The Daily Dormouse. (aka Bike, est. 2007) Part 2562 by Angharad Copyright© 2015 Angharad

Back in my office I asked Delia to call the other members of the council and find out if they could attend an emergency meeting. Of the twenty we contacted, fifteen could. I then got her to inform the others including our absent chairman, that I was instructing them that as per the constitution of the council, that a member with the support of half the council could call an extraordinary meeting. I was doing that and had reserved the board room for the meeting.

The chairman sent his apologies claiming he was too sick to attend. It seemed our conspirators also were unable to attend. That was okay, I asked Daddy to sit in as observer, which he agreed, and I asked Delia to take notes of the meeting. To my surprise she told me that she, with Pippa’s help had managed to get hold of a copy of the agenda and minutes of the ‘inquorate’ meeting. Things were looking up.

I phoned the dodgy donor. “Who is it?” he asked

“Catherine Cameron.”

“Who?”

“Lady Catherine Cameron.”

“Do I know you?”

“You do by my maiden name.”

“Why the subterfuge?”

“Because I wasn’t sure you’d speak to me.”

“Who are you then?”

“Professor Cathy...”

“...Watts,” he completed for me. “You’re right, I might not have spoken to you, but I feel I allowed myself to be duped. I’m ashamed of it so I’ll be resigning from the council, which you’ll doubtless be pleased to hear.”

“Professor Wilkins, although I appreciate your assistance in loaning us your agenda and minutes, I’d be extremely grateful if you could come this evening.”

“You’ve got the minutes, why d’you need me?”

“You were there, minutes don’t show the mood of the meeting nor the unreported asides or discussions. You could tell us what really went on and I really would be grateful if you could come. I won’t let the meeting descend into anarchy nor a lynch mob and in showing the courage to face the other members, I would suggest is a redemptive step.”

“I don’t know, it’s so embarrassing.”

Try telling your dad you’re living as a woman—now that’s embarrassing, however, I wanted our defector to come.

“Look, I’m running this meeting, Tom Agnew is coming as an observer to make sure we stay within the constitution, and my secretary is going to make notes, so we have a clear report of the proceedings.”

“I really don’t know, Professor Watts.”

“Look, come to my office a few minutes before and I’ll walk over with you.”

“All right, I’ll come to your office.”

“Thank you.

“I hope I’m not going to regret it.”

“I think this is probably one of the noblest things you could do.”

“And being a noblewoman you’d know?”

“No, being a wife and mother, who I hope tries to have some integrity to share with my family, I know it takes a far bigger man to come and apologise for a mistake, especially in front of several people, than it does to lie to yourself and pretend you didn’t make one.”

“You’ve made your point, Lady Cameron, I’m afraid I draw the line at sack cloth and ashes.”

“I think we can forget the mediaeval symbolism, don’t you?”

“What time?”

“The meeting starts at seven, so fifteen minutes before?”

“Six forty five it is.”

I called Jason, astonishingly he was there and I explained things as best I could. He asked the same question I’d been asking myself. “This is a university not the backroom of a pub, how could they be so inept, or were you meant to see this bit not the thing that’s really happening? What’s the main event?”

“That’s what I’ve been wondering. Is it financial or is there some other scam going on?”

“Hasn’t it go to be financial ultimately?”

“Ultimately, yes; what have you got that could be sold off—land, bequests, buildings, copyrights, patents.”

“You think this could be a deliberate distraction?”

“If it isn’t and the conspirators are all academics, it doesn’t say a lot for the value of your degrees, Cathy.”

“I worked bloody hard for my degrees,” I felt myself fill with indignation.

“Not you personally, I meant what some departments are churning out.”

“The biology degrees are perfectly valid.”

“I’m sure under your tutelage they are, look get someone to do an audit and quickly. If necessary give me a shout and we’ll obtain a court order to do so.”

“Won’t it be too late by then?”

“Possibly, but it’s the only option left open to you, so do it quickly.”

“Do I have authority to do that?”

“Probably not, but do it anyway.”

“So I did, through Simon I got Steve Campbell, yeah, the, Steve Campbell to come with his team and see what they could find.” Astonishingly, Tom told Gasgoine what we were doing and he gave his blessing. I’d still have enjoyed finding he was the big cheese behind it all, but so far it seemed that was more prejudice than evidence.

Campbell’s team were in place and working by mid afternoon, Gasgoine having asked the university admin people to give them every assistance. Daddy was as surprised as anyone that Gasgoine was supporting us. “Whit’s sae wrang wi’ him that he canna come tae thae university?”

“He’s got lung cancer, he’s dying,” I said plucking this snippet from the fresh air.

Tom shook his head, “Are ye sure aboot that?”

“About what?”

“Whit ye just said.”

“What did I say?” Thankfully we didn’t end up with a discussion on short term memory loss. When I make these pronouncements, I often have no recollection of what I said.

He told me. I wondered if I could help him, the vice chancellor, that is. Seemed my transport questions were about the only ones no one was asking. So, either I was a genius or more likely jumped a few stations too early only to find it was a viaduct not a platform.

Delia asked about the children and I glanced at my watch and realising the time dashed off to collect four indignant children. Even Meems was carping, something she doesn’t normally do. I hoped she wasn’t sickening for something.

I dropped them off at home had a snack—mackerel in tomato sauce on toast. I was going to change from my suit to something more casual but Stella persuaded me not to. “Cathy, for once you’re doing what you were born to do.”

“Eat mackerel?”

“Doh!” she exclaimed rolling her eyes. “Leading people, you’re a natural, so why not look the part?”

“These shoes are so uncomfortable.”

“I’m sure Elizabeth I didn’t witter on about her feet hurting while she was waiting for the Armada to land.”

“I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a king of England too.” I trotted out, remembered from some distant history lesson.

Stella just stared at me. “You are amazing, girl; d’you know that?”

“Nah, it was just as a girl all the main characters in history were men, except people like Helen of Troy, Cleopatra, Catherine the great of Russia and Elizabeth I.”

“Shouldn’t you include her cousin in that—Mary Queen of Scots?”

“What some French chick who caused ructions to Elizabeth?”

“French?”

“Yes, French. She was raised there and spoke French as her first language.”

“How d’you know that?”

“Like I said. I enjoyed my history, especially when there was a strong woman involved. Mary may have been a strong woman, Elizabeth was like Wonder Woman by comparison.”

“Aye, but she wis succeeded by a Scot, James VI, wee Mary’s revenge.”

“The wisest fool in Christendom.”