by Kitty Neale
Lucy had probably passed by now, so bringing the pointless conversation to an end he turned to go back. His stomach lurched. Lucy was still there, standing at the corner of his stall.
‘Eddie, can I talk to you?’
‘What for?’ he asked bluntly.
‘I … I want to apologise. It wasn’t you. It was me.’
‘I don’t get it. What do you mean?’ he asked.
‘I was ashamed of myself for being so … so easy, and because I was I started to think that you only wanted me for … for sex,’ Lucy said, hurriedly glancing around as though to make sure that nobody had overheard before continuing, ‘I wanted to test you, to see if you’d stop seeing me when I started to turn you down.’
Eddie frowned, wondering why women had to be so complicated. It sounded daft to him, but he sort of got it. ‘I think I understand, at least partly, but if it was some sort of test you seemed to be goading me to fail. I had no intention of breaking up with you, but as you made your opinion of me clear, I didn’t have much choice.’
‘I don’t have a low opinion of you, really I don’t. It was me. I … I was afraid of my growing feelings for you, afraid of being hurt, and so I pushed you away.’
Eddie moved closer to her and said softly, ‘What feelings, Lucy?’
She shook her head, refusing to answer, but Eddie didn’t mind. He understood now and pulled her into his arms. ‘Lucy, I’ll never hurt you. I just want to be with you, to take care of you, and Clive too if you’ll let me.’
He felt her stiffen slightly, but said softly, ‘It’s all right, I’m not talking marriage. I know you’re not ready for that yet.’
She looked up at him then, her eyes shining. ‘I might consider a long engagement.’
‘Lucy Sanderson, I love you,’ he said, lifting her to swing her around, laughing when he heard some of the other stallholders whistling in appreciation.
Eddie was happy again. He had Lucy back and this time he wasn’t going to let her go.
Pearl took the telephone call and her stomach lurched as she listened to what Kevin had to tell her.
‘As there are only partial remains,’ Kevin went on, ‘mainly my dad’s torso, which I’m told has been got at by either fish or crabs, identification could take some time. I’d like of course to arrange his funeral, but that won’t be possible until the coroner releases what’s left of his body.’
‘Will you let … let us know when you do arrange it?’ Pearl said. It was as if John’s nightmare had come true, and heaving badly now she quickly ended the call as soon as Kevin agreed. She dashed to the bathroom and was violently sick, afterwards standing at the sink to splash cold water over her face. It was as she grabbed a towel that she heard Nora’s voice.
‘Pearl, what matter?’
‘It’s nothing, just a bit of an upset stomach,’ Pearl lied as Lucy returned.
‘You look awful. Are you all right?’ Lucy asked, eyeing her.
‘I’ve been sick, but I’m fine now.’
‘You must have eaten something that was a bit dodgy.’
‘Yes, probably,’ Pearl agreed. She didn’t want to think about Bernie’s remains again, to be sick again, and so asked, ‘Lucy, how did it go with Eddie?’
‘Thanks to your advice, we’ve made things up.’
Pearl tried to look pleased for her, but the weight of what she had just been told was heavy on her mind. ‘That’s good,’ she managed to say, ‘but I must open the shop now. We’ll have to chat later.’
‘Yes, all right,’ Lucy called as Pearl hurried downstairs, but she didn’t open the shop. Instead she dashed over to Derek’s stall.
‘Blimey, love, what’s wrong?’ he asked.
‘Kevin just rang me. He … he said they’ve found Bernie’s body.’
‘It’s about time. He must have been missing for what, about nine or ten weeks?’
Pearl felt her stomach lurch again, and found herself swallowing bile before she was able to say, ‘They didn’t find all of him. Just his … his torso.’
‘Bloody hell, that’s awful! Pearl, you look a bit green. Are you all right?’
‘I still feel a bit sick. I was hoping they’d find Bernie; that his funeral would help John, but not like this. Kevin said there won’t be a funeral until he’s been identified.’
