"On several occasions in Paris, and again in Vienna," Isobel replied, her voice quavering.
"Harlots and debauch!" someone cried from the gallery.
Mr Bott glared at the crowd and struck the table with a small mallet provided for this purpose. "Silence!" His head, so like a sparrow"s, turned sharply towards the Countess. "And these would have been on what dates, my lady?"
Isobel reflected, her gaze distracted. "In early September and again at mid-November, I should say, sir."
"But this was not an ailment the Earl combated daily." Mr. Bott"s hand moved swiftly over his parchment.
"It was not during the period of our marriage, a.s.suredly."
"Did you consider your husband to be in good health when you married him, my lady?"
"The Earl was a vigourous man of excellent aspect." Isobel spoke in so low an accent as to be almost inaudible. "I antic.i.p.ated a long and fruitful life in his company." Her eyes drifted to where Fitzroy Payne sat, splendidly elegant in dark coat and breeches; I saw him smile encouragement, and hoped that the jury did not observe the exchange.
"Though he was a gentleman some"-at this, Mr. Bott peered narrowly at a paper before his nose-"six-and-twenty years your senior?"
"Married him for his fortune, she did," came another voice from behind me.
Tom Hearst started to his feet and looked about the room, his indignation on his face. To my relief, I saw his brother George reach a restraining hand to his elbow, and with unconcealed reluctance the Lieutenant regained his seat.
"Silence!" Sir William Reynolds bellowed, his aspect furious. The muttering died away, and the coroner returned to Isobel. "Pray reply to the question, my lady."
Isobel drew breath. She looked down at her clasped hands. "My husband"s energy was high and his appearance youthful, despite his years. I did not antic.i.p.ate his pa.s.sing so soon."
Mr. Bott sniffed, and peered at Isobel with sharp eyes. "Do you recall, my lady," he said slowly, "what the late Earl of Scargrave consumed the evening of his death?"
"He partook of the repast laid for the ball, as did all our guests. It included such victuals as roast beef, a variety of vegetables, roast goose and pudding, pasties and oysters; for drink we had a spiced mulled punch and claret." At this, my friend sought my eyes, her own filled with doubt. "I cannot think what else."
"And how many guests did you entertain that evening, my lady?"
"Some hundred from London and the surrounding country."
Mr. Bott paused before the next question, and looked significantly at the jury. "And you will swear, my lady, that all partook of the same food as the Earl?"
"I must believe it to be probable," Isobel replied. "I myself was handed a dish by my husband; and that he had fetched mine in the same span as fetching his own, I know to be true."
"And did your husband betray any sign of indisposition while the ball held sway?"
The Countess hesitated, and Mr. Bott leaned forward expectantly. "He was in excellent form and spirits for some hours," Isobel told him, "but was overcome after midnight by severe dyspepsia, having drunk down a gla.s.s of claret in toasting my health." Her voice faltered, and I keenly felt all her distress. "We bore him to his rooms. I bade our guests farewell."
f.a.n.n.y Delahoussaye"s attention was clearly wandering, like a child"s in the midst of the vicar"s lengthy sermon; her blond head drifted around the room, seeking an object worthy of her interest, until recalled to dignity by a pinch from her mother.
"And did his lordship then request anything further?" Mr. Bott continued.
"He asked for a milk toddy and sweetmeats, in hopes that it might settle his stomach."
The coroner fairly pounced. "Did you partake of either my lady?"
"I did not, sir."
"Did any in the household?"
"I do not believe so."
Fitzroy Payne"s brows were knit in perturbation. As I gazed at the Earl, Tom Hearst leaned towards him and whispered something in his ear. Beyond them sat Mr. George Hearst, so clearly absorbed in his own thoughts that he must have heard little of what pa.s.sed before him. He might better have escorted restive f.a.n.n.y back to the Manor, since neither was engaged by the proceedings.
Mr. Bott"s dry voice demanded my attention. "And who, my lady, a.s.sembled the plate of sweetmeats?"
"The plate and toddy were brought to my husband by my late maid, Marguerite."
"Were you within the room at this time, my lady?"
"I was, sir, attending to my husband"s comfort."
"And was anyone else of the household permitted into your presence?"
"All but the maid had sought their beds."
"Indeed. The maid, your ladyship says." Mr. Bott looked to his jury with a barely perceptible nod. "And did Lord Scargrave consume his sweetmeats and milk, my lady?"
"He did."
