AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“From Miss Trelawny, or from you?”
This time Hillyer did rise, but the judge got there before him.
“Mr. Pitt, if you have a point, please get to it now!”
“Yes, Your Honor. Was it stolen from you, Miss Thorwood?”
She looked very pale and very young. Daniel knew that if he bullied her he would lose the jury’s sympathy entirely.
“Yes,” she stammered. “It…a man broke into my bedroom, at home in Washington, at night. He attacked me and took the pendant with the piece of crystal in it. He tore it off my neck and escaped into the hallway, outside my bedroom…” She was clearly distressed.
The jurors were concentrating entirely on her, sympathy on the faces of every one of them. This time, the judge did not interrupt.
“Do you know who did this, Miss Thorwood?” Daniel asked.
Rebecca looked wretched. She sent a begging glance in the direction of her father, or to where he had sat on Friday, but he was no longer there.
“Did you recognize him, Miss Thorwood?” Daniel persisted.
“No.”
“Did you cry out?”
“Yes.”
“And did anyone come to your assistance?”
“Yes, my father…I mean…I mean my mother was first, then my father.” She was stumbling over her words now.
“Did either of them see this man fleeing from your room? After all, he went into the corridor, not out of the window.”
“Yes…my…my mother saw him.”
Hillyer shifted in his seat but he did not stand this time.
“And did she recognize him?” Daniel asked.
“Yes.” Rebecca’s voice was little more than a whisper.
“And did she say who it was?”
Rebecca’s voice was inaudible.
The judge looked toward her. “You must answer so that we can hear you, Miss Thorwood. I realize this must be extremely unpleasant for you, but please try.”
Rebecca cleared her throat. “She said it was Philip Sidney.”
There was a rustle of movement through the gallery, and several audible gasps. There was no doubt that she had everyone’s attention now.
“Are you quite sure?” Daniel persisted. “Did you see him yourself?”
Rebecca shut her eyes. “I didn’t see him myself, just a shadow. It could have been anyone. But Mother swore it was Philip Sidney.”
“Did she swear to it? In court?”
“No, my father said he would to save her the distress of—”
“I see. Did he lay any complaints about this assault and robbery? The pendant must have been of great sentimental value to you, as a gift from Miss Trelawny while she was still alive.”
