A sudden, fearful death - Anne Perry [163]
“Good morning, Rathbone,” he said as soon as the cell door was closed. “This morning is our turn. How do you propose to begin? It seems to me that Lovat-Smith has far from a perfect case. He has not proved it was me. Nor can he ever; and he has certainly not proved it was not Taunton or Beck, or even Miss Cuthbertson, let alone anyone else. What is your plan of action?” He might have been discussing an interesting medical operation in which he had no personal stake, except for a certain tightness in the muscles of his neck and an awkwardness in his shoulders.
Rathbone did not argue with anything he had said, even though he doubted it had the importance Sir Herbert attached to it. Quite apart from any motives of compassion, for all practical reasons it was most important that Sir Herbert should maintain his appearance of calm and assurance. Fear would convey itself to the jury, and they might very easily equate fear with guilt. Why should an innocent man be afraid of their judgment?
“I shall call you to the stand first,” he said aloud, forcing himself to smile as if he had every confidence. “I shall give you the opportunity to deny having had any personal relationship with Prudence at all, and of course to deny having killed her. I would also like to be able to mention one or two specific incidents which she may have misunderstood.” He watched Sir Herbert closely. “Simply to say in a general way that she daydreamed or twisted reality will not do.”
“I have been trying to remember,” Sir Herbert protested earnestly, his narrow eyes on Rathbone’s. “But for Heaven’s sake I can’t remember trivial comments passed in the course of business! I can’t remember being more than civil to her. Of course I passed the odd word of praise—she more than warranted it. She was a damned good nurse.”
Rathbone remained silent, pulling a very slight face.
“Good God man!” Sir Herbert exploded, turning on his heel as if he would pace, but the walls of the cell confined him, bringing him up sharply. “Can you remember every casual word you pass to your clerks and juniors? It is just my misfortune I work largely with women. Perhaps one shouldn’t?” His tone was suddenly savage. “But nursing is a job best done by women, and I daresay we could not find reliable men willing and able to do it.” His voice rose a tone, and then another, and through long experience Rathbone knew it was panic just below the surface, every now and again jutting through the thin skin of control. He had seen it so often before, and as always he felt a stab of pity and another heavy drag of the weight of his own responsibility.
He put his hands in his pockets and stood a trifle more casually.
“I strongly advise you not to say anything of that sort on the stand. Remember that the jurors are ordinary people, and almost certainly hold medicine in some awe, and very little understanding. And after Miss Nightingale, who is a national heroine, whatever you think of her, her nurses are heroines also. Don’t appear to criticize Prudence, even obliquely. That is the most important single piece of advice I can give you. If you do, you can resign yourself to conviction.”
Sir Herbert stared at him, his bright intelligent eyes very clear. “Of course,” he said quietly. “Yes, of course I understand that.”
“And answer only what I ask you, add nothing whatever. Is that absolutely clear?”
“Yes—yes, of course, if you say so.”
“And don’t underestimate Lovat-Smith. He may look like a traveling actor, but he is one of the best lawyers in England. Don’t let him goad you into saying more than you have to in order to answer the question exactly. He’ll flatter you, make you angry, challenge you intellectually if he thinks it will make you forget yourself. Your impression on the jury is the most important weapon you have. He knows that as well as I do.”
Sir Herbert looked pale, a furrow of anxiety sharp between his brows. He stared at Rathbone as if weighing him for some inner judgment.
“I shall be careful,” he said at last. “Thank you for your counsel.”
Rathbone straightened up and held out his