The Professor's Daughter

Maria Ludwig stumbled hastily down the hallways of Hainsbury University, her head flicking up as she passed each doorway before returning to the slip of paper in her hand. None of these rooms were the right one and she was rudely late for her first class but that was not the worst.

She had an inkling of whom exactly her professor was and if she were correct then her transfer to England might not be as smooth as intended.

Of course asking her father would solve all the uncertainty: Is Professor Leighton the same Thomas Leighton that visited them eleven years ago back in Germany?

The same Thomas Leighton that plucked Maria from the Warnow river after he thought she was drowning?

And the same Thomas Leighton that spent his whole dissertation proving her father’s theory completely wrong after Professor Ludwig had invited him into his family home?

No, bringing up the name would only enrage Father further after his university closed in Rostock and the family were forced to move back to her mothers home country.

Maria stopped at the door marked thirty-two and the nerves that were already brimming grew stronger. She could not see well enough through the frosted window to tell and, breathing out slowly, she knocked once and waited.

“Yes?”

Maria went to turn the handle but it flew open before she could even rest her shaking hand on the metal. Still a little fazed, Maria looked up at the room before her. Few of the small class were looking at their new visitor and the man who must have opened the door was now striding back to his desk.

“Profe-“ She croaked before clearing her throat. “Professor Leighton?”

“I believe that is what the door says.” He spoke, shuffling his papers on the desk with his back to the door.

Maria turned and noticed that his name was written above the title Professor of Astronomy.

“What do you want?”

Still taken aback by the Professor’s abruptness, she shook her head a little and stood up tall.

“I am your new student.”

“Oh?” The man turned back to her and snatched the paper from Maria’s hand, his eyes scanning it quicker then Maria thought anyone could read. But that was not what occupied Maria’s mind; instead she took in the man before her.

The professor could not possibly be the lanky boy that had saved her life when she was only eight-years-old. His hair was shorter and darker then the dusty curls and his eyes too seemed more black then the previous grey. But those thick-rimmed glasses were still balanced on the bridge of his nose and his skin was still so pale that it looked completely white. And anyway, the twenty-one-year-old boy had never been quite so curt to others even if he did keep himself to himself.

“It seems you are correct. Name?”

Maria broke from her trance and found his inky eyes staring straight at her.

“Maria, sir.”

“Maria Sir? Well that’s an interesting name.” He heaved, clearly not pleased that his class had been interrupted in the first place and heading back to his desk, dropping the paper amongst the piles of books.

“Ludwig.” She called out slightly louder, well in the knowledge that at least half of the students attention were focused on the little scene before them. Professor Leighton stopped shuffling and turned back to Maria. “I am Maria Ludwig.”

“Professor Ludwig’s daughter?” He asked but his voice trailed off at the end.

Maria nodded, noticing the way his eyes glazed over little. She knew he was remembering the furious phone calls and the seething letters and so was she though she had not been on the receiving end of it all but knew how angry her father could easily become.

“Professor?” She asked timidly.

His gaze swiftly returned to her. “Take a seat at the back and next time don’t be late.”

Maria did as she was told, sitting at a table next to another girl and retrieving a pen and paper from her bag silently. Professor Leighton went back to teaching but Maria couldn’t focus on his words.

Her inkling had been proven correct and she didn’t know what to think. Her feelings towards this man had already been questioned countless times when she collected her timetable and spotted his name the previous day. Whilst his life had most likely been more troublesome due to her father, she couldn’t help but feel he brought it on himself.

He could have chosen another topic for his thesis; could have stayed far away from her family and could have picked some other professor’s theory to look into and blemish their career.

Maria thought back to how proud her father had been; a struggling college professor announcing his theory of astronomy to his haughty peers who were well prepared to laugh at him. And then it turned out there was some sense in his words after all and perhaps this man had really spotted something new.

But the young Thomas Leighton had brought it all down with one document and father had gone back to struggling until the university had closed last year.

With only a few measly notes written down, Professor Leighton’s class came to an end and Maria followed the rest of the class in packing up their belongings.

“Susie Daniels.” Came a voice and Maria turned to find the girl next to her with an extended hand.

“Maria Ludwig.” She replied with an uncertain smile, shaking Susie’s hand.

“I gather you’re new.” She stated and Maria nodded. “I wouldn’t worry about Leighton. He’s a grumpy old sod even if he’s not that old.” Susie whispered with a mischievous grin. “Although you do seem to have annoyed him far more then any of us can.”

Maria followed Susie’s eye line to the Professor’s desk where he was once again rummaging around for something but this time he was slapping books away, his brow was pinched together and his lips sucked in.

“Going grey at only thirty-two.” Susie mused as they headed out of the classroom together.

Maria turned to peer at the Professor noting some truth in Susie’s words. There were one or two flecks of silver hairs reflected in the light but apart from that he still looked relatively young though not as much as he really should.

“Come on, I’ll show you to your next class.” Susie offered.

Maria accepted, taking one last look at the Professor before leaving him on his own. But that, in her opinion, was his own fault.