Aunty Edie had been his first port of call. He and Val had agreed they’d seek brown girls as dance partners for the troops, and he also knew several of Edie’s girls moonlighted.

As it eventuated, the other Palm Islander girls who gathered at Edie’s were also keen to sign up for the club dances. The idea of earning extra money for just dancing with soldiers was irresistible. Their innocence didn’t bother Baz in the least. He didn’t issue instructions, or even offer a warning. They’ll make the jump, he thought, I’ll bet my last quid on it. They’ll take the lead from their more sophisticated black sisters and be on the game in a matter of days.

One of the most eager among the girls was Edie’s own daughter, Jill. Jill wasn’t even attracted by the money. Jill would have danced every single night of the week for nothing if she had the chance.

Val fronted Baz; she wasn’t having a bar of it. ‘Did you ask Jill to sign up for the dances?’ she demanded.

‘Nup,’ Baz said, and he wasn’t lying. He hadn’t seen any value in approaching Jill. ‘She must have heard about it from her mum. I’ve lined up a good team of Edie’s girls.’

‘Well, I won’t have Jill being a part of it,’ Val said firmly.

‘Why not?’ Baz decided to play her at her own game. ‘You said yourself, the club’s to be legit. Most of the girls will be there to dance with the men, that’s what you said. The hookers are just a sideline.’

Val scowled. She knew what Baz was up to. I wouldn’t trust you as far as I could spit, mate, she thought, you’d be quite happy to throw that girl to the wolves, wouldn’t you.

‘Jill’s too young and too innocent,’ she snapped.

‘You’re being a bit over-protective, Val.’ For once Baz spoke his true mind. ‘The girl’s twenty, she’s got to learn to fend for herself some time or other.’

‘Oh yeah,’ Val sneered, ‘and you’d know all about that, wouldn’t you, Baz.’

But strangely enough, when she sought out Edie’s support, she was met with the same response.

‘Girl’s gotta learn,’ Edie said with a shrug when Val insisted they forbid Jill from attending the dances.

‘For God’s sake, Edie, she’s a virgin.’

‘Yeh.’ Edie nodded, unperturbed. ‘In my day, girls is married at fourteen, fifteen, having babies at sixteen, just like me. Jill gotta learn someday.’

‘But not this way, Edie. Not this way.’ God, the girl could be raped by one of the Yankee soldiers, Val thought, or she might even end up on the game. Anything could happen.