Mystery and Mayhem and St Marks

Mystery and Mayhem At St Mark's

by

Joel

Some of the Characters Appearing or Mentioned:

Others have appeared before: Mark Henry Foster The story-teller: Pennefather Organ Scholar 2001 Tristan (Tris) Price-Williams His well-proportioned boyfriend Francis [Toad] Foster Mark's younger brother Ivo Richie Carr Mark's cousin: chunky and cheeky with it Adam Benjamin Carr Ditto, as his twin Oliver Jensen A Musical undergraduate with allure Charles Fane-Stuart The 'Servant of the Chapel'

17 Guy Fawkes Day and on

So term went on, lectures, tutorials, discussions with Fiona and Dina, organ practice, orchestral rehearsals, choir rehearsals, running almost every morning, some relaxation, eating, sleeping and loving Tristan as much as possible and then it was Monday - November the Fifth - when Toad would be staying until the Friday after.

Tristan and I met him at the station. He was laden with an ordinary bag for all his paraphernalia but Mum and Auntie Di, bless their hearts, had decided we must be starving, plus half the student population - no, not the boaties or the rugger-buggers whose appetites were immense - as there were two bags with extra goodies.

"You can carry this lot," he announced, "And Dad said I was not to be used as general skivvy and boot-boy though I had to do as I was told."

I looked at my little brother. Oh, my, the adolescent growth spurt had really zoomed in with a vengeance. Fifteen now, nearly sixteen, and five feet nine I guessed. He was almost as tall as Ivo and Adam. Tris also took one look and behind his back made the generalised wanking sign. Cocky little brother must be tamed. Once in College - having been vetted by Old Albert who forbore from mentioning the likeness again - he was plied with tea, cakes, sandwiches and the promise of a meal at eight o'clock at the Greek restaurant after going to the fireworks on Midsummer Common.

The fireworks were superb. We walked over the Fort St George bridge early enough to get a good place right by the river in front of the St Mark's boathouse. Toby was there and although he dwarfed all of us he and Francis struck up quite a rapport based on a shared interest in, of all things, skate-boarding. The image of the massive Toby careering along on a minuscule board was hard to imagine but his claim to fame was a medal he'd won at some event in Bristol doing some complex move which had even Frankie agape at the description. But, he took all with youthful aplomb. Oliver, Charles, Adam and Ivo joined us for the meal and the young prince held court. He was politeness itself. He treated Charles with deference and said he'd had a card from Aldo saying he was planning to come to London before Christmas and was definitely coming to Dad's recital. Ivo and Adam were given the once over as the guardian cousins who had to be obeyed. He was most gratified when Adam said he would take him for a spin on the bike. He looked at Oliver with a wariness which was a bit disconcerting. Tris was sitting next to Oliver at the meal and they were engaged in the usual sort of playful banter we were used to but could be easily seen as, perhaps, flirting by the casual observer.

That night Tris went to his own rooms as Frankie was sharing with me. He was full of chat. He was practising hard. Madam Keech was entering him for Grade Eight piano at Easter. Mr Prentice was certain he would get Grade Six organ at Christmas. He was playing regularly for services and his voice had broken properly now. He and Jack had entered a computing competition and were assured of a prize. The laptop from Unc was fab or its equivalent. And so on. I was getting undressed and shucked off all my clothes and put them carefully in my wardrobe or on the shelf. I turned and faced him.

"Are you ready for bed yet?" I asked.

He looked at me standing in the nude. He looked me up and down. "Gosh, Marky, you've got quite a six-pack. How did you get that?"

I hadn't really looked that closely at myself in the wardrobe mirror. One thing, it was on the inside of the door and the days of solitary wanking watching myself were gone as Tris and I were sleeping with each other every night possible. I looked down at myself. Yes, I suppose my stomach was quite trim. "It's the running I expect," I said. I grinned. "I hope you've brought your running kit as you'll be leading the pack tomorrow."

His eyes popped. "Tris said in his last e-mail to bring it. Who?"

I thought I would drag it out. "Me.., you.., Ivo.., Adam..., Tris.. and Oliver."

He looked at me steadily. "Are you and Tris OK?"

"Same as usual. Why?" I asked, guessing the answer.

"That Oliver's after him," he said earnestly, "He's definitely got the hots for him."

My little brother was reading the situation more or less correctly. I had better tell him all. As I was ready for bed I lifted the duvet and got in on my side.

"Come on, get into bed and I'll tell you all about it."

He'd seen my state of undress so he dropped the rest of his clothes on the floor and got in beside me. I put an arm around his shoulder and drew him toward me. I left the light on as I wanted to see him as I talked.

"No, it's not Tris he's after," I said as he snuggled up against me. I felt his body stiffen. "And no, it's not Tris after him, either. I think it will be Adam and Oliver."

"Adam!" he said quietly. "....is he.....?"

"Gay....?" I said. "Not entirely, but he's wondering. You could say he's bi, I suppose."

There were a few moments of silence. Frankie was processing this information. I felt him nod against my shoulder. "Jack says that lots of men are bi. He explained to me about maleness and femaleness and that sex isn't just being male or female. His Dad's done a study where they looked at how people measured between the extremes and lots of people weren't anywhere near them."

"Yes, I think that's right, but there must be more to it than just that."

"Jack said that as well. He's much better at maths than me and he went on about other dimensions. There was something about if men thought they should be a female or the other way for women."

That made sense. As a mathematician I could see that most things thought to be very simple could be modelled more exactly in many dimensions. Behaviour modelled like physical systems, I supposed.

"Frankie," I said, "You're making a lot of sense. It's true, I may be gay but I don't feel any less male than the next bloke and I don't think I should be a woman. I just love Tris rather than Posh Spice."

He snickered. "I don't love her either but I wouldn't mind...."

"...Frankie, we're having a serious conversation and if you get sexually aroused you can sleep on the floor!"

"OK, OK!" he said and bucked his hips, "Lie down, Fido!"

I laughed. "You're the only person I know who can control their....."

"Oh, shit!" came an anguished cry, "Sorry, Marky, no control!"

I moved delicately away, not wishing to come into contact with my little brother's no- doubt rampant erection.

"Fuck it! Fuck it! Fuck it!" Frankie was mouthing to himself. He flung his arms round me and I was aware of the pressure of his rigid dick against me. "Sorry Marky, I can't help it. It's like it all the time... I even had a wank in the bathroom just now when I went in to clean my teeth.... Please Marky..."

I stroked his back. I had noted the rather long time he'd taken cleaning his teeth! "Frankie," I whispered, "You're nearly sixteen. All boys your age are the same. I even got a hard-on when I had to stand up and read The Lay of the Last Minstrel for old Potty Prince. He wanted to know why I was stammering. I could hardly tell him my dick was long and hot and not like the poem's 'the way was long, the wind was cold'."

Frankie's chest was heaving. "Same. Old Fairbrother in Geography mentioned the Horn of Africa and I guess all in our row had them 'cause they looked at Weso and he's African and he'd got one definitely."

"How do you know?"

"I was sitting next to him and I could see it in his trousers. How d'you think?"

"Shush, don't get rorty. Anyway you've subsided." I could feel that the iron had gone out of his soul!!

"So you think that Adam and Oliver?" he asked.

"Maybe. We'll just have to wait and see. Anyway, you've made friends with Oliver's brother, I hear."

He nodded. "Yeah, Eddie's brill. He's coming to stay sometime at Christmas. That's why I was worried 'cause I though Oliver might be coming, too, and Tris....." He clutched at me. "I couldn't bear to see you unhappy, Marky, and the same for Tris."

