Ama by Manu Herbstein

Author:Manu Herbstein
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Open Road Media
Published: 2000-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 22

A passing ship brought news that the Dutch factor at Axim was seriously ill.

“I’d have to go even if it weren’t for this crisis,” De Bruyn told Ama. “It’s two years since my last inspection.”

“How will you go?”

“Bezuidenhout will take me in the brig.”

“When?”

“As soon as possible. On the high tide tomorrow morning if the wind is right.”

“Well I shall just have to manage without you.”

“I'll come back just as quickly as I can. You will miss me, won’t you?”

“Of course,” Ama replied, kissing him on the cheek.

“I'll tell you what. We’ll ask Hennie to brush up your catechism while I'm away. As soon as I get back we can have you baptised. Then we can start thinking about a date for our wedding.”

* * *

The brig Admiraal de Ruyter was moored in the Benya lagoon.

Ama went on board with De Bruyn. There was only one cabin in the little ship and since De Bruyn would be using it Commodore Bezuidenhout would have to sleep on deck with the Europeans and company slaves who made up the small crew.

Though Ama had never been on a ship before, she had often examined the tall masts and the rigging through Mijn Heer’s spyglass. Now she ran her hands over a hemp rope and revived the shine on a brass bollard with the corner of her cloth.

“What a tiny room!” she said as they entered the cabin.

It's almost as small as the little store under Konadu Yaadom’s stairs where Esi and I hid when Osei Kwadwo died, she thought. There was barely enough space for the two of them to stand beside the bunk.

“It’s time to leave, Mijn Heer,” said Bezuidenhout. “The tide has already turned and there is no guarantee that this off-shore breeze will hold.”

Ama climbed down into the small boat and the bumboy rowed her ashore.

The brig weighed anchor, the draw bridge was raised and two canoes towed the vessel down the short canal to the sea. The seamen-slaves who were already up in the rigging unfurled the sails; the breeze caught them and as they filled, the ship became a living thing. The tow ropes were made loose and the paddlers swung their boats aside to make a way for the larger vessel.

Ama ran down along the rock quay, waving and shouting to De Bruyn. Then the brig had passed the end of the mole and was weathering the surf.

* * *

Ama threw herself into her favourite armchair. She needed to think.

Tonight, for the first time since she had slept in De Bruyn’s bed, she would sleep there alone. Before his return she had some hard decisions to make.

Christianity, from what she had seen and learned of it, meant little to her. But did it really matter? She would say yes and amen at the right places and then Van Schalkwyk would agree to marry them. That was not what concerned her. Nor was it that she did not really love Mijn Heer in the same way as

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