the princess and the pauper ♕ tommy shelby

chapter twenty six

1920, 2nd week of January

Ophelia drove with her sister and Anna to the trial where they would meet Matthew, Isobel and Tommy. The prosecution had called on Mrs. Hughes, O'Brien and Lord Grantham as witnesses, which Anna found odd. "It will be alright; Murray knows what he's doing" Ophelia said while they were waiting to go in. "Thank you, my lady" Anna said.

When they finally could go in, the women sat near each other, Mary and Ophelia placing Anna between them for support, and Isobel next to Ophelia. The opening statement talked about how Mr. Bates was firstly done by the prosecution, who pointed at the suspicion how the last time he saw his wife, she sent a letter about how afraid she was and how soon he and Anna got married as if they had planned it.

Mr. Bates' lawyer opened with how he was long gone before Vera even died, and how it was not in his character to harm a woman. First Mrs. Hughes was called upon and they apparently found out she overheard him say something which made him look guilty, about how much he hated his wife. Then O'Brien went forward because she had also overheard him speak ill of the late Mrs. Bates.

After the prosecution was done, there was a short break. "Does this look good, or won't we know until the defence?" Ophelia asked as they waited. "We won't know, not until every side has been heard" Murray said. "I didn't expect Mrs. Hughes to say such things" Anna said. "It's very hard to lie under oath, only a few can manage" Isobel said. "And it's not her fault, if they find out you heard something even out of context, they will make you repeat it in court" Ophelia said. "Choose your words wisely then" Mary said, before they were called back, and Lord Grantham was called to the stand.

Lord Grantham was asked if he knew what kind of feeling Mr. Bates had towards his wife, and honestly Lord Grantham told them how she was ruining his life by trying to take him back after he had come to work at Downton, even though they fell out of love. And how she refused to sign divorce papers. "Did John Bates ever speak to you about his wife?" the prosecution asked. "Not that I recall" Lord Grantham answered. "Never?" he was asked. "He never once spoke one word of this wife who'd prevented all his dreams from coming true" the question continued. "Well, one talks of this and that" Lord Grantham said, not remembering yet what they were after. "Was he giving the impression he was losing patience with Mrs. Bates?" was the following question from the lawyer. "Specifically, around the time she had prevented the divorce" the lawyer asked.

Ophelia furrowed her eyebrows together, this was clearly a specific question, and it would probably not go well given it was asked by the prosecution. "Were you aware he was angry at what happened?" the lawyer asked. "I suppose so" Lord Grantham answered, slowly remembering the ill words that had been spoken about Mrs. Bates. "Did he ask permission to travel to London to see her that last time?" the lawyer asked. "I believe he did" Lord Grantham said. "And did you recommend restraint in his dealings with his wife?" the lawyer asked. "I don't think so" Lord Grantham said. "You're absolutely sure?" the lawyer asked. "Well, perhaps I may have done" Lord Grantham said.

"You did Lord Grantham, Mr. Bates has, in his interviews stated that you prescribed discretion. His case is that he followed your advice. But I wonder why the defence has chosen not to refer to this" the lawyer said. "I can't tell you" Lord Grantham said. "And was there one statement of his that prompted you to advise him to moderate his behaviour?" they asked. And Ophelia could tell by her father's face they had him. "I can't remember" Lord Grantham said. "Give us a proximate" the lawyer asked, and Lord Grantham fell silent. "I must urge that the witness gives an answer" the judge said.

"I...said...I hoped his trip to London was to do with some property he owned" Lord Grantham said. "And not the former Mrs. Bates" he said. "How did he answer?" the lawyer asked. "He said..." Lord Grantham said, and looked at everyone from Anna to his children. "Lord Grantham" the judge said. "He said 'if only she was the former, or better still, the late'" Lord Grantham said.