Clara looked under her desk. ‘No, he’s not hiding under here.’
‘Where is the man? He was due to arrive at 9a.m. Not the best of starts being late on your first day. I’m sure there’s a good reason.’
According to the wall clock it was already 9.30a.m. and he still hadn’t told him.
‘I don’t think much of his timekeeping. Imagine being late for someone’s wedding or funeral. He’ll have to shape up if he’s a tardy timekeeper. I won’t stand for it,’ said Lawrence.
Clara desperately wanted to tell him and put him out of his misery, but a promise was a promise. Still, Clara hated feigning ignorance like this.
‘Maybe he got stuck in traffic somewhere.’
‘Haven’t heard of any problems on the roads this morning,’ Charlie chirped up.
‘Oh, well, I’m sure he’ll be here any moment. I’ll be in my office when he arrives.’
By 10a.m., Lawrence was trying to ring Stephen’s number.
‘Can’t get hold of him. I hope my instructions were explicit enough. I did tell him to be here today. Perhaps he’s got the wrong day. I’m beginning to doubt myself. I did say today, didn’t I?’
‘You did. You definitely said today from the start.’ Clara was going to have to blurt it out herself if he didn’t get a move on.
‘Strange.’
Lawrence shrugged his shoulders and wandered off, but, by now, Clara was becoming curious. Why wasn’t he calling?
Finally, at 11a.m., Clara picked up the office phone to find Stephen on the other end of the line asking for Lawrence. Less than two minutes later, Lawrence came rushing out.
‘I can’t believe it but he’s taken a job at King’s College. Said he’d had a call this morning, offering him the job and he decided it was a better position. He said something about it being a total surprise and that he was very sorry for not joining us, but the job in Cambridge was his first choice. So, I guess you two will be working with each other over there.’
Clara bit at her lip.
‘I don’t know how we’ll manage. I suppose I’ll have to re-advertise the position,’ continued Lawrence.
‘What if there’s no need?’
‘To what? Advertise? Do you know of someone who could be suitable?’
‘Yup. You see, Lawrence, there’s something I wanted to speak to you about...’
Lawrence was overjoyed when he heard that his favourite employee wasn’t leaving him after all.
‘That’s the best news I’ve heard all year,’ he said.
‘I’m pleased you think so.’
‘I tell you what, shall I make us a brew to celebrate? Since this is such wonderful news, you can even have one of those posh biccies Janet dropped in for me from Fortnum’s.’
‘Now how could I resist such an offer?’
Flora, who had overheard the whole conversation, insisted they needed chocolates too. She decided that she might even go and get some custard slices for everyone while she was at it. This was cause for a big celebration.
Secretly, Lawrence was relieved. He had liked Stephen but he wasn’t Clara. Nobody could ever replace his wonderful college chaplain. He whistled a nondescript tune as he headed over to the kettle and turned his head over his shoulder to look at Clara.
‘Isn’t it funny how things work out?’
‘It is indeed. The Lord works in mysterious ways,’ said Clara, who was feeling on top of the world.
ChapterThirty-Nine
