CHAPTER 10 : A PROFESSOR STEPS IN
It made more sense if the occupants of the two rooms were housed elsewhere until the clean up was finished. He would notify his superior whom he knew would be in agreement especially as the one called Mr Emrys would be going to a family home.
Merlin glanced at Arthur who also nodded saying, "I think that is a good idea." A look of compliance crossed Merlin's face but Arthur could see he was not happy and he felt the same way as he could have easily put Merlin up at his place. However, the college was responsible for its students and he knew that they would be much happier having Merlin stay with a professor from Oriel than another second year student.
The guard again mentioned about taking photos but not to do anything about cleaning the rooms, just to pick up undamaged things and make a list of anything missing.
He went back into the hall and called the Porters' Lodge explaining the situation and asking for someone to come up with a master key to open the two rooms next to Merlin's and Toby's as well as brining up some large bin liners. In no time, the doors were unlocked but the rooms looked normal with no damage.
"Well, we'd better get to work," Arthur said.
Merlin looked at Toby and shrugged his shoulders, he felt OK as long as Arthur and the Professor were around but how he would feel once the room was returned to him, he didn't know. He really liked his room with its lead light windows and its sofa but now it seemed a negative space.
Arthur picked up what he could but left Merlin to sort through things. Two of the things missing were the photos his mother had sent from Liverpool and his St. Edward's school scarf.
"It doesn't look as if anything on your desk has been touched, it's just your personal things. Check your computer and see if it's all right."
"Let me finish with my clothes, you can check it as it comes on as soon as you open the cover. Saves time!"
"What was the last thing you did?"
Merlin smiled as he said, "Checked the football schedule for this weekend."
"Right!" said Arthur and as Merlin watched from across the room, immediately a page came up and it was far from a football schedule, it was homosexual porn. Merlin blushed and Arthur immediately closed it.
At that moment, there was a tap on the door and Toby's father came in carrying his son's laptop.
Arthur pointed to the one on the desk in front of him and said, "This one has also been compromised."
In the end, Merlin got all his clothes back in the cupboards. A couple of pairs of socks and underpants were missing as was his swimsuit. It just seemed disorganised theft. None of it made any sense. His Apple TV and the remote were still on the shelf beside the TV. He tidied up his desk noticing that his iPad Pro was there but avoided the computer and put his books back on the shelves. This was a not a burglary to benefit someone it seemed to him random vandalism.
Arthur began straightening out the bed to realise that someone had peed all over the cover and the pillows. He made a mental note to buy Merlin new pillows. The coco powder which Merlin thought was gone had been scattering in his bed. His tea bags had been ripped and the tea scattered there as well. He piled all the bedding in the corner and told Merlin that housekeeping would see that it was all cleaned.
Merlin's list of what was missing was paltry. Arthur wandered into the bathroom. Merlin's toothbrush was in the toilet which had been used but not flushed. His tooth paste had been used to scrawl, 'Up You!' on the mirror. His deodorant had been sprayed randomly over the shower doors, everything else belonging to Merlin in the bathroom had been dumped into the shower with this facecloth and towels and someone had defecated on them. Arthur said nothing to Merlin and closed the door after him.
Arthur went outside to talk to Professor Quilley, Toby's room had been disturbed less and it was just clothes and bedding that had been scattered around the place. Arthur brought him up to date on the mess in Merlin's bathroom. "One sick son of a bitch!" Professor Quilley said.
They were interrupted by Drake who walked down the corridor. "Just came on duty but security said that someone else should check on the rooms. Are Mr Emrys and Mr Quilley all right?"
Arthur assured him neither had been present when the intruder was at work and introduced him to Professor Quilley.
"Sir, we will do everything to find out who damaged these two rooms. I heard from security that you plan to take your son and Mr Emrys home with you, I think that is wise as we have no vacant rooms at the moment. I will see that their absence is recorded in the Day Book. I would also like you to show me your son's room. Mr. Pendragon can show me the other one once the boys have left."
Arthur helped Merlin put a few things in a backpack for his unscheduled trip to the Quilley's. "Don't worry, I'll take care of everything else," Arthur assured him.