"We're OK," I said.

"There's a lot of his stuff in here and in the bathroom...."

"Yes, we live together as much as possible," I stroked his back again. "I rely on Tris a lot and I think that Oliver and Adam will rely on him as well." I leaned over and kissed him on his forehead. "You ever need advice or help, ask Tris."

He nodded. We rolled apart and I switched the light out and we slept.

My internal clock woke me as usual about half past six. I turned over and was just about to shower the body next to me with kisses and feel for those familiar balls and that well-known hard prick when I remembered it was Frankie and not Tris beside me. Actually Frankie had been spooned up behind me and it was the hardness of his young prick I had felt pressed against me now. He was sound asleep so as I readied myself to get out of bed I lifted the duvet and saw an erection I remembered so well. Mine, just about two or three years ago. Not succumbing to the temptation of feeling that well-remembered length I slid out of bed, had a quick pee and dressed in running kit.

I gently prodded him awake. "Come on Frankie," I said quietly, "Wakee, wakee. Time for your run, good doggie!"

A sleepy eye opened and then the other and he stared as I held up a pair of dark red running shorts in one hand and two jockstraps in the other. The ginormous one and one of my mine, so far unworn.

"Up, sweetie-pie!" I said, dropping the objects on the duvet. I pushed the duvet from him and grabbed his legs and pulled him out of the bed. "No slugging. Go and have a pee and you can borrow my spare shorts and wear either of these. You'll probably grow into that rather large jockstrap before much longer the amount you eat. The others will be down by quarter to so hurry and you haven't got time to clean your teeth..."

The look he gave me would have blistered the steel hull of a battleship. The Toad pissed as loudly as he could and came back sneering with a semi-rampant tool. His sneer changed to a smile when I held up the smaller jockstrap. "Cor, Marky, can I really wear it?" I nodded and it was on in seconds. I wondered if they made them with different pouch sizes as he filled that one. "And these?"

"If you're at this College then you must wear College running shorts," I said.

"Wicked!" he said as they were put on. The vain Toad opened the wardrobe door and did a pirouette admiring himself. "Top?" he queried.

"Your own," I said, "But if you're good and don't drop crumbs on the carpet big brother might treat you to a College one sometime."

The sneer came and went as he realised he'd better be good.

A thought struck me. "What size trainers do you take?"

He looked up from tying a bow in a lace. "Nine and a half, why?"

Oh, my God! Big feet! "Just wondered. It's something one of the policemen said..."

"...About those two?" He stood up. "Is there an investigation? Were they murdered 'cause I thought it all seemed a bit strange?"

"Possibly," I said, "But no gossiping. They've noticed some smaller footprints actually inside the bigger ones."

"Could be a small bloke. Want me to have a look round?"

"Don't you dare. It could be dangerous."

"I can keep my eyes open and contrary to what you might say I can keep my mouth shut!"

I laughed. "I'll tell you more sometime, but..." I wagged a finger at him.

"OK, OK! Anyway, I'm ready, you're ready, where are the others?"

We had just got to my outer door when four dark-red shorted creatures came pounding down the stairs. Ivo smacked Francis smartly on his very attractive butt and before he could complain more or less lifted him out of the main door. "You lead. Off you go!"

I hadn't realised I had such a fit kid brother. He ran steadily out of the College, across the back bridge and turned left along the Grantchester path. We followed in line and he kept us going at a fair lick. Excessive masturbation certainly hadn't weakened his stamina! He stopped to turn at my usual gap in a hedge - Ivo, Adam and Oliver ran on and the remaining three of us ran back to College. His pace didn't slacken and we arrived back just as Old Albert was opening the Lodge. We waved at him and he squinted to see who the third figure was. Big ears and big feet to match mine! He must have known!

We let him shower first and stripped off and waited patiently while he soaped and ran so much water I wondered if the College system would stand it. He eyed us as he emerged and I threw him a towel. "Haven't lost all your tan yet, Tris," he said, "Pity you don't go as dark as us, but that golden colour suits you. Goes with your little blond bush!"

"Cheeky hound," said Tris and Francis got another slap on his nice bubble-butt. I didn't like to add that I'd trimmed Tris's pubic hair at the weekend.

"You lot are kinky," he said, "That's two of you after my bum already this morning."

As Tris ignored him and got into the shower cubicle I poked Francis where I knew he was very vulnerable. Just around his lowest rib. He doubled over and yelped. I grabbed him and put my foot on the wooden chair and got him over my knee. While he struggled I administered about a dozen slight slaps to his firm young buttocks. "Yeah," I said, as I let him up and we were both heaving with laughter, "Nothing like a young fifteen-year-old's bum in the morning to keep the oldies going."

"Oh, Marky," he said, "I'm glad you all accept me. I may be a kid but I do appreciate it."

"Frankie, they accept you because they all like you. You may be abominable, smelly, spotty, rude and going blind from too much self-abuse, but you are their little cousin, or their friend's brother and they're willing to forgive you all your imperfections.." I grabbed him and planted a kiss right on his very kissable lips.

To my surprise he flung his arms around me and opened his mouth and our tongues clashed and duelled. He drew his head back. "You may be my extra-kinky brother," he said, "But I forgive you that as well. But you stink of sweat so get in the shower."

Tris was out and drying himself and had witnessed that little episode. Frankie went over to him and put his head up and he and Tris kissed, too. As they parted Frankie grinned at him. "I think you ought to clean your teeth, but don't be too long or Marky will draw attention to it." He looked pointedly down at Tris's midriff where the biggest, stiffest, most beautiful, very familiar erection stretched up to just below Tris's navel. Frankie got another slap for that which did make him yelp. I got in the shower.

We were dressed and getting breakfast ready when the other three came in, also showered and dressed. Frankie was poised with coffee-pot in hand. He gave them all a beaming smile, Oliver especially.

"Good," said Ivo, "I'm glad you've got him house-trained. I can't do a thing with that young brother of mine..."

"Twenty minutes, remember," said Adam, "We're equal. So sit down and shut up. I'll have a cup of coffee now, garcon!" This last to Frankie.

"Hunh!" said Frankie, "You can wait. Oliver pass me your cup, please. The peasants are revolting, aren't they? Don't know why they let them out of the cowshed..."

"I'd be a bit careful, young sir," said Adam, "I hear you may be visiting the farm at Christmas and......"

"See, Oliver, I was right," Frankie went on ignoring Adam, "Threats of violence I assume. What else can one expect?"

"I agree," said Oliver, "Nasty, brutish, but not short. But he's OK really."

Poor Oliver. He couldn't keep up the banter, but Frankie was learning fast. I think Oliver was so besotted with Adam. As it was he smiled at him and the smile told all. Even Toad recognised that and silently filled both their cups. After boiled eggs, toast and marmalade and more coffee the others left with Tris in particular rushing off as he wanted to print off something for his tutor.

We all had lectures at ten and I had a session with Professor Tanner at twelve. I'd promised the girls we could have an hour at four as Dina had a tutorial at two and we hoped she and I would be genned up on the stuff we'd heard this morning. But Toad had to be entertained. It was Jason's day for keeping the place tidy. He'd decided we didn't need the help of the cleaning lady and had volunteered to see we were swept and dusted regularly. I had the idea he didn't want Tris's and my arrangement to get aired around. He knew we lived together and slept together as much as possible as he'd found us in bed asleep the first week when he came in rather early. He wasn't bothered. We paid him well and we heard the College gossip first hand.

