as he picked up his knife and fork. He’d been joined by costermongers who always sat with him, but as Pearl took their orders the usual camaraderie and jokes were missing.
Awful though it was, when Frank left, it was as if everyone in the café sighed. The noise level picked up, and occasional subdued laughter could be heard.
Pearl went over to Derek, shaking her head sadly. ‘Poor Frank, and now everyone seems relieved that he’s gone.’
‘It’s human nature, love. It was a terrible thing that happened, and it touched all of us. A lot of people are probably thanking God that it wasn’t their child, and they don’t know how to comfort Frank.’
‘I didn’t know what to say to him either.’
‘Nor me, and my stall is next to his. He’s still very upset and is losing trade. I wish I could do something, anything, but feel helpless. I can’t imagine what the family is going through, and rumour has it that Eric has been mentally affected. It may take years for him to recover, if he ever does. The poor little tyke.’
‘Oh, Derek, why is the world so cruel?’
‘I dunno, love, but lots of good things happen too. It’s just that when something like this occurs, we forget them. Count your blessings, Gran says, and she’s right. Come on, cheer up.’
Pearl forced a smile, leaving Derek to take an order. She turned to look briefly at him over her shoulder, glad that he had come into her life. No matter what, she felt that Derek would always look after her – and was comforted by the thought.
Kevin came downstairs at eleven o’clock and, seeing Pearl, he smiled. She could pretend all she liked, but he knew she still fancied him. It was a bit of a bugger that she’d left her bedsit. She was staying with Derek, and out of his reach, but once she found another place he intended to sample the goods again.
Since that first time he’d been unable to dismiss her from his mind. Pearl had been a virgin and for some reason she felt like his property now. It wasn’t easy to get a girl into bed, most insisting on walking up the aisle a virgin, but it hadn’t been hard with Pearl.
He went through to the kitchen, ordered his breakfast, and made a point of sitting at one of Pearl’s tables. She’d run off last time he suggested seeing her again, so maybe he should change his tactics. She was timid, soft, and a bit of charm wouldn’t hurt.
‘Hello, Pearl,’ he said, smiling as she put his breakfast on the table. ‘You look nice. Would you mind getting me a couple of slices of bread and a cup of tea?’
She said nothing, her lips tight as she scurried off. Kevin eyed her as she went to the counter, admiring her now shapely figure. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad having her as a steady girlfriend. He wouldn’t have to take her out much, and as he’d been the first one to have her, it would be nice if he remained the only one. She would be his own exclusive property and on hand whenever he got the urge.
Kevin waited until Pearl returned to the table, noticing that her hands were trembling, the cup rattling in the saucer as she placed it on the table. ‘Thanks,’ he said and, glancing around, saw no one in earshot. ‘Pearl, I really would like to see you again. Maybe I could take you out one night?’
He saw the hesitation in her eyes, but then she shook her head, saying curtly, ‘No, thanks. Derek is my boyfriend and I don’t want go out with you.’
Unused to girls turning him down, Kevin spat, ‘Yeah, but you slept with me, not him. Perhaps he’d like to hear about it.’
‘Oh, no! Please, you can’t tell him.’ She paused momentarily, then begged, ‘Please, Kevin, don’t say anything to Derek. You … you see, we’re getting married.’
‘What? You’re going to marry that ugly sod?’
‘Derek may not be much to look at, but he isn’t ugly. He’s a good man, a nice man.’
‘Nice! And that’s reason enough to marry him?’
‘I … I think a lot of him.’
Kevin’s fingers tightened around his cutlery in anger. So, she preferred that ugly sod to him. Huh, well, he’d see about that. Once Derek found out that he’d had her first, there’d be no marriage.
‘Bugger off,’ he growled, and finding that he’d lost his appetite he swallowed only his tea before marching out of the café.
It didn’t take him long to reach Derek’s stall and Kevin feigned friendliness as he went to his side. ‘Watcha, mate. How’s it going?’
‘Hello, Kevin. It’s a bit quiet today.’
‘Pearl tells me that you two are getting married.’
‘Did she?’ Derek grinned widely. ‘Blimey, that’s great.’
So, Pearl had lied, and now Kevin forced a laugh. ‘It sounds like you knew nothing about it.’
‘Well, we’re courting, but I haven’t proposed yet. I thought Pearl would want to wait until she’s a bit older.’
‘Huh, she’s old enough and, believe me, she knows how to make a man happy.’
Derek’s face darkened. ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’
Self-preservation kicked in, and Kevin baulked. Christ, was he mad? If he told Derek he’d been there first, the man would kill him. He desperately sought for a way out. ‘Well, mate, I can see how happy you are, and it’s obvious that it’s down to Pearl.’
Derek jaws were working, his tension obvious, but as Kevin’s words sunk in, he relaxed. ‘You’re right. Pearl’s a smashing girl, and now I know she wants to marry me, I’ll do the proposing. Mind you, I’ll have to save for a ring.’
Kevin’s eyes narrowed. He wanted to punish Pearl for turning him down, to make her pay. Not only that, he wanted to sample the goods again. He needed time to work on her and had somehow to put a spoke in Derek’s wheels. ‘If you ask me, she’s a bit young and I reckon you should hold off for a while before proposing.’
‘No, I don’t want to do that. Her birthday’s a month away, in October, and I should have enough saved for a nice little solitaire by then.’
Kevin managed a smile, yet as he walked away it was quickly replaced by a scowl. Christ, despite his trying to put him off, Derek was still going to propose in October. Pearl was a bitch. He’d shown her a good time and she’d enjoyed it, yet she was going to marry Derek bloody Lewis. Well, if that’s what she wanted, fuck her. There were plenty more fish in the sea and he wouldn’t waste his time on her again.
Pearl was anxiously watching the door, but it was after three o’clock before Kevin returned. She had to speak to him – had to know if he’d told Derek. He was heading for the kitchen and she quickly stood in his path.
‘Get out of my way.’
‘Did … did you say anything to Derek?’
He sneered. ‘Worried, are you? Well, you can relax. I didn’t tell him, and in fact he’s welcome to you.’
Pearl’s breath left her body in a rush, and seeing that Bernie was looking at them curiously, she quickly moved out of Kevin’s way. He swept past, and her heart jumped when Bernie called her over.
‘Is there a problem, Pearl?’
‘No, I was just saying hello to Kevin.’
His eyes narrowed. ‘Pearl, I’m saying this for your own good. If you’ve got any ideas about my son, forget them.’
‘I … I haven’t got any ideas about him.’
‘I’m glad to hear it. You stick with Derek and you won’t go wrong.’
She gave a slight nod, busying herself with a bit of last-minute tidying before her shift came to an end. Yes, she would stay out of Kevin’s way, but