The Pearly Queen (44 page)

‘No, of course not, Will.'

An hour later, amid the ringing of the bells, Lulu, Celia and Will were all walking to church together.

She's done for me, thought Will.

He's collapsing, thought Celia.

‘Isn't it a lovely Christmas Day, Will dearest?' she smiled, and slipped a gloved hand into his. ‘Isn't it simply lovely, Lulu?'

‘I likes Christmas,' said Lulu, ‘an' we likes you, don't we, Uncle Will?'

‘I'm licked all ends up permanent, Lulu lovey,' said Will, and his hand closed tightly around Celia's. Her fingers squeezed.

Lord help me, thought Will, what comes next?

Aunt Edie, laden with presents, arrived very early at the family's new home in Lorrimore Square, Kennington, to be greeted with hugs and kisses from everyone except Jimmy. Jimmy wasn't there.

‘Where is he?'

‘'E's gone out, Auntie,' said Betsy.

‘'E said 'e's gone on a mission,' said Patsy.

‘He'll be back,' said Dad. ‘After 'is mission's over.'

‘What mission?' asked Aunt Edie.

‘To Anerley,' said Patsy.

‘Oh, that girl Sophy, that's 'is mission?' smiled Aunt Edie.

‘Well, 'e's nearly seventeen, Auntie,' said Patsy, ‘and says he wants a girl to take out, one that 'e likes.'

‘That boy.' Aunt Edie laughed. ‘Well, Christmas morning's just the right time for a mission, loveys.'

‘Yes, 'e's took some mistletoe,' said Betsy.

Jimmy was riding a borrowed bike, and whistling as he pedalled through the handsome roads of Dulwich. He had had one more letter from Sophy, back in early November. He'd answered it. He had spoken to Mr Gibbs at the factory two days ago, about his future. Mr Gibbs, as usual, had responded kindly.

It was not yet ten o'clock when he rang the doorbell of the Gibbs's handsome house in Anerley. Ada, whose duty it was to answer the summons of callers, opened the door and found herself looking at a young man whose solemn expression couldn't be trusted because of his saucy eyes.

‘Hullo, Ada, merry Christmas.'

‘Jimmy!' Ada's perky little white cap seemed to quiver. ‘Jimmy, fancy it bein' you – oh, merry Christmas yourself. What're you doin' here?'

‘I'm doin' Christmas collectin' for the deservin',' said Jimmy.

‘Deservin' what?' asked Ada.

‘Me,' said Jimmy, ‘I've got some mistletoe in my pocket.'

‘Oh, you've come to collect from the young madam?' said Ada. ‘She's 'ome for Christmas, but she's goin' out in a minute, so you'll have to—' She was interrupted by the swift advance of a girl through the hall, a girl in a dark blue winter coat with a fur collar, and a little fur hat on her head. Sophy Gibbs, now fourteen, was so ravishingly dressed up she looked sixteen.

‘Ada, I'm – oh, hullo, Jimmy, you're a surprise, Daddy was talking about you at breakfast, and Mummy's pleased about things.'

‘That's good,' said Jimmy, ‘merry Christmas, Sophy.'

‘You too,' said Sophy. ‘I can't stop, though, I'm going to see a friend. You can do my room now, Ada. Goodbye, Jimmy.' She sped over the forecourt to the drive.

‘Sorry, Jimmy,' said Ada.

‘Sorry?'

‘'Ard luck, I mean. The young madam's got a new friend. His family live on the other side of Anerley, he goes to a boys' boarding-school that's near hers.' Ada wrinkled her nose. ‘Are you heart-broke again, Jimmy?'

‘Not much,' said Jimmy, who had always felt he was a game to Sophy.

‘Never mind, Jimmy, it's Christmas,' said Ada. ‘D'you want to come in and see cook and Ivy and Mr 'Odges? We're ever so busy, but madam won't mind you.'

