Chapter 11

Claire daily looked for a reply from Peter to her letter, but none came. After a week she gave up. She sighed and at breakfast she told John of her decision.

“I think it really is over, John,” she said. “I can’t go on like this. He’s not going to talk with me, and I need to get on with my life. I hoped I would get some sign from him to give me some – any – hope we could repair things, but I see now that’s unrealistic.”

“So?” John’s voice was soft and affirming.

“So I begin divorce proceedings, though Simon says trying to divorce internationally is troublesome. We married over here, but I’ve lived there for most of my married life. He says I’ll only know if I engage a solicitor who specialises in such things and he’s going to find me one. He thinks that if Peter goes along with it, it should be straightforward, but I doubt he will.”

John laughed in agreement. “Can you see that happening?”

“I think it mainly matters when it comes to finances. All our children are well on the way to independence, only John remains, and he’s now talking of leaving home. English courts don’t have any jurisdiction over there, but according to Simon there are EU rules about divorces. It sounds expensive, but Simon reckons if I go through him to the other solicitor it will be much cheaper.”

Another week passed. Then came a phone call from Simon.

“I asked my colleague about the divorce,” he said. “Roughly speaking it goes like this. The only problem would be money. Legally the courts here in Britain have no clout in the Netherlands. The courts here can serve the petition on Peter, and if he does not reply I can get a bailiff to go across and serve him at home. If he still doesn’t reply, the legal proceedings will go ahead anyway over here.”

“But will the divorce have any standing in the Netherlands if he doesn’t reply?” asked Claire with a worried frown.

“Oh, yes,” Simon asserted. “You will be divorced in every country’s eyes. The only drawback is that while we can ask for maintenance, our courts cannot impose it. You took half the savings and half the current account balance when you left, didn’t you?”

“Yes.”

“He could try to get that back, but he’d have to do it in the British courts and since the money belongs to both of you while you are still married, taking half is effectively taking your own money. If you’d cleaned him out, that would be different.”

Thanks Simon, if you’ll send me the bill...”

“No charge, Sister-in-Law. There has to be some advantage in being related to a solicitor! D’you want to go ahead?”

“Let me think it over, would you? I want to write to Peter once more.”

“Good thinking, Sis,” said Simon.

“And thank you for everything.”

“Glad to help.”

She had taken the call on her mobile as she sat in the living room with John. Now it was over she stood. John looked up from his book, and she shrugged and sighed. He smiled as she left to make for her bedroom to write once more to Peter.

A fortnight passed and there was still no reply. Lizzie phoned and told Claire that Peter had received the letter, and was looking more and more wooden. He was like a robot, mechanically going to work and coming home, never going out or meeting friends. At weekends he did chores and then sat watching television. Sunday Mass was the only outing apart from necessary shopping and work.

On the second Monday in September, Simon petitioned the court, and the court sent the petition to Peter, allowing an extra week since the petition was to be sent abroad.

John watched the proceedings feeling like a bystander, which he was of course. Claire and he lived comfortably together, both managing to suppress their attraction to each other. He thought that in spite of their platonic closeness, she seemed to him to be lonely. He told her from time to time she could always talk to him, but she did not discuss her problems with Peter, as if such an action would be disloyal, and she seemed to be withdrawing further inside herself.

John felt a sadness that she was keeping herself from him, but inwardly shrugged and settled for the physical presence of his companion. If he could find no way to help her, apart from providing a comfortable, solid and secure place for her, that was enough and was good in itself. He shrugged mentally, supposing that if eventually she needed to talk or ask advice, she would do so. It hurt him that she was unhappy.

She spent much of her time on dry days in the garden, and it was with a wry smile that he thought the garden looked as good and as well cared for as when Elizabeth was in charge of it! There was fruit picking to be done. She spent two days making jam, and he assisted as he used to do with Elizabeth.

So began the period of waiting.

As expected there was no response to the first divorce petition. Claire’s only reaction was a sigh. Another four weeks passed after the petition was delivered in person by Simon on behalf of the court. He returned with a signed receipt but was tight-lipped about what passed between himself and Peter.

The following three weeks passed even more slowly than the first, the only relief being visits from Claire’s son John in November and Philip the weekend after.

John acted as the generous host as always, and left them alone with Claire.

Each of her sons relayed information on their father’s state of mind, which briefly put, was that he was sinking into deeper and deeper despondency and spending longer and longer at work. The evening after Philip’s departure, John was surprised by a knock on his bedroom door.