Lily felt her stomach plummet. Things had been so unsettled, she was sure that Vittorio was going to impart bad tidings. Or had he found out about her meeting with Tom?
Sitting back in his chair, he studied her at length.
With a feeling of discomfort, Lily challenged him. ‘What is it? What’s wrong?’
He chuckled softly. ‘Darling Lily. How quickly you are on the defensive. Nothing’s wrong, I can assure you.’
She let out a sigh of relief.
‘I have a proposition to put to you that I think you’ll like.’
She looked apprehensive. ‘I will?’
That slow smile touched his lips. ‘You know, you’ve come a long way since the first time we met. You’ve blossomed into a lovely young woman. Your intelligence has been a revelation, your ability to learn a pleasure to watch. All of which can now be put to great use.’
Lily looked at him with suspicion. ‘Get to the point, Vittorio.’
His laughter filled the room. ‘That’s one of the things I love about you. You don’t beat about the bush.’ He lit a cigarette and, blowing the smoke out slowly, said, ‘I’ve decided to take your advice.’
Her eyes widened with surprise. ‘About what?’
‘Becoming legitimate.’
For a moment she was speechless. ‘What do you mean?’
‘Making the club legal. Using the rooms for paying guests, the gambling room for business meetings. What is more, I’m thinking of putting the club in your name – transferring the licence. It will be your name over the door instead of mine.’
‘You’re
what?
’
‘You see, Lily, if it’s to be a success, I must step back from it. Then the police may leave me alone. If they think I’m still around here, then we’ll be hounded until we have to close.’
‘But I can’t run it on my own! I don’t have the experience.’ Her face was white with shock.
He agreed. ‘Of course you don’t. I will still run it, but from behind the scenes. You will front it. After all, you’ve learned a lot. And in some areas, you’re capable of overseeing things. As far as the public and the police are concerned, you will be in charge.’
She looked uncertain. ‘You think I can carry it off?’
‘Yes, I do.’
‘What about the staff? Will they mind if they think I’m their boss?’
He shook his head. ‘That won’t be a problem. I’ll speak to the head waiter and the chef. Things will carry on as before. They’ve always done a good job. Nothing will change on that score.’
She looked thoughtful. ‘I do have a few ideas of my own, if we’re to start again.’
Vittorio looked surprised. ‘Do you? Like what?’
Lily was filled with enthusiasm. ‘It would be nice to have a doorman in a uniform. It looks classy. I saw a picture of one in a magazine the other day. After all, this won’t be a brothel any more. We have to show the punters some difference. The man on the door is the first impression they get.’
With a thoughtful look, Vittorio said, ‘Yes, that’s a good idea. I’ll find the man.’
‘Not one of your bruisers!’ exclaimed Lily.
With a chuckle Vittorio said, ‘No. But it will be somebody who can cope with trouble if it happens.’
‘I’ve got another idea too,’ said Lily tentatively.
‘Go on.’
‘Well, don’t you think it would be rather nice to have a pianist play during the lunch-time period? In the evening we have Harry’s band, but during the day, the place has no atmosphere.’
Vittorio’s slow smile played at the corners of his mouth. ‘My goodness, Lily. You have been doing a lot of thinking lately.’
‘I know just the man,’ she said eagerly.
‘Very well. Get him in. We’ll see how it goes.’
Leaning back against the chair, Lily was filled with excitement. She was convinced the club could be made to pay, but she wasn’t sure that she could handle it. ‘The idea of running this place frightens the shit out of me!’ she confided.
‘You will have to learn to temper your language, my dear.’
Frowning she asked, ‘You’re not expecting to make a lady out of me, are you?’
He nodded. ‘Yes – a very successful one. You can do it, Lily,’ he urged. ‘You know you can. Look how you manage the crowd when you sing, and after. No one works the tables like you. Already you have learned so much.’
Pondering on Vittorio’s words, Lily knew that he was right. She grinned cheekily. ‘You really believe I can?’
‘When I’ve finished showing you the ropes, yes!’
There was a sudden look of anxiety in her eyes. ‘What are you going to be doing?’
‘I’m opening a new business. I’m going to rent a shop in the High Street and set up a finance company. It will all be legal, don’t worry.’
Lily looked sceptical. ‘Oh, really?’
Chuckling, he added, ‘We will be separate. My business affairs will not have anything to do with you.’
