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The judge leaned forward. “Mr. Pitt, make this brief, to the point, and with proof of all of it. This is a petty embezzlement, not a great crime…a case of a young man acting stupidly and ruining a very promising career. A tragedy, b
ut unfortunately not an uncommon one. It will not serve your client well for you to attempt to make a grand drama out of it.”
Daniel made himself stand very straight and face the judge squarely. “Your Honor, with the court’s permission, I shall be as brief as possible, but I shall need to call several witnesses to trace this story from the first crime to this point. I may need to call Sir Thomas Pitt, Head of Special Branch, and I have asked him to be available.” Was that too soon? The judge’s face had darkened.
Kitteridge was squirming in his seat.
“I am aware of who your father is, Mr. Pitt.” The judge’s displeasure was clear. “I do not admire your drawing my attention to it!”
Daniel felt the heat burn up his face. “I mention it, Your Honor, so that the court may know that this appears to be a petty embezzlement, but it leads to the crimes of treason and murder. And I beg you to allow me to present the whole story, as I can now prove it.”
He glanced quickly toward Sidney, and for the first time he saw hope in the man’s face.
“You had better prove it, young man!” the judge warned. “Very well, proceed. And you, Mr. Hillyer, don’t bother to object to every seeming irrelevance. I will stop Mr. Pitt if he wanders too far off the path, without your assistance.”
“Yes, Your Honor,” Hillyer acceded, looking displeased and thoroughly puzzled.
The judge nodded at Daniel. “Proceed, Mr. Pitt. Call your first witness.”
“I call Miss Rebecca Thorwood.”
Hillyer started to his feet again, but sat down before the judge could direct him. The judge glared instead at Daniel.
Rebecca, looking confused and highly vulnerable, took the stand and was sworn in. Daniel could feel Jemima’s eyes on him, suspicious and already a little hostile.
“Miss Thorwood,” Daniel began. “I believe you were the goddaughter of Miss May Trelawny, originally of Cornwall? Is that correct?”
“Yes.” Rebecca’s voice was barely audible.
“She lived recently in the Channel Islands, I believe. On Alderney, to be precise?”
“Yes.”
“Have you ever been there?”
“No.”
The judge leaned forward. “Mr. Pitt, you had better prove the relevance of this very quickly. I am prepared to indulge you, but only to a certain degree. This trial has already taken far longer than it should have. This is hardly the theft of the century.”
“Yes, Your Honor.” Daniel was sorely tempted to tell him that he would get there a lot sooner if he were not needlessly interrupted, but it would serve him badly, and he knew it. He turned to Rebecca again. “Miss Thorwood, Miss Trelawny died recently, not even two months ago, and is it true you are her only heir?”
“Yes, I believe so.”
Now the jury at least was paying attention.
“And the estate includes a manor house with its own private bay, on the island of Alderney?”
“Yes, so the solicitor told me.”
“And some jewelry. Miss Trelawny was interested in semi-precious stones, particularly one piece of carved rock crystal. Did she give that to you?”
Hillyer fidgeted in his seat, stretching his legs, turning round, but he did not actually stand up.
“Yes, she did, but…”
“But what?”
“It was stolen.”
