The Daily Dormouse. (aka Bike, est. 2007) Part 2513 by Angharad Copyright© 2014 Angharad

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The evening went more or less as normal and although I talked with Daddy several times I decided not to suggest I was ready to give up my temporary chair at the university partly because he was having problems with the vice chancellor. I didn’t like Dominic Gasgoine, our chancellor of vice—he was a crabby old git and last time we met he ate all my chocolate hobnobs. I asked what the problem was.

“Money, whit else?”

“How much this time?”

“Twa per cent across thae board.”

“Or?”

“His accoontants ’ll dae it f’ ye.”

“My courses are the most heavily subscribed in the faculty, possibly the whole university, because of my film making and the mammal survey.”

“Aye, I ken that.”

“If I threatened to leave...”

“He’d carry on wi’oot ye. He’d mak’ his cuts an’ appoint a yes man.”

“He’d also lose his biggest courses.”

“He widnae lose ony sleep o’that.”

“Is he going to put up teaching fees?”

“He’d like tae.”

“I feel like resigning and just walking away.”

“Sae think hoo I feel, I’ve haed tae pit up wi’ this stupidity f’ years.”

“I don’t know if I can, Daddy.”

“If I can dae it, ye shud be able tae dae it wi’ ain hand tied ahent yer back. Ye’re far strannger than I am.”

“Who me?” I gasped.

“Aye, ye. Yer a woman, sae that gi’s ye an advantage. Yer journey tae womanhood wis a struggle which only the stranngest complete. Not only will ye hae complete but ye’ll see tae it yer bairns will also complete it. Ye’re strang as an ox an’ ten times as wily.”

“I’m not sure I recognise this person you describe because at times I feel very weak and watery and very vulnerable.”

“Aye but ye use yer vulnability as a weapon, ye’re as tough as auld boots underneath, Cathy; ye micht not recognise it, but ye are.”

“But why should I put myself through all this aggro? It’s not as if I have to work is it? Not at the university at any rate.”

“It keeps yer academic credibility valid, if ye went off and did yer ain thing, ye’d lose it very quickly.”

“I’m getting to the point where I don’t think I care anymore.”

“Whit aboot a’ yer students, isnae that why we bother?”

“Partly. I care about them, I want them to be as well educated as I can make them. I also want to help conserve habitats and species, possibly more than I do students, except I can use the students to help me conserve. That’s why I bother.”

“Sae are ye gang tae let him stop ye?”

“Stop me?”

“Aye frae obtaining yer objectives.”

“Not if I can help it.”

“Sae that’s why ye continue tae fecht.”

“Shouldn’t he be on our side.”

“He’s a government lackey, wants a knighthhood.”

“What if I got myself head hunted and took the survey with me?”

“Ye canna, yon survey is contracted tae thae university.”

“Wanna bet?”

“Aye, hoo much, Miss Smartarse.”

“I wouldn’t want to take your money.”

“Oh aye, an’ ye think ye will?”

“I know it. Wait there.” I rushed off to my study and pulled out the file and took it back with me. “The contract mentions you and I of Portsmouth university, which means you and I have the contracts not the university.”

“Their lawyers micht see it differently.”

“Yes but I have Jason, one of the best in the business.”

“Hoo’d tak’ ye if they hae a law suit in the offing? They’d label ye a trouble maker and cook yer goose.”

“I’d block his knighthood via Henry.”

“I dinna ken if that wid work.”

“Oh bugger I have a meeting with him after Christmas.”

“Weel use yer time tae mak’ yer case or he’ll walk a’ over ye.”

“I’ll put out the word that I could be looking to move.”

“Whit aboot yer students?”

“I’ll do what I can to help them but this is bigger than them.”

“It’ll be thae same waur ever ye go.”

“We’ll see.”

“Talk tae Esmond, he’s more in touch wi’ things than I am.”

“I might just do that.”

The next morning I rang Esmond Herbert at Sussex University. For some reason I’d dressed up just to speak to him on the phone—silly I know, but such was my respect for him. So there I am having survived compliments from my girls and my secretary about my appearance—it’s not as if I’m scruffy in the first place, but I suppose a genuine Chanel suit does tend to show somewhat.

Of course he was busy so I left a request for him to call me back urgently. I returned to a more mundane level of existence and began looking at budgets and where I could cut things. There wasn’t much. I was so engrossed in my task that I snatched up the phone when it rang and was about to snub the caller when I heard a familiar voice.

“Lady Cameron, how might I help you?”

“Professor Herbert, how kind of you to call back.”

“It’s always a pleasure to speak to the most beautiful professor in England.”

“You old flatterer.”

“But of course, now how can I help you, Cathy? You implied it was urgent.”

I explained the problem in as few words as possible and he halted the discussion. “A telephone is no place to talk about these things, meet me for lunch—the yacht club at Chichester, I’ll book for one o’clock.”

“I don’t know, Esmond, I’m really busy.”

“Too late, it’s booked now. I’ll see you at one, the yacht club.”

“Do I need to bring anything?”

“Just your beautiful self, a smile and an appetite—the food is divine.”

“I’m trying to lose weight.”

“You can diet tomorrow, today I shall feed you on ambrosia and nectar—don’t be late.” He rang off before I could say anything. I felt pleased he could offer some advice, anxious that he could cause me to drop everything and do his bidding—at a moment’s notice. I would have to stop wearing nice clothes, I was getting too girly.

I called Tom and he told me to go—and take a doggy bag for him. “You mean for Kiki?”

“No, I meant f’ me, thae yacht club is legend f’ food.” I laughed and went and told Delia to hold all my calls and cancel my diary for the afternoon.

“You haven’t got anything for the afternoon.”

“Great, I have to meet with Professor Herbert from Sussex University.”

“Do you need any files to take with you?”

“No, I think I’ve got everything I need.”

“Is that why you’re so dressed up today?”

“No, this was set up at short notice.”

“Oh, okay—um wasn’t he your professor, when you were a student?”

“Yes, but he’s a major player in the mammal survey, so I have to keep him on board.”

“Oh, I thought you’d be having lunch somewhere and talking about old times.”

“This is a business meeting, not a lunch liaison.” I felt myself getting hotter and just knew I was blushing.

“You said he had a certain reputation with attractive ladies.”

“He has but I’m not his type, or he certainly isn’t mine.”

“Have a lovely lunch.”

“I’m not going for lunch, I have business to discuss with him.”

“Where’re you eating?”

“Delia, please, this is beginning to become impertinence.”

“Sorry, Professor, it wasn’t meant like that...”

I accepted her apology. It was partly my fault allowing her to become too familiar.”