Page 69 of The Secrets of Dragonfly Lodge
Forty
‘Two bits of news,’ James greeted her a couple of weeks later when she arrived late one morning in the lab. ‘One is that I’ve moved into the premises of a certain Mrs Hilda Cartwright off the high street. Top room, shared bathroom, half-board.’
‘Congratulations. And the other?’
‘Professor Briggs will be here to see us in half an hour.’
Nancy froze in the middle of taking off her coat.
‘Really? How do you know?’
‘I wrote to him and he’s responded.’
A hot flood of jealousy rushed through her. She’d written to Briggs the day after meeting McCall, but had received no answer. James, it seemed, merited a better response.
He pointed to the telephone on the worktop by the door. ‘A message came just now. He wants to see both of us around eleven.’
‘Oh.’ The jealousy drained away to be replaced by panic. ‘But I’m not ready… Oh, Lor.’ She snagged her scarf on ahook and, racing over, seized a file from her desk and began sorting papers to the sound of James’ laughter.
The professor arrived promptly and spent time with both of them, going through their methods, inspecting their equipment and discussing their findings. When it was her turn, Nancy explained in detail the different dusts that she’d been using to carry the insecticide, and identified which ones had been most effective. ‘Naturally, we can’t replicate the exact conditions in which they’d be used in real life. There are questions of climate, weather, the equipment used, many things.’
‘Of course.’ The professor had retreated to the comfortable chair by the window, where he settled himself with hands clasped across his stomach. ‘Your research is a starting point. Everybody understands about laboratory conditions. In the field it’s a different matter, but that’s for others to explore.’ After a few minutes, he glanced at his watch and grunted. ‘Send me a precis of your findings thus far, will you, Miss Foster? And West, an outline proposal, if you please.’ And with that he levered himself out of the chair and took his leave.
‘He’s so condescending,’ Nancy said morosely to James. ‘Don’t you find him condescending?’
‘It’s just his manner. No need to get upset.’
‘I’m not upset,’ she said, struggling to steady her voice. All the strain of the last year was releasing itself. The longed-for feedback had been given, but there had been no time to prepare properly and the meeting with Briggs was over so quickly. Though she was relieved to have his general approbation, she still felt cheated of his attention.
James didn’t seem bothered. Briggs had accepted his general approach. He had a tank full of grasshoppers and permission to proceed. Nancy envied his confidence. Was it a male thing? she wondered as she pulled up her chair and stared at the glass plate where her dead locust lay waiting to be investigated. She reached for her instrument box and selected a scalpel. Soon, she was absorbed in her work and forgot Briggs and his condescension.
It must have been an hour later when someone knocked and put their head round the door. ‘Hello,’ James said in surprise and Nancy, who’d been squinting into her microscope, looked up, blinking, to see Edmund.
‘Sorry to interrupt,’ Edmund grinned. ‘Nancy, may I have a word?’
‘Um, yes, though I’d better not be long,’ she said, one hand still on the microscope.
Out in the corridor, she glanced round anxiously in case the gossips were about. Edmund said, ‘Sorry, I can’t use the telephone in my lab without everyone knowing my business. It’s just someone’s given me two spare tickets for a show tonight. I wondered if you were free.’
‘What is it?’ she said with genuine interest and when he told her, bit her lip, thinking it sounded fun.
‘I’d love to,’ she said softly. ‘Thank you. What time shall we meet?’ She thought again of the gossips. ‘Can I meet you at the station?’
‘Certainly, if you like.’ He looked startled.
They made the arrangement and she returned to her work. Only as she seated herself did she register the lookthat had crossed Edmund’s face and realize to her dismay that her reluctance to be seen with him must have come across as rude.
She sighed and crossed her arms.
‘Are you all right? What did he want?’ James had come over to lean against the worktop. His eyes searched her face.
‘Nothing, really.’
‘He must have wanted something.’
‘It was private, James.’
‘Oh, private? I see.’