"And did his condition improve?"
Isobel hesitated, and looked for me.
"Did it improve his condition, Lady Scargrave?"
"It did not," Isobel said faintly. "Within a very short time, he progressed from pain to vomiting, and his deterioration was swift."
"How short a time?"
"A quarter-hour, perhaps a half-hour; I could not undertake to say."
"And when did you send for Dr. Pettigrew?"
"The village surgeon we a.s.sayed first, believing the Earl"s illness to be of a common nature; but within an hour the man declared himself unfit for the management of his lordship"s case. It was then decided that we should send for Dr. Pettigrew."
The memory of that terrible night overcame me-the Earl"s moans banishing sleep from the house, and my own fearful shuddering as I lay alone in the ma.s.sive mahogany bed, awaiting Isobel"s summons.
"What hour of the clock would this have been?"
"I should put it at about half-past one." Isobel swayed slightly in her chair, and then recovered; but that the strain of public exposure told upon her was evident.
"And Dr. Pettigrew has testified that he arrived before dawn."
"I believe it was nearly five o"clock. By that time I had roused my dear friend, Miss Austen, who kindly sat vigil with me by his lordship"s bedside."
At this, the coroner"s sharp eyes fell upon me, and I blushed-cursing my susceptible cheeks all the while.
"And your husband pa.s.sed away not long thereafter?"
Isobel dropped her gaze. "He was dead at sunrise."
A shifting among the chairs of the jury; I studied the twelve men"s faces, and read discomfort in their souls. Behind me the a.s.sembled townsfolk began to murmur.
Mr. Bott once more took up his mallet, and achieved a disgruntled peace. "I would ask you, Lady Scargrave, whether you recognise the item I am now presenting to you." He held out a fine sc.r.a.p of lawn.
"I do," Isobel said steadily.
"And could you name it for the jury?"
My friend"s eyelids fluttered and she drew a shaky breath. "It is a handkerchief of Swiss lawn, embroidered with my initials, and forming one of a dozen purchased with my wedding clothes in Bond Street last August."
"Thank you, my lady. You may stand down."
I saw all too clearly what the pinch-faced man at the long table intended; he had shown the jury as plain as day that the Earl had eaten nothing that others had not consumed as well but for the sweetmeats; and that these were administered in his wife"s presence only-excepting the maid, who was now dead. Further elucidation was hardly necessary.
Next to be called was Sir William himself; and he described for the jury"s edification the anonymous letters, not neglecting to advise them that it was Lady Scargrave herself who had summoned him with news of the first-a point, I thought, that should be taken in Isobel"s favour; for had she guilt to hide, surely she should have as soon burnt the note as called the magistrate? The townsfolk at my back knew of the letter nailed to the door of the very tavern in which we sat; but the intelligence of two other two other threatening notes, received by the Countess and held in secret, fell upon them with all the suddenness of a spring storm. threatening notes, received by the Countess and held in secret, fell upon them with all the suddenness of a spring storm.
Mr. Bott made swift work of their startled e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.i.o.ns and flurried conversation. His hammer rose and fell. Then he turned to my friend the magistrate, and sniffed audibly. "The first note, Sir William, instructed her ladyship that the second should be sent to you?"
"It did."
"And when the Countess summoned you to Scargrave the very day of her husband"s interment"-how imperious and unfeeling the odious little man made Isobel seem-"she declared herself convinced that the maid was the author of the letters, and entreated your help?"
"She did." Sir William sought my eyes, and must have read my indignation in them, for his own dropped to his lap, abashed.
And so there we had it, courtesy of Mr. Eliahu Bott-the Countess was cunning, indeed. Aware that the second letter with its d.a.m.ning accusations must certainly fall into Sir William"s hands, and unable to antic.i.p.ate its effect, Isobel had cleverly a.s.sumed a guise of sincere bewilderment and named the maid as her accuser. I felt my hopes of any any of my friend"s actions being placed in a favourable light, as unlikely of gratification; and suddenly despaired of her future. of my friend"s actions being placed in a favourable light, as unlikely of gratification; and suddenly despaired of her future.
For the first time, f.a.n.n.y Delahoussaye seemed aware of the cruel drama played out before her; her blond curls were bent to Madame"s ear, plying her with questions. Her mother"s face was grim, and her black eyes snapped. Fitzroy Payne was in an agony of restless dread to judge by his expression; his arms were folded over his chest, his countenance was stormy, and he looked almost as threatening as Beelzebub himself. That he longed to throw the offending coroner the length of the kingdom, I readily discerned, and prayed his better self should master the impulse.
