Fighting for Custody

By Catherine Carson

Leah Griffin gave up a promising career in academia to care for her elder sister when she was paralysed in a car accident which killed her fiancé Philip Harrington. Their son Milo is left orphaned when her sister succumbs to her injuries eighteen months later, leaving Leah as his sole guardian.
When Philip’s parents demand that they be given custody of the child as biological grandparents Alex Petersen promises to help them fight Leah; but it does not take him long to discover he has not been given the full story, or, that Leah is not the gold digger portrayed by them.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Jul 3, 2014
• ISBN: 9781291938975

Book preview

Fighting for Custody

Fighting for Custody

By Catherine Carson

Standard Copyright © Catherine Carson 2014

ISBN 978-1-291-93894-4 – Paperback

ISBN 978-1-291-93897-5 – eBook

Profile of the author

Born in Scotland I now live with my husband in the North West of England.  We have three children who, between them have given us six wonderful grandchildren.

I studied commercial subjects at school and college and spent most of my working life in the offices of various companies, starting as a junior in a local garage typing invoices for car repairs.   I left Scotland and crossed the border to England to marry the man I met whilst on a holiday with my extended family and eventually became a secretary with a beer bottling company leaving six years later when the first of our three children came on the scene. 

Returning to the workforce when our children were young adults I finally untied the apron strings to join the offices of a large wholesale book supplier and embraced the advancement in technology since I had first learned to type on a manual typewriter and take notes in shorthand.

During the years I became something of a letter writer as friends and family lived in many parts of the country and indeed the world.  Often friends and family would tell me…..‘You could write a book’ to which I always replied…..‘But would anyone read it’. 

When my granddaughter asked if I would write a book especially for her I confided in my good friend Lisa Schmidt and she told me to go for it.  That book became the first of many stories which had been lurking in my imagination for a good number of years.

Once started I found the stories simply kept coming and often an overheard conversation or a glimpse from the passenger seat of the car would trigger a likely scenario which my imagination would then elaborate and weave into a story.

My hope is that my writing brings a little pleasure into the life of my readers and allows them to leave the mundane world behind for a few hours as they meet the characters I adore creating.

www.facebook.com/catherinecarsonbooks.uk

www.catherinerenacarson.jimdo.com

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Dedication

I have so many people to thank for helping me with my favourite pastime but this story is dedicated to every one of my friends who have requested I keep on writing.

All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names.  They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author and all the incidents are pure invention.

Other Books by this Author

The Mouse in the Library

Family Ties

Overall Construction          

Wounded Wolf

Coffee and Cakes

Memories Rekindled

Wholesale Love

Hope’s Conflict

Estates of the Heart

Sibling Rivalry

Fighting for Custody

White Knight Black Knight

Through the Garden Gate…

Love Lost and Found

Alphabet Bachelors

A Dreamer’s Tale

A Precious Jewel

Footbridge of Solace

Girl Meets Boy

Demolition of the Heart

When Life Gives You Lemons

Return to the Past

Pretence & Reality

Opening a Can of Worms

Fields of Contention

A Heart Encased In Steel

~~~~~~

Tapestry of Love-Bk 1

Twins Exchanged-Bk 2

Highland Feud Bk-3

~~~~~~~

Soil, Seed & Betrayal-Bk 1

Desert Prince, Exiled Princess-Bk 2

Body Language-Bk 3

~~~~~~

An Open Book-Bk 1

Afraid to Love-Bk 2

A Second Chance-Bk 1

Taming the Playboy-Bk 2

~~~~~~

Estranged Husband & Father-Bk 1

Identical Mistake-Bk 2

~~~~~~

Sigh of the Claymore-Bk 1

Beyond Claymore-Bk 2

~~~~~~

Sneaking Into His Heart-Bk 1

Scent of the Heather-Bk 2

Chapter 1

Sitting in the office of Longford, Longford and Bailey solicitors Leah Griffin listened as George Bailey explained that unless she could prove to the Courts she could look after Milo and hold down a full time job, there was a likelihood of her not being granted the custody of her two year old nephew.

‘Verity declared after the car accident when Philip died I should look after her son.  Her last wish was, the Harrington’s should not be allowed to take him and as his Legal Guardian I intend making sure my sister’s wishes are adhered to.’  Leah looked at the rotund balding man who sat opposite her with his lips pursed and his hands held in a steeple pose in front of him.

‘Leah the Harrington’s are very wealthy and influential people and as the biological Grandparents the courts may well come down in their favour.  If you had the support of a husband…’  George paused ‘…the prospect of keeping Milo would probably be stacked more on your side but…’

‘Mr Bailey are you telling me if I find someone who would be willing, not only to marry me but take on the responsibility of a two year old child. the Courts might – might grant me the custody of my nephew who has relied on me for everything since my sister was paralysed and her fiancé killed.’  Leah could not believe the audacity of this man.

‘Where were the Harrington’s when Verity needed their help when her baby was six months old? They told Philip they would never accept his liaison with my sister and had he lived I can assure they would never have accepted Milo.’

‘I understand how you feel Leah but things have changed in the eighteen months since Philip Harrington died.  It appears there will be no likelihood of them ever having another grandchild and Milo will be their sole heir.’

George Bailey felt some sympathy for Leah Griffin but was a pragmatist and had to point out the difficulties she would have if she decided to fight the child’s wealthy grandparents.

‘How long do I have to prove my ability to be a good mother to Milo?’  The fight had gone out of Leah as she saw the resigned look on George Bailey’s face, but it did not mean she had given up.

‘It will take Social Services at least six months to gather all the necessary information. During which time your behaviour and lifestyle will be under the microscope and the slightest hint of you being found wanting in any way may result in you losing custody Milo.  I am truly sorry Leah but as I said – if you were married things would be different.’

Pushing back her chair Leah stood extending her hand to the man, who had been instrumental in telling her, life with her beloved Milo may come to an end unless she could find a man willing to marry her and share the responsibility.

***

‘Alex this woman Philip was involved with was nothing but a filing clerk in our Head Office and the only reason he went back to her was to defy his Mother and me.  She was nothing but a gold digger who got herself pregnant in the hope of snaring a wealthy husband.’

Cyril Harrington spoke with utter contempt for the woman who had trapped his son.  Alex had never met the woman let alone known she was pregnant.

He and Philip had grown up together and attended the same public school and been in the same college at Oxford.  His friend had always been headstrong and on numerous occasions Alex had warned him about his speed when driving through the country lanes.

The day he heard of the accident he found out Philip had been planning to elope with some woman.  He knew nothing about a child.

‘Our family solicitor has discovered this woman’s sister has been advised to marry to safeguard her position as Legal Guardian.  If we can prove a marriage is nothing but a convenient way of cementing her position we can discredit her and gain guardianship of our grandson by default.’  Alex saw what he thought was fear in Eliza’s eyes at the thought of her grandson being left to the machinations of a gold digging female.

‘We are concerned this woman will try to claim on Philip’s estate.  There is no telling what lies she will tell the Social Services to keep hold of the boy but if she is like her sister she will no doubt try every dirty trick to demand money.’  Alex was trying to remember if Philip had told him about this woman he had allegedly had an affair with but nothing came to mind.

‘Why don’t you let me make a few enquiries about this woman and if she is trying to enter into some sort of convenient marriage it won’t take a great deal of effort to dissuade her from taking such an