A Promise Between Friends (18 page)

Other than Bernie, she’d never let anyone go the whole way. She had sworn, after such a disastrous experience, never to take sex lightly again. And after Paula’s advice . . . she
shuddered.

Nick had made her feel confident. And confidence was something no one could take away from her.

Early on Monday, Nick drove her back to Dower Street. ‘Have you decided what you’re going to do?’ he asked as he stopped the car.

‘I’m going to be as businesslike as Anna,’ Ruby replied. ‘I’d be useless as an escort. But I’m a good model. It’s in her interests to find me the right
work. After all, she doesn’t want another telephone complaint.’

‘That’s a tough line to take.’

‘I can be tough when I want something.’

Nick whistled through his teeth. ‘My brave little warrior.’ He pulled her to him and kissed her. ‘Telephone me. We’ll do something special next weekend. Perhaps stay a
night or two in the country.’

‘I’d like that.’

He kissed her once more and Ruby climbed out of the car. She watched the Buick join the early morning traffic, then hurried up the steps. She wanted to think about Nick and the most romantic
night of her life. But first, she had to face Anna, and try to keep a business head on her shoulders.

Ruby went into the lemon room where she expected to find Anna at her desk. But it was Paula who sat there instead.

‘You look pleased with yourself,’ Paula said, touching her long red hair that was drawn up to the back of her head in a pleat. She was wearing her silk wrap-over, but her make-up was
perfectly in place.

‘I might be,’ Ruby agreed with a smile. ‘Where’s Anna?’

‘She’s away for the day and left this job for you.’ She held out a piece of paper.

Ruby looked at the address. ‘Steadman’s? I thought Anna was sending Cindy, not me.’

‘The rumour is that Cindy flopped.’

Ruby felt even more determined now to call Anna’s bluff. Steadman’s held high standards and sending someone as inexperienced as Cindy just hadn’t worked out.

‘You must have redeemed yourself,’ Paula said, reading her mind. ‘Look, I’d like to talk more, but I have some news of my own. Jesse is taking me out for lunch and I want
to wear something special. He said we’re going to celebrate.’ She tossed her head, raising her eyebrows. ‘I want to look glam when he names the day.’

‘So he’s going to propose?’ Ruby asked as they walked upstairs together.

‘On Saturday we looked in the jewellery shops. He bought me a pair of real gold earrings. I would have preferred a ring, but realize the diamonds will come next. As an oil man as well as a
cowboy, he does things the Texan way.’

‘Diamonds will cost him a fortune.’

‘A few thousand pounds are a drop in the ocean to a man like Jesse Marlon. And if he wants to take me to bed, he’ll have to marry me first.’

‘But what will life be like in America?’ Ruby wondered. ‘What if you’re stuck on a ranch all day? With no company except for the horses and cows?’

Paula laughed. ‘I’m sure I’ll have a car or two to drive anywhere I want.’

‘I hope that’ll be enough. You do like living the high life.’

Paula shrugged. ‘It’s an exchange I’m quite willing to make.’

‘Well, I hope you’ll be happy.’

‘It looks like you’ve won your battle with Anna.’

‘I hope so.’

‘She knows when she’s on to a good thing. And you are very much that. It’s all about money with Anna. And she won’t want to lose you.’

Ruby frowned. ‘What will she say when you tell her you’re leaving for America?’

They stopped outside Ruby’s room. ‘I’m not looking forward to the showdown,’ Paula whispered, glancing over Ruby’s shoulder to make certain they were alone.
‘She’ll be losing an income. And to her, such a loss is unacceptable. I expect her to kick up rough.’

‘But isn’t Anna an old friend of yours?’

‘My dear, you have no friends in this business. There’s far too much competition. It’s dog eat dog, I’m afraid.’

This truth was beginning to dawn on Ruby. If she wanted to be a model, she would have to fight her corner. Was it really so difficult to be businesslike? She had hoped she was Anna’s
friend. But she realized this couldn’t be.

‘Enjoy your day,’ Paula said as she took her leave. ‘I’m sure Elsie will be pleased to see her favourite model. As for me, next time we meet, I’ll be engaged to be
married to one of the richest men in all of Texas.’

