so what do you expect?’
Pearl’s eyes widened. ‘I … I’m not forcing you.’
No, Kevin thought, she wasn’t. It was his bloody mother. Pearl was leaning forward, arms wrapped around her body. Gazing at her, he realised that it might not be so bad after all. Pearl was a meek little thing, the antithesis of his mother, and he found himself looking forward to having her under his control. She’d be on hand whenever he wanted her, the sex free. He’d teach her a thing or two, show her what he liked and, now smiling, he said, ‘Look, I know you’re not forcing me. It’s just come as a bit of a shock, that’s all.’
‘You … you don’t have to marry me if you don’t want to.’
‘Yeah, I know, but that’s my baby that you’re carrying so we’d better get spliced.’
She was obviously relieved, a sigh escaping her lips. ‘Oh, Kevin, do you really mean that?’
‘Yeah, of course I do, now come here and give me a kiss.’
Pearl stood up, about to walk into his arms, but then the door opened, Bessie Penfold coming into the room.
‘Is everything all right, Pearl?’
‘Oh, yes. Kevin knows about the baby and wants to marry me.’
‘I should think so too.’
Kevin hid a scowl. The last thing he wanted was to be in the company of this smelly old cow. He’d wanted Pearl on her own, to have a little taster, but there was no chance of that. ‘Right, Pearl, now that it’s all sorted, I’m off. I’ll see you on Monday.’
‘What about tomorrow?’
‘No can do, I’m busy,’ Kevin said.
Pearl looked disappointed, but she nodded, but it was Bessie who moved surprisingly quickly to show him out. He clattered down the stairs, the old woman saying before she closed the door behind him, ‘I’m glad you’re doing the right thing by the girl, and I hope you treat her right.’
She was looking at him expectantly, but tight-lipped Kevin said nothing. Bessie Penfold was an interfering old cow, sticking her nose in when he had wanted to be alone with Pearl. Christ, he thought. It would be just as bad living with his parents. He and Pearl would have no privacy and with his mother close by, there’d be no chance to indulge his fantasies. He needed to raise money, big money, to find a place of their own, and as soon as possible.
Pearl was sitting on the sofa when Bessie walked back into the room. ‘Well,’ she asked, ‘are you happy now?’
‘Oh yes, except that Dolly’s insisting that I return to work on Monday. Oh, Bessie, I dread facing her.’
‘She doesn’t own you and can’t give you orders. You don’t have to go back. There’s work for you here.’
‘I’d love that, Bessie, but it’s impossible. After our marriage we’re to live in Dolly’s flat and if I don’t do as she says, it will only make things worse. I have to go back. I don’t have any choice.’
‘There are always choices.’
‘Not for me.’
‘You don’t have to marry him.’
‘Oh, Bessie, I was an orphan and know what it’s like to be without parents. I know I said I can bring up my baby alone, but I don’t want to deprive it of a father.’
Bessie sighed. ‘All right. I can see you’ve made up your mind so I’ll say no more.’
As Bessie then took a seat, Pearl said, ‘I should get my stuff from Mo’s, but I dread seeing her.’
‘Leave it for now. You can find a few bits in my stock to tide you over.’
‘Thanks, Bessie,’ Pearl said, glad of the reprieve. ‘Shall I make us a drink first?’
‘No, you go and sort yourself out. I’ll see to it.’
Whilst Bessie went to the kitchen, Pearl went upstairs to the back room. It amazed her that Bessie kept so many clothes that were out of date, a lot now covered in mildew and unfit for anything but the dustbin. With careful sorting she managed to find a few things, her mind on the future now. She didn’t like the idea of moving into Dolly’s flat, but hopefully it wouldn’t be for long. Once Kevin found work they could find a place of their own. Her heart lifted. They’d be a proper family, her baby with both a mother and father.
An hour later, Pearl and Bessie were sitting companionably in old, threadbare chairs by the fire. Though Pearl was happy, she still dreaded facing Dolly on Monday morning. She glanced across at Bessie, seeing that the old woman was staring into the flames.
Curious, she asked, ‘Bessie, you said our paths would cross again and you were right. Can you really see into the future?’
Bessie turned, gazing at Pearl as though looking into her soul. ‘Yes, but not at will.’
‘But Derek’s gran …’
‘Go on, girl.’
‘No, it’s nothing.’
Bessie chucked. ‘I can guess what Connie Lewis said. Like many bitter women, she thinks I’ve done her out of money. I suspect she said my powers are false too, but truth be known it’s because I didn’t tell her what she wanted to hear. Am I right?’
Pearl avoided Bessie’s eyes. ‘She didn’t mention that, but she wasn’t happy with the amount you gave her for her husband’s clothes.’
‘Christ, that was during the war. Connie must have a memory like an elephant. I can’t remember how much I gave her, but times were hard then and a lot of men died in action. When that happened I was offered their clothes, but there was a glut and it was stuff I knew I wouldn’t be able to shift. Still, I did the best I could to help out, even if I could only offer peanuts. Women’s clothes were a different matter. There was a shortage and knowing I could sell them easily, I always gave a good price.’
Pearl digested Bessie’s words, deciding that the old lady wasn’t the skinflint that Connie had portrayed. The woman’s psychic powers intrigued her and she asked, ‘Do you make things up when you tell fortunes? I mean, you said we would help each other, and though you’ve helped me, I haven’t been able to do anything for you.’
‘The time will come, you can be sure of that, and somehow I know you and I will draw close.’
‘But how?’
‘Gawd, I don’t know everything, girl, and sometimes I know nothing.’
‘I don’t understand.’
She looked deep into Pearl’s eyes again. ‘I rarely talk about my powers, but I feel I can trust you to keep your mouth shut. If you must know, I learned the art from my mother. She had the gift of second sight but, like with me, it didn’t come at will. In fact it rarely does. My mother taught me how to read people, and you’d be surprised at what you can glean just by studying someone. When women sit in front of me they don’t realise how much they give away, just by their actions. For instance, they sit up straighter when I hit on the subject that’s worrying them, be it money, health, their husbands or children. There are things to look out for too: a wedding ring, or a white mark where there was one. Signs of illness can show up on the skin, eyes, and even the palms.’
‘So you make it all up.’
‘Don’t look so disgusted, girl. The women who come to me are mostly desperate and looking for hope – sometimes searching for a reason to carry on. I give them that hope. When in despair they fail to realise that all things pass in time, be it sadness, pain or debt. The circle turns and, looking back later, they’ll find that somehow they got through it.’
‘Do you ever use second sight?’
‘If it’s given to me – yes, but even then it may not be what the person