A Lesson in Secrets_ A Maisie Dobbs Novel - Jacqueline Winspear [23]
“And that’s a downright lie!” said Maisie aloud to herself, as she thought of the many men she saw on the streets each day, walking from factory to factory, from the docks to the building sites—men wearing out shoe leather looking for work. But there was only one family she had in mind for a new house, a family about to add one more mouth to feed, a family with a father too proud to accept “other people’s charity.” She had been the recipient of great generosity when her mentor, Dr. Maurice Blanche, died; in his will he had left her almost his entire estate. She was now in a position to help her assistant. But until she had worked out how she might open the discussion with Billy once again, she would have to keep her plans to herself.
Settling into her new lodgings and college life came more easily than Maisie expected. Her preparations served her well, and at the end of the first week—during which time she had taught three classes each day, and had been able to reintroduce herself to other members of staff during morning coffee and afternoon tea in the staff room—she was summoned to a meeting with Greville Liddicote. When she arrived at his secretary’s office, she could hear Rosemary Linden speaking on the telephone, so she stepped back to wait in the corridor. Sound echoed from the office, which had frosted glass windows atop dark wood wainscoting facing the corridor.
“I am terribly sorry, Professor Larkin, but Dr. Liddicote couldn’t meet with you this morning after all.” There was a pause. “Yes, I know it’s urgent, and I have conveyed your message that you wish to see him at his earliest convenience . . . Yes . . . yes, indeed, sir, I will most certainly . . . of course . . . Dr. Liddicote is completely aware of the urgency of the sit—Thank you, I’ll tell him.”
The call having ended, Maisie waited a moment, then knocked on the office door.
“Ah, yes, Miss Dobbs,” said Rosemary Linden. “Dr. Liddicote is in conference at the moment, so you’ll have to wait outside—he’ll be finished soon, I daresay, and it’s the best place to wait to avoid someone else weaseling in before you. Everyone seems to think that what they have to say is urgent today.” The previously dour secretary seemed to have softened somewhat, now that Maisie was a member of staff. Though she wasn’t what might be termed “pally,” she appeared more inclined to greet Maisie with a “Good morning” and a smile.
There was a plain, dark oak settle with needlepoint cushions outside Liddicote’s office, and Maisie waited here for his meeting to end. She took four exercise books from her new leather briefcase and began to read through essays submitted by the morning class, but became distracted when the mumble of voices from Liddicote’s office became louder and more urgent. She could not make out the cause of the argument, only the harsh tones as two men argued.
“You’re a fool, Roth, if you think that—”
“Dr. Liddicote, far be it from me to say this, but it is you who are the fool.”
As the voices were raised, Miss Linden emerged from her office and walked briskly to Liddicote’s door, knocked, and stepped just inside the room. Maisie kept her eyes on her work.
“Miss Dobbs is waiting for you, Dr. Liddicote.”
“Yes, of course. Roth, do not do anything until I have