And Is There Honey Still For Tea? by Peter Murphy Read Free Book Online Page A

James. But he is in too emotional a state to help us very much at the moment, so I want to make a start without him.’
    â€˜I will start a trawl of the libraries tomorrow,’ Jess volunteered. ‘I will start digging and see what I can find.’
    â€˜Good,’ Wesley replied.
    â€˜I thought I might take a look at Stepanov,’ Ben added. ‘According to Hollander, he is the man who recruited James. I am not sure how much information there will be, but it may be worth taking a look.’
    â€˜I agree,’ Wesley said. ‘And give Jess whatever help you can.’
    â€˜Of course.’
    * * *
    Ben and Jess rose to leave, but Wesley gestured them to stay in their seats.
    â€˜There was something else I wanted to mention,’ he said. ‘There is no really delicate way to put this, but I think I am right in saying that you two are seeing each other. Is that the right expression? I’m not very au fait with how people express these things nowadays.’
    Ben and Jess exchanged smiles.
    â€˜Yes, we are,’ he replied. ‘And seeing each other is a good way to say it.’
    Wesley smiled thinly.
    â€˜Yes. The thing is that Jess works for Bourne & Davis.’
    â€˜Yes.’
    â€˜And Bourne & Davis send you instructions, brief you for their cases in the courts.’
    â€˜Yes.’
    â€˜Ben, you understand the implications, don’t you?’
    Ben’s smile suddenly vanished.
    â€˜Bernard, if you’re asking whether I know it’s frowned on for a barrister to socialise with solicitors who instruct him …’
    â€˜Or even solicitors who might instruct him, or their employees …’
    â€˜Yes. I am well aware of that.’
    â€˜Jess, I don’t mean to exclude you from the conversation,’ Wesley said. ‘But I’ve had a communication from the Middle Temple, the Inn of Court to which Ben and I both belong. They are concerned about what is called touting for work. It is a disciplinary offence for a barrister to use his social connections with a solicitor to tout for work. Obviously, a romantic involvement may count as socialising.’
    Ben shook his head in frustration.
    â€˜There is no reason for them to frown on anything,’ he insisted. ‘Not in our case.’
    Wesley looked him directly in the eye. He stood and walked around his desk to lean against the front.
    â€˜Ben, it goes a bit further than being frowned on. The Inn has set up a committee to look into any cases of apparent touting which come to its attention. Apparently, they feel that the rules are being disregarded, that it’s becoming more prevalent to have social contact between barristers and solicitors. They are afraid it is getting away from them. It’s not a trivial matter. Technically, you could get disbarred for it.’
    Jess looked at Ben in horror.
    â€˜For God’s sake,’ Ben protested. ‘It is the second half of the twentieth century, Bernard.’
    Wesley held his hands up hopelessly.
    â€˜I agree with you,’ he replied. ‘But as you well know, the Bar doesn’t live in the second half of the twentieth century. Some would say it is only now dragging itself rather reluctantly into the second half of the nineteenth. Don’t shoot the messenger, Ben. The Inn has raised the matter with me, about your particular situation and, as your Head of Chambers, I have a duty to bring it to your attention.’
    He paused.
    â€˜Look, I don’t mean to pry. But do you mind my asking? How serious is your relationship?’
    Ben closed his eyes. He was silent for some time. He looked at Jess, then back at Wesley.
    â€˜It is very serious,’ he replied quietly. ‘Jess kept me sane during the Cottage case. What with the verdict and the trip to the Court of Criminal Appeal, it was a very emotional time for me. And then, when Cottage was hanged … I know barristers are supposed to be objective and not