by Kitty Neale
‘She wouldn’t come back then?’ Bernie said.
‘No, and she even had the cheek to threaten me with the police.’
‘Blimey! Why did she do that?’
‘Oh, I dunno. Probably because I threatened to give Bessie Penfold a clout.’
‘Bloody hell – what did you do that for?’
‘Cos the old cow told me to get out of her shop.’
Bernie shook his head. ‘Dolly, it sounds to me like you went in there like a bull into a china shop.’
‘Yeah, well, maybe I did, but Pearl can’t keep me away from my grandson.’
‘Dolly, she can, and we can’t do anything about it.’
‘Huh, we’ll see about that. I’ll go to a bloody solicitor if I have to.’
‘It won’t do any good. We have no legal rights over Johnny.’
‘Don’t be daft. We’re his grandparents.’
‘As the law stands at the moment, it doesn’t make any difference.’
Dolly sunk onto a chair, her mind turning. So, they had no legal rights, but she wasn’t going to give in. ‘I’ll tidy myself up and go over there again.’
‘It might be better if I speak to her.’
‘No, I’ll sort her out.’
‘Dolly, if you aren’t careful, you’ll frighten her off. There’s nothing to stop her leaving Bessie’s, and if she does we’d lose track of her.’
Dolly frowned. Bernie was right. She didn’t want the girl bolting and needed time to think, to plan. In the meantime, Bernie might be able to calm things down.
‘All right, you talk to her. She always did have a soft spot for you.’
Bernie left half an hour later. Awaiting his return, Dolly paced the floor. She wanted out of this area, but had no intention of leaving without her grandson. A plan began to form, and as she went over it, Dolly decided it could work. But would Bernie agree?
A lot depended on how quickly they could sell the business, but then, struck by a thought, she stopped pacing. The letter that had been delivered for Pearl might put a fly in the ointment. Grabbing her coat from the back of the chair, she pulled the crumpled envelope out of the pocket.
As she read the contents again, a small smile of satisfaction crossed her face. The woman was ill, too ill to travel, and that suited Dolly fine. There was no chance of her turning up for the time being, no chance of any interference, and with any luck they would be long gone before she showed her face.
She went over the plan again, a little unsure if Kevin had any legal rights. He must have, he was Johnny’s father! It might be for the best if Bernie approached him. He could tell Kevin that Pearl was an unfit mother and that Johnny was in danger. It was rubbish, of course, but Kevin loved his son and would want to protect him.
Dolly frowned, unsure of this stage of her plan, but then her back straightened. Even if Kevin wouldn’t co-operate, it could still work. They’d have to change their names, of course, but just in case Bernie baulked at the idea, she’d wait until they had a buyer for the café before telling him. He might not like it, but she’d get round him, and if not, well, sod him. She’d do it on her own.
Bernie sat in Bessie’s living room, relieved that Pearl had agreed to speak to him in private, his eyes soft as he gazed at his grandson. The lad was growing fast, sitting up now and a happy baby, with chubby arms and legs that waved with excitement at the sight of his toy.
‘Dolly is really sorry, Pearl, but when you went off without telling us, she nearly went out of her mind.’
‘That’s no excuse for coming over here and threatening Bessie.’
‘I know, but she’s come to her senses now. All she wants is to be allowed to see the nipper now and then.’
Pearl shook her head. ‘I’ve already told you. Kevin warned me to move out and to keep Johnny away from his mother.’
‘That doesn’t make any sense, love. Dolly may not be perfect, but who is? And she loves Johnny. It would be cruel to stop her seeing him.’
‘You’ll be moving out of the area as soon as you’ve sold the café.’
‘If you’re not coming with us, I doubt she’ll go.’
Pearl was quiet for a while, her head down, Bernie unaware of her thoughts. She wanted Dolly to leave, to be free of the woman, yet it would be Johnny who kept her here. ‘Do you think she’ll agree to go if I allow her access to Johnny?’
