A Promise Between Friends (23 page)

Ruby sighed heavily. ‘I must admit I miss modelling.’

He pulled her into his arms. ‘Most women are content to find a husband, get married, have babies. They don’t think about careers.’

Ruby leaned her head on his shoulder. ‘I like me fashions and wearing nice clothes. Modelling wasn’t like work really. It was doing what I love best. After all, not many girls get
the chance to wear the latest styles.’ She sighed heavily. ‘But I suppose that’s all in the past now. I might even have to go back to Larry’s.’

Nick was silent for a moment, his brow pleated. ‘I don’t think there’s any call for that.’

Ruby frowned. ‘What do you mean?’

‘I’ve just taken on a new warehouse at Chalk Wharf.’

‘Chalk Wharf?’ Ruby repeated. ‘But that’s near the Mallard Road Estate.’

‘Yes, your turf, my sweet.’

‘What are you going to sell in this warehouse?’

‘Some very expensive things.’ He threaded his fingers through hers and looked into her eyes. ‘How would you like to work for me? I’ll match Anna’s wages and I think
I can add some interesting value to the offer.’

Intrigued, Ruby smiled. ‘Is this another one of your teases?’

‘When it comes to business, I’m always serious. The first rule of the game is never to make an offer you can’t back up.’

‘But I don’t know anything about selling stuff,’ Ruby said with a giggle. ‘I’d be hopeless.’

‘You sold expensive fashions to wealthy people. Besides which, you have the personality, intelligence, charm and good looks to sell anything you so desire.’

He was actually convincing her she could. ‘But what about Mum?’

‘I’ll hire this Maggs on a permanent basis.’

‘Would you?’

‘Why not?’ He smiled, the dimple in his chin deepening. ‘You can repay me in kind,’ he whispered as he began to make love to her.

‘Just a short way now,’ Nick said as they drove through the East India Dock Road towards Chalk Wharf.

Ruby stared out of the Buick window, at the busy roads that were so familiar to her, taking the horse-drawn vehicles and many lorries to and from the docks. Before Nick took her home they were
going to the warehouse; he had assured her that what she saw there would convince her to make the changes in her life that would lead to her dreams coming true.

But as the Buick sped them through the dock gates and slowly along the wharfs, she hated what she saw. These very docklands were what she had tried to escape. Mucky, noisy lorries oozing clouds
of filth, gangs of stevedores, porters and casuals yelling out in their coarse language, turbaned factory workers milling around the small yards and even those dock dollies with their painted faces
brave enough to show up in daylight hours. Cranes, barges, boats and ships thronged the port, causing a non-stop whirlwind of dirt, dust, noise and unpleasant odours. The industrial docklands were
a far cry from Dower Street and the glamorous West End.

Ruby’s new-found enthusiasm began to ebb away. She loved buying things, not selling them. Modelling hadn’t been selling to her. If she was honest, walking the catwalk at
Steadman’s had been more like showing off! No one had enquired as to what she thought of the fashions. She just wore them. The plain truth was, she had just been a dresser’s clothes
horse. Not that she had ever thought of complaining. She hadn’t had to use her brains. Just her vanity!

‘Here we are,’ Nick said as Ruby sat forward, surprised to see they were now turning away from the water’s edge and driving down one of the lanes containing all kinds of
commercial buildings.

‘This is it,’ Nick said, parking outside a large warehouse. ‘Not much from the outside, but wait till you see what’s beyond those rather unremarkable doors.’

He helped Ruby climb out and led her to a small, roughly painted metal door, secured by a strong lock. At eye level there was a small square opening.

‘What’s that?’ Ruby asked as they walked in.

‘You open it to see who’s there,’ Nick told her, ‘like this. All part of our security as well as the locking system and night watchman.’

‘Why do you need so much?’ Ruby asked in all innocence. The warehouse seemed just like an ordinary warehouse. One of the many in the industrial areas of the wharfs, just like she and
Pete had played around as kids. Sometimes their owners left barking dogs inside to ward off any intruders. But night watchmen were expensive. The market traders who usually rented those sort of
premises preferred to take care of petty thieves themselves.

‘You’ll see why very soon.’ He unlocked and pushed open a second door, also made of steel. Ruby walked into the cavernous building with high cathedral ceilings and under them
wooden crates piled upon wooden crates.

‘What’s in all those?’ she asked curiously.