‘Well, Mr Gibbs said I could pop in. I asked if I could, just for ten minutes. But first—' Jimmy stepped in, taking his cap off. Ada closed the door to keep the cold out. ‘First – well, look here, Ada, if it's not serious with Percy, and seein' I feel serious myself, can I take you out on your next day off?'

Ada's little cap seemed to quiver again. ‘Me?' she said.

‘You're the nicest girl I know.'

‘Me?'

‘I knew I'd got complications,' said Jimmy, ‘but I thought blow Percy, why should he 'ave all the luck?'

‘I 'aven't been out with Percy for ages,' said Ada, ‘there's someone I like much better.'

Jimmy looked sternly at her. The spacious hall was empty, but the house was alive with the vibrations of Christmas Day.

‘I've lost me Christmas spirit now,' said Jimmy. ‘Who is the bloke? Ask 'im if he wants his block knocked off.'

‘You'd better ask yourself, then, 'adn't you?' said Ada, eyes dancing.

‘Ada?'

‘Oh, come on, Jimmy, you silly.'

‘Ada, would you be my girl, then?'

‘Oh, crikey, you and me, Jimmy? Honest?'

‘You and me, Ada, honest.'

‘Lovely,' said Ada, and Jimmy produced a little sprig of mistletoe. Ada lifted her face. Jimmy kissed her. Ada did a shy, blushing act, just in case Jimmy thought she was too eager. Her mum had said ages ago that it wasn't wise for a girl to let a boy think she wants to be kissed. Best to make him think you're doing him a special favour. Then you can ask a favour of him, like when you want a new hat. Mind, that's only when you're married, of course.

‘I'm comin' back here to work,' said Jimmy, thinking Ada lovely to kiss. ‘I spoke to Mr Gibbs about it, I told him factory work's all right, but that I like outdoor work best. He said fine. So in the New Year, I'm startin' here as a junior gardener.'

‘Oh, it's goin' to be the best Christmas of me whole life,' said Ada. ‘Jimmy, let's go and tell cook and Mr 'Odges and Ivy I'm your girl before I tidy up the young madam's room.'

‘All right, Ada,' said Jimmy. ‘I think I'm goin' to have new problems, not bein' able to say no to you. Still, I'll grin and bear it.'

‘I bet,' said Ada. ‘Come on.'

On their way through the hall, Jimmy said, ‘Do you and cook and Ivy and Mr Hodges know what an oggle box is?'

‘Yes, course we do, Jimmy love. Oggle, oggle, oggle.'

The End

Mary Jane Staples
was born, bred and educated in Walworth, and is the author of many bestselling novels, including the ever-popular cockney sagas featuring the Adams family.

Down Lambeth Way

Our Emily

King of Camberwell

On Mother Brown's Doorstep

A Family Affair

Missing Person

Pride of Walworth

Echoes of Yesterday

The Young Ones

The Camberwell Raid

The Last Summer

The Family at War

Fire Over London

Churchill's People

Bright Day, Dark Night

Tomorrow is Another Day

The Way Ahead

Year of Victory

The Homecoming

Sons and Daughters

Appointment at the Palace

Changing Times

Spreading Wings

Family Fortunes

A Girl Next Door

Ups and Downs

Out of the Shadows

A Sign of the Times

The Soldier's Girl

Natasha's Dream

Nurse Anna's War

 

Two for Three Farthings

The Lodger

Rising Summer

Sergeant Joe

The Trap

The Ghost of Whitechapel

Escape to London

The Price of Freedom

A Wartime Marriage

Katernia's Secret

The Summer Day is Done

The Longest Winter

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PEARLY QUEEN

A CORGI BOOK 9780552138567
Version 1.0 Epub ISBN 9781446488041

First publication in Great Britain

Printing History

Corgi edition published 1992

Copyright © Mary Jane Staples 1992

The right of Mary Jane Staples to be identified as author of this work has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988.

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