Chapter 8

Marilyn was all in favour of my becoming self-employed as an independent expert. I was dubious, concerned that the call for my expertise would not be sufficient to bring me a good income. I will give Marilyn her due; she never actually came out and said that she could support us both. She knew full well that I would not accept being a kept man. What she did say was quite diplomatic.

"Dal, since you have been living here, you have contributed to the running costs and saved me a lot of money. Money I would have to spend, so you could say we are in credit. I am quite sure that you will still be bringing in enough for your share; you are good at what you do. If there were a shortfall it would only be of short duration and easily recovered when the business takes off. This house is ours, not mine. The blocks of flats are ours not mine, therefore the income from them is ours not mine. I am old-fashioned in that way, my husband is my life. You have brought Love, laughter and happiness into our home, especially the love. None of that existed before you came back into my life. I want you to keep doing that." She had a mischievous grin on her face as she went on. "I want you to keep doing me, I enjoy that. Do you think we have time to... ?" We did and we did. Of course what man is going to argue with a lovely lady who had a firm hold on his most precious appendage?

I phoned Gerry and told him my decision.

"Ok, Dal. Come in as normal on Monday, but say nothing to anyone. I'll bring up the subject of making you redundant at the Board Meeting and we will see what happens." He had a quiet word with Martin Clarke who was all in favour of making me redundant and it was Martin, not Gerry who made the suggestion at the Board Meeting. I got the notice a week later. They offered me a full twelve month's salary and my company car, which was three years old, to go. That relieved my worries considerably. I cleared my desk and said goodbye to my colleagues. Gerry told me in a private moment that it wouldn't be goodbye as they would be retaining me to report on any complaints, offering two hundred pounds for a report plus any mileage over sixty miles.

In the next twelve months I examined ten serious complaints from my old employers, twenty six complaints referred to me by my erstwhile competitors and three cases referred by Barristers. My income was not far short of the salary I had enjoyed before. In the next year I exceeded that income. I was sure that Marilyn and I had made the right decision.

We were enjoying the rare warm sunny day. Spring can be capricious in the British Isles; always promising to be fair but so often the westerly winds would bring in cloud and light rain. This day was a gift from the Gulf Stream. There was just a hint of breeze and the sun shone brightly. Sarah was at school and I had just one report to write, so from mid-morning Marilyn and I were able to sit out on the patio relaxing. It was close to half past twelve and we were beginning to think about Lunch when the faint chimes of the door bell rang. I made as if to get up but Marilyn beat me to it.

"I'll go." Five minutes later she returned.

"Dal! We have a visitor." I tuned in my chair and was amazed to see my ex-wife. Jane was and still is a good looking woman, even dressed in Jeans and a sweat shirt she would turn heads. I did think though that she looked a little older than her years.

"Jane!" She looked flustered.

"I'm sorry to just call. Roger and I were in the area. He's gone to ride on the Paignton steam Railway. So I thought as it was half-term I would try to see Sarah."

"Jane! Half-term down here is next week. Sarah won't be back until four." She heard this and her shoulders slumped."

"Oh damn! I really had to summon up a lot of courage to come here, and now it is all come to nothing."

"Why don't you sit down and relax." Marilyn took over. "I was just going to get some lunch, you are welcome to join us, and you can see Sarah when she gets back."

"Would you mind? After all we aren't the best of friends really, are we?" I got up, walked over to Jane and kissed her cheek.

"We will be happy for you to join us. What happened is too many years ago to fret over." Jane looked to Marilyn who smiled and nodded.

"It's only cold chicken with Green Salad and Potato salad. Please stay."

"That's very kind of you."

Marilyn took charge of Jane showing her where the bathroom was. Then got on with preparing lunch. Jane found her way back out to sit down with me.

"This is a lovely place." She remarked viewing the panorama of fields, valleys and small hills that could be seen from the patio.

"Yes. Marilyn's father bought it years ago. He knew what he was doing."

"Do you still work for... ?" She couldn't remember the name of the company I had worked for.

"No. I work for myself now as a sort of technical advisor in court cases and complaints."

"Oh!" I turned to look at her.

"You should have phoned, Jane. It would have saved you a journey today, and we could have arranged another day for you to see Sarah."

