Charity by Lesley Pearse

Author:Lesley Pearse [Pearse, Lesley]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9781446474457
Publisher: Random House
Published: 2012-05-22T19:31:31+00:00

Chapter Nineteen

‘Hullo love!’ Carmel said as Charity came into her office one wet afternoon in July. ‘What on earth’s the matter? You look like your dog just got run over.’

‘I’ve got the sack,’ Charity said.

Few people passing Carmel’s tiny office in the Fulham Road would even notice there was activity behind the windows partially covered in brown paper. Sandwiched between a delicatessen and a dry cleaner’s close to the ABC Cinema, the office displayed a small sign that only the most observant would spot: INTRODUCTIONS WITH A VIEW TO MARRIAGE. ALL ENQUIRIES TREATED WITH THE UTMOST CONFIDENTIALITY.

Charity had laughed on seeing it for the first time, assuming people would need to be desperate to step into such a seedy place. But now she knew Carmel used it only as a base, a store-room for hundreds of index card files, and to make arrangements by telephone. Interviews with clients took place either in Carmel’s own home or over afternoon tea at Harrods. But then this warm-hearted woman was motivated more by helping people and making them happy than by financial gain.

Carmel’s striking and smart appearance was at odds with her office. The floor hadn’t been swept for years, ancient, browning wallpaper flapped in places and cobwebs hung from a central naked light bulb. Charity often wondered how she could bear to work in such squalor.

‘You’ve got the sack? But you were doing so well.’ Carmel got up from her seat and gave Charity a comforting hug. ‘Sit down and tell me all about it. I’ll make us some tea.’

‘It isn’t just me.’ Charity removed some bulging files from the only chair and sat down. ‘It’s all the girls. Glamour Girl are doing so well they don’t need a promotion any longer.’

‘Well that’s not so bad,’ Carmel said as she filled up a kettle and plugged it in at the back of the office. ‘What did your boss at the agency say?’

‘Oh they’ve got loads of other jobs we can do. I just liked being a beautician so much.’

Charity often popped in to see Carmel, on her day off or in her lunch hour. It wasn’t just to see what escort jobs she had, but because she liked Carmel. She was funny, kind-hearted and very wise about things. Charity once told her all about John and Carmel had made her see that he was right, their relationship couldn’t have worked for long.

The marriage bureau fascinated Charity too. Occasionally Carmel would show her photographs of some of her clients and she had been surprised to discover that few of them were ancient or actually desperate. In the main they were widows and widowers, often wealthy and well connected. Carmel’s explanation as to how she paired off people with common interests and backgrounds made further sense of why it wouldn’t have worked with John.

But the escort business provided Carmel’s main income. The men came to Carmel by discreet advertisements and personal recommendation and she took a twenty-pound fee from them in advance, of which she kept half.

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