Nobody’s Girl. Kitty Neale

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СКАЧАТЬ voice unusually soft. ‘Go on, get on with your work.’

      As Pearl went back to the dining room she saw both Bernie and Alice chatting as they drank their tea.

      ‘Come on, Pearl, I’ve poured a cup for you too,’ Alice called.

      It was a friendly gesture and Pearl responded, chatting to the woman whilst Bernie popped out to the kitchen.

      Alice glanced around the café. ‘I expect it’s the same routine as the Trafalgar and I’ll soon settle in.’

      ‘I’m sure you will, but I think there must be an easier way to take the orders.’

      ‘What do you mean, love?’

      ‘We have to write out a separate chit for each customer, and sometimes if there are four on a table it takes ages.’

      ‘That sounds a bit daft to me and not very efficient.’

      ‘I think it would be easier to write out one slip per table, listing the order with the customers initial beside it. Most come from the market, they know each other, and nine times out of ten sit with the same crowd each day. Of course, if strangers sit at the same table it wouldn’t work, but that doesn’t happen very often.’

      ‘It sounds like a good idea to me.’ The bell pinged, and as customers came in, Alice said, ‘Right, Pearl, shake a leg.’

      Pearl frowned. Alice made it sound like a command, but the first four men took a seat at one of her tables so she went to take their order. ‘Good morning, and what can I get you?’

      ‘Morning, love,’ Frank said. ‘I’ll ’ave me usual.’

      ‘Me too,’ another man said, adding, ‘Is that another new waitress?’

      ‘Yes, she’s starting today.’

      ‘She looks like a battle-axe, Frank.’

      ‘Yeah, a bit of a Boadicea, if you ask me.’

      Pearl was smiling as she wrote out their chit. It was obvious these men liked to find nicknames for people. During her first week, Frank had started to call her Minnie Mouse, but she didn’t mind. It was just their way, and she was getting used to them now.

      The smile left her face when she went into the kitchen. The new waitress was talking to Mrs Dolby and she looked as pleased as punch at what she was hearing.

      ‘Blimey, Alice, that’s a great idea and I don’t know why I didn’t think of it myself. My old gran set up the present system, and as it worked we just carried on. Now though, if we do things your way, not only will it speed up service, it’ll also save us a fortune on order pads. Well done, Alice, and it’s lovely to have someone who takes an interest in the business.’

      ‘Thanks, Mrs Dolby,’ Alice said.

      ‘Pearl, our new waitress has just come up with a marvellous idea for taking orders and we’ll start using it straight away. I’d best get these breakfasts on so I’ll leave Alice to put you in the picture.’

      With a smile of satisfaction, Alice beckoned Pearl to the dining room. ‘Mrs Dolby was dead chuffed when I suggested writing out one order chit for each table and it’s certainly got me into her good books.’

      ‘But … but it was my idea.’

      ‘Well, yes, but does it matter who came up with it? As long as it makes things easier for us, that’s all that matters. Oops, better get a move on, customers are waiting.’

      Pearl stood rooted to the spot for a moment, unable to believe that Alice had pinched her idea. It was her own fault, she should have plucked up the courage to speak to Dolly herself, but now it was too late. She heaved a sigh. Maybe Alice was right – after all, it would make things easier for them – but she still had a bad feeling about the woman.

      By eight thirty the café was heaving, and when Derek Lewis came in he took a table at the far end of the café, surprised when Alice came to serve him.

      ‘Hello, where’s Pearl? She hasn’t left, has she?’

      ‘No, she’s in the kitchen. I’m doing the tables down this end. Now then, what can I get you?’

      ‘Just a couple of eggs on toast.’

      Carrying two plates, Pearl came backwards through the swing door, and as she rushed past she didn’t see Derek. He watched her, his face showing his disappointment. He’d decided to pluck up the courage to ask her out today, and now felt deflated. He’d been rehearsing what he was going to say, his stomach knotted as he came in the café, but now he wouldn’t have the chance. Maybe he’d be able to catch her on her way home.

      Derek kept his eyes on Pearl as she worked, and when Alice put his breakfast in front of him he hardly looked at it as he picked up his knife and fork. Would Pearl say yes? Christ, he hoped so. She always seemed pleased to see him, and sometimes stopped for a chat. He’d never had attention from a girl before, and hoped he hadn’t misread the signs.

      Pearl was rushing to the kitchen again, but this time she saw him. Her elfin face broke into a smile. ‘Hello, Derek,’ she called, but sailed on past.

      Derek finished his breakfast, drank his tea, and then went to pay at the counter, pleased when Pearl came to his side.

      ‘Hello, how are you?’ he asked.

      ‘I’m fine thanks. How’s your gran?’

      ‘She’s back to normal, and bossing me around as usual.’

      ‘That’s good.’

      ‘Er … Pearl, I was wondering …’

      As Bernie filled two cups of tea, Pearl grabbed them, and Derek was left staring at her back as she hurried away. His heart sank. She hadn’t even let him finish his sentence. Maybe he’d imagined it and she didn’t like him after all. Sadly he watched her running around for a moment. Then, with his shoulders slumped, he left the café.

      It was eleven o’clock when Derek saw Kevin Dolby strolling through the market, and he lifted his arm to catch his attention.

      ‘Watcha, Derek, how’s things?’

      ‘Fine, but I wanted to ask your advice.’

      ‘Fire away.’

      ‘It’s that waitress, Pearl. She seems to like me, but how can I know for sure?’

      ‘You can’t, mate. Sometimes you just have to take a chance. Anyway, I don’t know what you’re worried about. She can only say no, and there’s plenty more fish in the sea.’

      ‘Yeah, I suppose so,’ Derek murmured as Kevin walked away. It was all right for him – he was a good-looking bloke and obviously had no trouble finding women. Derek thought back to the one time he’d asked a girl out, and she’d made her distaste plain. Would Pearl be the same? Would she tell him to bugger off too?

      A customer came to the stall and, pushing his worries to one side, Derek went to serve her, pleased when she purchased СКАЧАТЬ