‘Come along and I’ll show you.’

Ruby followed him down the narrow aisle, her spirits at an all-time low. At least when she was home she was free to go to the market. And as much as she loved Nick, her eyes told her this was
not an environment she could be happy in. When Nick showed her into a room with blinds at the glass windows, she gave a little shiver. How could anyone ever want to work in a place like this, day
in and day out?

If what was in the crates was machinery of some kind, it would be very boring. If it was food, like tins, or perishables, it would be even less interesting. The light suddenly went on. Ruby
blinked hard as she looked around. She could hardly believe what she saw. The room was full of the most amazing animal furs, pelts, coats, collars, hats and beautiful textiles.

She looked at Nick who was standing silently, one eyebrow arched. Ruby went over to the nearest white fur coat that was draped over one of the crates. She put down her bag and touched the animal
skin.

‘Nick, what fur is this?’

‘Bear skin, from the Americas. Let me help you.’ He slid it on her. Her fingers slipped through the exquisite fur and she buried her face in its luxury. ‘Did this come from a
real bear?’

‘Yes, of course.’

‘Poor thing.’

He shrugged. ‘The indigenous people of the Americas have to make a living from hunting. They wouldn’t survive otherwise.’

‘How much does the coat cost?’

‘Many, many hundreds of pounds.’

‘As much as a car?’

‘Perhaps more.’

Ruby pulled the warm skin around her, inhaling its own peculiar, distinctive scent. ‘And you want me to sell these?’

‘That’s the general idea.’

Ruby tried to reply, but she couldn’t. She was in fashion heaven. To think that Nick had kept all this a secret, waiting until he found her again to share it with her.

She stepped into his arms and in the warm, white folds of the coat he drew her into a long embrace.

Two weeks later on a damp and dismal October Friday, Ruby closed her bedroom door. She was dressed in a smart, deep blue, figure-hugging suit, ready for her first working day
at the warehouse. On this occasion Nick had asked her to model one of the coats. It would be her first experience of big business.

Glancing in the hall mirror she touched her freshly washed hair that now shone like spun gold, admiring again the expensive suit with velvet collar and cuffs that Nick had taken her up to
Selfridges to choose.

Even though she looked her best she felt sick with fear. She still wasn’t certain she could carry this off. Taking a deep breath, she walked into the front room where Maggs was on her
knees, coaxing the fire into life. Her mother sat watching, wearing her dressing gown and slippers. Ruby had got her up at the crack of dawn and encouraged her to eat some porridge. She had
explained where she was going today, hoping Babs wouldn’t miss her. But she needn’t have worried. Her mother was already in that other world, where nothing but her dead son was of
interest.

‘Maggs, will you be all right? Ruby asked as she slipped on the mink that Nick had given her to wear. It was a sumptuous coat and Ruby adored it. Even Anna didn’t own a coat like
this. Though it did seem out of place in the prefab.

‘Good gracious,’ Maggs said as she grabbed the edge of the couch and hoisted herself to her feet. ‘I ain’t ever seen a coat like that before.’

‘No, neither have I.’

‘What sort of fur is it?’

‘Mink, so I’m told.’

Maggs chuckled. ‘I’m none the wiser.’

‘The mink in America has really thick, silky fur, I’ve learned, which feels like velvet when you touch it.’

‘Blimey, you’re a hive of information, ducky.’

‘I’ve tried to do my homework.’

‘I don’t like the idea of wearing animals, meself,’ Maggs said, keeping her distance. ‘Ever since my old mum got fleas from the fox collar she wore round her neck. She
was alive with the perishers and it put me off fur for life.’

Ruby grinned. ‘I hope this hasn’t got fleas.’

‘You’ll soon know about it if it has.’

They laughed together and Ruby looked down at her mother. ‘What do you think of me new coat, Mum?’

Babs looked up. ‘Very nice. Have you said goodbye to your brother?’

‘Now, now, Babs,’ Maggs cautioned gently. ‘Your daughter would like a bit of encouragement. This is her first day at her new job.’

Babs glanced at Ruby and smiled. ‘Don’t forget to take your sandwiches with you.’

‘I won’t.’ Ruby bent down to kiss her cheek. At least that was a sensible answer.

‘I’ll see you out,’ said Maggs, giving Ruby a wink.

‘Cheerio, Mum. See you later.’

Babs nodded, showing no emotion at all.