I must say Francis was more than amenable. I asked if he would mind going to Sainsbury's with a list. He was used to going shopping for Mum so no problem. I said I would be back by about eleven thirty but I had the tutorial before lunch. That would have to be a snack and I would really have to work after that. I left in good time and the lecture wasn't too bad. At least I managed to get all down off the boards and did almost all of one of the problems while the lecturer answered questions towards the end. I got back and found Frankie in deep conversation with Matt who had brought in a pile of copies of Cantata 91.

"Your brother's asking about reading Music here. I said he'd better talk to Oliver, or Bertie Penhaligan, it's his Finals year so he'd know all the ropes. Of course, he could be the next Pennefather as well."

"I didn't know that was what you wanted to do," I said. "Have you talked to Mum and Dad? Not the Royal College?"

"No, I thought of that but I don't really want to be in an orchestra. And what would I play? Plenty of trumpeters around and I wouldn't be good enough for a concert pianist. Dad said the BBC were always looking for musicians for producing programmes, or there's publishing, or the Opera House, or I could teach. I don't know. I just want to know more and I like playing. Anyway, I've got a couple of years before I make any decisions." He grinned. "I suppose one of those new universities might do a degree in skate-boarding by then. That Toby would be Professor and I could be his first student!"

I ignored that. We'd all had a laugh about Mickey Mouse degrees. "Well, if you want to come here and try for the Pennefather you'll have to practise. Half past eight tomorrow morning we'll see how you get on with the organ here. What about it, Matt?"

"OK, I'll be there."

We had a quick cup of coffee and I had to rush off to my tutorial. I was much happier when I left at one. Things were all in place. I got back to my rooms and the table was set in the main room. There was a bowl ready for soup and two nice looking filled rolls each. Frankie was stirring the soup on the hotplate in the kitchen.

"Sit down," he said, "Soup and rolls, prepared by my own fair hand. Well, the rolls; the soup's out of a tin. Smells OK, though."

It was OK. I sat, he sat and we ate.

"So what have you been doing while I've been with Professor Tanner?" I asked as the last of the second roll slid down my gullet.

"Oh, I practised a bit, that Haydn, and Jason popped in. It's a nice piano isn't it?" He got up and walked over and ran his fingers over the glossy black lid. "You are lucky. Mum makes me practice in the Shed as she's got that girl she's coaching for her diploma and she comes most afternoons. She's nice though," He looked sideways at me, "She's got big tits and when she breathes in.., phroah!...."

"Frankie! She's a rising star!"

"Bloody hell, she makes me rise!" he said with a salacious leer.

"Frankie, just keep your sexual thoughts to yourself! And cut the swearing!"

"Just testing," the Toad said and sneered. "Don't be so uptight." He came over and stood by me, now over fifteen he was getting taller almost daily. "You're lucky, you've got Tris...."

"And you're still wondering...." I said putting an arm round his waist.

"Nothing so far." He shook his head. "Met anyone?"

"Might have. There's this girl who hangs round the skate park. She's Bozo's sister and she always offers to look after my stuff."

"Who's Bozo"

"Guy in my class, you know, Jamie Bowes-Chesterton. He's brillo. He can do an absolutely mega classy acid drop! And that extra gear of Unc's on him! Wicked!"

I didn't like to show my ignorance of skateboarding jargon. I might lose face in the sight of the younger generation. "Really? He's good and he looks good? Yes, I remember him from school. Smaller then, no doubt! But what about her?"

"She's only just fifteen, like me...." He looked at me with most sorrowful eyes. "I wouldn't, Marky, I wouldn't. She's too nice and she's too young."

"Sometime, perhaps," I gave him a playful thump. "I told you your cousins were virgins until they were nearly eighteen so there's time yet"

He nodded. "I know. They told you? Didn't they have the chance before?"

I nodded. "At a boarding school most of the time, what do you think? And I don't imagine there was much suitable bed fodder in that village. They said there were a few girls in the Sixth Form but they were strictly off limits. Instant sack if anyone was found even canoodling, but they've made up for it since."

His eyes were nearly popping out. "Here?"

"Where else? Plenty of parties and now all the colleges have a female element, as they say, there's plenty of tottie if you play your cards right!"

He spun round excitedly "Whoa, can I come here? Ooh Ooh OOh!"

"Frankie, I thought you came every day anyway? Though you did refrain in bed last night."

"Shut up, you always take the piss! Huh, anyway you should know what bathrooms are for, and as for you, you just snored, decrepit old thing!"

"Puts a boy off his stroke sleeping with his little brother!"

He laughed. "Good one. You're getting better! But you were nice and cuddly. Must be your hairy chest. Bet it tickles Tris!" I leaned over as if to slap his leg. He moved smartly away and perched on the edge of one of the dining chairs. "But seriously, if I came here you think it would solve all my problems? But it's more than another two years. I'll die of deprivation before then!"

"From what I've gathered whichever university or college you went to you'd be OK but from what you've told me, you've plenty of night-time fantasies to keep you happy until then. And if they're anything like that picture you sent Tris last year there's not much left to the imagination."

He chuckled. "I only sent it to tease."

"Yes, and he opened the attachment in the computer room and up pops some female displaying her all to the angels. Good job they're weren't many about in the room at the time."

"I know, he got me at Easter and held me down and smacked my arse. He's bloody strong, isn't he? Anyway, if anyone saw that pic they'd think...." He stopped and held my arm. "...sorry, Marky, I shouldn't make fun. But you are lucky." He shook his head. "You've got Tris and he's got you."

"And it isn't all a bed of roses."

He looked at me quizzically. "You're not thinking of splitting, are you?"

"Oh, no," I said, wrinkling my nose at him. "We have our little ups and downs and don't forget I didn't see much of him last year and although we're together here now we're not under each other's feet all the time." I shook my head. "And don't forget I've only been here four weeks so I'm still learning a lot about the place."

"But don't you sleep together most nights? There's all his stuff in the bathroom and they're not all your clothes in the wardrobe. And he got dressed here this morning."

I nodded. "Yes, we do, and we love each other as much as we can. A lot of its just being together but we do have different interests and I suppose it's much like a marriage. You have to work out who does what, when and where. He's got his work and rugger and basketball and I've got my music and maths and I've started going to the gym with one of the boaties." I looked at Frankie and thought I would put on a bit of an act. "He's very nice. It's Toby. In fact, he's adorable, you've seen him. He's at least two inches taller than me, lovely broad shoulders, tiny waist, and God, his muscles!" I rolled my eyes, "And, wow, when we get in the shower afterwards...."

Frankie had had enough. "Marky, stop pulling my pisser. I know you too well. And if you upset Tris I'll cut your balls off! So there!"

"Thank you for that sentiment. In fact, to stop Tris being upset we'll probably make you sleep in his room for the rest of the week."

"OOOh, if he's there too, yes please and you could seduce that lovely big boatie in here!" I was being hoist with my own petard. The Toad sniggered. "But I bet he hasn't got what Tris has got. I saw it..." He made hard fists with both hands, banged them on top of each other and screwed his face up. "....when he was asleep on the roof at Unc's. Wow." He laughed. "Jack says that happens at least three times a night when we're asleep."

"And you're just sad you can't remain awake to take advantage of yours, I suppose?"

"Don't have to! It's already taken care of as soon as I'm in bed, you know that!" He looked at me slyly. "Tris and you match and I'm not so bad myself!"

