nothing in this Act shall prevent the wife from joining at any time during the separation in the exercise of a joint power given to herself and her husband. 17. Petition to reverse decree of judicial separation. (1) A husband or wife upon the application of whose wife or husband, as the case may be, a decree of judicial separation has been pronounced, may at any time thereafter present a petition praying for the reversal of the decree on the ground that it was obtained in his or her absence, and that where desertion was the ground of the decree there was reasonable excuse for the desertion alleged. (2) The court may, on being satisfied of the truth of the allegations of the petition, reverse the decree accordingly. 18. Protection orders. Any wife, in whose property the husband has acquired an interest by virtue of the marriage may, if deserted by him, apply by petition to the court for an order to protect any property which she may have obtained or may obtain after the desertion, against him and his creditors and any person claiming under him. The court may, if satisfied that the desertion was without reasonable excuse, and that the wife is maintaining herself, make that order. The order shall state the time at which the desertion commenced, and shall, as regards all persons dealing with the wife in reliance on the order, be conclusive as to that time. While the order is in force, the wife shall be, and be deemed to have been from the date of the desertion, in the like position in all respects with regard to the property and contracts, and suing and being sued, as she would be if she had obtained a decree of judicial separation under this Act. The husband, or any other creditor or person claiming under him, may apply to the court for the discharge or variation of the order, and the court may, if the desertion has ceased, or if for any other cause it thinks fit so to do, discharge or vary the order accordingly. If the husband or any creditor or person claiming under him, seizes or continues to hold any property of the wife after notice of any such order, the wife may by action recover the property, and also a sum equal to double its value. 19. Effect of reversal, etc. of judicial separation or protection order. The reversal, discharge or variation of a decree of judicial separation, or of a protection order, shall not affect any rights or remedies which a person would otherwise have had in respect of any contracts or acts of the wife entered into or done between the dates of the decree or order and of the reversal, discharge or variation of the decree or order. Any person who, in reliance on any such decree or order, makes any payment to or permits any transfer or acts to be made or done by the wife shall, notwithstanding the decree or order may then have been reversed, discharged or varied or the separation of the wife from her husband may have ceased, or at some time since the making of the decree or order has been discontinued, be protected and indemnified as if at the time of the payment, transfer or act the decree or order were valid and still subsisting without variation, and the separation had not ceased or been discontinued, unless at the