Honourable Intentions Read Online Free

they can patch them up for the full trial. But my client seems ready to risk that.”
    Corinna said: “What about it being a political crime anyhow?”
    “I shall argue that as well. But I can’t see a Bow Street magistrate ruling on that. I think he’ll leave that to a higher court.”
    The Commander asked: “Can you appeal the magistrate’s decision, then?”
    “In effect. It’ll be a
habeus corpus
hearing in the King’s Bench. When,” he turned to Corinna, “your fund will have to stump up for
Counsel.
But I think I can find one who’ll say what he’s told and not have ideas of his own.”
    Mr Quinton, one suspected, did not share the high opinion that barristers had of themselves.
    The Commander said: “I think we’re getting bogged down in legalities. Frankly, it’s no skin off our nose whatever happens to the lad – that is, I’m sure he’s safe in Mr Quinton’s capable hands. What concerns me is whether he’s going to say anything in open court. Is he?”
    “If he listens to me, he’ll say nothing bar his name,” Quinton said very firmly.
    “Good. And meanwhile, if he tells you anything more about this – alleged – royal scandal, you’ll be sure to let us know?”
    Quinton frowned. “Whatever a client tells his solicitor is in the strictest confidence.”
    “Good Lord, man, this is a question of your duty to the
King
!”
    Quinton stiffened. “I agreed to come to this meeting on the understanding that you would take this aspect out of my hands. It isn’t germane to the boy’s case and is the sort of thing I prefer not to be told. And if told, not to hear.”
    “I would have hoped your patriotic—” the Commander began, but Ranklin cut in:
    “I’d better come and hear what happens at Bow Street myself tomorrow. Will I get in?”
    “I’ll make sure you do. But I can’t promise you’ll hear anything from the public seats. Meet me outside at lunchtime and I’ll explain what’s been happening. Now, if you’ll excuse me . . . Mrs Finn . . .” He bowed over Corinna’s hand, shook hands with the Commander and Ranklin, and walked briskly away.
    Watching him go, the Commander said thoughtfully: “D’you think I overdid the duty-to-your-King bit?”
    “Perhaps,” Ranklin said.
    Corinna said: “He’s supposed to be good.”
    “I imagine, madam, that by that you mean ‘effective’.”
    “Isn’t that what we all mean?” She was quite unabashed. “Well, I’ve done my
effective
deed for the day.” And she leant back in her chair and looked at them expectantly.
    The Commander looked puzzled. Ranklin said: “Not quite. That letter the lad’s mother wrote had a Paris address. When you sent someone from your Paris office to check up on her, was she still there?”
    Corinna said dreamily: “If I had three wishes, d’you know what the first would be? To have someone push that terrible little crook Lloyd George under a bus. Having a Chancellor of the Exchequer who—”
    “Sorry we can’t oblige you there,” Ranklin interrupted. “What’s the second wish?”
    “Are you truly offering to do me a favour?” Her surprised delight was quite false.
    “No, ducky, we’re not, but let’s hear it anyway.”
    “Well,
since
you mention it . . . at the moment, the Treasury doesn’t place many bonds in the US but it does so exclusively through Morgan Grenfell. Now, if you happened to be speaking to anyone with influence, you might just
mention
that the House of Sherring has its main office on Wall Street and would be only too happy to help out.”
    Looking grim again, the Commander came in with a surprising knowledge of financial politics – surprising to Ranklin, anyway. “Madam, I can only see us needing to sell more Treasury bonds abroad in an exceptional circumstance – such as a European war. And a long one.”
    “Is that truly so?” Corinna was an innocent little girl again. “Dear me. Still, it helps to be prepared, don’t you think? So you will