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The courtroom positively buzzed with excited chatter. The Earl’s words made sense. They had the ring of truth about them. There was a new villain in the case.
King’s Counsel was trying desperately to resurrect his case. “Mr. Smith, did you see the Earl of Worthington shoot Baron Roster?”
“Yes, I did, my lord,” Ace replied.
“If that is so, did you ever get a good look at the gun the Earl allegedly used?”
“Yes, my lord. When I seized the Earl to protect Lady Josephine from him, the Earl dropped that gun on the floor. I picked it up and later gave it to the magistrate as evidence.”
“Was it an ordinary Sea Service pistol?” King’s Counsel was grasping at straws, and everyone could tell.
“Yes, my lord. In all ways but one. The butt of the pistol bore a small silver plate, with the Earl’s name and a date engraved on it. I assume he must have received it in some ceremony or other.”
The Lord High Steward was sitting with his mouth agape at this revelation.
“My lord, does the court have access to the pistol that shot Baron Roster?”
“Yes,” said the Lord High Steward. He gestured to the bailiff to get the gun from his chambers and list it as evidence.
“My lord, does the pistol bear any marks?” King’s Counsel asked the Lord High Steward.
“Yes, indeed it does, Counsel. A small silver plate, engraved with the Earl’s name and a date—I fear the print is too small for me to read the date,” the Lord High Steward said.
“The Crown rests its case against the Earl of Worthington,” said King’s Counsel.
Of course, the Lords Triers found the Earl guilty. What else could they do, after that evidence? “The fool,” said one lord to another. “Forgot that the gun he was carrying had his own name on it.”
The Lord High Steward told the Earl his punishment: death by public hanging.
Counsel for the defense came up to King’s Counsel and congratulated him on the win. Outside the courtroom, the two lawyers were, in fact, good friends, even though they each fought so hard when pitted against the other.
“That’s a smart lad you had there, that Mr. Smith,” said defense counsel. “I predict he’ll go far, given the chance. He won’t stay a pugilist all his life.”
* * *
Lady Josephine was angry when she learned that, in the end, the Earl would not hang for his crimes. His friend the Prince Regent took pity on him and commuted his sentence. The Earl was merely stripped of his Naval rank and banished for life from court.
Hermie had said, “That’s how life goes, Jo. But think of it; the Earl will probably suffer more this way than he would if he had simply been hanged. He’ll be completely ostracized, stuck down in Worthington Hall for life with his crazy mother and sisters. No honors, no glory, no one fawning over him. He’ll never be First Lord of the Admiralty now.” Hermie was probably right, Lady Josephine thought.
In any case, she wouldn’t have to marry that odious man.
