We arrived to the court so early the next day that I wound up dozing on Will's shoulder while we waited for the courts to officially open. I didn't mind, we'd managed to avoid the reporters and the photographers so I would gladly take a nap on Will and listen to his steady breathing. However Ezekiel was not so pleased, and he groused plenty as we waited. "I didn't even have a chance to get a cup of coffee, Annie."
"Then perhaps you shouldn't have slept thirty minutes longer than all of us." Oscar chuckled, "I'm sure we could get a reporter to get us some coffee, you just would have to offer an interview."
"And have them ask me if I was carrying one with her?" Ezekiel snorted. "I'd rather yawn my way through today. What's on the docket?"
"Docket?" Mother laughed at that. "My word, perhaps I'll have to tell Morgan you're looking for a change in careers."
I opened my eyes so I could see the flush on Ezekiel's cheek. "I had no idea you were picking up legal language, Zeke. I'm sure Oscar would be willing to tutor you."
"I would indeed!" Oscar grinned widely. "After all, a little Latin never hurt anyone." Ezekiel groaned as Oscar began to launch into a lecture. "You know, Professor Featherstone at Cambridge always said that the law is not limited to men of means, that anyone could become a lawyer simply by applying himself." I could see the light in Oscar's eyes as he kept speaking. "I mean, look at Lincoln! He came from nothing and simply studied and studied until he could debate like an expert. And I myself may come from means, but plenty of my fellows were sons of working men who had an aptitude for-"
"Forget I said anything." Ezekiel cut him off, "I think I've learned plenty already."
"So you're ready to teach a course, then?" Will asked, his voice light.
Ezekiel shook his head. "Perhaps, although I would rather teach one on have to properly navigate your way through a storm." He cocked his head to the side for a moment, considering. "Or how to curse enough to break up a fight. I've done that a fair number of times."
"I hardly think you could curse your way out of this." Mother sighed, "That Dyer is a snake."
"He's a goddamn liar is what he is." It was out of Ezekiel's mouth before he could stop himself, and he immediately ducked his head. "Sorry, Mrs. Dalian."
"It's quite alright." Mother shrugged. "He is a goddamn snake of a man." I actually laughed at that, my veil shaking from my mirth. It was going to be the last day for me to wear it the whole time, Rhett and Dalton had everything for the third day planned to the minute. They'd introduce the evidence they'd gathered and the anonymous testimony in the morning, and then have me testify after. At a certain point Rhett would ask me if I suffered any injury during the attack, and then I would remove the veil. He had even told me to bring extra powder to make the bruise stand out even more.
"Father used to curse when he drank a bit too much." I smiled, remembering how he once came home and declared Mother to be the finest fucking lady in New York. "It was never in anger though, and he'd always get us something after to apologize."
"It was usually chocolates." Mother had a small smile on her face. "Or flowers, he always used to get me roses when he came back from a trip."
"I'll have to remember that." Will squeezed me up against him. "Two bouquets of roses when I come back, for both of you."
"I would enjoy that, Mr. Murdoch." Mother's voice was far too even and calm, it sounded forced. "I can send you the card for our florist." We quieted down as clerks began to arrive, other lawyers and their clients making their way to various courtrooms through the vast hallways. I watched them wander past us, and I couldn't help but wonder what they were here for. Perhaps that couple was divorcing, or maybe they were dealing with an inheritance. Everyone seemed so focused and intense, it was unlikely anyone here was doing anything frivolous.
"You're all here early." I heard Rhett Link call out as he and his brother approached. "Can't say I was expecting it."
"The reporters were a bit intense yesterday," I said, standing going to greet them. "We all thought it would be better to avoid them."
"Don't avoid them too much, we still need you in the papers." Dalton pursed his lips. "I understand that it's distasteful, but with your testimony tomorrow we need to build up the anticipation. Try and get a few photos taken as you leave, perhaps with Mr. Murdoch reaching out to protect you. That would come off well, for the both of you actually."
Mother pursed her lips. "Are you still confident in our chances after yesterday?"
