Amos hesitated, then said: ‘Looking back at my own schooling, I think the best teachers were those who could speak clearly. Muddled minds produce confusing sentences. So I do my best to make everything easy to understand.’
Elsie added: ‘Amos is very good at that.’
Mackintosh said stubbornly: ‘But you haven’t made any systematic examination of the scriptures.’
Elsie realized that Mackintosh was trying to establish superiority. He had commented that Elsie spent a lot of time with Amos. Perhaps he regarded Amos as a rival for her affections.
If he thought that, he was dead right.
‘But I know the scriptures well,’ Amos said spiritedly. ‘I attend a Methodist Bible study class once a week, and have done for years.’
‘Ah, yes,’ said Mackintosh with a condescending smile. ‘Methodist Bible study.’
He was underlining the fact that he had studied at a university and Amos had not. Young men were like this, Elsie knew. Her mother, who could be vulgar at times, had told her that this kind of argument between two males was called a pissing contest.
Her father appeared, walking slowly, as if tired, and Elsie wondered anxiously if he was unwell.
Mackintosh sprang eagerly to his feet. ‘My lord,’ he said.
‘Be a good fellow and find the archdeacon for me, would you?’ said the bishop. He seemed short of breath. ‘I need a word with him about the services tomorrow.’
‘Right away, my lord bishop.’ Mackintosh hurried away and the bishop moved on.
Amos said to Elsie: ‘Roger told me that Mackintosh wasn’t very popular at Oxford.’
‘Did he say why?’
‘The man is a sycophant, always trying to win the favour of important people.’
‘He’s ambitious, I think.’
‘You seem to like him.’
Elsie shook her head. ‘Neither that nor the opposite.’
‘You have nothing in common with him.’
This line of talk displeased Elsie. She frowned. ‘Why are you running him down to me?’
‘Because I know what the sly dog is up to.’
‘Do you?’
‘He wants to marry you because it will help his advancement.’
This infuriated her. ‘Is that the reason? Well, well.’
Amos did not notice her reaction. ‘Of course. The son-in-law of a bishop can hardly fail to gain promotion within the Church.’
Elsie was riled. ‘You’re sure of that.’
‘Yes.’
‘You don’t think it’s possible that the Reverend Mackintosh has simply fallen in love with me.’
‘No, of course not.’
‘What makes you think it so unlikely that a young man would fall for me?’
