‘True, and she will, knowing her. When’s the house opening?’

‘In a couple of days. It’s finished, the girls are all interviewed and ready to go, and Tommy is sorting out the last few details today. We’ll need a few more strong men like Abel to keep a modicum of peace.’

Abel was now one of the men employed to dress in dinner suits and mingle with the guests. If there was any trouble they would deal with it as quickly and unobtrusively as possible.

Molly shook her head and smiled.

‘Imagine you owning two houses, I can’t believe it.’

Briony smiled despite herself. Her mother had changed her opinion on Nellie Deakins and the like when she had found out how much money was involved in the business. Also Abel, whom Briony knew to be her mother’s beau, had been offered a job at twice his old money and that made Molly happier still.

Kerry and Bernie burst through the door, bringing the smell of the open fields with them.

‘Hello, Briony!’

Both girls kissed her and then Rosalee was clapping her hands together to show her excitement. They both screamed with laughter as they saw the lilac hat perched on her short-cropped hair.

Molly busied herself making them some tea and a bite to eat. Kerry sat opposite Briony and grinned at her.

‘This house you’re opening up, will you have any entertainment there?’

Molly looked at Briony with raised eyebrows. ‘There’ll be plenty of entertainment there girl, don’t you worry about that.’

Kerry sighed loudly. ‘I don’t mean that kind of entertainment. I mean, will you have a band there playing music or anything?’

Briony shook her head. ‘No.’

‘Then you should. It’ll make it a bit different, wouldn’t it? From what I’ve heard, the people what go there have a drink and a natter first. Well, why not give them a bit of entertainment like?’

‘Such as, Kerry?’

She stood up and opened her arms wide.

‘Like me, of course! I know all the popular songs and I’d only need a piano player like. I don’t need no orchestra nor nothing. I can sing everything, you know that, Briony. It’d be good for you and good for me. I don’t want to end up in Myrdle Street in some sweat shop, I want to be a singer.’

Briony laughed at her sister’s outrageous suggestion. Kerry singing in a bordello? It was absurd.

‘Oh, come on, Bri. You know I could do it. Just give me one try and if it don’t work then that’s that ... Oh, Briony, answer me then!’

Kerry’s voice was sharp now. She wanted this so badly she could practically taste it.

‘Look, you’re twelve years old...’

Kerry interrupted her.