This is the first time that the Knolly Estate has allowed the great man's memoirs to be published. What follows is the thirty first chapter of 'The African Adventure'.

'The library, I think, would best suit. Do you not wish to change out of your tennis togs first?' asked Elspeth.

'No, no thank you. I'll stay downwind of you,' I replied. Remembering da Silva's penchant for secreting himself amongst foliage, I looked carefully behind the huge potted plants in the hallway.

'Oh, the smell doesn't worry me; I'm rather fond of halibut. I thought you'd be grateful to be out of those shorts.'

'Ha! Yes!' I said, blushing at the knees, 'not quite the fashion, I fear... but enough of this. Elspeth, there are changes happening in the world today which will have repercussions in years to come. Bertie and I were sent here on a specific mission related to these changes. The library is through here, is it not?'

'What? Yes, yes, it's not locked.'

The library, like all of the rooms, was sumptuous in its decoration and furnishing. We were to be seated in high-backed leather chairs which, due to my attire (or lack thereof), gave rise to some interesting noises as I strove to make myself comfortable. Elspeth sat herself in a similarly boisterous chair opposite me and there was a small table betwixt us.

'Shall I ring for tea?' she asked, gesturing toward the bell-pull with her hand.

'Um... no....look... well, listen, what I just said about changes. I don't mean here in your house, but here in Africa.' I leaned forward and adopted a pose that was intended to project sincerity, concern and gravity. The chair oinked and pooped in accompaniment to my movement and subtracted somewhat from my serious demeanour. 'Tell me... what do you really know about Cecil Rhodes?'

She was about to speak but I held up my hand to halt her. I hardly paused for breath as I spoke.

'Did you know that he is part of a secret Masonic lodge? Did you know that he has plans to take over the whole of South Africa and then take back the United States? The man is quite mad and what is happening these past few months is just part of his grand scheme.'

'But how do you know all this?'

'Elspeth, much of what you know from Bertie and me and what you have heard from Monty is true, but there is another side. While I still hold a commission in the Navy and Bertie maintains a senior post in the Admiralty Office, we were sent here to Africa under orders from a lesser-known — but nontheless vitally important — organisation of Her Majesty's government. Finding a regiment that was recruiting was a godsend, but events have overtaken us somewhat.'

Elspeth's eyes seemed to get wider and wider with each revelation.

'Bertie and I have seen Rhodes moving forces up to the border with Transvaal. It is our belief that he intends to use your regiment to help in such an uprising and we have orders to find out what exactly he plans to do. And then we are to stop him.'

I sat back in the chair carefully and looked her in the eye.

'You think I'm just a pawn in Cecil's game then, do you? Well! I will be glad to give the Boers a bloody nose! You only have to read the papers' — she pointed to a copy of the Johannesburg Star on the table in front of us — 'to see how those Dutchmen treat anyone else in their country. If Cecil intends to do something about it then I'm with him.'

I clearly remember the scathing headlines that leaped out at me from that so-called newspaper. Notwithstanding the odd reports of flying machines spotted in the dead of night and men appearing as if from nowhere, there were some seriously nationalistic, biased and dangerous views being banded about, the like of which shook me to the core.

'Elpseth, look, you cannot — no, must not — believe everything you read. Rhodes is only just beginning. Once he has the Transvaal in the bag, he will move east and west into those areas colonised by Portugal and Germany and it will look like he is doing it in the name of Her Britannic Majesty.'

Elspeth looked at me with arms folded across her chest and a thunderous look her eyes. I was clearly not winning.

I sighed. 'Elspeth, forgive me if I sound patronising, but let me put this as clearly and as concisely as I can. It will be war across Europe.'

'Knolly, I will hear no more!' she almost screamed in rage.

'But Elspeth...'

'That's Mrs Devries to you. I think it is time that you and Mr Harrison-Harrison left, don't you?'

She got up from her chair which parped in apology and started to the door.

Clearly you have duped me, my friends and the whole Regiment. What am I to tell people? I have no idea who or what you and Mr Harrison-Harrison are or what really is the truth anymore.'

It was time to play the trump card. Coincidentally, the chair trumped as I rose to my feet.

'Ah! The truth! Elspeth... I know about the medication.'

She looked aghast. It was too much and I feared that she was about to swoon as she grasped the door handle for support. Her mouth was a wide O of shock, horror and hurt.

