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‘Yes, sir.’ Daniel stood in Marcus fford Croft’s office on the last full day they had in which to appeal Russell Graves’ case. ‘I know we’ve cut it a little fine. There were many aspects to the case.’ He saw the look on fford Croft’s face. Should he say that he had kept Kitteridge informed? That was a cheap shot. fford Croft might see it as an attempt to shift the blame.
‘I wanted to make sure the book would not be published. It would do a great deal of damage, not only to my father, and thus Special Branch in general, but also to a great many other people, sir . . .’
fford Croft sat stone-faced. He did not like being outmanoeuvred, especially by one of his own most junior men. ‘And you did not think to tell me about all this?’
Daniel raised his chin a little higher. ‘Yes, sir, I did. But I went to Mr Kitteridge for legal advice, because if it went wrong I thought it better, and fairer, that you should be able to deny any knowledge of it.’ He met fford Croft’s eyes with some trepidation. ‘You told me you promised Mr Graves your best effort to acquit him, sir. He will be acquitted, beyond any doubt at all, of murdering his wife. You will have kept your word.’
‘And publishing the book?’ fford Croft’s eyebrows went up.
‘I don’t know if you promised my father, or Special Branch, any sort of consideration, but if you did, you will have kept your word in that, too.’
‘You’re impudent, sir,’ fford Croft said a little stiffly.
‘I’m sorry, sir. I’m very new at these complicated problems.’ Daniel kept his appearance innocent with some difficulty. He could not afford to have fford Croft think him sarcastic.
fford Croft’s face very slowly relaxed, and a smile curved his lips more and more. ‘Nonsense,’ he said. ‘You are a born conniver. One day you will make an excellent lawyer. Although I imagine you will always like the wrong cases. Don’t lead Kitteridge astray, even if he wants to go! Do you understand me?’
‘Yes, sir.’ Relief eased throughout Daniel’s aching nerves. ‘I think Mr Kitteridge will always go with the law.’
‘And you won’t?’ fford Croft raised his hand. ‘No, don’t tell me, I will affect ignorance as long as I can. So, the publisher will decide against publishing Graves’ beastly book? Are you sure?’
‘I hope so, sir. We managed to get several people whose families were implicated in it, to explain their extreme displeasure at the idea, and make it plain that these feelings might result in some very . . . costly outcomes for the publishers, should they so slander their parents, or whoever it was who was mentioned. A certain peer of the realm still carries fond memories of Lady Vespasia. Any further reference to certain people’s frailties, when it was quite unnecessary, would be similarly treated. This book would awaken a lot of . . . nasty recollections, which should be let go of.’
‘And how did you find that out, young man?’
‘A lot of detailed study, sir.’ Daniel kept his face perfectly straight.
‘And a lot of help from that scoundrel Blackwell, no doubt,’ fford Croft said wryly.
‘A little,’ Daniel admitted.
Marcus grunted. ‘Be careful who you trust, Daniel. You are very young and a good deal too idealistic.’
‘Yes, sir.’
Marcus slapped his hand on the desk. ‘Don’t “Yes, sir” me, dammit! I know there is no use warning you. I tried warning your father, and he went his own way. But while you work for fford Croft and Gibson, you’ll do as I tell you. If you don’t, you’d better be careful I don’t catch you.’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘Yes, sir, what? You’ll be careful?’
Daniel smiled sweetly. ‘Yes, sir.’ He stood a little straighter. ‘But we have a lot more to do, sir. Ebony Graves is to be charged later this morning. I have promised to represent her, sir, and I trust the charges will be withdrawn against Graves. With your permission, sir, Mr Kitteridge will be in court also, to be certain there is no error.’
‘I will be in court myself,’ fford Croft answered him. ‘This is a spectacle worth seeing. I dare say Miriam will, too. She will not forgive me if I leave her out of it. We will be there at eleven o’clock. Now get all your information in order and don’t disgrace us by making an ass of yourself, when you are this close to winning!’
‘No, sir, thank you.’ Daniel turned to leave, with a sigh of relief. Then a new burst of energy as he thought just how much there still was to prepare.
Daniel left fford Croft’s office and almost bumped into Blackwell, and his chest tightened until he could hardly breathe.
Blackwell’s face broke into a slow smile.
‘Tell me, tell me,’ Daniel demanded.
‘I went to see a certain publisher,’ Blackwell said, ‘and managed to persuade him that publishing a particular biography would be against his interests. Very much against them, indeed. It would make him a remarkable number of enemies in very powerful places. I’m happy to say I scared him out of his wits!’ His face was transformed by a dazzling smile. ‘Serve the bastard right!’
Daniel was almost too choked to speak. He took Roman’s hand and shook it. ‘Thank you! Thank you, Blackwell.’
The hearing of the appeal of Russell Graves against the sentence of death in the murder of his wife, Ebony Graves, began at eleven o’clock exactly. Kitteridge appeared for Russell Graves, who sat in the court looking ashen. He seemed at least ten years older than the last time Daniel had seen him.
