THIBV - Chapter 119

The crowd was in an uproar.

The Judge struck the gavel several times, but the commotion did not subside.

"Everyone, be quiet! Quiet! Quiet!"

Only after several of the loudmouths were removed as a last resort did the courtroom become quiet.

The judge cleared his throat and confirmed what Charlotte had said.

"Did you just say poison, Countess of Highbury?"

"Yes, it's poison."

"Your testimony in court must be completely true. Don't be emotional and think about it again. Can you be responsible for what you say?"

Charlotte nodded with a determined look on her face.

"I have no reason to be emotional about this case. Viscountess Winston is not my close friend, she is on the opposing side. Your Honor knows that."

The judge remained silent as if telling her to continue.

"I have no ill will towards Mrs. Winston, as I have no contact with Miss Penelope, and I am rather on friendly terms with Countess Weatherby and Baroness Beaumont. There is no reason for me to lie, Your Honor."

The judge looked at Bridget and Penelope, the Countess Weatherby, and the Baroness Beaumont in turn.

Everyone nodded, acknowledging Charlotte's words, except Penelope.

Countess Weatherby was struck with thought at the word poison and her heart was heavy.

"What does that mean? On the face of it... Do you understand what Mrs. Highbury is saying, Madame Beaumont?"

"No. I have no idea what that means either."

The judge asked.

"What is the basis for your claim of poisoning?"

"Check the fingernails and toenails of Mrs. Weatherby and Mrs. Beaumont. They will have similar spots. That is proof that they have been poisoned."

Penelope's expression turned fierce. The judge ordered the guards to verify whether this was true.

"Oh my? Oh my?"

The two people were embarrassed when they were suddenly forced to take off their gloves and shoes in front of people and have their fingernails and toenails checked.

The women's husbands were also startled, and they looked out of the pews and over the guards' shoulders.

In fact, faint red spots were found on the fingernails and toenails of both women.

At first glance, they were spots that looked like nothing special, so much so that one could just pass them by.

"This can't be happening."

"Oh my god."

The two women looked at their hands one after the other in disbelief, their mouths hanging open.

Even though the guards shouted to the judge that they had confirmed it, the husbands, still in disbelief, jumped over the fence between the congregation and the defendant's box to get closer to their wives but were stopped by the judge.

The judge swung his gavel down, drawing attention.

"Countess of Highbury, do you know anything about this poison?"

"Yes."

She clenched her fist against her chest.

The eyes that were filled with sadness and anxiety, however, changed again into a firm determination.

It's a poison extracted from a poisonous plant called hargulis. In the past, when contraception was not developed, women who had unwanted pregnancies ate it to terminate their pregnancies.

She couldn't bring herself to say that it was so toxic that it could make it impossible for her to get pregnant or that it had various negative effects on a woman's body.

Because it looked as if Baroness Beaumont was about to collapse from the shock.

"It is no longer used for various reasons. However, Hargulis is still commonly found in fields and forests, and can be refined into poison if you know the recipe."

It was not surprising that the Duke of Linchester, who was well-versed in witchcraft and superstition, knew the recipe for an ancient poison.

Charlotte knew her father was collecting such ancient secret books.

"The poison is so strong that it penetrates the body just by touching it. Within two or three months, when the nail grows out and the spots are all gone, anyone who touches it will be able to see the spots."

Bridget realized that Charlotte had provided information that could lead her to identify the culprit.

"Isn't it possible that such evidence remains?"

She jumped up and spoke to the judge.

"Your Honor! Can we check Penelope's fingernails?"

Penelope flinched at those words.

"Wh... what are you talking about? Your Honor! Are you slandering me? Can you just let the victim be insulted like that?"

Penelope hid her gloved hands behind her back

"You're trying to harm me in this way!"

Bridget also admitted to herself that her argument was a bit of a leap.

However, Penelope's actions so far were so vicious that she was suspicious and the situation was rigged to her advantage.

Bridget thought it was quite possible if the Duke of Linchester had helped her.

The judge seemed to be contemplating whether to simply remove Penelope's gloves to examine her or to preserve her honor.

The judges butted their heads together.

In the meantime, the crowd became noisy again.

But then, a quiet word instantly froze the courtroom.

"I will take responsibility."