Ruby stood with Maggs in the hall. If it hadn’t been for this kind soul, she wouldn’t have been able to leave Babs unattended. Even her dad had acknowledged they’d found a
treasure in Maggs.

‘I’ve left corned beef, potatoes and carrots in the larder,’ Ruby chattered, trying to calm her nerves. ‘There’s plenty of milk and tea. I managed to get Mum to top
and tail, but she needs a bath—’

‘Look, love.’ Maggs stopped her in full flow. ‘Stop fretting. Leave your mum to me. I’m only too pleased to look after her. I would have done this as a favour. You
didn’t have to pay me.’

‘We all have to live, Maggs. And me mum can be difficult at times. Looking after her ain’t an easy job.’

‘Are you sure you can afford the fiver?’ Maggs asked again. ‘To be honest, I’ve rarely had one of these notes in me purse. I’m almost embarrassed to spend it. In
fact, I think I’ll take it home and frame it.’

Ruby shook her head. ‘Just put it by for a rainy day. Or treat yourself to something up the shops.’ She had insisted she repay Nick from her wages. He’d agreed, but added with
a rueful smile the £5 would doubtless be covered in her very first commission. Ruby couldn’t quite believe that was true. But she intended to stick to her principles.

‘Oh, by the way, ducks,’ Maggs said as Ruby was about to leave. ‘Your friend Bernie called yesterday to see you. I told him you was up the West End shopping with Mr Brandon. I
asked him if he wanted to wait till you came back, but he hopped it.’

‘Did he say what he wanted?’

‘No. Just that he’d call again.’

‘Did you tell him I’d got a new job?’

‘No,’ Maggs said firmly. ‘It wasn’t up to me to say.’

Ruby didn’t want Bernie turning up at the warehouse. But he’d have to know sooner or later where she was working and who she was working for. This was news she had saved to tell
Kath. As her best friend Kath was entitled to be the first to know. So yesterday, she’d asked Nick to stop the car outside Kath’s flat where she’d left a letter to explain what
had happened. There was even a telephone at the warehouse, so Ruby had given her the number to call.

‘If he stops by again, Maggs, tell him I’ll be in touch.’

‘All right, I will.’ Maggs held out her dirty hands from the fire she had been making up. ‘I’d give yer a kiss goodbye, but I wouldn’t like to see that lovely coat
of yours get mucky. Good luck today. And, Ruby, if you was my girl, I’d be very proud of yer.’

Ruby smiled, nodding. ‘Thanks, Maggs.’ She knew that Maggs was trying to make up for the affection Babs wasn’t showing. But nothing and no one could replace Pete in her
mum’s affections.

And that’s a fact of life I have to accept, Ruby thought as she closed the front door behind her and saw the Buick appear round the corner.

Nick led his buyer into the small room and gestured to one of the two chairs. The man was Russian and looked it. He wore a small dark fur hat that sat squarely above his
swarthy features and heavy jaw barely disguised by the turned-up collar of his overcoat. Nick noted the excellent quality of his clothes and leather shoes. The two heavies accompanying him,
however, were not so well attired. They wore boots and duffles and the required aggressive expressions. Neither spoke, only the head man who was now dismissing his men to stand outside.

‘Welcome to London,’ Nick said, offering a cigar. But the foreigner shook his head.

‘No. We do business,’ the man growled, a suspicious look in his dark eyes.

Nick hesitated, then gave an indifferent shrug. He might as well try to get on good terms with his customer. No names had been exchanged, at least, no genuine ones. The man had travelled
thousands of miles to make contacts in Britain, as currently the fur trade was booming. Which was why he himself had got into the business. But then, Nick thought with satisfaction, his punter
would also have to travel thousands of miles home. But not before Nick had put his own proposition on the table.

‘So how would you like to do this?’ Nick enquired politely. ‘Pounds or roubles?’

‘You have roubles?’ said the man in surprise.

‘Roubles, pounds, dollars. Your choice.’

‘Money now?’

Nick nodded, congratulating himself for having taken the precaution of equipping himself with major currencies. He had learned that each trade was unique, but number one on the list was to
impress. Like him, the man was a merchant. Each deal depended on how the cash was ‘lost’ in the accounting. The crates of ermine furs that Nick had purchased from him were only a small
part of the process Nick had in mind.

‘
Da,
’ grunted his companion, now fully involved in the conversation. ‘We deal.’