There was a time when Julia had been the target of another professor’s censure. Before Gabriel knew who she was, he’d met with her in his office in Toronto and told her their professor-student relationship wasn’t working. She’d left the office humiliated. (And she’d left him an unintentional surprise under his desk.)
But Julianne was not that shy, awkward young woman anymore. And she would not allow herself to be a pawn in someone else’s chess game of academic egoism.
She and Gabriel had survived months of separation and no contact before they were married. As long as they lived, Julia would do everything in her power to ensure that they were never separated again.
She would do anything to protect Gabriel from himself, so that he wouldn’t feel the need to reject the lectureship just to stay with her in Massachusetts. She would assert herself to Professor Marinelli, even if it meant accepting her unjust censure.
“I’m sorry you feel that way, Cecilia. I wish you the best.” Julia held her head high and exited the office. She would not let Professor Marinelli see her dismay.
Chapter Sixty-Four
The Cloisters of Magdalen College were incredibly picturesque.
Julia leaned through one of the open archways into the airy space, searching for the small stone carvings that ran along the walls. C. S. Lewis, the professor and author, had been inspired to incorporate those same carvings in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, one of Julia’s favorite books.
On her first visit to Oxford, she and Gabriel had stayed in the college. And she’d sneaked out of bed late at night to look at the carvings. But she wouldn’t dare set foot on the exceptionally manicured lawn in daylight, for fear of being evicted.
Her conversation with Cecilia replayed in her mind, over and over. Julia wondered if she could have handled it differently. She wondered if she hadn’t broached the subject earlier, if Cecilia would have been more amenable.
Working with Professor Picton was an honor, of course, but Julia had enjoyed working with Cecilia. She had considered her a friend. Their acrimonious parting was sure to haunt the rest of her graduate studies, and now her career. Even the power of Katherine’s magic couldn’t prevent Cecilia from speaking derisively about Julia and her project, if she so chose.
Academia was a good deal like a fiefdom.
“Looking for Aslan?” a cheerful voice called to her.
A tall, broad-shouldered man approached her from the side. Julia looked up into the face of Paul Norris and instantly felt gratitude. “I wish.”
Paul’s cheery demeanor changed when he saw her watery eyes. “What’s wrong?”
“Cecilia wouldn’t approve my semester abroad in Edinburgh. When I told her I was going to switch supervisors, she said she wouldn’t serve on my dissertation committee and that she wouldn’t write a letter of recommendation for me for the job market.”
“Shit. I’m sorry.” Paul moved so that he was leaning into the same archway as Julia. He stuck his hand in the pocket of his jeans and produced a tissue. “Here.”
“Thanks.” She took it gratefully and wiped her nose.
“I don’t suppose Cecilia will change her mind?”
“She was pretty adamant.”
Paul cursed. “It’s ridiculous. You’re in your last semester of coursework. Edinburgh has a program in Italian, and Graham is there. What’s Cecilia’s problem?”
“It’s a long story, but basically I think she’s upset she was passed over for the Sage Lectures. Our dean gave her some heat and I think she’s taking it out on me.”
“That’s bullshit.”
“Grad students are pawns. Or rabbits.”
Paul gave her a quizzical look.
“Don’t you know the parable of the rabbit and the typewriter?” Julia asked.
Paul shook his head.
“The rabbit is in her warren, typing furiously on a typewriter. She types for days and nights and finally, when she’s done she emerges with her project. And there’s a lion seated outside her warren, who has been scaring everyone away.”
“And the lion eats the rabbit,” said Paul.
“No. The lion protects the rabbit, so she can get her project done.”
“You’ve lost me, Jules. I think you need to sit down, have a cold drink.”
“The rabbit is the graduate student and the lion is a good dissertation director.”
Paul searched Julia’s eyes for a minute. “That’s some bullshit right there. Who wants to work with a lion?”
“The point is you have to have a director who is strong and powerful enough to protect you from all the other animals that are trying to attack you.”
Paul rubbed his forehead. “I am so glad I’m not a student anymore. I thought working with Gabriel was bad. Which lion will you work with now?”
“Katherine Picton.”
Paul grinned. “She’s a lion, for sure. The story of her calling out Christa Peterson and telling her she wasn’t invited to the Oxford conference is legendary. Someone made a meme of Katherine yelling, ‘Codswallop.’”
“I’d like to see that.”
“I’ll send it to you. I know Cecilia does great work, but Professor Picton is better. I’d choose Katherine over Cecilia in a heartbeat.”
“I love Katherine, you know that. But I don’t like to quit.”
Paul bumped her shoulder amiably. “You aren’t quitting. You’re moving on to bigger and better things. There’s a difference.”
Julia smiled weakly. “Thank you.”
“What are you going to write your dissertation on?”
“I’m still putting together the proposal, but I’d like to write about Guido da Montefeltro, St. Francis, and the death of Guido’s son. I’d like to do a comparison between the two death narratives.”
“I like your reading of why Francis appeared. You could bring in some of the hagiography of Francis, as well.”
Julia’s smile widened. “That’s what I was thinking. I could talk about Franciscan spirituality and contrast that with Guido’s political machinations.”
“This workshop is perfect for you.”
“It’s been great. And people have been kind. I’ve had a lot of suggestions of books and articles to look up. I feel like I’m making progress.”
“Good.” Paul turned sideways so he could see Julia better. “Did Professor Picton agree to supervise you?”