Chapter 29
There was a shocked hush in the room.
"I told Michael that evening and he was not best pleased. In fact he ordered me to get rid of it and I argued with him. I did not want to have his child and not just because of his situation. By this time I had been working my way towards breaking it off with him because I had come to realise that I had never stopped loving Anthony and he was the only man I wanted even if, as I thought at the time, he did not want me. I would never have broken the law and had an abortion, apart from the fact that the idea of one does not sit well with me. Moments after Michael was arrested and taken away from the newspaper offices by Grayling and Rankin I collapsed in terrible pain and was taken to hospital. I had miscarried; probably due to the shock of realising what he had done."
"Edith I am so sorry," Mary said.
"I did not want his baby Mary; indeed even had he been free to do so I would not have married him because the only man I will ever love is sitting right beside me now."
"You and Anthony will be able to have children though?" Robert asked, he was twitching and Edith knew he was not comfortable with discussing women's health issues.
"Dr Jameson, the doctor I saw in hospital, seems to think it will be alright and I saw Dr Clarkson who agreed with what he wrote to him.
There was a silence.
"I am sorry Edith," Robert said, "and no I am not angry with or disappointed in you; you did not ask for what happened, for any of it. I hope you won't think me harsh for saying that maybe it was for the best."
"I could not agree more, Papa," Edith said, "I was so relieved in truth; had I had an abortion then there is a good chance I may have died or not been able to have children in future, you hear such horror stories. The fact is that, because Michael knew I was pregnant, he may well have told his lawyer a story that I tried to trap him and goodness knows what else about me and you did not deserve to find out that way. I was on the verge of showing so he knows I miscarried; I made a point of telling him the day I visited to let him know we had no further hold on each other."
"Well from what we have seen of Gregson's lawyer he could not cross-examine his way out of a paper bag," Rosamund said.
"That's true," Mary said, "Gregson had better hope that Mr Fellowes manages to get his law degree before Mr Steel rests the prosecution's case; as things stand he will have a noose around his neck before the month is out."
"Please don't tell Mama about this," Edith said, "I will have a talk with her when we get home."
"She may read about it," Mary said,
"We don't know for sure Gregson has told his lawyer anything," Anthony said, "but Edith has been most anxious to spare you the pain of finding out in court."
"I appreciate that," Robert said, "I am very sorry you had to go through that though Edith."
"There is nothing anyone can do about that now," Edith said, "Hopefully, when all this is over, Anthony and I can go away to relax and possibly have one of our own in the not too distant future."
"I really wish you the very best with that," Isobel said.
OO
"Well that went better than I expected," Edith said after her family had left.
"I told you it would be alright my darling and I think you did the right thing." He kissed her passionately.
OO
Gregson was lying on his bunk smoking a cigarette. He was beginning to feel very vulnerable. He sensed a definite hostility towards him when he was standing in the dock and the guards only spoke to him when it was absolutely necessary. Mr Fellowes definitely lacked Steel's panache and confidence in court; Rosamund's assessment that Fellowes could not cross-examine his way out of a paper bag was very true. He had received more hate mail that day; it had been waiting when he returned from court and told him that having his throat slit would be too good a way for him to die.
The guard that brought his dinner that evening was new; Gregson had not seen him before but perhaps he had been on leave. Gregson sensed distinct hostility from him although he did politely but coldly introduce himself as Freddy Stokes and he would be able to get him cigarettes if he wanted any.
"Are you new here?" Gregson asked.
"My first day, aye," Stokes said, His eyes were hard, "But that doesn't mean I don't know who you are or what you are in here for, rather than among the general prison population,"
"Everyone in this country knows that," Gregson replied.
"I'll be back to check on you later," Stokes said as he closed up the grille in the cell door and Gregson heard his receding footsteps.
OO
The following day, when Edith & Anthony arrived at the Old Bailey, they were approached by an usher for court one.
"It is very likely you will be needed later on today, Lady Strallan," the usher said, "Mr Fellowes' cross examinations are not nearly as long and detailed as the judge expected. The matter of Mrs Gregson's murder is almost dealt with so the judge expects to move on to Mr Hancock and the prison siege. There is no guarantee of course but I have been asked to tell you both to be prepared."
"I thank you for letting me know," Edith's throat was dry.
"Sir Anthony, you will be immediately after your wife, unless Mr Steel wishes to recall Inspector Grayling first, which he may well do since Grayling is already sworn in and under oath," he glanced at Anthony's injured arm, "the clerk of the court is well briefed that you can't take the oath in the traditional manner so to spare you any humiliation he will automatically place the Bible on your left."
"Thank you," Anthony said, "I must admit I was rather concerned about that."
"We will send for you," the usher said as he walked away.
OO
Michael Gregson was increasingly uneasy. The new guard, Stokes, had brought him breakfast and presided over his pre-dress search that morning but in what Gregson perceived an unguarded moment he had glanced at Stokes and seen a look in the young man's eyes that was nothing short of pure malevolent hatred. He had sensed hostility from the guards since he had killed Hancock but this new man, who could surely not have known Hancock, seemed to have him bang to rights and Gregson felt a shiver run down his spine as he choked acrid bile back down his throat.
Gregson realised that he was actually very frightened and indeed thoughts concerning his personal safety were to occupy his mind for most of that day.
OO
"Mr Steel, we have dealt with the murder of Mrs Maureen Gregson most satisfactorily and thoroughly," the judge said, "but I understand that Mr Gregson has another corpse to his credit."
"Yes My Lord," Steel said, "Mr Gregson had requested a visit from the aforementioned Lady Edith Crawley. On that day he duly smuggled a knife into the visiting room and stabbed the guard in attendance, a Mr Albert Hancock, to death before holding Lady Edith hostage and threatening to kill her. The investigation into how Mr Gregson managed to get a knife into the room without it being detected is concluded and the findings will be presented to the court in due course. The next witness has since married," Steel swallowed and Gregson's breath caught in his throat.
"The Crown calls Lady Edith Strallan,"
