Someone Wishes to Speak to You (34 page)

‘I promise you Mariette, my chief ambition in life is to secure Jan as my lawful wedded wife at the earliest opportunity.’

‘I hope you’re telling me the truth. I know how desperately unhappy Jan is married to such a domineering man, he treats her more like some type of war trophy than a sensitive young wife to be adored.’

‘As we won’t be able to marry until she has divorced Paddy Bushney, there will be difficult times ahead, particularly for Jan. But Mariette, please believe that I love her and whatever we have to go through, it will be worth it in the end. I will do everything in my power to make her happy.’

By the time Mathew left Carnock Farm, Mariette and he had agreed that she would act as a conduit for all future personal communications between Jan and himself. Also, as Jan and Mathew lived in such close proximity to each other at Gunhill and the situation they were about to enter was of the utmost delicacy, it was crucial for them to both always act as formally as possible in order to convey, even to the most suspicious, that there was nothing more to their relationship than both being close friends of Simon and Anna Vaughan-Jones.

They also agreed that providing nothing changed, as neither her husband nor Paddy Bushney were currently at home
during weekends, Mathew would do everything possible to come up with some excuse to revisit Imire. The plan was that he would be able to stay at Carnock Farm for twenty-four hours on the Saturday prior to his evening flight to London, two weeks on Monday.

The next ten days passed as agreeably as possible, for both Simon and Anna had gone out of their way to make Mathew feel very much at home. As he had now taken up residence in Salisbury and Sir Roger had heard that he was about to return to England to see his parents, he had invited him and the Vaughan-Joneses to a buffet dinner party. Mathew was later to learn that one of the main reasons for the occasion was to introduce a good cross-section of Rhodesian society to Jeremy Hughes, the British diplomat that Lord Carver had left in the country, and that it was Hughes’ task to assess how the RF Government was progressing with its attempts to establish an internal settlement with some of the African politicians.

When Mathew checked his Causeway post office box, he was surprised to see a padded envelope from Antonia Clinton-Kemp, who he had not been in correspondence with for well over a year. It contained a two-page letter and a glossy colour photograph from
Country Life
, wrapped in tissue, of Antonia immaculately dressed in hunting attire standing beside her thoroughbred mare Gillespie, under which was printed:

Mathew replaced the photo in the tissue paper and picked up Antonia’s letter.

Mathew was initially rather stunned by Antonia’s letter, and had to look again at the
Country Life
announcement of her engagement to Timothy Ludlow. Before receiving the letter, he was totally unaware that Antonia, his first teenage infatuation, had become romantically involved with someone who was a stranger to him. He recognised the absurdity of retaining any emotional attachment when he was so much in love with Jan. But through his study of sub-human primates
he philosophically put such intimate feelings down to the possessiveness of the male mind. He had often come to the conclusion that monogamy could be a difficult status to come to terms with.

The evening buffet reception at the Willocks’ took place on their spacious, well-manicured lawns. On arrival, Sir Roger introduced each person to his guest of honour, Jeremy Hughes, who was immaculately dressed in a light tropical suit and looked the personification of an English gentleman. When he was introduced to Mathew, he told him how much he had heard about his primate studies on Rhodesia’s borders with Mozambique, as well as how he very much looked forward to talking to him more personally at a meeting that Sir Roger had told him was to take place later on in the evening.

Mathew was pleased to renew his acquaintance with Michael Lamb and his vivacious wife Denise, and was delighted that Addie was with him for the majority of the evening. She made it her duty to introduce him to as many important Rhodesian citizens as possible, although all of these were representatives of the European community. The only Africans present were either serving the drinks or officiating at the buffet table. During the course of the evening, Professor Tom Martin introduced him to some of his university colleagues, and said how very much he was looking forward to Mathew joining his department. David Montgomery was also there and was extremely interested to hear about Mathew’s recent return to the Vumba and the sad state that he had found his Castle Beacon camp to be in.

During his conversation with Montgomery, Mathew noticed out of the corner of his eye how Major Piet Erasmus from the South African Embassy had been negotiating his way slowly through the guests towards them, and was particularly surprised by the way he greeted him, almost like a long-lost
friend. Although the major had initially appeared to show considerable interest in how Mathew’s primate studies were progressing, it wasn’t long before he changed the conversation and began asking him about his involvements with the African communities of Inyanga and the Vumba region. He said that although of course he wanted to know whether they were supportive of ZANLA and its terrorist activities, he had always been keen to hear about the African viewpoint.

What surprised Mathew more than anything else was that it appeared from their conversation that Piet Erasmus knew about his recent visit to Castle Beacon and his meetings with Major Baxter and Jim Prior. Because of this awareness, Mathew could not help wondering to what degree Rhodesia’s Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) was monitoring his movements in the sensitive Bush War regions of Umtali and the Vumba, and how much intelligence-sharing the CIO had with officials at the South African Embassy like Major Erasmus, and with BOSS.

By the time Michael Lamb came to take him into the house for the meeting with the diplomat, Mathew told Simon and Anna that that they should perhaps go home without him. Michael Lamb had arranged for a car to return him to Gunhill later on. Just after eleven o’clock, Mathew remained to have a nightcap with Jeremy Hughes and Sir Roger in his office. (Addie had said that the room had been very carefully checked over by an SAS specialist who had accompanied Lord Carver on his recent visit, and it was totally free of any CIO bugging devices.)

