Lucy had spent most of the same day trying her hand at tie-dyeing some plain white T-shirts that she’d got for next to nothing from Eddie White, a stallholder who couldn’t shift them. She had used money that she could ill afford, earned from a complicated alteration, but desperate times called for desperate measures, and she hoped to make a decent profit.
With a deft hand, Lucy took the centre of the fabric and twisted it into a spiral, securing it with elastic bands before immersing the garment in red dye. If they turned out all right, Lucy knew that she would need an outlet, somewhere to display them, but as she had known Eddie White since her childhood, she was hoping to persuade him to either buy them back, or to sell them for her with a share of the profit. Eddie was all right, though he was a bit of a womaniser who flirted with every female customer. Mind you, he was funny, she had to give him that, and nobody left his stall without a smile on their face.
‘Mummy, you look like you’ve got red gloves on,’ said Clive.
‘Oh dear, you’re right,’ she said, holding them up. ‘I should have worn rubber ones, but it’s too late now.’
‘Will you help me with this jigsaw puzzle?’
‘Not now, pet,’ she said. ‘It’s nearly time to make dinner, but I’ll rinse this batch out first.’
It was less then half an hour later, and Lucy was pleased as she held up the T-shirts. They looked great, each one a little different and good enough to sell, she was sure. She’d done enough for today, but tomorrow she’d try the blue dye. ‘I’ll just hang these up to dry,’ she said to Clive, but then the doorbell rang.
Her eyes widened when she saw who it was.
‘The landlord asked me to give you this,’ the agent said without preamble.
‘What is it?’
‘Two weeks’ notice to leave the flat.’
‘But I paid the arrears and I’m up to date with the rent!’
‘I know, but he’s selling this place and he wants you out. You’ll have to find another flat, or try the borough council.’
‘I have. I’ve been on their housing list for years.’
The man just shrugged and walked away, while Lucy stood frozen on the doorstep.
‘Mum, what’s wrong?’
At the sound of Clive’s voice, Lucy fixed a smile on her face. ‘Nothing, darling,’ she said, turning to face him. Somehow she had to hide her worries from Clive, but finding somewhere else to live in just two weeks seemed an impossible task.
Vincent Chase didn’t have to worry about money. He’d come a long way and his clubs were highly profitable, but one thing he’d learned was to never take chances. He wasn’t really worried, but just in case Dolby had connections, he’d sent one of his boys to check him out.
‘He may have been inside for thirteen years, boss, but there are plenty of people in Battersea who remember him and were willing to dish the dirt. He hasn’t got any backup. He’s just a small-time thief who got done for robbery with violence.’
‘What about his family? Any connections there?’
‘None,’ Stan replied. ‘He was married with a kid, but they’re well out of the picture now, and apparently his mother went into a nut house.’
‘Did you hear that, Adrianna? No wonder your fancy man had the nerve to take me on. Insanity must run in his family.’
‘He isn’t my fancy man.’
Vince chuckled. ‘He was pretty, I’ll give you that – at least he was before the boys got hold of him. I doubt they did his face any favours.’
‘Can I go now?’ Adrianna asked, appearing disinterested.
Vince agreed and as the door closed behind her, he said, ‘I was a bit heavy-handed with her, but I don’t think she knew Dolby. Still, it served as a warning in case she gets any ideas in the future.’
‘Yeah,’ Stan agreed, ‘and for Dolby too. I don’t think we’ll be seeing his face again.’
‘We’d better not,’ he said. Adrianna was his star stripper, her performances guaranteed to pull in the punters, and he’d groomed her to his tastes in bed too. Nobody, connected or not, was getting their hands on his property.
Adrianna sat in Vince’s room, one she was forced to share, hating it; the plush red velvet decor, the mirror above the bed, but most of all, hating the man who owned it – who owned her.
She didn’t care that the bloke who’d hung about outside the club had been given a hiding. Because of him she’d got a slap too. All she cared about was finding a way to escape from Vince, but he hardly let her out of his sight and she didn’t have any money. He had eyes and ears everywhere, and her only hope would be to get well away from here, but without funds it was impossible. Vince bought all her clothes, make-up and anything else she needed, giving her just a paltry few bob as pocket money. Any jewellery he had given her he insisted on keeping in his safe, and it was only brought out when he decided she should wear it.
