Christmas to Come: a heartbreaking coming of age saga set in London's East End Carol Rivers (best sales books of all time .txt) 📖

'Well he don't know much then.'

'And you're daft about him.'

'I'm not!'

'You are!' Dolly sighed dramatically. 'Anyway, it won't stop our Ray from giving you the eye, so be prepared. He'll be done up to the nines in his Sunday best, just you wait. All I hope is I don't wet my drawers with laughter at the sight of him.'

Bella grabbed her friend's arms. 'Dolly, I'll crown you if you've told Ray I fancy him because I don't.'

'I've not breathed a word! Anyway, what's wrong with my brother? Some girls would think he's a real catch.'

Bella didn't have time to reply as the door opened. Raymond Taylor stood there and was, as his sister predicted, dressed in a suit, his chin supported by a tie and shirt that looked as though it was choking him. He blushed at the sight of Bella who had often thought that her friend's older brother was good looking in a sort of dull, conventional way. Soft brown hair and eyes just begging to be noticed. But as she walked past him, she knew that Dolly had spoken the truth. Micky Bryant was the only one who could make her heart race like a train with just the briefest flash of his lovely dark eyes.

Bella hated eating tea with the Taylor's. She did it as little as possible, and only for Dolly's sake. They sat at measured intervals around the big oval table set with the best china and a cake stand and teapot in matching design. The conversation was always the same. How marvellous Mrs Taylor's cooking was, a result of Mr Taylor's vegetable garden just over the railway line. There were questions slipped in about her mother too and her job as a barmaid at the Rose. So Bella was always on her guard which made eating the unpalatable food even more tedious.

She took a sandwich from the plate and bit it into it, wincing at the concoction of fatty spam and sliced vegetable pressed inside the bread. Mrs Taylor, always so proud of the miracles she produced from her ration book, smiled at her husband.

'It's Doctor Carrot again, Neville dear. Fresh from the allotment.'

'Amazing little chap, isn't he? Don't know how we'd have managed without him during the war. I mean, Doctor Carrot even helped us to see in the blackout!'

Bella glanced at Dolly sitting beside her. Both girls smothered their laughter.

Mr Taylor munched noisily as he spoke. Bella had heard it all before as had every other person sitting in the room. The adventures of Doctor Carrot and Potato Pete, the brainchild of the government minister Lord Woolton, who had pioneered the famously indigestible vegetable pie.

'This is lovely, Mum,' Dolly said making a sly face at Bella.

'The best,' agreed Raymond as he patted his stomach, clearly full of the watery custard and anaemic looking spotted dick he had just consumed.

Bella nibbled and between gulps of air, attempted to keep the food down. The Taylors always ate their sandwiches last, to "fill an empty gap" as Mrs Taylor put it.

'Well now, better clear the dishes,' said Mrs Taylor rising to her feet.

'Where is my newspaper, Mother?' Neville Taylor rose too as if they were joined at the hip. He brushed the crumbs from his immaculate grey suit. As a white-collar worker at Poplar town hall, he always wore the same clothes, always a tie and freshly pressed white shirt with detachable collar. A custom, Bella noticed, that Raymond had begun to follow.

'Over there, dear.' Mrs Taylor indicated the direction. 'By your chair, next to your pipe.'

'We'll do the washing up, Mum.' Dolly winked at Bella. 'You put your feet up.'

'That's nice of you, dear.' Dorothy Taylor beamed at her daughter. 'Your father and me will sit down, then. Raymond, turn on the wireless.'

'I'm going to stretch my legs,' Ray said, jumping to attention. Bella looked at Dolly who was also trying to hide her laughter. 'Be back later though, to say goodbye to the girls.'

'Don't stay out too late,' Mrs Taylor replied predictably. 'You've got to be up bright and early for work.'

Raymond pecked his mother on the cheek. Following the girls out to the kitchen, Ray paused by Bella. 'What you doing tomorrow?'

'Breathing, I hope.' Bella lowered the cups and saucers into the bowl.

Dolly giggled, causing Ray to scowl at his sister. 'You know what I mean, it's Saturday.'

'I know it is. Because today's Friday.'

Ignoring the sarcasm, he moved closer, lowering his voice to a whisper. 'Fancy coming to the Troxy?'

'To do what?' Bella asked, wide-eyed.

'To see a flick of course.'

'What's on?'

'Dunno, a double feature, p'raps.'

Bella shook her head solemnly. 'You don't even know what's showing, do you?'

'Give us a chance, Bella. We'll find out when we get there.'

'And then what?' Bella demanded. 'A grope in the back seats for two hours? No thank you.'

Raymond Taylor's face turned scarlet. 'That's not what I meant!' he yelled, humiliated.

Dolly was clattering the dishes noisily but turned round at the disturbance. 'What's going on, you two?'

'Nothing,' Bella said indifferently. 'Much to your brother's disappointment.'

'Now, now.' Dolly came between them. 'Keep it down or Mum'll be in.' She pushed her brother back. 'And anyway, Bella's spoken for. You're wasting your time, Ray.'

It was Bella's turn to look annoyed. Her expression darkened. 'Shut up, Dolly.'

'Well you are, aren't you?'

Before Bella could reply Ray caught hold of Bella's arm. 'Micky Bryant is trouble with a sodding great T, Bella. Him and his family. You'll end up on the wrong side of the law. Why can't you see that?'

'And you are the world's biggest snob for looking down on them,' Bella retorted angrily. 'What do you know of the Bryants or what they've done for me? I wouldn't be standing here if it wasn't for them and that's the plain truth.'

'Have it your way,' he agreed sullenly, 'but don't say I didn't warn you.'

Raymond Taylor had hit a nerve but Bella wasn't prepared to show it. Instead she retaliated like she always did when she felt she was