inherit it?'
'No, my lord, it was in the early stages, such as is found when it has been sexually transmitted. Congenital syphilis would betray entirely different symptoms.'
The judge sighed heavily and leaned back, a look of long-suffering on his face.
'I see. And of course you cannot say from whom he did contract it!' He blew his nose. 'Very well, Mr. Giles, you appear to have made your point. Pray continue.'
'That is all, my lord. Thank you, Dr. Cutler.'
Before he could go, however, Land shot to his feet.
'Just a moment, Doctor! Did the police subsequently ask you to verify a diagnosis of another person, who did have syphilis?'
Cutler smiled dryly. 'Several.'
'One with particular reference to this case?' Land said sharply.
'They did not tell me-it would be hearsay.' The doctor seemed to find some pleasure in being obstructively literal.
'Abigail Winters?' Land's temper was rising. His case was flawless and he knew it, but he was being made to look inefficient in front of the court, and he resented it.
'Yes, I did examine Abigail Winters, and she does have syphilis,' Cutler conceded.
' Communicable?''
'Certainly.'
'And what is Abigail Winters's profession-or trade, if you prefer?'
'I have no idea.'
'Don't be naive, Dr. Cutler! You know as well as I do what her trade is!'
Cutler's wide mouth showed only the slightest of smiles.
'I'm afraid you have the advantage of me, sir.' 123
There was a twitter around the court and Land's face flushed dull red. Even from behind him, Charlotte could see the color stain his neck. She was glad her veil hid her own expression. This was neither the place nor the time to be amused.
Land opened his mouth and closed it again.
'You are excused!' he said furiously. 'I call Sergeant Harcourt Gillivray.'
Gillivray took the stand and swore to his name and office. He looked freshly scrubbed and neat without losing the air of hav-. ing attained the effect without labor. He could have passed for a gentleman, except for a slight unease in his hands and just a small, betraying air of self-importance. A true gentleman would not have worried about how others saw him; he would have known there was no need-and he would not have cared anyway.
Gillivray confirmed Pitt's evidence. Land then went on to question him about discovering Albie Frobisher, stopping short, of course, of Albie's evidence, which would have been hearsay from Gillivray. And Albie would be called in due course to give it himself-far more tellingly.
Charlotte sat cold; it was all so logical, it fitted so well. Thank heaven at least Eugenie was outside. As a witness, she was not permitted in until after she had testified.
Gillivray told how he had then pursued his investigations. He did not mention Pitt's hand in them, or that he had been following Pitt's orders, Pitt's intuition of where he should look. He stood very straight. He told them how he had found Abigail Winters and learned that she had a disease that on examination proved to be syphilis.
He left the stand pink-cheeked with pride, two hundred pairs of eyes watching his straight back and elegant shoulders as he returned to his seat.
Charlotte loathed him, because he was satisfied; to him this was an achievement, not a tragedy. He should