Anna
The limousine swept down the driveway and stopped in front of the old house. The de Villiers’ mansion was built in the Dutch colonial style and was an impressive building by any standards. David sat on a bench outside Sipho’s cabin and sorted through his diving equipment. It was a good place to spy out the land and see what was happening.
He recognised Anna from her photograph. The tall, statuesque woman who unfolded herself from the car was unmistakable. Charlie had likened her to a panther. David was inclined to agree. Then he wondered if cougar would be more appropriate.
Anna had a companion. A slightly built young man clambered out to join her. He looked no more than twenty and wore baggy shorts and a white T-shirt that contrasted with Anna’s tight trousers and smartly tailored coat.
The pair mounted the steps of the house together. David expected them to go inside. Instead, they stood beneath the impressive portico as if expecting something to happen. He heard the odd word and realized Anna was speaking Spanish or something similar.
The young guy was evidently called Mario. That much he could make out. Then the rear door of the limousine opened and a young woman emerged. She was plainly dressed. Anna called her Maria.
Mario and Maria.
It sounded like a joke. David wondered if Anna was bisexual and kept a toy boy and a toy girl. Maria produced a camera. He recognised it as the sort professionals use. Anna placed herself beside a pillar and posed. Maria’s camera flashed. Anna clearly knew a lot about posing. She gave instructions and summoned Mario to her side as if he was an accompaniment to her act. A pet poodle could have played the part just as well.
Petra tried not to tense. Anna had intimidated her for too long. Her sister had always seemed so much more grownup and mature. Anna had learnt about boys at an early age and had greatly distressed their mother in the process. Petra recalled one incident when mother had confronted Anna and called her a harlot.
Mother spoke in Xhosa and Anna pretended not to understand. That was a double betrayal. Their parents had insisted that they should be proficient in the languages of both sides of their family. They had been brought up to believe that it would be tragic if they could not speak to their relatives in their own tongue.
Anna had never learnt Xhosa properly. She could say a few words but no more. Her attitude towards Sipho was appalling. He had struggled to improve his position and she treated him with contempt. Anna was incapable of recognising him as a relative in the old tribal sense.
Anna belonged to a bigger tribe … hers was global.
Richard had welcomed globalisation for a while. He saw it as a way to break down the barriers of race and religion. Then, its more sinister aspects became apparent. Globalisation could concentrate power in the wrong hands.
He liked to repeat something Winston Churchill had said.
Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Those words described the present situation. Heroes like Nelson Mandela and former Prime Minister de Klerk had fought hard to bring the white supremacist regime to an end. They had done so out of the conviction that a bond existed amongst the diverse people of the nation. South Africans knew their destinies were entwined and worked hard to overcome their differences.
Richard had sent Anna to South America to look after family interests there. Petra had always assumed that he wanted to get rid of his delinquent daughter. Now she was back.
She watched from her window as Anna crashed in and started to rearrange everything around her. She was behaving as if she owned the place. Anna was seizing control.
Like all the de Villiers, she travelled with an entourage of security guards. Anna spoke to them in Portuguese. Richard’s chief clerk had his office appropriated before he knew what was happening.
Anna was living in Brazil. The de Villiers owned mines there and she had a seat on the board of directors. Richard approved of the arrangement. Petra figured that he was glad to have her out of his way and turned a blind eye to her extravagant way of living.
One member of Anna’s party didn’t fit it. His name was Mario. Petra had seen him before and couldn’t make him out. At first, she assumed he was Anna’s latest lover. In the past, her sister had gone for tough, bronzed, athletic types. It seemed that her preference had strayed to a more delicate type of male.
Mario was pale and lightly built. He spoke English with an American accent and was very polite. Anna ordered him around, like she ordered everyone around. Mario usually did her bidding but, when it came to a certain matter, he politely refused.
Anna wanted them to share the same room. She spoke to him in Portuguese. Mario replied in English, making it clear to anyone who was listening, that it would be inappropriate for them to sleep in the same room even if it was equipped with two beds.
Anna started to argue. She spat out the words. Most people were intimidated by her outbursts. Mario stared into space as if totally bored. Petra tried not to smile. It was like watching someone try to beat a pillow to death by thumping it. She knew, instinctively, that Richard would approve of Mario.