The next witness caused a sensation in the tavern-room, being a stranger to all present, and bearing with him something of the incensed and sacred; he was declared to be Dr. Percival Grant, and once sworn, he turned a benign and cherubic face upon the a.s.sembly, as though invited to join a picnic on the lawn.
"Dr. Grant, to what university do you belong?"
"I am a tutor at Cambridge, my good sir, and attached to Christ College."
"And what is your field of scholarly interest?"
"I have made botany botany my life"s work, with a particular interest in the tropic plants of South America and Africa." my life"s work, with a particular interest in the tropic plants of South America and Africa."
A stir of amazement greeted this, and a general puzzlement as to the man"s purpose in these proceedings.
Mr. Bott produced a folded piece of linen with all the majesty of a conjurer. "Can you name for us the seeds which I now place before you, Dr Grant?"
The cheerful gentleman leaned forward eagerly. "They are the nuts of die Barbadoes tree, which is found in the West Indies, in some parts of South America, and in parts of Africa as well."
"And have you seen these nuts before?"
"I a.s.sume them to be the same ones presented to me for a.n.a.lysis by Sir William Reynolds."
Another wave of sound as the crowd began to heed the direction of Mr. Bott"s questions.
"And after studying them, what did you conclude?" the coroner enquired, his quill at a rakish angle.
"That they were indeed Barbadoes nuts."
"And what is the effect of Barbadoes nuts on the human body, Dr. Grant?"
The scholar cherub smiled all around. "They are a severe toxin, my good sir; and when taken even in small quant.i.ties, will produce death in very little time."
The buzz of conjecture behind my chair was so fierce as to make my cheeks burn with consciousness. I heard Isobel sigh beside me, and felt all the depth of her despair. Fitzroy Payne reached a hand to her elbow, but she leaned away from him, and sought support on my shoulder.
Mr. Bott"s eyes were on the Countess as he posed his next question. "Is the Barbadoes nut to be found on the island of Barbadoes, Dr. Grant?"
The professor laughed aloud, as though the coroner had posed a very good joke. "From the name which they bear; my dear fellow, could one doubt it?"
After this, he was obliged to sit down, and Sir William was recalled.
"Could you explain to the jury how you came by these Barbadoes nuts?"
Sir William turned to the twelve men, whose faces grew graver by the hour, and inclined his white head. "I found them among the personal belongings of a member of the Scargrave household."
"And how came you to search the belongings of any in that house?"
"I was requested to do so in the third and final note penned by the maid Marguerite, which bore her signature and was nailed to the door of this tavern," Sir William replied soberly. "The note having appeared on the same day as her body was discovered, I thought it wise to explore all possible paths."
Eliahu Bott"s small eyes gleamed with antic.i.p.ation. "And where exactly were the nuts disposed, Sir William?"
"I found them wrapped in a square of velvet in the pistol case belonging to Fitzroy, Lord Scargrave."
Mr. Bott was obliged to exert himself with the gavel, an effort to restore order that for several moments must be declared to have been in vain. Isobel leaned heavily against me, all but overcome. I looked for Tom Hearst, and saw him again on his feet, his mouth open in a cry of protest that went unheard in the general melee. At last the coroner rose from his chair and threw all the strength of his small frame into a demand for silence, his eyes on Fitzroy Payne. The eighth Earl of Scargrave retained a remarkable composure throughout, though from knowing him a little, I could guess at the painful tumult of his thoughts.
Mr. Bott turned avidly to Sir William. "And what did you then, sir?"
"I ordered the body of the late Earl exhumed from its tomb."
This was no news to the jury or the a.s.sembled townsfolk; they had seen the grim business in Scargrave Close churchyard but a few days before, and doubtless tossed it among themselves over countless tankards of ale. The coroner dismissed Sir William and recalled Dr. Pettigrew.
"Now, sir," Mr. Bott said, running a pink tongue over dry lips, "will you describe for us the further examination of the deceased?"
"I removed the stomach and examined the contents," Dr. Pettigrew said, impervious to a feminine shriek sent up by f.a.n.n.y Delahoussaye.
"And what did they tell you?"
"They retained still the evidence of the Earl"s having ingested a large quant.i.ty of Barbadoes nuts," the doctor said evenly.