was suppressed anger. Anger that I’m being forced into marriage.’
Pearl’s face was red and blotched, her clothes dishevelled, and her voice quavering as she spoke. ‘But … but we talked about this, and I said I’m not forcing you.’
‘I know,’ Kevin said, shaking his head as though in a quandary, ‘and I don’t know what came over me. It’s just that we’re never alone, and it’s been driving me mad. If it ain’t Bessie, it’s my mother, and I’m sick of it.’ He moved towards her, but she cowered away, her hands frantic as she straightened her skirt.
‘Please,’ she begged, ‘don’t touch me, and … and I don’t think I want to marry you now.’
He stepped forward again, feeling her flinch as he dragged her into his arms. ‘Don’t say that, Pearl.’
Her body was rigid as he held her. ‘I … I was so frightened.’
‘I know you were, and I’m really sorry.’ Kevin hid a scowl. He hated this, hated having to grovel.
‘Please, let me go,’ she begged.
Shit, he thought. Now what? Desperate times called for desperate measures and though loath to say the words, he forced them from his mouth. ‘Pearl, please, I love you and don’t want to lose you.’
She drew back, her eyes wide. ‘You … you love me?’
Unwilling to utter the words again, he just gave a slight nod, only saying, ‘I really didn’t mean to hurt you.’
At last he felt her body relax. ‘Oh Kevin, I love you too, but you really frightened me. And … and you could have hurt the baby.’
He blanched. Christ, hurting a woman was one thing, but a baby! He had hardly given the child she was carrying a thought but now, with sickening clarity, it hit him. The baby was his – his son or daughter. ‘Is it all right?’ he asked.
‘Yes, I think so.’
He gently ushered her towards the sofa. ‘You’d better sit down. Are you in any pain?’
‘No, well, I feel a bit bruised.’
‘I hope I haven’t hurt it. Maybe I should run you to hospital?’
‘I … I don’t think there’s any need for that.’
He paced the room, his hands raking through his hair, and moments later asked, ‘Any pain yet?’
‘No,’ she said, touching her tummy.
He looked at the slight swell worriedly.’ Are you sure?’
‘Yes.’
He stopped pacing to kneel at her side. ‘Thank God for that! We must have a tough little bugger in there.’
For the first time a slight smile played across her lips and, seeing it, he enfolded her in his arms. ‘Pearl, I really am sorry. Say you’ll still marry me.’
‘I … I don’t know. You’re so changeable and it scares me.’
‘I know I can be a moody bugger, but I can change. It’s my mother, Pearl. You know what she’s like and she drives me mad. Once we’re in our own place, I’ll be fine.’
‘Do you really love me?’
‘Yes,’ he murmured, ‘and I’ll never do that again. I don’t want to risk hurting our baby.’
She was quiet then and he held his breath, slumping with relief when she said, ‘All right, I’ll still marry you, but please, Kevin, find a job soon so we can move away from here.’
‘Don’t worry, I will.’
He held her gently, but hearing a thump on the ceiling, they drew apart. ‘That’s Bessie,’ Pearl said. ‘I’ll have to see what she wants.’
‘Are you sure you’re up to it?’
‘Yes, I’m fine. I expect she wants her hot-water bottle filled again.’
Kevin solicitously held her arm as she stood up, watching as she left the room. From now on he’d be gentle with Pearl, but to hold back the demons he’d somehow have to raise the money to go to Soho. Of course after the baby was born, it would be a different matter.
Pearl was still in a daze as she walked upstairs, her mind distracted as she went into Bessie’s bedroom.
‘Something woke me,’ the old lady complained. ‘I thought I heard voices. Is someone down there?’
‘Yes, it’s Kevin.’
‘What’s that on your cheek? It looks like a hand mark. Have you been crying?’
Pearl flushed, her hand rising to touch her face.
‘Did he hit you?’ Bessie demanded.
‘We … we had a bit of a row.’
‘That’s no excuse. I’ve got no time for men who lay into women. If he’s hitting you now, I dread to think what he’ll be like when you get married. If you’ve got any sense you’ll call it off.’
‘No, it’s all right. He promised he won’t do it again.’
‘Huh, and pigs might fly. Listen, girl, you don’t have to marry Kevin Dolby. Stay here with me and we’ll manage all right. Who knows, with your fresh eyes we may be able to come up with a way to drum up a bit more business.’
‘Don’t worry, Bessie, I’ll be all right. Kevin said he loves me and I love him too. If we can find a place of our own, I know we’ll be happy.’
‘Well, it’s up to you, but I still think you’re making a mistake.’
Pearl bent to straighten Bessie’s blankets, her mind turning. It had been awful, the sex brutal, Kevin’s face a mask of anger as he took her. Yet afterwards he had been so contrite and his explanation was plausible. She could understand that Dolly drove him mad, and once away from her he’d be fine. Kevin had been so worried about the baby, and not only that, he had said the words she’d been longing to hear. He loved her – he really did, and her heart soared. Soon she would have what she’d always dreamed of. A home and family of her own. She smiled. Three children would be nice …
Then Bessie coughed loudly and Pearl looked at her with concern. ‘Your chest still sounds bad. Is there anything I can get you?’
‘No, but I want that young man out of my house. It isn’t right that you’re alone down there, and I don’t trust him.’
‘Bessie, I’m having his baby and we’ll be married soon. I think it’s a bit late to worry about a chaperone.’
‘That’s as maybe, but I don’t want him left on his own to nose about. He’d rob me as soon as look at me.’
‘How can you say that? Of course he wouldn’t rob you.’
‘I’ve heard rumours about him and what he gets up to with that Nobby Clark. Now do as I say and get him out of my house.’
Pearl wanted to argue, but Bessie’s hacking cough started again and she didn’t want to upset her any further. ‘All right, calm down. I’ll ask him to go.’
She hurried from the room, hoping that Kevin wouldn’t be upset at having to leave, but the old lady’s words played on her mind. Bessie had implied that Kevin was a thief. Pearl shook her head in denial. Of course he wasn’t. Yet even as her mind dismissed it, she couldn’t help thinking about the cartons of cigarettes she’d seen in Nobby Clark’s shop. Had Kevin been involved?
Doubts about the marriage rose again, but as she walked into the living room, Kevin spoke anxiously.
‘Are you all right? You’re not in any pain, are you?’
Pearl grabbed at his words. Bessie wanted him to leave, and now