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“Yes, that needs a little explaining,” Tobias replied. “Apparently it was brought in by a man who took it in a gambling debt, the evening after it was stolen.”
Patrick frowned. “But apparently Sidney didn’t leave the British Embassy after you reported the assault. This can’t be true…or at least it can’t be entirely true.”
Tobias bit his lip. “That’s the point, I’m afraid. This young man worked at the British Embassy. He took it in payment from Philip Sidney, then finally had to pawn it for cash. I’m afraid it seals the question as to Sidney’s guilt. Not that any of us doubted it.”
Patrick leaned forward, his face creased with anxiety. “So, what are you going to testify to? It still has nothing to do with the embezzlement. All this man at the embassy could swear to is that Sidney gave him a pendant in payment of a gambling debt.”
Jemima looked at Patrick. She tried to read his expression. Was this young man Morley Cross, who had been shot? In which case they had only the pawnbroker’s word for any of this. Patrick did not look vindicated at all; rather, he looked even further troubled. Was he pleased? Was he sorry for Sidney? It was not fully a moment of triumph, to judge by his expression. It was not a victory at all.
Patrick’s frown deepened. “How are you going to bring that in? In fact, why is the prosecution calling you at all? If Hillyer bends the rules, which, watching him, I can’t see him doing—”
“Character witness,” Tobias said simply. “And if by some chance he doesn’t, your fellow Kitteridge can. That might be better.”
“Difficult,” Patrick said. “That would make him look like an idiot. Seem as if he were deliberately sabotaging his own client.”
“That’s why Tobias wants it to be Hillyer,” Bernadette said patiently. She turned to Patrick after a quick glance at Jemima, and then away again. “I’m afraid we will take Kitteridge by surprise, but if Hillyer asks, we must answer.” She smiled with deep satisfaction.
Somehow, Jemima found it chilling. She tried to put herself in Bernadette’s place; imagined it had been Cassie hurt. Would she then have felt that throb of triumph? Why didn’t she? The pendant turning up, traceable through a gambling debt directly to Sidney, was just what they needed. Maybe the pawnbroker had already identified the man who brought it in as Morley Cross from a photograph of him. Daniel would not doubt Sidney’s guilt after that! Would they then bring in Morley Cross’s part in handing over the embezzled expenses? Was that what they were waiting for? It would tie it all together.
“What will you do?” Jemima asked. “Appear for Hillyer, and very reluctantly admit that you are now in a position to condemn Sidney’s character utterly? And since the pendant was to pay gambling debts, you find it not difficult to believe he also stole…and…killed?”
Under the table, Patrick’s fingers tightened over hers. He knew she did not want Sidney to be guilty—possibly because he was Daniel’s client.
Tobias was staring at her. “Killed! What on earth are you talking about?”
The color burned up her face. There was no escaping it. She had totally trapped herself. They were all staring at her. “I’m sorry,” she murmured to Patrick, then she looked at Tobias. “The man who you believe pawned the pendant. He was found dead, in the Potomac. That surely has to be connected, doesn’t it?”
Bernadette looked suddenly pale.
“I’m afraid it does,” Tobias agreed. He sounded relieved.
“You will have to tell the whole story,” Jemima began, looking across at Rebecca.
Rebecca winced. She turned to her father. “Do you have to, Papa? Can’t you just say it was stolen?”
“If he is even competent, never mind clever, Hillyer will ask details,” Patrick warned. “He won’t just accept it.”
“Can’t Daniel stop him from pressing it?” Rebecca asked, looking at Jemima.
“I’ll tell him,” she replied. “But if Hillyer is going to raise the subject, Daniel and Kitteridge have to challenge it if they can.”
“Do they?” Bernadette said sharply. “Won’t they only be making it worse for their client? It will be, you know. This was a very serious charge. Not some petty theft!” Her face was full of emotion. Jemima could see she was breathing rapidly and a little shakily, and she felt a wave of compassion sweep over her.
“I can point out to Daniel the damage that will do. Or to Kitteridge, if he is handling it. Damage not just to Rebecca, but to Sidney, who is, after all, his client. People will hate Sidney for it. He might get a far heavier sentence. I believe judges have some latitude but he might choose the heaviest sentence he can.”
She was surprised to see Tobias look troubled. He glanced at his wife, then his daughter.
Patrick was watching him; then he turned to Jemima.
“For goodness’ sake,” Jemima said impatiently, “no harm has been done yet. If you’re uncertain about it, it will make people doubt you.” She was looking at Tobias.
He flushed a dull, painful color and looked away.
Bernadette turned to Patrick. “It was actually I who heard Rebecca scream,” she stated firmly. “I am a lighter sleeper than Tobias is. I gathered my robe from the hook on the door and went out into the passage. I saw a man coming out of Rebecca’s room. I screamed to waken Tobias. The man turned and ran. I admit…” She gulped.
Tobias put his hand on her arm gently.
“I was very shaken,” she continued. “I ran to Rebecca’s room, terrified of what I might find. I imagined all sorts of things. But she was all right. I mean, she wasn’t injured…or worse. Only shocked and very frightened. And there was a red ring around her throat where Aunt May’s pendant had bee