‘But what about account books for the club? I don’t know anything about keeping books.’
‘I will still be doing them. They won’t be your concern.’
Lily was both excited and afraid. ‘What happens if it’s not a success? I might lose your money for you.’
‘I can assure you, I won’t let you. I’ll be keeping a close eye on everything. Go away and think about it. We’ll talk again this evening.’
She hesitated. ‘Where will you live?’
He looked at her with his dark-brown eyes shining with amusement. ‘I will still live here, of course. The only difference is that I won’t be downstairs in the club. However, I’ll have a small window put in the wall of my office. Then I can keep a watchful eye on the proceedings.’
Getting up from his chair he walked around the desk and, taking her into his arms, he held her to him. Brushing her ear with his lips, he said softly, ‘You are still my woman, Lily, and I’m certainly not going to miss my more intimate moments with you.’ He covered her lips with his and kissed her until she could hardly catch her breath.
Pushing him away, she gasped for air. ‘Vittorio!’ she cried. ‘For goodness sake! You’ll smother me.’
‘Later darling. Now go away and think over my idea.’
Later that day, Lily made her way to Sandy’s home in Bond Street, praying she would find him there. To her relief, in response to her knocking, he opened the door almost immediately.
Sandy looked at her in surprise. ‘Good God, Lily. What the ’ell are you doing here?’
She stepped into the living room and planted herself on his settee. ‘I’ve got a proposition to put to you.’
He sashayed over to her and sat down. ‘Darling, how wonderful. I’ve not been propositioned all week!’
‘Behave yourself, you old queen. I’m being serious,’ she protested. ‘How would you like a job, playing the piano every lunch-time at the club?’
His eyes widened. ‘At the Club Valletta?’
‘Of course at the Valletta. Where else?’
‘But I don’t have decent-enough clothes, darling. I mean, I could hardly wear my frocks now, could I?’
Lily chuckled. ‘I don’t think Vittorio would approve of that. You’d quickly be out on your ear.’ She opened her handbag and took out two five-pound notes. ‘I seem to remember this happening before – the other way round! Here, take this.’ She thrust the money into his hand. ‘Buy yourself a nice velvet smoking jacket, a pair of smart trousers, and a decent shirt.’
He looked at the money and then at her. There was such an expression of affection in his eyes, that Lily felt choked with emotion. ‘You will do it, won’t you, Sandy?’ she pleaded.
He put his arm around her shoulder and gave her a smacking kiss on the cheek. ‘I certainly will. I can do with the money as you well know. How can I ever thank you?’
She gave him a playful nudge. ‘Listen to me, you old tart. Where would I be if it hadn’t been for you? We’ve always looked out for one another.’ She stood up. ‘I’ll see you on Monday, about eleven-thirty. By the way, you’ll be pleased to know, the piano has a wonderful tone.’ She kissed him on the cheek and left.
Lily made her way to The Ditches to tell Rachel all the latest news.
The two friends sat together in the back of the shop mulling over the details.
‘
Mazel tov!
’ cried Rachel as Lily told her of Vittorio’s plans. ‘That Maltese. What a clever bastard. He knows you can do it where he can’t.’
‘What do you mean?’ asked Lily.
Rachel clasped Lily’s hands in hers. ‘Don’t you see, you silly girl? The police wouldn’t let it succeed with him still there. With you, it’s different. Sure, you’re his mistress, but you’re not on their lists.’
Lily’s eyes widened. ‘Does Vittorio have a criminal record?’
With a snort Rachel said, ‘Him? Never in a month of Sundays, even though the police have been after him for as long as I can remember. But, he is a villain all right. Everyone knows that. There was just never the proof. But you …’ she held out her arms ‘… pure as the driven snow!’
‘Hardly that,’ said Lily, doubling up with laughter.
Shrugging Rachel said, ‘OK, but you know what I mean.’ She looked pensive. ‘Much better if he wasn’t involved at all.’
‘Oh, Rachel, of course he has to be involved. He has the money.’
Her friend looked thoughtful. ‘Yes – a shame that. But never mind. You do it, my dear. Here is your chance at respectability. Remember that was your dream?’
With a bitter laugh Lily retorted, ‘A bloody lot of good it did me.’
‘No, darling. Don’t you see? If you run a successful business then no one can touch you. You will have earned respectability, maybe by a roundabout route, but so what?’
