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“That doesn’t make it any easier. Harder in some ways, I suspect.”
Allison shrugged and nodded at the same time, like the mess she was.
Wendy folded her hands in front of her. “I also hoped that maybe I could offer a small spot of sunshine in all this”—she glanced around them—“rain.”
Allison’s heart seized. Did that mean…
Wendy reached into the large leather tote on her shoulder and produced a stack of papers jammed within a brand-new copy ofThe Mabinogion.Allison’s knees felt as if they’d cracked at the joints. That shiny black cover with its crisp white font might have been the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen.
Wendy offered her the bundle. “This is the paperwork you’ll need to fill out for the trip to Wales in January. And a copy ofThe Mabinogion,in case you don’t have one. I’m truly looking forward to working with you.”
Allison only knew she’d accepted the book because she could see it gripped in her hands. She’d lost feeling in her extremities. “I won?”
Wendy’s blond curls bounced as she chuckled. “Wonisn’t the word I’d use. You earned the spot. On the trip, and as my advisee.”
“And Colin?” Allison hated to let his name touch her lips but she couldn’t stop herself from asking. He’d be devastated, even if he hadn’t deserved to win. And poor Charlie would probably keep forgetting, forcing Colin to experience this rejection over and over. Against her will, her heart squeezed in sympathy.
“Colin’s presentation on the Wife of Bath and Dame Ragnell—”
Allison startled. “Wait. His what? He didn’t talk about ‘The Knight’s Tale’ andErec et Enide?”
Wendy shook her head, the large silver hoops in her ears getting tangled in her hair. “He used two loathly lady tales to consider how medieval romance makes female bodies monstrous.”
This time, Allison’s knees did give out. Thankfully, there was a chair behind her.
The world spun as she dropped down into it.
There were no loathly lady tales in Allison’s original presentation. “So, he didn’t make an argument about how beauty disrupts chivalric masculinity?”
“No. He focused on the texts’ treatment of femininity.” Wendy lowered herself to the nearby couch. “What’s this about?”
Allison’s stomach lurched. Colin hadn’t stolen anything but her title. And he’d taken the topic in a totally different direction. When he’d said they’d be on the same page, this must have been what he’d meant.
She’d been so quick to assume he’d plagiarized her. As if that was the only way he could properly compete.
Wendy said her name again, shaking Allison from her thoughts.
“From the title, I’d… I guess I misunderstood his argument.”
“He told us you came up with the title, that it was a perfect fit for both your presentations.”
Allison felt sick. “I wish I’d been able to see it.”
Her professor smiled. “I know you and Colin have grown close. I hope this decision won’t cause any undue tension. He’s a smart young man and, when he returns from his leave of absence, we’ll make sure he lands on his feet.”
This whole conversation felt like an endless series of whiplash. Every time Allison got her grounding, Wendy said something else that sent her sprawling. “He’s leaving?”
“For a time. He came to see me yesterday to let me know he was deferring his acceptance until next year. He said he plans to take the time to think more about what he wants to study.”
“So, he took himself out of the running?”
Wendy chuckled. “Absolutely not. The first thing he asked when he sat down was who I was likely to choose.”
None of this made any sense. Allison grabbed the arm of the chair as if that could bring her world back into balance.
“Do you know what he said when I told him?” Wendy asked.
Allison could only shake her head.