"Of course, Mrs. Dalian." Rhett smiled, coming over to pat Mother's hand. "If you noticed, yesterday they didn't refute a single fact about the attack and simply focused on trying to smear your daughter. They can't dispute the facts, so they're resorting to personal attacks. We have a very good chance."
"Especially given that the jury has been sequestered." Dalton mumbled, and he wound up leading the rest of us into the courtroom as others began to arrive. I saw Mr. Perry, not even cuffed and laughing with the officer escorting him to the defense's table. His wife was behind him, smiling and simpering when he turned back to talk to her. A good number of people were crowded into the court today, the reporters from yesterday claiming seats as close to the bar as they could. I tried to ignore the whispered comments they were sending back and forth, the talk about how well papers were selling with this trial on.
The quieted down as the first witness of the day was brought in. He may not have had the threadbare top hat he had worn when I saw him last, but I recognized him. Rhett strolled up to him, an easy grin on his face. "So, Mr. Rutherford Graves, what exactly is your form of employment?"
"I take odd jobs." He shrugged. "Things most people won't do."
"Such as?"
"Breaking arms when you don't pay someone back, smashing windows, burning places out."
Rhett actually leaned against the witness stand, looking to the jury. "And kidnapping women?"
"On occasion." Rutherford's statement drew a large gasp from the gallery, he seemed to revel in the attention. "It's not my most common form of employment, but I deal with it when it comes up."
"And the other two that will be testifying today? Huston Kite and Dennis Sing?"
"Two men who I've used before, kidnapping is a very delicate art."
Rhett strode over to our table, pretending to peruse some papers as he continued. "So you consider yourself an artist, then?"
"In a sense." Rutherford looked to me, smiling. "You have to learn your target's movements, their attitude, and adjust your plans accordingly. Miss Dalian goes to her offices in the morning, and usually does not leave until late. Fortunately her carriage was recognizable, so when she left the offices early that day we were able to follow her." I tried not to shrink in on myself as he explained. "We had a car, parked it across the street and then dealt with the coachman. We'd been told if we cut her up we wouldn't get paid, but women tend to get scared when they see a knife."
"And who had hired you?"
I saw Rhys begin to grind his jaw as Rutherford answered easily. "Evan Perry, he'd engaged us for jobs like this before."
"What happens with the women you've taken for him?"
"He turns them out, I've taken a turn with a couple of them myself." Rutherford smiled as if he was reminiscing about a fine day in the park. "But he told us it wasn't going to be like that for Miss Dalian, that she was for someone special." The reporters were talking at full volume now, and Constance Perry had surged to her feet and begun railing at them about her husband's business.
"We own boardinghouses! Fine and proper boardinghouses!"
"Bawdy houses you mean!" A reporter laughed, drawing a riot of further comments from the rest of the crowd.
Judge Withers was quite indulgent with his gavel, his bailiff bawling for order and for quiet at the crowd. It took several minutes for the crowd to quiet down, and Judge Withers was on his feet, his fingers jabbing at Constance as he spoke. "You will keep quiet in my court room or I will have you held in contempt!"
"You can't-"
"I can and I will, Mrs. Perry! Now sit down and be quiet!" He thundered, and I saw Constance pale as she sat, her arms close around her.
Rhett had been grinning the entire time. "Did he tell you who Miss Dalian was for?"
"No, just that we were to pick her up, not cut her, and bring her back." Rutherford chuckled, "He promised us a handsome payment, although I think most of it would have gone back into his pockets. The other two tend to spend money as soon as they get it."
"Had you seen Miss Dalian before you began watching her?"
"Not outside of the papers, hell, I still haven't spoken to her." He glanced to me, ignoring the judge's order that he keep his language clean. "Can't even see her now." Rhett let him pass over to the defense, and Rhys began to grill him on every bit of detail he could remember. Rutherford seemed bored by it all. "It was cold, what do you want me to say? I can't remember if the sun was out or if it was dark."
"But surely you remember the attack?"
