PART TWO - CAMBRIDGE
- 2 -
Pembroke College is one of Cambridge's oldest and best regarded. As the cab pulled up on Trumpington Street, Gabe and Saphy were confronted with the building's impressive historical façade. The chapel, designed by the legendary architect Christopher Wren, is a neat, elegant, classically styled building that drew Gabe's attention momentarily as they walked passed it and under a rather imposing mediaeval gatehouse.
Above the gates, two windows looked out from either side of a coat of arms, giving the whole thing the impression of a frowning disapproving face, with the gates making up the downturned mouth and the windows narrow eyes, looking with disgust at the awkward young man and his tattooed purple haired accomplice who dared to enter the hallowed grounds of the prestigious college.
Inside the college grounds, Gabe followed Saphy along paths through exquisitely manicured lawns and tall plane trees. Gabe didn't ask where they were going, but Saphy seemed to know just where to head. Even though she seemed even more out of place than he did amongst these sedate, traditional surroundings, the gothic architecture of the buildings quite different from the gothic style of her leather and biker boots, Gabe could see that all this was pretty familiar to her.
They headed for a Victorian building with tall brick chimneys and went inside. The corridors were rather less grand than they looked on the outside. The walls were plain white plaster with a number of simple looking doors each with a little plaque telling you which doctor or professor had which office. Saphy strode ahead, seeming anxious to get through all this, her heavy boots clumping along the wood floor. She stopped at a door and knocked.
"This is it," she grimaced, "We're here."
The plaque on this particular door read "Professor Jane Cavendish -- Transgender Studies". A voice sounded from inside, inviting them in. Saphy opened the door and Gabe followed her inside. Professor Cavendish was sat behind her desk, reading. As they came in, she looked up and registered Saphy's presence with a look of recognition and surprise.
The office was crowded with books, there were shelves from floor to ceiling with books arranged in a seemingly random order, along the shelf and then lying on top as well. The desk was also spread with books and papers leaving very little space of desk itself. The window behind the desk gave a pleasant view of the green lawn outside. There were a couple of pictures hanging on the wall. One showed an ancient feast day, as the men and women lounged around a table of food a shower of pink rose petals fell on them. The other showed a knight in full armour except for a helmet, sat staring out to sea, with long flowing blonde hair and a somewhat androgynous face.
Jane Cavendish herself was a woman of indeterminate age. Her long waves of hair were already mostly grey, but her smooth skin and bright eyes suggested the greying was a little premature and that Professor Cavendish was actually quite young to have got to such a position of respect. She was not necessarily attractive, but Gabe's photographer's eye saw a face that was definitely interesting, striking even. She wore a pair of old fashioned horn rimmed spectacles that sat on the end of her nose as she looked over them at Saphy.
"Persephone Cross!" she exclaimed, "I didn't expect to see you back here again. Not ever, and certainly not so soon."
"I'm not back," Saphy said, "Well, not for good. We have a little problem. A mystery and I think you're the only one who can help."
"She was my best student," Professor Cavendish explained, turning to Gabe, "The brightest and most eager to learn."
"Was?" Gabe asked.
