Please do let me know if you are unable to attend, or have any queries. We look forward to meeting you.
Kind regards,
Bryony Malcolm
Clara read through the email again to be sure she had read it correctly. She had mixed feelings about being called for an interview. Did she truly want the job when her life was going so well in Oxford?
She wanted to tell Tom her news so badly, but she hadn’t even told him that she had applied. No, she couldn’t confide in Tom – he wasn’t even responding to her messages!
With a Sunday service to prepare for, Clara had no choice but to keep the news quiet for a while longer. She hurried to St Peter’s, hoping Tom might be there with an explanation. As Clara buttoned down the front of her cassock, saying a prayer as she did each one of the thirty-nine buttons, she put on a brave face despite the turmoil hurtling through her mind.
ChapterNineteen
Disappointingly, there was no sign of Tom at the service. There was no message from him either. Fortunately, though, Eleanora had attended church, something she rarely did, and Clara was so grateful to see her. Once the evening service was over and she’d listened to Brian’s thanks, Eleanora rushed over to Clara.
‘What’s wrong?’
‘Nothing’s wrong.’
‘Yes, there is. I know you. Is it to do with Tom not turning up yesterday?’
‘Shh, don’t let anyone overhear you,’ Clara whispered.
‘What’s going on?’
‘Is it that obvious?’
‘Yup. It is. Come on, fancy a drink?’
Clara didn’t normally go for a drink after service, but this was different. She had to speak to someone before she burst. She might have always been there for other people but Clara needed someone there for her this time, and Eleanora was the perfect confidante.
She left her bicycle at church and walked along the cobbled paving arm in arm with Eleanora. The sun hadn’t gone down and groups of youngsters were sat at streetside bars celebrating. Clara recognised some of them as former students but, for once, she wasn’t in the mood to be sociable and feigned a smile instead.
It felt comforting for Clara to be with Eleanora, who was the only one, apart from the King’s College team, who knew about the job application. There was so much she needed to discuss with her best friend.
Eleanora sensed there was trouble and sent Clara to grab the seats at their favourite snug of the Raging River while she ordered a glass of wine for them both so they could get straight to the conversation. She put the drinks down and gave Clara a sympathetic smile.
‘Right... What’s going on?’
‘I got selected for the interview.’
‘Oh, Clara! I’m so thrilled for you. Well, cheers. How exciting for you. I don’t understand why you have such a glum face though?’
Eleanora bit at a hangnail in anticipation as she waited for Clara to elaborate.
‘I don’t know if I want to go for it.’
‘Are you serious?’
‘Yup, I am. It was only yesterday I had the strawberry tea, and look how happy everyone was. People need me here.’
‘And what do you need, Clara? Have you ever thought of your own needs?’
‘What do I need? My friends. You... I can’t imagine a life without seeing you all every single day.’
‘First things first, I’m not going anywhere. If you were to get the job, you wouldn’t exactly be going to the other side of the world. It’s Cambridge, not Canberra! We both drive and we’ll be less than a few hours away from each other.’
‘I know, but all I know is Oxford. We grew up here. I’ve never lived anywhere else.’
