Contrary to Emily’s expectations, when they left the flat to visit Pearl, a lot of stallholders spotted them and a small crowd gathered. Eddie White was the first to speak as he brandished the local paper. ‘Don’t worry, Derek, we know this is a load of rubbish. If you’re going to see Pearl, give her my best.’
‘Yeah,’ said Harry. ‘Mine too.’
The flower seller stuffed a bunch of chrysanthemums into Derek’s hand. ‘Tell Pearl these are from me and I wish her all the best too.’
‘Thanks,’ Derek said gruffly, looking overwhelmed, yet gratified.
They left with many more good wishes ringing in their ears, and Emily got into Derek’s car feeling a lot calmer. ‘Wasn’t that nice?’ she said.
‘They’re a great bunch,’ Derek agreed, ‘and I don’t just mean the flowers.’
John looked happier too, and with Nora smiling as she hung onto the flowers, they arrived at the hospital.
‘Mr Lewis, I had to get rid of a reporter yesterday,’ the ward sister said when she saw them.
‘He didn’t get in to talk to Pearl, did he?’
‘Definitely not. He said he was a friend of the family, but then refused to give me his name. He soon left when I threatened to call security.’
‘Thanks, Sister.’
‘There’s no need to thank me. I won’t have my patients upset and I also have some good news. Your wife saw the consultant this morning and he said she’s well enough to leave intensive care.’
‘Oh, that’s wonderful,’ Emily said.
‘She’ll be moved later today so when you come to see her this evening, you’ll need to go up to the first floor. Ward Seven.’
‘Thanks, Sister,’ Derek said for the second time and taking the flowers from Nora they separated, Emily insisting that he and John go in first this time, while she led Nora to the waiting room.
Pearl greeted them with a smile of delight and after being hugged and kissed she asked, ‘Did Sister tell you I’m being moved?’
‘Yes, and it’s great news,’ Derek said.
‘Did she also tell you that I was able to stand up today, and with support I was allowed to take a few steps?’
‘Fantastic, Mum,’ John enthused.
‘If I keep this up, I’ll be home in no time.’
‘It can’t come soon enough for me,’ Derek said, gripping her hand.
‘Nor me,’ John agreed.
Derek knew that Pearl wouldn’t have been this happy if she’d seen the local paper, and felt a surge of relief. After a while he and John left her side to allow Emily and Nora in, and though Derek kept an eye out, he didn’t see any sign of the reporter that the ward sister had mentioned. The bloke had been turned away yesterday, so perhaps he’d given up, but would the staff in the ward Pearl was being transferred to be so vigilant?
All too soon, after seeing Pearl again, it was time to leave and as they drove home, Emily said, ‘I’ve had a lot of time off work, but now I know that Pearl is going to be all right I think I should return to Winchester. We spoke about it and Pearl understands.’
‘Gran, do you have to go?’ John asked.
‘I’m afraid so, darling, but I’ll come back every weekend.’
Derek knew that like John, he’d miss Emily, but he too understood that there was a limit to how much time she could take off. ‘When are you leaving?’
‘On Sunday morning.’
‘So we’ve got to put up with you till then,’ Derek complained.
‘Yes, you jolly well have,’ Emily said. ‘Like it or lump it.’
‘I’ll like it,’ he said, smiling, well aware that Emily knew he was only joking. He had longed to return to Battersea, had thought that Bessie’s flat and shop had been a godsend. He had done all he could to persuade Pearl that it would be a good move and it had all started out so well. He had his stall, Pearl had refurbished the shop, and even John had eventually settled down.
Now, though, Derek wished he’d kept his mouth shut. The move to Battersea, far from a godsend, had turned into a curse. It had all gone wrong and now he wished they’d never left Winchester.
‘I’m glad you all did that,’ Lucy said when Eddie told her about the support they had tried to offer Derek earlier that day. It was after nine that evening and Clive was in bed, but as usual he’d demanded that Eddie tucked him in.