I shook my head. There was no doubt Frankie had no inhibitions. Was it just with me he was so free? "And do you discuss such things with Bozo and your other pals? I know you and Jack are bosom buddies...." I refrained from saying 'wank-buddies'. "...And you've talked to Tris. But what about others?"

He was suddenly serious and shook his head. "I don't think Bozo knows what's down there between his legs. He only ever talks about boarding and his collection of old coins. Jello's the only other one." My little brother went slightly pink. "He asked me last year whether I had much hair 'cause his was growing. I went round his house...," He nodded. "...and we did it together..." He looked a bit sheepish. "..In fact, we've done it quite a few times and Jack doesn't know. Jello said he thought he might be gay but I didn't say about you and Tris. I just said he might find someone but I wasn't. I like him but we haven't done it since just before the summer vac 'cause he'll probably leave the school as his Dad changed his job and they're thinking of moving."

"Is he the nice looking blond lad in your class?" I asked. "I've seen you chatting to him in the quad." He nodded. "Well make sure he comes to no harm. That's what's friends are for."

My brother, no longer Toad-like, nodded again. I thought back. Jello and Jack weren't the only ones.

"And what about Nesto last summer? You two insisted on sharing a room and you used to slope off for a siesta when the rest of us stayed on the terrace in the shade in the afternoons. And we noticed young Pietro ogling the pair of you. Anything there?"

The Toad was back and sniggered. "Not with Pietro though we were tempted. Nesto said he guesses he wanks as he's fourteen, but we thought he might split on us to Guido, and he's so macho."

Oh, ho, little does he know!

"So, just you and Nesto, then? And the siestas?"

He laughed. "How do you think boys can keep up their averages otherwise! Just because you and Tris and the Thugs are so old!"

'Verily, verily, as the prophet said,-' I thought, '-youth is no stranger to friction!'

"Wretch! And I hope you did nothing too outrageous with him. Good job you're not a girl - you might have come home pregnant and he's your cousin so it's incestuous anyway!"

He sniggered again. "And what makes you think it might be that way round?"

Oh! I had more than an inkling having seen him in action with Guido but I might also have guessed it was something Frankie and Nesto had discussed. "Not another one?"

"You bet!" He became serious again. "It's OK it was only..." He made wanking movements. "He did ask if I would be his boyfriend but I said I wasn't really that way. I said I liked being with him and it was nice just doing things together. He said it was hell at home with his three older sisters and he hadn't really got any close friends at school. He said it was very strict and the priests were always on about sin and he had to be careful." He shook his head. "I like Nesto lots but I suppose he's like me, but the other way." He looked rather sorrowful. "I suppose that's all about growing up - it's a bit painful."

"I expect so," I said suppressing the thought that I might tell Frankie about Nesto and Guido, "But I think I've been lucky."

He nodded. "Yep, Nesto said he plagued his mum when he knew we would be at the Villa again. He told me about what you and the others had done that other visit and he wanted more so he was glad we got on so well. Uncle Francesco's said he could go into the business because he's such a good artist and he's good at maths as well so he might train as an accountant, too. And then we've got that money coming when we're eighteen. Mum says that'll pay for university for me." He smiled. "Anyway I like Nesto a lot, he's fun though he's quiet, and he thinks you and the others are molto bello and he couldn't get over how blond Tris was!"

Oh, so Nesto, bless his heart, had confessed. I should have guessed. The shy looks, then the open stares on that first visit and the eager way he'd joined in and then initiated several of our wanking sessions. He'd attached himself to Tris on our outings at the time while I was left to cope with Frankie and his incessant demands for gelato. I should have read the signs. Now he was exploring his sexuality more. He was craving for friendship and our uninhibited Frankie was able to talk openly with him and share boyish habits with him. Perhaps he'd found a partner in Guido? That fuck we witnessed was not just sex for sex sake but showed Guido respected his willing companion. But, that would all be for the future.

"But you've got Laurent coming this weekend and from what you've told me before it'll be beaucoup de tirent les coups, eh? That makes four so far!"

He sighed. "I can count, too! I'm just being friendly... And inquisitive... ....And I bet you were the same!"

"Touch‚" I said resignedly. I looked at my watch. It was getting on for two o'clock.

I remembered he'd said Jason had called.

"And what did Jason have to say?"

"Sorry I should have said. He came to see if I wanted to go up the tower this afternoon. He said Mr Tomkins says I could as long as he was with me. He said it's a bit dangerous as the steps are old and the parapet needs repair and it might be a bit slippery but I've got those grippy trainers.. Can I go?"

I thought: he realises I'm responsible for him. Must be growing up!

"As long as you do what Jason says. Be careful though as I don't want to have to ship you home in a black bag. Anyway, you'll have done something I've never done. The tower's always kept locked and the clock hasn't been going for years so the Prof says as you can see it from his rooms. I think there's a peal of bells up there as well someone said. I noticed there's holes in the vestry roof for the bell ropes. So watch it, mind you don't step on any old timbers."

"OK, OK, I'll watch my step." He sat still for a moment, then looked up. "How do you become a Porter?"

I laughed. "As far as I know you have to have a family who's worked in the College for donkey's years or join as a kitchen boy. Oh, and Charley said they used to have two boys whose job was to pump the organ before they installed a steam engine way back in 1897 and the boys then had to stoke it but be there in case it broke down. When they grew up they were likely to go on as assistant Porters. Anyway, why do you want to know?"

"It's funny. Jason's not daft. He said he'd left school when he was sixteen but he had ten GCSE's all starred. Why didn't he go on and get his A levels and come here as a student?"

"I don't know but tradition around here seems more important. I told you about when I came for my interview and Jason told us his family's been working for the College for over two hundred years." I laughed, remembering Frankie's mention of boys and their averages. "And I never told you what Adam found that day when we were looking at the rooms in the crypt."

He was all ears now.

"All boys of sixteen are alike any time. There was one shut in a cell in 1418 for being naughty like you, while he was supposed to be cleaning his teeth I expect, and they must have caught him as it's a sin, and he scratched twenty-one little marks over eight days." I grinned at an open-mouthed Frankie. "Only once on Sunday!"

He shook his head as if in disbelief. "1418?"

I nodded. "And his name was Johannes Knottus."

He looked momentarily puzzled then laughed out loud. "Naughty young Knott the first," he said in a whisper. "Bloody hell, and Jason knows?"

"Yep, and his brother was sixteen at the time and his name's Jonathan and you can guess what Jason said."

Frankie's face was a picture as he mouthed silently, "Waannnkerr!"

We were both laughing.

"Can I go down and have a look?"

"We would have to ask Charlie and I don't know if I should have told you."

"Why not?"

"College things. If it's history then Mr Finch-Hampton would have to be involved. He wants the Chapel shut and that upsets Charlie but Adam's taken photographs and Charlie says he can write it up once he's done his exams and Pinch-Bum can't do anything."

Frankie nearly collapsed with giggles. He managed to gurgle "Pinch-Bum! Suits him."

"Yeah, bit of College slander - everyone calls him that because he's got a reputation with the women around. Not, I repeat, not to be spread around!"

He became a Toad again. He raised two fingers of his left hand slightly and curled his lip.

I played the usual trump card. "Anything said and I'll inform Ivo and Adam...."

The Toad collapsed and became sweetness and light again. He looked at his watch.

"Jason said he'd collect me at two o'clock. I'll be OK I promise. And I'll sleep in Tris's room tonight and he can be with you." He smiled. "At least I won't have to listen to you snoring."

