William Monk 05 - The Sins of the Wolf

sense of despair, so total for amoment he could hardly catch his breath. It was as if someone had knocked the air out of his lungs.
    Perhaps it was as well Argyll was conducting the case. He cared too much to be in command of himself.
    The jury was waiting, all fifteen faces turned towards the judge. This time their emotion was with Argyll, and it was plain to see.
    The judge was tight-lipped with anger, but he knew the law.
    “Proceed,” he said curtly.
    “Thank you, my lord.” Argyll inclined his head and turned back to Moncrieff. “Dr. Moncrieff, I ask you again, what is your opinion of Miss Latterly’s professional ability, in all circumstances with which you are acquainted and competent to form a judgment?”
    “Excellent, sir,” Moncrieff answered without hesitation. “She showed remarkable courage on the battlefield when there were enemy skirmishers about, working with the wounded when her own life was in danger. She worked very long hours indeed, often all day and half the night, ignoring her own exhaustion or hunger and cold.” A shadow of amusement crossed Moncrieff’s handsome face. “And she had exceptional initiative. I have on occasions thought it is unfortunate it is impossible to train women to practice medicine. More than one nurse, in cases when there was no surgeon, has performed successful operations to remove musket balls or pieces of shell, and even amputated limbs badly shattered on the field. Miss Latterly was one such.”
    Argyll’s face registered the appropriate surprise.
    “Are you saying, sir, that she was a surgeon … in the Crimea?”
    “In extremis, yes sir. Surgery requires a steady hand, a good eye, a knowledge of anatomy, and a cool nerve. All of these qualities may be possessed by a woman as much as by a man.”
    “Stuff and nonsense!” someone shouted from the gallery.
    “Good God, sir!” one of the jurors exploded, then blushed scarlet.
    “That is an extraordinary opinion, sir,” Argyll said very distinctly.
    “War is an extraordinary occupation, thank God,” Moncrieff replied. “Were it commonplace, I fear the human race would very soon wipe itself out. But appalling as it is, it does on occasion show us qualities we would not otherwise know we possessed. Both men and women rise to heights of gallantry, and of skill, that the calm, more ordered days of peace would never inspire.
    “You called me to testify as to what I know of Miss Latterly’s character, sir. I can in honesty say no other than I found her brave, honest, dedicated to her calling, and compassionate without sentimentality.
    “On the negative side, so you will not believe me biased, she was opinionated, at times hasty to judge others whom she believed to be incompetent….” He smiled ruefully. “In which I regret she had much cause. And at times her sense of humor was less than discreet. She could be dictatorial and arbitrary, and when she was tired, short-tempered.
    “But no one I ever knew saw a single act of personal greed or vindictiveness in her, whatever the circumstances. Nor had she personal vanity. Good heavens, man, look at her!” He waved one arm towards the dock, leaning over the railing of the witness-box. Every head in the courtroom turned at his word. “Does she look to you like a woman who would commit murder to gain a piece of personal adornment?”
    Even Rathbone turned, staring at Hester, gaunt, ashenfaced, her hair screwed back, dressed in blue-gray as plain as a uniform.
    Argyll smiled. “No sir, she does not. I confess, it seems you are right; a little personal vanity might be more becoming. It is a falling short, I think.”
    There was a ripple around the room. In the gallery onewoman put her hand on her husband’s arm. Henry Rathbone smiled wanly. Monk gritted his teeth.
    “Thank you, Dr. Moncrieff,” Argyll said quickly. “That is all I mean to ask you.”
    Gilfeather rose slowly, almost ponderously, to his feet.
    Moncrieff faced him steadily. He was not naive enough to think the next few minutes would be easy. He was aware that he had altered, if not the tide of the battle, at least the pitch and the heat of it. In Argyll he had been facing a friend; Gilfeather was the enemy.
    “Dr. Moncrieff,” he began softly. “I expect few of us here can imagine the horror and privation you and other workers in the medical field must have faced during the war. It must have been truly terrible. You spoke of hunger, cold, exhaustion and fear. Is that true, no