A Matter of Trust by Maxine Barry

distinguished-looking old man?’ she asked craftily, pointing just beyond her. Surely, the Professor would then give her a run down on all three of them. The blond giant had his back to her and hadn’t yet seen her, and as she spoke, she noticed that the woman in the eye-catching African garb looked up at him with an expression of concern on her face.
    Callum returned Dr Ngabe’s look with one of his own. For it was now apparent to both of them that Sir Vivian Dalrymple was slightly the worse for drink. And in all the years that Callum had known him—which were many—he’d never seen the eminent man even mildly intoxicated before.
    â€˜Are you feeling well, SirVivian?’ Dr Ngabe asked gently.
    Just beyond them, Professor Porter said, ‘Oh, that’s the great man himself. Well, one of them. Oxford is full of them. But this one won your family Prize many years ago now. Sir Vivian Dalrymple.’
    â€˜Oh yes, I remember Father mentioning him,’ Markie said. ‘I’d love to meet him. Who’s that with him?’
    Michael Porter beamed at her, and held out his arm, giving her little other choice but to slip her hand through the loop made by his elbow. ‘Then allow me,’ he said, without answering her question.
    Sir Vivian smiled faintly at the question just asked of him. ‘Well, I am feeling a little disturbed, actually,’ Sir Vivian admitted. He liked and trusted both Callum Fielding and Dr Ngabe, and ever since his invitation to the Dinner had arrived, he’d been dreading this night. Because he knew that Rosemary Naismith would be here, and he simply didn’t want to see her. Consequently, when he’d arrived, he’d quickly consumed a glass of wine for courage. Now he had the feeling that he may have had a second one as well. And now here he was with a third glass. The wine was strong, and he’d never had much of a head for alcohol. He was feeling just a bit light-headed.
    â€˜You see, there’s someone here tonight who shouldn’t be here,’ he said, and then blinked. ‘Perhaps I shouldn’t have said that. But the proof is there. I know it is.’
    Callum shot Julia Ngabe a quick look to see if she was following this, but she looked as nonplussed as he did.
    â€˜Someone shouldn’t be here?’ she echoed, watching her colleague with concern. He seemed to be swaying a little on his feet.
    â€˜Yes. Actually, they’ve no right to be here at all—in Oxford I mean. Let alone at a Dinner as important as this one.’ He leaned forward towards the small African woman and said quietly, ‘A cheat. A plagiarist.’
    Both of the other two instantly tensed. Such an accusation, coming from such a source, rocked them both.
    â€˜What do you mean, Vivian?’ Callum asked sharply, and caught the genuinely distressed and horrified look in his old friend’s eyes.
    â€˜I mean what I say,’ Vivian said angriliy, then, appalled at his sudden lack of discretion, clamped his lips shut. Good grief, he’d definitely had too much to drink! This was most certainly not the way he’d meant to broach the subject of what Nesta Aldernay had uncovered.
    â€˜I have the evidence . . .’ he began and then jumped as they were smoothly interrupted.
    â€˜Hello there, I thought you might like to meet the guest of hon . . .’ Professor Michael Porter chorused cheerfully, and Callum turned quickly to him.
    â€˜Not now, Michael,’ he said curtly. What had Sir Vivian been about to say? That he had evidence?
    â€˜I must excuse myself,’ Sir Vivian said in dismay. ‘Er . . . bathroom, you know. Had a bit too much to drink, I think,’ he said, flushing painfully.
    â€˜Vivian!’ Callum said with sharp concern, his eyes narrowing now on the older man’s sudden pallor. ‘Let me take you home.’ His old friend obviously wanted to discuss a very serious matter, and the