When the evening came and the birds began to fly away, Nyambura went home. Joshua was there standing at the door. She did not like the way he looked at her. Something was wrong. He let her enter without saying a word to her. Miriamu was inside and she too did not speak to Nyambura. Her father followed her in.
'Where have you been?' His voice was menacing. She was afraid of him.
'Near the river.'
'Who was with you?'
'I was alone, Father.' She was trembling. She had gone to the river hoping that her saviour would come in a cloud and rescue her. But Waiyaki had not come. Her obedience to her father had made her lose him.
'No one?'
'Yes'
'You are lying. You are lying.'
'I was alone. Father,' she insisted.
'Do you think I am blind. I am not that old. And don't you cheat yourself I have not heard things. If i hear that you have been seen with that young devil again you will no longer live in this house.'
'I have been alone.' she burst out, almost crying.
'I'll tell you again. If you are seen with him once more - have they not done enough harm to this house? And don't you remember how they burnt the hut of a mon of God?'
'But-'
'Let me catch you! Let me catch you with him again.' There was more than malice in that voice.
Nyambura did not say anything else. This ws her reward for being true and obedient to him. And because of her obedience she had lost the one man whom she loved. And with him her salvation. That night she could not sleep. She wept all the time, praying that God should kill her.