Sisyphean Love

Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen

Robert knocked on Mary's door. Cora opened it and he went in. His mother was sitting beside the bed patting Mary's hand.

"How are you doing?"

"Leaving aside the obvious I am fine" Mary gave him a brave smile.

Robert found it hard to look at her with her nose askew, and both eyes blackened. "I just received the most extraordinary telephone call from Murray"

"How so?" asked Cora.

"He received a telephone call from Sir Richard's solicitor."

"And?" interrupted Cora.

"Sir Richard wants to settle"

"What do you mean settle?" cried Mary "I want him to suffer like I have".

"My feelings exactly. I would have told Murray that straight away but it is of course your decision. I will telephone Murray back and tell him" Robert turned to leave the room.

"Wait a minute. Let us not be too hasty. What was the proposed settlement?"

They all looked at Violet.

"Mother, how could you even think of settling? After what that bastard, excuse my French, did to Mary?"

Violet was unperturbed. "For Mary's sake we must take the long view. If she does not settle what happens? There is a trial. If you are Sir Richard's lawyers how do you defend him? By destroying Mary. Do we want that? Do we want all the dirty linen to be aired in public?" Robert did not know of the sexual abuse Mary had suffered, but Violet and Cora did, they had seen the scars on Mary's back and she had told them of the circumstances under which she had sustained them. "Besides you know how money proud he is; if you want to punish him take his money"

"What is he offering?" Mary asked in a small voice.

"Haxby Park in return for you dropping the charges and agreeing to a quiet divorce"

"If he is offering that much to start he will go higher" Violet was almost rubbing her hands together with glee. "Do you know the extent of his assets?" she asked Mary.

"I think so, whenever I could I looked through papers he brought home"

"Excellent, let us pluck this gander"

-0-

"I have some good news and some bad news"

"Give me the good news first"

"Your wife is prepared to discuss settlement of this matter..."

"And the bad news is?"

"It seems that she does not trust you and so as a token of good faith she wants you to swear an affidavit in which you confess to all of the physical, but not the sexual, abuse you have inflicted on her" Fogg curled his lip at the thought of what that last qualification implied.

"That is outrageous!"

"It is nonnegotiable. Your wife will hold the affidavit as surety for your good conduct after the charges are dropped and the divorce granted. If you do anything untoward against her or her family she will publish the affidavit"

Richard was speechless. The bitch! "It will take some time to prepare"

"I am to deliver a draft to Murray by nine o'clock tomorrow morning."

"What you mean draft?"

"It seems your wife wants to ensure you do not leave anything out"

"I'll have to work all night"

"The alternative is hours in solitary writing your prison memoirs" Fogg peered at Richard over his bifocals. "Your call"

May 10, 1920

Murray had read the draft affidavit on the train trip to Downton. It did not read like the dry legal papers he was used to. Sir Richard had told the story as if he were reporting it. The who did what to whom, when and where. The why was missing as was any contrition. If anything there was a sense of justification and entitlement running throughout. It had made his blood boil. If he were Lady Mary's father he would not let her settle, he would kill Sir Richard instead. Slowly.

He watched Lady Mary read the affidavit. Before finishing the first page she asked for a pencil and she starting marking up the draft. She did not say anything as she read. She did not shake her head, he imagined that it would be painful from the looks of her face; she made no gestures; she could have been reading a lease or a mortgage, for all the emotion she presented. When she finished she handed the draft back to Murray.

"Give him twenty four hours to provide you with two sworn copies of the affidavit. Make sure they include the changes I have made to the draft". Mary handed Murray a letter. "These are my final terms. When you receive the affidavit give them to him. He can have another twenty four hours to accept them."

Murray was impressed with the coldness and clarity with which Lady Mary instructed him. This was Boudica giving orders to one of her tribesmen. He just hoped that it would not end as badly for her.

-0-

"Your wife will settle." Fogg peered over his glasses at Sir Richard. "Firstly you are to sell Haxby Park and all associated lands, leases, chattels and choses in action, including the barley contracts..."

"How did that bitch know about those contracts?"

Fogg ignored the interruption "with the proviso you discharge the household staff, giving them good characters and six months pay in lieu of notice, with the exception of a Thomas Barrow to whom you are to pay two years pay.."

"Well it's steep but I can live with it..."

"Oh there's more ... you are to sell your art collection, your library and all your wife's jewellery at auction." Fogg waved a sheet in the air "She has helpfully attached an inventory of the main items"

"There's no way I..."

Fogg held up his hand "The net sale proceeds.." he paused as he anticipated Sir Richard's reaction " and a further two hundred and fifty thousand pounds cash are then to be paid to a Swiss numbered bank account, the particulars of which will be provided to us." Fogg admired that last, it was a brilliant move on Lady Carlisle's part to move the funds beyond the reach of Sir Richard and the British courts.

"That's ... that's everything I own except the newspapers and Carlisle House and I'm going to have to mortgage them .. I can't .. I can't. Offer her..."

"I repeat myself. Your wife's demands are nonnegotiable. Accept or see her in court.. You have until 4:00 o'clock tomorrow afternoon to accept." Fogg paused "While you are contemplating your choices you may wish to consider that evidence will be brought at your trial that when you kicked your wife you caused her to miscarry..."

"She was pregnant?"

"So it seems. If you are convicted your fellow denizens of Wormwood Scrubs will not be impressed that you did that to a woman."