Extraits

I had not looked at the journal in years. Yet now here it was, carefully placed in the middle of my desk, next to the envelope addressed to The Viscountess Ashton and turned to the entry he had made the day of our engagement. There was no question of this being accidental—a heavy leather book weight held the ivory pages in place—leaving me to wonder who had chosen to open the book of my past.

(Chapter 1)

The Masai do not bury their dead, but instead leave them out for predators. No one would have objected to Kimathi’s having moved the remains—bodies did not matter; the essence of the person was gone. Only great chiefs were buried, so, if anything, this man was receiving an unexpected honor.