When he was finally able to leave the farm, the family moved back into the bungalow. It would only be temporary because, once the old school was sold, Netta and George would look for a house to buy. Because they had lost everything in the fire, they were grateful to move into a house that had everything they needed in household goods.
When the time came to leave, Margaret and Netta hugged regretfully and Ron was sorry to see Harry going. He clapped the boy on the back.
“Do come and see us as often as you can. Remember, we need your help with the cars!”
Dave and Ron promised to keep in touch and let Harry know when they had a show. After that, he went with them as often as he could.
When on their Sunday dinner visit, Kenny invited Dave to bring the Model T and perhaps some of his other vintage cars to the village’s Summer Fair on August Bank Holiday Monday and he agreed he would indeed come. It would be a new feature of the Summer Fair.
George was put on light duties on his return to work. He was so happy to be back amongst his beloved plants. Kenny’s foreman, Joe, was given strict instructions not to let him overdo it and he took that very seriously.
Netta was happy to be back in the bungalow, for she loved it and not at all in a hurry to move somewhere else. She was happier still to be asked by Sheila to work in the Nursery shop ‘because we get so busy this time of year’.
Netta and George had had a serious talk when alone at Castle Farm and George had assured her there would be no trouble from Sally if they went back to live in the village, “Could you be comfortable with that situation?” he asked her.
Having seen Sally/Stephanie with Alex, Netta decided there was no danger to her marriage. In fact, the four were destined to become good friends. Besides, Netta loved the village and wanted to stay there. Rowena remained at Sheila and Tom’s. She had her own room, could be with her family as much as she wished and spent most of her time out of school with them.
George had to buy another car because his old Mondeo was damaged by the fire as it stood on the drive close to the house.
An uneasy peace settled over the village, but they wouldn’t be completely peaceful until the verdict was heard on what would happen to Stephanie.
Chapter 46
Justice Janice Matthews straightened her wig and her gown before walking along the corridor to the court. She was held in awe in the courts, but this was the first time she’d heard a case of bigamy, especially when the guilty party was a woman. With a reputation to keep up, she was all set to mete out the highest punishment to the perpetrator. However, she had to hear the evidence first.
When she sat down, her eyes first fell on the defendant. She saw a small woman with shorter than short dark hair and eyes that looked too big for her face. Her eyes narrowed as she took in the man sitting beside the defendant. It was John Portland, the barrister. Janice was impressed; she knew that John was one of those barristers who would only represent clients who he believed in, unlike most who only did it for the money. Oh, he didn’t come cheap, but the very fact he’d taken on the case meant he believed he could achieve something. She also recognised several police officers and detectives in the court. This was more than a straight case of bigamy, whatever a straight case might be. Hmm, maybe this was going to be an interesting morning.
Janice had heard all sorts of situations in her court over the years. It wasn’t often a police detective stood up to give evidence on behalf of a defendant but Dan Cooke did just that. He described the events leading up to the discovery of Sarah Avery at the old school and the state in which she’d been found.
John Portland called George Thompson, who told the court about the cruel treatment Sarah received at the hand of her husband, Lucian Avery, and his own part in helping her to escape.
Lastly, Alex Townsend was called and described how he’d persuaded Stephanie to marry him, and, although she’d been reluctant at first, she eventually agreed. He told about their life together, how happy they’d been and how he wanted it to continue.
Throughout it all, Sarah Avery stood with her head bowed, until Alex declared his love for her and how he wanted them to always be together. Despite herself, Janice felt a lump in her throat as she saw the look that passed between them.
She asked the prosecution counsel to give his concluding speech.
“Your Honour, the evidence is clear, this woman, Sarah Avery, known as Stephanie Townsend, has indeed committed bigamy. She was legally married to Lucian Avery and faked her death to escape from him. We completely understand why she did that, and I have to stress that no crime was committed there. It’s not against the law to fake your own death, unless it involves an insurance fraud or a death certificate is forged. Neither is true in this case – Sarah Avery only wanted her husband to believe she was dead so he wouldn’t look for her. However, she should not have married to Alexander Townsend while Avery lived. I suggest that she receives a suitable penalty for her crime.”
Janice was amazed to see the man give her a slow and deliberate wink. Her face registered no emotion but she gave a slight nod to show she understood.
John Portland was, as usual, magnificent.
“Your Honour, my client has freely admitted she is guilty of that which she is accused. However, I have shown, through my witnesses, that she had a wretched life with her husband, Lucian Avery. Mr George Thompson was a witness to some of that appalling treatment. I’m sure that no one in this court would ever blame Sarah for wanting out. She couldn’t divorce him, for he would never let her go and indeed would rather kill her than let her divorce him. We’ve heard evidence about her recent experience at his hand. The two women, Flora Smith and Megan Butcher have told us about their own lives involving the man, and what they knew of Mrs Avery’s early life.
