Emma couldn’t bring herself to look at the jury. Giles did, to find they were hanging on Virginia’s every word.
Sir Edward lowered his voice, like a great thespian demanding silence before he delivered his closing line. “Let me finally ask you, Lady Virginia, if you have any regrets about issuing this libel writ against Mrs. Clifton?”
“Yes, I do, Sir Edward. The tragic and unnecessary death of my dear friend, Major Alex Fisher, makes the outcome of this trial unimportant. If by withdrawing this action I could have saved his life, I would have done so without hesitation.” She turned to the jury, took a handkerchief from her sleeve, and dabbed away an imaginary tear.
“I am sorry you have been put through this ordeal, Lady Virginia, so soon after the death of your friend and advisor Major Fisher. No more questions, my lady.”
If they had been alone together in chambers, Trelford would have congratulated his learned friend on a quite masterful cross-examination. He opened his file to see the words Giles had advised, written at the top of the first page. MAKE HER LOSE HER TEMPER. He then looked down at his first question, newly minted.
“Lady Virginia,” he said, emphasizing the word “lady,” “you told the court of your admiration for Mrs. Clifton, and your devotion to her brother Sir Giles Barrington, but despite that, you didn’t invite a single member of the Barrington or Clifton families to attend your wedding to Sir Giles.”
“That was a shared decision, Mr. Trelford. Giles felt every bit as strongly about it as I did.”
“If that is the case, Lady Virginia, perhaps you could explain your father’s words at the time of the wedding, recorded in the Daily Express by William Hickey: My daughter was ready to call off the whole thing if Giles hadn’t agreed to her demands.”
“Gossip column tittle-tattle, written to sell newspapers, Mr. Trelford. Frankly, I’m surprised you feel the need to resort to such tactics.”
Sir Edward couldn’t resist a smile. His client had clearly seen that one coming.
“And later, in your evidence,” said Trelford, moving swiftly on, “you went on to blame Mrs. Clifton for your divorce.”
“She can be a very determined woman,” said Virginia, “as I’m sure you yourself have discovered.”
“But surely your divorce had nothing to do with Mrs. Clifton, but was rather caused by the quarrels you had with your husband about him being cut out of his mother’s will?”
“That is not true, Mr. Trelford. Giles’s inheritance never interested me. I married him for richer, for poorer, and frankly, since you mention it, I was richer than he was.”
This caused enough laughter in court for the judge to scowl menacingly down from her bench.
“So it wasn’t you who insisted that Sir Giles should issue a writ against his own sister, disputing the validity of his mother’s will? That was another shared decision?”
“No, that was Giles’s decision. I think I advised against it at the time.”
“Perhaps you’d like to reconsider that answer, Lady Virginia, as I can always call Sir Giles as a witness, and ask him to set the record straight.”
“Well, I admit that I felt Giles had been treated rather shabbily by his family, and that he had the right at least to question the validity of his mother’s will, as it had been rewritten while the poor lady was in hospital, only days before she died.”
“And what was the court’s decision on that occasion?”
“The judge came down in favor of Mrs. Clifton.”
“No, Lady Virginia, he did not. I have Mr. Justice Cameron’s judgement to hand. He ruled that the will was valid, and that Mrs. Clifton’s mother was of sound mind when she executed it. Which is particularly relevant, considering what she had to say about you at the time.”
Sir Edward was quickly on his feet.
“Mr. Trelford,” said the judge sharply, before Sir Edward could offer an opinion, “we have already traveled down that road and it came to a dead end. Do I make myself clear?”
“I apologize, my lady. Would you have any objection to my asking Lady Virginia if I could read out—”
“Yes, I would, Mr. Trelford. Move on,” she said sharply.
Trelford glanced across at the jury. As it was clear from the looks on their faces they had ignored the judge’s instruction not to read any newspaper reports of the case and must have been well aware of what Mrs. Clifton’s mother thought of Lady Virginia, he was happy to obey the judge’s wishes and to move on.
“Lady Virginia, are you aware that despite the learned judge’s ruling in favor of Mrs. Clifton and her sister, Dr. Grace Barrington, they both agreed that their brother could go on living at their family home in Gloucestershire, as well as at the London house in Smith Square, while Mrs. Clifton and her husband continued to reside at their more modest Manor House?”
“I have no idea what Giles’s domestic arrangements were after I divorced him for adultery, let alone what Mrs. Clifton was up to.”
“You had no idea what Mrs. Clifton was up to,” repeated Mr. Trelford. “In which case, Lady Virginia, you must have either a very short or a very selective memory, because only a few moments ago you told the jury how much you admired Mrs. Clifton. Allow me to remind you of your exact words.” He slowly turned back a page of his file. “‘Emma has many admirable qualities, and has unquestionably been an outstanding chairman of a public company, making her a role model for aspiring professional women.’ That wasn’t always your opinion, was it, Lady Virginia?”
“My opinion of Mrs. Clifton has not changed, and I stand by what I said.”
“Did you purchase seven and a half percent of Barrington’s stock?”
“Major Fisher did on my behalf.”
“For what purpose?”
“As a long-term investment.”
“And not because you wanted to take a seat on the board of the company?”
“No. Major Fisher, as you well know, represented my interests on the board.”
“Not in 1958 he didn’t, because in that year you turned up at an Extraordinary General Meeting of Barrington’s in Bristol, claiming your right to sit on the board and to vote on who should be the company’s next chairman. For the record, Lady Virginia, who did you vote for?”
“I voted for Major Fisher.”
“Or do you mean you voted against Mrs. Clifton?”
“Certainly not. I listened to both their presentations most carefully and decided on balance in favor of Major Fisher, rather than Mrs. Clifton.”
“Well then, clearly you have forgotten what you said on that occasion, but as it was recorded in the minutes of the meeting, allow me to remind you. I don’t believe that women were put on earth to chair boards, take on trade union leaders, build luxury liners, or have to raise vast sums of money from bankers in the City of London. Hardly a ringing endorsement for aspiring professional women.”
“Perhaps you should read on, Mr. Trelford, and not be quite so selective in your quotations.”
Trelford looked beyond the paragraph he’d underlined, and hesitated.
Mrs. Justice Lane gave him a nudge. “I would like to hear what else Lady Virginia had to say on that occasion.”
“And so would I,” said Sir Edward, loud enough for everyone in court to hear.
Trelford reluctantly read out the next couple of lines. “I shall be supporting Major Fisher, and I only hope that Mrs. Clifton will accept the major’s generous offer to serve as his deputy.” Mr. Trelford looked up.
“Please keep going, Mr. Trelford,” prompted Lady Virginia.
“I came here with an open mind, willing to give her the benefit of the doubt, but sadly she has not lived up to my expectations.”