have hurt! He should have felt pain and bewilderment welling up inside him.
The judge adjourned them for luncheon, and Charlotte huddled out with the crowd, hoping that Pitt would not see her. She wondered now if perhaps the vanity that had led her to wear the black hat was going to be her undoing.
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Actually, it did not happen until she was returning-a little early, to be sure of claiming her seat again.
She saw Pitt as soon as she entered the hallway, and stopped. Then, realizing that stopping would only attract further attention, she tilted her chin higher and sailed down toward the courtroom door.
It was inevitable that Pitt should see her. She was dressed entirely in black, and the hat was quite marvelous. He would have looked had they been anywhere.
She considered inclining her head away and decided against it. It would be unnatural and arouse his suspicion.
Even so, it was a moment before he recognized her.
She felt his hand hard on her arm and was obliged to stop. She froze, then she turned to stare at him.
'Charlotte!' He was astonished, his face almost comical. 'Charlotte? What on earth are you doing here? You can't help!'
'I wish to be here,' she said reasonably, keeping her voice low. 'Don't make a scene, or everyone will look at us.'
'I don't give a damn if everyone looks at us! Go home. This is no place for you!'
'Eugenie's here-I think there is very good cause for me to remain. She may need a deal of comfort before this is through.'
He hesitated. She took his hand off her arm gently,
'Wouldn't you want me to help her if I could?'
He could think of no answer and she knew it. She gave him a dazzling smile and swept into the courtroom.
The first witness in the afternoon was Anstey Waybourne. Suddenly, the room became aware of tragedy. There was no sound from the body of the court except a low mutter of sympathy. People nodded sagely, joining in a sort of mass awareness of death.
He had little of worth to add, just the identification of his son's body, an account of the boy's brief life and its day-to-day details, his studies with Jerome. He was asked by Giles how he had come to employ Jerome, about the excellent references and the fact that no previous employer had had any complaint about him. Jerome's academic qualifications were unquestionable;
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his discipline was exacting but without brutality. Neither Arthur nor Godfrey had especially liked him, but neither, Way-bourne had to admit, had they expressed any but the natural resentment of young people for one in constant authority over them.
Questioned about his own opinion of Jerome, he had little to contribute. The whole matter had shocked him deeply. He had had no conception of what was happening to his sons. He could be of no assistance. The judge, in subdued voice, permitted him to be excused.
Godfrey Way bourne was called. There was an instant hum of anger against Jerome; he was to blame for such a child being required to suffer this ordeal.
Jerome sat motionless, staring straight ahead as if Godfrey had been a stranger and of no interest. Neither did he look at Land when he spoke.
The evidence was brief. Godfrey repeated what he had told Pitt, all in genteel words-almost ambiguous, except to those who already knew what he was talking about.
Even Giles was gentle with him, not requiring him to repeat the painful details.
They finished for the day surprisingly early. Charlotte had had no idea courts closed at what for Pitt was barely more than halfway through the afternoon. She found herself a hansom