‘How are they going to identify Bernie if there’s only a torso?’
‘I don’t know, but Derek, how am I going to explain that to John? I can’t tell him the truth, that there’s only a bit of Bernie left. Like me, he’ll be horrified.’
‘Between us we’ll find a way, perhaps say that identification is going to take a bit of time because he’s been in the water so long. John doesn’t need to know the rest.’
‘Yes, we’ll tell him that,’ Pearl said, feeling marginally better now. She could see a customer trying to get into the shop and though she wasn’t looking forward to opening it, at least it would give her less time to think if she kept busy.
The shop had been quiet all day, but Pearl kept herself occupied by rearranging the displays. She waited until after dinner that evening before speaking to John and then said as gently as she could, ‘John, your grandfather’s body has been found.’
He paled, but then said, ‘I … I’m glad – sad, but glad. I hated the thought that they’d never find him. Did Kevin ring you? Is that how you found out?’
‘Yes, he called me … and John,’ she said hesitantly, ‘there’s something else. Your grandfather’s body was in the sea a long time, and I’m afraid it’s caused a bit of a problem. You see, until he’s identified, Kevin can’t arrange the funeral, but hopefully it won’t take too long.’
John lowered his head as he digested this and Pearl hoped he wasn’t imagining what the sea and the creatures within it had done to his grandfather’s body. He finally looked up as Ginger strolled haughtily into the room to rub against his legs. John bent to pick him up, stroking his head and then said, ‘He’s hungry. I’ll feed him and then I … I think I’ll go to my room.’
Pearl could see that John was holding back tears and she wanted to go after him, but Derek laid a hand on her arm. ‘Leave him, love. I reckon he needs a bit of time on his own.’
Though growing up fast, John would always be her baby and Pearl wanted to comfort him, but perhaps Derek was right – maybe he needed a bit of privacy to vent his feelings. But she found that the pull was too strong, and she shook her head as she rose to her feet and dashed from the room.
John took one look at her, fell into her arms, and Pearl found herself crying with him.
Chapter Forty-One
As the weeks continued to pass, Pearl saw that Tim’s gift to John had been inspirational. It was now a Monday morning at the beginning of October, but John’s interest in photography hadn’t waned. He spent all the money he earned from his Saturday job with Derek on buying film and having it developed, along with a bit of additional pocket money she gave him when necessary.
Of course not all of John’s efforts turned out well, but he had a unique way of taking photographs, sometimes just an arched window, or a lone tree that echoed his melancholy. He had a way of catching the light at the perfect moment too and for Pearl, some of her son’s photographs were like works of art.
Pearl sat eating her breakfast on what should have been a special day, but it had soon become obvious that Derek had forgotten their wedding anniversary. She took her mind off it by looking at John’s latest snaps and saw that he wasn’t really interested in taking snaps of people. It was structures and architectural angles, along with the shape and form of trees, that fascinated him. It was then that Pearl had an idea and she said, ‘John, we could get some of these enlarged and framed. If I put them on display in the shop and they sell, it would give you more money to spend on equipment.’
He looked pleased at her suggestion and said, ‘If you think they’re good enough, that’d be great, Mum.’
‘Of course they are. When you come home from school we’l
l sort out the best ones,’ she said, pleased to see his smile. There was still no news about the funeral and Dolly remained in hospital, but there were times like this when John could forget it for a while and for that Pearl was thankful.
In the cottage, Adrianna was growing restless. She wasn’t a complete idiot and as it had been so long now without a single viewing, she guessed that Kevin hadn’t put the house on the market. She didn’t know what his game was and hadn’t bothered to confront him. He’d only lie, and now, with him out at the shops, she was once again searching for his money.
Adrianna was sick of Kevin’s promises that he’d be a rich man soon, and she wanted to move on, to get away, but to do that she had to find what was left of his stash. It might not get her far, but surely there’d be enough to pay for a ferry ticket to France?