I heard the pair of them chattering together in the passage when they returned from the tower. I had just tidied up my solution of a rather fiendish little proof Professor Tanner had set as an exercise. He'd been so clear in setting it up I knew I had accomplished something as I looked over the dozen or so lines. Yes, I'd enjoyed doing it. But then I had those lemmas to look at before Thursday's tutorial and there were two lectures tomorrow and they would have to be prepared for and followed up and I had to entertain Frankie and I needed to practise before Thursday's early service and .... Time.

There was a thump on the door and I went through from the study across my lovely big room and opened the outside door.

"You took your time," the Toad said, then grinned. "We had a marvellous time, eh, Jason?"

"Tea, gentlemen?" I enquired as they almost pushed past me through the doorway.

"Sorry, Mr Foster," said Jason, "I was getting carried away. Duty calls."

He went off quickly into the kitchen.

"Well?" I asked.

The Toad grinned. "It's a bit old up there. It is dangerous 'cause there's bits of the parapet looks ready to fall off so we didn't go far outside. The bells are still up there. One's got 1455 on it but we didn't look at the others 'cause the floor's a bit cracked. There's quite a big room up there and there's lots of stuff lying around. Found a couple of old pennies in a collecting box and three empty old beer bottles. Oh and someone's written a rude rhyme up there. We moved a bit of old board to see what was behind it and it was there scribbled on the wall with AD1893 written underneath it." He rummaged in a pocket and drew out a scrap of paper. He looked at it carefully as he read it out.

"'Who got the biddy into bed,

Diddled her crupper without being wed,

That's the tail of sweet young Jenny

And the answer is...'

That's all it says and someone's written over 'answer' with 'father'. And it looks as if they couldn't spell very well."

Jason appeared carrying a tray of tea things just as Francis got to the end of his recitation and passed me the piece of paper

"They used to call the girls who made the beds biddies and they stopped having girls doing it after my Great-great-grandmother fell pregnant. They used older ladies after that who wouldn't be so tempting to the young men so Mr Tomkins says. I think the rhyme's to do with her. I wonder if Mr Adam would photograph it and we won't tell anyone, will we Francis?"

The last was said with a tone which would quell any Toad. I only wished I had that tone sometimes. But, if it was about his - what did he say? - his great-great-grandmother he was taking it very calmly.

"I think we'd better tell Charley when he comes back, eh Jason?"

"Yes, Mr Fane-Stuart is due back tomorrow and I will tell him. I'd better go now as Mr Tomkins will need to be relieved."

I said we would clear up the tea things and he looked rather grateful as we both knew if he was too long away Old Albert's sharp tongue would be unsheathed.

Francis let him out and I looked once again at the furnishings around me in the room and thought I was so lucky and I must work hard to make sure I was worth all of this. I stretched my feet out towards the fireplace and imagined all the students and old Augustus who had sat just here. I looked into the fireplace with the imitation coals lit up by the leaping gas flame. At least someone had had the sense to update the coal fire that Augustus must have warmed his toes by. I was feeling very privileged.

Francis came back in and was positively bouncing as he dropped into the chair next to mine. "Oh goody, Charlie'll be back!" he said with enthusiasm, "And will he do an act for us? I'd love to see one properly."

Frankie still had the print-out of Clarissa as Cleopatra, with two most alluring young Greeks in their very short pleated tunics standing at head and foot of her reclining figure wafting her with huge feathery fans. Ivo and Adam looked superb.

I suppressed a laugh as there was the show scheduled for Thursday evening. It would be my first full exposure to Clarissa in that persona also. I had seen the rehearsals in this, my room, as I was accompanying, on the old joanna backstage, the entrance and exit of no other than Boadicea, with three woad-blue warriors at her beck and call. Tris, Louie and Toby, were to be coloured a pleasing shade of light blue - for Cambridge - and draped in not much more than strategically placed bunches of leaves. And then my cousins Adam and Ivo, harnessed and reined, with false ears and tails and streaked with black would be her mighty stallions to draw her chariot with a scantily clad Oliver as her charioteer.

My suggestions had fallen on willing ears. I hadn't written the monologue though! And Charles only did snippets to set the scene.

But... What Frankie didn't know was that he'd been allocated a part in the tableau. He was to be dressed as a captured young Roman Centurion, a veritable second lieutenant straight from the Roman Army's equivalent of Sandhurst! He was to be Gaius Mickus Dickus, who would be threatened with all sorts of dire torture if he didn't reveal the whereabouts of Pullius Pudius Magna the Legion Commander. Boadicea wanted him as he had stolen her handmaiden, young Phanny Phingersmyth, and you know what good handmaidens are worth, even though they may pinch your baubles, and some of those warriors had had their baubles pinched more than once! As Frankie's part would consist entirely of strangulated 'Aaghs' every time one of the warriors approached him, threatening him with something from an assortment of outrageous torture implements, which from shape or function seemed to be directed at the more vulnerable areas below his midriff, I didn't think the single rehearsal on Wednesday evening would prove too arduous or stretch his acting skills too far.

Of course, he might have to be slightly coerced when confronted with the rather skimpy costume of a fashion conscious young Centurion which 'Mother' had run up for Charles. The knee-length, dark-brown, tight woollen drawers might cover some of his embarrassment. However, the garment above was somewhat skimpy, based as it was on one of Uncle Francesco's creations the Toad had laughed heartily about during the summer and I'd purloined, with Aldo's permission, thinking I might have fun showing it around. It was an imitation leather tunic with a minimal Roman-style kilt below which had adorned a slim young man on the cat walk as he had escorted one of the models arrayed in a stupendous flowery creation of Unc's. The embarrassment might remain once he heard why the Romans always wore dark-brown drawers and perhaps that they might take a hint from the Northern British they pursued so vigorously who wore none at all.

The other thing was that a digital camera would be used to record vital shots of his possible discomfiture and, perhaps, one or even two might even be e-mailed to his friend Jack for discrete distribution to classmates. No! He wouldn't be embarrassed - knowing Frankie he would revel in it. It just remained to see!

"Yes," I said remaining as straight-faced as possible. "Charlie's back tomorrow afternoon and we're rehearsing in here tomorrow evening. I've got you a very special front row seat for Thursday - in fact, if you talk to Charles nicely he might let you see it from the side of the stage. I need someone to turn the pages of the music for me. In fact, I bet he could even have you as an extra, I know he's got a spare costume or two."

Toad's eyes were gleaming by the time I'd finished.

"Oh, gosh! Do you think? It'll be far better than being that butler in the Christmas play!"

As 'that butler' was the prime part he'd been allocated in the school production of 'The Importance of Being Earnest' I just wondered how appearing in one of Clarissa's Follies would rank? Anyway, that hurdle was over, he seemed willing.

"You'll have to wait and see. You'd better not push yourself forward, just take it as it comes. It's Charlie's show and I know he's been phoning Ivo and Annabelle about props and things. Annabelle will be here as well and no remarks from you... She's Stage Manager as well as Captain of Lacrosse so she's not someone to trifle with." I didn't add that she was very pretty and well-stacked, as Louie had described her, but she would be with her bosom pal, Alexandra, who was very similar but who kept a careful eye on any possibly marauding males as she had dealt the blow to Pinch-Bum..

"Now, have you got something to do, 'cause I must read up some more stuff before the first lecture tomorrow?" He nodded and held up one of the Father Brown volumes from my study shelves. "Good, and at seven the others will be coming down as we're going to the Caf‚ Rouge for a meal." The head jiggled from side to side in joyful anticipation.

