This was not quite true. She was the driving force behind the whole enterprise. It was by no means certain to survive without her.
However, her father believed it. ‘Oh, dear,’ he said, ‘we don’t want a Methodist school.’
Hornbeam was furious. ‘I see I’m wasting my time here,’ he said. He stood up, and Riddick followed suit.
The bishop did not want the meeting to end on such a hostile note. He said: ‘Oh, don’t go so soon. Have a glass of madeira.’
Hornbeam was not mollified. ‘I’m afraid I have pressing business,’ he said. ‘Good day to you, Bishop.’ He bowed. ‘And Mrs Mackintosh.’
The two visitors went out.
The bishop said angrily: ‘That was frightfully embarrassing.’
Elsie frowned. ‘Hornbeam didn’t look as defeated as he should have.’
Although her father was cross, he was intrigued by this comment. ‘What do you mean?’
‘He failed in his purpose, which was to bully me. He’s gone away empty-handed. Yet he didn’t look beaten, did he?’
‘No, I suppose not.’
‘I’ll tell you what I think. I think he’s got a fall-back plan.’
*
Kenelm came into Elsie’s bedroom that night, when she had just put on her nightgown. Their rooms had a communicating door, but he normally used it only on Saturdays. She knew that love was not on his mind now.
‘Your father has told me what transpired between you and Alderman Hornbeam,’ he said.
‘He tried to make me stop feeding the children – and he failed. That sums it up.’
‘Not quite,’ Kenelm said.
Elsie got into bed. ‘You can get in with me, if you like,’ she said. ‘It would be more friendly.’
‘Don’t be ridiculous, I’m fully dressed.’
‘Just take off your shoes.’
‘Stop being frivolous. I’m serious.’
‘When are you not?’
He ignored that. ‘How could you defy the most powerful man in Kingsbridge?’
‘Easily,’ she said. ‘He doesn’t care about hungry children. Any good Christian would defy him. He’s a wicked man, and it’s our duty to oppose him.’
‘You don’t understand anything!’ Kenelm was bursting withindignation. ‘Powerful men must be appeased, not provoked. Otherwise they will make you suffer.’
‘Don’t be silly. What can Hornbeam do to us?’
‘Who knows? You shouldn’t make enemies of such men. One day the archbishop of Canterbury may say: “I’m thinking of making Kenelm Mackintosh a bishop,” and someone may say to him: “Ah, but his wife is something of a troublemaker, you know.” Men talk like that all the time.’
Elsie was shocked. ‘How can you bring something like that up when we’re talking about starving children?’
‘I’m thinking about the rest of my life. Are my efforts to do God’s work going to be held back by an unsuitable wife?’
‘Your efforts to do God’s work? Do you mean your career in the Church?’