In the spare room that John had once used, Adrianna pulled out the stiff bottom drawer of an old cupboard. There was nothing beneath it on the floor, but when she tried to replace the drawer, it kept getting stuck.
Impatiently Adrianna tugged it out again and upended it to check the sides, only to find a long, yellowing envelope stuck to the bottom. Her heart skipped a beat, but when she opened the flap, there were only a couple of sheets of paper inside. Adrianna felt like screaming with frustration as she jammed the drawer back in place.
What good is this, Adrianna thought as she took the document out of the envelope and flopped, defeated, onto the bed. It wasn’t money and therefore useless to her. She began to read it, soon realising that it was the will that Kevin had been searching for.
Flaming hell, Adrianna thought as she continued to read, her eyes widening.
There was something about the expression on Pearl’s face when he left to set up the stall that had been playing on Derek’s mind. What had he seen? At last it clicked. Disappointment, that was it, and disappointment in him. He searched his memory, remembered the date and groaned.
He’d have to buy her some flowers, but as he hadn’t given them to her before he left, it wouldn’t be the same. It was then that he saw Lucy passing through the market on her way to the shop and with another idea, he hurried over to her. ‘Lucy, can I ask you to do me a favour?’
‘It depends on what it is,’ she answered, though smiling.
‘I know it’s a bit last minute, but I’ve just remembered it’s our anniversary and I want to take Pearl out tonight.’
‘You’ve only just remembered? Oh dear, no wonder you look in a bit of a panic.’
‘The thing is, you know she won’t leave Nora and John alone in the flat. Is there any chance you could come round this evening to keep an eye on them?’
‘Yes, all right, but I’ll have to bring Clive.’
‘Of course you will. Though I’ll make sure we aren’t late, you could kip in your old room for the night if you like.’
‘Yes, good idea.’
‘Thanks, Lucy, and don’t say anything to Pearl. I’ll make it a bit of a surprise.’
‘My lips are sealed,’ she said before hurrying off.
Derek saw that Eddie White was watching Lucy’s departing figure and grinned. The two were an established item now and he walked over to Eddie’s stall.
‘I hope I haven’t spoiled your plans,’ Derek said. ‘I’ve just asked Lucy to baby-sit for me tonight.’
‘Baby-sit! Surely your lad’s old enough to look after himself?’
‘He is, but you try telling Pearl that. It’s not so much for John though, it’s Nora.’
‘It’s no problem. We hadn’t intended to see each other tonight.’
‘That’s all right then,’ Derek said, going back to his stall. He’d take Pearl to a nice restaurant for a slap-up meal. They rarely had evenings out and it would make a nice change, one he hoped that, like him, Pearl would enjoy.
Lucy walked into the shop, and said brightly, ‘Hello, Pearl.’
‘Hello, there. You’re not going to believe this, Lucy. For the first time ever, Derek has forgotten our wedding anniversary.’
Lucy didn’t know what to say. She daren’t give the game away, instead suggesting, ‘Maybe you should jog his memory.’
‘No, he’ll only be cross with himself for forgetting, and anyway it’s not as if we’re newlyweds. Talking of newlyweds, how are things going with Eddie?’
‘I like him a lot, but I’m still not ready for marriage. Mind you, I must admit that he’s at my place more than his own nowadays. At first I was worried about how Clive would react. It had been just the two of us for so long and I was expecting jealousy, but he’s taken to Eddie and the two of them get on like a house on fire.’
‘So you were worried for nothing,’ Pearl commented.
Lucy nodded in agreement but as Nora was vying for her attention she took her upstairs. With Clive and John at school it was just the two of them, the morning a quiet one until Nora paused in her dusting.
‘Bad man,’ she said forcefully.
‘What do you mean, Nora?’
‘He coming!’
It was almost a replica of her warning about Kevin and Lucy wondered if she should mention it to Pearl. Yet surely Kevin wasn’t coming here again? He was at his mother’s cottage in Hampshire and there was now no need for any more of his cloak and dagger antics.
