Mightier Than the Sword

“Because she accused me of wilfully attempting to destroy her family company. Nothing could be further from the truth. I simply wanted to know on behalf of ordinary shareholders, like myself, if one of her directors had disposed of all his stock the weekend before the AGM, because in my opinion that would have greatly harmed the company. But rather than answer my question, she chose to belittle me, giving everyone in that crowded hall the impression that I didn’t know what I was talking about.”

“Word perfect,” said Giles under his breath, which caused Mr. Trelford to smile. He turned and whispered, “I agree, but then while Sir Edward is on his feet, she knows what questions to expect. She’ll have no crib sheet to rely on when I cross-examine her.”

“In particular,” continued Sir Edward, “you are referring to Mrs. Clifton’s reply to the quite valid question you raised at the AGM.”

“Yes. Rather than answer that question, she decided to humiliate me and ruin my reputation, in front of a packed audience, many of them my friends. I was left with no alternative but to seek the recourse of the law.”

“And you were referring on that occasion, not to Major Fisher, as Mrs. Clifton erroneously suggested, but to Mr. Cedric Hardcastle, who, as you pointed out, sold his entire stock over the weekend before the AGM, thus placing the company in jeopardy.”

“That is correct, Sir Edward.”

“Did she really just flutter her eyelids?” whispered Giles.

“And the late Major Fisher was one of your financial advisors?”

“Yes, and whenever he recommended I should buy or sell shares, I followed his advice. I always found him honest, trustworthy, and utterly professional.”

Emma couldn’t bring herself to look at the jury. Giles did, to find they were hanging on Virginia’s every word.

Sir Edward lowered his voice, like a great thespian demanding silence before he delivered his closing line. “Let me finally ask you, Lady Virginia, if you have any regrets about issuing this libel writ against Mrs. Clifton?”

“Yes, I do, Sir Edward. The tragic and unnecessary death of my dear friend, Major Alex Fisher, makes the outcome of this trial unimportant. If by withdrawing this action I could have saved his life, I would have done so without hesitation.” She turned to the jury, took a handkerchief from her sleeve, and dabbed away an imaginary tear.

“I am sorry you have been put through this ordeal, Lady Virginia, so soon after the death of your friend and advisor Major Fisher. No more questions, my lady.”

If they had been alone together in chambers, Trelford would have congratulated his learned friend on a quite masterful cross-examination. He opened his file to see the words Giles had advised, written at the top of the first page. MAKE HER LOSE HER TEMPER. He then looked down at his first question, newly minted.

“Lady Virginia,” he said, emphasizing the word “lady,” “you told the court of your admiration for Mrs. Clifton, and your devotion to her brother Sir Giles Barrington, but despite that, you didn’t invite a single member of the Barrington or Clifton families to attend your wedding to Sir Giles.”

“That was a shared decision, Mr. Trelford. Giles felt every bit as strongly about it as I did.”

“If that is the case, Lady Virginia, perhaps you could explain your father’s words at the time of the wedding, recorded in the Daily Express by William Hickey: My daughter was ready to call off the whole thing if Giles hadn’t agreed to her demands.”

“Gossip column tittle-tattle, written to sell newspapers, Mr. Trelford. Frankly, I’m surprised you feel the need to resort to such tactics.”

Sir Edward couldn’t resist a smile. His client had clearly seen that one coming.

“And later, in your evidence,” said Trelford, moving swiftly on, “you went on to blame Mrs. Clifton for your divorce.”

“She can be a very determined woman,” said Virginia, “as I’m sure you yourself have discovered.”

“But surely your divorce had nothing to do with Mrs. Clifton, but was rather caused by the quarrels you had with your husband about him being cut out of his mother’s will?”

“That is not true, Mr. Trelford. Giles’s inheritance never interested me. I married him for richer, for poorer, and frankly, since you mention it, I was richer than he was.”

This caused enough laughter in court for the judge to scowl menacingly down from her bench.

“So it wasn’t you who insisted that Sir Giles should issue a writ against his own sister, disputing the validity of his mother’s will? That was another shared decision?”

“No, that was Giles’s decision. I think I advised against it at the time.”

“Perhaps you’d like to reconsider that answer, Lady Virginia, as I can always call Sir Giles as a witness, and ask him to set the record straight.”