Family Drama 4 E-Book Bundle. Leah Fleming

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       Chapter Thirty-Six

      The house was silent. Pearl’s nerves were jumping as she crept downstairs. She had taken all she could carry, stuffing bags into the pram, and now, fully loaded, she carefully opened the street door. With infinite care she closed it behind her, stepping outside into the dark night. She was leaving, her shoulders stiff with resolution. Dolly was back to normal, laying down the law, but Kevin had told her to keep Johnny away from his mother, and she intended to do just that. She was going to Bessie’s, and there was no way Dolly Dolby was going to drag her back.

      Pearl banged on Bessie’s door again and again, relieved when at last she opened it.

      ‘Bloody hell, love, what are you doing here at this time of night?’

      ‘I’m sorry, Bessie, but I had to get away.’

      ‘All right, come on in, but why didn’t you wait until the morning?’

      ‘Dolly’s back to normal and if I hadn’t sneaked out now, there’s no way she would let me leave.’

      ‘She couldn’t have kept you a prisoner.’

      ‘Dolly’s capable of anything,’ Pearl said as she put the brake on the pram, leaving Johnny asleep as she lugged her things upstairs. She then went down again to get her son, laying him gently on the sofa.

      ‘Right,’ Bessie said. ‘Start at the beginning.’

      ‘They’re going to sell up and move out of the area, and it’s as though the decision has given Dolly a new lease of life. Only yesterday she was a wreck, but now she’s back to laying down the law. She won’t accept that my marriage is over and insisted that I go with them to Devon or Cornwall.’

      ‘For goodness’ sake, Pearl, you’re not a child. You’re a grown woman and she can’t force you to go.’

      ‘I … I just didn’t want an argument.’

      ‘If I know Dolly, you won’t have much choice. As soon as she finds you’ve gone, she’ll be over here.’

      ‘Oh, Bessie, what am I going to do?’

      ‘For starters you can get that frightened rabbit look off your face and stand up for yourself. As I said, Dolly can’t force you to go, and you’ll just have to tell her that.’

      Pearl shook her head doubtfully, her head drooping.

      ‘Come on,’ Bessie said. ‘Let’s get to bed and we’ll worry about Dolly bloody Dolby in the morning.’

      With a nod of agreement, Pearl rose to her feet and lifted Johnny into her arms. She followed Bessie upstairs, her tired eyes widening when she saw her old room and the cot in the corner. ‘Oh, Bessie.’

      ‘Now then, don’t start the waterworks. I knew you’d be moving in eventually and the cot didn’t cost me anything. It was in the back room, but cleaned up nicely.’

      Pearl took in the clean white sheets, the soft blankets and choked, her eyes watery as she said, ‘I don’t know how to thank you.’

      ‘Leave it out, girl. Now get yourself and Johnny to bed and we’ll talk again in the morning.’

      Bessie left then and, after settling Johnny, Pearl climbed into her own bed. She had done it; she had got away from Dolly. But now she shivered. Bessie was right: as soon as Dolly found her gone, she’d come looking for her and she dreaded it.

      Pearl wanted to remain hidden, but Bessie wouldn’t stand for it. ‘You can’t stay up here for ever, love. If Dolly comes over here, stand your ground. She doesn’t own you and can’t drag you back.’

      Reluctantly Pearl followed the woman downstairs, but as she settled Johnny in his pram and glanced out of the window, her heart skipped with fear.

      ‘Oh God, Dolly’s already on her way over.’

      ‘Now then, don’t run away. As I told you, stand your ground, girl.’

      Pearl wanted nothing more than to flee, but moments later the door flew open, crashing back against the wall. Ramrod straight, her hair still loose and flying wildly around her shoulders, Dolly marched into the shop.

      ‘I don’t know what your game is, but you can bring that child back to the café.’

      The noise woke Johnny up and he began to cry, but as Dolly moved towards the pram, Pearl barred her path. ‘Keep away from him.’

      ‘You must be mad, girl. I’m not having my grandson living in this dump!’

      ‘Oy, watch your mouth, Dolly Dolby,’ Bessie said, moving from behind the counter.

      ‘Shut up!’ Dolly shouted, her hand coming out as though Bessie was a fly to swat away.

      ‘Don’t you dare touch her!’ Pearl screamed.

      Dolly stayed her hand, saying with a scowl, ‘Huh, I wouldn’t touch her with a bleedin’ bargepole.

      She made for the pram again, but Pearl bent swiftly, snatching Johnny up and holding him tightly to her. ‘Stay away from my son!’

      ‘I’ll do no such thing! He’s my grandson and his place is with me.’

      Pearl felt her body swelling, stretching, and from somewhere inside she felt imbued with strength. ‘No, Dolly, his place is with me, his mother! I’ll decide where he lives, not you, and we’re staying here.’

      ‘You heard her. I want you out of my shop, Dolly Dolby, and now.’

      ‘I told you to shut your mouth, Bessie Penfold! I ain’t going anywhere without my grandson and if you get in my way I’ll smash your bleedin’ face in.’

      When Pearl heard the threat it was the final straw. She had lived in fear of this woman, allowed herself to be ordered about like a servant, but she wasn’t going to let Dolly take her son. Johnny СКАЧАТЬ