‘Well, she might, but living in the West Country it won’t be easy.’ He scratched his head. ‘It’s too far to drive down for the day. We’d no sooner get here than it would be time to return. If you’d let us have him for weekends it might work.’
‘No, I can’t allow that.’
‘It’s that or we stay here.’
Pearl once again became quiet as her mind turned. She didn’t want Dolly near her son, sure that somehow she had turned Kevin’s mind. Maybe she could pretend to agree. Once gone they couldn’t do anything about it when she changed her mind. ‘All right, Bernie, you can have him for the occasional weekend.’
‘Thanks, love. Dolly’s sure to agree now and, in the meantime, until we move, can we see the lad?’
‘Yes, I suppose so, but I don’t want Dolly left alone with him.’
‘Blimey, I think you’re taking this a bit far.’
‘It’s that or nothing, Bernie. I want you there with them the whole time, and you can only have him for a couple of hours. If you agree, you can pick him up tomorrow afternoon and then maybe again in a day or two.’
He exhaled loudly. ‘All right, I’ll make sure I don’t leave the nipper alone with Dolly, but it still doesn’t make any sense.’ He rose to his feet, leaning over to kiss Johnny on his cheek. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow, bruiser.’
Johnny waved a chubby fist, and Bernie’s eyes saddened. Christ, he was going to miss the boy, but at least he’d talked Pearl into giving them access.
When Bernie went downstairs he found Bessie standing behind the counter, her arms folded across her chest.
‘Now you listen to me, Bernard Dolby. I ain’t having your wife marching in here again, shouting like a bloody fishwife, and you can tell her that from me.’
‘It’s all right, Bessie. Pearl has agreed to let us see the baby and it won’t happen again.’
‘The girl’s too soft for her own good.’
‘He is our grandson, Bessie.’
As the old woman gazed at him, Bernie shivered. Her eyes looked strange, unfocused, almost as though she was seeing through him and into the distance.
Her head cocked to one side as she spoke. ‘Pearl tells me that you’re leaving the area. Is that right?’
‘Yes, as soon as we sell the business.’
‘She’s up to something,’ Bessie murmured.
‘Who’s up to something?’
‘Your wife.’
‘What are you talking about?’
‘I saw something, a vision, but it was just a flash. Yeah, she’s planning something.’
Bernie shook his head impatiently. Visions. What a load of rot. He wasn’t going to stand around listening to this nonsense. ‘’Bye,’ he said shortly.
As he left the shop, Bernie’s eyes took in the market, and a couple of costermongers lifted their arms to wave. Would he miss the area? With a shake of his head he realised he wouldn’t. The only thing he’d miss would be his grandson. Without him and Dolly, he hoped to God that Pearl would be able to cope – financially.
His thoughts continued to turn. The café was in a prime location and should fetch a pretty penny. When they brought a small tearoom they’d have plenty left over and maybe he’d be able to persuade Dolly to drop Pearl a few bob. After what she’d been through she deserved it, and maybe they could put some money in trust for Johnny.
Bernie went into the café, locking the door behind him and then gazed around the dining room. For a moment it seemed to echo with memories – the customers, the waitresses that had come and gone – and seeing that the room looked dusty and unused, he smiled sadly as he thought about
their cleaner, Nora. Like Madge and Gertie, they hadn’t given a thought to the poor woman and her wages, something he was ashamed of but had now put right.
With a shake of his head he headed for the stairs, hoping they had all managed to find jobs. Dolly was waiting, and he smiled, glad that he was able to give her some good news.
‘Pearl is letting us have Johnny for a couple of hours tomorrow afternoon.’
‘Well done, love,’ she said, and Bernie’s chest swelled. ‘In the meantime, let’s get this place on the market.’
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Pearl was enjoying herself as she reorganised the shop. Bessie was happy to give her a free rein, and with Johnny in his pram behind the counter, he got most of the old woman’s attention.
She had given the place a good clean, afterwards putting the stock into sections: clothes racks in one area, furniture in the other, arranged to resemble a room. Most had been improved with a good polish, and already they had managed to shift a dining-room table and a sideboard.