The evening passed very convivially. While we were eating Frankie was telling the others of his adventure up the tower with Jason and Adam was over the moon when shown the piece of paper with the rhyme. He read it through carefully and then looked at the rest of us.

"I bet I know who Jason's great-great-grandfather or whatever was!" He turned to me. "Jason said it was a student and the girl was never hard up. So I guess it wasn't someone who shagged her and disappeared once he'd left the place. Sounds a bit like Charley's set-up, too." He held up the piece of paper. "And I bet this was written by another student who was in the know. He was someone who knew about language and came from the country. You see, first of all he's used crupper instead of something else a bit ruder and it means a horse's backside." He turned to his brother. "That's right, Ivo, isn't it? We've ridden enough and I don't suppose anyone who hasn't been around horses would know that." Ivo nodded and so did the rest of us to signify our ignorance though I had the feeling I'd seen the word in a crossword sometime. "So there's a play on words, 'tail' which he uses and 'tale' which you have to imagine. Then you have to listen to the rhythm. It goes 'that's the tale of sweet young Jenny', keep the rhythm going and it must end 'and the answer is Augustus Penny'! And that's finished off with 'answer' crossed out and 'father' written instead. Augustus Pennefather stand up and be counted!"

"Bloody Hell!" from Ivo, "What?" from a more restrained Tris, "Cor!" from a transfixed Toad who was still imagining getting some young girl up the duff, and "Could it be?" from a thoughtful me.

"An hypothesis," said Adam, "And according to Popper a hypothesis is only good until it is disproved."

"Sounds plausible," I said, "But how can you prove or disprove it. We would need more evidence either way. Perhaps Jason might find something in one of the record books or diaries his family seems to have kept."

"Jason said his long time grandmother never said who the father was but she must have got the money somehow and what better than if the person was here on the spot," said Ivo.

"There's more play on words," said Tris, "'Tail' means to follow or the follower. It's also a legal term meaning only certain people can inherit." He sniggered. "I don't know if they used it in 1893 but nowadays it's slang for you know what!"

Toad stared. "What?"

"Rumpy-pumpy," said Ivo and nudged him as I had strategically placed them together so Toad would not get out of hand. "Get on with your food!"

He was not to be silenced. "Well, if he was Jason's great-great-grandad he must have been a nice guy 'cause Jason's OK," said Frankie. "The only thing is if it was that Augustus bloke why did he drown himself?"

"But," said Tris, "What if he didn't drown himself and was tipped off that bridge?"

"Another hypothesis looms its ugly head," said Adam with a laugh. "I suppose we could start by looking at the reports in the local paper. What did they say at the time? There must have been an inquest. I've got to check on something about Lloyd George and what he said here at a meeting before the First World War so I could have a quick look for Augustus's demise before the next War."

We decided we wouldn't say anything else to Jason until something else was found or cropped up. Adam said he would ask Old Albert if he could go up and photograph the inscription as he was sure Jason would have told him. That was all agreed and the rest of the conversation revolved about what a grind all the work was especially as it was Ivo and Adam's final year and they hadn't really decided what they wanted to do next. I thought it might be boring for Frankie but as he seemed content eating his way through the menu I didn't worry too much. Again Uncle Francesco's largesse came in useful and I think Frankie was suitably impressed being treated as one of the boys again.

On the way back into College we called in at the Porter's Lodge. The night duty porter was there and pointed at the pigeon-holes. "Came by special delivery this evening," he said and laughed. There was an envelope for each of us, including in my pigeon-hole one for Francis Foster Esq. Inside the message to each was the same, written in an elegant flowing hand.

'Dear One,

For your Diary: November 7th 2001

There will be hot soup and a cold collation served in Set 2 Stair F at 7 followed by a rehearsal of 'Boudicca's Blast from the Past' in Set 1 Stair F. Costumes will be donned there at 7.45 supervised by Ms Alexandra Coutts. Make-up will be discussed with Ms Annabelle Lewis but left until just before the performance. Rehearsal will begin at 8 sharp. Cast moves only.

With fondest regards

Charles Fane-Stuart'

Francis was having a quiet set of the giggles. "Dear One," he kept murmuring.

"If you don't behave, young man," Ivo said coming up behind him and giving me a surreptitious wink, "You will not be attending. And if we have any lip or any refusal to help in any way tomorrow night there will be sanctions of a most unpleasing sort."

There was immediate silence even though Frankie was now about an inch taller than Ivo. I wondered why I did not have the same instant control and I was over two inches taller than Frankie?

We all trudged up the flights of stairs to the top floor and said goodnight to the twins at their door. Tris unlocked his door and we three went in.

"Are you certain you'll be OK if you sleep here tonight?" I asked Francis.

"Much better if Tris stayed with me," the Toad replied. I stepped forward. He stepped back and raised both hands in mock defence. "Only joking!"

"I'll sleep with you if you like, but I'm feeling very horny and I might teach you things you've never even thought of," said Tris, grabbing hold of his arm. "OK, Marky, sooner I get him in bed the better, eh?" He turned back to Francis. "Haven't had a nice fifteen-year-old in bed for ages! Get your clothes off, buster, then I'll tie you down! I like to see their faces when they struggle! And you can scream as much as you like the walls are three feet thick!"

Poor Francis looked petrified as I walked backwards to the door waving at him. It didn't last. Tris gave him a playful thump.

"Thought your time had come, eh?" he said laughing. "You be careful what you say. But I'm serious. Will you be OK here by yourself? You could leave a light on in this room and it'll shine into the bedroom. I must admit I did that the first few nights when I had the room downstairs last year. The roof timbers creak a bit and you might hear the drains gurgle but I don't think there's anything else."

"You think I might be scared in case that student....?"

"Frankie," I said, coming back into the room, "Bryce is dead and gone. Anyway Grandad had this room so think of him. Gran always says how happy he was here."

"Of course I'll be alright," said Frankie. "You go off..., but I would like tea at half past six in the morning if you're not too exhausted to go for the run! OK, OK!" he finished off as Tris advanced on him again.

We left him and instructed him to slip the latch on the inside of the outer door. We knew he'd be OK. There were doughty inhabitants of all the rooms on the stair. Still, make sure the young'un felt safe.

We didn't get to sleep until well after midnight. I needed Tris and he needed me. We both came twice, first after we had each kissed our way down our companion's body and drawing out the pent-up juices by careful laving and sucking on each other's most wanting shaft. We caressed each other for ages after until, looking into each other's eyes and smiling at each other, we gently stroked each other's hardness until a second torrent of our love for each other spurted up between us.

We held each other and slept.

Tris woke first - we seemed to take it in turns. He must have slipped out of bed without me knowing and brewed up a good strong pot of tea. He woke me gently by nuzzling my cheek. He was chuckling to himself.

"It's quarter past six and I've just woken the Babe in the Wood. He was fast asleep when I crept in, so I slipped off my boxers and slid in beside him. Little bugger's as horny as you. He might have been asleep but he put his arm round my shoulder and I thought he was going to rape me as he started grunting and shifting around!" He laughed. "I slid out of bed again before anything happened and I just saw what he had poking out of the fly of his boxers." He poked me on the shoulder. "You'd better watch out. Your little brother'll beat you soon if he grows any more. No wonder it's all he thinks about." He poked me again. "But you were the same at his age - ever rampant and you haven't lost the urge yet." He lifted the duvet and before the draught of colder air shrunk me he chuckled. "No, my Marky, he certainly hasn't beaten you yet." He reached round and picked up a mug of tea he'd placed on the bedside table. "I put my boxers on again and tapped him on the arm. All the little tyke said when he woke up was 'I hope you're not late'. Little tyke's got a slightly sore bum to go with his tea now!"

