1969 - Ch. 03

Day Five.

Harrington-Brown.

I've got a full day ahead. A whole day questioning Cinderella, and I'll be honest with you, I couldn't really wait to get to this day. Here comes Tom...oh my god, what is he wearing now?!

"Hello Sir, I've got the uniform and the panties. I must say when Jill tried on the uniform I took a few measurements. There isn't much left to the imagination, and Jill is a good few inches shorter than Mrs Stone."

"Okay, have you had a word with Jill about her clothes?"

"Yes Sir, I told her she had to wear short skirts to mid thigh, and high heels. Now you've moved her to the front desk."

"Good, and bending over?"

"Yes, when male clients are waiting in reception, she knows to go to the filing cabinet, and get a file from the bottom drawer."

"And she knows to linger there for a time?"

"Yes sir, I told her to bend over and count to 10."

"I hope she can count that far. A little more tit for the clients to see wouldn't go a miss too."

"I'll let her know sir. Sir, this work dress of Mrs Stone it's A-line from the hips down."

"Tom, what the hell does that mean?"

"It flares out away from her waist, and it's starched too, so it stays that way. Honestly Sir you could put your hand up her uniform, without touching either her or the uniform, and she wouldn't know it."

Now there's a lovely thought.

"Tom, how come you know so much about these things?"

"Oh that's easy; I live with my mother, and my three aunts. They make dresses, and I help them, they even taught me how to make and design my suits. This one Sir is one of my creations, plum velvet, with a pink shirt and spotted white and pink bow tie, I made it all myself, and flares are the new fashion, so do you like it?"

"Tom, you're starting to worry me now. You're not a faggot are you?"

"Oh no, I just like making clothes, it's a hobby creating something and then wearing it. I do make dresses too."

"You make dresses, for women?" I ask with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh yes, I've sent a few designs to Twiggy."

"Twiggy? Tom, who the fucking hell is Twiggy when she's at home?"

He laughs like I'm the idiot!

"A model, she's very popular."

I sit back as the courtroom begins to fill.

"Hey Tom, do you think Pauline could be a model?"

"Oh no, while she is very pretty, but her bosoms are too big, models today have to be very thin and streamline like Twiggy, they do drastic things to keep themselves stick thin."

"Tom, do you ever go out for a drink with your mates?"

"Not much, I don't like the taste of beer. I'm a champagne kind of guy."

"You are the only male in the house, with your mother, and three Aunts?"

He nods.

"And you make dresses, and your own clothes?"

He nods again, and I shake my head.

After a few objections from Jimmy, the judge also wants to see Pauline in her uniform. Under the table Tom slaps a five pound note in my hand.

"Told you Tom, I told you I'd get her in that uniform," I whisper.

We're all waiting and Jimmy is still sat there grumpy as hell. There really isn't much point to Cinderella wearing the uniform, but I want to see those legs everyone has gone on about. The door opens and she walks back into the courtroom. Tom's right, the skirt is away from her thighs and I can make out the darker tops of her tan tights sticking out below the hem. Her legs go on for miles, and the pale blue dress with poppers down the front is tight under her bust, making her tits look even more inviting. How the fuck she can work in a uniform that short without flashing everything is beyond me, no wonder the old guys can't help but grab her ass.

She doesn't look in the least bit phased, okay a slight embarrassment, but she must know every guy is drooling over those legs and tits.

"Turn, um...would you turn round please, Mrs Stone?"

That's the judge wanting to see the back. I'm sure under that robe he's wearing, he is rock hard. He goes for the gin in his glass.

"Your Worship, could Mrs Stone please go and get changed now? I'm sure Mr Harrington-Brown has had his thrill at my client's expense."

"Mr Spratt, I don't want any more time wasted. Mrs Stone, would you mind keeping your uniform on, in the interest of saving time, my dear?" the judge asks with a sickly smile.

She nods, and walks to her seat. She sits crossing her legs, and yet more of the darker part of her tights becomes visible. I take a sip of water, wishing I had the judge's gin in my glass.

"Mrs Stone, have you altered your uniform in any way?"

"No, I haven't," she says with a slight gulp.

"You picked that length of uniform yourself, did you not?"

"Yes, it was the only one in the stockroom at the care home that would fit."

While Jimmy is protesting Tom is hissing at me to get my attention. After I hear what he has to say, I smile.

"Mrs Stone, would you please stand up and turn round."

