The Daily Dormouse. (aka Bike, est. 2007) Part 2357 by Angharad Copyright© 2014 Angharad All Rights Reserved.

I managed to stop Simon interrogating me about the development, and I was aware of the conflict of interest both in the family sense and as ecological advisor to the bank, not to mention a non executive directorship of the same bank. I decided I would write to Henry the next morning as ecological advisor and point out the legal position and that even if were in the bank’s best interests, I could not countenance advising anything but against the development.

So at seven o’clock the next morning I sent Henry an email and waited for the proverbial to hit the oscillating device. Then it was crazy while I got the girls up and ready for school, leaving them with Jacquie to finish breakfast while I took a cup of tea and some toast down to the study and waited for the BBC to call me.

Eight fifteen came and went, so did eight twenty, and eight twenty five. Trish appeared at the door, “We’re going to be late, Mummy.” I glanced at my watch realised the time and quickly swigged down the last dregs of tea before collecting my jacket and bag and calling the girls to follow me out to the car.

The drive to the convent was awful and we were late, the girls were cross with me and said I’d speak with the headmistress, which I duly did. “Look, I’m sorry the girls were late this morning it was entirely my fault. I was expecting a call from the BBC for a topic on the Today programme and they didn’t call.”

“Oh dear, I wonder why that was?”

“I have no idea but seeing as I’d sorted out a mass of data for it, I was quite well prepared and part of me was looking forward to the challenge.”

“So the law of SOD applied, did it?”

“If you mean as in Sod’s law, yes.”

“I do indeed.”

“I expect something else has taken their interest.”

“Probably.”

“Anyway, the girls were late through my fault, not theirs.”

“Worry not, Lady Cameron, I shall see they’re not penalised for it.”

“Thank you.” I left and drove to the university and upon checking my diary discovered I had two tutorial groups which I’d forgotten about and which I can’t say filled me with delight. Still, it’s what they pay me for. I fortified myself with another cuppa and at ten, I carried my laptop in its bag and a pile of files and wandered down to the room we use for group tutorials.

The group strolled in in drips and drabs and waited until they were all there before commencing. “Any issues since the last tutorial?” I enquired.

“Something more of a query than an issue.”

“About the course?”

“Not directly.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, I was listening to some radio programme this morning and they mentioned a development held up by dormice and they had some professor guy from Sussex, I think he said, somebody Herbert. He sounded a right Herbert, told them they shoulda talked to you as the expert on dormeece, an’ the BBC or whoever said they’d tried to call you without being able to get an answer or you weren’t available.”

“I wasn’t available?” I couldn’t believe the BBC had tried to call and the phones were engaged.

“Yeah, that’s what he said, so talked with this guy from Brighton who didn’t have much clue because he said he hadn’t had time to investigate the matter.”

“Well someone has got it wrong, because I was available and done my homework but they didn’t call.”

“Oh, perhaps you’ve got trouble with your phone lines.”

“Perhaps.” I’d speak to Erin afterwards and see if she knew what happened. I suppose I should have listened to the programme instead of just sitting there with my notes, but it’s difficult to do that when about ninety five kids are squabbling.

The tutorial then went onto more mundane things and I cajoled and threatened each of them to do a few things. To submit decent work, to do so on time and to keep it relevant to the subject in hand. Too many of them rambled off topic and this was supposed to be a science course and degree.

I had the joy of entertaining another group in the same room, so at least I didn’t have to wander about the building with my laptop and handbag. I only had half the files I’d carried there and with luck I’d be devoid of the rest quite soon.

Another student asked about the radio programme and I offered the same reply, I was there and available to speak with them but they didn’t call. “Someone tell ’em not to call you?”

“I have no idea, let’s look at issues arising from your previous tutorial...” I steered them back to work and the hour dragged past. Apparently, one or two got something out of it, I must have blinked at that moment because I couldn’t see what it was if anything.

Lunch was next and I called Erin from my mobile. “No idea,” was her response.

I checked my emails and had a reply from Henry. "Hello favourite daughter in law. I decided you were too close to the subject to talk about it on national radio. I mean what would you have said if they’d asked you a question on personal interest?”

“The same as I told you, the law must be upheld or more people will try get round it or ignore it all together.”

“So it’s all above board?”

“I think so. What was the result of the argument today?”

“Oh Esmond Herbert did it for you but with the phone freeze we couldn’t let you know.”

I supposed he was telling the truth, though occasionally he’s a bit light on actuality.

“Right well thank you for showing me the error of my ways.” I said in as servile a tone as I could manage.

“Cathy, don’t be mad about this one, just let it go.”

“Just let it go? If this development goes ahead we could lose a dozen dormice.”

“It won’t.”

“Plus there are early spider orchids there, only about a handful of sites in all of England.”

“Cathy, your dormice are safe—I cancelled the funding.”

“Why?” I was genuinely surprised.

“Because I didn’t want the family appearing to be estranged over the matter.”

“D’you think that could have happened?”

“I don’t know but didn’t want to take the risk of alienating you or Simon.”

“Would that have happened?”

“Yes, you’d possibly have arranged a public enquiry which you might well have won—the law protects against disturbance to dormice. However, I’d have overturned that in five minutes and the development would have gone ahead albeit a year or two late. I’d have lost money initially but after a year or two, I’d have recovered my position through the continuing rise in house prices.”

“Oh,” was all I could say.

“Right, I have to go, people to fleece, deals to do.”

“Bye, Henry, and thanks for being so honest with me.”

“Dear girl, I’m always honest with you—now dump the dum dum and elope with me?”

“All right.”

He laughed and put his phone down. I sat there wondering why I tried to do anything to save the planet when people like him were around.