Mightier Than the Sword (The Clifton Chronicles 5)

“Major Fisher did on my behalf.”

“For what purpose?”

“As a long-term investment.”

“And not because you wanted to take a seat on the board of the company?”

“No. Major Fisher, as you well know, represented my interests on the board.”

“Not in 1958 he didn’t, because in that year you turned up at an Extraordinary General Meeting of Barrington’s in Bristol, claiming your right to sit on the board and to vote on who should be the company’s next chairman. For the record, Lady Virginia, who did you vote for?”

“I voted for Major Fisher.”

“Or do you mean you voted against Mrs. Clifton?”

“Certainly not. I listened to both their presentations most carefully and decided on balance in favor of Major Fisher, rather than Mrs. Clifton.”

“Well then, clearly you have forgotten what you said on that occasion, but as it was recorded in the minutes of the meeting, allow me to remind you. I don’t believe that women were put on earth to chair boards, take on trade union leaders, build luxury liners, or have to raise vast sums of money from bankers in the City of London. Hardly a ringing endorsement for aspiring professional women.”

“Perhaps you should read on, Mr. Trelford, and not be quite so selective in your quotations.”

Trelford looked beyond the paragraph he’d underlined, and hesitated.

Mrs. Justice Lane gave him a nudge. “I would like to hear what else Lady Virginia had to say on that occasion.”

“And so would I,” said Sir Edward, loud enough for everyone in court to hear.

Trelford reluctantly read out the next couple of lines. “I shall be supporting Major Fisher, and I only hope that Mrs. Clifton will accept the major’s generous offer to serve as his deputy.” Mr. Trelford looked up.

“Please keep going, Mr. Trelford,” prompted Lady Virginia.

“I came here with an open mind, willing to give her the benefit of the doubt, but sadly she has not lived up to my expectations.”

“I think you’ll find, Mr. Trelford,” said Virginia, “that it’s you who has either a very short or a very selective memory, not me.”

Sir Edward applauded, although his hands didn’t actually touch.

Mr. Trelford quickly changed the subject. “Shall we move on to Mrs. Clifton’s words which you claim were libelous and belittled you?”

“I’m quite happy to do so.”

“If it was your intention to bring the company down, Lady Virginia,” continued Trelford, as if he hadn’t been interrupted, “then … you have failed, and failed lamentably, because you were defeated by decent ordinary people who want this company to be a success. Now, Major Fisher admitted that he carried out his dealings in Barrington’s shares simply to make money, which in his case was illegal—”

“In his case, but not in mine,” said Lady Virginia. “In my case he was simply acting on my behalf. For all I know, he was giving exactly the same advice to several other clients.”

“So Major Fisher was not a close friend, who kept you in touch with what was happening on the board of Barrington’s, but simply a professional advisor?”

“Even if we were friends, Mr. Trelford, when it came to business matters, everything he did on my behalf was conducted at arm’s length.”

“I would suggest, Lady Virginia, that when it came to business matters, far from being conducted at arm’s length, it was very much hands-on, and, just as Mrs. Clifton suggested, the two of you planned on three separate occasions to try to bring the company down.”

“Mr. Trelford, I think you are confusing me with Mr. Cedric Hardcastle, a director of the company, who sold all his stock over the weekend before the AGM. When I asked Mrs. Clifton a perfectly legitimate question about who that director was, she seemed to have conveniently forgotten his name. Someone else with either a very short or a very selective memory.”

Sir Edward’s smile was growing broader by the minute, while Trelford was sounding less and less assured. He quickly turned another page.

“We all regret the tragic death of Major Fisher…”

“I certainly do,” said Virginia. “And as I said earlier, which I’m confident you will have recorded word for word, Mr. Trelford, I would never have considered issuing a writ in the first place if I had thought even for a moment that it could have resulted in the tragic and unnecessary death of my dear friend.”