So, she ran away, helped by her brother-in-law, George. She then spent years building a new life for herself away from the sight of her wicked husband. She went to catering college and made a new career and was happy. Then she met Alexander Townsend and true love came into her life. But she was ashamed of her previous life, of the fact she’d been little better than a prostitute and, however much she loved Mr Townsend, she couldn’t bring herself to tell him about her life, and that she was still legally married. Because she could not tell him, she couldn’t give him a good reason not to marry him, for it was obvious they were in love. He kept asking her and asking her. Eventually, she gave in and married him. They have had a good life and she has been the happiest she’s ever been with a man who truly loved her and together they have fulfilled her dream of having her own restaurant.
Your Honour, this is not a woman who has deliberately set out to commit a crime. In fact, she’s been a victim, the victim of a truly evil and sadistic bully. Who can blame her for taking the chance of happiness? Yes, she’s guilty of bigamy but she’s been through so much in her life and until the recent events was living a good and blameless life. I plead for leniency.”
“Thank you. This is a convenient time to take a short break. We will reconvene in fifteen minutes. Mr Portland and Mr Lloyd, would you join me in my chambers please?”
“Court arise.”
**********
That fifteen minutes was the longest Stephanie had endured. What was going to happen to her? Would she end up in prison? Would Alex really wait for her? Although she knew that Alex loved her, her insecurities whispered that he would leave her if she went to prison. She sat in her seat, head bowed, silent tears sliding unheeded down her nose. When someone put a cup of water in front of her, she barely registered it. Arms came around her and she looked up. Lucy, had made her way down to the front. Alex wasn’t allowed to come near her. A police woman stood guard over her but had received a nod from Dan and stood aside to let Lucy have access to the defendant.
“It’ll be alright. I have a feeling in my bones – and Aunt Bea says it’ll be fine,” whispered Lucy. In spite of herself, Stephanie felt a little giggle; Lucy and her Aunt Bea! But she was usually right and did so want t
o believe it this time.
“Thank you. It’s good to have a friend like you. I don’t know what we would have done without you and Kenny during all this – horrible business.”
“Shh! Don’t think of it. Just think about the future. I must get back to my seat, the barristers are coming back.”
Stephanie looked at the two men but, try as she might, she couldn’t read anything in their faces. They both had carefully neutral expressions.
“Court arise for Justice Janice Matthews.”
When the judge came back in, she looked grim. Stephanie felt her heart contract in fear. She knew she was going down.
“Would the defendant please rise.”
Stephanie stood up, her knees shaking.
“Mrs Sarah Avery, you are accused of bigamy. As you have pleaded guilty, I have to find you guilty.” Justice Matthews looked at the accused over her glasses and Stephanie quaked in fear. “After listening to everything that has been said by the witnesses and consulting with the counsels, I now have to pronounce a penalty upon you. This is a very serious crime you have committed. Therefore, I sentence you to an open custodial sentence. That means of an indeterminate number of years.”
There was an audible gasp from the room and Stephanie sat down, unable to stand. Her head spun and she thought she was going to faint. Her guard helped her to stand up again, and held her. Another guard helped keep her up. All hope died within her and she drooped. Why didn’t they just take her away now?
However, the judge hadn’t finished.
“You will pay two thousand pounds to the court as a fine for committing bigamy.”
“Yes, Your Honour,” said Stephanie meekly.
“Plus the sum of seventy five pounds,” Janice went on as if she hadn’t heard.
‘Seventy five pounds? What is she talking about?’ Stephanie muddled brain went even more fuzzy.
“However,” continued Janice, “that sum is payable to the registry office to buy a marriage licence, a legal one, and you will marry Mr Alexander Townsend as soon as possible. He will then be in charge of your custodial sentence, however long that may be. That is the judgement of this court, Mrs Avery. Go away and marry your man and I expect to be invited to the wedding.”
Cheers went up and Stephanie looked at the judge in amazement. Did she hear right or was it a dream induced by her faint, if she fainted? The woman in the wig was smiling, no longer looking grim and the two barristers were shaking hands and laughing. Before she could gather herself together, Alex ran to her box and wrapped his arms around her and a moment later they were crying and laughing together. The shadow had been lifted from their lives.
**********
The scene in the room was one that had never been seen before in Justice Matthew’s court. The happiness was palpable. She was glad that she had changed her mind, happy to give this couple who obviously loved each other the chance to live their lives without anything hanging over them.
Janice let the room rejoice for a few minutes, then banged her gavel.
“Order in the court!”
The noise died down.
“Sarah Avery, you are free to go. Court dismissed.”
“All arise.”
Janice arose from her seat and returned to her chambers. Removing her wig and gown, she let herself relax in a leather armchair. She mulled over the morning’s events. Okay, so she knew the woman had broken the law, but actually, what harm had she done? Perhaps she should have given her a short custodial sentence but really, she didn’t want to put that small, abused woman in a place where she didn’t belong, along with women who did belong in prison – it wouldn’t have done any good whatsoever.
The woman gave a sigh. No one who knew Janice Matthews had any idea that she’d grown up in a home where her father regularly abused her mother and then later his daughter as she’d grown older. She had escaped but her mother had stayed until he finally wounded her so much she died. Janice had tried and tried to get her mother to leave him but she wouldn’t go because she was afraid he’d come after her and beat her up. Janice had made a life for herself well away from her family and had studied law, gained her degree and gone on to become a barrister then a judge, all with no one behind her to give her encouragement.
