Dolly shrugged her shoulders. ‘As soon as they find another bit of gossip to titillate them, they’ll lay off. In the meantime you’ll just have to put up with it. Now I suggest you get on with the spuds.’
Pearl hung her coat up, after which she started to peel the potatoes. She had learned how to cook vegetables competently now and, glad to be out of the way, had no wish to return to the dining room. However, despite trying to please Dolly, she’d been unable to make any grounds. Her future mother-in-law continued to pretend that everything was fine when anyone else was in hearing range, but alone she dropped the act and made her feelings plain. Pearl knew she’d have to try harder, but despite always being polite and working hard, nothing she said or did seemed to please Dolly.
‘Come on, Pearl, get a move on, and when you’ve finished the spuds, get on with the carrots.’
Pearl increased her efforts, surprised when Dolly spoke again, this time pleasantly. ‘It’ll be nice to have a couple of days off, and I’ll expect you for Christmas dinner tomorrow. In fact, if you come over at about eleven you can give me a hand.‘
‘I … I won’t be joining you for dinner.’
‘Do what?’
‘I can’t leave Bessie. She’s poorly.’
‘If you’re angling to bring her along, you can forget it. I can’t stand the woman. Now as I said, I’ll expect you at eleven.’
Pearl stomach quaked, dreading a confrontation but, worried about Bessie, she had no choice. ‘I’m sorry, but I really can’t come. Bessie’s in bed and needs looking after. I can’t leave her on her own.’
‘She’s on her own now, ain’t she?’
‘A neighbour is keeping an eye on her, but can’t do it on Christmas Day.’
Dolly’s face suffused with colour, but before she could say anything, Gertie came out of the washing-up room.
‘I’ve finished all the breakfast dishes, Dolly. Can I have a break now?’
‘Yes, of course you can. Get yourself a cup of tea and fetch one for me and Pearl while you’re at it.’
Gertie hurried out, almost colliding with Kevin as he pushed through the doors. He swaggered up to Pearl, flinging an arm around her shoulders. ‘Hello, love. Did you hear from the solicitor this morning?’
‘There was nothing in the post.’
‘Sod it. Well, that’s that. We won’t hear now until the New Year.’
‘If this goes on much longer, she’ll be huge by the time you get married.’ Dolly snapped.
Pearl looked down at her stomach, seeing the tiny mound. Kevin followed her gaze, a small frown creasing his forehead. ‘I hope not, Mum.’
‘Let’s hope he gets a move on then. Now if you don’t mind, Pearl’s got work to do.’
‘All right, I’m off out.’ He gave Pearl another swift hug, ignoring his mother’s scowl as he left by the back door.
Pearl, though, couldn’t ignore Dolly’s attitude. The woman hated Kevin to show her any affection and once again Pearl was filled with dread at the thought of living in the same flat as Dolly. If Kevin would find a job, they could move away, but he avoided the subject of work. Maybe she should talk to him again – but not in Dolly’s hearing.
When the new administrator started work at the orphanage, she faced a pile of work on her desk, but was gradually ploughing through it. Today, in answer to a letter, she had to search the records. She had found a thin file on Pearl Button, but there was little to read. It was odd that the child had never been placed into foster care, and there’d been no applications to adopt. If she’d been mentally deficient it would have been understandable, these children always difficult to place, but looking at the sparse reports on Pearl’s educational progress, this didn’t seem to be the case.
In an endeavour to find out more about the girl, she had questioned members of staff, finding two who remembered her. Pearl Button had been described as nervous and quiet, but neither said she lacked intelligence.
The administrator picked up the letter from the solicitor again. It seemed that Pearl Button wanted to marry and he was enquiring if there were any relatives on record. There were none.
With a sigh she picked up her pen. There wasn’t much she could tell the man. Pearl Button’s records said that she’d been abandoned, the date, but that was all. The sparse letter completed, she blotted it, and after addressing the envelope she put it on one side for the post.
With a vast amount of paperwork in front of her, the administrator now put the girl’s file to one side and tackled her next problem.
As Kevin drove along Falcon Road he was remembering how he’d been against the marriage at first, but it had been the thought of having Pearl in his bed every night that changed his mind. Now though, she was showing, her stomach starting to swell, and he doubted he’d fancy her for much longer. Christ, he hoped they’d hear from the solicitor soon, but when they married he’d see that his lifestyle didn’t change. Unlike his father, he’d show his wife who was the boss from the start. His face darkened, realising there’d be little chance of that whilst they lived with his mother. She still treated him like a child, and ruled with a rod of iron. Not only that, if he showed Pearl any affection his mother acted like a jealous girlfriend, and it sickened him. He wanted away from her, to be the man of his own house, but without money it was impossible.
Once again he dreamed of one big job, one that would net him thousands instead of hundreds. The last two he’d done with Nobby and Dick hadn’t been bad, but by the time they fenced the gear through Vince and split the cash three ways, they’d each been left with peanuts. His lips tightened in anger. That bastard Vince had the borough sewn up. He didn’t take the risks, leaving others to do that, but he was making a mint.
If he could find a job, and a good one, there was no way he’d fence the goods through Vince. It would solve his problems if he could find a cash haul, but needed an easy target. Small shops were useless, their takings hardly worth the risk, and of course robbing a bank would be impossible. His mind turned. If only he could find somewhere that held a lot of cash on premises, yet had little security. Huh, fat chance of that!
Fighting to suppress his frustration, Kevin’s hands tightened on the steering wheel. He badly needed a trip to Soho, but his mother was keeping him short of money. He knew why. The cow. She was punishing him for getting Pearl pregnant.
When she finished her shift, Pearl was relieved to find the walk home from work trouble free, the market still buzzing with life as people rushed to do last-minute shopping. There were many unsold Christmas trees, men pursing their lips and vying for a bargain as they made their selections. It was freezing, a blustery wind blowing, but the costermongers were wrapped up warmly, their voices ringing out as they tried to sell the last of their Brussels sprouts, parsnips and carrots, each trying to shout louder than the others. Pearl would have liked to have stopped to buy a few things, but feared her reception as she hurried past.
She went straight upstairs to see Bessie, finding her huddled in bed with a scarf around her neck, and not looking much better.
‘Thank the Lord you’re back,’ she croaked. Then fishing for her hot-water bottle, she held it out. ‘I’m bleedin’ freezing and her next door hasn’t been in for hours.’
‘I’ll refill it,’ Pearl said as she looked worriedly at the old lady.
‘Make me a cup of tea while you’re at it,’ Bessie managed to choke out before a bout of coughing had her gasping for breath.
‘I think you should see the doctor again.’
‘No, I’ll be all right. Pass me them fags.’
‘I don’t think you should be smoking.’
‘Leave it out. It’s a bit late to stop