An Immoral Code by Caro Fraser

can never remember, like Hyacinth, or Hermione. She seems to be on the committee by virtue of the fact that she’s lost more money than anybody else. Mind you, it still doesn’t seem to have made much of a dent. Her late husband owned oil tankers. She’s rolling in it. But you know how it is – the more they have, the more they hate to lose any.’ He glanced out as they passed the Royal Exchange and turned in to Threadneedle Street. ‘Let’s see – who else …? There’s an American by the name of Cochrane, and he’s worth a fortune, too. He’s all right, but he’s very argumentative, blames his lawyers whenever things go wrong.’
    ‘Quite right, too,’ said Leo with a smile. ‘That’s what they pay us for.’
    ‘Then there’s a fellow called Carstairs – fairly retiring type, does all the minutes and the secretarial work. And, of course, there’s Freddie Hendry.’ Anthony sighed. ‘I think this Lloyd’s business has actually sent him a bit mad. Or else he’s goingsenile. He’s an ex-colonial type, worked in the civil service out in Bermuda, then came back here in the late seventies. He’d made quite a tidy fortune in investments, and then he and his wife lost everything at Lloyd’s. She was a Name, too. She died a year or so ago, and according to Fred Fenton he’s not been quite right since then. He’s quite fanatical about the case – it’s life or death to him. But he’s not like Cochrane or Mrs Hunter. He’s completely broke. So’s Carstairs. Anyway, that’s your committee.’
    ‘Right,’ said Leo, as the taxi turned in to London Wall, ‘let’s see what they make of me.’
     
    By the time the meeting was an hour old, Leo had succeeded in securing the confidence of each member of the committee and charming them entirely. It made Anthony smile to watch him at work, the way he smoothly allayed their suspicions, quelled their fears, boosted their morale, and showed them that he had spent long hours thoroughly acquainting himself with the most minute details of the litigation so far. Like patients with a doctor, these people had put their entire faith in Godfrey Ellwood, who was ten years Leo’s senior, and Leo was conscious that he had a hard act to follow. Moreover, the meeting made Leo aware of something that he had not fully realised until then – the extent to which these people relied on him. It shone from their eyes as they listened to him detailing the next steps to be taken in the case. Their faith in the justice of their case was unshakeable, and they wanted to believe that Leo would triumph on their behalf. Leo, who had a cynical view of the folly and greed of these luckless Names, was slightly taken aback by the earnest nature of their trust in him. It emerged from their discussions that, while they might regard their solicitors as flawed beings, there could be no question of their leading counsel having feet of clay.
    ‘Now, about this time-bar point,’ said Freddie Hendry,stabbing at the tabletop with a gnarled, slightly shaky finger. ‘What do you think the chances are that the other side might succeed?’ He regarded Leo with the eye of one demanding an oracular vision.
    ‘There is always a possibility that the Court of Appeal will go against us, but I don’t see how they can support the finding of the judge at first instance,’ replied Leo. He glanced at Anthony and smiled. ‘Mr Cross has constructed a very attractive if rather complex argument to say that the letter the other side rely on doesn’t amount to a confession of negligence, and I think – I hope – the court will find for us.’
    Cochrane, the craggy American, sighed. ‘Jesus, they better. Otherwise – well, we’re done.’ There was a heavy finality in his voice. ‘We’ve all lost hundreds of thousands – some of us stand to lose everything if our claim dies on its feet now.’
    Leo glanced round the circle of faces, at the anxious shadow which passed over each one. What kind of reassurance