this country from the poverty-stricken slums of London as a British Home Child.” He paused, letting that fact settle.
Emma clenched her jaw and looked down.
“Burdened by her troubled background, she was never content with her situation or the good people who took her in. Instead, she moved from place to place, unsettled and ungrateful, burying her anger about her years of hardship and perceived mistreatment until she reached a breaking point that night.”
Emma’s face flamed. What a terrible pack of lies!
“Out of the kindness of her heart,” the prosecutor continued, “Mrs. Ruby Hazelton had taken in Miss Lafferty and given her a home at her boardinghouse. In exchange, she asked Miss Lafferty to do a few household duties. But was Miss Lafferty grateful and happy with that arrangement? No, she was not! She resented her employer and was jealous of all Mrs. Hazelton had worked so hard to gain and of the good standing she enjoyed in the eyes of her neighbors and friends.
“Finally, on the night of March 18, Miss Lafferty could stand it no longer. If she couldn’t have all that Mrs. Hazelton had, then she would make sure her employer didn’t live one more day to enjoy it. Miss Lafferty waited until everyone else was asleep, then crept across the hall and held a pillow over Mrs. Hazelton’s face until she suffocated.”
Bile rose and burned Emma’s throat, and she shook her head again.
“Justice must be served! Miss Lafferty must pay for the heinous crime she committed! And as members of the jury, it will be your duty to see that she does!” Mr. Lindhurst strode to his chair, a look of satisfaction on his face.
Emma rested her hand on her midriff, trying to calm herself, but it was impossible. Who could listen to such terrible lies and not be shaken?
Andrew leaned toward her again. “It’s all right, Emma. It’s our turn now. I’ll make sure they know the truth.”
He rose and walked to the front of the courtroom. Rather than facing the jury, he focused on the prosecutor and cocked one eyebrow. “That was quite a stirring tale, Mr. Lindhurst, but it sounded more like a penny dreadful than a true account of Miss Lafferty’s life and the events that night.”
He turned to the jury. “I can assure you, Miss Emma Lafferty is a kind and trustworthy young woman who has been falsely accused of a crime she did not commit. We will bring forward several credible witnesses who will testify to her good character and standing among her friends and neighbors. She has overcome hardship through years of faithful service as an indentured British Home Child, and we will prove that she had nothing to do with Mrs. Ruby Hazelton’s death.”
He motioned toward Emma. “It is true Miss Lafferty was born in England and came to this country when she was fifteen, seeking an opportunity for a better life. But she didn’t come looking for a handout or an easy life. Instead, she worked hard for six years to faithfully complete the terms of her indentured contract, and then she stayed on and worked longer than required. She did not, as Mr. Lindhurst stated, move from place to place but rather worked as a domestic on only one farm until she was twenty-two.
“At that time, she struck out on her own and took a position working for Mrs. Hazelton, whom she faithfully served until that woman’s unfortunate death.
“Miss Lafferty was one of five people living with Mrs. Hazelton at that time. She was the one who heard the woman’s screams and the footsteps of the murderer fleeing down the hall. She was the first to go to her employer’s aid and try to help her. But it was too late. The deed was done. Mrs. Hazelton’s murderer escaped before Miss Lafferty entered the room.
“Witnesses will testify that Miss Lafferty is known as a young woman who is devoted to her faith and loyal to her friends. While she waited for the return of her sweetheart, who fought valiantly in the Great War, she nursed several neighbors who became ill with the Spanish flu, putting her own health and life at risk for the good of others. It is not consistent with Miss Lafferty’s character to harm Mrs. Hazelton or anyone else.
“But”—Andrew turned and looked at those seated in the courtroom—“someone is responsible for Mrs. Hazelton’s death, and as the trial progresses, I’m confident the identity of that person will become clear. Miss Lafferty is