"I'd rather be staying with you but I can't very well refuse Toby's father's kind offer," Merlin stated as he looking around at the felt pen messages which made absolutely no sense, scrawled on the walls with various tags. He sighed, "Arthur, I don't understand any of it," before adding, "they came prepared as I don't even have felt pens!" He looked worried as he said, "Will the damage to the room be charged to me?"
"No, the college's insurance will take care of that and the cleaning staff. Don't worry about anything. Phone me tonight…" He glanced out the door and as no one was in the corridor at the moment, he wrapped Merlin in his arms and kissed him.
Merlin looked as if he was going to cry. He pulled away from Arthur and went and got his dragon. He opened a drawer and pulled out a Safeway's bag. "Take him to your place, I'm scared that if they come back they'll do something awful to him."
Smiling Arthur took the dragon from him and said to it, "Now, Teddy, you are going to come and spend a few days at my place." Merlin still looked worried so Arthur added, "He will be safe, Merlin, I promise."
Merlin wanted to hang onto Arthur and say, "…and what about me?" But he didn't and trying to control the quaver in his voice said, "Here, take my camera too…and my computer?"
"I think security should see both your and Toby's computers and then they will probably be returned. Maybe they will be able to trace the intruder by the files he downloaded. In any case, don't worry! How about I ask Toby's father if I could take you and Toby out for lunch tomorrow after you go to church?"
Merlin smiled, "That would be nice." He slipped his arms around Arthur and gave him another hug only letting him go, when Arthur told him he needed to talk to Toby's father. Merlin took one more look around the room and stepped out into the corridor standing outside Toby's room waiting.
After speaking to the professor, Arthur came out followed by a smiling Toby "Guess who's going to lunch with you and Arthur tomorrow? Me! My Dad says that I can."
"Good!" Merlin said and then looking at Toby he said, "Don't worry, your Dad and Arthur will get this whole mess straightened out, you'll see."
-0-0-
The three of them went off leaving Arthur with the computers, he walked back into Merlin's room and shook his head. Who would have done this and why? He left the bathroom as it was. He din't want to interfere with evidence. Walking back into the main room, he realized that a lot more damage could have been done as all the lead light windows were intact as were the curtains, desk, chair and sofa. He saw Merlin's duvet on a shelf above the built-ins and took it down, he shook it out. He packed it in a large plastic bag, deciding to take it and have it dry cleaned. He also threw in the Safeway's bag with Teddy.
He stopped at the Porter's Lodge and explained why he wanted to leave the computers. "I'm pretty sure the files can be deleted but I would like someone with experience do it, maybe someone in Computer Science. I also think that the contents should be noted by someone from the Disciplinary Committee. I don't want to disturb anyone over the weekend so would appreciate if Mr Emrys' and Mr Quilley's laptops could be put in safe keeping until Monday, maybe they could be considered evidence. I know Professor Quilley wanted to take his son's back to his college but I thought they should reman within Magdalen."
"Exactly! I will pass all the information to the Head Porter and he can decide what to do." He smiled, "With a few little suggestions from me...I will see that the computers are locked away. Thank you Mr Pendragon."
Arthur smiled, with a few more years under his belt, Drake would make an excellent Head Porter. "Is there anything further I can do for you?"
"A taxi...? And these are for the two rooms," Arthur said parting with Merlin's and Toby's keys
Drake nodded and put them in the drawer to the right of his desk as he picked up the phone. Arthur walked outside and in no time a cab pulled up, the driver rolled down his window and said, "Pendragon?"
Arthur nodded and got in. On the way home, he dropped off the duvet to be cleaned and was still home before it got dark. He took the lift to his floor and let himself into the condo. He put Merlin's camera on the table and smiled to himself as he threw the empty bag on the island and then remembering the Safeway's bag, removed it and took out Merlin's dragon. He walked to his room and placed it on the side of the bed where Merlin had slept.
-0-0-
Merlin was made most welcome at the Quilley's and the professor felt sure that having a guest took his wife's mind momentarily away from what had happened to her son's room in residence. Nevertheless, he knew that once they were alone later in their room, there would be questions to answer. He also decided not to mention the downloaded files on Toby's computer as that would only further upset her.
Toby had already been talking about returning to the residence and he could see his wife flinch as he said it. Despite this, Professor Quilley still felt that the best place for first year students was in residence.
His wife checked on the boys once they were settled in Toby's room for the night. There was always a tinge of sorrow entering it as it had been shared by Luca. As she left, she refused to allow herself to glance back as she knew that seeing the two beds occupied would bring back memories that still caused pain.
