Cast Adrift - Book 02 Pt. 02

After that came the arguing. Nearly an hour of dull oration concerning whether or not this was a contract in contemplation of marriage, or whether it was a contract that was not expected to be performed within a year. The obese judge behind the bench hectored the two lawyers with questions of his own. Finally, as it appeared to be wrapping up, Charlotte pulled herself erect and smiled at the judge.

The doors at the back of the courtroom slammed open and she turned, along with everyone else, to see the wild-eyed man, clearly a sailor from his outfit, who stood panting in the entrance.

"By what right do you interrupt this court, sir?" the judge said, covering a smile with a frown.

"Which I begs your pardon, sir." The man snatched off his straw shore-going hat as he addressed the bench. "But which I have been told to speak to the attorney."

"Might I have a short recess, Your Honor?" Caroline's attorney asked after a brief whisper from his client.

"Oh, very well. Ten minutes. I expect not to find anything new upon my return. We are already looking far too much like a circus today."

All rose as the judge left the room and Charlotte watched in fascination as the man tried to explain his presence to Caroline and his lawyer. She told her own attorney that she had no idea who the man was. He was quite clearly known to some of the participants, however. Caroline greeted him as an old friend. Her brother-in-law, James, had a knowing smile. The elderly gentleman simply looked bewildered, although his expression changed to one of delight as Caroline's wretched maid, Lucy or something like that, entered the courtroom with her one-year-old son. Lucy, too, looked delighted. When she saw the group at the table, her face lit up like a candle. Before she could greet the newcomer, however, the infant started whimpering, and she was asked to remove him. The elderly gentleman followed, nearly skipping down the center aisle of the room. The sailor took a seat beside James as Caroline's attorney pulled out his watch.

The judge chose that moment to make his return, pleased to find order restored. He quickly denied Caroline's counsel's request for a further recess, suggesting that if he had additional testimony now was the time to put it on. Did he expect the court to believe that he had failed to make a witness available for trial after four months?

The lawyer appeared quite desperate, and Charlotte suppressed a smile as she watched Caroline tug on his sleeve. This was better than a raree show, to be sure.

"I call Matthew Cooper to the stand," the attorney announced after another hurried consultation.

"Sir?" The sailor appeared shocked to hear his name spoken in the courtroom.

"If you would take the stand, sir," the attorney said. He gestured to the chair used by witnesses.

"Me, sir?"

The judge had had enough.

"Are you Matthew Cooper or are you not?"

"Aye-aye, your Worship," Cooper said with a tug on his forelock.

"Then come up here and sit in the chair!"

"Aye-aye."

An order had been given. The man sat himself in the chair and looked about the courtroom.

"Please place your hand on the Bible," the bailiff said.

"On the Bible?"

"Do you object to taking an oath on the Bible to tell the truth in this court?" the judge asked.

"Nae, sir. Not at all. But I should most certainly tell your Worship the truth whether there be a Bible or not."

"Your Honor."

"Sir?"

"You may address me as 'Your Honor.' And save 'Your Worship' in case you ever meet the Lord Mayor."

"Oh. Certainly, sir. No offense intended."

He tugged his forelock again.

"None taken," the judge said with a roll of his eyes. Charlotte heard a snort from behind her, and turned her head to see James nearly doubled over with silent laughter.

Matthew was finally sworn to tell the truth, and the attorney commenced his questioning.

"State your name, please."

"Cooper."

"Your full name."

"Matthew Cooper."

"And you are employed?"

"Well, not as who should say employed exactly."

"You are unemployed?"

"Well, no sir. Not that either, really. Certainly not."

"Where do you work?" roared the judge.

"Aboard the Classic, sir. H.M.S. Classic. Captain's coxswain, sir. And before that in the Wallace. Sloop-of-war, sir. Which I was just now at the Admiralty, sir, and sent on ahead of the captain."

"Perhaps we can have some testimony relevant to this matter," the judge dryly informed the attorney.

