A sudden, fearful death - Anne Perry [199]
“Slightly. He does not mix in society very much. I imagine he is too fully occupied with the practice of his art.”
“So we have heard,” Rathbone agreed. “I believe one of your duties as a governor is to make sure that the morals of the nurses employed there are above reproach.”
Hardie sighed impatiently. One of the jurors had his eyes closed.
“That would be impossible,” Berenice said with a curl of contempt. “All I can do is see that their behavior is acceptable while actually in the hospital premises.”
There was a titter of amusement around the room. The juror opened his eyes again.
Judge Hardie leaned forward.
“Mr. Rathbone, you are covering ground which is already exceedingly well trodden. If you have a point, come to it!”
“Yes, my lord. I apologize. Lady Ross Gilbert, have you at any time in your dealings with the nurses had one of them make a complaint of any sort against Sir Herbert?”
“No. I think I said that before.” She was frowning, beginning to look anxious.
“To your knowledge his relationships with women have always been strictly professional?”
“Yes.”
“Morally without blemish?” he insisted.
“Well …” A flicker of surprise crossed her face, and then sudden perception.
Hardie frowned, looking at her.
In the dock Sir Herbert’s certainly wavered.
“Have they, or have they not, Lady Ross Gilbert?” Rathbone demanded, an edge of keenness to his voice.
“That depends upon your interpretation of morality,” she replied. Never once did she glance toward Monk on the public benches, or Hester beside him.
Everyone was listening now, straining not to miss a word or an inflection.
“In what category of morality do you find the question difficult to answer?” Hardie asked her, twisting sideways to face her. “Remember you are on oath, madam.”
Rathbone made a last attempt to save his own reputation.
“Are you saying he had an affair with someone, Lady Ross Gilbert?” He invested the tone with surprise and disbelief.
Someone in the gallery coughed and was instantly hissed into silence.
“No,” Berenice answered.
“Then what are you saying?” Hardie looked confused. “Please make yourself plain!”
Now there was total silence in the room. Every face was turned toward her. Rathbone did not dare to interrupt again in case she lost the opportunity. He might not be able to offer her another.
Still she hesitated.
Sir Herbert leaned over the edge of the dock railing, his face tight, the first flicker of real fear touching him.
“Have you some charge of immorality to bring against Sir Herbert?” Rathbone heard his voice rising with pretended outrage. “You had better make it, madam, or cease these insinuations!”
“I am on oath,” she said very quietly, looking at no one. “I know that he performed abortions upon many women, at a price. I know it for a fact, because I was the person who referred them to him for help.”
There was utter, prickling soundlessness. No one moved. There was not even a sigh of breath.
Rathbone did not dare look up at the dock. He pretended disbelief.
“What?”
“I was the person who referred them to him for help,” she repeated slowly and very clearly. “I suppose you would have to say that is immoral. It might be questionable, done for charity—but for payment …” She let the words hang in the air.
Hardie was staring at Berenice.
“This is of the utmost seriousness, Lady Ross Gilbert. Do you have any conception of the meaning of what you have just said?”
“I believe so.”
“And yet when you came in the witness stand before, you said nothing of this!”
“I did not need to. I was not asked.”
His eyes narrowed. “Are you telling us, madam, that you are so naive that you had no idea of the importance of this evidence?”
“It did not seem to be relevant,” she replied, her voice trembling a little. “The prosecution charged that Nurse Barrymore had tried to force Sir Herbert into marrying her. I know that was absurd. She would never have done anything of the sort. Nor would he have behaved in such a way. I knew it then, and I know it now.”
In the dock Sir Herbert was ashen, looking