As Ruby bathed in the luxury of a bath full of soapy, fragranced hot water, using the soaps and creams in the bathroom that were always replenished as if by some magic hand, she allowed her
thoughts to go to Nick and the nights they had spent together. He was a wonderful lover, kind and considerate, but also very passionate. She had never felt like this before. He was everything she
had dreamed of in a man. There was a chemistry between them and she couldn’t wait to be with him again.

As she dressed in a smart, peach-coloured two-piece costume, tan gloves and high heels, a combination she knew would impress Elsie, she was still thinking of Nick and the way he had made love to
her. And of their one last kiss and his whispered words that assured her they were now a couple.

Her mind was still occupied with the thought of next weekend and sharing his bed again, when, as she hurried downstairs, she saw Cindy.

‘I hear you’ve been given the job at Steadman’s,’ Cindy said, looking upset. Ruby thought although very pretty how immature Cindy was. She tended to slouch and look
sullen. A smile was worth a million dollars, so it was said in the modelling world.

‘Yes, that’s right, I have,’ Ruby responded with a smile of her own.

‘You know, don’t you, that I was given the job last time?’

‘Yes, I do.’

‘Elsie promised she would be seeing me today.’

Ruby frowned. ‘Anna makes those decisions, not Elsie. And as you’ll learn, nothing is guaranteed in this line of work.’

Cindy pouted. ‘I don’t need you to tell me that.’ She turned on her high heels and ran up the stairs.

Ruby watched the tall, slim figure dressed in a dark blue sheath dress disappear from view. From the top floor of the house there was a bang as a door slammed shut. It was clear Cindy had a mind
of her own, Ruby decided, and a temper too. But a tantrum wouldn’t be appreciated by Anna, as Cindy would soon find out.

Elsie was nowhere to be found when Ruby walked into the fashion department. The little woman dressed in black with a pincushion tied to her wrist always accompanied her to the
dressing rooms. But where was she this morning?

‘Good morning, Miss Payne,’ a voice said and Ruby saw Mr Steadman junior’s assistant striding towards her.

‘Good morning, Mr Kent.’ Ruby smiled her winning smile although she had hardly spoken to Mr Steadman’s secretary, a grey-haired older man wearing a formal pinstripe suit. He
was rarely seen on the shop floor.

‘You are to go downstairs and wait at the rear exit.’

Ruby was startled. This had never happened before. ‘Why?’ she asked in surprise.

‘On Mr Steadman’s orders you’ll be going elsewhere today.’

‘Do you know where?’

‘No. Please hurry along.’

Ruby shrugged. She was disappointed as she liked the store and would miss having Elsie to help her.

Mr Kent nodded to the double doors marked
STAIRS
. He quickly walked off, back to his office. Ruby made her way down the back stairs to the rear exit. It was very gloomy down here and led
onto the side road behind the building where all the rubbish bins were kept and the lorries came into their loading bays.

She waited a few minutes until a large black limousine drew up beside her and a chauffeur in uniform got out. He opened the back door, gesturing Ruby to enter.

Ruby looked in. Mr Steadman junior was sitting there. ‘Please have a seat, Miss Payne.’

‘Thank you.’

The chauffeur touched Ruby’s elbow. She climbed in and smiled at her employer, who didn’t return her greeting but told the chauffeur to drive on instead.

Ruby sat in silence, the only noise in the car the soft purr of the engine. Mr Steadman was staring straight in front of him, through the glass partition that separated them
from the driver. Ruby wanted to ask where they were going. And what sort of fashions he wanted her to model. She assumed that wherever it was they ended up her clothes would be waiting for her.
However, it felt highly unusual to be sitting in Mr Steadman’s own car.

Discreetly she studied his profile. He always looked a little pompous when he walked through the department with his nose in the air. A small man with a square moustache, thin lips and receding
hairline, he looked more like a bank manager.

Ruby felt flattered. He could have chosen any of Anna’s models. Yet here she was, sitting next to him, on their way to what must be a very select event.

She looked out of the window and saw they were in the part of the city full of stately apartment blocks and luxury hotels. Was she to model in one of these?

The car turned off the road and into a small lane. At the end of it was a garage where other cars like this were parked. She was very excited when she saw one or two women, dressed very
fashionably, climbing out of them.

So that was it! Ruby decided, her heart thudding. This was to be a private display, where Mr Steadman’s wealthier customers would view the latest creations. She had learned from Elsie that
sometimes hundreds, even thousands of pounds of clothing could be sold to just one customer at a private showing. Ruby couldn’t believe her luck!