There was a rattle as my door was opened and the tyke came rushing in still in his boxers but looking quite scared.

"Tris, there's someone inside the wall, I'm sure!" He calmed down a bit. "Just as you went there was this bumping and banging and it sounded just as if it was the other side of the wall."

"It's OK, Francis, I've heard it, too, especially when I was in the other room last year. Someone asked one of the Nat Scis what it might be and he said it could be a shaft or something and it's the air rushing in and out but he didn't know why. We've all heard it at some time so don't worry."

"Sorry. I just thought someone was trying to get through."

"It's a solid stone wall and it must be thick."

He looked at our mugs on the side table and the one Tris was holding. "Can I get my tea and come down here? My shorts and things are here, too."

"Of course," I said, "But before you go upstairs poke that object back where it belongs."

Frankie's well-formed, quite plump, now limp penis was drooping out of his fly. His erection had disappeared along with his fright. He looked down and unblushingly manoeuvred the well-developed article back in . "Jack told me you can't have an erection and be frightened at the same time. So it's true!" My little brother was incorrigible.

When he returned both Tris and I had slipped on our running kit and had laid out what was left of the packs of miniature boxes of cereals I'd bought on Monday in Sainsbury's and put the two boxes of eggs on the side by the stove. Frankie clad in long Matteoli tee-shirt over his boxers ostentatiously dropped them and stepped into the jockstrap and arranged his equipment within. He smiled at us looking at him and slipped on his running shorts.

He sat and put on his trainers. "When you two perves have finished ogling me....." Two perves stood either side of him. He was lifted bodily from the chair. His shorts and jockstrap were lowered and a sharp slap from each perve was administered. He blushed mightily as at that moment three others come in and stood and grinned at the poor lad showing his all.

"Our turn now," said Ivo, "Got to keep the little bugger under control all the time."

"No!" said kind-hearted Oliver, "He's too nice to be damaged. Come on, pull that lot up and we'll lead them today."

So, off we went. Oliver and Frankie in the van. As yesterday, Oliver and the others carried on while Tris, I and Frankie returned. Showering today was swift and we were ready with eggs ready for boiling when we heard the others return. "Ten minutes," I said, "Then we'll put the eggs on. You'd better start, Frankie, then you can be in charge of the toaster."

He took one look at me, sat and selected his standard three packets, disdainfully rejecting the ordinary cornflakes and choosing others of a more varied kind.

He looked at Tris who was sorting out a sliced loaf package. "I do like it when I'm on holiday," he said, "But I prefer those rather nice croissants I have at Laurent's. It makes a change from the humdrum!"

Tris leaned across and grabbed a wrist. "Any more lip from you and I'll smack your backside again. That's twice already this morning!"

"Oooh, please!" he snickered, "That made me have the hardest...." He looked at us both as we stared at him. "Oh, come on, you look like a couple of disapproving old grannies, lighten up!"

It wasn't lighten up, but Frankie up. Tris and I looked at each other.

We were round the table in a flash, five feet nine and a half inches of string-bean was hauled up for the second time that morning, an arm and a leg each. We carted him through the main room and study into the bedroom where he was unceremoniously stripped of his top, jeans and boxers and dropped face down on the bed. The next three minutes was filled with howls of mirth, banshee squawks, pig-like squeals and high-pitched screeches for mercy as we gave him the treatment. He was held fast with me at the head and Tris at the legs. He was tickled and stroked, pinched and pummelled gently, generally mauled and roughed up in a minor way, just to show who were the bosses. We rolled him over and Tris and I were confronted with quite a sight. That night last year when he confided his worries his erection was close on five and a half inches of slim boymeat but what we saw now was now a much thicker getting-on- for-six and a half inches of prime young stallion-beef and he was just fifteen.

"Let go, please," he yelped, "Gotta go to the bathroom, quick!"

Thinking he meant to pee we let go and he scrambled off the bed and scuttled towards the bathroom door clutching his rampant tool. He never reached it. He came to a halt and my bathroom door was somewhat repainted! Four great squirts of come hit the woodwork as he more or less dropped to his knees. We rushed over to him and supported him on each side. He was panting heavily and his face seemed fixed in a rictus of extreme frenzy. His prick was still jerking and dripping spunk as he held it tightly.

"You OK, Frankie?" asked Tris, looking over Frankie's head at me and grinning. He let go of Frankie and raised both fists and screwed up his face in a gesture of triumph. He thought the Toad had been vanquished. He wouldn't live down shooting off like that in front of his elders and betters. He should have guessed.

Frankie stopped panting and opened his eyes. He eyed his handiwork. "Shouldn't take me more than a couple of days to cover that completely if you keep doing that to me!"

Tris was not to be outdone. He bent down and administered two very sharp slaps to Frankie's pert young bum. "Ouch! That hurt!" he said, one hand rubbing the red hand marks and the other still clutching his erect prick which he rubbed up and down a couple of times very suggestively.

"You carry on like that and I'll make you lick it off," I said

He looked up at me with seemingly innocent eyes. "I already know what it tastes like so it wouldn't be too much of a worry."

He put out both arms and we were close enough to be drawn in. "I really love you both," he said with obvious emotion, "Do all friends and brothers have such fun?"

What could we do but haul him up and almost crush him in real brotherly love. Of course, who got a trail of spunk from a still sticky prick over his Matteoli cargoes? Me!

Breakfast was then re-started and he did refrain from any inciting remarks. The others came in. We three said nothing and Frankie kept Tris well-supplied with toast and kept grinning at him. Tris played up to him and thanked him every time a couple of rounds of hot, browned toast was passed to him straight from the toaster. I thought once more that one day someone will kiss the Toad and a very handsome prince will appear! The others were oblivious to our secret.

I had a lecture at eleven but Ivo and Adam had theirs at ten, the same time that Tris and Oliver had tutorials, so by eight fifteen breakfast was over and they all left. Frankie promised to wash up the breakfast things after he'd got back from playing the organ.

When we got to the Chapel the eight o'clock service was just finishing with Matt playing the out-going voluntary. Once settled up in the organ loft Frankie looked appraisingly at the organ console. "Nice," he said. He handed Matt a book.

"Could I try number two, please?" It was the Bach Eight Short Preludes and Fugues.

"The d minor. Certainly. You set the stops you want."

Frankie slid onto the bench and chose the Great eight-foot Diapason and it's companion four-foot Principal, then a sixteen-foot Lieblich Gedackt and an eight-foot Gedackt on the pedal. "That's for the fugue," he said.

"You could try something firmer there," said Matt. "Try the Sub Bass instead when you get to it."

"I'll try flutes on the Swell for the Prelude. Is that OK. Then I can keep the Gedackts. Mr Prentice said keep it simple and don't keep changing around. Is that right?"

"Yes, then you can couple the Great to the Pedals for the fugue and possibly couple the Swell to Great for the last eight bars."

Having chosen he set off with confidence. The tempo was right and the articulation was good. He carried off the semiquaver runs in the first few bars very well. The longer semiquaver runs in the left hand after the pedal point were good. Perhaps his tenuto quavers in the bass could have been held just a little longer, but I was impressed. Mr Prentice had taught him well. I was turning the pages for him and drew the Sub Bass and Matt drew the first of the couplers for him as he embarked on the fugue. The entries followed precisely and on cue Matt drew the final coupler. Frankie was beaming as he held the final chord.

