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Captain Wakefield and some of his men were murdered in cold blood by the Maoris … after they had surrendered.’
    ‘That was at Wairau and it was a most dreadful affair. But to the natives, surrender is an unknown act. Poor Captain Wakefield had no idea of this and, more importantly, Te Rau-paraha’s— Have you heard of Te Rau-paraha?’
    ‘The Governor calls him the Napoleon of the South.’
    ‘His daughter, Rongo, the wife of his nephew, Te Rangi-hae-ata, was accidentally killed in the crossfire and it’s the Maori way to have utu, or revenge, for any killing. That’s why Captain Wakefield and his men were slaughtered.’
    ‘The Governor says there are uprisings in the south. He intends go there soon to restore order. I hope he’ll be safe.’
    ‘Don’t trouble yourself on that account. The Maoris will never harm him because of his great mana.’
    ‘Mana?’
    ‘It’s a native word meaning high status or rank. All their chiefs and tohungas, their priests, have mana, and since the Governor is the representative of the Queen, he’s regarded as our European paramount chief.’
    ‘I confess I’m in awe of their appearance. The lines carved into their faces lend them such a ferocious air.’
    ‘Some of them are extremely confrontational, but a great deal of their fighting takes place among themselves, you know. And things are much quieter now than they were. Not so long ago, while my husband went to take the thermal waters, I stayed with Mrs Watson, the wife of an old missionary, near Tauranga, and she told me of her life at the Mission there twenty years ago, when they were the only Europeans in the place. Two of the local tribes were engaged in a skirmish, and the battle raged around and about the Watsons’ house.
    ‘She was very nervous, she said, but the chiefs assured her husband they wouldn’t be harmed provided they stayed inside. Unfortunately, her husband decided that, as a missionary, he couldn’t merely stand and watch as one group slaughtered the other, so out he went to remonstrate with the natives and plead for them to turn to peace.’
    ‘Was he killed?’
    ‘No, no, he was quite unharmed. But the chiefs were very much angered at his intervention so, to teach him a lesson, both tribesjoined forces and ransacked the Watsons’ house, then, their looting and pillage over, they resumed battle with each other. Mrs Watson said she was most put out to observe one of the Maoris running about outside their house, mother-naked and clutching his tomahawk, with her best black bonnet tied on his head.’
    I laughed.
    ‘It was returned to her in due course — along with most of their other goods — but by then it smelt so highly of the fish oil that some of the Maoris use to dress their hair, she could never wear it again.’
    I began increasingly to warm to Lady Martin and her frank, open manner.
    ‘Do you never find life here a little … narrow … compared with England?’ I asked.
    ‘Why, sometimes, but in general I have a great deal more freedom here than ever I should have in an English shire. And I meet people from so many different backgrounds, none of whose society I’d be permitted at Home. Then there’s my dear husband. He and I are very well suited and agree on most topics. And, of course, I have my garden.’
    ‘Lu— Mrs Grey is not as happy as you are.’
    Lady Martin considered for a moment, then she said, ‘I’ve been in two minds as to whether I should speak to you. I’ve observed that you and Mrs Grey are very close. When she spoke of your arrival, she was as happy as I’ve ever seen her, and from that I assumed you were dear to each other.’ She paused. ‘She is sorely in need of a friend.’
    I was torn. While I had no wish to speak of Lucy behind her back, I had become increasingly concerned for her. I did not feel Lady Martin to be either judgemental or a gossip; her concern seemed genuine.
    ‘The Governor isn’t perhaps the easiest of husbands,’ I