"Of course, your Honor," the lawyer answered. "Did you by any chance know the decedent?"

"I'm sorry. The what, sir?"

"The dead man."

Cooper looked wildly about the room.

"He's not here," the judge said. "Did you know Sir Edward Pelham?"

"Sir Edward?" Matthew brightened up considerably. "Which had the Classic afore Captain Stanhope? I should say I did, sir. Foremast jack under Captain Pelham, I was, in the Watchtower. Which we brought that nasty sister of 'is down to Portsmouth in."

Charlotte felt her face reddening. The man did look vaguely familiar now that she thought of it. What a horrid trip that had been. She looked up to see the judge hide a smile. She fixed her glare upon Cooper.

"You mean Miss Pelham?" The attorney pointed to her, and she watched the look of recognition come over the wretched man's face.

"Oh! Beg pardon, ma'am. I'm sure that you was . . . that you was much nastier then."

News of the sailor's appearance had gone up and down the courthouse, and spectators were starting to file in and take their seats. They exploded into laughter at that remark until gaveled into silence by the judge.

"And do you know Lady Stanhope?"

He turned to her with a far more friendly, almost reverent look.

"Of course, sir. The Lioness of Biscay Bay. Saved our lives, she did, on board the barky when we boarded that Frenchy."

"Wait a minute," the judge interrupted. "You mean that this woman is the one who helped capture that French frigate last spring?"

"Stop this!" Charlotte hissed an order at her attorney, who reflexively jumped to his feat.

"I object, your Honor."

The judge glared at the attorney.

"To the Court's question?"

"No, sir. Your Worship. I mean, Your Honor. Certainly not. I object to the whole line of questioning. Its relevance is completely beyond me."

"It is entertaining," the judge said. "But you make an excellent point. Mr. Carhartt? The relevance?"

He had no chance to answer. The door opened again, and Charlotte turned to gape. Far from slipping in, this man strode confidently down the aisle as if he were born to command any venue he occupied. He was a naval captain, another of those blasted Stanhopes from the looks of him.

"Finally."

Caroline's relieved whisper cut the silence in the room like a knife.

"I will waive further testimony from this witness, Your Honor, and call Sir William Stanhope to the stand."

"And he will actually testify to something to do with this matter?"

"Yes, sir."

"Very well. If Mr. Cooper had not been so amusing, you would have come very close to trying my patience, sir. Sir William."

The judge gestured to the witness chair, still occupied by the sailor.

"Very good, Matthew," the captain said. "Stand down."

"Aye-aye, sir." Another tug and Matthew Cooper took his seat.

It took but a few short minutes for Sir William Stanhope to deprive the estate of Sir Edward Pelham of more than half of the funds available to it outside of Sir Edward's well-mortgaged house. He produced a letter from Sir Edward in which Charlotte's brother had confided his eternal happiness at Caroline's acceptance of his proposal of marriage. And he assured Sir William, whom he acknowledged as responsible for a large portion of his fiancée's wealth, that the?6,547/18s/6d that he was investing for her in the new company founded by Thomas Clanghorne was safe.

The case was over. Her own attorney was dumbfounded. The judge was busy scribbling his order. Charlotte sat in dismay as Sir William greeted his sister-in-law and brother just outside the bar. She seethed with jealousy as the door opened one last time to reveal the elderly gentleman cradling Caroline's sleeping tot in his arms. She heard the cry, "Father!" torn from Sir William's lips and witnessed the naval captain abandon his dignity and run pell-mell for the doorway. And she watched that wretched Matthew Cooper and the equally wretched Lucy exchange shy smiles off to the side.

It was too much. She stood to leave.

"Miss Pelham, take your seat," the judge said. "Your appointment as executor of your brother's estate is most unusual. I have a number of questions. Unless you would prefer to have his fiancée administer the estate in your place."

"No, sir."

Charlotte Pelham meekly sat down in defeat as she heard a raucous celebration begin outside the now closed doors behind her.