Oxford University

All that night Bettina tossed in her bed. She thought of her parents and of their support during her PhD studies. That was one of the reasons she’d wanted to return to France to be with them but returning to France seemed to be out of the question now if she wanted to advance her career. She thought of her need to vacate this home that had become a place of refuge to her during her higher education and the woman Madame Vincent who’d spoiled her as she struggled with her study load. She’d miss her uncle and his housekeeper very much. She suddenly felt very alone. So got up and sat on her bed feeling miserable. All she had left was this old man and she felt in need of his further counsel as she made her decision.

So, the next day she contacted the professor’s secretary to make an appointment with him and the secretary contacted her back to say when she’d finished her tutoring for the day she should come to his office as the professor would be back from attending his board obligations at the close of the day. Bettina was there on time and waited for the professor to return to his office. He arrived a little late and was surprised to see her there but did a quick consultation with his secretary then invited her into his office. He smiled happily as he indicated she should sit on the guest lounge and joined her there.

“Have you decided what to do Bettina?”

Bettina burst into tears and all her fears and frustrations came out in a torrent of words. This time the professor didn’t hesitate to show his concern regardless of the inappropriateness of it he reached out and put his hand on her shoulder to comfort her as a father would and she cried onto his shoulder. For the first time in his life Horace Beaufort felt inadequate to address this situation. His brain raced quickly to find some way to comfort this young woman. Eventually Bettina calmed down and moved away from his shoulder.

“I’m sorry professor I know that was out of line.”

Horace Beaufort withdrew his hand from her shoulder now she’d calmed down. After a few minutes of silence, he spoke.

“Bettina your contract with this institution has almost come to an end. They are anxious to have you stay. You have this offer from Harvard, and they are anxious to have you join their faculty for more than your current offered salary here. There is a third option you may want to consider while you sort out what you want for your future. You may know I’m a visiting professor at Oxford University and one of the team who cleared your dissertation was inquiring if you’d be interested in joining the faculty at Oxford when you finished your contract at Imperial College Business School. I reasoned you’d probably choose Harvard because of their interest and salary and allowances package so didn’t tell you that. I’m cutting down on all the responsibilities I presently have in London and taking semiretirement to concentrate on writing and some lecturing at Oxford with an occasional travel to make presentations abroad. Our ancestral property is in Oxford. It is rather large with a full staff for the manor and grounds and presently one of my Oxford professor friends stays there with his family as its closer to the university than his own property. I’ve told him of my plan to move there so he is in the process of moving to his own property. Would you be interested in coming with me while you sort out what you want to do with your life. I’d love to have you in the home as a daughter and Oxford would gladly have you on their faculty but of course I’m being selfish, and you would be better off at Harvard financially.”

Bettina stared at him incredulously. This was the last thing she expected when she asked for his advice. She quickly compared the offers. France would take a while before they gave her the recognition she craved from her own people. She didn’t know anyone in America so would have yet another culture to deal with as she oriented. She was used to things in the UK and had some respect here, but her uncle was moving back to France and once he was gone it was unlikely she’d be mixing with the diplomatic community here or where she could share her language. The only real friend she had was this man her professor. She knew he was an honourable man and had no fears for her safety with him. She shook her head in surprise he’d make this offer.

“Are you sure Oxford would take me? What professional rank would I hold there, and would their salary package be much better than it is at this institution? I’ll need to be earning enough to pay you rent if I do that.”

“I’m sure the salary package would be better but probably not up to the Harvard standard. Rank would have to be negotiated but I do have some influence and yes, they are interested in you. As for rent, you come as my daughter and the payment would be your company. Your life would be your own and you could leave anytime you feel you’d be better off than the Oxford contract. You’d have access to my stable of cars as you wished and a driver if you needed one.”

This was overwhelming for Bettina. She’d not expect to get this kind of offer from her own family though they were quite wealthy.

“Why are you doing this for me professor?”

“Because out of all the students I’ve advanced in life you have the most potential and I feel like a father to you.”

Bettina felt tears come to her eyes at this generous offer and lapsed into silence again. Then she smiled and turned to the professor.

“I’d like to accept your kind offer professor. Thank you for your confidence in me and I will make you proud in everything I do.”

The professor nodded and Bettina could see he was very happy.

“I’m going to inspect the manor this weekend Bettina would you come with me? We could talk with some of the Oxford people I know and once I tell them you are my adopted daughter you will find many doors open for you. When your contract here finishes, I’ll come and move you to Oxford. I’ll be vacating this office next week and my secretary will be moving to Oxford to act as my personal secretary there. Oxford is giving me an office there. She has already found accommodation there.”

