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‘Indeed, Your Royal Highness. And this is a particularly virulent and infectious form. It inflicts a horribly cruel and inevitable death, with the victim writhing in convulsions, screaming for water and finally drowning in his own foaming saliva.’

‘Mein Gott!’ she repeated softly.

‘The governor feels strongly that he should not allow you to remain in danger of contracting the disease, but before making any decision he cabled Berlin. The secretary to His Imperial Majesty has relayed the Kaiser’s instructions ordering you to terminate your stay here and return at once to Germany. Accordingly, His Excellency has reserved a stateroom on board the Italian liner Roma for you. It sails from Kilindini lagoon on the fifteenth of the month for the port of Genoa. From there you will be able to take the overnight express to Berlin. I have come to accompany you to the Roma, which will dock at Kilindini in five days’ time. We must hurry to make the sailing.’

‘When do you wish to depart?’ the princess asked, and stood up.

‘Can you be ready within the hour, ma’am?’

‘Jawohl!’ She fled, screaming for her maids ‘Heidi! Brunhilde! Pack my travelling bags! Do not bother with the cabin trunks. We leave within the hour!’ As soon as she had gone Penrod and Leon grinned at each other like schoolboys who had just pulled off a spectacular bit of mischief.

‘Rift Valley rabies, indeed! How did you dream up that one, Perfidious Albion?’

‘Absolutely deadly disease!’ Penrod winked almost imperceptibly. ‘Just so happens that this is the first outbreak in medical history.’

‘How do you like Her Royal Highness?’

‘Charming,’ he replied. ‘Bloody charming! I wanted to turn her over my knee and give her six of the very best.’

‘If you had, she would probably have fallen deeply in love with you.’

‘Like that, is it?’ Penrod stopped smiling. ‘You must have interesting tales to tell.’

‘Tales that will set your hair on fire, believe me. You ain’t heard nothing like them. But not here, not now.’

Penrod nodded. ‘You’re learning the game fast. As soon as I’ve packed the lovely princess into the boat at Kilindini, I will be back to listen to your stories and to stand you lunch at the Muthaiga Club.’

‘With a bottle of the ’79 Margaux to go with it?’ Leon suggested.

‘Two, if you’re man enough!’ Penrod promised.

‘You’re an absolute brick, Uncle.’

‘Think nothing of it, dear boy.’

Long before the appointed hour the princess appeared from her tent with her secretary and maids following close behind her, their arms full of her coats and silk dresses. Penrod had the motor-cars standing by, the engines popping and rumbling. Leon offered the princess his hand as she stepped up into the first. She brushed his groin with her fingertips as she sat down, and dropped her voice so that only he could hear her. ‘Give my fond farewell to my big friend.’

‘Thank you, ma’am. His head droops to think of you gone.’

‘Impudent boy!’ She pinched his tender flesh so viciously that he gasped and his eyes watered. ‘Do not be familiar. You must remember your place.’

‘Please forgive my presumption, Your Royal Highness. I am desolate. But tell me, what shall I do with all the equipment you are leaving, the furniture, rifles and champagne? Shall I pack it and forward it to you?’

‘Nein! I do not want it. You can keep it or burn it.’

‘You are very generous. But will you ever return to hunt with me?’

‘Never!’ she said vehemently. ‘Rabies? No, thank you!’

‘Will you send your friends to hunt with me, Princess?’

‘Only the ones I truly hate.’ She saw his expression and relented slightly. ‘But do not worry, Courtney. The friends I truly hate are more numerous than the ones I truly like.’ She turned to Penrod in the seat behind her. ‘Tell your driver to take me away from this dreadful rabies-infested place.’

‘Auf wiedersehen, Princess!’ Leon doffed his hat and waved, but she did not bother to turn as the vehicles bumped away along the rutted track.

Two weeks later Penrod rode out to Tandala Camp on his grey stallion, and Ishmael had a pot of freshly brewed Lapsang Souchong tea and a plate of ginger snaps ready to welcome him. Ishmael did not serve his ginger snaps to just anyone but reserved them for especially favoured guests. After Penrod had fortified himself, he and Leon mounted up and set out on the eightmile return ride to Muthaiga.

‘I was really looking forward to a bit of a canter,’ Penrod said. ‘Never seem able to get away from my desk, these days.’ He glanced at Leon. ‘On the other hand, you look to be in fine fettle, dear boy.’

‘The princess kept me hard at it. Did she tell you she mowed down more than a hundred warthogs, not to mention a monstrous black-maned lion and a fine leopard?’