Brothers In Law by Henry Cecil Read Free Book Online Page A

that much?’
    â€˜Not if you don’t want to tell me.’
    â€˜Then why ask me?’
    â€˜Oh, Joy – don’t let’s quarrel. It’s my first day at the Bar. And I want you to share it with me.’
    â€˜I’d love to share it with you – but not with you and Sally.’
    â€˜I rang you before her.’
    â€˜You went out with her last night.’
    â€˜How d’you know?’
    â€˜Now I know you did. Oh, Roger, why can’t we just be married and live happily ever after?’
    â€˜We’re so young, Joy. We don’t any of us know our minds yet. I’d marry you both if I could.’
    â€˜Thanks very much. P’raps you’d like power to add to our number. It’s George Utterson as a matter of fact.’
    â€˜That oaf.’
    â€˜He’s not in the least an oaf. He’s going to be Prime Minister one of these days. He’s not frightened to talk in public. I heard him at a meeting the other day. He was grand. They applauded like anything.’ She stopped for a moment. Then much more softly she said, ‘Oh, Roger, if you’d give up Sally – I’d never see him again. I wouldn’t even see him tonight.’

Chapter Five
Around and About the Law
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    The next day was calmer at No. 1 Temple Court. Mr Grimes was in chambers all day and, except for rushing out for his lunch and rushing back again, his presence in chambers was only noticed by the procession of clients who came for conferences and by the occasional sound of ‘Goodbye, my dear fellow, bye, bye, bye’ as he saw one or two of the more valued clients to the door. In consequence, Roger was able to ask Henry a number of questions.
    â€˜Tomorrow,’ said Henry, ‘is an important day. I’m in Court. I have to appear before His Honour Judge Boyle at a County Court. P’raps you’d like to come with me. You won’t see anything of County Courts with Grimeyboy.’
    â€˜D’you think Mr Grimes would mind?’ asked Roger.
    â€˜Grimes, not Mr Grimes,’ said Henry. ‘I meant to tell you about that before. Once you’re called you call everyone at the Bar by his surname.’
    â€˜Even a QC?’
    â€˜Everyone. Even an ex-Attorney-General. The newest recruit to the profession will call the most distinguished of all plain Smith or whatever it is. And, while I’m about it, you might as well know how to talk to a judge – out of Court, I mean, or if you write to him. How would you address Mr Justice Blank if you ran into him in the Strand?’
    â€˜Well, I’d obviously be wrong. How should I?’
    â€˜Judge. “So sorry, Judge,” or “do look where you’re going, Judge.” If he’s in the Court of Appeal, call him Lord Justice.’
    â€˜And what about an Official Referee?’
    â€˜To be quite honest, I’ve never spoken to one – after his appointment. I suppose you could say “Official Referee,” but it’s rather a mouthful. “Your Honour” must be wrong. I don’t care for “Sir Hugo” or “sir.” No, you’ve got me there. The best advice is not to talk to them. There are only four anyway, so you should be all right. Now, what else can I do for you?’
    â€˜Sure you don’t mind?’
    â€˜My dear boy, I’m only too delighted. Otherwise I’d have to look at these papers. I tell you, I’m bone idle. I’m delighted to have a good excuse for not working.’
    â€˜Well, yesterday I heard the clerk talking to someone on the telephone about something called the two-thirds rule. Something to do with fees, I gathered. Can you tell me what it is?’
    â€˜Indeed I can. I feel quite strongly on the subject. We had some pronouncements from a Committee on the subject quite recently. Up till a few years before the war if you or I or Grimes or any junior – you know that barristers are either