“Do you swear on your oath that Sir John intended that trust for your benefit?”
“He told me so. He told me I should only have to show that letter to his partners, that they would understand it; and he gave me the paper, and told me that those were the instructions he had left for his partners.”
“I really don’t know how much of this is evidence,” interrupted the judge.
Tempest rose. “I make no objection to it, my lord. I am not here to assist my clients to retain money which should rightly go elsewhere; and under the curious, I might say the utterly weird, circumstances of this present case, I think it very desirable we should have all possible information we can get.”
“If you raise no objection, Mr. Tempest, I am very much inclined to agree with you;” and the examination was continued.
“When did you hear of Sir John’s death?”
“Only a few weeks ago. I have been travelling in Egypt.”
“And that is the reason, I understand, why you have only recently instructed your solicitors to claim the money?”
“That is so;” and the examination then closed, and Tempest began to cross-examine.
“For how long, Lady Rellingham, have you used that title?”