"I know. We are only down here for a couple of days, and with Roger wanting to go off and see that railway, this really was the only chance I had. He refuses to have any contact with Sarah." She made it sound as if that was his choice rather than a Court Order. I bristled for a moment but calmed quickly, it wasn't worth arguing about. She went on. "He's a good man really and a good provider." She was defending him.

"I'm sure he makes you happy."

"He does. It's just that he doesn't get on with Sarah. I know she gets on with Marilyn. I have never seen Sarah so happy than when she came to get her things to come here."

"I suspect Jane, that had more to do with the horses, than Marilyn."

"Horses?"

"Yes. Sarah spends all of her free time at the stables down the lane." Jane shook her head.

"God! What sort of mother am I? I knew nothing about that."

Marilyn returned carrying a tray.

"I thought we could eat out here. It's so nice; we should enjoy the weather while it lasts." Jane got up saying.

"Can I help?" Marilyn nodded.

"Yes. There are a couple more trays to bring out if you don't mind." I moved the table to the shade and arranged the chairs similarly. I couldn't help but think why Jane had come here. Yes, she could have wanted to see Sarah, but my antennae told me there was another reason as well. Was it simply feminine curiosity? That she wanted to see how I lived? If so she was probably disappointed, the cottage and gardens were sufficient to tell her that I was living a good life, and Jane would probably prefer that I lived in reduced circumstances. They returned and laid out lunch on the table. There was little said apart from general polite conversation over lunch. Over coffee Jane felt compelled to speak.

"Dal, I do want to see Sarah, but I also wanted to speak to you." She looked at Marilyn her attitude asking if we could talk in private, Marilyn made as if to get up. I stopped her.

"Jane if there is anything you want to say, say it now. Marilyn and I are a couple, I have never kept anything secret from her, and I will not start now." That got me a beaming smile from my wife and a grimace from my ex-wife.

"Ok. All I wanted to do was apologise for my and my family's treatment of you. You did nothing wrong, except get me pregnant, and it took two of us to do that. You stuck by me and all you got in return was disrespect, from me and my mother. I'm sorry. I am glad that you have found someone who loves you far more than I ever could, and that you are comfortable in your life." Now that was not what I was expecting. I was speechless for a while, taking that in, yet I still had the feeling that there was more to come. Jane had waited to see if I wanted to comment. She had probably allowed for that in her prepared speech and when I didn't say anything it disrupted her plans. "I would like to be able to see Sarah more, and possibly have her come and stay with me from time to time." I was happy for her to see Sarah, but not have Sarah stay with her.

"I have no objections to you seeing Sarah, but I think you will find that it's the Family Court you have to ask about her staying with you. They may wish to make conditions."

"Oh you are not going on about that silly thing are you? We all know that it was lies. Roger wouldn't do anything like that." Marilyn interrupted.

"Did you actually talk with Sarah about that?"

"No. My mother did and she said Sarah was telling lies."

"And you took your mother's word for it?" Jane nodded. I knew the signs; Marilyn was cocking both barrels and was going to fire soon.

"Well I did speak to Sarah. And she told me exactly what that pervert had tried to do and what he did do and I believe her. The police believed it too and that there was sufficient evidence there to go to Court. But you took your mother's word for it. A deceitful woman who knew all about your affair, and I suspect encouraged it, yet tried to suggest that it was Dal who was the unfaithful partner. A woman who was prepared to put her granddaughter into the care of a man who may well assault her sexually. And you! A mother who would turn a blind eye to the possibility that could happen. What a piece of work you are! Dal is being generous agreeing that you could see Sarah, but as far as anything else is concerned it is the Court which will make that decision."

"You are very opinionated for someone who has nothing to do with this." I jumped in.

"Wrong! The Court released Sarah into both our custody. I as her father and Marilyn as step-mother. She has as much to do with this as anyone else. Your inability to see the truth is alarming. You are much the same as your mother, who God knows would only see what she wanted to see and would adjust the facts for her convenience. Jane, thank you for your apology, but I am afraid that it means little if you are prepared to place our daughter in harm's way. You want to see Sarah? Go to Court and ask them to sanction it. I will not agree unless they order it so. And don't forget your daughter is now fourteen and the Court will listen to her."