'When... how?'

Having made my dramatic point, I sat down to a series of muffled grunts and hisses.

'Please, sit down. I am aware that this is all shocking for you, but please do listen. When Bertie and I were out riding this morning we were intercepted by — how shall I put this? — foreign agents, representing the Kaiser no less. It was this person who had integrated Magda into your household as a "sleeper".'

'Magda... a sleeper?'

'Yes, it's a term used for agents — spies, if you wish — who are planted in certain locations. When they are needed they are "woken up". It was Magda, your maid, was it not, who introduced you to the drug? Then Jameson found out and kept you supplied and this is the hold that he and Rhodes have over you, isn't it?'

She nodded, tears starting to form. I had to press on, though; it was not time for any sympathy just yet.

'But this was not Magda's prime role,' I continued. 'Oh no! She was put into action on our arrival as our bodyguard and her last report to her mistress was during the entertainment at the gala dinner.'

'There was a German spy here? In my house?' she sniffed.

'I'm afraid so. She is a very clever and dangerous woman, a mistress of disguise — and of many other things, too.'

'So even if you do not stop Cecil's latest expedition, there are others who will?' she asked.

I nodded. 'The game now has many more players then even we imagined. If Bertie and I do not stop Rhodes, we can at least prevent you and the DeVries Light Horse being dragged into the mire.'

I got up (my chair, sensing the occasion, quiet for once), crossed to her chair and knelt by her, tenderly holding her hand.

'Elspeth, I for one would not want you to suffer any more than you have already.'

There was a knock at the door and Bertie almost fell through.

'Knolly! Oh!'

Bertie caught sight of me kneeling by a tearful Elspeth and got his mathematics totally wrong.

'Bertie! Good show, and such timing! Now that you have found us, what have you found out from Trooper Rose?'

SHE KNOWS EVERYTHING NOW, I quickly blinked.

EVERYTHING? he quickly returned.

WITHIN REASON.

'Why is it so quiet all of a sudden? And why are you staring at each other so?' asked Elspeth.

'So sorry, Mrs DeVries. I thought Knolly here was proposing to you and fair lost my train of thought.'

Bertie smiled in that wistful way of his that had often earned him a blackened eye.

'Ha ha! No secrets here, Bertie. You would be the first to know if I was getting married.'

'Quite so,' added Elspeth, 'and as I am fully aware of your mission and Cecil's plan for my boys, please tell us what you have found out about Cecil's hasty departure.'

'Well, let me see. I think the most interesting thing that I found out is that despite what Rhodes announced to all and sundry at the tennis match about having to hurry to Kimberley, the telegram originated from Cape Town.'

'What?!' Elspeth and I said as one.

'Yes. That's what I thought, too. Poor chap didn't ride all the way of course, but even so, he had a fair old journey.'

'Yes, yes, Bertie. Well then, we must journey to Cape Town ourselves. For one thing, we need to get a message out to our lords and masters; and secondly, I must know what was in that message.'

'Ah, well, Knolly, the second of those I can help with,' said Bertie. I could tell from his tone that he had a card or two up his sleeve. 'I managed to get hold of the envelope from Trooper Rose and the ink from the message has left a faint imprint on the inside after having been squashed in his pouch for so long! A cursory analysis of the markings should reveal its secrets.'

Elspeth clapped her hands like a schoolgirl. 'Isn't this exciting?' she exclaimed.

Bertie and I both looked at her.

'Well, it is! It's just like a Sherlock Holmes story! Here is Knolly every inch Holmes, and Bertie the perfect Dr Watson! Silly me — you are both of course well aware of their adventures.'

'Madam,' said Bertie slowly, 'We are more intimately acquainted with these works than you could possibly imagine.'

Elspeth looked at me.

'Oh my goodness! That's who Mr Doyle has based his characters on, isn't it?'

I affirmed sagely, each nod of my head accompanied by a high-pitched squeak.

'Hmmm... yes,' said Bertie. 'Only... don't you think I'm more Holmes than Watson?'

Elspeth looked him up and down as if noticing him for the first time.

'Oh, I don't think so, Bertie. No one could ever think that. It's rather elementary!'

'I shall most definitely be having a word with Doyle when we get back,' said Bertie, as his face fell into a sulk.

I collapsed laughing into one of the chairs, which obliged with a thunderous porcine squeal.

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