Prologue (4)

At the doorstep, Mr. Paddy unusually knocked. Maria mumbled that it was surely the Master as no maid would ever come uninvented.

Mrs. Pola enjoined her to open the door. She moved toward the entrance and did as she was told. Mr. Paddy came in.

The midwife was done packing her delivery equipment. She wished the best to the new parents and began to walk away.

And as she was doing so, Mr. Paddy thanked her and promised to forward her a check later in the day.

The landlord marched toward his wife and smoothly kissed her on the forehead. She smiled at him while cradling the baby by softly swinging the latter from left to right.

Then she extended her hands in her husband's direction and told him to take his son. She thus revealed the gender of the child to Paddy.

He was delighted and sketched a few dance steps before carrying his heir.

As he held up the newborn in the air, thunder rumbled and the room's light bulbs blinked.

Then a powerful wind blew inside and slammed the opened windows. Maria, the housekeeper, quickened to shut them.

Paddy was now grasping troubling voices. They reminded him of the spell that the gloomy spirit had said would be laid on the manor at his son's first sunset.

They sarcastically emphasized how he would thereafter live in abject poverty and his heir would never be able to hear or speak.

The landlord was momentarily paralyzed. The infant was dozing against his father's belly and had the adult's hands placed on his back.

Maria saw her Master was in trance, so she walked up to him and snatched the baby. She then handed the toddler over to her Mistress.

The storm passed and Paddy gradually regained his senses. He went to his desk and sat on the chair. He kept quiet and entered a serious reflection.

Then like he had found a way out of the spell, he looked at the mural clock overhead behind him. It was almost 4:45 pm.

He stood up and directed himself toward his spouse. Without much explanation, he asked her to give him the toddler and he would be right back.

Pola didn't question her husband and did as she was told. Paddy took his son and in a hurry left the flat.

The baron arrived in the main yard and shouted the name of his driver, Lungelo. The former middle school marathon winner proved that he had long abandoned his passion, however, he had not lost his touch.

Like a gazelle, the forty years old came out from the male employees' accommodation, and in barely twenty-five seconds he reached the 1961 black Jaguar E-type where his Master and the newborn were already waiting for him in the passenger seat.

Mr. Paddy commanded Lungelo to start the sports car's engine and roll south to Ngwempisi river, thirty minutes away from the manor house.

Without delay, the employee obeyed his Master and began to drive as swiftly as he could.

Mr. Paddy uttered to him that the future of the manor was in his hands and if he wished to safeguard his lavish lifestyle, he should reach the stream before the sunset.