Yet if it wasn’t Kevin, who was Nora talking about?
When Kevin returned to the cottage he found Adrianna fuming. Like a spitfire she threw something at him, yelling, ‘Take a look at that! Huh, so much for you inheriting this place!’
He failed to catch it, but as he picked it up Kevin saw that it was his father’s will. However, before he had a chance to look at it, Adrianna yelled again, ‘Read it! Go on, read it!’
‘Give me a chance,’ Kevin snapped, and sitting down at the table he scanned the contents. He didn’t want to believe it at first, but there it was in black and white, signed and witnessed. ‘The bastard! He’s left everything in trust to John. I’m getting nothing! Nothing!’ Kevin yelled.
Consumed with rage, he upended the table, sending everything on it crashing to the floor. Still incensed, he picked up a kitchen chair, smashing it into the wall, then another, and another until all that remained were sticks of wood. Panting now, Kevin’s shoulders heaved, and when he at last looked at the remains of the room, he also saw that there was no sign of Adrianna. It was then that he realised that she must have been terrified and he dashed upstairs to find her.
Contrary to what he’d expected, Kevin found Adrianna in the bedroom, her cat-like eyes staring coldly at him as she said, ‘Have you finished having a tantrum now?’
‘Yes, sorry.’
‘Instead of doing your nut you should be thinking clearly. When you’ve worked it out you’ll realise there’s only one thing we can do.’
‘Oh yeah, what’s that?’
‘Even when your father’s body has been identified, the cottage isn’t yours to sell now so there’s no point in staying here. Hopefully though, the money you’ve got left from selling your car will be enough to get us to France at least, and that’s a start.’
Kevin knew Adrianna was right. They had no choice and he nodded. ‘I’ll see if there’s anything in this place worth flogging. It could raise a good few quid, and then we’ll leave.’
‘It might help if you don’t smash up any more furniture.’
Kevin looked up, saw that she was smiling and the last of his anger drained away.
The restaurant was nice, Derek thought, a bit up-market with white tablecloths and napkins. Music played quietly in the background, the soft lighting intimate, and when Derek saw that Pearl had eaten everything on her plate they smiled at each other across the table.
‘That was delicious,’ she said.
‘Do you want a pudding?’ he asked, glad now that he had brought her here for their anniversary.
‘I don’t think I’ve got room for one … but then again,’ she said eyeing the dessert trolley, ‘that chocolate gateau is very tempting.’
; ‘Go on, have a piece,’ Derek urged.
Pearl looked at it again, and smiling, she said, ‘Yes, all right.’
Derek beckoned the waiter over, and along with Pearl’s choice he ordered a slice of strawberry cheesecake for himself. It was nice to see Pearl looking relaxed and happy, if only for a short time. For so long she had seemed strained, worried about John, and even though he had a new hobby, the lad was still upset about his granddad’s death and waiting for his funeral. John was concerned about his gran too, but there was no sign of Dolly being allowed home.
‘Is it nice?’ he asked, smiling as Pearl licked her spoon.
‘It’s fabulous,’ she said.
‘Mine’s good too,’ Derek said.
‘Can I taste a bit?’
They exchanged samples, ate the rest and ordered coffee. ‘I’m glad you forgot our anniversary,’ Pearl said as she spooned in sugar. ‘This has been much nicer than your usual card and flowers.’
‘Who said I forgot? I could have been planning this for ages.’
‘I don’t think so,’ she said with an amused smile.
‘Yeah, you’ve got me,’ Derek said holding his hands up, ‘but maybe we should do this more often.’
‘If we get the chance, I’d like that.’
All too soon the evening was over and they were on their way back to the High Street. They found Lucy absorbed in watching the television, but she smiled and said, ‘Did you have a nice time?’
‘Yes, lovely,’ Pearl told her. ‘If you ever need a baby-sitter too, Lucy, you only have to ask.’
‘Funnily enough, Eddie’s always saying that he’d like to take me out instead of sitting in every night.’