Ralph was not overly surprised. He knew that the VC expected him to say something, “So what exactly are you trying to say?” Of course Ralph already knew the answer to that question, but he wanted time to get his emotions completely under control before he responded.
“Well, naturally we do appreciate that Ms Eggerton may have played some part in the events that took place, but given her, ah, circumstances, you must realize that she cannot be seen to be a part of the University. Of course we are very pleased for you to accept the honorary degree.”
“I find that completely unacceptable. If it weren’t for Katie’s quick thinking, I probably wouldn’t be standing here right now. She’s the one who made it possible for Liam Wilkes’ killer to be brought to justice and now you want to sweep her under the carpet as though she didn’t even exist. I that find shameful.”
“I thought you’d react this way, Ralph, but I’m afraid the decision has already been made. I telephoned President Lenners yesterday and explained the situation to him. He fully understands. This is not a point for discussion. The reason I chose to tell you face to face is because of the sterling job you have done for your colleagues and our University. I hope that you appreciate that the token of gratitude that Grand Valley wanted to give you is quite an honor. After all, they do not give doctorates away just like that.”
Ralph had anticipated something like this. He had already decided that he would not accept any recognition for their part in bringing Liam’s murderer to justice if Katie was to be excluded.
“You realize that I cannot accept this offer knowing how Professor Eggerton has been treated.” He had used Katie’s old title to make a point. Either the VC did not notice or else he chose to ignore what Ralph had said.
“Fortunately that’s no longer a decision you need concern yourself with. I took it upon myself to extend your apologies to President Lenners and told him that you had decided to decline their kind offer for personal reasons. He understood perfectly. Naturally, Ralph, this is all strictly off the record. A chat between colleagues, and, I would like to think, friends.”
Ralph remembered what his father had always told him. Choose your battleground and choose your objective, and never start a fight you can’t win. It was good advice and Ralph decided to heed it on this occasion.
“Ralph, we must have a further chat sometime about how the University can demonstrate our gratitude for the part you played in all this.” Ralph knew that the meeting was concluded. Both men stood up and the VC reached out and patted Ralph on the shoulder. Ralph had been upstaged and he knew it.
Ralph delayed calling Katie that night. He worried about how he would tell her what had transpired. When he finally picked up the phone at about seven that night he realized he needn’t have worried.
“What a pompous old bugger,” she replied when Ralph told her what the VC had said. “But you have to hand it to him. He’s a pretty smooth player. I’m afraid you didn’t stand a chance,” she laughed. “Anyway I’d probably have got stopped at immigration once the computer saw I had a record. I can just see the headlines in the Grand Rapids Gazette, or whatever they call their local rag:
Ex con gets Doctorate at Grand Valley
“But seriously, Ralph, what about you? There’s no reason you shouldn’t have that doctorate.”
“We’ve each got one anyhow,” Ralph said. Don’t you think two would be a bit over the top?” Ralph was trying to make light of it but he knew that Katie was hurt by the slight.
“Look, why don’t we get away for a while, go down to Devon and just unwind. I can sail and you can get back to riding your horse, Majestic. What do you think?”
“I think you’re a sentimental old softie under that gruff exterior,” Katie replied. “But seriously, Ralph, we could invite Lance and Cynthia to come down for a week or so. Peter and Marcia too, if they want to. What do you think? It’s time we treated ourselves to some of those Devon cream teas.”
“You just pack your bag and I’ll sort everything else out. It’ll be great to take Gypsy Lady out for a sail.” They chatted on for a while longer. Katie explained that she had received an offer to teach on an International Summer school programme at Oxford and had put in an application to teach Educational Psychology at the University of London.
“Why don’t you come down in a couple of days and we can talk to the gang about it and see when they’re all free for a bit of country air,” Ralph suggested. “I’ll fix up a night to meet with everyone at the Black Lion.”
***
The Black Lion was crowded but they managed to secure their favourite table over by the window away from the big screen TV. As they tucked in to the specials of the day Ralph and Katie updated their friends on what had happened at Burghclere.
“One of these days you two are going to finish up in hospital or worse,” Lance said. “Ralph, you old dark horse, I never knew you could execute a flying shoulder tackle. Are you sure you did rowing and not rugby back at Cambridge?”
“Considering everything that has happened recently, it almost seems like there’s at least a grain of truth in all the stories about the curse of King Tut’s tomb,” said Cynthia.
Katie glanced at Ralph. They had agreed beforehand that it was best to say nothing about the VC’s recent actions.
