The princess frowned at him. “If you believe that justice mine to dispense, then why did you kill five people?”
“Because his mind has been warped by his own self-aggrandizement,” Lady Susan jeered.
The magistrate stepped forward. “You will observe, ma’am, that there is different handwriting on the documents on the dossier for Sir Walter. Mr. Tilney and his associates believe this indicated a falsification; they accuse Sir Walter of changingthe documents to conceal a greater secret. I have obtained here a sample of Sir Walter’s writing, and it is a match.”
Mr. Tilney cleared his throat and came forward. Though he was near the dais, he spoke for the whole room to hear, for the courtiers were listening in rapt attention. “We uncovered a newspaper clipping, which you will find there, which details an event that Sir Walter’s twin brother John attended at Clwyd Castle. Given the significance of the castle’s secret passages, a previous visit to the castle would afford one a certain useful familiarity.”
“So, his brother has been here before?” The princess looked bewildered, but Colonel Fitzwilliam whispered something in her ear, and she gave a knowing nod. “I recall now that I heard of John Elliot’s passing; an accident, and his twin brother the only witness.”
Sir Walter went rigid, his chin held high. “Of what am I accused?”
Lady Susan heckled him again, and though Elizabeth could not make out her words, her tone was vicious.
Princess Elizabeth scanned the room and then called out to one of her ladies. “Lady Amelia, you are from Somerset. I recall you once had an acquaintance with Sir Walter Elliot, before his marriage. Is there anything you can ask him, that only Sir Walter would know?”
Lady Amelia, a short but pretty woman of middle age and bold appearance, stood and grinned at the prisoner. “I can do better than that, ma’am. I can tell you that Sir Walter Elliot has a birthmark on his abdomen, just above the right hip.”
Excitement rippled through the onlookers as the magistrate roughly lifted Sir Walter’s garments, revealing… nothing at all.
Amidst the outcry, the princess stood and raised her voice. “Sir Walter Elliot, you will be given into the custody of the colonel’s men, and transported to London for the quarterly assizes, where you shall hang. Your property will not be forfeited to the crown; we do not want it. I have heard that Kellynch is not much, but for his efforts here I shall allow Mr. Willoughby his inheritance. Take him away.”
As a pair of soldiers dragged Sir Walter from the room, another escorted Miss Denham before the princess, who reviewed her dossier before passing judgement. “You have committed no crime here, Miss Denham, and the evidence is not as compelling as your willingness to purchase the general’s silence.”
Miss Denham hung her head low, her hauteur already defeated by two days of captivity. “I did not wish to be the subject of a scandal, Your Royal Highness.”
“I am curious, how much did Lady Denham leave you?”
“Fifty thousand pounds.”
“As I see it, there is half a chance you are guilty, and half a chance you are not. You shall have half your inheritance, and the other half forfeited to the crown. You will leave the castle at once; my attorneys will be in touch.” The princess waved her hand dismissively.
Sidney Parker also received clemency, for Princess Elizabeth took a fancy to the notion of Sanditon. “It says in your documents that you embezzled a substantial sum of funds raised by the late Lady Denham and your own elder brother, funds that were allocated to some ambitious improvements intended to establish the village as a premier seaside destination. What a pity, I do enjoy the seaside.”
“I had fallen into some bad debts, Your Royal Highness, with dangerous people. I might have asked my brother for the money, but I knew I was being watched and I kept my distance from him. He had a family, children.”
The princess smirked. “If your debts have been paid, you are no longer a danger to your brother. You will confess what you have done and beg his mercy; I defer to his decision in the question of having you transported. It may soften him to know that you have found a potential investor in me, though I keep a sharp eye in matters of finance, or rather my secretary does. We will arrange a meeting in London next month. You may leave the castle.”
Mr. Parker thanked her profusely as he hastily backed out of the room. Cathy grabbed Elizabeth’s hand across the table. “We shall have our seabathing holiday, after all!”
It was perhaps by design that the princess saved Mr. Bertram for last, for he was the most animated of the prisoners. Mrs. Rushworth could not resist quarreling with him when he was brought before the dais, and Mr. Crawford soon entered the fray. The princess sat back and observed the fracas with delight for several minutes before allowing the colonel to subdue them.
The magistrate presented the poison discovered in Mr. Crawford’s room, which Mr. Bertram had been seen sneaking out of, just after a search of guest chambers was agreed upon. The princess appeared convinced, and Mr. Bertram exploded.
“I did it for you, Maria! It was my fault you had to marry that coddled imbecile. I sought to make amends, to grant you your freedom. When I saw the chance to have Crawford take the fall, if the other killer was not blamed, I took it. I refuse to apologize! He deserved it, after all he had done; he is not worthy of you! He will take mistresses as his uncle the admiral does, and his indiscretions will bring you shame and misery!”
The great hall hummed with chatter as Mr. Crawford lunged at Mr. Bertram, who was still bound at the wrists. Mrs. Rushworth collapsed onto the floor, weeping. The three dozen onlookers were on the verge of becoming a mob when Colonel Fitzwilliam signaled his men to remove Mr. Bertram and subdue Mr. Crawford.
The colonel went around the side of the table and helped Mrs. Rushworth to her feet, offering her a handkerchief as she stood before the dais, awaiting her brother’s judgement.
The princess tipped her head from one side to the other in a look of consideration. “Your brother will be taken to the assizes, unless you wish to argue for his transportation.”
Weeping inelegantly, Mrs. Rushworth nodded her head. “My father… my brother and sister….”
The princess nodded. “You would not have them taunted by scandal. Very well.”
Mrs. Rushworth nearly fell to her knees again in gratitude, but the colonel supported her as she wept and thanked the princess.
“And Mrs. Rushworth… I expect you to observe a year of mourning for your husband.” Princess Elizabeth motioned for the colonel to carry on attending to the widow, and Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy exchanged a look of mirth.