The car stopped and the chauffeur climbed out, first opening Mr Steadman’s door. Ruby watched as Mr Steadman scuttled off to a side door, and was soon gone from view.

She sat mystified. Where was he? And what was she supposed to do? After a few seconds she found out.

‘Mr Steadman has asked me to show you the way,’ the chauffeur said, opening her door.

Ruby got out, arranging her clothes and looking around. ‘Where are we going?’

‘Up to the third floor.’ He gave her a puzzled look. ‘Can I carry anything for you?’

‘No, thank you. I’ve only got my bag.’ She smiled. It was wonderful to be treated so royally. ‘Has Mr Steadman gone ahead to meet his customer?’ she said to the
chauffeur as they took the lift, a very old-fashioned ornate metal cage that clanked and grumbled its way upwards.

‘Er, yes, perhaps,’ the chauffeur replied. He looked straight ahead of him, his hands behind his back.

Eventually the lift stopped with a heavy thud.

They walked out and along a rather gloomy hall. The carpet was well-trodden but thick and muffled their footsteps. Ruby glanced around for the women she had seen. But the hall was deserted. They
must have taken their seats, she thought, beginning to feel a little nervous. Would she have enough time to get ready?

Each door they passed was made of dark, polished wood. The decor looked old but expensive.

‘Will there be many here?’ Ruby asked as they came to a halt and the chauffeur knocked on one of the doors.

‘I’ve no idea, miss,’ the driver said, looking surprised.

Ruby felt anxious, sensing something was wrong.

‘This way,’ said the maid, and Ruby followed. The long hall reminded her of all the old black-and-white films she had seen at the cinema. Leafy green plants stood
on glossy marble tables. Large gilt mirrors were hung on the walls. The wooden tiles on the floor were highly polished. At the end of the hall there was a glass door. The maid pushed it open.

Ruby looked out over London. From St Paul’s to the River Thames, the spires of many churches and the flat roofs of the city’s historic buildings. The room she walked into was filled
with tasteful furniture, although this too looked rather old-fashioned. She knew nothing about antiques. But when Nick had taken her shopping, they’d strolled through the capital’s many
arcades and seen the price tags on this kind of furniture. Whoever owned this must be very rich.

‘Come along,’ said the maid, turning through a set of Venetian doors. Every window in this room was decorated with heavy brocade curtains tied back with knotted tassels.

Ruby’s gaze went to the pair of chandeliers overhead. If she had thought the ones at Dower Street were breathtaking, then these were out of this world. Studded with crystals, tier upon
tier, they reflected the daylight flooding in through the windows. Beneath was a sumptuous plum-coloured settee. Every chair in the room was covered in the same rich shade. The smell of a thick,
almost sickly perfume drifted in the air.

Ruby thought whoever lived here might be foreign; there were cross-legged, bejewelled Oriental statues and rugs thrown across the floor in exotic reds, ambers and deep greens. In the background,
a mystical sort of chant was playing.

‘Well?’ said a voice, and Ruby swung round to find Mr Steadman standing behind her. He wore a long silk belted jacket with an Oriental design of black, gold and deep blue. On his
feet was an embroidered pair of slippers. On his head a black fez like she had seen in the film
Casablanca
with Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman.

Ruby wanted to giggle. He looked ridiculous.

‘Follow me,’ he said.

Even before she reached the sickly-smelling room with a monster bed in the middle of the floor swamped by silk pillows, she knew this was a mistake.

The heavy door banged behind her.

‘Where are your clothes?’ he demanded suddenly.

‘What clothes?’

He walked slowly around her, looking her up and down. ‘The ones you were told to bring.’

‘I wasn’t told to bring any. I thought I was going to model at the store.’

‘I gave Miss Charnwood-Smythe explicit instructions.’

‘I haven’t seen Anna,’ Ruby said with a shrug. ‘She just left me a note.’

‘This is outrageous.’ Mr Steadman sounded annoyed. His square moustache and his squinting small dark eyes gave him a mean look. ‘I was given an assurance you were prepared to
wear the costumes I asked for.’

‘Costumes?’ Ruby repeated, alarmed, glancing around again at the peculiar decor. ‘What kind of costumes?’