Read East End Angel for Free Online Page A

bought her small gifts, telling her how beautiful she was. But as soon as she’d given in to his demands, he’d treated her indifferently, making her do things she disliked so that she felt ashamed of what she had at first thought was the romance of her life. Then she’d missed her monthly, and another, and had felt sick, too sick not to know that she was pregnant. Pearl pushed her hands over her face as she couldn’t stop the memories from tumbling back, along with all the pain of losing that little life inside her.
    There was a tap on the door and Pearl stood up shakily. She had been lost in a nether world, where the past and all its emotions had become alive again. Unguardedly she had let it all in and now her legs felt like jelly. Pushing back her hair and trying to compose herself, she went to the kitchen door. It was a shock to see Ruby standing there. She looked very smart and pretty.
    Ruby threw her arms around her. ‘Oh, I’ve missed you, Pearl.’
    ‘And I’ve missed you. Come in, come in.’
    ‘Did you have a nice honeymoon?’
    ‘Wonderful. I’ve been longing to tell you about it. But you haven’t been round.’
    Ruby looked away. ‘I wanted to give you a chance to settle in.’
    ‘We’ve been home three weeks. I called at Mum and Dad’s and they said you were on another course.’
    ‘Yes, more first aid, though I can’t say I’m Florence Nightingale.’ Ruby looked round the kitchen. ‘Oh, Pearl, you’ve done this up lovely. Just look at them curtains!’
    ‘I ran them up by hand.’
    ‘Is that a new settee?’
    ‘Yes, do you like it?’
    ‘Better than our old one at home.’ Ruby walked round, giving little oohs and ahs.
    Her strawberry-blonde hair was turned under and tucked behind her ears. The light-coloured jacket with padded shoulders looked new. It was then that Pearl had a pang of nostalgia as, being the same bust and waist size they had always shared their clothes. They suited the same colours, both having blonde hair and green eyes. Clothes rationing had started on 2 June. Pearl decided that Ruby must have used a lot of coupons on the jacket.
    ‘Was this expensive?’ Pearl asked, touching her sleeve.
    ‘Don’t know. It was a gift.’ Ruby sat down on the settee. Looking at Pearl she gave a small shrug. ‘From Ricky.’
    Pearl sat down quickly. She felt her tummy turn over as she looked into her sister’s eyes. ‘So you’re still going out with him?’
    ‘As a matter of fact, that’s why it’s been difficult to get round. We spent all the time together that we could, before he was posted.’
    Pearl looked down in her lap. She was trying to disguise her disappointment and Ruby saw it.
    ‘I take it you still don’t approve?’ Ruby said, her tone rising. ‘Is it to do with what went on at the wedding? Why Jim took such a dislike to him? To be honest, Pearl, I’m baffled. I mean, Dad thinks it was just high spirits, and Ricky says they’d just had a glass too many. But even so, I don’t understand what went on. Do you?’
    Pearl knew if there was ever a time to share her secret with Ruby it was now. But shouldn’t she have told Jim first, a little voice inside her head demanded. He’s your husband, he has the right to know the truth. How could she tell Ruby about the past and not tell Jim? What would Ruby think of her? She looked up at Ruby and knew that she couldn’t find the courage. Lowering her head, she shook it slowly. ‘It was just a misunderstanding.’
    ‘Well, it must have been a big one. Jim had Ricky by the collar.’
    ‘It was like Dad said, a bit of horseplay.’
    Ruby was silent, then said in a husky voice, ‘Pearl, I want you to know that I love him.’
    Pearl bit her lip hard, trying to calm herself. How could Ruby love him? He was the one man on earth that she shouldn’t be loving.
    ‘I can’t understand it,’ Ruby pressed again. ‘Are you upset with me?’
    ‘No, course not.’
    ‘What is it, then?’
    ‘I just want you to be