‘I went to Cambridge. Girton College. I read Law. In my second year, Saunders approached me and I accepted their offer of a training contract.’
‘They approached you? Isn’t that unheard of?’
I shrug again. ‘Depends on the circumstances, I guess.’
‘You were top of your class, weren’t you?’
I nod once and feel my cheeks flush. ‘After I graduated, I had to study legal practice for a year. Saunders runs a course specific to the firm so I had to do that. Then I trained for two years and whilst I was training, Saunders paid for me to study for a Master of Laws.’
‘And you got a distinction in that too.’
I glance at him. My brow scrunched.
‘Due diligence, Miss Heath. Believe it or not, I didn’t take you on for your looks.’
‘I can well believe that.’
He shakes his head. ‘Did you always want to be a lawyer?’
‘I wanted to be a lot of things, exciting things, but definitely not a lawyer.’
‘So how? Why?’
‘Your perception of what constitutes excitement changes as you get older.’ I laugh. ‘Probably when I was making a decision about my college courses, I had a realisation that I wouldn’t be a ballet dancer, or an astronaut or whatever else I’d considered. When I thought about it, I mean seriously considered career paths, I didn’t think much further than being a doctor like…’ I pause and unwittingly glance up to Gregory.
‘Like your dad.’
I nod once and watch my wellies as I step forwards. ‘My dad kept telling me I was only to be a doctor if that’s what I really wanted to be. He told me that I should study sciences but also study something I enjoyed. I remember thinking it was a strange thing to say because I hadn’t thought about whether I enjoyed studying or which subjects I enjoyed; I just saw everything as a challenge, a competition that I had to win. I don’t know when that happened to me. Anyway, I decided I enjoyed English as much as anything and I was good at it so I studied Biology, Chemistry, Maths and English.’
‘So when did you change your mind?’
‘When a good friend of my dad’s got sick. He worked all his life to help others with medicine and care, then when he needed help, there was nothing that could be done. It’s not like I don’t think doctors do an amazing job but I just sort of fell out with the idea of medicine.’
‘I get that.’
‘Falling out with medicine opened my eyes again, I think. I realised I really did like English, writing and creating something. So it came to university time and my English teacher suggested some career paths. Law was one of them and I thought to myself, well, that’s not the worst idea I’ve ever heard.’
He laughs. ‘That’s not the worst idea I’ve ever heard?’
I shrug and laugh too. ‘I love it now, though – the law, I mean. I like the order of it, the logic and rationality, and I still like creating something, using and manipulating language.’
‘And kicking arse?’
‘That’s the best bit.’ I glance at my watch and reluctantly tell Gregory, ‘We should head back if I’m going to be ready in time for lunch.’
He whistles through two fingers and the dogs bound towards us. He takes a stick from Buster and throws it in the direction of the farm.
‘You really studied for a masters whilst you were working?’
‘Yup.’
‘You’re a glutton for punishment.’
In more ways than one, Mr Emotionally Detached.
In more ways than one.
30
