Chapter 144
Preparations for the first hearing ended relatively smoothly.
Mr. Turner’s joining them had been a great help. Mr. Benson would remain in charge of the defense, while Mr. Turner would help gather evidence and was scheduled to appear as a witness at the second hearing.
That was only how the preparation went; it did not mean they could easily win the trial simply because she had belatedly taken the surname Grayson. After all, Sasha had only just become “Sasha Grayson,” and the charge that she had deceived people while being a fake and obtained a marriage license still stood. Yes. In the end, though each charge bore a different name, the crimes laid against Sasha all shared one thing in common: “deception.”
The adoption papers had already been drawn up five years ago, or in any case, the name written on that marriage license was “Sasha Grayson,” so what did it matter? The defense would first use that to fiercely counter the prosecution, submitting evidentiary documents such as the old lady’s final will to support their argument.
Mr. Benson was only concerned that, in the process, the church court—which had kept its hands behind its back all this time—might step forward, but Mr. Turner thought differently. Since the Queen had already become involved in this case to some extent, it would give them an excuse to keep quiet under the pretext of trusting and leaving things to Her Majesty’s judgment.
In any case, the central issue would ultimately be how much Sasha had deceived people. And he said victory or defeat would depend on how unforgivable they found her deception.
In other words, the key was how well they could persuade the jury. It was important to explain to them the circumstances that had left Sasha no choice, and to receive sympathy from them that was close to forgiveness.
“My only worry is that the ducal house may withdraw the accusation at this point.”
“Yes. For them, continuing to drag out the trial itself has become a risk.”
Sasha answered in agreement with Mr. Turner. People had already begun wondering where the real one was. And their curious gazes would soon turn not only to the ducal house, but also to the woman who had lived all this time as her substitute.
“Perhaps they might change their attitude and act as though they are embracing me as an adopted daughter. But everyone in the capital is already paying attention to this case. Besides, even if they were to change course like that, there would be people who mocked the ducal house for suddenly changing their tune.”
“I understand what you mean.”
“Yes. They probably won’t try to back down now.”
The study fell quiet again. Around noon, Mr. Benson left the mansion to make separate preparations for the first hearing the following day.
Only Sasha and Mr. Turner remained.
“Is the search for the real one going well?”
After enduring the silence for a moment, Mr. Turner asked, looking across at Sasha seated opposite him.
Sasha nodded.
“I wouldn’t say ‘well,’ but it is still underway. Following your advice, I was introduced to a private inquiry agent known for being tight-lipped. I also searched through the foundation’s ledgers and gave them the name you mentioned, ‘Mr. Marlborough,’ so perhaps there will be news before long.”
She had become the rightful heir to the foundation and had received all authority and rights. In other words, she now had the legal right to inspect the ledgers as well.
As he had told Isaac, Mr. Turner informed Sasha of the familiar name he had seen in the ledger. That night, Sasha searched through several years’ worth of ledgers and was able to confirm that, for several years after she had taken on the role of substitute, the Dowager Duchess had steadily sent a fixed sum of money to someone named “Mr. Marlborough,” as though paying child-rearing expenses.
That was the only clue they had for now. Theodore was missing—according to Mr. Turner, he had suddenly disappeared in the middle of a trial after being accused by Mr. Maugham—and so the only information they could even remotely rely on was the name written in that ledger.
How many people in the entire country had the surname Marlborough? And even if they found the Mr. Marlborough who had received regular support from the foundation, there was no certainty that he was truly the person who had cared for the real Sasha.
“If you find that real granddaughter……”
“She would make a good witness. The second hearing is when the real trial begins, so it is important to gather as many advantageous witnesses as possible.”
Mr. Turner had asked with some caution, but after hearing her answer, which seemed to cut him off coldly, he merely nodded and closed his mouth.
“The sun is about to set. Let’s continue the rest over dinner. I’ll see you in the dining room later. By the way, how is the bedroom you moved into?”
“Ah, it is more than adequate.”
The moment Theodore’s name came to mind, Sasha naturally found herself thinking of Isaac. Was he searching for Theodore, as he had saved Mr. Turner? Or had he returned to his original business and was handling matters related to the General?
All she had heard from Mr. Turner, who had gone to the trouble of encountering him, was merely that Isaac had asked him to take good care of her, and there had been no message to be delivered to her directly.
