by Kitty Neale
‘I heard that and I won’t,’ she chirped.
Derek rose to his feet. ‘As much as I’d like to join you in persuading your grandmother to spill the beans, I’d best be off. Your mother has a list of things still waiting to be done so I’d best get a move on.’
John and Emily said their goodbyes and as Derek drove back to Battersea his thoughts turned to Kevin Dolby again. Derek hadn’t been happy when his old pal, Tommy Harris, told him that Kevin had been in the area and sniffing around for information on Vincent Chase.
Derek couldn’t work out why. Vincent Chase had once lived in the borough and had been a fence, but according to Tommy, the man had moved on to bigger things now.
He frowned, wondering what Kevin was up to – but if he was involved with Vincent Chase, so much for his religious conversion, Derek decided.
It was Sunday morning, and Pearl was feeling nervous as she went with Derek to see his gran. She hadn’t seen Connie for years and as they approached the old lady sitting in a high-back chair, fingers twisted with arthritis, and her face lined with deep wrinkles, Pearl hardly recognised her.
‘You’re here then,’ Connie said. ‘Sit down. I’m not craning my neck to look up at the pair of you.’
‘How are you, Gran?’ Derek asked.
‘The same as I was the last time you came to see me.’
Pearl took a deep breath and then said, ‘It’s nice to see you, Connie.’
‘You ain’t changed much,’ she said shortly before focusing on Derek to ask, ‘Did you bring me some Turkish delight?’
‘Yes, here you are,’ he said, taking a paper bag out of his pocket.
‘Thanks, love,’ Connie said, stowing it in her cardigan pocket.
‘It looks nice here,’ Pearl commented.
‘It’s not too bad,’ Connie agreed, ‘but there’s nothing like yer own home. You’ve done all right though. By persuading Bessie to leave you her place, you’ve fallen on your feet. She was a silly old woman who never could see through you, but I sussed you out from the start.’
Pearl looked sharply at Derek, and it was he who answered. ‘Gran, Pearl had no idea that she was going to inherit Bessie’s place. As I told you it came as a complete shock, especially when there were strings attached.’
‘One string, Nora, and now you’re lumbered with her, Derek.’
‘She’s no trouble, Gran.’
‘I’d have thought with bringing up another man’s kid you’ve got enough on yer plate. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree and no doubt the son will turn out as rotten as his father. More fool you for taking him and her on, but no doubt she’ll dump you now that Kevin Dolby is back on the scene.’
Pearl rose to her feet. ‘Derek, I’m going home.’
‘Sit down, you silly mare,’ Connie said. ‘I’m only speaking the truth and there’s no need to be so touchy.’
‘The truth is I don’t want anything to do with Kevin, and you know nothing about my son. He’s a fine young man and I’m very proud of him.’
‘I am too, Gran. You should meet John, he’s a smashing lad.’
‘Yeah, yeah, so you’ve told me before, but he’s still Kevin Dolby’s kid, not yours, and I don’t want anything to do with him, or her,’ Connie spat, nodding in Pearl’s direction.
Pearl had heard enough and fled. Connie hadn’t wanted reconciliation; she had just wanted to attack her verbally; to see her face to face after all these years and make her feelings clear.
Derek had caught up with Pearl and said, ‘I’m sorry, love. I had no idea she was going to come out with all that rubbish.’
‘It isn’t your fault.’
‘She had no right to talk to you like that.’
‘Derek, I once hurt you and she can’t forgive me. I understand how she feels. If anyone hurt John, I’d find it hard to forgive them too. But despite what your gran thinks, there’s no way I want to go anywhere near Kevin.’
‘I know that, love,’ Derek said as he took her arm. ‘Come on, let’s get out of here.’
‘No, I’ll go home, but you go back to see your gran,’ Pearl insisted. ‘You’re all she’s got and she’s just trying to protect you.’
‘My gran should hear you now and then she’d realise what a wonderful woman you are.’
Pearl was touched, hugged Derek, and then urged him again to go back to his gran. He had only just disappeared out of sight when someone tapped her gently on the arm.
