that you had only a narrow slit to look through?”
The magistrate raised an eyebrow. “I was not mistaken. I saw you drill the men, just as I’ve testified.”
Marc tried unsuccessfully a couple of times to get him to change his story. “Tell me then,” he went on, seeming to give in, “why are you so positive that I was in charge of the group that escorted you from Châteauguay to Napierville the following Saturday? How is it possible that you didn’t see me between the Tuesday and the Saturday?”
Mr. McDonald smiled contemptuously. He looked first to the officer-judges and then back at Marc. “Just because I didn’t see you doesn’t mean that I couldn’t hear you,” he replied. “And, when you seemed away from the village, I assumed you were off fighting Her Majesty’s forces somewhere.”
Marc refused to be shaken. “Sir, was I or was I not in the village on the Thursday and Friday?”
“You were in the village for part of the time.”
“How do you know that, Mr. McDonald?”
“I know it because I saw you.”
“And on the Saturday, are you sure you are not mistaken? Remember, sir, you are still under oath. Are you positive that I commanded the men who took you to Napierville?”
This time the magistrate made no attempt to hide his contempt as he looked first at Marc and then at the officer-judges. “How many more times must I tell the court this? You were the man who walked beside me, taunting me the whole way.”
Marc obviously sensed the officers’ patience running out. “How can you be so certain it was me?” he asked hurriedly.
General Clitherow raised his gavel, but Mr. McDonald plainly was relishing his chance to be the centre of attention. “Because,” he replied, grandstanding once more as he pointed at Marc. “You, sir, have a face that once seen is not easily forgotten.”
Everyone laughed and Marc blushed. That last bit, about Marc’s good looks, Sophie thought, was the only part of the magistrate’s testimony that sounded true. Marc was exceptionally good-looking.
After Mr. McDonald was excused from the witness box, he strutted towards a seat in front of Sophie and Luc and sat there, smiling complacently. He had done his job. Deep in her heart, even Sophie wondered why Marc had challenged him by asking so many questions. He must have realized that the answers made his conviction more certain. Certainly, his cross-examination had not shaken the magistrate at all.
Luc’s smile, though, was wider than ever. “Why are you so happy?” she whispered. “What on earth do you have to smile about?”
Before he could answer, General Clitherow adjourned the court for luncheon. Everyone stood as the officer-judges left the room. Then Mr. Christie turned towards Luc and Sophie. “May I take you to lunch today?”
Sophie frowned, not sure if Lady Theo would approve. Luc, though, had no hesitations. “Sir, we’d be honoured if you would be our guest. We have a private parlour reserved at Orr’s, which is, I believe, your hotel.”
During lunch, while Luc told funny stories about his school, she distracted herself by looking around the private parlour. It was almost a replica of one at Rasco’s. Did every parlour in Montreal hotels look the same? she wondered. Well, not exactly the same, but they all seemed to have the same decor. At Rasco’s the striped wallpaper above the wainscoting was blue, to match its prized Wedgwood Willow patterned china. Here, at Orr’s, the wallpaper’s stripes were a soft wine colour and cream.
When Mr. Christie laughed, Sophie switched her attention back to Luc. The morning’s testimony should have scared every wit he had, she thought sourly. Instead, it appeared to have made him deliriously happy. Sophie wasn’t sure how to react. She didn’t understand his manic need to laugh or joke. Neither, apparently, did Mr. Christie. After the dirty plates had been cleared and tea and cakes brought in, he cleared his throat.
“You seem very cavalier about this morning’s testimony, young man. I thought you might need consolation. Instead, I find myself entertained.”
Luc sobered almost immediately. “I’m sorry. I feel desperately sorry for Mr. Cardinal and the others. I do. But, I’m so happy for Marc. He told a friend that he was going to set a trap and I think Mr. McDonald walked right into it. Otherwise, Marc would never have repeated the questions.”
Sophie thought back to the magistrate’s testimony. “I didn’t see any trap,” she said. “I thought Mr. McDonald was oily. I looked at the officers, though. They seemed to find him convincing.”
“Convincing? You’ll see.”
To Sophie’s surprise, Lady Theo arrived. She looked momentarily disconcerted to find Mr. Christie with them, and as Sophie introduced them she wondered if another scolding lay in store for her when they went home. After Mr. Christie resumed his conversation with Luc, Sophie whispered to Lady Theo, “I hope you don’t mind — about Mr. Christie, that is. He’s been kind to us.”
“It’s fine, child. I’m not upset with you.”
But you are upset, Sophie thought. “Did you find out anything new about Papa?”
She bit her lips when she realized that her whispered question had captured Mr. Christie’s attention, and turned to Lady Theo with an apprehensive shrug. “Mr. Christie’s a lawyer. Maybe he can help us.”
Lady Theo’s mouth thinned into a polite smile. “I doubt it.”
Mr. Christie looked embarrassed. “I’m not aware of your problem, my lady. If it has a legal nature or is something to do with the current political state, I’d like to offer my services. I’m in a unique position, you see. Beholden to no one. I’ve retired from my practice in the city of Quebec. Furthermore, I have no aspirations to be a judge or to go further in my profession. This means I’m answerable to no one, my lady.”
He broke off for a moment and seemed to consider what he was going to say carefully. “If your problem concerns the events of the past month, I understand that legal representation might be difficult to obtain, things being the way they are. No one wants to go against the government. At the moment, its powers seem limitless. Two judges have already been punished for deciding a case according to the law instead of the governor’s command. And, of course, there’s the future. Governments seem to have long memories and can affect a man’s livelihood as well as his career.”
As he shrugged, Sophie wondered what he meant. Her papa had always grumbled about governments’ short memories, but Lady Theo nodded in agreement.
That small nod of her head seemed to encourage Mr. Christie, for he continued. “What I meant, my lady, is that the government cannot intimidate me. I have nothing to lose. So if I could be of service, I’d be delighted to help.”
Lady Theo looked at him carefully, and Sophie could see her thinking something over. After a few seconds she smiled. “Well, sir, if you can explain why habeas corpus doesn’t work in this city, I’d be grateful.”
At the question, Mr. Christie’s face lit up. “My lady, the whole issue of habeas corpus has become very murky indeed this past year.”
“So I’ve gathered,” Lady Theo said dryly.
Sophie
