you came. You'll only have more nightmares now-and for longer!'
' Pitt stood up. 'Possibly,' he said. 'But for your sake, not mine. I didn't try you, and I didn't twist or hide any of the evidence. If'-he hesitated, then repeated the word- 'if there is a miscarriage of justice, it is in spite of me, not because of me. And I don't give a damn whether you believe that or not.' He banged his clenched fist on the door. 'Jailer! Let me out!'
The door opened and he walked into the dank, gray passage without looking back. He was angry, confused, and, as far as he could imagine, completely helpless.
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v-harlotte, too, was unable to dismiss the matter from her mind. She could not have given anyone reason for believing that Jerome was innocent; in fact, she was not sure that she believed it herself. But the law did not require you to prove yourself innocent; it was sufficient that there should be some reasonable doubt.
And she was sorry for Eugenie, even though a large part of her still could not really like the woman. Her presence was an irritant; she epitomized everything that Charlotte was not. But she could be quite wrong about her; maybe Eugenie was sincere. Perhaps she really was a gentle and patient woman who wished to obey, a woman to whom loyalty was the highest virtue. Perhaps she genuinely cared for her husband.
And if it was true that her husband was innocent, it must follow that the person who had killed Arthur Waybourne would remain free after having committed, in Charlotte's estimation, an even graver crime-because it was slower and there had been time to understand and to change-that of allowing Jerome to be convicted and hanged in his place! That was as close to unpardonable as any sanely committed human act could be. The thought of it made her so angry she found herself clenching her teeth till they hurt.
And hanging was so final. What if Jerome was innocent and they found out too late?
Whatever Pitt was going to do, whatever he
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Emily was back, and Great-Aunt Vespasia, they would help, too.
Gracie would have to look after Jemima and Daniel again. Only three weeks: no time for letters, calling cards, and social niceties. She would put on a morning dress and take an omnibus, and then a hansom cab to Paragon Walk and visit Emily. Ideas whirled around in her head: possibilities, unanswered questions, things the police could not do and probably would not even think of.
She shouted for Gracie, startling the girl to running, her feet clattering along the corridor. She flew into the parlor and arrived breathless to find Charlotte standing in the middle of the floor, perfectly composed.
'Oh! Ma'am!' Grade's face fell in confusion. 'I thought as you was hurt terrible, or something. Whatever's 'appened?'
'Injustice!' Charlotte said, with a sweep of her arm. Melodrama would be far more effective than reasonable explanations. 'We must do something before it is too late.' She included Gracie in the 'we' to make her an instant party to it, and to secure her wholehearted cooperation. A great deal of it would be necessary in the next three weeks.
Gracie shivered with excitement and let out her breath in a little squeak. 'Oh, ma'am!'
'Yes,' Charlotte said firmly. She must move to the details while enthusiasm was hot. 'You remember Mrs. Jerome who came here? Yes, of course you do! Good. Well, her husband has been sent to prison for something I don't think he did'- she didn't want to cloud the issue with questions of reasonable doubt-'and he will be hanged if we do not discover the truth!'
'Ooh, ma'am!' Gracie was appalled. Mrs. Jerome was a real person, and just like a heroine should be: sweet and pretty, and obviously terribly in need of rescuing. 'Ooh, ma'am. Are we going to help her then?'
'Yes, we are. The master will be doing what he can, of course-but that may not be enough. People keep secrets very close, and a man's life may depend on this-in fact, several people's lives. We shall need a lot of others to help, too. I am going to see Lady Ashworth, and while I am away I want you to
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look after Daniel and Miss Jemima.' She fixed Grade with a gaze that almost hypnotized her, so intense
