Book 26: Streets Paved with Gold

A Scottish earl dies and his family meets for the funeral. One member of the family is absent: the elder son and heir to the title and estates. He has disappeared somewhere in the wilds of Africa. Someone has to go out to Africa to find him and to inform him that he has succeeded to the earldom. The task is given to the younger son. After a long and arduous journey, the young man finds his elder brother and to his surprise and horror, he discovers that the new earl has gone feral. The younger brother has an alarming experience and flees back to Scotland leaving his brother behind.
The second story is set in the nineteen eighties during the troubles leading up to the political changes in South Africa. Various groups are engaged in protests and sabotage. A young revolutionary leaves the country to undergo military training in one of the neighbouring territories. After training, he is sent back to the country on sabotage missions and proves to be highly successful. Eventually, he is caught by the security forces, jailed and tortured. He breaks down under torture and betrays his colleagues. Eventually, a political compromise at the national level is reached and the democratic process initiated. All the political prisoners are released. They are expected to pick up their lives and carry on as before. For some, the wounds heal, for others healing is more difficult. One day, the ex-revolutionary meets the man who tortured him face to face. They recognize one another. Immediately, memories of torture and pain return. He is thrown into a turmoil and starts drinking heavily. His marriage breaks down. Clearly, his wounds have not healed. He becomes obsessed with revenge and plots to kill his torturer. Justice must be done: an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.