Jimmy is protesting but the judge is on my side again. She stands up and turns round, the creases in her uniform stay in place and there is a nice glimpse of her panties, under her tan tights.

"Mrs Stone, are you aware that the judge, the jury, and indeed myself and the rest of the courtroom can see you're wearing yellow panties today."

Jimmy is shouting, and the judge, who it appears has a new gavel, is banging it, and the greedy eyes of every male in the room is lapping up the view. Mrs Stone is red faced, and looks a little uncomfortable, but defiant as well. I slip back to my seat, and hand the fiver back to Tom.

"Tom, God bless you, you were right, after a short while in the Glory Care Home in that uniform, everyone would see it all."

"Mrs Stone, you must be aware your uniform doesn't hide your panties, and bending and stretching while you work reveals your underwear to quite an extent?"

"Your Worship, this is once again turning into the circus you wished it not to. Mr Harrington-Brown has done nothing but humiliate my client, with things which have nothing to do with the case. Mrs Stone wears a short uniform, it is today's fashion, and on any given day in a restaurant, or even in the local hospital, women wear short uniforms. I must object most strongly to the blatant sexual harassment of Mrs Stone."

The judge clears his throat, "Mr Spratt, you keep mentioning sexual harassment, I'll admit I'm not used to this phrase. There are plenty of women on the telly showing their knickers off these days. Mrs Stone is an attractive young woman, who wouldn't look out of place on the Benny Hill show, and I'm sure she doesn't mind men looking at her obvious charms. Now I'll allow Mrs Stone to change, but as the youth of today say, get with it man."

The judge is smiling to himself, and to be honest I'm still a little knocked for six by his statement.

She comes back in, and perhaps I should take a leaf out of the judge's book of perverted things to say to a young woman.

"Mrs Stone, I'm sure you are aware of the length of your uniform, and I'm sorry for any embarrassment, but as the judge has said you do have stunning legs."

"Very stunning I'd say Mr Harrington-Brown. Now I'm sure you don't mind the odd whistle of appreciation now and then, do you my dear?"

She nods and half smiles at the judge, who has just about told the court he fancies the knickers off her. He asks me to continue, and then takes a big gulp of his gin.

"Mrs Stone, as you changed the bedding in the room of Mr Wells did you wiggle your backside?"

She gulps, "Yes...I."

"Mrs Stone, you opened your uniform and showed Mr Wells your breasts, did you not?"

"Yes, but."

"Then you got fed up waiting for Mr Wells to ejaculate, and you gave him, what is termed these days as a, hand job, did you not?" I ask not giving her time to answer.

"Well, I."

"And you caught his semen in your hand?"

"No, not in my ha."

"Mr Wells told the court that's what happened, now moving on."

The court is mumbling, and Jimmy has long since started shouting. For a moment the judge has forgot he was in charge, no doubt dreaming of Mrs Stone, and should have stopped my questioning a few moments before he did!

Finally there is silence.

"You didn't let me answer your questions properly. You make is sound like I'm some sort of pros...it is not like that it wasn't like that at all! I felt sorry for him. It happens in the care homes, Sandra told me it happens all the time!"

Well that was quite an outburst, even poor Jimmy was taken aback a little. I'm getting to her, but I'm barely a quarter of the way through. Of course she is right that was intention to not give her time to answer, but hey shit happens.

"Mrs Stone, I'm sorry you feel that way, do you get paid extra for pleasuring the gentlemen at the care home?"

It is nearly lunchtime, and I let Jimmy have his shouting match, and the judge has warned me about a penalty payment, which really doesn't bother me.

"I'm sorry Mrs Stone, I'm just wondering whether the 11 pounds 4 shillings, and 11 pence, that you say was mysterious snatched from you, by some robber who has never been caught, was actually never snatched from you, but kept as a payment for services rendered, to Mr Wells."

She has slipped to her chair, sobbing in her hands and mumbling to herself.

"Come now Mrs Stone, we've already heard evidence that you are behind with your rent, and what you do to pay the arrears. Perhaps you saw Mr Wells, and then Mr Taylor as soft targets. You persuaded Mr Taylor to leave you his money in his will, and then, bumped him off!"

After 5 minutes of Jimmy shouting at me, and the judge banging his gavel until he hits a finger we adjourn for lunch, and just in time for Adrian, my TV reporter friend to make the 1 o'clock news, live. It's all going swimmingly, apart from a fine for me and one for Jimmy, but hell, Pauline is in bits.

