Chapter 7

Jane, my ex wife had by coincidence re-married at almost the same time to Roger. Why after all the years she had been living with him she should decide to marry I couldn't fathom. However it was none of my business. It was some months later that I noticed Sarah had started to make acerbic comments about her step-father. Later her language was almost vitriolic. Marilyn noticed this as well and tried to draw Sarah out. One Sunday evening Marilyn broached the subject. I had just got back after driving Sarah up to Bristol where Jane would pick her up.

"We may have a problem Dal." She called me Dal all the time now. "Sarah has told me that her step-father is behaving inappropriately towards her."

"How is it inappropriate?" I wanted to know, fearing the worst.

"He touches her too much, and comes into the bathroom 'accidentally' when she is having a bath."

"And it is not accidentally?"

"Sarah thinks not. She locks the door, but the lock is not that secure. She has suggested that he has done something to the lock." My anger was almost uncontrollable. I was supposed to be driving back to work the next day, instead I was ready to jump in the car and drive to Jane's house now and sort the bastard out. Marilyn calmed me down.

"Dal! If he is going to go further, he will not do anything whilst Jane is in the house. Call your Solicitor first thing in the morning. He can apply for an emergency injunction banning him from the house until we can get a hearing in the Family Court." Despite my anger there was one crumb of comfort in this. Sarah had talked with Marilyn, confirming her trust for her step-mother, and Marilyn had used the word 'we'. This was not just my battle; Marilyn had stepped up to the line alongside of me.

I phoned the solicitor that Monday morning. He had done well for me at the time of the divorce and I trusted him to get things moving. He did. He got a Family Court injunction that day, and it was enforced on Sarah's step-father that evening by the police. As you can imagine all hell let loose. Sarah was interviewed by a police woman, trained to spot the clues. Sarah was a little reticent as anyone would expect; children are fearful of accusing adults; but it would appear said enough for the police woman to decide there were sufficient grounds for an investigation. Jane's new husband had to leave the house immediately. Jane phoned me, calling me all the names under the Sun. Later her mother called me, a call I wish I had recorded as she slandered me in almost every sentence. The gist of her message was that I had been a useless husband in every respect who didn't know how to take care of a wife and I was jealous of Roger who made Jane very happy. She got so carried away that she inadvertently let slip that Roger had been taking care of Jane even before we split, something I had worked out after Sarah's comments. According to her I was so envious of them I was trying to break up a happy home so that I could get custody of Sarah. That it wouldn't work and that she was going to instruct her solicitor to sue me for defamation of character. I tried to point out that only Sarah's step-father could do that, and that the police believed there was sufficient evidence to investigate. I was talking to a brick wall. My ex-mother in law had tunnel vision and an ability to ignore facts that didn't fit her theory.

The Family Court is very different to those you see on TV. The Judge and Counsel do not wear robes or wigs and the atmosphere is without the ceremony and traditional manner of speech. Even so the experience was uncomfortable for me as Jane, her husband and her mother cast looks of so much venom towards me as the evidence was heard. Marilyn smiled sweetly at them exacerbating their hate. As is usual with minors, Sarah gave testimony in private to the Judge. Eventually it was decided that whilst there was no evidence of actual assault, the Court believed that his actions did constitute a threat. That put Sarah on the 'at risk' register. The representative from Social Services immediately spoke of her intention to apply for a Care Order if Jane continued to live with her husband with Sarah resident as well. My solicitor took that opportunity to apply to the Court on my behalf for Sarah's custody. Social Services talked to Marilyn and me about our circumstances, and they told the Court that we were suitable. Again the Judge spoke to my daughter in private. He granted an interim order for residency to be reviewed in six months. Sarah left the Court with us. A policeman accompanied us to Jane's house so that we could collect my daughter's things without harassment. At one point he had to warn my ex mother in law to keep a civil tongue in her head. Sarah sat in the back of the car chattering happily with Marilyn all the way back to Torquay.

I could not have been happier in my life. I had a loving wife; a very loving wife judging by the number of times she would entice me to bed with no intention of allowing me to sleep. My daughter was now in my custody and equally as happy as I. When she wasn't in school she was down helping Bill Thaxton with the horses. She came home with a very contented smile and stinking of horse sweat and liniment. Bill had told Marilyn that her riding ability was coming along well, and suggested that she could enter for a local Gymkhana soon, but would need her own horse. I could see another demand on my wallet approaching. Jane and her husband were still together, and from what I could tell were getting along. He was still arguing the accusations, but had told Jane that if that lying, deceitful child ever came back into the house, he would leave. She didn't contest the Court Order when it came up for review. That suited me.

A seemingly innocuous request from one of our customers turned me onto a different path in life. They asked if I would appear as an expert witness in a small claims Court action. They had supplied curtains to a customer who was refusing to pay the bill on the grounds that they were unfit for purpose. Gerry agreed that it was in order, especially as we hadn't supplied the fabric.