Goddard waved cheerfully to Jenkins. "Have the prisoner brought in."
Lieutenant Hill led Ramage to his chair, and when Ramage, after bowing politely to the court, took his seat, Hill sat down behind him.
Goddard spoke the preliminary words declaring the court in session and was just about to call on Captain Shirley to begin his statement when he heard a chair scrape and turned to see Ramage on his feet.
"Well?" Goddard asked coldly. "What now?"
"I have two more witnesses to call before closing my defence, sir," Ramage said politely.
Goddard raised his eyebrows in feigned surprise. "I thought you'd already called your last witness, that young lady. You made a rather melodramatic gesture of crossing out all the other names on your list. Since you crossed out the names, the court is satisfied that it has heard all the witnesses you requested. Jenkins, my understanding of it is correct, is it not? You have no outstanding witnesses waiting to give evidence for Captain Ramage?"
"Indeed not, sir," Jenkins said unctuously.
Ramage walked the length of the table and put a sheet of paper on the table in front of Jenkins. "Two fresh witnesses," he said.
Without looking down, Jenkins waited for Goddard who said, before Ramage returned to his seat: "Too late, far too late. A trial would drag on for a month if the court allowed the defence to keep on producing witnesses. Captain Ramage should know," he added in a patronizing voice, "that that is the reason why the deputy judge advocate writes to the accused before the trial to ask for a complete list of defence witnesses."
Without sitting down, Ramage said: "With respect, sir, there is nothing in the court-martial statutes that forbids the calling of extra witnesses should further evidence - or witnesses, for that matter -become available."
"I am the president of the court," Goddard said heavily, "and the court rules that you have had your chance to call the witnesses you requested."
"But I am requesting two more, so - with respect - that ruling is hardly fair."
"I've already explained to you," Goddard said angrily. "If you forget to put witnesses on your list, it's no good you coming along a fortnight later and making additions. You are overruled, and that's that."
Goddard was surprised that Ramage did not sit down. Instead he turned to the spectators, and Goddard saw a man nod to him, whereupon Ramage turned back to face the court.
"Sir," Ramage said politely, "I must with great respect ask you to reconsider your ruling on my request for two more witnesses."
"You're wasting the court's time," Goddard snapped. "Sit down: we now have to hear the prosecution."
Ramage remained standing, his eyes fixed on Goddard. "With your permission, sir, I would like you to hear the opinion of the gentleman sitting in the second row of spectators, the third chair from the far end."
"Ramage, you strain the court's patience. We were very considerate when that young lady gave evidence; it is sheer impertinence for you to ask the court to listen to some stranger's opinion on a point of law. I presume that's what you intended."
"I suggest you let the gentleman speak for himself," Ramage said.
"I'll do no such thing!" Goddard shouted.
"I'll introduce him then," said Ramage. "The gentleman is one of my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, Captain Markham."
Goddard sat wide-eyed for a full minute, clearly not fully able to comprehend what Ramage had said. Captain Swinford leaned over and whispered to him, pointing at Captain Markham, who was now standing.
Suddenly Goddard pulled himself together. "Captain Markham!" he exclaimed. "All these years in the King's service and I have never had the pleasure of meeting you! Please come over here!"
Goddard's fawning manner had no effect on Markham, who walked up to within a couple of yards of the table - far enough away. Ramage noticed, that Goddard could not attempt to shake his hand.
"Markham," he introduced himself brusquely. "I'm here by virtue of orders from Lord St Vincent. Apparently the prisoner wants my opinion on the validity of his request for extra witnesses because new evidence has become available since he submitted his first list." He spoke slowly, glancing at Jenkins, who hurriedly began writing down the words. "It is not a point on which I need give an opinion. I suggest, Admiral Goddard, that you consult the deputy judge advocate - he is there to advise you on points of law and regulations."
With that Markham turned and went back to his seat, leaving Goddard like a small boy who had just had his hand slapped in front of visitors.
"Ah, Mr Jenkins, of course it was remiss of me not to ask you," Goddard said. "Are you familiar with this point?"
"Sir, it has arisen before and the ruling is that whether the request is from the defence or from the prosecution, it should be granted - providing the witnesses are available."
"You heard that, Ramage? Are these witnesses available?"
"Yes, sir," Ramage said. "Mr Jenkins has the list: could the first one be called?"
"Of course, of course!" Goddard said, his voice now friendly and hinting that Ramage had offended him by doubting his intentions.
Ramage looked towards the deputy judge advocate, who was now staring at Ramage's list like a rabbit paralysed by a stoat's stare. Finally he stood up with a muttered: "I think you should see this, sir," and walked to the head of the table, putting the list in front of Goddard.
The rear-admiral read the two names and glanced sideways to where Markham was sitting. Then, with a show of impatience he returned the list to Jenkins and said loudly: "The defence is entitled to witnesses. Call the first one!"
Jenkins scurried back to his chair, put the list down as though it had suddenly become red-hot and in little more than a whisper said: "Call Captain William Shirley ..."
There was a gasp in the court as though half the people present had suddenly been jabbed in the ribs by an elbow. Shirley suddenly sat upright and then, as he saw Jenkins coming towards him with the Bible, stood up.
"There's no need to admininster the oath," Goddard snapped. "After all, he is the prosecutor."
Ramage stood up and clasped his hands behind his back. "In this case I must insist upon it, sir. It's customary for all witnesses to give evidence on oath."
With a nervous glance towards Captain Markham, Goddard motioned Jenkins to carry on. Shirley held up the Bible and read the oath.
Ramage remained standing and waited for Jenkins to return to his seat. The great cabin was silent except for the distant slop of the waves butting the Salvador del Mundo's hull, and he asked Captain Shirley the first question.
"Did you on a certain day in June last murder Henry Barker, the surgeon on board His Majesty's ship the Jason frigate, which you commanded?"
"Yes," Shirley said in a conversational voice. "He was irritating me. You see, he continually claimed I was mad; indeed, he wanted to confine me and put the first lieutenant in command of the ship. I couldn't allow that, of course, so I ran him through with m' sword."
Ramage nodded, as though expecting the answer which had brought a gasp from almost everyone else in the cabin. "Did Barker attack you? Did you act in self-defence?"
"Oh no, I was the captain, you see. But he had been nagging me for weeks."
"Always claiming that you were mad?"