Tony and Jake had seen enough. They stayed and had some coffee and talked through some of the entertainment plans with Ashley.

‘Do I call you “Mr Lambrianu” or “boss”?’ Ashley had said, waiting for an answer from Tony.

‘Whatever you’re comfortable with, it makes no difference to me.’ He liked Ashley, he was funny and genuine. Tony respected the fact that he was gay and proud of it. He made no attempt at hiding it. Tony felt the only people who felt uncomfortable around gay men were those who were insecure about their own sexuality. Just because they were gay, it didn’t mean they fancied you, did it?

‘Well, then, “boss” it is. Mm, I like that, it sounds so dominant.’ Again, he was smiling at Tony and Jake. ‘What about a drag artist night and maybe a couple of male strippers?’ He paused and waited for Tony to speak.

‘I don’t understand, Ashley, it’s a men’s club, why would I employ male strippers?’ Tony said. He felt that was an odd question to ask and frowned at Ashley.

‘Well, I’m a man in a “men’s club”, but I don’t want to watch your women. I know some of the members from here, and believe me, they don’t want to, either, if you know what I mean.’ Ashley nodded at Tony and Jake, trying to make his point.

The thought had never crossed Tony’s mind. He really didn’t know what to say, it took the wind out of his sails. ‘Are you telling me you want to put on a gay night, or something, because some of these respectable men want to see handsome young men like yourself?’

Ashley nodded his head; he had made his point and he knew it. He didn’t want to overstep the mark, so soon, but he’d thought he would ask while it seemed Tony was in a good mood.

Tony was out of his depth; he shook his head. ‘That is all another world to me,’ he said. ‘Ashley, you have my permission to organise one night of this, but if it all goes wrong, it’s your head on the block, okay?’ He was still a little shocked by what Ashley had said. It was a big risk. It could cause a lot of bad feeling; he really wasn’t sure about it.

‘I’ll play it low key and see what some of the members think, first, then, if they like the idea, I can go ahead with it. A trial, to see if it works. Although, believe me, I know it will.’

Ashley had lost his smile and his flamboyant ways, and was now deadly serious. He was giving away some members’ secrets, and he would only do that with the boss. Mathers, of course, knew everything about everyone.

‘Okay. Let’s start with the girls, while you sound out the members about the other thing. You know them, I don’t, and I don’t pretend to. If they are okay with it, I’ll leave it to you to set things up. But listen, nothing underhand, no rent boys or anything like that. Do you understand?’ Now Tony was serious. His voice changed and so did his mannerisms. He had done his best to keep his strip clubs in order, without gaining a bad reputation. He didn’t want the men’s club known as some kind of male brothel.