Two weeks passed before Iseult or her family heard anything from Patrick, and when they did, it was not good news. Heather soon discovered the depths to which he had sunk when she found her family being sued for loss of income and emotional distress. Never mind that Patrick had, in front of witnesses, declared his intent to leave the business; the suit was plain in black and white, and Heather swore profusely as she prepared to fight fire with fire. She wasn't angry at her daughter, but she was horribly, dreadfully angry at the man who had promised, two years ago, to do all for her grandfather's business that he could. Now, because he couldn't handle the object of his obsession finding love with another man - while sleeping with one of the most promiscuous girls in Galway! - he was determined to destroy the business her grandfather, father, and husband had built so dilligently.
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Nora Ryan arrived at the house the day after the suit had been lodged. "I am willing to drop the case," she told Heather. "All your daughter has to do is agree to a merger, and my son-in-law will be happy to settle this matter as befits a man of his status."
"He told my daughter two years ago they had no chance," Heather told her rival. "He then went and slept with your daughter, whilst hoping Iseult would come back to him. He then got bent out of shape because she took him at his word and got engaged to the best man I've ever been priviledged to call a son-in-law. Your son-in-law needs to get over himself and accept my daughter's happiness - or not. Either way, he's got no right to threaten us with non-existence cause for harm. Jamie treated him very well during the two years he worked for us, and we have all the records we need to prove his claims false."
Nora sniffed. "Your daughter hasn't the sense to realise my son-in-law will be the only man who can ever make her happy," she stated. "Besides, that is neither here nor there. I want your squidding grounds. Mine have been run dry, and you have no right to withhold them from me. If you do not agree to a merger, I'll pursue you for loss of income personally, and I won't rest until I've extracted every last penny I can out of you."92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMkh8GiMUmi
"Those squidding grounds have been in my family for generations," Heather told her. "My grandfather's grandfather was the one who first discovered them, and my father ensured those grounds would remain exclusively in the Murray family. But all the other grounds are free, and you can take whichever you desire. If you want to sue, though, go ahead, and I'll be the one with the popcorn when you're laughed out of court."92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgnioqdR2EO
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Nora was indeed laughed out of court, and Patrick's case was likewise dismissed when Jamie provided enough evidence to prove his one-time heir's claims false. But Nora refused to let the matter go, and before long, Heather and her family found themselves facing lawsuit after lawsuit, giving them very little time to help Iseult get settled in her role. Heather suspected that was the reason why Nora was tying up their time; Patrick was not taking his loss of Iseult very well, and Nora was using her son-in-law's hurt as a means to fuel her spiteful litigations.
Thankfully, it didn't take the courts long to rule Nora as a vexatious litigant, and the legal harrassment stopped. Nora, thus thwarted, turned to social media, but found herself stymied there when all her shady misdeeds "mysteriously" came to light. Before long, it was the Ryans' business getting dragged through the mud as damning accounts surfaced; decadeds of shady dealings were exposed to the cold, hard light of day. Nora quickly found herself on the wrong side of the law in short order, and when the new squidding season started, she was behind bars.
"And good riddance," Iseult said heatedly. "But that's going to leave Quinn in charge."
"Quinn's in trouble for a few reasons of her own," Jamie told her. "She'll join her mother behind bars before too long, and so will Kate if she doesn't mend her ways."
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Neither Kate nor Quinn mended their ways, and they joined their mother behind bars. Kate's baby was placed in foster care, and Heather immediately petitioned to adopt the poor mite. Her petition was granted, and baby Liam came home in August. His father - who turned out to be Patrick after all - was surprisingly okay with the adoption, having apparently "seen the light" in the wake of his wife's incarceration. Iseult didn't buy it for a second.
"He's waiting for me to see the light," she said. "Kate's being in jail will leave him thinking he's free to try and claim me." She sighed, cradling her belly protectively. "And Gerry's been so unwell these last few days; I'm scared Patrick will swoop in and 'comfort' the widow, so to speak."
"Gerry will pull through," Heather assured her daughter. "But, God forbid, if he doesn't, we won't let Patrick claim you or your son. There's been no agreeements between you, and we can easily disabuse him of any notions he may entertain about 'comforting' the widow." It was her turn to sigh. "I feel as if we're living Granddad's story all over again."92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbldUpPpfaU
Iseult winced, having been told of her great-grandfather's past when she was old enough to understand. "So long as history doesn't repeat itself," she insisted.
Heather smiled and stroked her daughter's hair. "We're stronger, and we've learned lessons," she told her. "I think we can fight fate. Though I've no doubt your great-grandad is probably laughing up in heaven, the rascal."
"Probably," Iseult said with a giggle.
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