‘Harry was the first to tell us the story was all rubbish, and a couple of the other old traders agreed with him,’ Eddie said. ‘It didn’t take long for that to spread, and anyway, Derek’s one of us so it was the least we could do. A good few of my customers, local gossips, were ready to believe it, but I gave them an earbashing.’
‘They’re used to your cheeky banter so I bet that gave them a shock,’ Lucy said, smiling.
‘Yeah, probably, and a couple of them went off in a huff. Never mind, I’ll soon charm them back. After all, how can they resist this smile, and who else is going to flatter them? Not their husbands, that’s for sure.’
‘You don’t half love yourself.’
‘Not true,’ Eddie protested. ‘It’s you I love so come here and give me a kiss.’
She obliged, then said, ‘Pearl’s been moved from intensive care.’
‘Has she? That’s brilliant.’
‘Yes, it is, but as I know Derek is worried about the gossip I spoke to one of those reporters today.’
‘You did what?’
‘All right, Eddie, don’t get on your high horse. I just told him that Pearl isn’t anything like that story in the local paper, but he wasn’t interested. He said she’s old news.’
‘If that’s the case, let’s hope he buggers off now.’
‘I don’t think he will. He wants to find out about Adrianna, and though I told him that none of us knows anything about her, I don’t think he believed me. He’s still going to try to talk to Derek or John, even Emily.’
‘He’ll be wasting his time,’ Eddie said. ‘They won’t talk to the press.’
‘I know, and at least the other reporters have gone now. I’m going to ask Derek if I can open the shop again.’
‘When Pearl comes home do you think she’ll be up to running it?’
‘She walked a few steps today, so I think so, though maybe not at first.’
‘If you take it on, don’t get too cosy,’ Eddie said. ‘When we’re married you’ll be giving up work, and it isn’t that far off.’
‘Hold on, who said I’m giving up work?’
‘It stands to reason,’ he said. ‘You’ll have me to look after you.’
‘I can still work and with two lots of money coming in, we can make this place look like a palace.’
Eddie pursed his lips, but then said, ‘Yeah, all right, but you’ll have to give up work when a baby comes along.’
‘What if I don’t want any more kids?’
‘Oh, Lucy, don’t say that.’
‘Don’t look so horrified. I’m only joking and though a baby will have to wait until we’re married, there’s nothing to stop us getting in a bit of practice,’ she said, playfully unbuttoning his shirt.
‘Help! Somebody help me! This woman is trying to seduce me.’
‘You daft sod,’ Lucy said, but then it was Eddie who was doing the seducing and she was more than happy to let him.
The man Derek had looked out for was nowhere near the hospital. He’d taken a huge risk in going there the day before, and had scuttled back to the safety of his small room in a boarding house.
He too had read the local paper that morning and threw it aside in disgust. It told him nothing about the family now and only raked up the past – a past he was familiar with.
Unable to find out what he wanted to know, it was torture to wait, but the High Street with its market was a busy place and it wasn’t the best time to make his move.
With heavy furniture and dark curtains, his room felt oppressive and he decided to risk going for a walk. He could wander along by the Embankment, or maybe find an out-of-the-way pub.
With his mind made up, he pulled on his overcoat, the trilby hat and went downstairs. He was just about to open the street door when the landlady appeared, saying sternly, ‘I see you’re going out, but I must remind you that I lock up at eleven o’clock and not a minute later.’
‘I know,’ he said shortly and then opened the door to step out into the chilly, dark night. He wandered, barely taking in his surroundings as his mind dwelled on his problems.
Two hours later he returned, the landlady letting him in with barely a smile. He went up to his room, undressed, climbed into bed and pulled the blankets up to his chin.
He had at last come to a decision. He was going to wait until Sunday evening before making his move. There would be few people about, and with any luck he’d be able to get inside without being seen by prying eyes.
He closed his eyes, but sleep was a long time in coming. He had no idea what the consequences were going to be, prison probably, but he wasn’t going to let the fear of that stop him from doing what he knew he had to do.