A Higher Duty (Ben Schroeder) by Murphy Peter

Author:Murphy, Peter [Murphy, Peter]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9781842436707
Publisher: Oldcastle Books
Published: 2013-02-01T08:00:00+00:00

29

December 1962

THE HEAVY ARTILLERY was in place a week later, Miles Overton on Philip’s side and Bernard Wesley on Anne’s. The involvement of the two Q.C.s took the case to a new level, but also took some of the pressure off the two junior counsel. Kenneth Gaskell felt a particular sense of relief.

Miles Overton decided on his strategy after his first consultation with Virginia Castle and Michael Smart. After a glance at Anne’s petition he lost little time in concluding that Philip Dougherty had no credible defence. In any case, Overton had no appetite for the case. Any divorce work he did generally involved film stars, or members of the aristocracy, and he did not relish the idea of trying to fight a hopeless legal aid case against Bernard Wesley on behalf of a joiner from Walthamstow. As soon as he had confirmed that Wesley was on the other side, he made a telephone call to his old rival.

‘Bernard, I want to talk to you about this wretched Dougherty case, just between Leading Counsel, to see if we can’t do something. How would lunch be, tomorrow at the Club?’

Wesley smiled into the telephone. He understood instantly. It was an offer to surrender, the final confirmation that his client’s case really was as overwhelming as Herbert Harper had told him it was. He was going to win all the way down the line. There was no other reason for Miles Overton to make such a compromising approach. All he had to do was respect the white flag and dictate some very favourable terms.

‘Delighted, Miles, of course,’ he replied. ‘You don’t want our juniors there?’

‘No, let’s keep it between ourselves for now. Besides, I can’t bring Virginia to the Club.’

‘True,’ Wesley agreed, pretending he had overlooked that fact. ‘Until tomorrow, then.’

Immediately Wesley telephoned Harper to give him the good news.

‘Don’t say anything to the client just yet, Herbert, until Kenneth and I have had the chance to talk over whatever Overton offers with you. But, off the record, I would say they are about to cave in. I think our only problem will be convincing Duncan Furnival to let us settle without screaming collusion and trying to have the Queen’s Proctor investigate. Why in God’s name we still can’t let people settle divorce cases in this day and age without having the Queen’s Proctor conduct a veritable inquisition at public expense, I cannot begin to think.’

‘If anyone can convince him, Bernard,’ Harper said, ‘you can.’

* * *

Bernard Wesley had used his influence as a committee member to book a small, secluded room in which to lunch privately with Miles Overton. Over sherry and the hors d’oeuvre, they observed the conventions. It was not done to come to the point too hurriedly. First they would talk generally, about almost anything not related to the case. They had been rivals at the Bar for many years, and understood each other very well.

‘How is young Virginia working out?’

‘Very well. She has rather peculiar political views, as you may have heard.

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