Page 72 of Traitors Gate
‘Not revenge, Sir Julian, justice.’
Uproar broke out in the court, including a smattering of applause led below the bench by Booth Watson, which clearly took Sir Julian by surprise and didn’t please the judge, who frowned.
Grace placed another X against that particular question.
Sir Julian glanced down at his list of prepared questions and selected one he didn’t think she could possibly have been prepared for. He looked up at the witness and said, ‘Take your time before you answer my next question, Mrs Dawson.’
The witness gripped the railing to steady herself, a bead of sweat appearing on her forehead.
‘Are you aware that it’s a criminal offence to speak to the prosecuting counsel before a trial begins?’
‘Yes, I am,’ said Mrs Dawson, not wavering.
‘So when did you first meet Mr Booth Watson?’ asked Sir Julian.
‘I’ve never met him,’ came back the immediate reply. ‘I saw him for the first time when I came into the court this morning.’
‘Do you expect us to believe that, Mrs Dawson?’ said Sir Julian, his eyes never leaving the witness.
‘Yes, I do,’ said Mrs Dawson defiantly, ‘because it’s the truth.’
‘She was even prepared for that question,’ murmured Clare, who put another cross on her prepared list and assumed Sir Julian would move on.
‘So you haven’t been coached on how to answer my questions,’ he paused, ‘by a professional?’
If Grace was surprised, the judge made no attempt to hideher displeasure. ‘Sir Julian,’ she said firmly, ‘that was uncalled for.’
‘Was it, m’Lady? Don’t you find it remarkable that a sales assistant never hesitates even for a moment before answering any of my questions?’
‘M’Lady,’ said Booth Watson before the judge could respond, ‘could it be possible that my learned friend has underestimated Mrs Dawson?’
‘No, it isn’t,’ snapped Sir Julian. ‘But once again, I’ve underestimated how far my learned friend will go to win a case.’
Grace covered her eyes as she waited for the outburst.
‘Sir Julian,’ said the judge, leaning forward in her chair. ‘That was unworthy of you. I’m going to take a short break so you can reconsider your last statement that questions the veracity of a senior colleague. Do I make myself clear?’
Sir Julian just about managed, ‘You do, m’Lady.’
‘We will resume again in twenty minutes,’ said the judge. She left the court without another word, while Sir Julian slumped down in the corner of the bench, aware he’d made a bad error of judgement.
‘What came over you, Father?’ asked Grace once the judge had left the court. ‘I’ve never known you to behave so unprofessionally.’
‘I admit,’ said Sir Julian with a deep sigh, ‘BW has continued to rile me over the years with his duplicity and half-truths, but this time he went too far. We all know Mrs Dawson’s a fully paid-up member of the prosecution team, that it was BW who wrote her statement, why she has an answer to every one of my questions, and even who Lamont is reporting back to at the end of the day.’
‘I don’t disagree with you, Father, but that’s no reason to risk a client’s chances of a fair trial.’
‘You’re quite right of course,’ said Sir Julian, ‘and I’ll apologize to the judge when the court resumes, and refrain from asking this witness any more questions.’
‘Which will be playing into Booth Watson’s hands,’ said Grace, ‘but I can’t see any alternative. I’ll prepare an appropriate statement for you to deliver before the judge returns.’
‘I can think of one alternative,’ said Sir Julian, ‘but I’m not sure the judge would approve.’
‘Sorry to interrupt you, Sir Julian,’ said Clare, leaning forward. ‘But I think I may have spotted something we’ve missed.’
Both counsel turned their backs on Booth Watson, bent down and listened intently to what Clare had to say.
‘It could be a fake,’ was Grace’s immediate reaction.