Okay this whole court case is turning into a farce, but the great unwashed in the gallery love a farce, even more so where there is sex involved. Pauline is back now and I've heard through the grape vine, or rather Tom who knows someone in Jimmy Spratt's camp that Pauline, had to be persuaded to continue with her claim for the money left to her. I'm glad in a way; it gives me another crack at Cinderella.

She looks red round the eyes, and hopefully she is dreading my questioning.

"Mrs Stone, did you have a good lunch?"

Yes there's no point to that question, and I don't get an answer.

"Mrs Stone, when you stood on the chair to open Mr Sibley's window, did you not think about how Mr Sibley would react?"

She doesn't answer.

"I wonder, if you enjoyed him looking up your uniform, did you?"

Jimmy objects and a red faced judge, due to a liquid lunch, backs him up.

"The court has been told that Mr Sibley hung around the bottom of the staircase, several times, waiting for you and others to go up and down. Did it not occur to you to complain?"

"Some did, but it wasn't a big thing. We were very busy most of the time. It's just the same as going up staircases in department stores; you know men are looking up your skirt, it is just one of those things."

She's changed a little; she should be a quivering mess right now. It's obvious to me that she has been told to weather the storm, for a chance to get the jackpot. I have to rethink.

"When you stood on the chair and felt his hand on your leg, why didn't you call out then?"

She swallows but still looks confident. She looks to the judge, which is an old ploy to get him on her side.

"Your Worship, the men do that. It is one thing a few of us brush off, we're busy and some of them don't get visitors like they should. We had become like a big family in there, I'm sure you understand judge?"

The judge nods with a sympathetic smile.

I'm shuffling my papers and trying to think how to dislodge her new found confidence.

"Mrs Stone, his hand went up your uniform and you tumbled to the bed. While he was undressing you, why did you not scream out then?"

"He didn't undress me he ripped my panties and tights off. He pinned me to the bed, I couldn't get away from him. His hand was covering my mouth, and then he pushed his lips on mine."

She crosses her legs and half the eyes in the courtroom follow her movements. Tom tugs my sleeve and whispers to me that the not so innocent Pauline Stone has rolled the waist band of her skirt, making it appear shorter!

"Um okay, perhaps we should move on."

She's got everyone hooked. Jimmy has objected, but the court is hushed.

"Don't you want to hear the rest?" she asks, looking to the judge again.

"Mrs Stone it's obviously a painful memory for you. Perhaps we should move on to your nights with Mr Taylor."

"No wait a minute Mr Harrington-Brown. Mrs Stone has put up with a lot from you today, and she should be allowed to elaborate on your questions about Mr Wells, Mr Sibley or Mr Taylor."

"Your Worship, with the greatest respect. Any statements such as these aren't really relevant."

"Then why Mr Harrington-Brown did you bring up poor Mrs Stone's rape in the first place?"

"Your Worship again with the greatest respect; Mr Sibley said she offered it to him."

"I think we would do well to get her side of the story."

I laugh, and I can see the whole court is on the judge's side, "This isn't the time for a statement."

"Sit down Harrington Brown. I won't tell you again. Please, continue my dear, go as far as you're comfortable with."

"Like I was saying in answer to Mr Harrington-Brown's question, Mr Sibley pinned me to the bed and put his hand over my mouth. I felt his fingers pulling at my panties and tights. He started trying to kiss me, but I kept my mouth closed. That was until he forced my mouth open, and pushed his tongue deep in my mouth."

This is bloody wrong. Even the little dab at her eyes with the tissue, isn't convincing me she is that upset at telling her story. It is almost pornographic, the way she has everyone thinking about those events.

"I feared for my safety, so I stopped struggling, and I let him rip my underwear off. I think he thought I was enjoying it. I could feel him in me, his thing I mean. He started calling me...my I say Your Worship?"

The judge clears his throat, "We are all adults here Pauline, sorry Mrs Stone. Yes please continue."

She crosses her legs yet again, and if I'm not mistaken it has ridden up her thighs even more!

"He called me a slut, and told me I was asking for it, with my very short uniform. He said he had seen men touching my backside, and I hadn't let him like I let the others, and now he had his cock in my..."

"Yes, um, please carry on my dear."

