Chapter 8: Problems

Eric

We sat on an old bench near the main drive and were finishing our lunch when Ernie turned up in a police car. "We've got problems," he announced, "I took May to the hospital in Shrewsbury this morning. Her face was swelling like a balloon and she was running a fever and she hardly knew me. I got her into the car and radioed control and went with sirens and blue lights on. Don't often get to do that these days. The doctors took her into the operating theatre and drained off a lot of fluid and they've given her antibiotics and she was sleeping when I left. There was some damage to her cheek bone that became infected."

Louise looked quite downcast and there were tears in her eyes but she didn't comment. I asked further questions as to May's health but didn't learn anything more. "You realise, this opens up a whole new can of worms, Eric, for us and for Louise. The doctors will report a non accidental injury and all sorts of enquiries will be made, probably not much will happen before tomorrow when May is awake and able to talk. We could all face court action, you especially Louise."

Through her tears she kept repeating, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," and then after a pause, "Does that mean that I will be sent to prison anyway?"

"Possibly."

"Then there is no need for me to be a slave any longer." I realised this too but it was Ernie who replied. Obviously he'd had more time to think about it.

"Probably not, but it will look better in court if you have a permanent address and a steady job. I know your mother doesn't want you to go to prison, and she told me often enough that she wouldn't testify against you and legally I don't believe they can make her do that. Eric and I as witnesses, must, if asked in court tell what we saw and what happened afterwards. That could include the indenture document and the spanking. We could all be in trouble."

"And I could add blackmail and rape?"

"Yes, if you wish your mother further pain."

For several minutes we sat in silence, each trying to weigh up the situation as it concerned us. "Have you any suggestions?" I asked Ernie.

"I would expect this to be dealt with at the Crown Court so we'll need a solicitor and the best local one I know of is Terry Shaunessy. Louise is likely to get legal aid as she has no funds, but I doubt we will get it. I'll contact him when I get back if you like." Even Louise agreed but I could tell she was extremely worried.

"Let's get back to work," I suggested when Eric left.

"Do I have to?"

"No, you can leave right now. There's no need to live with me so feel free to go. See if Social Services will find you a place this time." That was an underhand remark after her experience with them earlier and she glared at me. "Like Ernie said, it could go easier with you if you have a proper address and a job and going back to work now might help to take your mind off things for a bit. I'm going back; you can join me if you wish."

Louise

For a while I sat on the bench crying and swearing at everyone, and trying to decide what to do. As far as I was concerned, if they were going to send me to prison, I'd had a thrashing for nothing. Well it was for whipping mum but ... I wondered how she was and the thought they'd put some sort of needle in her face to drain the fluid, filled me with horror. The debate inside me continued. Should I just get up and walk away or stay with him? I'd tried walking away so that left him as the only real option but now he wasn't my master. He was in trouble too and could be in deeper shit if I claimed blackmail and rape. Perhaps I could blackmail him for money to leave? I still hadn't made up my mind when Heather came out of the house and for no real reason, I didn't wish to talk with her, so I walked back to the clearance area and picked up the loppers and worked out some of my anger on the unwanted shrubs.

We didn't speak on the way home but when we got in, he said simply, "As of now, we're partners, not master and servant. We help each other." I wasn't sure quite what that entailed but nodded as though I agreed.

Terry Shaunessy came early evening time and we went through the whole story with him. He listened to the story with all of us together and then spoke to Ernie, on his own and then Eric, and finally to me. For a while he quietly probed my life and my attitude to mother and how I felt now. At first I wanted to tell him to mind his own business but he explained that he needed to know my background to find a way of making the magistrates or the jury, sympathetic to me and give me a lighter sentence. His probing turned to my relationship with Eric and I finally had to admit it wasn't all bad and that after my punishment, he'd looked after me. My bum was still tender and I felt it if I sat down hard but the main pain had gone and I was left with a dull ache unless I made a sudden twist of my body. We discussed my leaving him and he said he would help me with Social Services but admitted it wouldn't be easy because I would now be classified as violent. "My advice is for you to stay if Eric will let you, and it seems likely that he will, provided there's no hint of blackmail and rape charges." He repeated what Ernie said about having a permanent residence and a job. I wondered whose side he was on, but when he outlined to all of us what might happen, his words were unbiased to any of us. "If this comes to court, the story will almost certainly make the front page of the newspapers so we have to be very careful in what we say and do. Please do not give interviews with them without me being present and don't speak to the police, and that includes you Ernie, without me being there." My mind filled with the humiliation it was likely to cause and then an image of mother with a needle in her face, flashed up and I knew who was worst off.