‘But what?’ Evelyn asked.
Molly shifted her weight from one foot to the other and wrung her hands.
‘Come on, tell me,’ Evelyn insisted. ‘After the stuff you’ve been through I can’t believe you can’t tell me the reason you’re feeling down in the dumps.’
‘It’s just stuff that I can’t get out of my head, and it’s driving me mad. Like, why did Charley pack me in? Was it something I did or said? One moment he was talking about marriage and then crash, bang, wallop he’s changed his mind. It doesn’t make any sense.
‘Then there’s George. When he was here, I got the feeling he wanted to take things further, but in his letters since there’s nothing, not a hint he might want me to be his girl. And my parents seemed to care when I was in hospital, but that seems to have faded since.
‘And, to cap it all, there’s the trial for Miss Gribble and Mrs Coleman. When’s that going to happen? And what sort of things am I going to be asked?’
‘Sounds like you feel you’re shut in a waiting room and there’s nobody to tell you how long you’ve got to wait,’ Evelyn suggested.
‘Sort of.’
Evelyn thought for a moment. ‘As far as George goes, maybe he thinks you’re still smitten with Charley and haven’t ever thought about him in that way. My suggestion is that you go home, perhaps stay with George, and make it very clear to him that you’re interested. While you’re there, you could try and make the peace with your father, show both him and your mum you’re prepared to meet them halfway. As for the trial, that isn’t something you should concern yourself with. It will only take place once the police have gathered all the evidence.’
‘You don’t have any idea why Charley packed me in, then?’
‘Why do you need to know why? It won’t help you.’
‘It might stop me making the same mistake with another man.’
Evelyn frowned. ‘It wasn’t a mistake on your part. The fault lay with him.’
Molly looked at her employer hard. They had become much closer since Petal had come to live at the George, and she now had a keen intuition when Evelyn was hiding something. She had it now: Evelyn was avoiding eye contact.
‘You’ve said that before, and Mr Bridgenorth has, too,’ Molly said sharply. ‘If you know something, you should tell me.’
Evelyn laughed, a light little trill that might mean she felt she’d been caught out. ‘Oh, Molly. You didn’t use to say boo to a goose, and now you’ve found confidence enough to pick me up on things I say. I’m glad of that – you were once far too meek and mild. I like this new assertive person.’
Molly had no intention of backing off just because of a bit of flattery. ‘Then tell me what fault lay in Charley?’
Evelyn hesitated, biting her lip.
‘Go on, spit it out,’ Molly insisted.
‘He was homosexual,’ Evelyn blurted out. ‘We didn’t want to tell you, but it isn’t right that you keep blaming yourself.’
Molly’s eyes almost popped out of her head. She was utterly astounded. ‘Surely not! I can’t believe it. What makes you say such a thing?’
Evelyn explained what had happened the day that Ted had gone over to Whitechapel to tell Charley that Molly was in hospital. She recounted it carefully, making sure Molly fully understood that there had been no mistake. ‘There was no doubt about it,’ she ended up. ‘I’m terribly sorry, Molly. It isn’t an easy thing to tell anyone, especially someone you care about.’
Molly had turned pale. Her eyes were wide and glassy, and she ran her fingers through her hair distractedly, as if trying to think up a reason why it couldn’t be so.
Evelyn waited. She wanted to embrace the girl and take away her hurt, but that would be like trying to put a plaster on a broken leg.
‘I can’t believe it! Surely you’re wrong!’ Molly exclaimed, and tears came into her eyes. ‘But I know you and Ted wouldn’t tell me this unless you were absolutely sure.’
She paused, taking deep breaths as if trying to calm herself. ‘Poor Charley!’ she finally burst out. ‘What a terrible thing for him! He can’t help how he was born, can he? And I’m sure he didn’t know what to do, or who to turn to.’
Evelyn was moved by Molly’s ability to feel sympathy for Charley even when she was so hurt. ‘That’s very understanding of you,’ she said. ‘I think I’d be tempted to stamp my feet and ask why he’d led me up the garden path and talked about marriage. But you must always remember he did the right thing by you in the end, and that was because he was genuinely fond of you. Both Ted and I have met quite a few men in the hotel trade that are that way. They have to hide it, of course, but they’re usually true gentlemen.’
Molly began to fold some napkins. She looked very pensive for some time. Evelyn got on with the seating plan, but she kept glancing over at Molly, afraid she might break down when the reality of it hit her.
But, to her surprise, Molly suddenly looked up, bright eyed again, as if she’d given herself a mental shake.
‘Then it was for the best,’ she said. ‘Imagine how awful it would’ve been if we had got married and it was all a sham? It doesn’t bear thinking about.’
‘No, it doesn’t, and I’m sure Charley is feeling as bad as you are about it,’ Evelyn assured her.
‘I don’t feel bad exactly, just rather foolish,’ Molly said. ‘I don’t seem to be any good at working men out. Am I going to make a prize fool of myself with George, too?’
Evelyn smirked. ‘Hardly – the man is nuts about you.’
‘But the distance between us?’ Molly said.
‘You’re putting the cart before the horse.’ Evelyn laughed. ‘Go home for a weekend, see how it goes, and if it’s meant to be the pair of you will come up with solutions to the problems.’
Molly frowned, deep in thought. ‘Of course, we’ll both be witnesses at Miss Gribble’s trial. Maybe I could wait and see how it goes with him there, up in London, where no one is watching. It would be easier than back home in Sawbridge.’
‘A brilliant plan,’ Evelyn said, delighted that Molly was finally being positive about the situation with George. ‘London can be very romantic, especially at night. Walks along the Thames Embankment, an intimate Italian restaurant, or St James’s Park in the moonlight. Ted and I had some lovely times there.’
Molly smiled. ‘I’m not sure the Old Bailey could be thought of as romantic, especially as we’ll both be put through our paces by the barristers.’
‘Yes, but think of the relief when it’s all over.’ Evelyn sighed. ‘That’ll be the night for romance and looking to the future. I know I’m sick of people talking about the case in the bar, asking me questions, giving their point of view, which is mostly inaccurate. And it must be a hundred times worse for you, Molly.’
‘It is tiresome when people stop me in the street or outside the school gates – they do it even when Petal’s with me,’ Molly said indignantly. ‘I really hate that they haven’t the sense to realize she shouldn’t be hearing this stuff. I suppose they’ll forget about it as soon as the trial is over, though.’
‘I believe the only thing holding it up is that the police are still waiting to get a statement from Christabel Coleman. One of the local bobbies told me she became hysterical when she was told Miss Gribble killed her daughter. She hasn’t been fit for questioning since, and they’ve got a lot of loose ends to tie up that only she can help with.’
‘How could she have not known? Or that Miss Gribble was ill-treating Petal? They were all in the same house, for goodness’ sake! The woman is a total loony!’ ’
‘Perhaps, or maybe it’s just years and years of being conditioned into accepting her housekeeper’s views and behaviour.’
‘Do you think the she-devil will hang?’
Evelyn shrugged. ‘She should – she’s an evil woman and no mistake – but so many people are against hanging now, she might just get life.’