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social events like that didn’t interest him enormously.
    â€˜At the very least we should be regulars at the garden party,’ she added. ‘If we got friendly with him there’s always a chance we could be invited to the coronation too next summer. Perhaps if I invited the Simpson woman to tea some afternoon. Would that be all right, do you think, or are we supposed to snub her until told otherwise?’
    The car came to a sudden halt and the Bentleys, husband and wife, fell forwards abruptly.
    â€˜Sorry, Your Honour,’ said Leonard, turning around and shaking his head. ‘Boy selling papers,’ he added as a small child with a sandwich board and an armful of newspapers disappeared out of sight before Leonard could jump out after him. The sandwich board bore the legend: Royal Cousin Sentence Imminent .
    â€˜I can’t get away from them,’ said Roderick irritably.
    â€˜Of course,’ said Jane, settling back into her seat and removing her compact from her bag to check her hat was still in place after the incident. ‘We could be off the guest list at the moment because of the trial. The king mightn’t want to be seen to be influencing you in any way.’
    â€˜I should think that’s a very reasonable assumption,’ said Roderick.
    â€˜But he doesn’t know you, does he? He doesn’t know how incorruptible you are. How disgustingly honest,’ she added with only a touch of sarcasm. ‘Your famous integrity and ethics. The incorruptibility of the judicial system. He doesn’t know about any of that, does he?’
    â€˜Well I would like to think that my reputation precedes me,’ he replied, trying to maintain his humility. ‘I have been a high court judge for fifteen years now after all, and I think I’ve achieved a certain level of respect.’
    â€˜What do you think he thinks about it all anyway?’
    â€˜The king?’
    â€˜Yes.’
    â€˜About what?’
    â€˜About the case, Roderick,’ she said irritably. ‘Don’t be obtuse. About Henry Domson. His cousin.’
    â€˜His third cousin,’ he replied, correcting her. ‘Henry Domson has been convicted by a jury of his peers of killing a policeman in cold blood. A policeman whose ultimate responsibility is to the monarch. I imagine he thinks that the sentence should fit the crime.’
    â€˜But his own cousin,’ said Jane.
    â€˜His third cousin,’ insisted Roderick.
    They remained silent for a few moments. It was clear to both of them that there was something Jane was anxious to say but was unsure how to express it. Only once in their married lives had she actively tried to influence her husband on a decision regarding a case and he had taken it very badly at the time and they had had one of their very rare fights, which had resulted in her promising that she would never interfere in one of his trials again. But still, there was too much at stake here. Social position, invitations to garden parties at Buckingham Palace, a seat at the coronation … it was all there for the taking. The kinetic energy of the moment sat between them as they passed along Holborn.
    â€˜Roderick,’ she burst out finally.
    â€˜Jane, don’t,’ he said sharply.
    â€˜Roderick, let me just say this—’
    â€˜I don’t want you to say anything. I have made my decision and I won’t change my mind—’
    â€˜Just hear me out, please,’ she said. ‘Just let me say one thing and then I promise I won’t say another word on the matter.’ She hesitated for a moment. ‘Please, Roderick,’ she repeated. ‘You have my word.’
    â€˜Spit it out then,’ he said, unwilling to debate the issue. ‘But I warn you, no matter what your plea is you’ll be wasting your time. I’ve made up my mind.’
    â€˜Fine,’ she said. ‘Then let me just say one thing. Two things