Free Nobody’s Girl by Kitty Neale

beside her just as the Pathé News began, and they settled back to watch.
    Halfway through the B movie, Pearl opened her chocolates, offering the box to Derek and finding that as the flickering, bluish light from the screen playing across his face, it emphasised his pug nose and craggy cheeks. He turned to smile at her, the effect softening, but she quickly looked away. His bulk filled the seat, Pearl feeling tiny beside him, and moments later he was groping for her hand. She surreptitiously moved it, taking another sweet from the box and offering one to Derek, the moment thankfully passing.
    The main film was on, Marlene Dietrich looking beautiful and sultry, when Pearl stiffened. Derek’s arm was moving slowly around her shoulders. God, what should she do? She didn’t want to encourage him, but didn’t want to lose his friendship either.
    Hastily she whispered, ‘Sorry, Derek, I need to go to the powder room.’
    Pearl spent a long time in the ladies, staring at herself in the mirror and dreading going back to sit beside Derek. He was a lovely man, she knew that, but at the thought of being in his arms and kissed by him, she quaked.
    ‘Well, Pearl, what did you think of the movie?’ Derek asked as they made their way home.
    ‘It was good, and thanks for taking me.’
    ‘We’ll have to do it again soon.’
    ‘Yes,’ she said quietly.
    ‘I tell you what. How do you feel about coming round one night to meet my gran? She’s a lovely old girl and I know you’d like her.’
    Pearl sucked in her breath. If she didn’t say something now, she’d lose her nerve. ‘I’d like that Derek, and I’m glad that we’ve become friends. I’m too young to think about having a boyfriend, so this is lovely.’
    ‘Yeah, right,’ Derek said.
    She caught the note of disappointment in his voice. ‘I know you live with your gran, but what about your parents?’ she asked softly. ‘I haven’t heard you mention them.’
    ‘My mother was killed during the war, and I don’t know who my father is.’
    Pearl smiled at him with sympathy. ‘I don’t know anything about either of my parents.’
    ‘We’ve got something in common then.’
    Pearl rapidly changed the subject. ‘Did I tell you I’m starting art classes in September?’
    ‘No,’ Derek said, and for the rest of the journey back to Battersea High Street, she spoke of her ambitions.
    It was as they drew level with her bedsit that the door to the shop opened, Nobby Clark coming out, with Kevin Dolby behind him.
    ‘Watcha, Nobby … Kevin,’ Derek said. ‘Me and Pearl have just been to the flicks.’
    Kevin’s smile was tight. ‘Is that right? Sorry, mate, we can’t stop to chat.’
    Pearl frowned as they walked away. ‘Kevin once told me that he didn’t know Nobby Clark, but now they seem very friendly.’
    ‘I think you must have got the wrong end of the stick. They go back years; we all do. Kevin is about five years younger than us, but as a nipper he was always hanging around us older lads. Nobby used to be the ringleader and I ain’t proud of the things we got up to but, unlike Nobby, I grew out of it.’
    ‘What do you mean?’
    ‘You know what young lads are like. We were always up to mischief.’
    Pearl shook her head, unable to make sense of it all. She was sure that Kevin had said he didn’t know Nobby Clark. He had lied. But why?
    Kevin climbed into his car and, leaning over, he opened the passenger door for Nobby, his mind on Pearl Button. Shit! The bloody girl had seen him with Nobby and that was the last thing he wanted.
    ‘Bloody hell, Derek and Pearl Button. Talk about beauty and the beast,’ Nobby chuckled as he climbed into the passenger seat.
    ‘Beauty? Pearl ain’t a beauty.’
    ‘Take a closer look, mate. Her clothes aren’t up to much, and she doesn’t wear a scrap of makeup, but when you get a good gander at her face, she’s a bit of all right.’
    ‘Don’t tell me you fancy her too?’
    ‘Nah, she’s too scrawny for me,