"I remember her sending that big dog of her's after Huston." I clenched my hands in my skirt as he spoke. "Hadn't thought he was an attack dog, don't usually see ladies with those. They tend to like little ones, fluffy little rats basically." He leaned back in the chair. "Wasn't expecting her to pull a hatpin out either, we'd been given to understand she was rather meek. And then the Vanderbilt showed up."
"What happened when he did?"
"Practically ran over Dennis with his car, and then his valet was dragging me down off the coach and kicking me." He reached down and rubbed his ribs. "The odds weren't good, so I lay down and let him go at it for a bit. Then they threw us in the carriage and we were in the girl's stables."
"You weren't turned over directly to the police?" Rhys raised his eyebrows. "They took you hostage?"
"Not sure if hostage was the right word." Rutherford glanced past me to Oscar. "I think they were more worried for her and wanted us somewhere they could keep an eye on us while they called the police."
"Were you mistreated when you were held by Mr. Vanderbilt?"
I remembered the split knuckles Oscar had come back with, but Rutherford shook his head. "We weren't wined and dined, but they didn't do anything beyond locking us in horse stalls while they waited."
"You weren't beaten?"
"No."
"How about bribed?" Rhys stood tall and straight before the jury. "Did you receive any kind of payment for pleading guilty to a false charge?"
Rutherford held his gaze. "No, I need a break and would rather have the state pay to house me than have to find my own way." The gallery laughed at that, and Rhys angrily dismissed him from the stand. I watched as a police officer cuffed him, taking him out and bringing in the next witness. I knew him immediately, one of his arms wrapped in white bandages from the elbow down. Part of me was worried about what he would say, but he only answered with one word each time.
Yes, or no.
Rhett worked with what he could get. "Would you have harmed Miss Dalian with your knife?"
"No."
"Did you strike her dog when she set him on you?"
"Yes."
"Would you have killed the dog to get to her?"
"Yes." I flinched at that, thinking of Rigel and being very glad that he was currently safe at home. He'd come out of what had happened just fine, if a clinging a bit more to me. I had wanted to bring him, I always felt better with him around, but that had been shot down rather quick. The Links were worried he would be disruptive or draw attention away from the case. They also said that it would make it seem as if I didn't trust the security in the courtroom.
Rhett continued on. "And if you had gotten Miss Dalian, I assume you had another job?"
"Yes."
"Was it to ensure she did not run?"
"Yes."
"And you would have used your knife to ensure that she stayed?"
"Yes."
"Would you have killed any of the men who came to her defense if you had still had the knife?"
"Yes."
Rhett pinched his nose. "I'm finished, Your Honor. Gentlemen of the jury, I would like to emphasize the fact that while this man was restrained from doing violence to Miss Dalian by the promise of payment, he had no such qualms against anyone else, man or beast. Imagine, Miss Dalian taken and her defenders lying in their blood on the street. It was very nearly the case, and it is only by the intervention of providence that it was not."
Rhys was much harsher with Huston. "Did you at any point receive promise of payment for your testimony today?"
"No."
"Did you harm Miss Dalian at all?"
"No."
"And you have already said that you would not have, if you had taken her. Have you interacted with Miss Dalian before this?"
"No."
"But you knew of her?"
"Yes."
"Do you think it is possible for a woman, unmarried mind you, to have innocent friendships with men from outside her own family?"
"No."
"You think they must be lovers?"
"Yes." I heard Mother snort behind me, and I could hear Oscar slowly gripping a paper he had brought tighter and tighter. I glanced over my shoulder to see Will, that sneer back on his face as he listened to Rhys drag out every accusation of unfaithfulness against me. He hammered the point over and over, that I had taken men into my bed, that one of them might have been my rescuer, and he seemed to be at it for hours. My stomach was growling by the time Huston was remanded back into police custody and the last witness for today was brought up.
Dennis kept the arm I had stabbed him in still, but he leaned his chin on his other hand as he was sworn in. Dalton stood, a smirk on his face. "I must ask first, Mr. Sing, how is your arm?"'
"It'll be fine." He yawned, "Long as she doesn't come at me again."
"Then I suggest you stay in your seat." Dalton commented, setting off a small rise of laughter. "I am given to understand that you were the one to speak to Miss Dalian."
