Tefuga by Peter Dickinson

Author:Peter Dickinson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
Published: 2015-04-01T21:05:15+00:00

Ten

Mon April 7

Just to tidy up the tour—this morning was Ted’s weekly official visit to KB, and I rode over with him to give my present to the old brute. I’d made it really rather nice—I didn’t think any of the pictures were much good so I felt I’d better make the wrapping a bit special, and I’d mounted them and bound them into a sort of album with a nice stripy cover (made from a pair of Ted’s pyjamas, actually, which I won’t let him wear!). The best pictures were things like Zarafio’s people and their horses lounging around during the mid-day rest. I put in two or three of the villages, tho’ I’d never managed to get any of those going, somehow. I couldn’t get hold of them, the way you have to. Looking at them now I can see I wasn’t sure of myself the way I like to feel when I’ve got a brush between my fingers—as tho’ my hand hadn’t quite believed what my eyes thought they were seeing. Difficult to explain. I don’t usually mind so much—you’ve got to expect to do some duds—but I long to do a good one of the Kitawa. I feel so drawn to them. In a silly sort of way I can’t help feeling I’m meant to be their protectress, and that’s why I came to Africa at all! Childish.

Anyway, tho’ Ted had sent a message I was coming KB didn’t seem at all pleased to see me. ’cos it was the official visit it took place in the outer courtyard of his palace. All his entourage were there, more than twenty, including horrid little Zarafio and two other sons. I had to go and sit and wait under the other tree, the dying one, while the palaver went on. And on. They made a lovely group and I’d have had masses of time, but I hadn’t got anything with me except a pencil and my little notebook. I did sketches, with notes about colours and effects, the way you’re supposed to, but it’s never the same thing for me ’cos of having to think about it. Mine only really work when I suck the scene in with my eyes and send it straight down to my hand without my tiresome brain getting a chance to interfere.

Ted told me after that KB was in a whiny mood, his salary too small and Sokowa crossing the river and settling on his land but still paying their taxes to Soko (which is true, but it’s KB’s own fault) and why is his Native Court still only a ‘D’ court (’cos if it were made ‘C’ he’d try bigger cases and get better presents from both sides). Things like that. KB knows he’s not going to get anything out of Ted but whining is his way of keeping his end up in front of his entourage. It went on for ages. I began to feel—the way you do when you’re kept waiting—he was trying to punish me for something I’d done.

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