The Sins Of The Wolf Part 29

"On the negative side, so you will not believe me biased, she was opinionated, at times hasty to judge others whom she believed to be incompetent...." He smiled ruefully. "In which I regret she had much cause. And at times her sense of humor was less than discreet. She could be dictatorial and arbitrary, and when she was tired, short-tempered.

"But no one I ever knew saw a single act of personal greed or vindictiveness in her, whatever the circ.u.mstances. Nor had she personal vanity. Good heavens, man, look at her!" He waved one arm towards the dock, leaning over the railing of the witness-box. Every head in the courtroom turned at his word. "Does she look to you like a woman who would commit murder to gain a piece of personal adornment?"

Even Rathbone turned, staring at Hester, gaunt, ashenfaced, her hair screwed back, dressed in blue-gray as plain as a uniform.

Argyll smiled. "No sir, she does not. I confess, it seems you are right; a little personal vanity might be more becoming. It is a falling short, I think."

There was a ripple around the room. In the gallery one woman put her hand on her husband's arm. Henry Rathbone smiled wanly. Monk gritted his teeth.

"Thank you, Dr. Moncrieff," Argyll said quickly. "That is all I mean to ask you."

Gilfeather rose slowly, almost ponderously, to his feet.

Moncrieff faced him steadily. He was not naive enough to think the next few minutes would be easy. He was aware that he had altered, if not the tide of the battle, at least the pitch and the heat of it. In Argyll he had been facing a friend; Gilfeather was the enemy.

"Dr. Moncrieff," he began softly. "I expect few of us here can imagine the horror and privation you and other workers in the medical field must have faced during the war. It must have been truly terrible. You spoke of hunger, cold, exhaustion and fear. Is that true, no dark exaggeration?"

"None," Moncrieff said guardedly. "You are correct, sir. It is an experience that cannot be adequately imagined."

"It must place the most extraordinary strain upon those called upon to endure it?"

"Yes sir."

"I accept that you could not share it with me, for example, other than in the most superficial and unsatisfactory way."

"Is that a question, sir?"

"No, unless you disagree with me?"

"No, I agree. One can communicate only those experiences for which there is some common language or understanding. One cannot describe sunset to a man who has not sight."

"Precisely. That must leave you with a certain loneliness, Dr. Moncrieff."

Moncrieff said nothing.

"And a closeness to those with whom you have shared such fearful and profound times."

Moncrieff could not deny it, even though to judge from his face he could perceive where Gilfeather was leading him.

The jurors leaned forward, listening intently.

"Of course," he conceded.

"And very naturally a certain impatience with the blandness and uncomprehension, perhaps even uselessness, of certain of the women who have no idea whatever of anything more dangerous or demanding than household management?"

"These are your words, sir, not mine."

"But accurate, sir? Come, you are on oath. Do you not ache to share the past you speak of with such pa.s.sion now?"

Moncrieff's expression did not flicker.

"I have no need to, sir. It is beyond sharing by me, or anyone else, except in words that are spoken by the shabby and believed by the ignorant." He leaned forward, his hands gripping the rail. "But neither do I insult the women who remained at home caring for homes and children. We all have our own challenges, and our virtues. It is too easy to compare, and I think a profitless exercise. As women who manage the domestic economy do not understand the women who went to the Crimea, so, perhaps, those who went away do not know, or pretend to know, the hards.h.i.+ps of those who stayed at home."

"Very well, sir. Your courtesy does you credit," Gilfeather said between his teeth, the smile vanished from his face. "But nevertheless a closeness must exist, a relief to share what must still cause you deep emotion?"

"Of course."

"Tell me, sir, did Miss Latterly always appear as dowdy as she does here today? She is a young woman, and not of displeasing form or feature. This must have been an extraordinary ordeal for her. She has been confined first in Newgate Prison in London, and now here in Edinburgh. She is on trial for her life. We cannot judge fairly her charms from the way in which we see her now."

"That is true," Moncrieff agreed carefully.

"Did you like her, Doctor?"

"There is little time for friends.h.i.+p, Mr. Gilfeather. Your question admirably ill.u.s.trates your a.s.sumption that those who were not there cannot comprehend what it was like. I admired her and found her excellent to work with, as I have already said."

"Come, sir!" Gilfeather said grimly, his voice suddenly raised and harsh. "Do not be disingenuous with me! Do you expect us to believe that in two years you were so dedicated to your duty day and night that the natural man never emerged in you?" He spread his hands wide, his face smiling. "You never once, during lulls in battle, times when the summer suns.h.i.+ne shone in the fields, when there was time for picnics...oh yes, we are not totally ignorant of what happened out there! There were war correspondents, you know...even photographs! Do you expect us to believe, sir, that all that time you never saw Miss Latterly as a young and not unpleasing woman?"

Moncrieff smiled.

"No sir, I do not ask you to. I had not even thought of the matter, but since you raise it, she is not at all unlike my wife, who has many of the same qualities of courage and honesty."