Horace Beaufort got up and moved to his desk pressing the inter com button on his phone.

“Helen, would you come in for a few minutes please.”

Helen quickly appeared glancing at Bettina sitting on the couch curiously.

“Helen how are you getting along packing for the transfer to Oxford next week. You know Bettina of course after her coming and going from this office for a long time now.  Bettina is going to transfer to Oxford as my adopted daughter to bring some joy to me in my old age, so you’ll be seeing more of her up there when she completes her contract here. She will be on the faculty at Oxford when she makes her transfer.

Helen smiled broadly. She had known the professor’s family since childhood her father being a childhood friend of the professor. Horace Beaufort had facilitated her studies to a master’s degree and as her major was in literature she attended to all his appointments and editing of his books and journal submissions. She was very talented and treated the professor as a relative. She moved over to Bettina’s seat and gave her a hug.

“Welcome to the family Bettina. As you can see my mentor looks stern but has a heart of gold. I love working with him and am glad you do too. I hope we can be friends.”

Bettina jumped up and hugged Helen in return. It felt so good to be accepted in this adopted country even though the French and English were rivals in the world of politics and trade.

That weekend Bettina gasped in surprise as they entered the grounds of the Beaufort ancestral property. It was bigger than she’d imagined, and she was equally surprised to find a group of people standing at the entrance to welcome the professor, The professor explained these were the staff. The professor was obviously a very wealthy man, and she was in awe of her surroundings. The group studied Bettina curiously and the professor explained.

“This is Dr. Bettina Reddy, and she is my adopted daughter. Anything Bettina wishes to have has my authority so let’s start by introducing her to her suite of rooms she’ll occupy in a few weeks’ time when I bring her back here again with her luggage.”

The assembled group stared at Bettina and then bowed in her direction while the house staff in charge moved forward stiffly.

“Please come with me madam. My name is Thomas Watson and I’m at your service at any time.”

They mounted the upper stairs and turned to the right down a corridor and Thomas Watson opened the doors to reveal a spacious lounge area with all the trimmings and a view from plate glass walls over the estate where people were farming in the distance beyond sculptured grounds. Bettina pointed to a long building toward the left-hand side of the grounds.

“What’s that building Mr. Watson?”

 ” Call me Thomas please madam and that building housed stables of the professor’s father’s horses while he was still alive. He used to ride for his recreation.’

Thomas indicated she should follow, and they moved into the bedroom area with period furniture tastefully decorated and a large walk-in closet close by the bathroom which had all the modern fittings and bathroom appliances. Bettina shook her head trying to take it all in. This made Uncle Louis house look unimpressive though Bettina had thought it was up market for London. She turned to the professor who was tagging along behind looking proud and happy.

“Welcome to your retreat at the Beaufort estate Bettina.”

She rushed over and kissed the professor on both cheeks while Thomas looked on at this unseemly act from aristocratic people. That would never have been permitted in the professor’s father’s time, and it would take some time to get used to.

But it was his job to orient this young woman who obviously spoke with a French English accent, so he led her through the house explaining all functions and the grounds feeling uncomfortable the professor had put him through this embarrassment. A French woman as the adopted daughter of an aristocrat? Appalling! The professor watched it all and caught the emotions going through his house in charge’s mind. He would need to get used to this or lose his job thought the professor. He’d watch Thomas closely to see these emotions did not spill over to any prejudices he had against the French and make his adopted daughter’s life miserable. He was overjoyed this young woman had agreed to spend time with him in his semi-retirement and would do all in his power to make her feel welcome here. He was confident Bettina would give him the love and support a daughter would give to a parent. Someday she’d leave but he’d cherish whatever time she was willing to spend with him.

The meeting with the professor’s Oxford friends that afternoon suggested the university would probably grant Bettina Associate Professor’s status when she commenced with them, and she was satisfied with the tentative suggestion on her salary package but that had to be hammered out through administrative channels. But with some of the heavyweight professors on her side already going to bat for her it was expected that eventually that would be her ranking and remuneration. Her books and journal articles were already on hand at the university library and considered to be of academic excellence. There was an obvious excitement in having Bettina join the faculty among those she met, and it was equally obvious Dr. Horace Beaufort was held in the highest regard there so anyone held in high regard by Horace was treated with respect.

To be continued.

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