Clouds of Witness Part VII

 Simone and Wimsey search for the missing letter, and finally they find it in a jewel case.  Simone gives it to him to take back to England.  

While he is away, just before the trial begins, Mrs Grimethorpe turns up in London, having run away from her husband.. She comes to Peter's flat and Bunter summons Lady Mary who calls in Mr Murbles, the solicitor.  Mrs Grimethorpe tells them that she felt guilty that she was unable to give evidence to clear Gerald, and that when her husband was drunk she took the chance of escape..  Gerald is reluctant to let them use her evidence as he has gentlemanly ideas about not revealing that he was her lover which was why he did not produce her as an alibi in the first place.  Lady Mary takes the lady home to her mother's house, to look after her. 

The trial begins but Peter is not there, as he is flying from America.  He makes it back safely to London and hurries to give evidence.  He produces Cathcart's letter to Simone, where Denis reveals the row about cheating at card and tells Simone that as she has left him, he no longer wishes to live, and that the house party will probably think that he killed himself over the exposure of his card sharping.  He reminds her of how he had been in love with her for years, but that he knew all the time she did not care so much for him.. and that she was at times unfaithful to him.  He knew that when he lost his money, Simone would not stay around indefinitely so he first cheated at cards, then got engaged to a duke's daughter to secure an income...

 He mentions in the letter that Gerald left his revolver around and that he can take it and shoot himself, now that he has unburdened himself to Simone. 

Sir Impey Biggs, Gerald's barrister, dramatically recreates Denis' past and how it led him to the point of killing himself.. while gliding over Gerald's apparently walking on the moors, and falling over the body when he came back.  Gerald is acquitted, as the death is ruled to be a suicide.  

After the verdict, there is a commotion in the street outside, a man fires at Gerald, and in his rush to shoot, is knocked down and killed by a taxi.  It is Grimethorpe.  He has unwittingly set his wife free. 

Gerald meets with his ex mistress but she tells him that she will go home to Cornwall to her own family, with her child, and that she is all right.  Now she is free and her own woman again.  Gerald is relieved and Peter takes care of her till she leaves London.

Much later that night, Inspector Sugg, who works for Parker in Scotland Yard, finds someone addressing a statue near the House of Commons.  He finds that it is a taxi driver, trying to persuade a very drunk Peter to come down from the statue.  He manages to get Peter into a taxi and also finds his official superior, asleep and dead drunk.  He gets him safely off home before some MPs come out....  thanking God that there were no witnesses!