold tap on at full speed. The shock of the gush made her catch her breath and, twenty minutes later, the rough kiss of crisp towels brought her some physical relief.

* * *

Although she had given Sally Rubai only the date of her arrival back in Kenya and no hint of a time, Rebecca was not surprised to find Julius waiting for her at Jomo Kenyatta. He was standing close to the baggage carousel with her two bags at his feet.

‘It's so good to have you home, Rebecca!'

‘Wonderful to be home, too, Julius.'

There was a brief hug where cheeks touched but not lips. He signalled to two heavyweight companions to look after the luggage then led her away by a side entrance.

‘Do you like the new vehicle?'

They were approaching a gleaming red sports car in the VIP car park

‘Not a Ferrari? It's the only name I know. Italian, I think.'

‘Not bad. Porsche. German. It's yours. Engagement present.'

‘But I can't drive!'

‘And I've brought this.'

He brought out the dark blue box she had seen in State House. Mild panic set in. Why was she afraid of such a small object? They were standing by the open door of the Porsche.

‘The ring. Shall I show you?'

She turned and touched him on the ball of his left shoulder.

She arched her eyebrows and smiled. ‘I love surprises. I'm sure it's a gorgeous ring. Why don't you keep it until the Muthaiga? It will make a dramatic moment!'

‘Actress as well as singer now!'

She looked away, knowing that she had succeeded. He was beaming with satisfaction. She knew that she would get a lot more of her own way by flattering him, leading him on than by presenting a front of glum resignation.

‘You're sure?'

‘About Naivasha? Yes. I haven't seen them since the day after the concert in the Bomas.'

‘That gives me a dilemma.'

‘Don't worry. I can take a matatu.'

Julius slapped his thigh and laughed. What a girl he had won himself.

‘Ridiculous! Your matatu days are over. No, you see, my father is making a very big speech in Machakos. I have to be there. Just a minute …'

He walked away a couple of paces and took out his mobile. She ran her finger along the smooth paintwork of the car. She wasn't going to tell Julius that the band's financial adviser in New York had been urging her to spend some of her swelling bank account.

‘Get yourself some property, young lady. Splash out on a smart car. You'd look good in a Porsche!'

She could hear Julius giving firm, clear instructions. She soon realised that the subject matter was her luggage.

‘Now, if you'll let me borrow your car for a few minutes, we'll be on our way to the other airport.'

Julius had arranged that his boys would deliver her cases to Naivasha. He helped her into the comfortable cabin of the small blue aircraft, preparing to fly the direct route and to land on Laurie Buckle's polo field. The parallels with her last flight home were painful. Travelling in the McCall light aircraft from Wilson still living her lie had been difficult. Then she was about to break off an engagement, now she was about to enter a new one, a hopeless prospect. Perhaps she would have been better off in a convent after all.

Julius was a careful but nervous pilot. Where Tom was relaxed and confident, laughed a lot and had full trust in his machine, Julius was taciturn and very attentive to his instruments. He looked about him constantly like a fighter pilot over enemy territory. This from the ace, number one rally driver of Kenya. He was fearful that disaster might strike at any moment.

Julius's preoccupation released Rebecca. He was concentrating on flying in a dead straight line between runways. She was happy about this. She would be back in the village all the quicker. Passing to the east of Longonot she lifted her hand in greeting to her old friend.

Because he had never landed a plane on polo fields before, Julius was especially cautious about his approach. He swung wide over the lake on a trial run. Soon they were above Crescent Island, skirting Londiani. Children were waving up at them from the rondavels. On their final approach, she could see the washing billowing in the laundry garden. She felt like a traitor, an alien who was not able to look down on these familiar scenes with any pleasure.

They were down. Blessed, glorious Laurie Buckle was not twenty metres from where they had come to a halt. The engine of his Pajero was idling as he waited for his daughter, Colleen, to join him after a ride. On seeing Rebecca step down he hurried to welcome her home. He grasped her hand and shook it vigorously.

‘Rebecca! Bloody marvellous!'

She was quick to introduce Julius who had joined them. Another firm handshake with both men smiling politely but not yielding in their eye contact.

‘Welcome, Julius. Never seen you up here. Do you play?'

‘I leave the horsey stuff to my younger brother. Too boring. You know I'm standing for Nakuru South next month. I hope I can count on your vote.'

‘Ah, the sacred secretness of the ballot box. That's what we were taught in school. You wouldn't really want me to go against that, would you? And, Rebecca, can I give you a lift anywhere?'

‘To the village if it's not out of your way.'

Julius was annoyed. He looked at his watch. He really had no time to hang around. She wasn't showing much tact, sticking close to this farmer. He shrugged. Five more days to the party at Muthaiga.

‘Will I be seeing you before the party?'

‘I must get on to organising my dress.'

‘You'll be coming into town then?'

‘I want two women in Naivasha to do it. Bought the material and the design. I think you'll like it. They are very good. Friends of my mother.'

Julius was at his most nervous when he was alone in the sky in that fragile construction. On his way south he was soon sweating. The meeting with Rebecca had not gone as planned. They were getting on better than ever. He was pinning his hopes on the party and that moment when he finally slipped the ring on her finger. So far there was something missing in the relationship … but patience and discipline. These were his key words. He had made up his mind that when they were married they would go for a baby straight away. For now he must make sure he was at his father's side when he rose to speak to the people of Machakos.

* * *

When Rebecca unpacked her cases in her room, she left the green silk dress in its tissue paper wrapping. It was the most expensive piece of clothing she had ever bought. She would never tell her mother the price. There was no material in those cases, no design.

Rebecca and her mother were together in the living room, enjoying each other's company. Angela was pressing the family's clothes ready for Friday night while Rebecca read a magazine brought over from Big House.

‘Two days ago two men came to the house. They said a car would come on Friday to take us to Nairobi. It's very strange. People want us to ride with them. We have more money than we need. But things are not so good now.'

Angela changed flat irons, taking the hot one out of the charcoal heater and popping the cold one in. The sound of children playing outside momentarily drew her glance to the square of sunlight she could see through the open door. She was remembering how frightened she was when she found out for sure that Tom and Rebecca were planning to get married. Now she would have given a lot to return to those days. Today she was more frightened that her firstborn was to marry a man she knew she did not love. A cloud had come to cover them. Even the two young ones were not excited by the expensive cars and the visits to smart places in Nairobi.