The Pupil by Caro Fraser Page B

position as an outsider.
    ‘Yes,’ he replied hastily, ‘Michael’s a very good pupilmaster. I’m very lucky.’
    ‘And where do you think you will be looking once you leave us?’ The baldness of the question startled Anthony. He knew that Edward, as Sir Basil’s nephew, must be something of a favourite, but he had not realised that the matter was already so completely decided. It took him some seconds to recover. In the intervening silence, Sir Basil murmured something about ‘excellent vol-au-vents’ and then said, before Anthony could speak, ‘I have some very good friends in 3 Dover Court – lots of civil litigation. Perhaps that would suit you, mm? We’ll have a little talk next term. Merry Christmas.’ And he sailed off to join another little knot of people.
    Anthony felt wretched. He realised that his dismay must have shown on his face, because Michael stepped over and said lightly, ‘What’s up?’
    Anthony recounted his conversation with Sir Basil. ‘It was just a bit of a surprise,’ he added. ‘I mean, there’s another three terms to go, and I wasn’t sure that Edward was all that keen …’ He realised that this must all sound rather self-pitying. Michael sighed and squinted sadly at his champagne glass. The old man really picked his moments, he thought.
    ‘Look,’ he said, ‘this isn’t really the time or place, butwe’ll have a talk about it soon. I know he’s the big chief, but technically it’s not his decision. We all have a say, you know.’
    Anthony nodded, unconvinced. He felt that his hopes had been utterly dashed. If Sir Basil wanted Edward as the next tenant, and if Edward wanted to stay – well, that seemed to be that. Michael, for his part, was angry with Sir Basil. He knew that Anthony had exceptional ability and that if he were given the chance, he would make the most of it. He knew a little of Anthony’s background and circumstances and he wanted, for reasons that he himself could not fathom, to see him free of those beginnings. Anthony was his protégé, just as Edward was Sir Basil’s. He hadn’t doubted Leo’s word when he had praised Edward’s work, and so far Jeremy had voiced no complaints about his pupil, but what he had seen and heard of Edward did not convince him that he merited the tenancy, and all its possibilities, as much as Anthony. Things would always be easy for Edward, but Anthony’s ambition was solitary, and Michael wanted to help him achieve it.
    There was not, however, a great deal to be done that evening. It didn’t help Anthony’s frame of mind to have to watch Edward, whom he sincerely liked, at his jovial ease amongst the rest of the guests. After a decent interval, Anthony decided to take his leave and go home.
    As he made his way downstairs, Mr Slee put his head round the door of the clerks’ room and uttered words that made Anthony’s blood run cold.
    ‘Oh, Mr Cross, your father’s here. Just on my way to tell you.’ Unfortunately for Anthony, he and Sir Basil haddecided to leave the party at the same time, and Anthony heard Sir Basil’s voice on the stairs behind him.
    ‘Your father, Anthony? Why, you must take him upstairs to meet a few people. It is a party, after all.’ To give him his due, Sir Basil spoke purely out of kindness. He knew that his few words with Anthony earlier must have indicated that he regarded the matter of the next junior tenancy as one which was now closed, even though he assumed that Anthony could never seriously have been under any illusions on the matter.
    To Anthony, the words sounded almost malicious. But he knew that Sir Basil’s preconception of his father must be of an ordinary professional man. Sir Basil tended to assume that most people’s fathers were of that kind; that men should follow any other bent seemed to him to be beyond understanding. Like Michael’s sloppiness of dress, he suspected that it was done from anti-authoritarian motives.
    Anthony smiled in a vague way in Sir