-0-0-
To say that Arthur was not worried would be incorrect. In a way, he was relieved that two rooms had been damaged as it added an extra reason to get to the bottom of the mystery and didn't put emphasis on only Merlin.
Both students had witnesses to their whereabouts the previous evenings and although he wasn't fussy on divulging Merlin's having stayed over the previous night, he would if asked.
He realised that he was like his father, as demanding as he would have been, he would have preferred that the security had started investigating immediately and that maintenance was already at work. Nevertheless, he knew college didn't work that way and they would eventually get around to it.
Merlin's experiences in his first six weeks at Cambridge had not gone as smoothly as Arthur had wished.
The phone rang and it was Laurence. "I've been talking to Gawaine and he has some crazy story from Merlin that his room and another student's room were trashed. Whatever is going on?"
"If I knew I'd tell you!"
"Not some hare-brained idea of yours to get Merlin to move in, is it?"
"Farthest thing from my mind at the moment, both Merlin and Toby are upset so he's now staying with Toby's parents in town. The wheels at Magdalen turn slowly, albeit thoroughly but I doubt that the clean-up will be accomplished till mid-week."
"I know you, like your father, you'd prefer the clean-up had started yesterday."
"Well, it's not conducive to either Merlin or Toby being able to set their minds to studying, is it?"
"Hopefully with this professor involved things might move along faster."
Arthur sighed, "Well, I don't think Professor Quilley will be willing to stand quietly by as he was with Toby when he opened his door to find the mess."
"Well, at least neither of them surprised the intruder which doesn't usually turn out well…"
"That's lovely, thanks for the vote of confidence." Arthur said sarcastically before adding, "I'll see you when you get back and fill you in on all the details."
Laurence then said that he would not be returning till late on Sunday. Arthur said, "Say no more! In other words her parents are away and you have the house to yourselves. Good for you...say hello to Sara!" Laughing, Arthur disconnected and tried to go to sleep.
However, once he tried to settle he couldn't as his mind was again racing trying to find reasons why someone felt so strongly that he or maybe she, would ransack rooms and what would have happened if either of the boys had surprised the intruder.
-0-0-
Toby was up first, thrilled to have Merlin staying over, "What time is your Mass?"
"I have a choice nine or eleven this morning but also quarter to six and nine o'clock this evening at the Oxford Catholic Chancery. I think the eleven o'clock would be good."
"Can I come with you if that's all right? We're High Anglicans…however C&E's."
"Sure you can, everyone's welcome," Merlin laughed, "I even know that C&E means Christmas and Easter only! My best friend in Liverpool, thinks it would be wonderful if it could be official accepted by the church as then he would only have to get up early to go on two days during the year. I told him not to hold his breath as it isn't going to happen." Merlin smiled, "I think you'd like him, he's called Gawaine and he's a real live wire. I promised he could come and visit one weekend in Second Term." He grinned, "I mean Hilary. He's Laurence's brother and he also has twin brothers who are younger than he is." He froze what a stupid thing to say to a boy whose younger bother had been killed!
But Toby didn't seem too perturbed as he asked how old they were and what were their names. Merlin told him and Toby said, "They must be fun…what do you want for breakfast?"
"I'm easy going, cereal would be great."
Toby lent him a dressing gown and they ate in the kitchen, "Father is a bit of a stickler as he thinks that underwear is for your bedroom not parading around the house."
Merlin had a fleeting remembrance of getting dressed at Arthur's but it only lasted a few seconds as Mrs Quilley walked in followed by the dogs and asked them what they were planning to do before their lunch with Arthur.
Toby told her that he planned to go to Mass with Merlin. She nodded and said, "Good, say a prayer for your father and me while you are there!"
-0-0-
Mass was over by noon, Merlin saw Laurence in the distance but didn't get to speak to him. Beth was there so Toby was able to tell her what had happened to their rooms.
Beth was shocked, "Oh, that explains the goings on at your end of the corridor. Everyone on our staircase was talking about it. Tina and I thought that maybe some pipe was leaking as maintenance was there but neither they nor security were willing to comment on it. When do expect to get your rooms back?"
"I hope by Wednesday!" Merlin said, "But who knows it depends how soon the college gets on it."