‘Hello, Pearl, how are you?’
‘Err … I’m fine.’
‘I don’t think you recognise me. It’s Ann, Ann Haynes. I used to live in the same street as Connie Lewis.’
‘Mrs Haynes, of course. How are you?’
‘I’m not too bad, love. I know we only met once or twice, but I’ve heard that Bessie left you her shop. I’m ever so pleased for you.’
‘Thanks. Bessie was a lovely woman and I miss her so much.’
Ann smiled sympathetically then said, ‘I know I shouldn’t have been listening, but I overheard what Connie said to you. Don’t take any notice, love.’
‘I’ll do my best not to,’ Pearl said, but knew it would take some doing to forget the things that Connie had said. ‘Bye, Mrs Haynes. It was nice to see you again.’
‘Bye, and take care.’
Pearl thought it was nice of Mrs Haynes to come and speak to her, but she still felt so sad as she walked home alone. She was disappointed that Connie still felt the same about her, and doubted that her opinion would ever change.
Grim-faced, Derek sat down opposite his gran. ‘I can’t believe you spoke to Pearl like that. You said you wanted to put the past behind us, but instead you dragged it up.’
‘You’re blind when it comes to Pearl, but I’m not. Now that Kevin Dolby’s around again, I know what’s going to happen and I wanted to let her see that I’m well aware of what she’ll be up to. Mark my words, you’ll be out of Bessie’s place soon and Kevin will be in.’
‘That’s rubbish, and let me tell you, if it wasn’t for Pearl I wouldn’t be sitting here now.’
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’
‘I was leaving, and after that performance I had no intention of coming back. Pearl has been through enough. The last thing I wanted was for her to be hurt again.’
‘It’s you I’m worried about, not her.’
‘Yes, that’s what Pearl said. Despite all the venom you threw at her, she said she understands how you feel and persuaded me to come back to see you.’
‘Huh, that’s probably because she knows you’ll need a shoulder to cry on soon.’
‘You’re wrong, Gran. The last thing Pearl wants is to have Kevin Dolby back in her life,’ he protested. Yet he was unable to help recalling that not long before they left Winchester, he’d had the same fears.
‘You’ve always been a mug when it comes to Pearl, but you’ll see that I’m right.’
‘Stop trying to protect me. I’m a grown man, not a child, and I’m just about sick of this. I’ve had enough for one day and I’m going now.’
‘Bring me some more Turkish delight when you come again.’
Derek couldn’t believe his ears. She had taken it for granted that he would visit her again … yet when all was said and done she was still his gran. ‘All right,’ he said, ‘but I don’t want to hear another word against Pearl.’
‘Fine, but don’t come crying to me when she lets you down again.’
Derek didn’t want to hear any more and just said goodbye. He knew that Pearl didn’t want Kevin back in her life, and he’d been daft to think she would. Yet as he’d had his doubts, was it any wonder that his gran did too?
Chapter Twenty-One
June had passed and it was now a glorious Tuesday in early July. On occasions, Dolly slipped half a pill to Bernie by crushing it into his tea, and it continued to convince him that he was in the early stages of senility. He had become preoccupied, too worried about himself to keep a close eye on her, and that suited Dolly
just fine. Soon she hoped to get her hands on the purse strings again and when that was achieved she’d be off to find a place for both her and Kevin, with room for John of course, leaving Bernie here to stew in his own juice.
With her son on her mind, Dolly said, ‘I rang Kevin yesterday, but that odd chap he’s staying with said he was out.’
‘What do you mean by odd?’
‘It’s difficult to describe. Rupert sounds very well spoken, but he’s also breathy, like a woman if you know what I mean.’
‘So you’re saying he’s a queer?’
‘Don’t be silly. Kevin would never live in the same house as one of those.’
‘They aren’t infectious, Dolly.’
‘If you say so, but like me, our son has no time for that sort of thing. Anyway, Rupert may speak strangely, but he’s a lovely man. In fact he was very sympathetic when I told him that we’re missing Kevin and would like him to come to see us. He gave me their address and said we’re welcome to pay them a visit, but at the moment they’re very busy and Kevin is hardly at home.’