"But who was not a nurse in the Crimea, and thus able to share your emotions, sir!"

Moncrieff smiled.

"You are mistaken, sir. She was most certainly in the Crimea, and most able to understand as much of my feelings as another person could."

Gilfeather was defeated, and he knew it.

"Thank you, Doctor. That is all I have to ask you. Unless my learned friend has anything to add, you may go."

"No, thank you," Argyll declined generously. "Thank you, Dr. Moncrieff."

The court adjourned early for lunch, newspaper correspondents racing out to send messengers flying with the latest word, jostling each other, even knocking people over in their excitement. The judge had retired in considerable ill humor.

A hundred things were on the edge of Rathbone's tongue to say to Argyll. In the end he said none of them; each seemed too obvious when it came to the point, unnecessary, merely betraying his own fears.

He had not thought himself hungry, and yet in the dining room of the inn he ate luncheon without even being aware of it. He looked down and found his plate empty.

At last he could contain himself no longer.

"Miss Nightingale this afternoon," he said aloud.

Argyll looked up, his fork still in his hand.

"Aye," he agreed. "A formidable woman from what I have seen of her-which is little enough, just a few brief words this morning. I confess, I am not sure how much to lead her and how much I should simply point her in the right direction and let her destroy Gilfeather, if he is rash enough to attack her."

"You must have her say something he will have to attack," Rathbone said urgently, laying down his knife and fork. "He is too experienced to say anything to her unless you force him to. He will not leave her on the stand a moment longer than she has to be, unless you have her say something he cannot leave uncontested."

"Yes ..." Argyll said thoughtfully, abandoning what little was left of his meal. "I think you are right. But what? She is not a material witness to anything here in Edinburgh. She has presumably never heard of the Farralines. She knows nothing of what happened. All she can testify is that Hester Latterly was a skilled and diligent nurse. Her sole value to us is her own reputation-the esteem in which she is held. Gilfeather will certainly not challenge that."

Rathbone thought wildly, his brain in a whirl. Florence Nightingale was not a woman to be manipulated into anything, not by Argyll, and not by Gilfeather. What possible thing was there she could say that was pertinent to the case and which Gilfeather would have to challenge? Hester's courage was not in doubt, nor her capability as a nurse.

Then the beginning of an idea formed in his mind, just a shadow. Slowly, feeling for its shape, he explained it to Argyll, fumbling for words, then, as he saw Argyll's eyes brighten, gathering confidence.

By the time the court commenced its afternoon session, he was sitting behind Argyll, in precisely the same position as before, but feeling a spark of excitement, something which might even be mistaken for hope. But still he did not look at the gallery, and only once, for a moment, at Hester.

"Call Florence Nightingale," the usher's voice boomed out, and there were gasps of indrawn breath around the room. A woman in the gallery screamed and stifled the sound with her hand clasped over her face.

The judge banged his gavel. "I will have order in the court! Another outburst like that and I shall have the place cleared. Is that understood? This is a court of law, not a place of entertainment. Mr. Argyll, I hope this witness is relevant to the case, and not merely a piece of exhibitionism and an attempt to win some kind of public sympathy. If it is, I a.s.sure you it will fail. Miss Latterly is on trial here, and Miss Nightingale's reputation is irrelevant!"

Argyll bowed gravely and said nothing.

Every eye was turned towards the doorway, necks were craned and bodies twisted to see as a slender, upright figure came in, crossed the floor without looking to right or left, and climbed the steps to the witness-box. She was not imposing. She was really quite ordinary looking, with brownish hair, straight and severely swept from her face, very level brows and regular features. The whole cast of her countenance was too determined to be pretty, and without the inner light and serenity which fires beauty. It was not an easy face; it was even a little frightening.

She swore as to her name and place of residence in a firm and clear voice, and stood waiting for Argyll to begin.

"Thank you for traveling this considerable distance and leaving your own most important work to testify in this case, Miss Nightingale," he said gravely.

"Justice is also important, sir," she replied, staring very directly at him. "And in this instance, also a matter of life"-she hesitated-"and death."

"Quite so."

Rathbone had warned him pa.s.sionately about the danger of patronizing her, or seeming in the slightest way to condescend to her, or state the obvious. Please heaven he remembered!

"We are all aware that you have no knowledge of the facts of this case, ma'am," Argyll proceeded. "But the prisoner, Hester Latterly, has been well known to you in the past, has she not? And you feel able to speak of her character?"

"I have known Hester Latterly since the summer of 1854," Florence replied. "And I am willing to answer any questions as to her character that you care to put to me."

"Thank you." Argyll adopted a relaxed posture, his head a little to one side. "Miss Nightingale, there has been some speculation as to why a young lady of gentle birth and good education should choose an occupation such as nursing, which previously has been carried out largely by women of low degree and, frankly, of pretty rough habits."

Behind Argyll, Rathbone sat forward on the edge of his seat, his body aching with tension. The courtroom was silent. Every juror was watching Florence as if she had been the only living person there.

