Page 110 (1/2)

William immediately scribbled a note and passed it across to the Crown’s QC

‘That still doesn’t explain your lavish lifestyle, or your ability to collect valuable works of art’

‘The truth is that, despiteowned Liovernment issued a compulsory purchase order on ht through theme with the house and just a couple of hundred acres I opposed the order and took theoverninterest in art And thanks to one or two shrewd invested to build up a reasonable collection’

William made a second note

‘Which no doubt you intend to pass on to the next generation,’ said Booth Watson, looking down at a list of well-prepared questions

‘No, sir I’m afraid that won’t be possible’

‘Why not?’

‘Sadlychildren, and as I do not want to break up the collection, I have decided to leave my entire estate to the nation’

Miles turned and smiled at the jury, just as Booth Watson had instructed hi back at him

‘Now I’d like to turn to one painting in particular, Mr Faulkner, The Syndics of the Clothmakers’ Guild by Rembrandt’

‘Without question a masterpiece,’ said Faulkner ‘I’ve admired it since the day I first saw it as a schoolboy when my mother took me to visit the Fitzmolean’

‘The Croould have us believe that you ad so much, you stole it’

Miles laughed ‘I adain, ‘that I’m an art lover, even an art junkie, but I am not, Mr Booth Watson, an art thief’

‘Then how do you explain your wife’s claim, under oath, that you have been in possession of the Rembrandt for the past seven years?’

‘She’s quite right I have owned The Syndics for seven years’