Part 11 (1/2)
”On several occasions in Paris, and again in Vienna,” Isobel replied, her voice quavering.
”Harlots and debauch!” someone cried from the gallery.
Mr Bott glared at the crowd and struck the table with a small mallet provided for this purpose. ”Silence!” His head, so like a sparrow's, turned sharply towards the Countess. ”And these would have been on what dates, my lady?”
Isobel reflected, her gaze distracted. ”In early September and again at mid-November, I should say, sir.”
”But this was not an ailment the Earl combated daily.” Mr. Bott's hand moved swiftly over his parchment.
”It was not during the period of our marriage, a.s.suredly.”
”Did you consider your husband to be in good health when you married him, my lady?”
”The Earl was a vigourous man of excellent aspect.” Isobel spoke in so low an accent as to be almost inaudible. ”I antic.i.p.ated a long and fruitful life in his company.” Her eyes drifted to where Fitzroy Payne sat, splendidly elegant in dark coat and breeches; I saw him smile encouragement, and hoped that the jury did not observe the exchange.
”Though he was a gentleman some”-at this, Mr. Bott peered narrowly at a paper before his nose-”six-and-twenty years your senior?”
”Married him for his fortune, she did,” came another voice from behind me.
Tom Hearst started to his feet and looked about the room, his indignation on his face. To my relief, I saw his brother George reach a restraining hand to his elbow, and with unconcealed reluctance the Lieutenant regained his seat.
”Silence!” Sir William Reynolds bellowed, his aspect furious. The muttering died away, and the coroner returned to Isobel. ”Pray reply to the question, my lady.”
Isobel drew breath. She looked down at her clasped hands. ”My husband's energy was high and his appearance youthful, despite his years. I did not antic.i.p.ate his pa.s.sing so soon.”
Mr. Bott sniffed, and peered at Isobel with sharp eyes. ”Do you recall, my lady,” he said slowly, ”what the late Earl of Scargrave consumed the evening of his death?”
”He partook of the repast laid for the ball, as did all our guests. It included such victuals as roast beef, a variety of vegetables, roast goose and pudding, pasties and oysters; for drink we had a spiced mulled punch and claret.” At this, my friend sought my eyes, her own filled with doubt. ”I cannot think what else.”
”And how many guests did you entertain that evening, my lady?”
”Some hundred from London and the surrounding country.”
Mr. Bott paused before the next question, and looked significantly at the jury. ”And you will swear, my lady, that all partook of the same food as the Earl?”
”I must believe it to be probable,” Isobel replied. ”I myself was handed a dish by my husband; and that he had fetched mine in the same span as fetching his own, I know to be true.”
”And did your husband betray any sign of indisposition while the ball held sway?”
The Countess hesitated, and Mr. Bott leaned forward expectantly. ”He was in excellent form and spirits for some hours,” Isobel told him, ”but was overcome after midnight by severe dyspepsia, having drunk down a gla.s.s of claret in toasting my health.” Her voice faltered, and I keenly felt all her distress. ”We bore him to his rooms. I bade our guests farewell.”
f.a.n.n.y Delahoussaye's attention was clearly wandering, like a child's in the midst of the vicar's lengthy sermon; her blond head drifted around the room, seeking an object worthy of her interest, until recalled to dignity by a pinch from her mother.
”And did his lords.h.i.+p then request anything further?” Mr. Bott continued.
”He asked for a milk toddy and sweetmeats, in hopes that it might settle his stomach.”
The coroner fairly pounced. ”Did you partake of either my lady?”
”I did not, sir.”
”Did any in the household?”
”I do not believe so.”
Fitzroy Payne's brows were knit in perturbation. As I gazed at the Earl, Tom Hearst leaned towards him and whispered something in his ear. Beyond them sat Mr. George Hearst, so clearly absorbed in his own thoughts that he must have heard little of what pa.s.sed before him. He might better have escorted restive f.a.n.n.y back to the Manor, since neither was engaged by the proceedings.
Mr. Bott's dry voice demanded my attention. ”And who, my lady, a.s.sembled the plate of sweetmeats?”
”The plate and toddy were brought to my husband by my late maid, Marguerite.”
”Were you within the room at this time, my lady?”
”I was, sir, attending to my husband's comfort.”
”And was anyone else of the household permitted into your presence?”
”All but the maid had sought their beds.”
”Indeed. The maid, your ladys.h.i.+p says.” Mr. Bott looked to his jury with a barely perceptible nod. ”And did Lord Scargrave consume his sweetmeats and milk, my lady?”
”He did.”
”And did his condition improve?”
Isobel hesitated, and looked for me.
”Did it improve his condition, Lady Scargrave?”
”It did not,” Isobel said faintly. ”Within a very short time, he progressed from pain to vomiting, and his deterioration was swift.”
”How short a time?”
”A quarter-hour, perhaps a half-hour; I could not undertake to say.”
”And when did you send for Dr. Pettigrew?”
”The village surgeon we a.s.sayed first, believing the Earl's illness to be of a common nature; but within an hour the man declared himself unfit for the management of his lords.h.i.+p's case. It was then decided that we should send for Dr. Pettigrew.”
The memory of that terrible night overcame me-the Earl's moans banis.h.i.+ng sleep from the house, and my own fearful shuddering as I lay alone in the ma.s.sive mahogany bed, awaiting Isobel's summons.
”What hour of the clock would this have been?”
”I should put it at about half-past one.” Isobel swayed slightly in her chair, and then recovered; but that the strain of public exposure told upon her was evident.
”And Dr. Pettigrew has testified that he arrived before dawn.”
”I believe it was nearly five o'clock. By that time I had roused my dear friend, Miss Austen, who kindly sat vigil with me by his lords.h.i.+p's bedside.”
At this, the coroner's sharp eyes fell upon me, and I blushed-cursing my susceptible cheeks all the while.