Briony nodded, feeling a surge of relief go through her veins.

But to himself Danny was thinking: He’ll keep. Davey boy will keep. For a few weeks anyway.

Marcus was with Davinia in one of the best ‘rooms’. The house wasn’t busy yet so they were taking advantage of the lull in her regular customers. As she sat on the edge of the bed and brushed her hair, he watched her. Once the Berwick was up and running properly, she would be one of the star attractions, and what an attraction she was. Five feet ten inches tall in her stockinged feet a forty-two-inch chest and a hand’s span waist. Her legs were so long. He had never seen legs that length in his life. Her hair was dyed, that was the only imperfection so far as he was concerned. Her skin was flawless.

He dragged deeply on his cigarette and smiled as she faced him. Her eyes were a bright blue, with deep brown arched eyebrows that gave them a mysterious appearance. Her mouth was a perfect pout in repose and he felt a stirring inside himself once more.

Davinia, real name Sally Jenkins, looked down at him and smiled lazily.

‘You’re feeling very energetic tonight.’

Her voice was low, a controlled sexiness underlying all her words.

Marcus laughed. He knew every wile a whore possessed, but he had to admit Davinia was really good at her craft. It annoyed him sometimes that she played him like a john, like a customer. It wasn’t that he was in love with her or anything like that. It was the principle of it. He wasn’t paying her, so she should behave herself. It was that simple. But he had noticed over the years that a lot of the girls didn’t know when to stop acting. Even her cries of delight had turned into practised moans of ecstasy lately. She had been with him six months, longer than any of his women in the past, and as delectable as she was, her days were numbered. But he wouldn’t let on to her, not just yet anyway.

Bernadette was like some kind of automaton lately. He knew she was upset about her sister, and he also knew, but wouldn’t admit it outright, that he should have been with her tonight. But Davinia was here, and he was here, and the house was quiet. He justified himself every way he could. He noticed that his earlier interest was gone and lit himself another cigarette from the butt of the previous one.

‘I saw a lovely $at today. I’m thinking of renting it.’

Marcus drew on the cigarette again. This time he looked down at the gold and green bedspread.

‘I can’t really afford it, but it is lovely. So dinky!’