‘Busy doing what?’
‘I didn’t like to ask, but no doubt it’s to do with the refuge. I’ll tell you something else, Bernie. I miss John too.’
‘So do I, but we’ll just have to be patient. In the meantime there’s nothing to stop you from ringing him.’
‘Yes there is. She might answer the telephone. You should speak to John. He should hear it from you that Kevin’s a different person now.’
‘It hasn’t been that long since John found out that his father nearly killed a man,’ Bernie pointed out, ‘and that he was accused of raping a young woman. On top of that, he’s adjusting to a totally different environment in Battersea, along with a new school.’
‘They moved to Battersea in May and I think that’s time enough for John to adjust.’
‘All right,’ Bernie sighed, ‘anything for a quiet life. I’ll ring Pearl to see if I can pop down there on Sunday. But just in case John won’t come back with me, why don’t you come too? It’s about time you buried the hatchet with Pearl.’
‘What! You must be joking! There was a time when Pearl had nothing and it was only thanks to me that she didn’t starve. I gave her a job, but what a mistake that was. The bitch trapped Kevin into marriage and look what that led to.’
‘Yes, Dolly, a lovely grandson.’
‘That’s about all, but now she’s doing her best to keep John away from us. I want to see him, but I’m not going to Battersea. Oh, I can just imagine it: Pearl lording it up, showing off now that she’s got Bessie’s place.’
‘Pearl isn’t one to show off and I’m not listening to any more of this,’ Bernie said as he stood up. ‘I’ll ring Pearl to make arrangements for Sunday, but then I’m off into the garden to tackle some weeds.’
Dolly was left fuming. Bernie was too fond of taking Pearl’s side, but she’d make him pay for it. Her time would come, and soon, but in the meantime Bernie would need his wits about him when he drove to Battersea on Sunday. She wouldn’t give him any more pills for now, but if John refused to visit them again she wouldn’t wait any longer and would up the dose.
Bernie would be very amenable then, Dolly mused, so out of it that he’d sign anything that was put in front of him …
Despite all her misgivings, Pearl found that she was happy in Battersea. Derek had been so upset about the way his gran had spoken to her, but Pearl found that as Connie hadn’t been in her life for so many years, it didn’t really matter. What mattered were the people she saw daily, the stallholders who remembered Derek, along with the new ones who had all welcomed him into the fold. They were all nice to her too, always with a cheery wave when they saw her, and so far it seemed that nobody had said a word to John about Kevin.
When school broke up for the summer, her mother would be coming to stay with them for a week. No doubt all the talk would be of her wedding; though it had initially been a shock to hear that she was going to marry Tim, Emily’s happiness was plain to see. They had decided on a small, Christmas wedding and already her mother was planning what she should wear, with a cream wool suit top of her list so far. Of course Tim would look immaculate, Pearl thought, he always did. He was a nice man, a gentleman, and somehow he seemed just right for her mother.
Pearl’s mind turned to other things as she looked around the shop. The cream paint she had chosen gave a neutral background for the modern, pop art posters she had on display, and the glass shelving gave the place a light and trendy feel. She had spent money on advertising, along with letting local colleges and night schools know she was there, and it had paid off. Her stock of watercolour and oil paints had sold really well, along with brushes. She hadn’t sold any easels yet and canvases weren’t moving very well, but it was early days yet. Lucy’s T-shirts were selling, along with craft kits, and the children’s section was growing in popularity. Pearl knew it was fanciful, but on odd occasions she felt that Bessie was watching over them, that she approved, and the thought comforted her.
The only problem they’d encountered had been with John. When Derek opened his stall, it had meant working on Saturdays, and though it was unlike John, he had sulked because he had to wait until the end of the day before Derek could drive him to Winchester.
Derek had been the one to placate John, offering him a Saturday job on the stall which not only considerably increased his pocket money, but served another purpose too. Tired after a day’s work on the busy stall, John realised that Derek must be too and he had cut down his visits to Winchester, happy to go with them on a Sunday once a fortnight when it also gave Pearl a chance to see her mother.
