Rose Gardner's Florist (The Providence Street Shops #2) - Bonnie Dee Page 0,24
leave from the army had been. Long enough to have fathered this baby, or would he be raising someone else’s child as his own?
“Arietta!” Rose shouted above the din. “Come outside so we can talk.”
Though they hadn’t seen each other in many months, her sister barely spared a glance. “Bugger off. I’m busy talkin’ to Dad, the ole penny pincher.”
“Please. It’s important.”
“Fancy gown that. Where’d you get it?” Madge, Rose’s sister-in-law fingered her sleeve.
Mum came from the other room, bottle in hand. “Fancy, indeed. Showin’ off her duds like a peacock. Why dontcha buy a weddin’ dress for your sis. Think o’ someone besides yerself for a change.”
“Arietta. Come on! Move your bleedin’ arse and maybe I will buy you a dress,” Rose used the only language her sister understood.
A few moments later, the pair of them stood in the tenement hallway. It stunk of piss and sweat, but at least it was quiet enough to talk without yelling.
Arietta folded her arms over her full breasts. “Goin’ to scold me for gettin’ knocked up?”
Rose held her tongue. “What’s done can’t be undone. But I would like to talk to you about your future. Do you truly want to marry Gus Barnes and live in India? Once you go, you won’t likely return, you know.”
“Anyplace is better than ‘ere. Ain’t that what you used to say?”
“But that is not always true. What do you know about him? Is he kind? Will he treat you right?” She didn’t ask if Arietta loved him for she felt fairly certain of the answer.
“’E’s awright.” Arietta shrugged. “Gus fancies me and wants to set me up in a proper ‘ome. Says e’s tired of bein’ alone and don’t want to look around no further for a wife.”
“You don’t have to marry yet. You’re so young.”
“Mary and Daisy and Carrie is all either wed or about to be,” Arietta listed several of her friends. “I’m glad to be set and outta this hellhole. Could do worse than Gus, who’s stickin’ by me even though I’m—” She put a hand to her round abdomen.
“What if there was another way?” Rose hesitated. Could she take on the responsibility of her pregnant sister? She should want to, but it was hard to make the offer. “What if you came to live with me and worked in my shop?”
For a moment, as Rose looked into her sister’s face, it was a mirror of her own, eyes bright blue and open rather than squinted in a perpetual frown. Arietta’s mouth dropped open and she looked very young with her expression so unguarded. “You want me to come work for you?”
“I could not have you in the shop where your condition would raise questions, but I would teach you how to care for the flowers and make floral arrangements.”
“Why the ‘ell would I want to do that, you silly bint?” Arietta laughed. “I got a man set to look after me for life. I don’t gotta work as no shop girl, just take care of me ‘ouse. A real place of our own and not a flat, Gus says. I’m gonna live like a queen in Inja.”
Rose hated how relieved those words made her. “You’re really sure this is what you want?”
“I told you it is. Sheesh, get the wax outta yer ears.”
“In that case, I’m happy for you and wish you the best of luck. Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help with your wedding, like supply flowers.”
“A fancy dress ‘d be nice. Somethin’ like what you got on, but a brighter color and shinier.”
Rose glanced down at her simple day dress. “I can do that. What color would you like?”
“Pink,” Arietta answered promptly.
“You always did love pink,” Rose murmured. “Like your doll’s dress.”
“Yeah. Remember when Jamie Dawson took her from me and pulled off her arms? You beat him up proper.”
“I did.” Rose cuffed Arietta lightly. “No one could mess with my sis except me.”
They smiled at one another. Then Arietta snapped, “So, you comin’ inside or not?”
“Not tonight, but I’ll see you again before your wedding so we can make sure the gown fits. Will that be all right?”
“Sure.” Arietta glanced at the door from behind which raucous laughter exploded. “Don’t blame ya. I wouldn’t go back in there if I didn’t ‘ave to. You done good to get away and make somethin’ of yerself. Don’t let any of ‘em tell ya otherwise.”
“Thank you. I guess you’ve done well for yourself too, finding a good