Scandalous

CHAPTER SIX

Sasha squeezed both her parents’ hands as the members of the Regent House filed back into the room. The Regent House was the official governing body of the University of Cambridge. Usually it only ever met in the grand, neo-classical Senate House on King’s Parade to award degrees, or to elect a new chancellor. But today, sensationally, the Master of St Michael’s had summoned a special congregation – Cambridge’s equivalent of a court martial – to settle the increasingly embarrassing and bitter dispute between Professor Theo Dexter and his second-year pupil, Sasha Miller.

Of course, today was only the university’s decision. Theoretically, Sasha could still pursue Theo in the British courts. But the six-hundred-pounds-an-hour lawyer Don Miller had engaged was blunt about her chances.

‘If the university goes against you, it will be very difficult to win a civil case. I hesitate to say impossible. But if you pursue Dexter and you lose, the court will most likely award him damages and costs. Add that to your own legal fees and you could be looking at a bill running into millions of pounds.’

‘We’ll do whatever it takes/ Don said defiantly. But they all knew it wasn’t an option. Everything rested on today’s decision. Up until a couple of hours ago, Sasha had been sure she was going to lose. In the last two months, since the British press had got hold of the juicy story about the hunky Cambridge professor and his teenage undergraduate lover, Sasha had seen her good name raked through the mud. Like flies swarming round a turd, the university establishment had rallied around Theo Dexter. No one, other than Sasha’s student friends, had agreed to speak up for her.

Until this afternoon.

Harold Grier, a senior American physicist on secondment from Harvard, had been one of Sasha’s lab partners at the Cavendish. Grier had witnessed much of Sasha’s early research work on what was already now being referred to as ‘Dexter’s Law’. If he spoke up for her, she had a shot. Unfortunately for Sasha, Harold Grier was also a pathologically private man and so shy he was borderline autistic. He had refused all her entreaties to testify at the Senate House. ‘I can’t be dragged into as…scandal. I’m sorry. My work is too important.’

Sasha had given up trying to change Harold’s mind weeks ago. But today, after the lunchtime recess, a miracle had occurred. Walking out of the ladies, she saw Harold Grier standing alone in the grand foyer of the Senate House with a sheaf of papers in his hand. Harold saw her too, and smiled.

‘Who’s that?’ Sasha’s dad asked her, watching Harold take his seat. Don noticed the way that the Dexter camp’s eyes had all turned to follow him as he made his way to the front of the court.

‘I very much hope that’s my knight in shining armour,’ whispered Sasha.

The Master of St Michael’s took his seat. ‘In curia nostra, hodie est dies juridicus. Sedete silentio si commodum est.’

This is it.

Theresa Dexter held her husband’s hand and kept her eyes fixed firmly on the robed figures in front of her. Sometimes the urge to turn around and look at Sasha Miller was so strong it made her neck hurt. But she knew that if she made eye contact she wouldn’t be able to restrain herself from running over and strangling the girl with her bare hands. Better to be here than down the road in the Crown Court, on trial for murder, Theresa told herself. In an hour this nightmare will be over.

The last two months had been the worst of Theresa Dexter’s life. It was August when Theo had come home, ashen-faced, and told her that he was afraid one of his undergraduates was going to try to lay claim to his theory.

‘But why? I mean, that’s ridiculous. How could she possibly lay claim to it?’

‘We worked together.’ Theo shrugged. ‘I trusted her. You know, she’s a bright girl, she showed a lot of promise. I thought it would be exciting for her to be involved with something like this. Something ground-breaking.’ He shook his head sadly. ‘I suppose I was naive.’

Theresa had been outraged on Theo’s behalf, sympathetic and practical. ‘We’ll talk to Ed Gilliam. He’ll know what to do. Try not to worry, darling. At best this girl’s delusional and at worst she’s a liar. Either way, she can’t hurt you. The truth will out.’

The next morning, Theo gave the same spiel to Ed Gilliam. When he’d finished, Ed said, ‘You prick. You were sleeping with her, weren’t you?’

