The Sapphire Brooch Katherine Logan (best beach reads TXT) đ
- Author: Katherine Logan
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âBecause I consideredâŠâ Henly paused before starting again. âI didnât care. Considering how strong-willed she is, itâs best she doesnât impose her will on any suitable gentleman.â
âLike yerself?â Braham asked.
âI will not tolerate such behavior.â
âWho do ye blame for not squelching her strong will?â
âHer brother, of course.â
Braham paused a moment to let the comment sink in. It did. The female spectators were chatting behind open fans covering the lower portions of their faces. Several commission members took deep breaths and eyed General Holt.
âDid ye speak to Mr. Mallory about his sisterâs behavior?â Braham asked.
âI did. The same night, as a matter of fact.â Henlyâs voice was unnaturally loud and angry. âI told him he should exercise more control over her.â
âWhen did this conversation take place?â
âIn the carriage.â Henly wiped perspiration from his forehead. âI misspoke. It was later when I ran into him at the Willard.â
Braham steepled his fingers and tapped them together. âSo ye returned to the Willard after ye left Doctor Mallory? If ye didnât ride in the carriage with him back to the Willard, where did ye find him? In what room?â
Perspiration popped up on every inch of skin on Henlyâs face. âIn the billiard room.â
âGoing back to earlier in the evening, was there any time during yer dinner with Doctor Mallory when ye left the table?â
He barked a laugh. âI donât recall.â
âIsnât it true ye had to restrain Doctor Mallory from going into the billiard room?â
Henly slammed his fist on the railing. âI told her brother she was out of line and should be punished.â
Braham turned toward the commissioners with a hint of a smile. âWhat did ye expect Mr. Mallory to do? Turn her over his knee and give her a whooping?â
âOf course not.â
The women in the courtroom giggled.
âIsnât it true, Colonel Henly, ye said to Mr. Mallory, and I quote, âA slap never hurt any woman; it keeps her in lineâ?â
âNo, I did not.â
The commissioners had all turned in their seats to face the witness stand, riveted to the testimony, even those members whose attention usually wandered. Braham raised his eyebrows but said nothing. It was a planned maneuver to keep Henly in an anxious state.
âWhy did Doctor Mallory want to go into the billiard room?â
Henly roared, full of indignation. âTo see you.â
âWhy did ye object to Doctor Mallory seeing her cousin?â
âHa. Youâre not cousins. YouâreâŠlovers.â
Cullenâs heart was thudding at a breakneck pace. The testimony was proceeding exactly as they planned. The next few questions and answers were critical.
âWhy would ye think weâre lovers? Have ye spied on Doctor Malloryâs bedroom?â
âCertainly not.â He punctuated his comment with a wild gesture.
Braham walked over to the defense table and Cullen handed him a small bag. âIf ye have no interest in Doctor Mallory, why do ye care who she takes as a lover?â
There was an audible intake of breath around the room. Braham was besmirching Charlotteâs reputation, but it couldnât be helped. Cullen prayed sheâd forgive them.
âI donât care.â Henlyâs voice was tight with suppressed rage.
âBetween yer command position and when ye began yer assignment to the War Department, were ye offered other opportunities?â
Henlyâs nostrils flared. âNo.â
âWas there a position working for President Lincoln which ye applied for and were passed over in favor of another candidate whom ye outranked?â
âI wasnât interested in the position.â
âIâm sorry.â Braham turned toward the commissioners. âDid ye say ye werenât interested in a special assignment working directly for the president of the United States? Did ye tell him ye werenât interested?â
Henly snarled. âOf course not.â
Braham twisted to look at the witness. âWhat did ye tell Mr. Lincoln?â
âThat Iâd be honored to accept the position if offered.â
Braham turned back to the commissioners. âSo ye lied to the president of the United States. Is this what yeâre saying?â
âNo, itâs not what Iâm saying.â
âThe court would be interested in yer explanation, Colonel. And after ye explain why ye lied to the presidentââBraham then turned back to the witnessââmaybe yeâll explain why yeâve lied to this court.â
âI havenât lied.â
âThen tell the court when ye last saw the person wearing this.â Braham opened the small bag, pulled out Charlotteâs wig, and tossed it to Henly.
He fumbled, gasped, and then let it fall to the ground. âHow dare you?â
Braham picked up the wig and nonchalantly straightened the hairs. âHow dare I what?â
Henlyâs rage was back now, rising, smoldering behind his eyes. âInsult me.â
âHow much laudanum do ye take a day for the pain in yer back? I believe ye said ye were wounded at Cedar Creek. Is that correct?â
âYes.â
âIs that why ye needed a henchman to grab Doctor Mallory from Lafayette Park yesterday? Because yeâre too impotent to do it yerself?â
âI donât know what the hell youâre talking about.â
Braham approached the witness stand, still holding the wig. âIsnât it true, Colonel, ye hated Jack Mallory for having no control over his sister, because ye had intended to propose to her on the night in question?â Braham paused, allowing his question to thoroughly penetrate the observersâ consciousness.
âIsnât it also true, Colonel, ye hated me for getting the job ye wanted, working for the president of the United States?
âIsnât it true, Colonel, ye kidnapped Doctor Mallory yesterday afternoon and dumped her badly beaten body in a rat-infested cellar so I would have to choose between looking for herââBraham paused and pointed toward Jackââor representing her innocent brother?
âIsnât it true, Colonel, ye framed Jack Mallory?â
The spectators in the courtroom erupted, and General Hunter banged his gavel. âOrder. Order in the courtroom.â
Henly snatched his revolver from its holster, pointed it at Braham, and pulled the trigger.
92
Washington City, 1865
Charlotte waited quietly on the sofa in the parlor, reading an article in an old issue of Annals of Surgery. Sheâd read it five times and, while she didnât remember much about the article, she did remember the first few words of the objective: âTo evaluate the effect of implementing a multidisciplinaryâŠâ Well, okay, she didnât remember it either.
She
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