For all her natural confidence and self-belief, and for all her involvement in her father's defence team, Alex still felt slightly overawed when she was summoned to the office of the head of the partnership. The cal, from Mitchell Laidlaw's secretary, came just after 4.30 p.m.
The unexpected presence of Christabel Innes Dawson QC did nothing to calm the nerves tugging at her stomach.
'You sent for me, Mr Laidlaw?' she asked.
'Yes, Alex, Miss Dawson thought it would be good for you to sit in on our consultation. I'm sorry, I really should have advised you that she was coming in to see us.'
'I enjoy the odd touch of opulence,' the old lady rumbled.
'Honestly, I only wish I could take al the people who go on about fatcat advocates and parade them through offices like this one.' She glanced at Skinner's daughter.
'D'you intend to come to the Bar, young lady?'
'I've given it some thought.'
'Hmm. Then look around you, and give it some more. Damned hard work, damned little recognition. Of course, I suppose in these times you would have the opportunity to become a judge, if you were good enough. That path was closed to me.' She looked more than a little angry at the recol ection, giving Alex a sudden picture of a tiny gimlet-eyed figure in an ermine-trimmed red robe, glaring down at the court.
'Well,' she said, fearlessly, 'I for one am glad that you'll be in the well of the court and on our side, when my dad's case is called.'
The old lady smiled. 'Thank you for that compliment, miss. But you real y should say "if", not "when". We've just had a very surprising cal.'
Laidlaw nodded. 'That's right. From the Procurator Fiscal, no less.
It seems that John Jackson Charles has withdrawn the statement which he gave Cheshire and Ericson.'
She looked at him, astonished and delighted simultaneously. 'He has? But why?'
'It seems that your fiance sent a couple of heavies to talk to him.
"To clear up a discrepancy" was how they put it. It seems that it was 240 big enough to persuade him to alter his recollection of events.'
'I don't suppose my dad had anything to do with it, did he?'
Mitchell Laidlaw smiled, beatifically. 'That's right, my dear,' he said. 'Don't suppose.'
'How did the Fiscal take it?'
'I've known him to be more cheerful,' Christabel Dawson replied.
'He has decided to postpone tomorrow's scheduled court appearance, to al ow him to discuss the position with the Lord Advocate. I gather that young Archie is a bit miffed that Mr Martin's persuaders promised Charles that there would be no consequences if he withdrew his statement.'
'Cheshire's furious, too,' said Laidlaw.
'He's got no damn right, then,' barked Miss Dawson. 'The man obviously let slip far too much information about the al egation the first time he interviewed Charles. He let him know the amount, the time, the name and the location of the bank. The awful man was clever enough to build his original story around facts gleaned from them.
'Your fiance's chaps seem to have been much more subtle.'
'Where wil the Crown go from here?' asked Alex.
The ancient silk allowed herself a thin smile. 'Maybe nowhere.
Charles's behaviour has attached a bad smel to their side, somehow.'
Laidlaw leaned forward in his chair, smiling agreement. 'Yes. Into the bargain, Alex, I was getting strange vibes from your father today.
Even before Charles decided to withdraw his evidence, with things looking fairly black, he was stil oddly confident. Although he didn't say anything to confirm it, I felt as if he had something up his sleeve.
'I've no idea what it could be, but I felt that it might be pretty devastating.'
Alexis Skinner laughed, seized by a sudden and almost overwhelming relief. 'Indeed,' she said. 'I rather think I know those vibes.
When my father starts playing his cards close to his chest, then it usual y means that someone's in for it, and no mistake.'