‘Sleeping with…? Of course I wasn’t sleeping with her!’ Theo blustered. ‘How dare you imply…’

‘I’m going to give you five seconds to stop talking shit and tell me the truth. And if you don’t, I’m going to hang up, play a nice round of golf, and forget you ever existed. OK?’

Theo hesitated. ‘All right. Yes, OK, I did sleep with her. A couple of times. But it was nothing, a silly fling. She seduced me. Sasha can be very persuasive, you know.’

‘That’s what I’m afraid of,’ said Ed. ‘Pretty young girl plays the victim on Richard and Judy’s couch and next thing you know you’re a paedophile. No one will give a fuck whose theory this is after that. By the way, just out of interest, did you nick it?’

‘No! Of course I didn’t. The whole thing’s preposterous.’

‘Good. Now listen, you leave the PR side of this to me. It’s a nightmare, but I’ve handled worse. The trick is to hit back first, not wait for Lolita to leak the story. I’m going to tell you what to do, and you’re going to do it, no questions asked. We can salvage this thing but we have to act fast. And, Theo?’

‘Yes, Ed?’

‘Stop lying to me. Save your energy for all the other people you’re going to have to lie to.’

Following Ed Gilliam’s instructions, Theo admitted his affair with Sasha to Theresa that evening, albeit a heavily edited version.

‘But…but…we’ve been so happy’ Theresa blinked back tears.

‘I know.’ Theo hugged her. ‘I’ve been a fool, T. I am happy with you. Sasha was just so vulnerable and so needy. She kept on and on, pursuing me, begging me to be with her. It was relentless. I didn’t realize how psychologically disturbed she was until it was too late. Can you ever forgive me?’

His remorse was so heartfelt Theresa couldn’t help but forgive him, but she was desperately hurt. There was no time to process her feelings, however. The very next morning, a double-page spread ran in the Daily Mail, salivating over British science’s newest star’s liaison with his beautiful protégée.

At the breakfast table, Theo shook the newspaper angrily. ‘Bitch. I can’t believe she’s gone public already. Has she no shame? I mean it’s not just me she’s hurting. It’s you, and St Michael’s. The whole physics community gets tainted with this shit. How could she?’

‘It’s all right, darling.’ Theresa touched his arm consolingly. ‘We’ll get through it together.’

Half an hour later, Theo called Ed Gilliam from the car.

‘Nice piece.’

‘Yeah. It should do the job. Remember, say nothing to the press, not till I get you that statement. If they doorstep you, keep your cool and look remorseful.’

‘Remorseful. Got it.’

‘This is only the opening salvo, you know. The war hasn’t begun. Now we have to get the university on side.’

‘Leave that to me,’ said Theo.

When Sasha read the Daily Mail article she was nearly sick.

‘Where do they get this stuff? And who the hell are these “insiders” I’m supposed to have confided in? They make it sound like I leaked the story’

It was only two days since she’d watched Theo on the evening news. She hadn’t even worded her formal complaint to the physics faculty yet, never mind talked to the press.

‘He’s playing hardball, isn’t he, the creep,’ said Don Miller contemptuously. ‘We need to get you a lawyer, pronto.’

Theresa sat at Jenny and Jean Paul’s kitchen table, sobbing. Jenny put her arms around her. ‘It’s all right, lovie. You can cry. Theo’s put you through hell.’

Theresa looked up, wiping her nose on her sleeve like a child. ‘Oh no. You mustn’t blame Theo. It’s this vicious girl. I mean, yes, Theo made a mistake…’

Jenny raised an eyebrow. ‘A bit more than a mistake, T’

‘If you could see how sorry he was, Jen. He hates himself for it. And now he stands to lose everything, everything he’s ever worked for. It’s much harder for him than it is for me.’

Jenny’s eyebrows disappeared into her hairline.

