The golden sunlight warmed the back of Fina’s neck as she stood with Ruby and Gayatri on the steps of Wandesford Hall. Fina inhaled the sweet smell of freshly-cut grass on the quad. As they huddled together, Fina spied a nimble James Matua speeding down the stairs toward them.
“I say, it was a ripping lecture, what?” His eyes focused only on Gayatri. She tucked a wisp of hair which had escaped her plait behind her ear.
“It was adequate,” she said in response. Fina and Ruby murmured in agreement.
“But didn’t you find the relationships between the ancient and the modern fascinating? I think I’ll write about it in my political history paper,” he said as his briefcase dropped to the floor. Fina bent over to pick it up. He looked at his watch and said, “Good Lord, I only have 24 hours to complete it!”
He was working on cultivating his absent-minded-professor routine early in his academic career, thought Fina.
“Yes, curse Professor Colveston’s paper. I’ve finished it, though I need to review it once more,” she said. “By the way, why were you in that lecture, James? You’re a history student like I am, aren’t you?”
He stiffened. “Oh, I thought I’d like to see what all the fuss was about – I mean, about him, about…” He trailed off. “What about you? Why were you there?”
A flash of heat spread across her face. “I came to keep these two company.” Then she chided herself – why couldn’t she say she wanted an eyeful of Professor Bathurst?
James relented. He looked somewhat ashamed and turned away, toward Gayatri. “Gayatri, are you … have you been invited to Dean Ossington’s annual sherry party yet?”
“Not yet. I assumed most senior students of Quenby would be invited. Why would you be interested, though? You’re at a men’s college.”
He shifted his weight from side to side, nearly dropping his briefcase again. Why was the man so nervous?
“It’s my mother. Before she left for New Zealand, where she met my father, she was a close friend of Dean Ossington’s. So now the dean feels responsible for me, since it’s my first year at college,” he said, rubbing his chin.
Gayatri gave James a wide smile. It was a smile of sisterly affection. Perhaps not what James wanted, thought Fina. “Of course, I’ll be there – if I receive an invitation from the dean. It’s next week, right?”
“Yes. I’m not sure who the guest of honour will be.”
“I hope it isn’t as ghastly as last year’s choice,” said Ruby. “She was so dreadful I’ve driven her visage from my mind.”
“Lady Aubyn-Tancred,” put in Fina. “Yes, she was quite a treat. Felt like I was receiving an hour-long lecture from my great aunt about the dangers of what she terms ‘involvement’.”
James stared down at his feet.
Gayatri clearly sensed James would not be leaving unless she left as well. She gave him a little head bob after giving both Ruby and Fina a hug and then departed, with him in her wake.
“See how he trails after her like a little puppy,” smiled Ruby.
“He has got it bad, as they say,” agreed Fina. She turned back toward Ruby. “Now can you tell me what the postcard from Ian was all about?”
“Dearest Feens. I’m so sorry. Do forgive me.”
Fina’s exasperation melted away.
“You know it’s because I worry. Fortunately, Bathurst was enough of a distraction that I didn’t stew on it the entire lecture.”
“Let’s go to my room to have tea. I have some lovely biscuits sent to me by my mother. She buys masses of them from her favourite shop and then sends them to me whenever she wants me to call her.”
The quad was quiet now as the students had all made their way to their next class. They walked at a leisurely pace toward their rooms in Tiscott Hall. Though she appreciated the imposing grandeur of the other college buildings, she found Tiscott eminently more inviting with its stout structure and cosy, curved windows that lined the compact quad.
Even though the walkway was empty, Ruby glanced around to make sure no one was in sight.
“As I said, the stamp means danger. Since he sent it to my address in college, I believe it means we ought to stay here.”
“You don’t think it means we should leave?”
“I thought about it, and I decided he wants us to ‘lie low’, as our American friends would say.”
“Do you think someone is after us?”
Ruby blinked, but didn’t reply.
“Selkies and kelpies. I suppose we have to be vigilant?”
“That’s my life story, Feens. You know it,” said Ruby.
Fina sighed and nodded. “Yes, I know. But what do we do? I mean, do we just go about our normal business, or are there steps we need to take?”
“I think we’re being watched by an agent. A British government agent or someone connected to British interests in the empire. The good news is it means we ought to just be ourselves – normal students, that is.”
“We’re not what you’d call normal, Ruby.”
Ruby laughed. “So true, Feens. I suppose what I mean is we ought to go to class and involve ourselves in expected activities.”
“Like going to a dreadful sherry party?”
“Exactly.”