The clothes got her attention next, and Pearl made sure that everything on offer was clean and pressed. Bessie had moaned at the garments spread over lines in the upstairs flat to dry, but it resulted in more sales.
Pearl’s nose wrinkled. There was still a musty smell in the air and she knew it came from the piles of old blankets and quilts, but washing such large items presented a problem.
She turned to Bessie. ‘Maybe we should get rid of this lot. They won’t sell in this state.’
‘Get rid of them! Leave it out, girl. Not everyone is as fussy as you, and the blankets are worth a few bob each.’
‘In the two weeks I’ve been here they haven’t sold. Is there any way to wash them?’
‘I suppose you could take them to the laundry baths, but if you ask me it’s a waste of time.’
‘You said that about the clothes.’
‘Yeah, well, I must admit we’ve shifted a lot since you sorted them out, but look at you. All this washing is wearing you out and you’re up half the night ironing.’
‘It’s been worth it, and I’ve nearly finished now.’ Pearl frowned. ‘I suppose the laundry is the answer for these blankets, but I’d be stuck down there for hours.’
‘Well, I ain’t taking them. That place is full of gossiping old biddies and—’
The door opened, cutting Bessie off in mid sentence, and both smiled as Nora came in.
‘Hello,’ Pearl said.
‘Hello,’ she replied, her eyes puzzled. ‘What you doing here?’
‘I work here now. What about you? Have you found another job?’
‘No,’ she said, her eyes flicking to the pram. ‘That your baby?’
‘Yes, and his name is Johnny.’
Nora leaned over the counter, and as she pulled faces at him, he chuckled, dribble running from the corner of his mouth. ‘He likes you, Nora.’
‘What can we do for you, love?’ Bessie asked.
‘Want new coat. Mummy gave me this,’ she answered, holding out two shillings.
Involuntarily Pearl glanced out of the window. September was drawing to an end, but thankfully it was still mild. They didn’t have many winter coats, and with just two shillings Nora’s mother must be expecting a miracle. Moving across to the racks, she flicked through them, finding only one that might fit the short, chubby woman. Now that everything was priced, she checked the tag, but it was too expensive. ‘I’m sorry, Nora, but at the moment we’ve only got one that will fit you and you haven’t got enough money. We may get more in later.’
‘Mummy said get coat now.’
Pearl glanced at Bessie but, obviously reading her mind, the woman shook her head.
‘We can’t reduce it. I paid good money for that coat and there’d be no profit if we let it go for two bob.’
With an appeal in her eyes Pearl continued to look at Bessie, but to no avail.
‘Now don’t look at me like that. We’re not a charity and we’ve got to eat.’
With a sigh, Pearl put the coat back on the rack, but was then struck by an idea. ‘Nora, do you know how to use the machines at the laundry?’
‘Yes. I does our washing.’
‘Bessie, she could take the blankets. Freshly laundered, they’re sure to sell and we could let her have the coat for two shillings as payment.’
‘Oh, all right then. Gawd, if I ain’t careful I’ll end up as soft as you.’
‘I tell Mummy, then come back,’ Nora said.
‘What have you got us into now?’ Bessie complained as the door closed behind Nora. ‘If those blankets don’t shift we’ll have wasted money having them laundered, let alone letting Nora have that coat for two bob.’
‘Don’t worry, they’ll sell,’ Pearl assured her, praying she was right as she bent to the pile, selecting those in the best condition. ‘Poor Nora, it’s a shame she hasn’t found another job. Do you know her mother?’
‘Yes. Lily’s a nice woman. She had Nora late, when she was in her forties and must be getting on a bit now. Let me see, I’m sixty-six, so Lily must be coming up to seventy.’
Pearl looked at Bessie in surprise. Somehow she had thought her older, the woman’s skin lined and her hair grey. ‘What about Nora’s father?’
‘He died a few years ago.’ Her eyes took on a thoughtful look. ‘Lily was often in the market, but I ain’t seen her lately.’
‘Perhaps she’s ill.’