‘I know I’ve got to be strong, to hold it all together for him. But I…I…’ Theresa broke down again. T started bleeding this morning. I haven’t been to the doctor yet, but I just know. I really thought this time we might be lucky’

Jenny put her arms around her friend. She knew how hopeful Theresa had been about this new round of IVF. ‘Oh, darling, I’m so sorry.’

‘It’s the stress. Reading all this stuff in the newspapers. This little cow Sasha just doesn’t care. She doesn’t give a damn.’

Jenny was silent. There was so much to say, but she knew Theresa didn’t want to hear any of it.

Theo Dexter had a lot to answer for.

‘So you’ve made a formal complaint to the college authorities and to the physics faculty?’

‘Yes.’ Sasha’s eyes wandered over the lawyer’s office. It looked more like a five-star hotel suite than a place of work, all antique armoires and cashmere-covered cushions. No wonder with the fees he charged. All around the room, silver-framed photographs of his ridiculously photogenic family beamed perfect smiles at her. They looked like a toothpaste advertisement.

‘And their response was…?’

‘They’ve taken it under advisement.’

Don Miller lost his temper. ‘Look, Mr Farley. We’ve been through all this. You know what happened. You’ve seen Sasha’s evidence, her research files. The university’s doing nothing. What we want to know is, can you help us?’

The lawyer sighed. Td like to, Mr Miller, ft does appear that Sasha has been very poorly treated by this chap. But the problem is, from what I’ve seen so far, it’s going to come down to a case of Sasha’s word against his.’

I told you so.

What you really need are witnesses.’ He turned to Sasha. ‘Was there anyone other than Dexter who observed you developing this theory? Anyone who could prove that you came up with it first? We’d need dates.’

Sasha immediately thought of Harold Grier. ‘There was one person. But I don’t know if he’d want to get involved.’

‘Convince him,’ said the lawyer. ‘That’s the best advice f can give you.’

Fat chance, thought Sasha.

‘This is very bad for the college, Dexter. Very bad.’ Anthony Greville, St Michael’s Master, stated the obvious, ‘In a few weeks the girl’s going to be here, beginning her second year. We’ll be overrun with reporters and cameramen. The Porters’ Lodge is already overwhelmed with calls from the gutter press.’

‘I know, Master. And I’m truly sorry, believe me. But Sasha’s the one stirring this up in the media, not me. I think we need to keep sight of the bigger picture here. My theory could change the very nature of our understanding of the universe. It’s huge. Huge. If we don’t let this scandal overshadow it, it could bring immense cachet to the college. Just think what an incredible fundraising tool that could be.’

Anthony Greville thought about it. St Michael’s, as ever, was in dire need of new funds. The chapel was not going to reroof itself. Trinity and St John’s were both swimming in money, but the smaller St Michael’s had always had to make-do and mend. Perhaps Dexter’s theory could change all that? If one tiresome, sex-mad undergraduate didn ‘t ruin it for all of them.

‘What would you have me do, Theo? I can’t send her down and keep you here. How would that look? Especially since she’s still claiming you stole her work.’

‘Call an emergency session of the Regent House. You can chair it. Let the university decide whose theory this is.’

‘What good will that do?’

‘It will put an end to all this once and for all. But on your terms. If, God forbid, the congregation rule against me, I’ll resign and go back to America. If they don’t, then you’re free to send Sasha down. She’ll be out of St Michael’s, out of Cambridge, out of all our lives.’

‘I’d just like her out of The News of the bloody World,’ grumbled the Master.

‘Once the case is closed the press will lose interest,’ Theo assured him. ‘Especially when they start to realize just how seismic this theory is. If the college and the faculty back me, we can kill this thing. We want the same things, Master.’

‘Absolutely not.’ Margaret Haines was livid. ‘Why the hell should I lie for that arsehole?’

‘My dear Margaret. Is such fragrant language really necessary?’ The Master sat at his desk, radiating pomposity. ‘No one is asking you to lie. Merely to focus on the matter in hand and not encourage the Regent House to be distracted by shall we say the more salacious elements of this whole sorry affair.’