"I liked that," he said enthusiastically. "How did I do?" He turned to Matt.

"Good," said Matt, "But we need to go through it bar by bar. It might be in a minor key but it's light and it's upbeat and it's joyful. Keep all those in mind.

There are a few places where you need to watch the phrasing. It's difficult on the organ as you have to suggest it to the listener. Slur the notes a little in places and where you've got those broken chords in the right hand support them a little bit more in the bass, then it's like a double-bass pizzicato after that. Same in the fugue. Think of the phrasing of the little theme. It has to be exactly the same at each entry or it loses its interest. At least you're not playing it mechanically. There's lots of young organists and not so young organists who grind everything out without any feeling. Grade Six? You're well on the way to Grade Eight I would say!"

I could see Frankie swelling with pride. He had been good. He'd made no slips.

"I'll tell you what Frankie," I said, "I'm playing for the service in the morning. Would you like to play that for the going-out?"

I thought he was about to burst into tears, he was so pleased. "Could I really?"

"I'll be practising myself this afternoon," said Matt, "I've got my Fellowship exams after Christmas. You come and turn pages for me and you can play when I have a rest. It'll be two hours. OK?"

"Could I, Marky?"

"I've got lots of work to do so it'll keep you occupied. But don't get bored and be a nuisance." I got the withering look.

"Two o'clock sharp, then," said Matt.

For once he didn't chatter when we went back to my rooms. He was beside himself with joy. I made more tea and he scoffed a jam sandwich while I looked over last week's notes. "I can't believe it," he said as I got my bag ready with notepad, pencils, and so on ready for the lecture. "Mum and Dad will be so pleased. Thanks, Marky."

When I left to go to the lecture he said he'd practice the piano as he had his Grade Eight exams next Easter. I said I'd pick up something from Marks and Spencers for lunch as I came back from the Mill Lane lecture room and he'd better not eat too fast or he'd burp in inappropriate places while Matt was playing. The Toad sneer was evident.

When I got back I could hear the hoover being used. Jason was there and he and Frankie were chatting over the hum as he went back and forth over the carpet. I just said 'Hello' and took my bags into the kitchen first and deposited a couple of ready meals with sundry other bits and pieces from M & S in the fridge. I then went to the study and got out the pad I'd written the lecture notes in. I would have to do quite a bit of work to understand the rather tortuous looking equations and proofs I'd taken down meticulously from the projected slides and the notes he'd scribbled on the three large blackboards. One hour and all that? Oh, would I be able to keep up? Jason was just finishing as I went back into the sitting-room. He switched the cleaner off and started coiling the wire as he took it away to its home in the passage by the kitchen.

"Jason's taking Adam up the tower tomorrow morning at nine," announced Frankie, "Can I go?"

That would keep him occupied. I had a lecture at ten tomorrow so he would be out of the way. "Yes," I said, "Usual warnings."

Jason came back from the kitchen lobby. "I told Gran about the rhyme. She said she'd heard it years ago but didn't know if it was just a joke."

I thought I'd better let Jason know a little. "Yes, Frankie showed it to Adam last night and as it's a bit of old College graffiti he thought he'd like to photograph it. He said he'd try to find out more. Did your Gran know if it's mentioned in any of your diaries or other books?"

He shook his head. "I'll have a look myself. I know where Dad keeps the books and he doesn't mind me reading them. Wonder what it means?"

Neither of us said anything. We needed more evidence but when I looked at Frankie he smiled. He'll keep it quiet I knew.

Jason was ready to go. "By the way, Mr Foster," he said. There was something important to impart. "There's two large boxes addressed to Mr Fane-Stuart arrived this morning in the Lodge. When Mr Tomkins spoke to him yesterday on the phone he said anything delivered was for the rehearsal tonight. Shall I have them sent over?"

"Yes, you'd better. We've all had our commands for tonight, including Frankie. Have you ever seen one of the performances?"

"No, sir, but I would like to. Mr Tomkins says there's most don't know it's him and I can believe it having seen all those photos. I'd like to and he has made suggestions, proper ones I mean, about me taking a part. I'm a bit shy not being a student..."

"I'm sure no one would know and what I've been told everyone who's ever taken part hasn't lost their reputation, in fact it seems their prestige shoots up. Anyway, who'd know you weren't a student? You're nineteen and you look no different. You could have been a student, anyway, I'm sure. You ought to think about that as well some day."

"It costs and no one else in the family has ever been to college. I like what I'm doing but I do like learning, too." He smiled. "And if Mr Charles has a suitable part I might be tempted. Anyway I'll send that new boy, Liam, over with the boxes."

Jason, Oh Jason! You'd tempt a saint out of his trousers! Anyway what was in the boxes?

We were just finishing the micro-waved portions of Thai chicken when there was a knock on the door. Nosy Frankie went and supervised a short, very winsome sixteen-year-old red head as he brought in two large cardboard boxes from the trolley. Winsome he was except for the most horrendous crop of dark-red acne pustules on his freckled face. As I inspected the outside of the boxes - too stuck around with brown sticky tape to open without Charles knowing - Frankie was chatting to the lad. Frankie went into the bedroom and came back and handed a small bottle to the youth who thanked him, touched his round cap and went off.

"What's in them?" he demanded as he came back and began to finger the larger of the two.

"I have no idea," I said, "We'll have to wait until Charlie appears to open them. And what did you give young Liam?"

"Oh, it's some spot stuff Mum got me but I'd rather show off my spots. Jack says it shows you've got plenty of hormones." He snickered. "Liam must have plenty and I bet....." He stopped and looked almost pious. "Jack says the more you have the more you probably have to do it and I want to see if I get lots." The Toad emerged. "You've still got some and you used to put loads of that cream on, does that mean....?"

"Frankie, we've already discussed that."

"Only asking. Got to keep checking."

"And you are not to ask Liam...." I began.

"Would I just? But with that lot it must be at least six times a day!"

"Frankie! Don't judge everyone else by your own evil habits. And with the few spots you've got I suppose it's six times a month for you."

He just gave me a Toad look and I didn't find out his daily total, but, by the evidence of the amount he'd white-washed my door with this morning, his hormones were working OK.

We finished our lunch with slices of cheesecake as pud, and I had prudently bought him two. Even the Toad looked satisfied.

"Make sure you shut the door properly when you go off with Matt, you know it tends to stick." I said, "I'm going off now as I want to ask Louie if he can remember doing the stuff in the lecture this morning when he did it last year. Then I'll be back working on problems. OK?"

"Does Louie do Maths? I thought you said boaties were all as dim as arseholes..." the Toad sniggered.

"You'd better watch what you say and not repeat such things in the company of large, muscly, rugged characters you might meet on the towpath. There might be a loud splash!" I laughed, "Louie's reading Maths and he's good. He helped me after the first lecture I had here when I thought my brain would seize up. Anyway, you'll meet him tonight 'cause he's one of Boudicca's warriors and I might just tip him off about what some people say!"

The Toad looked suitably cowed. "But you said it first......"

I think my look was equally Toad-like. I then collected all the stuff I would need for the afternoon and waved him goodbye, pointing at the plates which needed washing up. The Toad sneered. No, I was not his equal in that accomplishment.

All went well. Louie showed me a quick way to approach the first problem and Professor Tanner had gone over a host of new stuff on the concept of limits in such a way I was smiling when I finally closed my notebooks that afternoon. When I saw him tomorrow I would have plenty to show him.

To be Continued: