“One had to go through several halls before coming face-to-face with the ruler. Wait here. Come here. Go there. These were the instructions I heard until I met the powerful ruler, who was not so powerful in their physique. He was a frail old man who looked like someone who could not survive another five years. The inner court I was ushered in to meet him had a magnificent royal bed, where he beckoned me to join him. Whatever the intermediary had told me did not happen.”

Reflecting on the encounter, Yvonne describes the governor, an older gentleman, as someone who seemed to assume she understood the purpose of her presence. She felt he expected her to comply with certain undisclosed expectations. Prepared to resist any untoward advances, Yvonne’s determination was further reinforced by the governor’s attitude.