“I suppose I have,” Stone replied. “I have to admit, I wasn’t expecting this.”

Allison sat down beside him and took his hand in hers. “I’m sorry you’re hurt, but you really should have seen it coming. I did.”

Stone looked at her, incredulous. “You did? How could you? You hardly knew anything about it.”

“I knew just enough to read the signs. No girl who was really in love would have passed up a week in St. Marks with you, not even for Vance Calder. You’re really not very perceptive about women, you know.”

“Well, if I didn’t know that, I do now,” he said, sighing.

She went to the bar and mixed him a rum and tonic, then brought it back to him. “Drink that; you’ll feel better in a while.” She went into the aft cabin and left him alone in the saloon.

Stone sipped the drink and thought about the last few days. If his letter had reached Arrington in time, would that have mattered? Probably not, he realized. It wouldn’t have healed the problems in their relationship. Presently, he did feel better. The defense mechanisms were clicking into place now, and the ego’s own anesthesia was numbing the parts of him that hurt most. He took some deep breaths, and something inside him unclenched. Now, he thought, he must bring himself back to the present, because he had a lot to do.

Chapter
45

He sat her down across the saloon and told her to get comfortable. “Comfort is the first thing,” he said. “I don’t want you squirming on the stand. No, don’t cross your legs, cross your ankles, and fold your hands together. Comfortable?”

“Fairly.”

“Find a position early on and be still. If you have to change, do it slowly and deliberately, and remember not to cross your legs.”

“I think I got that part about the legs.”

“Good. Now, your attitude is going to be important. When I question you I want you to think hard and tell me exactly the way things happened. I want the jury to see that you’re trying to be honest.”

“All right.”

“When Sir Winston’s turn comes, I want you to keep exactly the same demeanor; don’t use defensive body language like crossing your arms. Don’t be petulant; don’t show anger; above all, don’t raise your voice. Take his questions very seriously, and try to answer them honestly, unless it appears that he’s asking a question merely for effect, a rhetorical question, then you can look disappointed.”

“Disappointed, not angry,” she repeated.

“All right, are you ready?”

“Ready.”

“Mrs. Manning, what was your motive for killing your husband?”

She stared at him, and her eyes grew hard.

“Sorry, I didn’t tell you I was going to be Sir Winston, did I?”

“No, you didn’t.”