"As far as you know, had misconduct taken place between Robert Fielding and his cousin?"
"I don't know anything about that."
"Was Lucy Towers in the room during any part of your conversation with Robert Fielding?"
"No."
"Has Robert Fielding ever suggested to you, since his cousin's marriage, that he would like to get her away from her husband?"
"No." The witness hesitated. "Not exactly."
"What do you mean by 'not exactly'?"
"Well, it didn't seem to me that Bob'd be exactly sorry if anything happened to Towers."
Brunton chuckled audibly. The chuckle enraged Ronnie. For a question or two he fenced aimlessly with his witness's honesty. Then suddenly he decided to try and turn that very honesty against his opponent.
"Tell me," he said suavely, "did you gather from the way in which Robert Fielding habitually spoke of him that the dead man, William Towers, was of a very violent disposition?"