Family Drama 4 E-Book Bundle. Leah Fleming

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ 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 a way lay open, one that she took. ‘No, I’m not in any pain, but I am feeling a bit tired. Perhaps I should have an early night.’

      ‘Yes, do that. I’ll go now, but I’ll be over first thing in the morning.’

      ‘There’s no need.’

      ‘Yes there is,’ he said, touching her tummy lightly. ‘That’s my son’s in there and I want to make sure he’s all right.’

      Pearl found herself smiling, pleased that he was showing such concern. ‘Or your daughter.’

      He grinned. ‘A girl, eh? No, I reckon it’s a boy.’

      ‘We’ll just have to wait and see.’

      ‘Go on, go to bed,’ he said, kissing her lightly on the tip of her nose. ‘I’ll see myself out.’

      Pearl nodded, her heart melting as, for a moment, Kevin held her gently.

      ‘We’ll be all right, you’ll see,’ he said, giving her a final soft kiss before leaving.

      She heard his footsteps on the stairs, the shop door closing, and smiled. Despite everything, she loved him, and now fought to dismiss the worries from her mind. Kevin said they’d be all right, and she believed him.

       Chapter Twenty-Seven

      It was mid-February before all the legalities were sorted out, allowing Pearl and Kevin to marry. The registry office had originally said that she wasn’t old enough to marry without permission, but without relatives the solicitor had finally sorted it out, presenting the affidavit and the reply from the orphanage to the registrar.

      During this time, any doubts that Pearl had about Kevin were laid to rest. He was being so kind, so gentle, and on the rare occasions they were able to make love, he was careful and considerate. He was still looking for a job, he assured her, one out of the area, but so far hadn’t found one with decent pay. She was disappointed, but he told her to be patient, saying that he didn’t want her or the baby to want for anything and a well-paid job was sure to turn up soon.

      Though most of the locals still refused to speak to her, the awful earlier animosity had eased, though Derek still turned his back when he saw her. She’d hurt him so much and it weighed heavily on her mind, but despite this, her love for Kevin deepened.

      She hadn’t made any headway with Dolly, but now that she was finally to marry Kevin, her worry eased. He would be her husband and was sure to stand up for her against his mother.

      ‘Well, girl, are you ready?’ Bessie asked on the morning of the wedding.

      ‘Yes,’ Pearl said, with a last look in the mirror. Although it was a registry office wedding, with only Dolly, Bernie and two witnesses in attendance, she still wanted to look nice. At five months pregnant she had been thrilled to find a cream swagger coat amongst Bessie’s stock, one that hid her growing lump.

      The marriage was to take place at ten thirty, but with Dolly refusing to close the café for more than a few hours, there would be no wedding breakfast. Instead, Dolly and Bernie were returning to the café, opening at twelve thirty for the lunchtime session.

      Pearl’s head was spinning. It had been a frantic morning. She’d been up at the crack of dawn, hurrying to work at five o’clock to prepare all the vegetables in advance. Gertie and Madge had been roped in to cook them, and with the rest of the menu partly prepared, they had only to put the trays in the oven ready for Dolly’s return.

      Pearl now put on a tiny pillbox hat before picking up her handbag. ‘Do I look all right, Bessie?’

      ‘Yeah, but if you ask me it’s a funny sort of wedding. No reception, no honeymoon, and you ain’t even carrying flowers.’

      ‘I know, but it doesn’t matter. Dolly has given me the rest of the day off and Kevin is taking me out to lunch.’

      ‘Huh, big deal. Tell me, when you’re back to work in the kitchen tomorrow, what will Kevin be doing?’

      ‘Bessie, please, don’t start again. I’m sure he’ll find a job soon.’

      There was a knock on the street door, the old lady speaking quickly as she grabbed СКАЧАТЬ