Judge Puit banged his gavel for order. But the damage or the truth was already done. Eleanor could see it moving through the crowd, could see people turning to whisper to their neighbors, could see the exact moment the spectacle they'd come to watch turned into something that concerned them directly. Charles Whitaker had made this hearing public to shame her, and in doing so he'd handed her the whole valley as her audience. Charles himself had gone still at his table, and for the first time the certain smile was gone from his face.
"Order," Judge Puit said again, and the room slowly settled. He looked at Eleanor for a long moment, his tired eyes sharper now than they had been. "Mrs. Carter, you've made a serious allegation about Mr. Whitaker's motives.
Can you support it? I can support the water part, Eleanor said. Every family drawing off that creek can support it. As for his motives, I can't read the man's heart, your honor, but I can do arithmetic. A marriage hearing costs a man nothing to ignore.
This water is worth a fortune. You tell me which one Charles Whitaker crossed a county for. Charles's lawyer was on his feet. Your honor, this is a diversion. The question before this court is the validity of a marriage, not the price of water.
My client's business dealings are not on trial here. No, Judge Puit said slowly. They're not. But this court doesn't operate in a vacuum counselor. If the true purpose of this proceeding is to transfer valuable water rights by breaking a lawful marriage that bears on whether the petition was filed in good faith, and good faith is very much this court's business.
He looked at Charles directly. Mr. Whitaker, do you hold notes on the Aldridge store and the Henderson property and the others Mrs. Carter named? Charles's lawyer leaned toward him quickly, murmuring, but Charles waved him off.
When he spoke, his voice was smooth and cold, and Eleanor understood that she had wounded him, but not beaten him. Not yet. I hold notes on a great many properties, your honor, Charles said. It's called business. I failed to see how my prudence in lending makes me a villain.
As for the water, yes, I'd have use of that creek. Any rancher would, but that has nothing to do with the fact that this woman married Carter for his money 7 days after arriving penniless in this town. Two things can be true, your honor. I can want the water, and she can still be a fraud. In fact, his eyes cut to Eleanor, and the smile came back thinner and meaner now.