‘You mean the fact that Dexter’s been boning his students, in clear violation of the university’s code of ethics? Sasha Miller wasn’t the first, you know.’

‘Be that as it may, this theory of Professor Dexter’s could prove extremely important. And not just to the scientific world. To the college.’

Anthony Greville said this last as if it silenced all further conversation on the matter. Margaret Haines disagreed.

‘And what if it really was this young girl’s work? Have you considered that? What if she’s telling the truth and Dexter ripped her off?’

‘You can’t honestly believe that.’

‘Can’t I? Why not? We already know Dexter’s a liar with the morals of an alley cat and the discretion of a town crier.’

‘She’s an undergraduate.’

‘Yes, and by all accounts a brilliant one. Unlike your friend Professor Dexter. No, Master. I won’t be silenced on this. We should be backing the girl.’

Anthony Greville’s eyes narrowed. He’d always lusted after Margaret Haines. He liked her feistiness and her sharp wit and the way her bosom jiggled underneath her sweater when she got agitated, as she was now. But if she threatened the reputation of St Michael’s, he would have no compunction in getting rid of her.

‘The Senior Common Room are all in agreement. If you go against us on this, Margaret, your position here may become very difficult.’

Margaret Haines looked at the squat, elderly toad sitting opposite her. Her contempt oozed from every pore. ‘Is that a threat, Anthony?’

‘Not at all, my dear. But as Master I must think of the good of the entire college. Testifying on young Miss Miller’s behalf would not be in any of our best interests. Including yours. Think about that, Margaret.’

Margaret Haines did speak up for Sasha. But it didn’t help. For one thing, the overwhelmingly male Regent House already knew that Theo Dexter was an inveterate womanizer who preyed on his prettier students, and they couldn’t have cared less. For another, by the time the Cambridge authorities finally sat down to hear evidence, Ed Gilliam had done such a thorough character assassination of Sasha in the press it was a wonder her own mother was still speaking to her.

‘TEENAGE LOLITA WRECKS GENIUS PROFESSOR’S MARRIAGE’

‘HOME-WRECKING FANTASIST STALKED DEXTER “FOR MONTHS’”

Margaret’s only regret was having to add to poor Theresa Dexter’s anguish by publicly running through the litany of Theo’s student conquests. She needn’t have worried. Theresa didn’t believe a word of it.

‘I swear on my life, T, it isn’t true,’ said Theo. ‘Margaret’s always had it in for me, the old battleaxe. She’s jealous of my success. She knows Sasha’s weakened me so she’s moving in for the kill.’

After Margaret’s testimony, the court broke for an hour’s lunch. Not wanting to brave the hordes of press outside, Sasha and her family ate their sandwiches on a bench in the Senate House lobby. None of them spoke. It was pretty clear which way the congregation was leaning. It’s like the condemned man’s last meal, thought Sasha.

And then Harold Grier showed up.

Harold took his place on the dais. Anthony Greville, St Michael’s Master, was chairing proceedings. He read out some lines of Latin, and Harold replied.

I’ll be gracious in victory, thought Sasha. I’m not interested in fame and glory. All I want is to be allowed to finish my research in peace.

‘Professor Grier, you worked as Miss Miller’s laboratory partner at the Cavendish during the Easter term, is that correct?’

‘Yes.’

Throughout the proceedings, Sasha had resisted the urge to look at Theo. A few short months ago, just the sight of him across a room would have made her heart race. Now his proximity made her physically ill. Re’s so fake. So vain and bland and…empty. What did I ever see in him? But as Harold Grier began his testimony, she couldn’t resist stealing a triumphant glance. I’ve got you now, you lying bastard.

Feeling her gaze, Theo turned around. Sasha wasn’t sure what she’d expected. Fear, perhaps, at the prospect of his imminent exposure and disgrace? Guilt? Regret? Instead the look on her one-time lover’s face could only be described as…pity. That’s odd. Why would he feel sorry for me? He must know what’s coming. He must know Grier’s testimony is going to blow his case out of the water.