Chapter 11

Towards the end of June Peter and Penny received warning of Boulter’s trial at the Crown Court in Dorchester on 15^th July. It stated that if his Defence notified the court in advance that he would be pleading Guilty they would not be required to give evidence. In the event of a Not Guilty plea they would and would not be allowed to sit together.

Peter and Caroline had gone to work when the post arrived. Penny opened and read hers. She was horrified. She would be on her own again and not have the comfort of Peter and Caroline while waiting to give evidence. By the time Peter got home she was in no state at all and he noticed it at once as she ran to the door when he got home. She had lost all the colour in her cheeks. Her eyes were bloodshot from crying and she was shaking. She flung herself at him and hung on to him like grim death. The dogs held back from greeting him.

Peter dropped his briefcase and held her.

“What’s the matter, Penny dear?” he asked softly when she showed no sign of letting go of him.

She shook her head against his chest and the tears started again. Peter bent and gathering her up behind the knees carried her to the drawing-room where he sat on the sofa and cuddled her. He said nothing to her for several minutes, holding her to him with his right arm and stroking her hair with his left hand.

“What’s the matter, little one?” he finally asked her again.

“Th ... the ... t-trial. Th ... the s-summons has come. W-we w-won’t b-be a-allowed to sit together if he p-pleads Not G-Guilty. I-I’m f ... frightened.”

“Why, Penny dear?”

“B-because he m-might come after m-me.”

“No he won’t, sweetheart. He’ll be handcuffed to a policeman, maybe two if he’s really as big as you say he is.

Her head came up. “Really?” It was still anxious.

“Yes, poppet. Really, really!”

Her head went down again and her arms tightened round him. There were more tears but these were ones of relief.

Peter fished in his breast pocket and shook out a handkerchief.

“Come on, little one,” he said gently. “Have a mop and a blow.”

She disengaged and did as she was told. She hung on to the handkerchief.

“Thank you, Peter,” she whispered. Her head went back against his shoulder and her arms went round him again. Neither moved for some minutes but it was Penny who broke the silence.

“Sorry for being such a baby,” she whispered and then a faint grin appeared. “I’ve kept you from your whisky too.”

“Hmm!” said Peter solemnly. “I’m afraid I’ll have to report you to the headmistress when she gets back.”

“Please don’t,” she whispered but her eyes were sparkling again. “She might spank me.”

“Doubt it,” replied Peter. “Corporal punishment is forbidden these days. Mind you, she might hang you up by your plaits for half an hour.”

“I haven’t got plaits!”

“Oh! Nor you have! Oh well! I’d better give you a kiss instead then.”

He pecked her forehead. Her arms tightened momentarily and then she disentangled and climbed off his knee.

“Whisky time!” she said. “Um, c-could I have a gin and tonic?”

Peter stood up, pursed his lips and tried to look solemn.

“How old are you?” he asked sternly.

“Theventeen an’ a bit,” she answered in a little girl voice and then pealed with laughter.

“Hmm!” he said sternly and then laughed, put his arms gently round her and pecked her forehead. “You win.”

They went out to the kitchen where Peter poured the drinks and Penny did the pre-preparations for supper.

“I was in too much of a state to do anything earlier,” she said.

Peter smiled at her but said nothing. He picked up his summons, opened it and read it.

“Good!” he said. “15^th July, should be over in a day so we can begin to plan our holiday.”

“When does Caroline’s term end?”

“26^th June.”

“You’ll need to get her tennis dates.”

“Dead right! Thanks, Penny.”

Almost immediately the back door opened and Caroline came in.

“Hi, both! All well? Gin, Penny? I don’t know!”

Penny sucked her cheeks and looked down but could not hide her sparkling eyes.

“So what’s new?” went on Caroline.

“We’ve been summoned to appear at Dorchester Crown Court on 15^th July at ten o’clock. Hope that isn’t one of your tennis days.”

“Nope! Tennis is at weekends. Can’t let it interfere with people’s work.”

Peter snorted.

“I shall be working.”

“Really?”

“Yes! Really, really! I’ve got a trainee job at St Alban’s Trust starting on 6^th July.

“Well done, darling!”

“Who are they?” asked Penny.

“A charity for the homeless. Their headquarters is at Pitsbury and they’ve opened up branches at Swindon and in Somerset, Devon and Cornwall.”

Penny’s jaw dropped.

“Have they just!” exclaimed Peter. “I’d no idea they’d expanded so much.”

Then he had to tease her. “Where will you be? At their garden centre up the road?”

“No, you beastly man! The Pitsbury office.”

“Well done, darling! That should be a great start to your chosen career.”

Caroline nodded vigorously. “Anyway, do you have to do anything special at the assizes?”

“No, apart from being there on time and answering counsel’s questions. We’re not allowed to sit together if he pleads Not Guilty which is a bore but we can still give each other mental and loving support.”

“OK! What about you, Penny love? You’re going to be the main witness.”

Penny nodded.

Peter instantly took the initiative. “We’ve talked about it,” he said, “and Penny’s been very brave. All she’s got to do is answer the lawyers’ questions truthfully. I don’t think actually that it’ll even come to that. Unless Bloody Boulter...”