“As I explained when we first met, Lady Virginia, in my professional opinion, your chances of winning this case are no better than fifty-fifty, so perhaps it might be wise to drop the action.”

“Thank you for your advice, Sir Edward, but it’s a risk I’m willing to take.”

“So be it,” replied her silk. “But I felt it necessary to place my opinion on the record, so there can be no misunderstanding at a later date.”

“You’ve made your position abundantly clear, Sir Edward.”

“Then let’s begin by looking at the facts of the case as objectively as we can. You either did, or did not, sell, and later buy back, a large number of Barrington’s shares with the sole purpose of harming the company.”

“Why would I want to harm the company?”

“Why indeed. I should mention at this juncture that it will be the other side’s responsibility to prove that you did, and not ours to prove that you didn’t. Nevertheless, on three separate occasions, which coincided with the company having to announce bad news, you sold shares at their peak, and then ten days later when they had fallen in price you returned to the market and repurchased them. Is that a fair assessment?”

“Yes. But I only did so after taking Major Fisher’s advice.”

“I think you should avoid mentioning Major Fisher when you’re in the witness box.”

“But he’s a Member of Parliament.”

“Perhaps this is the time to remind you, Lady Virginia, that lawyers, estate agents, and MPs are only just behind tax collectors in the opinion of most jurors.”

“But why shouldn’t I mention it, when it’s the truth?”

“Because Major Fisher was a director of Barrington’s at the time you sold and repurchased the shares, and as he was your representative on the board, the jury won’t be in any doubt where you were getting your information from. With that in mind, I shall be advising you not to call Major Fisher, although it might be wise for you to alert him to the possibility of his being called by opposing counsel. If I were them, I would subpoena him.”

Virginia looked anxious for the first time.

“And then, at a later date,” continued Sir Edward, “you purchased a large holding in Barrington’s in order to take your place on the board, at a time when the company was selecting a new chairman.”

“Yes. Major Fisher was my choice to chair the board.”

“That’s something else I must advise you against mentioning in the witness box.”

“But why? I thought Major Fisher would make a better chairman.”

“Possibly, but a jury of twelve ordinary citizens selected at random may well feel you were pursuing a vendetta against Mrs. Clifton, which would suggest that your original purpose in buying and selling the shares was indeed to harm her and the company.”