Derek was staggered by the amount he’d been paid for the jewellery. Bessie must have had a keen eye, and though some of the watches weren’t up to much, the other stuff along with the gold chains fetched a good price. Bessie had never looked as if she had two bob to her name and he couldn’t understand why she hadn’t sold it herself instead of salting it away for years.
He’d now made an offer for the stall, and as some of the other costermongers remembered him, they backed his bid. With plenty of money left over, Pearl had decided to completely refurbish the shop, and Derek just hoped she knew what she was doing. It wasn’t that he was worried about the money she’d be spending. What concerned him was how unhappy Pearl would be if her grand ideas for the shop didn’t work out.
‘Nora’s gone to bed early,’ Pearl said, ‘so I’m going to take the opportunity to pop round to see Lucy. I’m thinking of offering her a job.’
‘Shouldn’t you wait to see if you’re going to need help in the shop?’ Derek asked, but Pearl just gave him a swift kiss on the cheek before she hurried out.
Derek frowned. He just hoped that Pearl didn’t bump into anyone who would tell her that just a short while ago Kevin Dolby had been sniffing around. It was Tommy who had passed on the news and Derek had been furious. He’d calmed down when Tom said that Kevin hadn’t been interested in them, just some bloke called Vincent Chase, and that he hadn’t been seen in the area since. Derek just hoped it would stay that way. If there was one thing guaranteed to make Pearl want to leave Battersea, it was hearing that Kevin was back.
Lucy was busily ironing one T-shirt after another when someone knocked on the door. She opened it, smiling when she saw who it was.
‘Pearl, come on in. It’s lovely to see you.’
‘I’m sorry to call so late, but it’s the first chance I’ve had,’ Pearl said, her eyes scanning the living room. ‘This is nice.’
‘It’s not bad,’ Lucy nodded. ‘But I’ve got to move out.’
‘Have you? Why?’
‘The landlord is going to sell this place.’
‘Where will you go?’
‘I don’t know yet. I went to the council today, but they fobbed me off by telling me to apply to a housing association that’s doing up a lot of property around here. They said they’d support my application, that with a kid I stand a good chance, but as I’ve got to be out of here in two weeks I’m not banking on anything,’ Lucy said, then remembering her manners she added, ‘Sit down, Pearl, and can I get you anything? A cup of tea?’
‘No thanks, I’ve not long had one.’
‘Excuse the mess. You caught me in the middle of ironing this lot.’
Pearl looked puzzled as she noticed the rows of T-shirts suspended by hangers on a door frame.
‘I’ve had a go at tie-dyeing and now hope to sell them,’ Lucy explained. ‘I could do with the money.’
‘They’re lovely and I’m sure they will.’ Pearl said.
Encouraged, Lucy smiled. ‘Fingers crossed.’
‘Lucy, I’m going to make alterations to the shop,’ Pearl said as she took a seat, ‘and it’s going to cause a bit of disruption. Nora hates change and she might find it a bit stressful. Not only that, since Bessie died she constantly clings to me.’
‘Her world has been turned upside down, but once she settles you’ll see a big difference. Bessie mostly kept Nora in the shop with her, or she let her go upstairs to do some housework. The two of them seemed to chug along nicely.’
‘Yes, I know,’ Pearl agreed, ‘but I’ll have a lot to reorganise and until Nora settles I really could do without having her under my feet all the time. With that in mind I wondered if you’d be interested in a part-time job?’
‘Oh yes, I’d love to work in the shop again,’ Lucy said eagerly.
‘I’m sorry. The shop won’t be opening until all the alterations are done and in the meantime I need someone to look after Nora, to keep her occupied. It could turn into a permanent position, and as Nora knows you, you’re the first person I thought of.’
‘Do you mean a sort of carer?’
‘Yes, that’s it.’
Lucy was disappointed. She had hoped for a job in the shop, but at least it was work. There was still a problem though, and she hoped Pearl would understand. ‘I’d like the job, but I’m afraid I won’t be able to start straight away. Until the housing association comes up with something I’ve got to find somewhere to live.’
‘If it would help, I’ve got a spare room. You and Clive would have to share it, but it’s not a bad size.’
‘What about my furniture?’
‘You could put it in storage for now,’ Pearl suggested.
Lucy calculated what it would cost for a deposit on another flat against putting her furniture in storage, and asked, ‘How much would you want for the room?’
‘I wouldn’t want anything.’
‘I can’t expect to stay with you for nothing.’
‘Well then, let’s call the room a perk of the job and it’s yours for as long as you need it.’
Lucy wasn’t sure how she felt about living in someone else’s home, but there was no getting away from the fact that Pearl’s offer would solve her immediate problems. ‘All right, Pearl. I’d love the job and the room.’
‘Great. When can you start?’
‘As soon as I’ve arranged to have my furniture and things picked up for storage. Then it’s just a matter of packing our clothes.’
Pearl looked happy as she rose to leave, pausing to look at the T-shirts again. ‘You said you’re selling them. Have you got an outlet?’
‘I’m going to offer them to a stallholder, Eddie White.’
‘If he turns them down, hang on to them. I think they’d be just right for the shop.’
‘Pearl, they aren’t second-hand.’
‘I know, but you see I’m going to turn the shop into an arts and craft outlet. I think those T-shirts would fit in really well, and may act as an inspiration for other people to have a go at tie-dyeing.’
Lucy wasn’t sure how well that sort of business would go down in the area and hoped Pearl knew what she was doing. It sounded interesting though, and maybe when Nora settled down there might be an opening as a sales assistant.
For now she walked Pearl to the door, and as she closed it behind her it felt as though a huge financial burden had been lifted from her shoulders. She’d be earning a wage, living rent-free, and at the moment, that seemed perfect.