Sir Roger enjoyed a glass of the peaty Islay malt whisky that Hughes had brought out from England with him, before taking leave of his two young countrymen. He knew that his guest wanted the opportunity to talk to Mathew alone and realised that his presence could well handicap the possibility of them speaking freely.

‘You know, your parents are looking forward immensely
to seeing you again,’ said Sir Roger, handing Mathew a letter. ‘Could you pass this on to your father? Devra and I are hoping that we will be able to see them before too long, as soon as we return to the UK. I expect it will be quite soon, as James Callaghan’s government has already decided to replace me with a British Commissioner Designate of their choice.’

‘That will be Rhodesia’s loss, but without doubt your British friends will be grateful to have you back in the UK. I know my parents will be thrilled to see you both again, they hold your friendship very dear. I’ll pass the letter on.’

‘Well, I’ll bid you both goodnight. I hope you’ve enjoyed the evening.’

Once they had recharged their whisky glasses, Hughes got straight to the point.

‘The chief objective of my stay in Rhodesia is very much focused on the amount of grass-root support that the African tribal people are likely to have for the RF Government’s intention to establish an internal settlement. That is why I’ve been particularly anxious to speak to you on your own. I’ve been informed that during your time of primate field observations in Manicaland, you have made many African friends, including such important tribal leaders as Chief Chidzikwee. I need to know as much about these involvements as possible.’

‘It’s true to say that throughout my time in Rhodesia, I have made many friends within both the African and European communities, but I’ve always maintained a policy of distancing myself from anything to do with the country’s political situation. I greatly admire many of its citizens, black and white, and in some cases I can well appreciate how the often entrenched attitudes on both sides of the political pendulum have come about. As a result of this tragic conflict between the races, there is a huge amount of unnecessary heartbreak and misery throughout the region that I have come to know so well. As far as I’m concerned, the sooner a peaceful
settlement can be achieved, either through internal negotiations or from without, the better it will be for what I hope will mature into a truly multi-racial state within the British Commonwealth.’

‘Well, as we both wish for the best possible future for Rhodesia, it is important that you share any information that you have gained from your African friends which you consider could in any way assist the peace process. As an Englishman it’s your responsibility to provide me, as a diplomat of the British Government, with the type of information that I am seeking. From what I’ve already been told about your African friendships, I am sure that such an insight into their opinions would represent valuable material for the dossier I am compiling for the British Government and military Chiefs of Staff. I am well aware that you’re about to go back to the UK for ten days, but during that time you must consider carefully what has been requested. Soon after your return to Rhodesia, I’ll arrange to meet you again.’

Their meeting ended with Mathew rather reluctantly shaking hands with the diplomat and taking the waiting car back to the Vaughan-Joneses’. During the drive to the Gunhill estate, Mathew felt rather compromised in having been asked by an agent of the British Government to break some of the confidentialities that he had shared with his African friends, in particular those of Chief Chidzikwee.

On Mathew’s way down to Carnock Farm the following weekend he called in at Imire, as Norman Travers was keen to discuss his plans to change the game farm into a breeding sanctuary for some of Rhodesia’s endangered species. Among his ambitions, he wanted to try to breed the critically threatened black rhino. He was also keen to become involved with the rearing of orphaned young elephants and was interested in the domestication of Sable antelope, which he considered
could well be of significant benefit to the economics of game farming in southern Africa. On his drive down to Macheke, Mathew could only admire Travers’ enthusiasm and dedication to the welfare of Rhodesia’s wildlife heritage. Part of him rather wished that he could be more personally involved with such meaningful conservation projects.

Mathew arrived at Carnock Farm mid-afternoon, and when it was only Mariette who came out of the farmhouse to greet him, he immediately feared that after all the careful planning for his meeting with Jan it had been thwarted at the eleventh hour. Mariette put his mind at rest by explaining that she had been delayed as Paddy had returned home unexpectedly to pick something up and then stayed for lunch. He told Jan that during the next twelve hours, he would be leading a major counter-insurgency raid across the border. Jan was now not expected to arrive at the farm much before sundowner time.

When she arrived some five hours later than originally expected, her reunion with Mathew could not have been more rapturous and Mariette rejoiced in seeing her sister looking such a picture of happiness. She very much hoped that her prayers would be answered; that Jan would find a way to escape from her disastrous marriage and that in the not-too-distant future she would be able to marry this handsome and very likeable young British academic. They were obviously very much in love and absolutely made for one another.

‘Since Mathew was last here,’ Jan told Mariette over dinner, ‘we’ve seen each other on a number of occasions at the Vaughan-Joneses’, and once even at a small gathering which Paddy arranged at home. I can’t tell you how hard it is for us to keep everything formal – it seems so odd – but we are so prim with one another, I am confident that Paddy is totally unaware about my clandestine extramarital love affair! Do you know, Paddy thinks that in spite of Mathew being a British national, hailing from a country that is currently
causing Rhodesia so many problems, he rather likes him! He reminds him of a well-educated ex-Sandhurst British officer whom he shared a billet with during the Malayan Emergency.’

‘I find it excruciating to keep up this casual act of indifference toward Jan whenever we met. I just want to wrap her in my arms! On two occasions, we’ve managed to pass a note to each other without anyone seeing. Oh Mariette, I’m so grateful to you for giving me such a warm welcome to your home, and for providing such an agreeable place for me to spend time with Jan. It’s only when we’re here that we can discuss finding a way to sort out our future together.’