she could cope with. ‘I’d best go up, Lucy, but I’ll have a chat with you again before I leave.’
As a customer came in Pearl went through to the back of the shop and climbed the stairs. She passed the first floor where there was a living room, kitchen, bathroom and Nora’s bedroom, going on up to the top floor where she walked into Bessie’s room.
It was dim with the heavy, dark blue curtains partially drawn, but Pearl could just about make out that Bessie was propped up in bed on a pile of pillows. Her grey hair, though short, was untidy and her face lined with wrinkles. ‘Are you awake?’ Pearl asked softly.
‘Yes, and it’s about time you got here,’ Bessie croaked. ‘I’ve got to be dying before you come to see me.’
Pearl felt a twinge of guilt. Though she hadn’t lived with her for long, they had grown close and Bessie would always hold a special place in Pearl’s heart. When she had moved away from London, Pearl kept in touch with frequent phone calls, and Derek would sometimes pick Bessie and Nora up after visiting his gran and he’d bring them back to Winchester for the afternoon. ‘Bessie, you know why I don’t like coming to Battersea,’ she said. ‘Now tell me, how are you feeling?’
‘Rough, but open the curtains so I can get a better look at you,’ Bessie said then coughed painfully.
Pearl let in some light before drawing a rickety chair close to the bed. ‘You shouldn’t be up here on your own at night. I don’t know why you won’t let Nora sleep in the room next door.’
‘Leave it out. She snores like a trooper. Even with the door shut, I’d hear her.’
‘Oh, and you don’t?’ Pearl said wryly while rearranging the blankets. ‘Have you seen the doctor?’
‘Yes, but a fat lot of good that’s gonna do,’ Bessie croaked when another fit of coughing ended. ‘I think me number’s up this time.’
‘Don’t be silly. You’re going to be fine.’
Despite the reassurance, Nora suddenly gripped Pearl’s hand, saying urgently, ‘I want you to promise that if I don’t pull through, you’ll take care of Nora. Don’t worry, you won’t lose out financially, I’ve seen to that.’
‘Of course I’ll look after her, but this is just another bout of bronchitis and it won’t be necessary.’
‘Promise me, Pearl. You’ve got to promise me,’ Bessie pleaded.
‘All right, I promise,’ Pearl said, thinking that though Bessie was being overdramatic, it might be best to placate her.
‘Thanks, love,’ Bessie said, releasing Pearl’s hand and sinking back on her pillows. ‘I can rest easy now.’
‘Is this why you wanted to see me?’
‘Yes. I don’t suppose John’s with you? The only time I get to see him is when we come to Winchester.’
‘You know why I don’t bring him to Battersea.’
‘No matter how much you try to hide it, the truth has a way of coming out,’ Bessie warned.
‘John is too young to cope with it yet. Maybe when he’s older, but even then it’s going to be an awful shock.’
‘I know you regret the day you married Kevin Dolby, and if you remember, I tried to warn you against him,’ Bessie said, but then she doubled up in another fit of coughing.
‘Your chest sounds terrible. If you’d stop smoking it would help.’
‘After thirteen years of nagging me, you might as well give up. Anyway, I’m nearly eighty years old now and it’s too late.’
‘Don’t be silly. Of course it isn’t.’
‘Bury your head in the sand if you must, but now you’ve promised to take care of Nora it’s eased my mind. You’re settled with Derek, and though you all live with your mother, which isn’t ideal, it’s plain to see how happy you are. Your son is a lovely boy and one of the few people who doesn’t mock Nora.’
‘He loves her, Bessie.’
‘I know, and she adores him, which is another reason why I know Nora will be fine when you take her on. When I go, you’ll find a box under the bed with my papers in, and when you sort my things out you’ll find a nice little cache of stuff to help you out.’
‘I wish you’d stop talking like this.’
‘I’m just putting me affairs in order, that’s all. Now enough said, so how about making me a cup of tea?’
‘Yes, all right, and can I get you anything to eat?’
‘No, thanks, a fag and a cuppa is all I want.’
‘Oh, you and your cigarettes,’ Pearl said wearily, sad that all her years of nagging Bessie to stop had come to nothing. She went down to the kitchen, pleased to see it sparkling with cleanliness. Bessie was hopeless when it came to housework, but it was one of the things Nora excelled at. Without even thinking about it Pearl had agreed to take Nora on if anything happened to Bessie, but now she realised that it would pose a rather large problem. They shared her mother’s two bedroom cottage, and with her mother in one of them and John in the other, she and Derek already had to sleep in the front living room. That just left the kitchen, which fortunately was a large one, and a small conservatory which now served as a sitting room. As Pearl was pouring the boiling water into the teapot, Nora appeared. She was short, plump, with a round face and straight, light brown hair. Though her eyes often appeared vacant, Nora was usually cheerful; yet this wasn’t the case now.
‘Bessie really bad this time,’ Nora said woefully.
‘She’ll be all right,’ Pearl said kindly. ‘You’re doing a wonderful job of looking after her.’
Looking tearful, Nora shook her head. ‘No, Bessie not get better.’
Nora’s words sent a shiver along Pearl’s spine, but despite that she managed to sound reassuring. ‘Of course she will. Did the chemist give you her medicine?’
‘Yes,’ she said, holding it out.
‘Good girl, and now you can take it up to her,’ Pearl said as she regained control of her feelings. Like Bessie, Nora had the strange ability to predict the future – but surely she was mistaken this time?
‘All right, I give to Bessie,’ Nora agreed.
As Pearl waited for the tea to brew, she decided that as always Nora was just being overly anxious, as she was every time Bessie got a bout of bronchitis. She wasn’t predicting the future. Bessie would get over it. She always did. She was a tough old bird and would probably live long enough to get a telegram from the Queen.
Bessie dutifully swallowed her medicine, but she knew there was nothing now that could help. She smiled fondly at Nora, but it did nothing to soothe the girl’s anxiety. Instead Nora looked as she had for the past week, pale and tearful.
Like her, Nora knew of course, sensed that the end was in sight and Bessie’s heart went out to her. How long had