"Indeed, prior to your n.o.ble and pioneering work," Argyll continued, "it was the sort of task to occupy those women who were not able to find a respectable domestic position. For example, if I may ask you, why did you yourself undertake such an arduous and dangerous task? Were your family agreeable to your doing such a work?"

"Mr. Argyll!" the judge said angrily, jerking forward in sudden movement.

"No sir, they were not," Florence replied, ignoring the judge. "They put up considerable argument against it, and it took me many years, and a great deal of pleading, before they succ.u.mbed. As to the reason why I persisted against their will, there is a higher duty even than that to family, and a higher obedience." Her face was lit with a simple, blinding conviction, and even the judge's protest died unspoken. Every man and woman in the room, juror or spectator, was; listening to her. Had the judge spoken he would have been ignored, and that he would not invite. It would have been intolerable.

Argyll waited expectantly, black eyes wide.

"I believe that is what G.o.d has called me to do, sir," she answered him. "And I shall devote my life to that end." She gave a little s.h.i.+ver of impatience. "Indeed, I wrong myself and am cowardly to express it so. I know He has called me. I believe that others have the same desire to serve their fellow men, and the conviction that nursing the sick is the finest way in which they can do it. There can be no higher calling, and none more urgently needed at such times than the relief of suffering, and where possible the preservation of life and restoration to health of men who have fought for their country. Can you doubt it, sir?"

"No, madam, I cannot, and I do not," Argyll said candidly.

Gilfeather stirred in his seat as if to make some interruption, but knew his time was not yet, and restrained himself with some difficulty.

With a supreme effort of self-control, Rathbone also remained motionless.

"And Hester Latterly served in the hospital at Scutari?" Argyll asked, his face expressionless except for a mild interest. Whatever emotions of triumph or expectancy boiled inside him, there was nothing in his features to betray them.

"Yes, she was one of the best nurses there."

"In what way, ma'am?"

"Dedication-and skill. There were too few surgeons and too many patients." Her voice was calm and controlled, but there was an intensity and feeling in it which commanded the attention of everyone in the room. "Often a nurse had to act as she thought he would have done, or a man's life would be lost which she could have saved."

There was a gasp somewhere in the gallery, a hissing of anger at such suggested arrogance.

The judge's face registered his acknowledgment of it.

Florence took no more notice than if it had been a fly on the windowpane.

"Hester had both the courage and the knowledge to do so," she went on. "There are many men alive in England now who would be buried in the Crimea were she a lesser woman."

Argyll waited several seconds to allow the full impact of what she had said to sink into the minds of the jury. Their faces were filled with battling emotions: awe of Florence, which was almost a religious reverence; and memories of their own of war and the losses of war, brothers and sons buried in the carnage, or perhaps saved by the efforts of such women. Mixed with those feelings were outrage at the challenge to centuries of masculine leaders.h.i.+p, previously unquestioned rights. The confusion was painful, the doubts and the fears profound.

"Thank you," Argyll acknowledged at last. "And did you also find her personally honest, both truthful and careful of the rights and possessions of others?"

"Absolutely and without exception," Florence replied.

Argyll hesitated.

The tension was unbearable. Rathbone sat hardly daring to draw breath. The decision Argyll made now might be the difference between winning and losing, between life and the hangman's noose. Only he and Argyll knew the weight of what hung in that moment. If he succeeded in maneuvering Gilfeather into attacking Florence she would retaliate with a pa.s.sion and emotional force that would sweep away all the quibbles and arguments he could raise. On the other hand, if he had the wisdom to retreat, and dismiss her, her value to Hester would be lost.

Was it enough? Had he goaded Gilfeather sufficiently, masked the hook by the bait?

Very slowly Argyll smiled at Florence Nightingale, thanking her again for having come, and resumed his seat.

Rathbone sat with his heart pounding. The room seemed to sway around him. Seconds stretched into eternity.

With a sc.r.a.pe of chair legs, Gilfeather stood up.

"You are one of the most deeply loved and highly respected women in the nation, madam, and I do not wish to seem to detract from that in any way," he said carefully. "However, the cause of justice is higher than any individual, and there are questions I must ask you."

"Of course," she agreed, facing him squarely.

"Miss Nightingale, you say that Miss Latterly is an excellent nurse-indeed, that she has displayed skills equal to those of many field surgeons when faced with cases of emergency?"

"That is true."

"And that she is diligent, honest and brave?"

"She is." There was no hesitation in her voice, no shred of uncertainty.

He smiled. "Then, madam, how is it that she is obliged to earn her living, not in some senior position in a hospital, using these remarkable qualities, but traveling on an overnight train from Edinburgh to London, administering a simple dose of medicine to an elderly lady whose health is no worse than that of most persons of her age? Surely that could have been done quite adequately by a perfectly ordinary lady's maid?" There was challenge and triumph even in the angle of his body where he stood, the lift of his shoulders.

Rathbone clenched his hands, digging his nails into his palms with unbearable tension. Would she retaliate as he had hoped, as he had counted?