Jenny shivered as Roisin gave her testimony, smug satisfaction in every line of her body as she declared why she should be allowed in her niece's life. She had, surprisingly enough, accepted that Mrs Doyle really was who she said she was, but that didn't stop her from declaring that, since she, Roisin, had been the one to raise Jenny all her life, she therefore had as much claim on her niece and unborn great-niece or nephew as Mrs Doyle - even more so, Roisin declared. Therefore, why should she be forbidden contact with Jenny and her unborn child?
Once Jenny was given leave to speak, she made her way to the witness stand, where Roisin's lawyer grilled her mercilessly. He was, in fact, one of the men in dark suits who'd given her a similar grilling in spring, but Jenny used the memory of her swim in the lake yesterday to give her strength. She answered his questions clearly and concisely, cutting through his arguments with all the facts of her loving, but smothered - and ultimately abusive - childhood at the hands of her aunt. Calum was impressed by his wife's fortitude.
"She's handling this like a soldier," he whispered to Mrs Doyle.
"Yes," the housekeeper replied softly. "But see her face - I'll wager she's been having contractions since she arose this morning."
Calum studied his wife, and his own face went pale at the pallor of her skin, and the small beads of perspiration on her forehead. He was no expert, but Mrs Doyle was - having birthed Jenny almost twenty-one years ago, and his heart went out to both women. "Hold on, my love," he murmured, and Mrs Doyle gave his hand a fierce squeeze in silent understand. He squeezed back, feeling an overwhelming affection for the solid housekeeper, and when he glanced at her, she was smiling, despite the worry in her eyes. "You're a trooper too," he murmured.
Up on the stand, Jenny now gave her testimony. She listed facts, details and events Calum hadn't known before, and his heart broke over and over again as his wife detailed the years of emotional and psychological abuse, as well as the physical, which had occurred all her life. It came out that Roisin had been terrified her niece would cotton on that her "mother" was really her aunt, hence why she'd been so controlling of Jenny. Finn's courtship hadn't been opposed because of his lower social status, but because Roisin had know all along that her sister was still alive, and if Jenny broke free, she'd go in search of her real mother!
"The devil woman!" Calum whispered, horrified. "That's why she wanted to have Jenny committed - not because she didn't believe her, but because she was scared Jenny would learn the truth - as she rightfully deserved to do!"
"I don't know how she figured it out," Mrs Doyle said, "but she's a smart girl, for all that she claims to be not very bright. She must've overheard snippets as she was growing up, but had the good sense not to make her findings known. I'll wager she suspected all along that Roisin was not her real mother, but played the game to keep herself safe."
Calum vowed to smother his wife with affection when they got home. If Jenny had suspected things were off with her aunt, then she had more sense than he'd given her credit for. "I'm going to make her the manager of the business," he said, and Mrs Doyle gave his hand another squeeze.
Jenny had come to the end of her testimony, and Roisin's face was sheet white. She was beaten, and it showed in her face as her niece made her slow way back to the gallery. "I hope you're happy," she snapped, still determined to wring something from the contest as she glared at her sister. "And I hope you're happy too," she added to the judge, her glare suddenly turning even more scathing than before. "Both of you."
Rosaleen Doyle felt as if the breath had been bashed out of her lungs as things fell into place for her, but she kept her face admirably calm as she ignored her sister, waiting instead for the judge to give his final verdict. In a voice like iron, he told Roisin to calm down before she was ejected, and though she sniffed, she did as she was told. "Have you any remarks?" he asked.
Roisin sniffed again. "I withdraw my suit," she stated. "My niece has made it clear all my years of toil mean nothing to her. My sister is welcome to her and her brat - I want nothing more to do with any of them. They - and you - can go to hell for all of me."
"Watch your language," the judge warned. "I've about run out of patience with you, Mrs Byrne. As it stands, I'm awarding full damages to Mrs Murray, as well as court costs, and I'm also granting her a permanent no-contact order. You are not to contact Mrs Murray, nor are you to go anywhere near her. That order applies to her husband, Mr Murray, and to her mother, Mrs Doyle. Breaching this order will see you served with fines, and if you continue to flout it, you will be sentenced to a hefty stint in prison. Count yourself fortunate damages and court costs are all that will be exacted from you today." A firm slap of the gavel ended the matter. "Case closed. Court dismissed."97Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1qZta9BH2T
Never had sweeter words been spoken, but to Rosaleen Doyle, the truly sweet moment came when the judge stepped down from the dais and embraced her. "I'm sorry, my dear," he said. "Had I known, I would've found you sooner."
Rosaleen Doyle didn't care much about that. "You weren't to know," she said against his shoulder. "Neither was I, until Roisin helped me put two and two together."
Judge George Doyle chuckled as he released his long-lost wife, cupping her cheek tenderly. "Let's be glad she did one good thing with her life," he said, before turning to greet his surprised daughter and son-in-law. "Yes, I'm the father," he said. "And I'm sorry I couldn't see you grow up."
Jenny's eyes widened, before filling with tears. "Da," was all she said, before she hugged him fiercely. The hug was, sadly, cut short as a sharp contraction rocked her, and George quickly moved to support his daughter. "Family reunions can wait," he said, all business. "We need to get my daughter to hospital, so my grandson or granddaughter can finally come into the world."
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