Katie Rose by Courting Trouble Page A

no ‘Poor Mrs. Black!’ This woman tried to murder her own husband in cold blood! There is no excuse for that whatsoever! The law is the law!”
    “She is ‘alleged to have tried,’ ” Winifred corrected him. “You are not the jury.”
    She tossed her head tartly, and Charles swore under his breath. Taking a step closer, he grabbed the documents from her. “Stay out of this, Winnie. This woman is a murderess, not a cause célèbre for women’s rights or a noble heroine. She is a ruthless, cunning woman who slipped arsenic into her husband’s tea.”
    “And if it had been the other way around, wouldanyone be batting an eyelash?” Winifred demanded hotly. “Why the male outrage, Charles? Because one woman stood up and tried to free herself the best way she knew how?” At his appalled expression, she continued self-righteously, “After all, marriage only benefits the man in our society! A woman loses all power. Maybe Mrs. Black was trying to regain hers!”
    “By killing her husband?” Charles stepped closer, and Winifred backed up against his desk until her bustle stopped her. “Winnie, so help me God, you should be grateful for society’s rules concerning the treatment of women. They are particularly convenient for you at a time like this!”
    His eyes blazed hellfire, and Winifred swallowed hard. She’d seen him angry before, but never like this. Drawing herself up to her full five feet three inches—which still left her far short of him—she gave him her best icy stare.
    “I can see that we disagree on this case, Mr. Howe,” she said stiffly. “Perhaps it would be best if we did not discuss it in the future.”
    “I think that is a fine idea,” he agreed, a muscle ticking in his jaw. He looked as if it were taking everything he had to maintain his composure and keep himself from throttling her.
    “And I am sure you will understand what I have to do.”
    Winifred turned to leave his office—but she did not count on Charles moving faster, or closing the door firmly to block her way.
    “What are you talking about?”
    She felt the courage leaking out of her as if she had just sprung holes. “I have to try and help her,” she said calmly, nearly flinching at the fire that burned anew in his eyes. “I am going to see Horace Shane andoffer to assist the defense. I understand he is sympathetic to women’s rights and will, no doubt, accept my help.”
    “Winnie,” Charles spoke softly, his voice deadly, “you will do no such thing. I forbid it.”
    “I am afraid you cannot forbid anything,” she said softly. “You are, after all, neither my husband nor my father. Unlike Mrs. Black, I am a free woman.”
    His eyes blazed, but he held himself in firm control. “Winnie, listen to me. You cannot do this. This trial will get a tremendous amount of publicity. You know it, and so do I. To assist in Mrs. Black’s defense would destroy your credibility.”
    “Certainly the case will get publicity,” Winifred said calmly. “But I am not afraid of that. If the papers want to call me a radical for women’s rights, so be it. That will only help my cause. Charles, you are not going to talk me out of this. My mind is made up. I will not abandon this woman in need.”
    “I see,” Charles said, seeing all too clearly. Fury swept over him as he realized he had been a fool ten times over. “Had you planned to do this all along?” The possibilities filled his mind, none of them flattering to her.
    “Charles, you are being ridiculous,” Winifred said flatly.
    “Am I?” His indignation brimmed over, as his male ego took another bruise. “Were you just using me and my office as a way to learn the prosecution’s case against her, so you could take that information to the other side? I must congratulate you, Miss Appleton, you have been extremely clever. Was it all just part of the game? Perhaps even our night together was part of your scheme—to keep me interested long enough to plot something like