Burn My Heart
“Mathew would have preferred to forget it, but Lance had already collected a cluster of boys in pyjamas around Mathew’s bed in the dormitory to hear the full tale.
‘My dad wanted us to travel home in convoy, didn’t he, Mat?’ Mathew nodded, a little sheepish.
‘Did he have a premonition?’ asked one of the younger boys.
‘He’s not superstitious, idiot! It’s army training – all that stuff he did in Abyssinia – he knows about ambushes!’ Lance answered sharply. ‘That’s why he thought it was crazy when ...Mat’s dad said he was off to the location – giving a lift to his labour! You tell the next bit, Mat.’ There was no stopping Lance now. Mathew felt himself blushing and tried to keep his account as short as possible, making the most of how his father had stationed himself outside the car to protect them. But the other boys had picked up on Lance’s tone.
‘Is your labour Kikuyu?’ ‘Yes, but they weren’t just anyone from the labour lines. Kamau is Father’s syce and his son Mugo is our kitchen toto.’ ‘Weren’t you scared they could be part of an ambush plot?’ ‘Not every Kikuyu supports the Mau Mau, you know!’ ‘If an attack started, they could have strangled you and your mother inside the car!’ ‘How could they know where our car was going to break down?’ Mathew said irritably.MoreLess
‘My dad wanted us to travel home in convoy, didn’t he, Mat?’ Mathew nodded, a little sheepish.
‘Did he have a premonition?’ asked one of the younger boys.
‘He’s not superstitious, idiot! It’s army training – all that stuff he did in Abyssinia – he knows about ambushes!’ Lance answered sharply. ‘That’s why he thought it was crazy when ...Mat’s dad said he was off to the location – giving a lift to his labour! You tell the next bit, Mat.’ There was no stopping Lance now. Mathew felt himself blushing and tried to keep his account as short as possible, making the most of how his father had stationed himself outside the car to protect them. But the other boys had picked up on Lance’s tone.
‘Is your labour Kikuyu?’ ‘Yes, but they weren’t just anyone from the labour lines. Kamau is Father’s syce and his son Mugo is our kitchen toto.’ ‘Weren’t you scared they could be part of an ambush plot?’ ‘Not every Kikuyu supports the Mau Mau, you know!’ ‘If an attack started, they could have strangled you and your mother inside the car!’ ‘How could they know where our car was going to break down?’ Mathew said irritably.MoreLess
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