"You know, requisitions upon requisitions, I bet we're not in before Thursday," Toby added. "Anyway, we're both staying at my parents' place." He turned to Merlin saying, "Right?"
Merlin explained, "Professor and Mrs Quilley kindly offered to take me in until my room is ready. We really should be getting back to Toby's as a friend of my family has invited the two of us out for lunch."
"Are you coming back to college on Monday?" Beth wanted to know.
Toby smiled as he said, "They can't get rid of us that easily!"
Merlin added, "You can tell Tina what happened and we'll see you both tomorrow."
Merlin and Toby left and as they did, Merlin passed Laurence who winked and said, "Say hello to Arthur for me!" For some unexplained reason, it sent little waves of happiness through Merlin…
-0-0-
Arthur had spoken to Mrs Quilley telling her that he wanted to take Toby and Merlin to Cirencester. "It will give them a chance to distance themselves from Oxford for a while and I'll even drag them to the Amphitheatre just to make it educational."
She nodded saying, "I'm sure they will both enjoy themselves." She smiled, her son Gordon had told her that morning that Arthur was one of the good guys and she could trust him.
They heard the front door open and Toby walked in with Merlin. Merlin's face broke into a smile, he hadn't seen his car outside.
"We're ready to go!" said Toby.
"Hang on," Merlin said quietly to him, "I need to visit upstairs first."
"Oh right!" said Toby and raced up the stairs after him followed by the families two Tibetan Spaniels, who then turned around and raced all the way back down to be with their owner and the visitor.
Mrs Quilley smiled shaking her head at the dogs and said, "It's good having Toby back home as I miss him. The house is so quiet during the week even with these two rascals around. Right, the two of you?"
Arthur had never seen that breed of spaniels before, one was a golden sable and the other a particoloured gold and white. Mrs Quilley introduced them as aunt and niece. "The solid is Rupa and the parti is Zoe. Not their official names as one is Everest's Lady Hilary and the other is Everest's Now or Never. They're an easy going breed. My husband first saw them on a visit to Lhasa. Years ago, they were not easy to find here but we've been owned by Tibbies ever since. Haven't we girls?"
Merlin and Toby came downstairs so Arthur said goodbye to Mrs. Quilley and her 'girls' and followed Merlin and Toby out to the car.
He walked over to a silver Land Rover and opened the door. Merlin said, "Where's your Opal?"
"In the garage, I have two parking spaces as Laurence has his car in a rented space. As we are driving out of town, I thought there would be more space."
Toby opened the back door, however Arthur said, "Toby ride…" Arthur had stopped himself as he had almost said, 'ride shotgun' not really suitable after his brother's recent death. He continued, "…in front." Merlin didn't argue and let Toby get in the front as he realized that Arthur wanted Toby to feel one of three not an addition to two.
"Where are we going?" Merlin asked from the back.
"Me to know and you to find out!"
"Well, don't get lost then," Toby said laughing, "we once got so lost that my mother threatened to take a train back home. We stopped at Starbucks and someone got us sorted out. Didn't like their coffee though!"
"We like Costa, don't we?" As it came out of his mouth, Merlin realised that he had used 'we' instead of the singular. He hoped Toby hadn't picked up on it but Arthur had as he looked at him through the rear view mirror and gave him a knowing smile. Toby seemed more involved with the traffic and tourists.
Their day in Cirencester was a success, they ate lunch at The Pig and Truffle in Amphney Crucis. Merlin sat opposite Arthur who stretched his legs out and clasped Merlin's ankles with his feet. They then drove for about another ten minutes and arrived in Cirencester, Arthur had done a little checking and took them to the Corinium Historical Site and finally to the Roman Amphitheater.
Thankfully the place was almost empty, so they each had an opportunity to stand in the centre and make a little speech which was heard clearly by the others standing on its hilly sides.
Merlin insisted Arthur gave it a go, "Pretend you're King Arthur rallying your troops for some battle or other."
Arthur came across loud and clear and had the other two laughing as he referred to them as incompetent varlets and summoned his knights to march them off to the dungeons as he felt that they were probably quislings and deserved some punishment.
It did Arthur good to see the two of them laughing as for a moment they forgot what had happened yesterday. "Come on, you two, time for stop at Costa and then we've got to get you back to Oxford as Toby's mother won't want you late for supper."