‘Do you stock needles and cotton?’ a customer asked.
Pearl had soon found there was a demand for sewing materials and had quickly added some to her stock; smiling, she said, ‘Yes, there’s some on a stand over there.’
The door opened again, and another customer came in with a different request. ‘Do you sell macramé kits?’
‘Yes, I do,’ Pearl said, showing her one for making plant pot hangers.
‘This is just what I’m looking for. I’ll take it,’ the woman said, but then she saw the children’s section and wandered over to it.
The shop was getting busy and Pearl left her to it while she served another customer. Later the woman returned to the counter. ‘My niece would love this jewellery making kit. The beads are so pretty. I think I’ll buy it for her.’
Pearl rang both items up, but as she put the kits in a bag she noticed that the woman was looking at her intently.
‘I’ve got it,’ the woman said. ‘I thought I recognised you from somewhere. It was years ago, but didn’t you once live around here?’
‘Err … yes … that’s right,’ Pearl said, feeling her stomach churn.
‘I thought so. You’re the poor cow who married Kevin Dolby. When I heard what he did and what you went through with his nutty mother, I felt so sorry for you, and a lot of others around here felt the same. Yeah, and you left the area after that I heard – married Derek Lewis, didn’t you?’
‘Yes, I did.’
‘Is this your shop now?’
‘Yes, it is,’ Pearl replied.
‘Well, love, I’m pleased to see you’re doing well for yourself.’
‘Thanks,’ she said, handing the woman her items.
‘You’re well rid of Kevin Dolby. He was a nasty piece of work.’
Thankfully as another customer approached the counter, Pearl didn’t have to make any comment, and the woman then said, ‘I can see you’re busy so I’d best be off.’
Pearl hid her feelings behind a pleasant smile as she said goodbye. She didn’t want to think, or talk about Kevin, and though glad of her custom she was relieved when the woman left the shop.
Kevin wasn’t thinking about Pearl as he sat in his car surveying Vince’s house from a decent distance. He loved his new wheels, a black Ford Cortina, but though he had sat here many times before, and on differe
nt days, so far the only times Adrianna left the house was when she was with Vince or one of his heavies.
Every time Kevin saw Vince, he felt a surge of anger, and was growing impatient to move forward with his plans. Rupert was ripe for picking now, and Kevin was ready for the last stage of his scam, but he didn’t want to torch Vince’s place with Adrianna inside.
He glanced at his watch. For the last few days he’d been watching the house in the morning, hoping that it was a time when Adrianna was let off her leash; that she at least might go shopping without an escort.
His patience at last paid off – there she was, leaving the house, and there wasn’t anyone with her. Walk this way, towards me, Kevin willed, and was gratified when she did just that. He waited until she was almost alongside the car then he leaned across the passenger seat to swing open the door.
‘Adrianna,’ he called. ‘Hello.’
She bent to look at him, and it was a few seconds before he saw recognition dawning in her eyes. ‘Are you mad?’ she said, glancing behind her. ‘Go away.’
‘Look, if you want to get away from Vince, I can offer you a way out.’
‘I can’t get away from him, he’d kill me, and if he thought you had a hand in it, he’d kill you too.’
‘With what I’ve got planned there’d be no chance of that. Get in the car and we can talk.’
‘He might see me.’
‘I parked too far away for that.’
After another quick glance over her shoulder, Adrianna scrambled into the passenger seat. ‘Quick, drive further away.’
With a smile on his face, Kevin did just that. He’d done it. He’d got Adrianna on her own, and now all he had to do was convince her that his plan would work.
Adrianna was shaking with nerves. She had got into a car with a man she had only glimpsed twice, but if he really could offer her a chance to get away from Vince, surely it was worth the risk?
She looked at him and as though aware of her scrutiny, his eyes left the road as he turned to smile at her. ‘In case you don’t know, my name is Kevin – Kevin Dolby.’