Vince walked into the room and, seething with hate, Adrianna avoided looking at him. When they first met she had known that he was a powerful man, and though old enough to be her father, his age didn’t seem to matter. He’d been so charismatic, so caring, and had showered her with gifts. Within a month she was working the top spot in one of his clubs and within three she had agreed to move into his house. The luxurious lifestyle he led had stunned her, blinding her to the early clues – the way he controlled her, his jealousy, but once the scales had dropped from her eyes, she had seen that she was living with a monster.
‘Still sulking I see,’ he said.
‘I’m not sulking.’
‘Prove it.’
Bile rose in Adrianna’s throat. She knew what that meant and, feeling sick, she began to undress. Vince watched her, his eyes dark with lust, and when he began to slobber all over her body she willed her mind to another place. Thankfully, it was over quickly, it always was, and rolling away, Vince put his clothes back on. He then took a box from his jacket pocket and threw it onto the bed. ‘Just a little something I thought you might like. You’ve earned it.’
Adrianna opened the box, and as she looked at the diamond-encrusted bracelet she felt nothing but self-loathing. She was an exotic dancer, not a tart, but this felt more like a payment.
Soho was far from Winchester and while Adrianna was just finishing her act, Pearl was tossing and turning, unable to sleep. This was the last night they would spend in her mother’s house, and though they would still see lots of her, it was going to be so hard to say goodbye in the morning.
Pearl plumped up her pillows, but sleep was still impossible and irritably she got out of bed. Maybe a mug of hot milk would help. It was her own fault she was feeling like this. She had made the decision to return to Battersea, but nevertheless it felt forced upon her.
‘What’s the matter?’ Derek mumbled.
‘Nothing. Go back to sleep,’ she said. Pearl knew it was unreasonable, but she was irritable with him too. He was happy that they were returning to Battersea, whereas she just couldn’t feel the same.
Quietly she left the room and padded softly to the kitchen, only to find a light on when she opened the door.
‘Mum, I didn’t expect to find you up.’
‘It seems that neither of us could sleep. I can’t say the same for Nora. The door to the conservatory is closed, yet I can still hear her snoring like a trooper.’
‘At least you’ll have your conservatory back tomorrow.’
‘It’s already tomorrow,’ Emily said, nodding towards the kitchen clock.
Tears gathered and Pearl blinked rapidly. ‘Mum, you could change your mind. Come with us. With four bedrooms there’s plenty of room.’
‘Darling, at my age I don’t think I’d find another teaching job, and to be honest, I love the one I have. We’ll still see each other regularly, and during school holidays I could come to stay.’
‘That’s something, but it won’t be the same. Oh, why did I make that promise to Bessie? If it wasn’t for Nora … if I could just bring myself to put her in an institution, but …’
‘Pearl, I know you,’ Emily interrupted. ‘If you did that you’d never forgive yourself.
‘If only we didn’t have to live in Battersea … and what am I doing to John, dragging him away from Winchester, his school, his friends?’
‘Pearl, we’ve been through this. He’s young, he’ll adapt to a new school and when he comes to stay with me he’ll see his friends.’
‘Mum, I thought you were against us moving, but now you sound like Derek.’
‘I was being selfish in thinking of myself instead of you. It was wrong of me to expect you to give up the chance of your own home and a business which I’m sure you can improve.’
‘But I’m going to miss you so much,’ Pearl choked, her heart heavy at the thought of leaving her mother, and Winchester, a town she loved so much.
‘Come here,’ Emily said as she stood up and opened her arms.
Pearl clung to her as though she were a life raft. ‘I don’t think I can bear to leave you.’
‘Darling, I’ll only be a drive away and I’ll always be here if you need me.’
‘Oh, Mum,’ Pearl choked, a little comforted by her words.
‘Now, come on, chin up,’ Emily said, gently drawing away. ‘You’ve got an early start and I think it might be a good idea if you try to get some sleep.’
Pearl saw the sense of her mother’s words. ‘Yes, all right. Good night, Mum.’
‘Good night, darling.’
When Pearl climbed into bed again, she doubted that sleep would be possible. She was wrong. For a while she lay listening to the sound of Derek’s rhythmic breathing, but then her eyes closed.
Yet Pearl’s last thought before sleep overtook her was that her life was never going to be the same again.