They ordered their drinks and each had a lemon tart and shared a chocolate tiffin triangle which Merlin insisted had been one of the favourite snacks of the Romans. Arthur just shook his head and Toby told him not to be daft.
"But it's true," he explained, "I saw what looked like one in the cookhouse mosaics in Corinium."
Arthur laughed saying, "It's the excitement of spending a day outside Oxford, don't worry, Toby, by the time we get you home your house guest will once again be his normal self." So saying Arthur leant over and tousled Merlin's hair letting his fingers linger for maybe a second too long. Toby was picking up the little particles of chocolate left on the plate and was oblivious to the look which passed between the two of them.
-0-0-
Arriving in Oxford, Arthur made his way to the Quilley's. Professor Quilley invited him to join them for supper but he begged off explaining that he had work which he hadn't finished on Saturday because of the situation in the college.
Professor Quilley nodded, "Not been the most relaxing weekend has it? Thank you for taking the two of them out, they seem more relaxed."
"Only the best of Cirencester," Arthur said with a laugh, "hopefully, we'll get some news this week. I spoke to Merlin's mother and she asked me to thank you for taking her son in."
"Toby had always spoken well of Merlin and we were only to happy to offer him a place to stay for a few days."
Arthur had wanted to say, he would have been welcome to stay at my place but somehow, Merlin's staying with Toby would be more acceptable.
He drove home and spent most of the time trying to figure out what had happened that afternoon during the hours before Merlin and he had arrived back at the college.
He walked to his bedroom shrugged off his shoes and jacket, returning to the lounge with not only two glasses but also a whiskey bottle. He wasn't one to usually drink alone but he remembered his father saying, 'A good whiskey could never hurt anyone!' Glenfiddich was his favourite single malt.
The second glass was for Laurence should he arrive before Arthur went to bed.
He raised the glass and the aroma filled his nose before he took a mouthful and relished it before swallowing. Arthur was the owner of a Scottish yew boxed set of four Glencairn whiskey glasses which his father swore allowed you to get full aroma and taste. He smiled, his father had a private collection of excellent whiskey. If asked, he explained that there was never a bad whiskey some were just better than others.
Arthur hadn't as he had told the professor any work to be completed, he couldn't have sat opposite Merlin at supper and talked of banalities. He'd finished his second glass when he heard Laurence's key in the lock. Thankfully, he walked in alone as Arthur was not in the mood for company even of the Sara-type.
"Drinking alone? Not like you…"
"Well, actually I was waiting for you to come. See your glass is right here," he poured a generous shot.
Laurence sat on the opposite sofa, took off his shoes and flexed his toes explaining, "We walked on the towpath from Magdalen Bridge to Crikey Falls. Beautiful day, but I should have worn another pair of shoes. Sara didn't seem bothered." He raised his glass and said, "Slàinte!"
Arthur nodded pouring himself another before passing the bottle to Laurence.
"So, any news on the break it?"
"Nothing and knowing the way the college works it will take time and even then we won't get the whole story. Someone is picking on the AC students. Merlin has already had a run in with Baxter and if it turns out that he orchestrated this last event, he'll have me to face. I talked to Hunith and she said that Merlin had told her that he was staying at the Quilley's because his room and Toby's needing work. I just corroborated what Merlin had told her, not fair having her worrying about him. However, tomorrow while Hunith is at work, I intend to bring Gaius up to date on what actually happened.
"Well, when Gawaine spoke to me, I felt that he and Merlin had treated it as something exciting. But then when I saw Merlin at Church on Sunday, he wasn't his old bubbly self. I think it is upsetting him and between you and me, I'm sure he will feel a little unsure even once all the damage in his room has been repaired."
"I should have insisted that he stayed with me."
"Arthur, I think he is better where he is. I understand that you'd rather have him here but you know he is safe."
Arthur said nothing. He knew that Laurence was right but he would have preferred having Merlin close to him so he could protect him. "I never thought that this past summer when we were fooling around about all of us at studying at Oxford that Merlin would be the one having difficulties…" He stood up, "If I stay here any longer, the bottle will be empty. Goodnight!"
Laurence finished his drink and then carried their glasses carefully to the kitchen, he knew that Arthur was very fussy and preferred to wash and polish the glasses himself.