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Authors: Kitty Neale
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someone else.’
‘Yes, and it must have been a terrible shock.’
‘It was, and when Richard told me about Mel, I didn’t know what to do. I loved him so much and hoped it was just a passing fancy. I was wrong though, because shortly after he asked for a divorce. I couldn’t believe it, wouldn’t believe it. I begged, cried, pleaded with him not to leave me, but he was implacable. For nearly a year, I wouldn’t accept it, refused to talk about it, but then, just when I thought that things couldn’t get any worse, he…he moved his girlfriend in.’
‘What! Into your home?’
‘Yes, and Mel was so brazen, cuddling up to Richard in front of me.’
Val found it incredible, her voice high as she said, ‘My God, what sort of woman would do that?’
Betty lowered her head. ‘I don’t know, but worse, I–I heard them having sex every night. In the mornings, Mel couldn’t look me in the eye, but Richard didn’t care. He was so cruel, fawning over Mel, showing me how triumphant he was about their sex life. It became unbearable to see them together, to hear them, and I felt an intruder in my own home.’
Val was secretly pleased that Betty now felt confident enough to talk to her about such a sensitive subject. ‘What did you do?’
‘In the end I couldn’t stand it any more, and when Richard offered to find me somewhere else to live, I moved out.’
‘I can understand how you felt, but maybe that wasn’t the best thing to do. By making your life so unbearable that you moved out, Richard retained your home.’
‘I know that now, but at the time I was at the end of my tether, my nerves all over the place. Richard rented me a flat in the next town, arranged a small allowance and advised me to see a solicitor to file for a divorce.’
‘The bastard! Oh, pardon my language, Betty, but I can hardly believe what I’m hearing. You poor thing. What did you do?’
‘I was in a terrible state, so at first I did nothing, but then Richard took the initiative and filed for divorce, using the grounds that I had deserted him.’
‘But you didn’t desert him. He more or less forced you out.’
‘I know, but with no other choice I had to find my own solicitor.’
‘Well, I hope he took Richard to the cleaners.’
‘No, I’m afraid not. Our house was mortgaged to the hilt, along with the business, and on paper Richard had little to show in assets. I felt sure that the business was doing well, that Richard had money, and my solicitor thought he might have hidden it in offshore accounts. The trouble was it would have taken years to unravel and I couldn’t afford to retain a solicitor for that long. The children were grown up and had left home, so in the end all I got was a settlement.’
‘It sounds like your husband was very clever.’
‘Yes, but you probably think I’m a fool for letting it happen.’
‘Of course I don’t. You couldn’t prove that your husband had money and if you ask me you were treated badly, but how did you end up in London?’
‘After the break–up and then the divorce, I felt lost. My life had been centred round my home, my husband and children, but now I had no purpose. I couldn’t bear to think about Richard and Mel, about all I’d lost, and sank into depression.’
‘How awful for you.’
‘Yes, it was, but my son, John, was supportive, cutting his father from his life, and, when he wanted to buy his own house, I knew he wouldn’t go to Richard for help. I didn’t want him taking on a huge mortgage, so stepped in to give him a large deposit. John didn’t want to take it, but I insisted, and though it bit into what money I had, I didn’t care. In fact, I didn’t care about anything any more and just lived off my settlement for about two years. When I realised that the money was almost gone, I knew there was no choice. I’d have to pull myself together, get a job. It was then that I moved to London and, well, you know the rest.’
‘Oh, Betty,’ Val
‘Yes, and it must have been a terrible shock.’
‘It was, and when Richard told me about Mel, I didn’t know what to do. I loved him so much and hoped it was just a passing fancy. I was wrong though, because shortly after he asked for a divorce. I couldn’t believe it, wouldn’t believe it. I begged, cried, pleaded with him not to leave me, but he was implacable. For nearly a year, I wouldn’t accept it, refused to talk about it, but then, just when I thought that things couldn’t get any worse, he…he moved his girlfriend in.’
‘What! Into your home?’
‘Yes, and Mel was so brazen, cuddling up to Richard in front of me.’
Val found it incredible, her voice high as she said, ‘My God, what sort of woman would do that?’
Betty lowered her head. ‘I don’t know, but worse, I–I heard them having sex every night. In the mornings, Mel couldn’t look me in the eye, but Richard didn’t care. He was so cruel, fawning over Mel, showing me how triumphant he was about their sex life. It became unbearable to see them together, to hear them, and I felt an intruder in my own home.’
Val was secretly pleased that Betty now felt confident enough to talk to her about such a sensitive subject. ‘What did you do?’
‘In the end I couldn’t stand it any more, and when Richard offered to find me somewhere else to live, I moved out.’
‘I can understand how you felt, but maybe that wasn’t the best thing to do. By making your life so unbearable that you moved out, Richard retained your home.’
‘I know that now, but at the time I was at the end of my tether, my nerves all over the place. Richard rented me a flat in the next town, arranged a small allowance and advised me to see a solicitor to file for a divorce.’
‘The bastard! Oh, pardon my language, Betty, but I can hardly believe what I’m hearing. You poor thing. What did you do?’
‘I was in a terrible state, so at first I did nothing, but then Richard took the initiative and filed for divorce, using the grounds that I had deserted him.’
‘But you didn’t desert him. He more or less forced you out.’
‘I know, but with no other choice I had to find my own solicitor.’
‘Well, I hope he took Richard to the cleaners.’
‘No, I’m afraid not. Our house was mortgaged to the hilt, along with the business, and on paper Richard had little to show in assets. I felt sure that the business was doing well, that Richard had money, and my solicitor thought he might have hidden it in offshore accounts. The trouble was it would have taken years to unravel and I couldn’t afford to retain a solicitor for that long. The children were grown up and had left home, so in the end all I got was a settlement.’
‘It sounds like your husband was very clever.’
‘Yes, but you probably think I’m a fool for letting it happen.’
‘Of course I don’t. You couldn’t prove that your husband had money and if you ask me you were treated badly, but how did you end up in London?’
‘After the break–up and then the divorce, I felt lost. My life had been centred round my home, my husband and children, but now I had no purpose. I couldn’t bear to think about Richard and Mel, about all I’d lost, and sank into depression.’
‘How awful for you.’
‘Yes, it was, but my son, John, was supportive, cutting his father from his life, and, when he wanted to buy his own house, I knew he wouldn’t go to Richard for help. I didn’t want him taking on a huge mortgage, so stepped in to give him a large deposit. John didn’t want to take it, but I insisted, and though it bit into what money I had, I didn’t care. In fact, I didn’t care about anything any more and just lived off my settlement for about two years. When I realised that the money was almost gone, I knew there was no choice. I’d have to pull myself together, get a job. It was then that I moved to London and, well, you know the rest.’
‘Oh, Betty,’ Val
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