Everyone raised their heads toward the third-floor terrace seats.

The terrace jutted out so that the people below couldn't see Julian, but they raised their heads toward the ceiling above them.

Everyone pricked up their ears and shut their mouths to hear Julian's voice.

Only Julian's leisurely voice echoed in the courtroom, without even the rustling of fabric.

"If nothing is found on her, I will take responsibility for the rest of my lover's affairs, so Your Honor, take off her gloves and examine them."

Some people covered their mouths with their hands.

They knew Bridget was favored, but they didn't know it was to this extent.

The congregation was in an uproar.

The King is responsible, so shouldn't he do something about the consequences?

It would be a huge deal if Penelope got the evidence, but it would be fun even if she didn't.

"Take off your gloves!"

"Let's check it out!"

People were shouting. Cheers erupted here and there...

Penelope rolled her large eyes with a distorted face and hid her hands behind her back.

"Oh, no! This can't be happening! This, this is ridiculous! Your Honor! I'm the victim! Please give a warning to those who are trying to insult me!"

But the judge could not protect Penelope when the King intervened and the people came out like this.

There was no reason to drag out the trial by not doing the simple task of taking off the gloves.

The judge gestured to the guard.

"Check it out."

The guard approached Penelope.

Penelope stepped back and refused to give him her hand.

"Where the hell do you dare! Trying to touch a woman's body! Don't touch me!"

Then, Countess Weatherby and Baroness Beaumont, who were right next to her, arrested her instead of the angry guards.

"Why are you being so suspicious? I just wanted to check your fingernails!"

"Can't you put your hand here?"

If Charlotte and Bridget's claims are true, then not only were they poisoned, but they were also toyed with by Penelope.

They ripped off Penelope's gloves viciously.

"Ahh! Why is it like this! Why is it like this!"

Penelope resisted but was no match for the power of the two women, who were beside themselves with rage.

Eventually, Countess Weatherby and Baroness Beaumont discovered spots on Penelope's fingernails.

“Ah...!”

Baroness Beaumont eventually collapsed.

As the guards quickly helped her out, her husband called out to her from the pew, "Honey, honey," and then glared at Penelope, grumbling.

Countess Weatherby looked back and grabbed Penelope by the hair.

"You bitch!"

"Ahh!"

She remembered running Into Penelope in the dressing room a while ago. It was that night that she had a miscarriage.

"This bad girl! It was you! How dare you! How dare you!"

"Ouch! Let go of me! Your Honor! Stop jer! Ouch! Save me!

Penelope struggled but could not escape the grasp of the beautiful Countess Weatherby.

Countess Weatherby slapped Penelope harshly across the face.

Clap!

"You poisoned me and killed my baby!"

Clap!

"Are you making fun of us by pretending to be the same victims?"

Clap! Clap!

"Ugh! Gasp! Ugh!"

Penelope's head turned from side to side without any hesitation, and her cheeks swelled. Her hands were so hot that her nose bled. Penelope was beaten without making a sound, struggling.

But the congregation felt more sympathy for the Countess of Weatherby, who was weeping and waving her hands, than for Penelope, who was being slapped.

Penelope was too vicious to curse the Countess of Weatherby for being unscrupulous.

The judge, who was shocked, deliberately gave instructions to the guards, late.

"...Stop the Countess Weatherby."

The guard tried to stop her passively.

Countess Weatherby shoved Penelope over, barely able to control her emotions.

"You abomination. I'm going to watch you closely to see what happens to you from now on. I'm going to do whatever it takes to make sure you can't sleep soundly for the rest of your life, so be prepared."

Then she spat on Penelope's back.

Penelope lay face down in the middle of the courtroom, trembling and unable to raise her head.

Boos and small trash were hurled at Penelope from the congregation.

But that wasn't the end yet.

Bridget's soft voice fell over Penelope's wildly messy hair.

"Your Honor, if you need more evidence, I will open the Winston Mansion, where Penelope Hudson lives, for you to examine as much as you like."

It was her permission as the mistress of Winston Mansion.

"But in the meantime, there is a risk of escape, so I beg you to keep Penelope in prison."

Penelope's eyes rolled back as she was hit hard.

"Bridget! Aaah! Bridget!! Aaaah!"

But all she could do was scream.

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