"I was, although she didn't talk back much."
Dalton hardly seemed to care. "What did you say to her?"
"Told her that she should come with us, that everything would go smoothly if she did." Dennis shifted his weight. "Even told her that we'd hurt her coachman if she didn't."
"And then she set the dog on your fellow?"
"Yes, and started to run." He smirked, "Wasn't too hard to catch her, not with that box she was carrying. I would have managed to get her subdued if it hadn't been for that car almost crushing me."
"What did you see then?"
"That damn Vanderbilt almost hit me, and the girl. And then she stabbed me." He gestured towards his arm. "Damn bitch-"
"Language!" Judge Withers slammed his gavel down. "You will keep a civil tongue in my court!"
"Well it's what I called her." Dennis grumbled, "And then I hit her."
Dalton waited as a murmur went through the jury, the men shifting in their seats and a slight rumble of anger rising. "Following that?"
"Her dog almost took me out at the knees, I gave him a kick but he wouldn't leave her. And then I was getting pummeled by that Vanderbilt boy." He snorted. "You've heard everything else already, tossed us in horse stalls and then we got hauled into jail."
"And any interactions after that?"
"None." Dennis shook his head, and even when Rhys stood and took over the examination he stood by that. Rhys had just finished haranguing him about the exact condition of the stalls when Dennis snapped. "What more do you want? I was in horse stall, you want me to remember how much shit was in it?"
"That's enough!" Judge Withers yelled, "Bailiff, remove this witness! The examination is finished!"
"Your Honor, I still have more questions." Rhys spread his hands, looking contrite. "Please, let me finish."
"I have had enough of these men for the day, recess until tomorrow!" Judge Withers rose and barely gave us time to stand before he was out the door. We still had reporters swirling around us as we made our way to the car, and a Pinkerton conveniently let a photographer rush through the line. Will drew me behind him, holding an arm up to ward off the man.
The flash had barely faded from my eyes before the Pinkerton had thrown the man back out, his voice low. "Well done sir, that'll make the front page for sure. Now, get to the car." All of us hustled in, and the door was barely shut before the car took off.
I leaned back into the seat, throwing my veil off. "I'm glad I only have to wear this one more day."
"Yes, the jury should see what they did to you, my dear." Mother reached over, holding my chin and tilting my head from side to side. "I can tell it's fading, but it's still so dark."
"I'll just be glad when this is over." Will grumbled, "Although then it's the wedding."
"Yes, it will be time for all of that." I patted his hand, "I received a wire the other day, your parents have gotten their tickets for the trip over." He had just opened his mouth to speak when I continued. "As have Charles and Sylvie. On the same ship."
"Oh Christ." He pressed his other hand to his face. "And the others?"
"On later ships, but still coming." I gave his hand a squeeze, "And relax, my dear, I'm sure Charles won't scandalize your mother too much."
"I'll be so glad to meet your parents, William." Mother smiled, "Anastasia has spoke quite highly of them when I visited one day."
"And the others would be?" Ezekiel tapped Will's leg with his foot.
"The other officers from the Titanic, Ana wanted to invite them."
Oscar grinned. "I'm sure they'll have quite a few stories to tell, I'll be glad to hear them."
"Why would you be hearing them?"
"Why wouldn't I be? I would think I qualify as a good enough friend to go drinking with you for one of your last nights out as a single man." Oscar laughed at Will's face, the shock written plain on his features. "And Ezekiel as well, the both of us would be glad to make sure you get home safe."
"I'm not sure you can invite yourself along on a night like that." Will shook his head, but he was smiling. "But I would be glad to have the both of you, you have been a help during all of this, and before."
"More than you know." Oscar snorted, although he rolled his eyes at Mother's sudden rapt attention. "I may have set aside some money for those men to not mention what I got out of them back in your stables."
"Oh, Oscar you didn't." I sighed, pressing my fingers to my temples. "Bribery?"
"Only small amounts, and on the condition that they head far away from here." The grin he had was as far from mirthful as one could get. "Or they'd find that I don't make the same offer twice."