“When I googled Tutankhamun there was an interview on one of the websites with some bloke at Penn State. He says that all that talk about curses from the ancient Egyptian kings is nothing but unadulterated claptrap,” Lance said.
“Come on Lance, that doesn’t sound like something an academic from a top American university would say,” Cynthia challenged.
“Well, maybe not, but that’s what it said.”
“There may be something to the legend, at least where the wedjat eye is concerned,” Ralph interjected. “Think about it. Charles Edington had the amulet and he was murdered; Anton Meckler must have handled it and then he died from that infected mosquito bite; and Liam Wilkes? Who’s to say he didn’t awaken some sort of force when he returned to Highclere wearing the amulet. And then there’s Justin Edington.”
“But Justin didn’t die, Ralph, so there goes that theory,” Katie said.
“No, but he’ll no doubt spend 25 years in prison. So none of them had a very happy ending,” Ralph said.
“And what about your friend Omar Naser?” Katie pointed out.
“Okay. Well he survived that plane crash but I wouldn’t want to be the salesman who sells him a life insurance policy,” Ralph replied. “I expect he was let off so that he could meet an even nastier end down the road.”
“You lot are just winding me up. I’ll get us another round while you enjoy your little laugh at my expense,” said Lance as he stood up.
“You might ask him if they have the quail on special,” said Katie with a laugh.
“Too small and difficult to eat,” said Lance. He gave a puzzled look as his friends fell about laughing.
“What happened to Liam’s amulet, Ralph? Did the police ever find it or had Justin ditched it somewhere?” Katie asked as she sipped her iced water and lemon.
“He had it on. They found it around his neck after they arrested him and took him to the station.”
“I wonder what’s going to happen now,” Katie said. “When we were there they still hadn’t released Liam’s body.”
“I spoke with Inspector Roberts just this morning. They’ve sent him home. He said that they returned his effects to his family, but that they planned to donate his amulet to the Cairo Museum,” said Ralph.
“So after thousands of years, the two amulets are finally reunited,” said Cynthia. “No doubt some clever clogs will sit down with the amulets, a map and a ruler and try to solve the puzzle of the third cache of treasure.”
“We read about some escaped prisoner who was on the loose when you guys were down at Highclere,” Cynthia said. “At least you didn’t run in to him as well.”
“I think we had quite enough excitement without that,”
Ralph said.
“There’s a bit in that book Watership Down that just about sums everything up,” Katie said. “Sometimes I think we humans could learn a thing or two from those rabbits.”
“Animals don’t behave like men,” he said.
“If they have to fight, they fight: and if they have to kill they kill. But they don’t sit down and set their wits to work to devise ways of spoiling other creatures’ lives and hurting them. They have dignity and animalty”
“Perhaps we do still have a lot to learn,” Ralph agreed.
“Here, here,” said Lance as he finished off his pint.
***
Katie ran her bath while Ralph checked his email as strains of Holst’s Planet Suite echoed through the apartment.
It was mostly good news. Debbie confirmed that she and Barry were still an item, although the one from Barry made him wonder. He’d tell Katie not to rush out and buy a hat just yet. Betty was excited by the prospect of playing the Cathedral organ at Notre Dame. In the email she said that they had invited her to play there as part of their Spring concert that would be on when they were there for a Conference. As a PS, she added that her Arthur had a new job as a Sports coach at GV. Ralph glanced up at the blue and white ‘Louis the Laker’ mascot that Debbie had given him. He wondered if the football team would be up for having a former Navy SEAL commander as their coach.
One from Tom Boyce said there a rumour that an anonymous source wanted to donate a new wing to the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences in memory of Liam Wilkes. Tom’s guess was that it was connected to the amulet that Liam’s family gave to the Cairo Museum. Ralph wondered briefly if it was from the Muslim Brotherhood. The American press would have a field day with that, he mused.
Ralph flicked the screen over to the late night news. Two reports caught his eye.
The first was about a new excavation project in the Valley of the Kings at Luxor funded by the industrial group El Sarias. Ralph remembered that El Sarias was the firm that employed Omar Naser. He wondered if some clever bugger had cracked the code.
The second was on a lighter note. The Downton Abbey TV series was proving a winner for the present Earl of Carnarvon. Tourists were up in arms because tickets for Highclere Castle had been sold out for the entire season.
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Murder at Downton (The Ralph Chalmers Mysteries Book 6) Page 12