"Thank you judge. He said I was a teasing whore, and nobody would blame him for taking me. He started kissing my mouth again, and mauling my breasts. He groaned in my ear, it sounded so disgusting. His wet tongue slobbered over my neck. His hands explored my body, and he pinched and pulled at my breasts. He said he had dreamt of this day since the first time he saw up my uniform on the stairs, and many times after that."

The whole courtroom is watching her, some looked horrified, and some, dare I say, are listening with a different set of thoughts going in their heads.

"Then I noticed Ms Appleby, and that's when I started struggling, when there was any hope that he might be stopped. I kicked and pushed back as hard as I could, but I couldn't get him off."

"Mrs Stone, I'm going to suggest a short break, so you may compose yourself."

Compose herself that's a fucking laugh.

"There is one other thing Your Worship."

"Yes my dear, feel free."

God this is fucking insane!

"Mr Sibley was right."

Tears are falling from her eyes now, what the hell is going on here!

"Ms Appleby was in the room watching. She let me struggle for a longer amount of time than I thought she should. Maybe she thought I had brought this on myself. I swear I didn't, I swear I didn't want..."

The court is gasping now, and Cinderella has conned us into feeling a little sick about this.

"She was smirking at me, and then she left to get to help, and in no great hurry."

Her tears and sobbing are real. But I have to do something to stop this tide of sympathy.

"Your Worship, if I may, one last question before the break?"

"Mr Harrington-Brown, can you not see the state this poor woman is in? I'm totally ashamed to call you a respected member of this court. There will be no more questions until, Paul, I mean Mrs Stone has completely recovered from this brave telling of her very own nightmare, in fact I shall adjourn proceeding until tomorrow."

The court rises, and Cinderella has gained the upper hand. I don't mind telling you she has me a little rattled, and so does that icy stare of Ms Taylor.

"Sir, I have faith in you. You'll win this."

"Tom, this is tougher than I thought it would be. Let's get back to the office and go over a few things, I will not be beaten."

"That's the spirit Sir."

"I need a break, time for home Tom we've been here nearly two hours."

"Um maybe not just yet, Ms Taylor is here to see you. Would you like tea, Ms Taylor?"

She just looks down her nose at him, and poor Tom is actually quaking in his shoes. He scurries off not waiting for an answer.

"Mr Harrington-Brown, I'm paying you to get that little slut out of my hair, and my father's wallet."

"It won't be long now Ms Taylor."

She raises an eyebrow and gives me a look that could sink a battleship.

"I'll ruin you if you lose this case; while that little lower working class bitch told her harrowing account, the man next to me was panting like a race horse! She had the room in the palm of her grubby little hand, and the judge was practically drooling, no he was drooling over her."

"Ms Taylor I..."

"I haven't finished yet you stupid little man. You had better have more balls than I see at the moment. If that little cow isn't sent back to the gutter tomorrow, penniless, mark my words you are finished in this town."

She leaves, and for once I find myself wishing I had never taken this case.

Pauline.

Don't ask me what clicked in my head, maybe it was the talking to by Jimmy and his man at lunchtime, maybe it's the greed of everyone surrounding me, my husband, the two sisters, even my stepsister who has moved in has plans for the money. I did too I must admit, but that changed a while ago, then as I say something clicked. Everyone has leered at me in my uniform, and I'll admit it was a shock to be displayed like that, but and here's the thing, I realised lunchtime what Jimmy said was true, half the people, including a couple of men in the jury, are more interested in the sex than justice, that's what clicked, and that's why I gave them what they wanted.

Do I have to play dirty to win? Win, that's a laugh, I'm not winning anything. I'm losing my husband having lost my family just before. I bet they have heard the news on the radio, and seen that reporter on the telly deliver all the details.

Tomorrow that man will start questioning me on Frank. Jimmy reckons he is going to hit hard. He and his number two are divided on how much I should tell the court about Frank and me. Maybe tomorrow I should go with the same. Jimmy doesn't want me to, but Michael his number two has suggested I've got a better chance by showing the court the sexy lover of a man in his 70's. He said half the men in the jury, and the judge, wished they had been in poor Frank's shoes. He said, "Let them have their fantasies, show them the sexy Pauline, especially the judge."

"Where have you been?"

She stands there with her arms folded.

"Not now Gloria. I'm going for a bath and then to bed."

"Well what about our tea?"

I drag her to the kitchen, open a sack of potatoes, chuck them in the bowl, and then put a knife in her hand.

"Peel the bloody things and stick them in water. There are fishcakes in the fridge, and wash up when you've eaten."