Nobody’s Girl Read Online Free Page B

she’d enjoyed her first day.
    Bernie gave her a tray of tea to take to the kitchen, saying he would pour one for her when she returned.
    ‘I don’t want any more fainting fits, girl,’ Dolly said. ‘See that you eat something before you start work in the morning.’
    Pearl agreed, about to leave the kitchen when her employer spoke again. ‘You did well for your first day. Keep it up.’
    Pearl smiled, unused to praise, and was still smiling as she returned to the dining room.
    ‘Blimey, Dolly, what’s come over you?’ Gertie asked.
    ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’
    ‘If I’m not mistaken, you actually praised the new waitress.’
    ‘Yeah, well, this one’s a bit different. She shows me some respect, which is more than I could say for Rita.’
    ‘Things ’ave certainly changed since the war,’ Mo said as she came over to take a cup from the tray. ‘Kids ain’t got any respect nowadays. My Emma came down this morning dressed in something she called Capri pants. They looked daft, if you ask me, and I told her they were too short, but she just laughed. She said it’s the Brigitte Bardot look. I ask you, who’s Brigitte Bardot? She’s got herself a bleedin’ record player too, a Dansette, and it cost twelve quid. Now all I hear day and night is flaming rock-and-roll music.’
    ‘Twelve quid! Where did she get that sort of money?’
    ‘She got it off the club, and I just hope she keeps up the payments. Gawd, I wish her father was still alive. He’d ’ave sorted her out.’
    ‘Yeah,’ Gertie agreed. ‘And as for that Brigitte Bardot, she’s a French actress, and from what I’ve heard she’s a right sexy piece.’
    ‘It’s disgusting, that’s what it is,’ Dolly said. ‘The way young girls flaunt themselves nowadays they’re just asking for trouble. Still, as I said, Pearl seems different, and she doesn’t wear make-up plastered all over her face.’
    ‘She seems a nice enough kid,’ Gertie agreed.
    ‘Right,’ Dolly said, putting her cup back on the tray, ‘let’s get finished up. I don’t know about you two, but I’m fair worn out.’
    The back door opened and Kevin appeared, his look furtive as he clutched a bag behind his back.
    ‘Hello, love. What have you been up to today?’
    ‘Not now, Mum,’ he said, hurrying through the kitchen without stopping.
    Dolly frowned, wondering what was wrong with the boy. She went back to her tasks, rushing to get them finished so she could go upstairs to their flat. Kevin looked upset, and she wanted to know why.
    As she walked along the market, Pearl’s eyes were peeled for Derek Lewis. When he saw her approaching him he quickly finished a sale, moving to the front of his stall.
    ‘Are you feeling better now?’
    ‘I’m fine and wanted to thank you for helping me.’
    ‘Leave it out. It’s the first time I’ve had a girl swooning at me feet and it won’t do me reputation any harm.’
    ‘Here, Derek, got yourself a bit of stuff,’ ave you?’ a voice called from the next stall. ‘Hang on, ain’t that the little mouse from the café? Well, at least you’ll only ’ave to leave her out a bit of cheese.’
    Derek laughed, shouting back to the stallholder, ‘Shut up, Frank! You’re just jealous.’
    ‘Not me, mate. I like a bit of meat to get hold of, and you’ve seen the size of my wife.’
    ‘Yeah, nobody could miss Lucy when she’s in full sail.’
    ‘You cheeky bugger,’ Frank Hanwell called, but then had to serve a customer. ‘What’s that, missus? Of course me lettuce is fresh. Hand-picked from Covent Garden this morning.’
    Derek chuckled and then turned his attention back to Pearl. ‘You could have knocked me down with a feather when you passed out. What brought it on?’
    ‘Oh, nothing really. It’s just that I hadn’t eaten.’
    She saw Derek frown, his soft voice at odds with his build as he said, ‘Are you all right for money, love?’
    ‘Yes, I’m fine, but I must go now. Thank you again for your