Chapter 18

"Wakey Wakey," said Lottë softly when they arrived home.

Daphne slowly came to and Lottë tenderly led her into the flat. Robin followed with Daphne's bag which he put in the spare room.

"Now then, poppet," he said. "How about that stiff drink Lottë promised you?"

"Yes please, Dad."

"I suggest you don't have gin. Apart from the initial kick it's very good at lowering low spirits so whisky or brandy?"

"Brandy please, Dad."

"It shall be done. Lottë darling?"

"I'll just have a cup of tea."

"OK. I'm going to have the second whisky and soda I didn't have before because of drink and drive."

He poured Daphne's drink and gave it to her. "Have a suck of that," he said quietly.

Daphne did so and sighed. She sat at the kitchen table. Robin joined her, reached out and squeezed her hand.

"When you're ready tell us," he said.

Daphne gave him a limp smile. "It was just after I'd spoken to you and Aunt Matty that he first rang. He wasn't apologetic or anything like that. He told me that I had behaved appallingly and that he wanted an apology. Well that got me straight into fighting mode and I told him in no uncertain terms that I did not tolerate being manhandled and he deserved what he got. He blustered and said that a man should be the head of a relationship. I told him to stop being Neanderthal and that if he ever wanted any sort of relationship with a modern woman he should realise that it was about two equals. He then banged on about physical strength so I put him in his place again."

"Oh, Daphne!" said Lottë. "That's horrible. He sounds like that awful Baptistson."

"Anyway, he then changed tack and told me that he was in love with me and couldn't bear to lose me, that he'd treat me with love, gentleness and respect. I said that I found that difficult to believe after his behaviour last night. I was right too because he came back and said that I had behaved unreasonably and in a thoroughly unladylike way. I told him he hadn't treated me like a lady."

Robin snorted. "I'm sorry, Daphne my love. It's just that that was pure you, the gutsy girl who is my precious daughter."

Daphne managed a proper smile and Robin squeezed her hand again.

"Anyway, after that it became a rant again and I told him he was acting true to form and that I never wanted anything more to do with him."

"Good for you!" murmured Lottë.

"I put the phone down and it immediately rang again. I repeated what I'd said and rang off leaving the phone off the hook. So then he started ringing my mobile so I switched that off. I turned it on again later and there was a string of voicemails: pleading, apologetic, angry and threatening."

"Threatening?" queried Robin.

Daphne nodded. "He was going to abduct me. He was going to force me to marry him. He was going to beat me into obedience. It went on and on."

She began to weep again and Lottë held her. At length she calmed down.

"Have you still got those voicemails?" Robin asked.

Daphne nodded.

"Don't delete them. We'll use them to nail the man."

"OK, Dad." She did not look happy about it though. "Well the next thing was he rang the doorbell. I put the chain on and told him to go away. He said I had ten minutes to open the door and let him in. If I didn't he'd force his way in. I told him to go away and bolted the door as well and pulled the kitchen table across it too."

"What about the back door?"

"I haven't got one. Well then I called the police and rang you. The police were pretty quick and thank goodness didn't use their siren or flashing light so they caught him unawares sitting in his car. A woman PC came to the door and I let her in and told her what had happened. She asked me what I was going to do and I told her I'd be coming to you. She said that they would take him down to the police station and caution him which would give me a good hour to catch a train. She also asked whether I wanted to press charges and I said I didn't know and she said to get in touch if I decided to. I thought that was it but of course she wanted to take a written statement and that took ages. Anyway, I got away, caught a train and here I am."

"Oh, Daphne darling, what a hideous business. Well, you clearly can't go back to Bath until he's been given the boot."

"Why should he be?"

"He behaved appallingly and threatened you."

"It would be his word against mine and they'd put it down as a lovers' tiff. Everyone knows we've been going out together for nine months."

"Not with those voicemails."

"I'm not sure I want to make a fuss anyway, Dad. I was pretty keen on him 'specially till about three or four weeks ago and I don't blame him for feeling let down and angry. I think I've just got to leave Bath as long as I can stay with you for a bit. He's no idea where you live and the Irvines would never tell him."

Robin said nothing. The way he felt he would only upset her still more. Lottë was more practical.

"Of course you can stay," she said. "Why don't you have some more brandy and I'll knock you up some scrambled eggs."

"Thanks, Lots."

"How long ago did he start to become dominating?" Robin asked gently.

"Six, eight weeks. It was very gradual."

"Mm," murmured Robin thoughtfully.

"I suppose it was when I fell in love with him."

"Oh, I see. So that did actually happen."

Daphne nodded. "And you know me, Dad; I tend to show my feelings."

"Yes, my darling daughter."

There was the flicker of another smile and then the sadness came back. "I didn't mind it at first. It sort of made me look up to him. He was the decision maker but slowly I began to realise that I wasn't having any part in those decisions. I questioned some of them and, he's nobody's fool, he would listen to me and then might or might not agree. If he agreed it was reluctant and if it was about something trivial like where we were going to eat he'd find something afterwards that was wrong with it to show that his decision had been the right one."

"Mm," murmured Robin again.

Lottë put a plate of scrambled eggs on toast with bacon in front of her.

"Get that inside you," she said. "It'll make you feel a lot better."

"Oh, Lots!" Daphne put an arm round her hips. "Thank you, love."

Lottë gave her a slight nudge with her hip. "Watch it!" she grinned.

Despite everything Daphne laughed. Robin caught Lottë's eye.

"Bless you," he mouthed, his eyes showing his gratitude and love.

Lottë smiled back and mouthed a kiss. Her eyes were equally eloquent.

Daphne was clearly hungry. She had had some toast and marmalade for breakfast and nothing else since. Robin and Lottë let her eat without interruption. She sat back when she finished and sighed.