Mary, like most Rhodesian women, is overtly racist, believing that whites should be masters over the native blacks. Mary feels an intimate connection with the nature around her, though being in general rather unexplorative in nature. They do not attend social events, yet are a great topic of interest among their neighbors. Because of their poverty Dick refuses to give Mary a child. Mary and Dick live a solitary life together. To Mary, the farm exists only to make money, while Dick goes about farming in a more idealistic way. When Dick gets sick Mary takes over the management of the farm and rages at the incompetence of her husband's farm practice. Dick and Mary live together an apolitical life mired in poverty. Dick and Mary are somewhat cold and distant from each other, but are committed to their marriage. She moves with him to his farm and supports the house, while Dick manages the labor of the farm. The man she marries, after a brief courtship, Dick Turner, is a white farmer struggling to make his farm profitable. Nevertheless, after overhearing an insulting remark at a party about her spinsterhood, she resolves to marry. She has a nice job, numerous friends, and values her independence. Mary has a happy and satisfied life as a single white Rhodesian (we assume, though the novel refers to both Rhodesia and the Union of South Africa simply as South Africa, while making clear the farm is in Southern Rhodesia) woman. The plot of the novel shifts to flashback of Mary Turner's past life till her murder at the hand of Moses in the next chapter. After looking at the article, people behave as if the murder was very much expected. The news actually acts like an omen for other white people living in that African setting. It says that Mary Turner, a white woman is killed by her black servant Moses for money. The novel starts with a cutting from newspaper article about the death of Mary Turner.
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