"Call the next witness," Goddard said, as though to maintain some sort of initiative, and Jenkins called for Wagstaffe, who had been kept on board overnight in custody.
Ramage asked him preliminary questions establishing his role on board the Calypso up to the time she went alongside the Jason. Goddard did not object to any of the routine questions, then Ramage asked: "When you boarded the Jason with me, what opposition did you meet?"
"Wait!" snapped Goddard, but Ramage immediately interrupted.
"Sir, may I suggest you hear the witness's answer before objecting?"
Realizing that he was leaving himself open by not agreeing, Goddard nodded, but slewed his body round so that he could stare at Wagstaffe.
The young lieutenant said: "There was no opposition at all."
"Where were the officers?"
"I did not see -"
"Stop," Goddard said. "There is no opposition so any further question on that point is irrelevant."
"I want it noted in the minutes that I am not allowed to question this witness properly - sir."
Goddard shrugged. "If you can't frame your questions properly, that's your affair. It might have helped had you first written them down."
That none of the officers were on deck, that all the guns' crews were crouched beside their guns, that Shirley was standing there in a long black coat - Ramage knew there was no hope of getting any evidence about this past Goddard, yet that (and what he saw for the rest of the voyage to England) was what made Wagstaffe's evidence vital. Vital but impossible to have recorded in the minutes of the trial.
Ramage said no more, so that his last request still stood, although Goddard appeared to be ignoring it, impatiently gesturing to Wagstaffe to sign the minutes, having asked Shirley if he had any questions and receiving a dismissive reply.
Southwick was the next witness, but like Aitken he was prevented from giving any evidence about the broadside: Goddard was ready with several objections. Like Wagstaffe, the master was stopped from describing the absence of officers from the Jason's deck. Finally Ramage said: "I have no more questions to ask this witness that would be permitted by the president of the court."
"My dear fellow," Goddard said blandly, "ask what questions you wish; just make sure that, as laid down in the court-martial statutes, they are relevant to the charges - after all, there are enough charges ..."
There was no more point. Ramage decided as Southwick signed the minutes. All the evidence allowed would, like Goddard's manner whenever challenged, be bland. The other lieutenants, Paolo, Jackson, Stafford - whatever they said about the broadside would be disallowed so there was no point in calling them. In fact, that was the end of the defence. There remained only for him to make his defence statement.
Yet, he suddenly remembered, there was one witness who would be very offended if not called to give evidence.
Ramage said: "I wish to change my list of witnesses. May I be allowed to amend it?"
Goddard nodded and Ramage walked down to the end of the table. Jenkins gave him the list and handed him the pen. Ramage scored all through the names except one, added a few letters to it, and returned to his chair.
"Are you ready?" Goddard inquired, and when Ramage nodded he told Jenkins impatiently: "Call the next witness."
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Jenkins hesitated for several moments, reading his list a second time, and Goddard tapped the table impatiently with his signet ring.
"Mr Jenkins, next witness!"
The deputy judge advocate turned towards the door, where the Marine sentry waited to repeat the name. "Call Miss Alexis Yorke," he said.
Goddard swung round to Ramage. "Who is this woman? What on earth has she got to do with this case?"
"She is a defence witness, sir," Ramage said, "and it would be quite improper for me to anticipate her evidence."
"Very well, have her sworn."
So, Ramage realized, Goddard did not remember the family name, and he was glad she and Sidney had sat apart. Nor did Goddard remember Sidney from Port Royal, Jamaica, and of course he had never seen or heard of Alexis before.
When Alexis walked into the great cabin, Ramage realized that most if not all of the court had previously only seen her at a distance across the cabin, sitting down in the rows of chairs for spectators, and then when she left the cabin. None of them - at least, not Goddard and presumably not the captains - had realized why Alexis was in the cabin. He guessed that they had assumed that she was the wife (a fiancée would need a chaperone) or mistress of someone interested in the trial. The thought of Alexis as a mistress was - he brushed the picture aside and watched her.
Goddard was impressed: he was already standing, a reassuring smile on his face. He gestured towards the chair which had been pushed to one side by the preceding witnesses. "If Miss Yorke will be seated there," he said. "We have one or two formalities to go through first."
Jenkins bustled round holding both the Bible and a Crucifix, and then had to scuttle back to collect the card on which the oath was written. Then obviously he decided to use one of the alternative forms, which did not require the witness to recite, and then remembered that he had not read all the details of the accused's list of witnesses. Finally he walked round to Alexis, who saw what he was carrying and stood up.
"Madam, do you subscribe to -"
"I belong to the Established Church," she said quietly, and took the proffered Bible in her right hand, holding it up.
Jenkins, more used to dealing with truculent, deliberately obstructive or stupid seamen, smiled encouragingly.
"Are you Miss Alexis Aureelia Yorke?"
"I am Alexis Aurelia Yorke," she said, quietly correcting the pronunciation of her second name.
"A spinster living at Bexley in Kent?"
"I am a spinster," Alexis agreed. Ramage could see she was puzzled over the address, since she and her brother owned homes in Barbados, Jamaica and London as well as Bexley.
"I have a home in Bexley," she said finally, "but I travel a good deal."
The point of the answer was lost on Jenkins, who took a deep breath and said: "Do you swear upon the Holy Evangelist that the evidence you shall give before the court, respecting the charge against the prisoner, shall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?"
"Oh indeed!" exclaimed a startled Alexis. "I mean, yes, it will."
Jenkins took back the Bible and returned to his seat while a smiling Goddard invited Alexis to be seated again.
Ramage was ready for Goddard's next move.
"Miss Yorke, as president of the court it is usual for me to ask questions of the witness, so my first question is if you know anything of the circumstances of the charges made against the prisoner?"
"The prisoner? No, I don't think I know anything about the prisoner."
Goddard gave Ramage a triumphant smirk. "Then, madam, would you mind telling the court why you are here?"
"Oh yes, that is quite simple. I am here to give evidence about Captain Lord Ramage - the gentleman sitting there."
Goddard swallowed hard, for a moment put about by the sudden use of Ramage's title, which would be normal enough in private life, but he failed to keep a sneer from his voice and a smile from his face: "But he is the prisoner."
"My goodness," Alexis said, "such a brave officer made a prisoner. Tell me, Admiral, have you ever read any of the London Gazettes when they print some of his despatches?"
Goddard's smile was trying to bolt, but he held on to it as best he could. "Madam," he said with icy politeness, "this is a court of law, and I have to ask you the questions."