time to consider her actions. And to that end, m’lud, I would like to call my first witness, Mr Michael Pym.’
A tall, elegantly dressed man with a head of silver hair entered the courtroom. Even before he’d taken the witness stand, he’d given the favourable impression Sir Cuthbert had planned. Once the witness had sworn the oath, Sir Cuthbert gave him a warm smile.
‘Mr Pym, will you please state your name and occupation for the court record.’
‘My name is Michael Pym, and I am the senior surgeon at Guy’s Hospital in the City of London.’
‘How long have you held that position?’
‘Sixteen years.’
‘So you are a man with a great deal of experience in your field. Indeed, one might say—’
‘I accept that Mr Pym is an expert witness, Sir Cuthbert. Get on with it,’ said the judge.
‘Mr Pym,’ said Sir Cuthbert, recovering quickly, ‘would you please tell the court, with all your considerable experience, what a patient can expect to go through during the last week of his or her life when suffering from such a painful and debilitating disease as cancer?’
‘It can vary, of course, but the vast majority of patients will spend long periods of time in a semi-conscious or unconscious state. In their waking moments they are often aware that their life is ebbing away, but apart from that they can lose all sense of reality.’
‘Would you think it possible for a patient in this state of mind to make an important decision on a complex legal matter, such as the signing of a will?’
‘No, I would not,’ replied Pym. ‘Whenever I require a medical consent form to be signed under such circumstances, I make sure it is done some time before the patient reaches that condition.’
‘No more questions, m’lud,’ said Sir Cuthbert, resuming his seat.
‘Mr Pym,’ said the judge, leaning forward, ‘are you saying there are no exceptions to this rule?’
‘The exception proves the rule, m’lud.’
‘Quite so,’ responded the judge. Turning to Mr Todd, he asked, ‘Do you have any questions for this witness?’
‘I most certainly do, m’lud,’ said Mr Todd, rising from his place. ‘Mr Pym, did you ever come across Lady Barrington, either socially or professionally?’
‘No, but—’
‘So you haven’t had the chance to study her case history?’
‘Of course not. She was not my patient, so that would be a breach of the Medical Council’s code of conduct.’
‘So you never met Lady Barrington, and you are not familiar with her case?’
‘No, sir.’
‘So it’s quite possible, Mr Pym, that she could be the exception that proves the rule?’
‘Possible, but highly improbable.’
‘No further questions, m’lud.’
Sir Cuthbert smiled as Mr Todd sat down.
‘Will you be calling any other expert witnesses Sir Cuthbert?’ enquired the judge.
‘No, m’lud, I feel I have made my point. However, in your bundle of evidence I have placed three written statements for your consideration from equally eminent members of the medical profession. If either you, m’lud, or Mr Todd feel they should appear before the court, they are all on hand and available to do so.’
‘That’s good of you, Sir Cuthbert. I have read all three statements, and they confirm Mr Pym’s opinion. Mr Todd, do you wish to call any of these witnesses, or indeed all three of them?’
‘That will not be necessary, m’lud,’ said Todd. ‘Unless of course any of them knew Lady Barrington personally, or were familiar with her case.’
The judge glanced at Sir Cuthbert, who shook his head. ‘I have no further witnesses, m’lud.’
‘Then you may call your first witness, Mr Todd,’ said the judge.
‘Thank you, m’lud. I call Mr Kenneth Langbourne.’
Mr Langbourne could not have been cut from more different cloth to Mr Pym. He was short, and a couple of buttons were missing from his waistcoat, which suggested either that he had recently put on some weight, or that he wasn’t married. And either the few tufts of hair left on his head had a will of their own, or he didn’t possess a comb.
‘Would you please state your name and occupation.’
‘My name is Kenneth Langbourne, and I am the senior surgeon at the Bristol Royal Infirmary.’
‘How long have you held that position, Mr Langbourne?’
‘For the past nine years.’
‘And were you the surgeon in charge of Lady Barrington’s case while she was at the Bristol Royal Infirmary?’
‘Yes, I was. She was referred to me by Dr Raeburn, her family GP.’
‘Am I right in saying that after carrying out several tests on Lady Barrington, you confirmed her family doctor’s diagnosis of breast cancer, and informed her that she had only