Chapter 24
1895
Two years had passed since the arrival of the couple and Leilah to Franceville. The previous year the three had made a long journey back to the aduar located northeast of Lake Tanganyika to visit the relatives of the two women. Abdullah had been delighted to be reunited with his two daughters, who were actually the whole family he had left, and tried to entice them to return to their previous life, but found that the girls had adapted to the way of life that Western societies guarantees women, even in a remote village then Equatorial Africa.
That afternoon Alain had been promoted to captain of the French colonial army, and after the military ceremony the three were gathered with other friends at a dinner at the garrison officer’s casino. Colonel De la Fontaine sat next to the couple.
“Boy, I heard you´re leaving the service.” The tone in which he addressed Alain had a tinge of sadness and even reproach.