‘Yeah, that could be it. I’ll ask Nora when she comes back.’
Pearl tied the blankets into a bundle, and when Nora returned Bessie was quick to ask the question.
‘I haven’t seen your mum for a while, Nora. Is she all right?’
‘Yes,’ the woman said, taking the blankets from Pearl’s arms.
‘She’s not ill?’
‘No,’ she said brusquely.
With a sigh Bessie took some money from the till and, shoving it into her pocket, Nora bustled off.
‘Well, that was short and sweet. She ain’t one for conversation, that’s for sure. If Lily isn’t ill, I wonder why I haven’t seen her lately.’
Pearl shook her head. ‘I’ve no idea, but maybe you’ve been too busy to notice.’
‘I suppose so.’ But there was doubt in Bessie’s expression.
Pearl was right and, two weeks later, the last of the laundered blankets had sold. There were still loads more unlaundered items, let alone those in the back bedroom so, feeling confident, she suggested that they use Nora again.
‘These quilts would come up a treat, and even if we pay Nora for the hours she spends at the laundry, we’d still make a profit.’
‘I’m not arguing. You’ve achieved wonders in just a month. It was a good idea to display some of our choice pieces in the window and I’ve never had so many customers.’
Pearl smiled with satisfaction, glad that she was earning her keep. She glanced at the clock. Bernie would be arriving to pick Johnny up soon and she wondered if there would be any news. He’d said on Monday that a man might buy the café, but wanted to look at the account books first. She looked out of the window, seeking Derek passing the shop, and as their eyes met he lifted his hand to wave. Living in such close proximity, she often saw him out and about, reminded every time of how much she had hurt him. He looked nice, Pearl thought, smart, and thankfully there was no animosity in his manner. She missed his friendship, missed Connie, and as he moved out of sight, she turned away.
When Bernie arrived a few minutes later he held out a bag and her portfolio. ‘We’ve been sorting out the bedrooms and you left this stuff behind.’
‘Thanks, Bernie.’
‘We’ve got a buyer for the café, Pearl.’
‘Is it the chap you mentioned on Monday?’
‘Yes, and he’s keen to get the purchase through as soon as possible. We could be moving out in less than a month.’
‘Have you found a place in Dorset?’
‘No, and to tell you the truth we haven’t been looking. Dolly
thinks we shouldn’t rush into anything so we’re going to rent a little house for a while. It’ll give us a chance to find the sort of premises we’re looking for, and who knows, we might just find an established business.’
Pearl wheeled the pram from behind the counter. ‘Johnny’s had his bottle and he’s taking solids too. He scoffed a bit of rusk mashed down with milk, and then went to sleep.’
Bernie smiled fondly. ‘He likes his kip, that’s for sure. I’ll fetch him back in a couple of hours as usual.’
He called a goodbye and as soon as the door closed behind him, Bessie nodded at the portfolio. ‘What’s that?’
‘I went to art classes for a while and they’re my efforts.’
‘Can I have a look?’
At Pearl’s nod, Bessie began to flick through them. ‘Blimey, girl, these are really good. If you stick them in the window you could make a few bob. They’d look even better in frames and if you have a rummage round, I think you’ll find some.’
‘I miss art classes, and one day I hope to get back to them. I’m not good enough yet and I can’t see anyone wanting to buy these.’
‘Don’t be daft. I reckon the ones of the market will fly out.’
‘I could give it a try, but I won’t be able to sell the portraits.’
‘Why not?’
‘Can you imagine what they’d say? Take Dolly, for instance. I don’t think she’d be happy to see her face displayed in the window.’
‘Yeah, I suppose you have a point, but …’
The door opened, Nora poking her head inside. ‘You got job for me?’
Bessie and Pearl exchanged looks, both wide-eyed with surprise.
‘Blimey,’ Bessie asked, ‘how did you know that?’
‘Just do,’ Nora replied.
‘Pearl, we only just decided to give her some work. Don’t you think her turning up on cue it a bit strange?’
‘After living with you for a month, I don’t find anything strange.’