Page 44 of The Baron’s Halo

Slowly, Isabelle walked to the witness stand, her gaze fixed on Mr. Gossing.

“Now, Lady MacKay, I know you’ve had quite a shock this morning. But can you tell me what exactly happened?” To give him credit, Mr. Gossing had softened his voice considerably.

“One of the footmen told me there was a caller in the front receiving room, but the gentleman refused to leave his name. When I arrived, I discovered it was my stepfather, Captain Grey.”

“What did he say to you, my lady?”

Isabelle closed her eyes. “He said he wanted me to reconcile with him and my mother, and if I refused, he would make my mother wish she was dead.”

“And you took this to mean…?” Gossing peered closely at her.

Isabelle’s eyes snapped open. “He meant he would beat her until she was black and blue—as he’s done so many times before. You have no idea what we suffered under his roof, Mr. Gossing.” She stared at the jurors, most of whom refused to look at her. “He wasn’t going to stop until he got his way.”

“Lord MacKay says that Captain Grey grabbed your arm and bruised it. May I see it, please?” Mr. Gossing stood, peering at Isabelle while she pulled up the undersleeve of her gown revealing the ugly, discolored flesh in the shape of a full handprint wrapped around her left arm.

Sandy fought the urge to sink his fist into something. Grey was dead and it would do his case no good for him to punch a wall. Still, he ached to avenge his wife’s hurts in a more concrete way.

“Thank you, Lady MacKay.” The coroner sat back down, making more notes on the papers before him. “What happened when your husband entered the room?”

“I’m not actually certain at what point he did enter it. The whole thing is such a blur.” Isabelle put her hand to her forehead. “I only know I was crying, and Captain Grey was shouting at me to go with him, and I began to think there was no way to make it all stop.” She looked back at Sandy, her eyes tearing up again. “And then my husband was there and I was so relieved. I knew he would help me. He always has.”

“And then what happened?”

Staring at Mr. Gossing, Isabelle shrugged. “There was a shot. I really didn’t know where it came from. Then Captain Grey was on the floor and my husband had me safe in his arms.” Tears poured down her face and she sobbed into her handkerchief. “I am so sorry my love, for what he put us through.”

“Now, now, Lady MacKay.” Mr. Gossing looked ill-at-ease. He motioned to Sandy. “Will you escort your wife from the box, my lord. I believe we have heard as much as we need.” He shot a keen look at the jurors.

Putting his arm around his wife’s shoulders, Sandy paused to peer at the jurors who had huddled together in the jury box. Had they gained sympathy for them from Isabelle’s testimony?

“Just a moment, if you please.”

Sandy jerked his head up as his grandfather strode forward, a determined look in his eyes.

“I have evidence I believe the courts should consider regarding this matter, Mr. Gossing.” Grandfather handed a letter to the coroner. “You did not call me to testify, else I would have given this to you then.”

Frowning, Sandy peered at his grandfather and mouthed the words, “What is it?”

Grandfather merely smiled and turned back to the coroner, who was avidly perusing the letter. He looked up at the duke, a stunned looked on his face. “How did you come by this letter, Your Grace?”

“When Captain Grey returned so miraculously, I wished to verify his account of his rescue. With my grandson marrying his stepdaughter, I needed to make certain of his bona fides, you understand.” The pious look on Grandfather’s face would have fooled no one in the family, but apparently went a long way to convincing Mr. Gossing. “I sent out inquiries to the owner of the Cordelia, and was amazed when this letter appeared not a week ago.” He turned to look at Sandy, one eyebrow quirked up. “Will you read it for the jury, please, Mr. Gossing?”

The coroner spread the letter out on the table. “My Lord Duke, I write at your express command with information about Captain Ambrose Grey and the incident that occurred on my company’s ship, the Cordelia. One month into the ship’s return passage from Jamaica three years ago, Captain Grey became enraged when his cabin boy stumbled, spilling hot soup on the captain in his cabin. Grey reportedly grabbed the boy by the scruff of the neck, hauled him out of the cabin and up on deck and before anyone could stop him, heaved the unfortunate lad over the railing and into the sea.”

There was a collective gasp from everyone present and Isabelle buried her face in Sandy’s chest. Had he known of this atrocity before now, Sandy wouldn’t have waited to confront Grey with a pistol in hand.

With a gulp, Mr. Gossing continued. “Stunned, the rest of the crew made every effort to rescue the child, but he disappeared under the waves before they could save him. At this point, it is apparent from the logbook that the crew mutinied.” The coroner looked up at the jury, all of whom were raptly listening, if somewhat pale. “They bound Captain Grey hand and foot, then the next morning rowed him out to an uninhabited island in the Canaries and put him ashore, thinking this would dissipate any ill luck the captain’s gruesome actions might have brought upon them. But the Cordelia was apparently ill-fated to the end.”

With such a hand at the mast as Grey, Sandy wasn’t surprised the ship was cursed.

“A wild storm came up not long after they abandoned their captain and the ship broke apart off the coast of Funchal. All hands were lost, and I had no idea what had happened to the ship until about a year ago when pieces of flotsam and jetsam washed up on shore, one piece of which was stamped with my company’s name. I was contacted and sent a ship to try to salvage as much as possible. Along with some barrels of goods, they recovered the logbook, sealed in oilcloth, so we at least know what occurred aboard the Cordelia. I trust you will make these matters known to the authorities at the proper time and Captain Grey will be brought to justice for his inhuman crime. I remain Your Grace’s most obedient servant, Phillip S. Samuels.” Mr. Gossing straightened in his chair and turned to the jury. “Based on the evidence presented, has the jury reached a verdict?”

The men looked at one another and nodded together. One burly gentleman stood up and faced the coroner. “Mr. Gossing, we find insufficient evidence to rule this a homicide. We find instead the manner of death should be ruled death by misadventure.” The man looked steadily at Sandy and Isabelle. “Captain Grey appears to have acted with the intent to forcibly remove Lady MacKay from the premises, God alone knows for what nefarious purpose. During such action, a shot was accidentally discharged causing Grey’s demise.”

“Thank you, Mr. Potter.” Mr. Gossing nodded and the jury began to disperse. “Lord MacKay, Lady MacKay.” He offered the letter back to Grandfather. “Your Grace. The cause of death is officially ruled as death by misadventure and the case is closed.”

“Thank you, Mr. Gossing.” Grandfather tucked the letter back in his pocket, a hint of a smirk on his face.

“Thank you, Mr. Gossing.” Sandy hugged Isabelle close to him. A huge weight rolled from his shoulders. As soon as they got home, they needed to light a candle in thanks to God. Without divine intervention, things could have gone so much worse for both of them. “Let’s go home, sweetheart.”