The Secret Chronicles of Henry Dashwood, Vol. 2

'Let me guess,' said Charles and taking a sip, he rolled the wine around his mouth before swallowing it. 'H'm, it's a sound wine with a fruity taste and a crisp, fresh edge. A Sauvignon '98 perhaps or an Italian white from the Abruzzo region?' Professor Pachnos shook his head and said: 'You're way off target although I'm sure that many experts would have agreed with you. I won't ask you to make another guess for the answer is Australia. Some years ago, a tutor at the college went out there to teach at the University of New South Wales in Sydney. As a hobby he bought an interest in a large vineyard near the University and Miss Franklin's stepbrother, Dr Barnes, told me that after he sent over a case, the college placed an order for a regular annual supply.' 'Shall we find a waiter to fill our glasses?' he concluded and Charles mouthed 'good luck' in my direction as we moved away with the professor. 'No doubt Kit purchases two dozen bottles every week from the college store, and more if he is planning any entertaining in his rooms,' said Miranda dryly as they left us. I looked at her in surprise. 'Kit? Surely you are not talking of Dr Barnes?' 'Yes, I am,' she nodded grimly. 'I'm not accusing my stepbrother of being a toper but in my opinion he has been drinking too heavily these last few days. It's understandable because poor Kit has been under great pressure from the Dean to tone down the controversial nature of his lectures and on top of that he is behind schedule in finishing the book on State Socialism he is contracted to write for the Oxford University Press.' 'Well, from what I have read of his views, your stepbrother and I are on the same side of the barricades, and I am looking forward to studying under him. But forgive me, Miss Franklin, I am really more interested to know if you will be staying in Oxford for a while. I do hope you are not rushing straight back to London tomorrow morning.' To cut short this entry, I will now simply record the fact that I elicited from the stunning Miranda the information that she was staying in Oxford for only a three further days at the Randolph Hotel before going off to visit her father, General Arthur Franklin of the Eleventh Bengal Lancers, now living in retirement in a small village near Nottingham.