Lily left the shop and walked towards the Pier, needing to be alone. The June sun was beating down and she sat in one of the deckchairs and watched the swirling water beneath the wooden slats. Then, leaning back, she closed her eyes, letting her mind wander. It seemed a very long time ago since she had walked here and met Tom. She recalled the day he took her for a meal in the cafe. The beginnings of her first love … what pain and joy it had brought. Surely love wasn’t meant to be like that?
Getting up from the chair, she walked restlessly around the Pier and stood at the rails staring out over the Solent River. Across the water lay the Isle of Wight, and beyond that yet another world. She watched the paddle-steamer making its way to Ryde, fascinated by the sounds of the swish of the water as the massive wheel turned, and remembered a day trip she and Tom had taken to Cherbourg. How strange and different it had seemed to them. The foreign food. The language. It had been such an adventure.
Walking back towards the club, she wondered if one day she would be able to move away from here, away from the filth and the bustle of the docks. She waited as a freight-train passed by into the dockyard, looked at the lime-washed walls of the buildings in Canute Road. This, and the shopping area of the town were the only places she really knew well. She realised that, apart from the occasional jaunt to the Common as a child, she knew nothing else. She suddenly wanted much more. She wanted to be her own person, not reliant on anyone. If she made a success of the club, then maybe one day she could leave. Go on to other things. Other places.
When first she’d gone to Vittorio, all she had wanted was to be cared for. Now she felt secure. Her independence had grown as she had. The world had to be bigger and better than this small part of it. Now she was curious about it. Wanting to know what was out there. One day, she vowed, she would find out.
Later that evening, a well-dressed woman was shown into Vittorio’s office. He smiled at her and politely offered her a seat. He gazed with appreciation at her stylish and expensive attire. ‘You are looking particularly elegant this evening.’
Rachel Cohen smiled back at him. ‘Better than when you see me working in my shop in The Ditches, eh, Vittorio?’ She looked around the richly appointed room. ‘You do well for yourself! Yes,’ she said, ‘when I think of the snotty-nosed kid that used to run wild in The Ditches, when first you came from Malta, it’s hard to believe he turned out to be the feared Maltese.’
He chuckled with amusement. ‘But not feared by you, Rachel.’
‘So what’s to be scared of, when I’ve seen your bare bottom hanging out of your trousers. Your father had such a time with you.’
‘You, of course, knew my father well.’ His deep-brown eyes hid a look of amusement, but his mouth twitched at the corners.
Rachel smiled to herself. ‘Yes, I knew him. Liked the women too much, he did, but it was your uncle I knew better. Such a man. What a physique! I should have met him before my Hymie. But then I would have had to marry out.
Oy veh!
What a scandal that would have caused!’
‘Especially as he already had a wife,’ added Vittorio with a wry smile.
Rachel shrugged. ‘Wife, yes. Such a pity that. My, when your family first arrived in Southampton from Malta, all the female hearts were aflutter. Your papa, he wasn’t such a good man. I used to wonder if you were like him.’ She saw the sudden anger in his eyes. ‘But after you met Lily, I knew you were different.’
‘Really? How?’
‘She told me you treated her well, so I thought you couldn’t be so bad after all.’
Vittorio burst out laughing. ‘I’m happy to hear it.’
‘But shall I get to the point of my visit?’
He nodded in agreement. ‘Indeed. What can I do for you? I assume that this is not a social call.’
She looked at him, her gaze steady. ‘It’s what I can do for you would be more to the point.’
He was surprised. ‘And what might that be?’
‘Lily tells me you have offered her a business proposition and I’ve come to offer you another.’
His interest was aroused. ‘Carry on.’
‘First I must ask you a question, and don’t give me any old bull!’
He raised his eyebrows at her directness. ‘And what is that?’
‘Are you concerned about Lily’s future?’
He took out his cigarette case and lighting a cigarette, drew on it deeply before replying. ‘Of course I am.’
Rachel let out a sigh of relief. Leaning back in her chair, she began: ‘You have a big problem with the police, and they want to close you down. You think putting the place in Lily’s name will get you off the hook.’ She shrugged. ‘Well, maybe it will and maybe it won’t. But if you sell me half of the club and put the other half in her name, then it certainly
will
work. The police couldn’t touch you.’