“The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Revelations, in the New Testament as I remember from my early lessons as a boy,” he commented as he continued to study me through that haze of smoke. “Not the usual reading material one expects of an enlightened young woman.”
“Nor perhaps that of four young university students,” I replied.
He continued to puff away as he watched me.
“Sir Laughton did say that you were most inquisitive,” he eventually replied, then seemed to arrive at a decision regarding my visit.
“That was a long time ago.”
“Over thirty years,” I acknowledged. “When certain things might be forgotten. Yet, it seems that someone has not. What can you tell me about an incident that caused the Prince of Wales to suddenly withdraw from the university thirty-two years ago?”
I was prepared for the usual response—young college men caught in the usual pranks one hears. I hoped for more and waited.
Sir Lowery set his pipe in the ash pan then sat back in his chair.
“You are quite direct, Lady Forsythe.”
It was true that I had no patience for innuendoes or polite excuses. Three young men were dead, possibly murdered, sons of three of those four students now grown men in various positions of government and society.
“You seem to have knowledge that, for some, might best be forgotten. The Four Horsemen, brash, headstrong, foolish perhaps.
“I remember it well from my position as vice chancellor under Sir William who was master of Trinity College during that time.” He shook his head.
“There was a tragic episode that involved the young men you speak of and, others. It was kept private at the time and the ‘club’ as they called it, was ended and banned from any further activities, upon punishment of being dismissed from the university.
“Three of the young men continued at Cambridge, while Prince Edward departed for his time in the Queen’s army.”
“What was the tragic episode?” And what might it tell us about what is happening now?
He hesitated, then continued. “Many of our students who did not return home at the week’s end of classes frequented a local tavern in Grantchester, very near Cambridge, from time to time. It was well known at the university. The Rose and Crown, as I remember.”
“They were young men doing what young men did, as my great aunt had explained it.” I commented.
“From time to time, young females from the town would join them.” Sir Lowery paused, his gaze met mine.
“There had been rumors of certain activities at the tavern. It seems that one particular night, with an abundance of ale and other spirits, a young local woman was apparently compromised. By more than one young man.” He shook his head.
“A dreadful situation that was brought to our attention by the father of the young woman, the vicar of the local church.
“Four young men were identified. They were called in one by one and made to address the claim that was made. It was then that it was learned that several other young men had participated in a sort of contest where bets were made.” He shook his head. “Dreadful.”
“More than one young man insisted that the young woman made no protest,” he continued. “And, in fact, had willingly participated. Still, it would have been a dreadful scandal if the details were made known. Punishments were handed out, a handful departed, including Prince Edward.”
The “incident” then covered over as if it never happened.
“Do you remember the name of the young woman?”
“It was not made known by the bishop out of utmost discretion at the time. I do remember hearing that the young woman’s father was vicar at St. Andrew and St. Mary’s Church at the time. I believe that he left shortly thereafter. No doubt to put the scandal behind them.”
“The sins of the fathers will be visited upon the sons.”
Was it possible that the vicar, a man of God, but also a father, had decided to take revenge for what happened all those years before? But why now? He would no longer be a young man.
“Will you tell me now, Lady Forsythe, what has brought you here with questions from so long ago?”
Sir Lowery had been forthcoming in answer to my own questions, with information that had been very effectively eliminated from the newspapers, to protect four young men including the Prince of Wales.
We had no proof of anything, yet. Still, I was most grateful for his willingness to share information that might very well have some part in what was happening now.
