And Is There Honey Still For Tea? Read Online Free

much of a chance to go into it yet. It’s all blown up too quickly, hasn’t it? In any case, I strongly suspect that Herbert wants our advice before he digs too deeply into this particular hornets’ nest. For one thing, Herbert is a strictly civil man, needless to say, and this may well have criminal implications. Merlin said he had referred Herbert to a criminal solicitor who can help out with that side of things, if needed. Is he going to be with us today?’
    â€˜Yes, Barratt Davis, of Bourne & Davis. They send quite a lot of work to the more junior tenants in chambers.’
    Wesley nodded. ‘I’ve heard Merlin mention them. Crime really isn’t my field, as you know. Are they dependable? In a case like this …’
    â€˜They are very good. They prepare a case well and they stay with it. I’ve done a fair bit of work for them, including that capital murder I did with Martin Hardcastle last year.’
    â€˜Ah, yes,’ Wesley said. ‘I remember that, of course.’
    He paused.
    â€˜Has that memory receded to some extent?’
    â€˜To some extent,’ Ben replied.
    Wesley nodded his understanding. ‘That’s a hard case to lose. But to those of us not involved, it did appear that the prosecution had an overwhelming case. And you came out of it very well in the Court of Criminal Appeal – as opposed to Martin Hardcastle. Has he been heard of since?’
    Ben closed his eyes. A hard case to lose. Yes, a case which ended with your client being hanged certainly qualified as a hard case to lose; especially when your leader turned out to be an alcoholic who missed the most important day of the trial and then advised the defendant that there was no need for him to give evidence in support of his alibi. Ben had spoken out against Hardcastle’s advice, but in vain; the QC had the client’s trust. Predictably, Hardcastle’s advice failed to prevent the verdict of guilty, but his professional failings attracted no sympathy in the Court of Criminal Appeal. Hardcastle’s career lay in ruins, but Billy Cottage had been hanged, notwithstanding.
    â€˜I believe he has retired from practice,’ Ben replied, opening his eyes.
    There was a silence.
    â€˜Do you know Digby well?’ Ben asked, anxious to change the subject. ‘I am sure you must.’
    â€˜I know him,’ Wesley replied. ‘But not well. He is a Chancery man, one of that rare breed who understands things like land law and trusts. He ventures out into the real world occasionally for a probate action or the odd defended divorce. I had one of those against him a year or two ago. He was called in 1935, I think, took Silk in the mid-1950s. Not the most exciting advocate, but a very sharp mind.’
    â€˜That sounds very much like the Chancery Division,’ Ben said, smiling. ‘But he doesn’t sound like the sort of man who would get caught up in espionage, does he?’
    Wesley looked up briefly at the ceiling.
    â€˜What kind of man does get caught up in espionage?’ he asked. ‘I’ve never seen the attraction myself, I must say. But I suppose a sharp mind would come in useful. He is one of the country’s leading chess players. Did you know that?’
    Ben shook his head. ‘No. Not something I follow, I’m afraid.’
    â€˜Neither do I,’ Wesley said. ‘I just about remember how the pieces move. But apparently, he is a very strong player. And I seem to remember hearing that he worked for the Security Services during the War.’
    â€˜Really?’ Ben asked. ‘Doing what?’
    â€˜Interrogating suspected German spies, and the like. There were a number of members of the Bar who remained in practice and were called in when needed. Helenus Milmo was certainly very involved, and I think Digby was one of them also.’
    â€˜And he has a title.’
    Wesley nodded. ‘Yes. He is Sir James Masefield Digby, a baronet.