When her mother arrived on the following Saturday, Pearl could see that John was pleased to see her, but his mood was often distant and unreachable. The two days passed all too quickly for Pearl and when her mother returned to Winchester, things didn’t get any better.
One of the worst moments for her had been when Kevin rang to speak to John and she was the one who answered the phone. The sound of his voice jolted her, but she felt nothing for him now. She found herself barely able to speak to him and had passed the phone to John, able to judge by the one-sided conversation that Bernie’s body still hadn’t been found, and that Dolly was no better.
More weeks had passed since then, nearly five now since Bernie had taken his own life and at five thirty Pearl locked the shop before going upstairs. ‘Lucy, you can go now and thanks for all you’ve done today.’
‘It was only a bit of ironing.’
‘I still appreciate it,’ she said as Lucy chided Clive to put his crayons and drawing books away.
‘Nora is still using them,’ he said.
‘Yes, I is,’ Nora agreed. ‘Look, Pearl.’
Pearl smiled at the childish drawing of flowers. ‘That’s lovely.’
‘See you tomorrow,’ Lucy said, once she’d got Clive ready.
They exchanged goodbyes, and then, seeing that Nora was still absorbed, Pearl went to find John. He was in his room, sitting up on his bed, a pillow propped behind his head and reading a book on British trees. Though Ginger the cat was stretched out beside him, it seemed such a solitary and unlikely pursuit for someone of John’s age, and she was saddened that he wasn’t out with friends, kicking a football around.
Her mother had rung half an hour ago, and now she hoped John would agree to what she had suggested. ‘John, I’ve had a call from your gran.’
His eyes lit up. ‘They’ve let her out? Is she all right? What did she say?’
‘Darling, I’m sorry,’ Pearl said, aghast that she’d misled him. ‘I meant your Gran Emily.’
‘Oh, right,’ he said, the pleasure in his eyes dimming.
‘Tim and your gran are booking a holiday in Scotland and they wondered if you’d like to go with them.’
‘No, I can’t. What if they find Granddad? What if Gran gets better and they let her go home?’
‘You’ll only be away for a week, and as you’ll be in a hotel I can ring you if there’s any news, or you can ring Kevin yourself from there. I think it would do you good to go away for a little while. From what your gran said about it I’m sure you’ll love Scotland.’
‘I don’t know, Mum. It just doesn’t seem right to go off on holiday as though nothing has happened.’
‘John, we’re not talking about fairgrounds, or frolicking on a beach somewhere. It’ll probably be somewhere remote and you’ll mostly be out walking. Your gran said you might see red deer and even Scottish wildcats.’
Pearl saw a spark of interest in John’s eyes, and crossed her fingers. She was pleased when eventually he said, ‘All right then, I’ll go, but if anything happens, will they bring me straight back?’
‘Of course they will.’
‘I think I’ve got a book on wildlife found in Scotland,’ John said with a touch of enthusiasm as he scrambled off his bed to search his shelves.
Pearl left him to it and went to ring her mother, grateful that she and Tim had been so thoughtful. Like them, she was sure it would do John good to have a change of scenery.
Lucy was deep in thought as she left the shop. Nora was touched by the atmosphere, sad for John and unusually quiet, but on occasions Lucy had heard her murmur something about a bad man again. When questioned, Nora just clammed up and as Pearl had been through enough lately, Lucy had decided not to mention it. Yet it was playing on her mind and before Lucy knew it, she was alongside Eddie’s stall.
‘Are we still on for tonight?’ he asked quietly, as he packed up his stall for the day.
Lucy was glad she had taken Pearl’s advice and her lonely evenings were a thing of the past now. ‘Yes, but don’t come round until you know who is tucked up for the night,’ she said as Clive went to take a proffered apple from the costermonger on the next stall.
‘Clive must know that something is going on between us,’ Eddie said.
‘Only that we’re friends. I don’t think he’s ready to accept more than that yet.’
‘Lucy, I’m sure he likes me so why don’t we all spend the day together on Sunday? We could go out somewhere, perhaps take a drive to Brighton. Clive would love it at the seaside.’
‘I don’t know. I’ll think about it,’ she said. Clive had been chatting to the costermonger, but now after thanking him for the apple he was trotting back. Lucy quickly said goodbye to Eddie, her mind on him as she headed home.
She liked Eddie, really liked him, but she didn’t want Clive getting too close to him until she was sure their relation ship was going to last. Eddie came round at least three times a week now, and invariably they ended up in bed. Their lovemaking was passionate and fulfilling, but was that all Eddie wanted her for? Had she been too willing? Did he see her as easy, a lonely widow ripe for the picking?
Lucy hated the thought, and resolved to find out. If Eddie only wanted her for sex, he’d soon break things off if she turned cold on him.
Adrianna had discovered that Kevin was no fool and she hadn’t been able to get her hands on the money from the sale of the car. He had hidden it somewhere, almost as if he expected her to nick it, and her search for it remained fruitless.
During the long days and nights spent alone with Kevin, there had been a change in their relationship. They had grown close, but something else was bothering her and she said, ‘Kevin, it’s been about five weeks since you put this place on the market and it seems funny that there hasn’t been a single viewing.’
‘The estate agent said it’s always quiet during the school summer holidays.’
‘He’s just making excuses. Tell him if he doesn’t get his finger out you’ll find another agent.’
Kevin pursed his lips. ‘I’ll give it another week and then if he doesn’t drum up some interest I’ll take it off his books.’
Adrianna sighed, sick of being stuck in the cottage for so long now with only the little games she played with Kevin to break the boredom. She’d enjoyed acting hard to get, secretly smiling at his every move to get her into bed, until at last, with nothing else in the way of distraction to pass the time, she had given in.
Adrianna had been determined that this time she’d be the one in control, and it had been fun to treat Kevin like her slave. It had been a laugh, but after a while she had become bored with that too. They now played other games, and at least their imaginative sex lives served to occasionally break the monotonous days and nights. With Kevin, she found sex enjoyable, even fun, and titillated by her thoughts, she said, ‘I’m bored.’
‘And I’m hungry,’ he said.
‘Is that for me?’ she asked huskily.
‘No, it’s for food,’ he said grinning as he stood and stretched his back. ‘What’s for dinner?’
‘I’ve told you before, I’m neither your cook nor your cleaner,’ Adrianna said indignantly, ‘but I suppose I could rustle up a ham salad.’
‘Not again. I’m fed up with rabbit food.’
‘Other than me, it’s the only thing on the menu.’
‘In that case,’ he said, pulling her up and into his arms, ‘I’ll take you.’
He was hot, pungent with sweat, and her nose wrinkled. ‘Not until you’ve had a bath.’
‘Will you wash my back?’
‘Now you want a cook, cleaner and a handmaiden.’
‘No, Adrianna, I just want you.’
Adrianna knew that Kevin had fallen for her, but hardened her heart. After being made to feel like a piece of Vince’s property, she was still determined that no man would ever hold that power over her mind and body again.
Once abroad, the rest of her life stretched ahead of her and Adrianna was already making plans. She didn’t fancy doing some sort of mundane work that paid peanuts, but felt confident about getting a job as an exotic dancer, and with her skills, a well-paid one. All the money she earned would be hers and she’d be frugal, save every penny, her ambition to eventually open her own club.
Adrianna smiled. She wouldn’t be performing then. She’d be the boss, in charge, and everyone would dance to her tune.