Janice gave another sigh. Today, she’d had to judge a woman who had been brave enough to break away from the cruelty. It was in Janice’s hands to help that woman have the life she deserved. Perhaps she should have been harsher but she was glad she had taken the course she’d decided upon. There were times when it wasn’t right to put people away.
Sometimes, it was right just to help someone. Today was the day. The stern woman who was Justice Matthews, the judge people were most in awe of, was glad that today, she’d and given in to her soft core. But it would be quite a while before she allowed them to see it again; she couldn’t let them think she was a soft touch.
Chapter 48
The last Saturday in July dawned bright and clear. Lucy was up early to give Rosemary her first feed. She was almost four months old now, a happy, pretty baby whose smiles charmed everyone. It was going to be a special day, but not Rosemary’s. She’d had hers already, at two months old. The family and friends had gathered to see her christened in the village church. Joseph had been full of smiles to hear the baby’s name spoken by the vicar, the Reverend Trevithick. It looked like the little one was going to have the same dark hair as Joseph’s sister Rosemary had; the baby already had a crown of wispy hair.
Kenny came down with John, who immediately went to his mother and kissed the baby on her cheek. She stopped sucking for a moment to give him a windy smile and went back to the serious business of feeding.
“It looks like being a fine day,” Lucy remarked as she raised her face for a kiss from her husband.
“It is indeed.”
“I need to get on as soon as this young lady has finished.”
“It’s early yet, relax and enjoy Rosie. Everything will be done. Mum will make sure of it.”
“I’m sure she will. Young Rowena has been a big help too. She loves helping with the baking. Oh Kenny, I’m so glad we can do this for them.”
“Me too. Then perhaps life can return to normal and we can relax and enjoy the rest of the summer – mind you, we have the Summer Fair coming up in a month’s time! No rest for the wicked!” Kenny groaned.
“Go on with you, you love it!”
“I do really. I’ll fix us all some breakfast.”
**********
The bridegroom stood at the front of the church, his best man Kenny beside him, waiting nervously for his bride to arrive.
He knew the church was full behind him. Just about everyone in the village was there and a few others besides. As he looked around, he happened to catch the eye of a stern-looking woman, whose face softened into a smile at his glance. Alex grinned nervously at Janice Matthews, he couldn’t believe she’d come!
The organ started to play Pacabell’s Canon and he knew she was on her way. He watched her in his mind’s eye, slowly walking up the aisle on the arm of George, who was giving her away. It seemed appropriate and fitting as he was her brother-in-law and the only family she had. Rowena would be following, thrilled to be bridesmaid. Alex had yet to see how his future wife would be dressed. Today, she would be Sarah Avery but after today, she would again be Stephanie Townsend again. They had agreed that she would legally change her first name, no longer to be known as Sarah or Sally.
When she reached him, he turned and his face softened; his look full of love. Her hair, having had four months to grow, was sleek and smooth but still short. Wearing a midi length dress of rose pink, with a crown of pink roses in her hair, she looked beautiful and she returned his loving look in her smile.
The ceremony went off without a hitch and they posed for photos outside the church. Afterwards, everyone moved off to River View, where there was a large marquee on the lawn, decorated with flower arrangements and the tables all set out for the wedding feast. The
garden was decked out with garlands strung between the trees and bunting across the drive.
Lucy and Sheila had outdone themselves providing the food for the reception. The guests mingled with each other happily.
Sheila had insisted that Lucy do no serving; the workers from the restaurant were happily doubling as guests and waiters. Alex was overwhelmed by it all. When he and Steph had married the first time, it had been a quick registry office ceremony followed by a meal at a local restaurant, just the two of them. He never dreamed they’d have a wedding like this.
He looked at Lucy talking with George and Rowena, who looked lovely in her white bridesmaid’s dress trimmed with pink, with a coronet of pink and white on her head. When he thought back to everything that had happened over the past six months, he was incredulous. Who would ever have though that a young lad having an accident on the river a year ago would set off such an unbelievable chain of events? And who would have imagined that Steph could have had such a colourful past?
It made him cringe sometimes when he let himself think about it. How could anyone have treated such a wonderful person like her so cruelly? It went completely beyond his comprehension. Lucian Avery was certainly the devil’s spawn. Steph wasn’t the only one to suffer at his hand, there was Flora and Karen and who knew how many others?
He looked around the crowd and spotted them, talking with Sheila and Tom. They had suffered terrible things, but in the end had been brave and prevented Avery killing the sergeant. He was glad the courts had gone easy on them, recognising that they had been victims too. They had been given suspended sentences for their part in the kidnappings. Flora held a small boy by the hand. Alex didn’t know what she would do now but he hoped she would be happy and not pick up another bad husband. Karen had told him that she was going to divorce Butcher while he was in prison and then disappear. She’d have plenty of time to do it because he would be locked away for a long time. Beside the crimes he’d committed here, he was wanted for several offences in London.
Fear Has Long Fingers Page 23