Don Gutteridge - The Widow's Demise

Ignore it? Marc thought. It was now searedinto their memory.

“I apologize, Milord.” Marc said, then turnedabruptly to Macy. “Did you know Mrs. Marion Stokes?”.

Macy looked puzzled, but said, “Ofcourse.”

“Did you know that Mrs. Marion Stokes andMrs. Cardiff-Jones were friends?”

“I did. We both moved in the same socialcircles.”

“Two more questions. Did the police ask youto try on the glove found at the scene?”

Macy looked smug as he said, “They did, andit fit. But it wasn’t mine. I don’t wear brown.”

“Finally, sir, do you have access tosulphuric acid?”

“You know I do. I’m a chemist.”

“No more questions,” Marc said.

“Mr. McBride?”

“Mr. Macy,” said McBride, “did you throw acidat Mrs. Cardiff-Jones?”

“I certainly did not.”

“Did you harbour any ill-feelings towardsher?”

“None.”

“Were you at home all evening on the night ofthe crime?”

“I was.”

McBride smiled, but some of the smugness wasgone. Marc had shown that a third party had been seen running fromthe front of the house near the time of the crime. Now he had asuspect with a motive and no alibi.

Marc’s next witness was Cecil Denfield.

“Mr. Denfield, you told the police that onthe evening of the crime you were at home from six o’clockonwards.”

“Yes, I did.”

“You also told them your wife was home withyou, and she verified that?”

“That is so.”

“But your maid also told the police that youwere ill and went to bed.”

“That’s correct.”

“She told them as well that Mrs. Denfieldwent out to visit her cousin about seven o’clock.”

Denfield was taken aback, but recoveredquickly. The galleries were leaning forward, intent. “I was in bed.She may very well have slipped out without me knowing it.”

“And your maid said she herself went to herroom for the rest of the night.”

McBride rose. “Where is this meanderingdialogue leading, Milord? And Mr. Edwards should bring this maid onif he wishes to use her testimony.”

“Get to the point quickly,” the judge said toMarc.

“Yes, Milord. Mr. Denfield, is it not truethat no-one can vouch for the fact that you were alone in bedduring the time the crime was committed?”

“It would seem so. But I was, I swear.”

Marc looked down at his notes, then back upagain. “Mr. Denfield, how long had you been Delores Cardiff-Jones’slover?”

Sensation in the galleries. Then slowly alleyes turned to Audrey Denfield, seated in the left gallery. Shestared ahead impassively.

“I don’t know what you mean,” Denfieldsputtered.

“May I remind the witness he is under oath,”Marc said. “Please answer the question.”

Denfield looked down at his hands on therailing.

McBride interjected, having regained hisaplomb. “What is the relevance of such an impertinent question?” hesaid.

“It goes to motive, Milord.”

“Well, tread carefully, Mr. Edwards,” saidthe judge. “Mr. Denfield is not on trial. The witness will answerthe question.”

Denfield whispered, “Delores and I werelovers for almost three months.”

Again, Audrey Denfield stared straightahead.

“And how was this affair managed?”

“We met several nights a week. I camesecretly to her back door, and she or her trusted maid would let mein. I would always leave by midnight.”

“And as far as you were concerned, this was asecret affair?”

“Yes. Delores wished it and so did I.”

“When did you discover Mrs. Cardiff-Jones wasbeing courted by other men?”

“I didn’t know that!” Denfield stammered.

“You weren’t aware that Mrs. Cardiff-Joneswent riding with Lionel Trueman and entertained Horace Macy duringthe afternoons?”

“No, sir. I thought I was herlover.”

“So you didn’t become jealous of herbehaviour? You didn’t find your affection turning to anger andoutrage at the way she was playing with your affections? You werenot angry enough to decide to seek revenge?”

“Milord, Mr. Edwards is badgering thewitness. And he is accusing him of murder! Does he intend to accuseevery adult male in Toronto? Including the bailiff?”

“Mr. Edwards, you have had your questionsanswered. Please refrain from embellishment and unsubstantiatedaccusations. The jury will ignore defense counsel’s remarks.”

“No more questions, Milord,” Marc said. Buthe sat down, well-pleased that he had produced another candidatefor that third party. A man with motive and no alibi. Moreover, hehad an even more likely candidate in the offing: LionelTrueman.

McBride went through the motions of havingDenfield deny he had thrown acid at the widow, and the courtadjourned for lunch.

Lionel Trueman stood up ramrod-straight, and staredacross the courtroom at the defense attorney – waiting. Marcfiddled with his notes, then looked up.

“Were you a suitor for the hand of Mrs.Cardiff-Jones?” he said.

“I was. We often went out in her carriage inthe mornings.”

“Only in the mornings?”

“As a matter of fact, yes.”

“Was that because the afternoons werereserved for Mr. Horace Macy and the evenings for Mr. CecilDenfield?”

“Milord,” McBride said, rising. “How is thewitness supposed to know the intimate habits of Mrs.Cardiff-Jones?”

“If he doesn’t,” said the judge, “he can sayso.”

“We preferred the coolness of the mornings,”Trueman said. “And I was under the impression that I was the onlysuitor.”

“Did you propose marriage to Mrs.Cardiff-Jones?”

“Several times.”

“And how did she reply?”

“She put me off.”

“She refused you?”

“Yes.”

“And this frustrated and angered you?”

“It left me impatient.”

“And suspicious, didn’t it? For yousubsequently learned that Horace Macy was a rival for the lady’shand.”

“I did find that out, just recently.”

“And you insulted Macy and occasioned him tochallenge you to a duel?”

“Yes.”

“I suggest, sir, that your emotions wererunning high. You were angry at Macy and angry at the lady fordouble-dealing.”

“My anger was directed at Mr. Macy.”

“Then why were you seen being friendly withhim after the duel was interrupted and stopped?”

“We both realized we had been foolish. Iapologized.”

“I suggest you both realized the lady wasfaithless, that she was toying with your affections, and that yourlove for her quickly turned to resentment and hate.”

“That is not true. I loved her.”

“Where were you on the evening of thecrime?”

“I was home, alone. Waiting for afriend.”

“You were initially at the ReverendOgilvie’s, playing cards?”

“Yes, but I got called away to go home andwait for a friend. But he never showed up.”

“What time was this?”

“It was around seven o’clock when I startedback for the Reverend’s place.”

“And, according to a witness I can produce,you went past Rosewood. In fact, you were observed just after seveno’clock on the front porch of Rosewood having an argument with Mrs.Cardiff-Jones, weren’t you?”

Trueman looked daggers at Marc, and said,“What if I was?”

“Tell the court, please, the nature of thatargument.”

“We argued about Horace Macy.”

“And her seeing him as well as you?”

“Yes.”

“How did the quarrel end?”

“She said she wasn’t ready to marry. And shewould see as many gentlemen as she wished.”

“And you left – very angry.”

“I was upset. I thought she would marryme.”

“And angry at her perfidy?”