The Accused (Modern Plays) Read online

  Sherwood No, I’m afraid not, Jennifer. You see that was something else Mr Kersley was right about… I never intended to marry you in the first place. (He turns to walk away as the lights fade.)

  CURTAIN

  IF THE AUDIENCE DELIVERS THE VERDICT GUILTY:

  Usher Silence in court. Bring up the prisoner.

  Sherwood returns to the dock.

  Judge Will the foreman please rise. Mr Foreman, have you reached a verdict?

  Foreman Yes, we have, My Lord.

  Judge Do you find the prisoner at the bar, Patrick Hugh Sherwood, guilty or not guilty of the murder of Elizabeth Sherwood?

  Foreman Guilty.

  The Judge turns to face the prisoner in the dock.

  Judge Patrick Hugh Sherwood, you stand convicted of murder by a jury of your peers. You undoubtedly poisoned your young wife, taking advantage of your special knowledge and training, and in so doing dishonoured your profession. You murdered Elizabeth Sherwood in order to be rid of her and inherit a milion pounds. As the law requires, I sentence you to life imprisonment, with the recommendation that you serve a minimum of seventeen years. You may be curious, Mr Sherwood, to discover why I have recommended this particular sentence. Seventeen years is the period of time that was left on the life insurance policy, the profits of which you had planned to enjoy by spending the rest of your life in the luxury of a penthouse apartment in Chelsea with money to spare. You will instead spend those seventeen years in custody at Her Majesty’s pleasure, and may God have mercy on your soul.

  Sherwood’s head drops into his hand. The attention moves to Barrington and Jarvis.

  Barrington God help the poor man.

  Jarvis What do you imagine tipped the balance? It must have been a close-run thing.

  Barrington We’ll never know, but it can’t have helped that we couldn’t explain why he’d left his bag behind, when he went on insisting that he was with a patient in Westminster.

  Jarvis (nods) I know it’s the jury’s responsibility to decide the verdict, not ours, but I’m still not sure if the man is guilty.

  Barrington Neither am I. (Watches as Mitchell enters the courtroom and stares at Sherwood.) But I have a feeling that woman is the one person who knows the answer to your question.

  Guard approaches the dock, motions Sherwood to follow him. They walk halfway across the stage.

  Ashton Well, at least this time you beat the old buzzard.

  Kersley Did I? (Stares at Barrington.) I’m not so sure. There’s something about this case that doesn’t ring true.

  Ashton In what way?

  Kersley Nothing I can prove, but I have a feeling we would discover what really took place on the night on March the twenty-first if we could only overhear …

  Sherwood leaves the witness box and begins to walk across the stage.

  Guard Wait there. (He goes over to another Guard who completes the paperwork, as Mitchell walks up behind Sherwood.)

  Sherwood You know I didn’t kill Elizabeth.

  Mitchell Of course I do, but no one is ever going to believe that when you left my flat to go to Westminster and sign that death certificate it was me who went to Arcadia Mansions.

  Sherwood How did you get in?

  Mitchell Via the fire escape and the kitchen window, and if Webster hadn’t interrupted me I would have managed all six ampoules … ironic when you think about it. If you’d admitted to having an affair, you would have had the perfect alibi, but then, Patrick, I did warn you, you will live to regret this.

  CURTAIN

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  First published in 2000 by Methuen Publishing Limited

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  eISBN-13: 978-1-4725-3650-1

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