Billy, who was next in line, looked miserable and said: ‘I don’t know.’
Kenelm looked at Stephen.
Stephen, who was a grumpy adolescent, said: ‘It’s a trick question.’
‘Is it?’ said Kenelm. ‘Why?’
‘The answer is Joshua, because he was the son of Nun. That was his father’s name, Nun, but it sounds like a word for nobody.’
Billy was outraged. ‘Not fair!’ he said. ‘You cheated, Daddy.’
Elsie laughed. ‘Billy’s right, it wasn’t a fair question. I think all the children did very well. They shall each have sixpence to buy liquorice.’
Mason brought in the post and Kenelm turned his attention to his correspondence. The children finished eating and left. Elsie was about to get up when Kenelm looked up from a letter and said: ‘Oh!’
Elsie said: ‘What?’
‘The bishop of Melchester has died.’
‘Isn’t he quite young?’
‘Fifty. It’s unexpected.’
‘Shame.’
‘So the archbishop will be looking for a replacement.’
Kenelm was excited but Elsie felt nothing but dismay. ‘I know what you’re thinking.’
He said it anyway. ‘This is the big chance I’ve been waiting for. It’s not one of the big important bishoprics, so it’s suitable for a young man. I’m forty years of age, I’ve been dean of Kingsbridge for eight years, I have an Oxford degree – I’m the perfect candidate to be bishop of Melchester.’
Elsie was grim. ‘Aren’t you happy here?’
‘Of course I am, but it’s not enough. My destiny is to be a bishop. I’ve always known that.’
That was true, but as young men grew older their ambitions generally moderated. ‘I don’t want to go to Melchester,’ she said. ‘It’s a hundred miles away.’
‘Oh, but you’ll have to go,’ Kenelm said carelessly. ‘For a bishopric.’
He was right, of course. A woman followed her husband. She had less freedom than a servant.
‘You’re very confident,’ Elsie said. ‘You can’t know what the archbishop might have in mind.’
‘But I’ll soon find out. Augustus Tattersall is making his triennial tour of the diocese, and he’ll be here in Kingsbridge next week.’
Tattersall was the archbishop’s right-hand man. ‘He’ll stay at the bishop’s palace.’
‘Of course. But I shall invite him to dine with us one evening.’
‘Very well.’
Looking complacent, Kenelm folded his napkin and said: ‘I think I shall probably learn everything I need to know.’
*
Three years ago, while Kit was still in the militia, Roger had come to his house one Monday evening and shared the family supper. Jarge had then gone to ringing practice, Sal had gone to the Bell, and Sue had gone walking out with a boy she liked, Baz Hudson.
Kit and Roger had sat in the kitchen by the fire, Roger puffing at a pipe. Kit felt strange, being alone in the house with Roger, but he did not know why. He should have been happy: he liked Roger.