Though she knew she had to calmly wait for him, wait for word from him, she suppressed the urge to immediately go wherever he might be, whether Lance Field or somewhere else. At the same time, she tried to press down the resentment that rose in her without her realizing it. Could he not at least send someone with a brief letter? Even when such thoughts arose, she rebuked herself and repeatedly forced them down.
“That is a relief.”
Sasha quickly pushed away the thoughts that had filled her head and rose from her seat.
“I do hope tomorrow’s hearing ends well.”
Instead of a brief farewell, Mr. Turner said that. Sasha barely managed a smile and nodded at him.
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In the end, what she had to focus on right now was winning the trial and getting it over with as soon as possible. Only then would the house arrest imposed by her bail be lifted, and she would be able to actively look into the matter of Theodore’s disappearance on her end as well.
The Duke and General Churston were connected, so merely digging into one side’s crimes would be enough to make the other side feel threatened. Their common enemy was none other than the Queen.
“Be seated. Today, we will hear the case of Her Majesty the Queen versus Sasha Grayson. Prosecution, read the indictment.”
No matter how much she thought about the Queen, the psychological distance alone felt too vast. She had looked up the Earl of Gosford, who had nearly become prince consort, and his suspicious death in the newspapers, but it still did not feel real. To begin with, it felt not only burdensome but even frightening for her small world, already overwhelmed by this charade alone, to accept such things.
It was simply a fight between those above her. After calmly trying to sort out the situation in her own way, that was the only conclusion she reached.
The Queen was determined to catch and kill the Duke and the General, and the Duke and the General, not wanting to be caught and killed so easily, were thrashing about. Isaac had unfortunately become caught up in the General’s circumstances along the way. And now the Queen was openly using Sasha as a convenient pretext to pressure the ducal house.
“Your Honor. The defendant, Sasha Grayson, has been indicted on the following charges. First, the crime of deceiving society by assuming another person’s identity. Second, the crime of insulting the Church by having a marriage solemnized under a false identity. Third, fraud for attempting to acquire a vast inheritance through improper means. That is all, Your Honor.”
They were in the perfect position to be swept into a fight among others and die a dog’s death. That, in the end, was where they currently stood. Once she realized it, a chill ran through her of its own accord, but stronger than fear was aversion.
“Defendant, stand. Are you Sasha Grayson?”
Sasha looked once around the royal court, whose imposing grandeur could not be compared to the magistrate’s courtroom. Then she rose and answered.
“Yes, Your Honor. Legally, I am Sasha Grayson.”
The gallery was filled with reporters, and the jurors were staring at her with expressionless faces. The Crown prosecutor wore a far graver expression than the young prosecutor from before, and above all else.
……Sasha looked at the Duchess seated behind the prosecution, then turned her gaze back to the judge.
“Do you plead guilty to the charges, or not guilty?”
A piercing gaze bore into her. Pretending not to notice the Duchess’s expressionless face at the edge of her vision, Sasha answered.
“I plead not guilty, Your Honor.”
As Mr. Turner and Mr. Benson had said, the first hearing proceeded mainly with the entering of the plea and presentation of evidence. What was unexpected in the process, however, was the Duchess’s attendance; not satisfied with merely attending, she even stood in the witness box and continued to insist on Sasha’s guilt.
Was it an attempt to stall for time, or something else? Sasha could not guess her intentions at all.
By the time she came to her senses, the first hearing had ended, and Sasha left the courtroom with Mr. Benson. There was a mountain of things to prepare for the second hearing, which would take place before long. As if even the time spent walking were precious, Mr. Benson spoke to Sasha, and Sasha nodded, responding to his words.
Then they stopped walking.
It was because they had discovered the mounted military police in red uniforms entering the square before the court.
“Are you Mrs. Fincher?”
Something like an instinctive intuition struck the back of her head hard. As Sasha and Mr. Benson froze in place, a military police captain in a red uniform approached, blocked their way, and asked.
Mr. Benson quickly stepped forward and stood in front of Sasha.
“What is the meaning of this? I am the lady’s attorney……”
“You are Captain Fincher’s wife, are you not?”
The military police captain did not even answer the old lawyer, but looked straight at Sasha over his shoulder and asked again.
Sasha soon nodded with a calm expression, answering that she was.
“Madam, do you know your husband’s whereabouts?”
The moment she affirmed it, an overbearing question followed. It was plainly an interrogation.