Jenny along – her house had a few good-quality things in it and she’d know what a fair price was. The decision made, her mind turned back to that oddly familiar face in the crowd.
If her suspicions were right, Mavis knew she had every right to feel uneasy. What in heaven’s name would have brought Larry Barnet to Peckham?
Jenny Bonner stared at her husband. ‘Do you really have to do this? What about me? What about Greg? He’s only ten. It’ll be a big change.’
Stan Bonner rubbed his head, pushing his hand across his receding hairline. He’d known this wasn’t going to be an easy conversation. ‘I realise that, love. It’s not ideal. But if I want to get on in the firm there’s no getting away from it. I’ve got to travel more, and as I said, it’ll often mean staying away for several nights in a row.’
Jenny shook her head, worried and upset. For a moment she had the horrible thought that this was Stan’s excuse to get away from her, that maybe there was another woman in his life. Then she came to her senses. Stan loved her and wasn’t the type to stray. ‘When does it start, Stan? Are you sure there’s nobody else who’ll do it?’
‘That’s not the point, love.’ Stan tried not to show his impatience. He wasn’t happy either but he knew what would happen if he didn’t agree to do as his boss asked. ‘Plenty of the others would do it. The thing is, they picked me out. That means they like me and I could be in for a promotion. That’d be good, wouldn’t it? Get you more things, and for Greg too.’
Jenny could tell she was on a losing streak but tried again. ‘What about Greg? He’ll be doing his eleven-plus soon. He’ll need you here to help him. I didn’t stay on at school for long enough to be of much use. He’ll get all those practice papers and then he’ll fail because his mum wasn’t clever enough to show him how to work them out.’
Stan came across the kitchen and put his arms round her. ‘Don’t say that, love. He’s a bright boy, and he’ll be fine. You’re bright too and it wasn’t your fault you didn’t stay on at school. Your mum needed you to go out to work, to earn money to help her out.’
Jenny leaned against him and seemed to sag, the fight going out of her. ‘I won’t like it when you’re away. I’ll miss you.’
‘I’ll miss you too, but we want a good life for Greg, don’t we? I’ll be earning more money, and if I get promoted we’ll be in clover.’
Jenny nodded, her head pressing against her husband’s shoulder. She loved her house – it was big for three of them, and to begin with they’d hoped there would be more children, but none had come and now they were used to having lots of space. Greg had his own bedroom and there was a spare room. Stan was an insurance salesman and had a little space he called his office, though now that he was going to be away from home for long periods, it would hardly be used. ‘I suppose if you get promoted, it’ll be worth it.’
‘That’s the spirit.’ Stan pulled back so he could look into his wife’s hazel eyes. ‘I’m doing it for you two. This chance has come just at the right time. Greg’s old enough to understand, and he’s not so little that you have to run round after him anymore.’
‘I liked running round after him.’ Jenny gave a sniff. He’d been an adorable little boy, and she never begrudged him a minute of her time. She didn’t like to think of him growing up and getting independent. But Stan was right. That wouldn’t be far away.
‘I know you did. You were, you are, a wonderful mother. I’m proud of you.’ Stan gave her a squeeze, thinking again how he’d miss her gorgeous curves while he was on the road. ‘It’ll break my heart spending nights away from the pair of you. You know that. But you’ll be fine. You could ask Tommy over, if that would make it easier.’
Jenny hugged him back. ‘I might. He must get lonely in that flat down in Wandsworth. He hasn’t really got any mates there, and Mavis will be busy sorting out her new place. He might be glad of a few evenings round here.’ Jenny had been close to her cousin Tommy when they were little and when his marriage had failed his mean mother had refused to take him in, even temporarily, so he had come to stay with them. That had been two years ago, but the cousins had stayed close, particularly when Tommy had started to date Mavis, Jenny’s great friend and former next-door neighbour from when she’d been married to Alec. ‘I’ll ask him.’
‘You do that. I’d feel better if I thought you weren’t on your own every evening when I’m away.’ Stan was relieved. It looked as if he’d be able to accept his boss’s proposal with a clear conscience. ‘I suppose there’s still no sign of him staying over in Peckham?’
Jenny shook her head, pulling away from her husband. Her brown hair, which these days was cut in a neat bob, swung around her face. ‘You know very well that Mavis won’t do anything until the whole mess with that evil husband of hers is sorted out, and that might take years. It’s a crying shame.’
Stan pulled out a chair at the kitchen table and sat down. He’d never had much to do with the Pughs when they’d lived next door and had found it hard to believe what had gone on only a few yards from their own happy home. ‘Yeah, what a bastard, ’scuse my French. It’d be better off for everyone if he washed up dead somewhere, wouldn’t it? That would solve everything.’
‘I wouldn’t wish that on anybody – but yes, you’re right. After what he did to Mavis and James, it would be no more than he deserves. Mavis has had to bring up their children without a penny of support from him, despite all that money Alec will have gained from selling the house.’
The sound of ‘Please Don’t Go’ blasted out from the Talisman club as Rhona and Penny pushed their way through the entrance lobby. Penny had been worried that she wouldn’t get in as she knew she looked younger than she actually was, but the doorman had taken one glance at her blonde hair and curvy figure and waved her straight through. She giggled nervously as she surveyed the crowd. Everyone seemed very sophisticated and confident. She straightened her shoulders. They were no better than her and she wouldn’t stand in a corner waiting to be asked to join in.
‘Shall we dance?’ she shouted in Rhona’s ear, struggling to make herself heard above the twanging guitar booming from the speakers.
‘Let’s get a drink first,’ Rhona shouted back. She didn’t want to seem too eager. That might put some men off and she wanted to have the chance to scout the place properly before deciding who was worth bothering with and who wasn’t. ‘If we wait until later the bar might be too busy. This way.’ She led her friend around the tables crowded on the edge of the dance floor and across to the bar. The floor was already a little slippery from spilt drinks but she didn’t care. ‘Oh baby, please don’t go …’ she sang to the song under her breath, as she headed for a gap in the press of people attempting to catch the bar staff’s eyes. She had a rule: to buy her own drink to begin with, and not to rush into accepting one from the first man who offered. She didn’t want to risk getting stuck with a total moron for half the evening. She’d mentioned this technique to Penny on the way here on the bus. They’d sat at the back on the top deck, smoking and getting themselves in the mood for a proper night out. Penny had been slightly unsure of her new top but Rhona had assured her it was exactly right, and not too low-cut at all.
Penny had clearly forgotten the plan as when Rhona turned around to check what she wanted, her friend was already chatting to someone, their heads pressed close together. Rhona
