‘I can only say that, if her feelings for me had been what mine were for her, we should have gone away together at once. The blame is entirely mine, and she has only treated me kindly because she was sorry for me.’
‘If what you both say is true, she gave you hell – I beg your pardon, my Lord – in the car, didn’t she? Was that kind?’
‘When a person is not in love I don’t think they realize the feelings of one who is.’
‘Are you a cold-blooded person?’
‘No.’
‘But she is?’
‘How is the witness to know that Mr Brough?’
‘My Lord, I should have put it: But you think she is?’
‘I do not think so.’
‘And yet you would have us think that she was kind in letting you pass the night with her head on your shoulder? Well, well! You say if her feelings had been yours, you would have gone away at once. What would you have gone away on? Had you any money?’
‘Two hundred pounds.’
‘And she?’
‘Two hundred a year, apart from her job.’
‘Flown away and lived on air, eh?’
‘I should have got some job.’
‘Not your present one?’
‘Probably not.’
‘I suggest that both of you felt it would be mad to fling your caps over the windmill like that?’
‘I never felt so.’
‘What made you defend this action?’
‘I wish we hadn’t.’
‘Then why did you?’
‘She thought, and her people thought, that as we had done nothing we ought to defend.’
‘But you didn’t think so?’
‘I didn’t think we should be believed, and I wanted her free.’
‘Her honour didn’t occur to you?’
‘Of course it did; but I thought for her to stay tied was too heavy a price to pay for it.’
‘You say you didn’t think you’d be believed? Altogether too improbable a story?’
‘No; but the more one speaks the truth, the less one expects to be believed.’
Dinny saw the Judge turn and look at him.
‘Are you speaking generally?’
‘No, my Lord, I meant here.’
The Judge’s face came round again and his eyes studied the unseen above Dinny’s head.
‘I am considering, you know, whether I should commit you for contempt of Court.’
‘I am sorry, my Lord; what I meant was that anything one says is turned against one.’
‘You speak out of inexperience. I will let it pass this time, but you mustn’t say things of that sort again. Go on, Mr Brough.’
‘The question of damages, of course, didn’t affect you in making up your mind to defend this action?’
‘No.’
‘You have said that you have no private means. Is that true?’
‘Certainly.’
‘Then how do you mean that it didn’t affect you?’
‘I was thinking so much of other things that bankruptcy didn’t seem to matter.’
‘Now, you have said in examination that you were not aware of Lady Corven’s existence until you were on this ship coming home. Do you know a place in Ceylon called Neurāla?’
‘No.’
‘What?’
Dinny saw a faint smile creep out among the Judge’s folds and wrinkles.
‘Put the question another way, Mr Brough; we generally call it Neurāla.’
‘I know Neurāla, my Lord.’
‘Were you there in June last?’
‘Yes.’
‘Was Lady Corven there?’
‘She may have been.’
‘Wasn’t she in the same hotel as you?’
‘No. I wasn’t in an hotel. I was staying with a friend.’
‘And you did not meet her playing golf or tennis, or out riding?’
‘I did not.’
‘Or anywhere?’
‘No.’
‘Not a large place, is it?’
‘Not very.’
‘And she’s a conspicuous person, isn’t she?’
‘I think so.’
‘So you never met her till you were both on this ship?’
‘No.’
‘When did you first become conscious that you were in love with her?’
‘About the second or third day out.’
‘Love almost at first sight, in fact?’
‘Yes.’
‘And it didn’t occur to you, knowing that she was a married woman, to avoid her?’
‘I knew I ought to, but I wasn’t able.’
‘You would have been able to if she had discouraged you?’
‘I don’t know.’
‘Did she in fact discourage you?’
‘N-no. I don’t think she was aware of my feelings for some time.’
‘Women are very quick in such matters, Mr Croom. Do you seriously suggest that she was unaware?’