As each hour passed, Fiona’s demands expanded. After all, Mrs Abbot explained, hadn’t her client given up a rewarding and happy lifestyle in America, which included a thriving family business — something I’d never heard mentioned before — to devote herself to her husband? Only to discover that he rarely arrived home in the evening before eight, and then only after he’d been out with his friends to play squash, and when he eventually turned up — Mrs Abbott paused — drunk, he didn’t want to eat the meal she had spent hours preparing for him — she paused again — and when they later went to bed, he quickly fell into a drunken slumber. I rose from my place in the gallery to protest, only to be told by an usher to sit down or I would be asked to leave the court. Carol tugged firmly on my jacket.
Finally, Mrs Abbot reached the end of her demands, with the suggestion that her client should be given their home in the country (Aunt Muriel’s), while Bob would be allowed to keep his London apartment; she should have the villa in Cannes (Aunt Muriel’s), while he kept his rooms at Harley Street (rented). Mrs Abbott finally turned her attention to Aunt Muriel’s art collection, which she also felt should be divided equally; her client should have the Monet, while he kept the Manguin. She should have the Picasso, he the Pasmore, she the Bacon, etc. When Mrs Abbott finally sat down, Mrs Justice Butler suggested that perhaps they should take a break for lunch.
During a lunch, not eaten, Mr Dexter, Carol and I tried valiantly to convince Bob that he should fight back. But he wouldn’t hear of it.
‘If I can hold on to everything I had before my aunt died,’ Bob insisted, ‘that will be quite enough for me.’
Mr Dexter felt certain he could do far better than that, but Bob showed little interest in putting up a fight.
‘Just get it over with,’ he instructed. ‘Try not to forget who’s paying her costs.’
When we returned to the courtroom at two o’clock that afternoon, the judge turned her attention to Bob’s solicitor.
‘And what do you have to say about all this, Mr Dexter?’ asked Mrs Justice Butler.
‘We are happy to go along with the division of my client’s assets as suggested by Mrs Abbott,’ he replied with an exaggerated sigh.
‘You’re happy to go along with Mrs Abbott’s recommendations, Mr Dexter?’ repeated the judge in disbelief.
Once again Mr Dexter looked at Bob, who simply nodded, like a dog on the back shelf of a car.
‘So be it,’ said Mrs Justice Butler, unable to mask her surprise.
She was just about to pass judgement, when Fiona broke down and burst into tears. She leant across and whispered into Mrs Abbott’s ear.
‘Mrs Abbott,’ said Mrs Justice Butler, ignoring the plaintiff’s sobs, ‘am I to sanction this agreement?’
‘It seems not,’ said Mrs Abbott, rising from her place and looking somewhat embarrassed. ‘It appears that my client still feels that such a settlement favours the defendant.’
‘Does she indeed?’ said Mrs Justice Butler and turned to face Fiona. Mrs Abbott touched her client on the shoulder and whispered in her ear. Fiona immediately rose, and kept her head bowed while the judge spoke.
‘Mrs Radford,’ she began, looking down at Fiona, ‘am I to understand that you are no longer happy with the settlement your solicitor has secured for you?’
Fiona nodded demurely.
‘Then may I suggest a solution, that I hope will bring this case to a speedy conclusion.’ Fiona looked up and smiled sweetly at the judge, while Bob sank lower into his seat.
‘Perhaps it would be easier, Mrs Radford, if you were to draw up two lists for the court’s consideration, that you believe to be a fair and equitable division of your husband’s assets?’
‘I’d be happy to do that, your honour,’ said Fiona meekly.
‘Does this meet with your approval, Mr Dexter?’ asked Mrs Justice Butler, turning back to Bob’s solicitor.
‘Yes, m’lady,’ said Mr Dexter, trying not to sound exasperated.
‘Can I take it that those are your client’s instructions?’
Mr Dexter glanced down at Bob, who didn’t even bother to offer an opinion.
‘And Mrs Abbott,’ she said, turning her attention back to Fiona’s solicitor, ‘I want your word that your client will not back down from such a settlement.’
‘I can assure you, m’lady, that she will comply with your ruling,’ replied Fiona’s solicitor.
‘So be it,’ said Mrs Justice Butler. ‘We will adjourn until tomorrow morning at ten o’clock, when I will look forward to considering Mrs Radford’s two lists.’
Carol and I took Bob out for dinner that night — a pointless exercise. He rarely opened his mouth to either eat or speak.
‘Let her have everything,’ he finally ventured over coffee, ‘because that’s the only way I’m ever going to be rid of the woman.’
‘But your aunt wouldn’t have left you her fortune if she’d known this would have been the eventual outcome.’
‘Neither Aunt Muriel nor I worked that one out,’ Bob replied with resignation. ‘And you can’t fault Fiona’s timing. She only needed another month after meeting my dear aunt before she accepted my proposal.’ Bob turned and stared at me, an accusing look in his eyes. ‘Why didn’t you warn me not to marry her?’ he demanded.
When the judge entered the courtroom the following morning all the officials were already in place. The two adversaries were seated next to their solicitors. All those in the well of the court rose and bowed as Mrs Justice Butler resumed her place, leaving only Mrs Abbott on her feet.
‘Has your client had enough time to prepare her two lists?’ enquired the judge, as she stared down at Fiona’s counsel.
‘She has indeed, m’lady,’ said Mrs Abbott, ‘and both are ready for your consideration.’
The judge nodded to the clerk of the court. He walked slowly across to Mrs Abbott, who handed over the two lists. The clerk then walked slowly back to the bench and passed them up to the judge for her consideration.
Mrs Justice Butler took her time studying the two inventories, occasionally nodding, even adding the odd ‘Um’, while Mrs Abbott remained on her feet. Once the judge had reached the last items on the lists, she turned her attention back to counsel’s bench.
‘Am I to understand,’ enquired Mrs Justice Butler, ‘that both parties consider this to be a fair and equitable distribution of all the assets in question?’
‘Yes, m’lady,’ said Mrs Abbott firmly, on behalf of her client.
‘I see,’ said the judge and, turning to Mr Dexter, asked, ‘Does this also meet with your client’s approval?’
Mr Dexter hesitated. ‘Yes, m’lady,’ he eventually managed, unable to mask the irony in his voice.
‘So be it.’ Fiona smiled for the first time since the case had opened. The judge returned her smile. ‘However, before I pass judgement,’ she continued, ‘I still have one question for Mr Radford.’ Bob glanced at his solicitor before rising nervously from his seat. He looked up at the judge.
What more can she want? was my only thought as I sat staring down from the gallery.