‘That little blonde bird, what’s her name?’

‘Marlene?’

‘Yeah, Marlene. Well, she’s giving the punter the full bifta.’

‘So what?’

‘Well, I want it stopped. From now on there’s no full sex in here, right. The Old Bill can’t touch us if the girls don’t cock their legs over.’

Violet looked at Patrick as if he had gone mad.

‘You feeling all the bleeding ticket? We won’t get any girls working here if we do something like that. Gordon Bennett, if you had the choice between a mouthful of spunk or a pratfull, what would you rather have?’

Kelly’s face screwed up. ‘Don’t be so disgusting, Vi!’

She opened her arms wide.

‘I’m only stating facts, mate. We won’t get a Tom in here with them rules, and you know it. Our clientele will go down quicker than free beer on a beano!’

Kelly felt sick.

‘Why don’t you go home and have a nice rest, Pat? It’s all the worry you’ve had, it’s turned your head.’

He felt a fool.

‘Maybe you’re right, Vi.’

‘Listen.’ Violet’s voice was soft. ‘We ain’t social workers, mate, we’re in business. Them girls out there are gonna flash their clout no matter what anyone does. It’s the only thing they know how to do. So leave them to it.’

‘Oh, I don’t know, Vi, there’s some fucking nonces about. Look what happened to my Mandy.’

‘Well, let me tell you something. Them perverts, they pick on the nice innocent girls. They don’t want no Tom. They like a struggle. Same as them posh blokes what come here - they all want to be caned. I’m telling you, Pat, we go out the back, into the garden and cut a swish from that bleeding forsythia bush, then come back in and beat the buggers’ arses black and blue. Now if they didn’t pay us they’d only pay the Paki down the road.’

Kelly nodded at her. He was very tired all of a sudden. ‘Maybe you’re right, Vi.’

As he walked back out into the foyer, the girls automatically straightened again as he passed them. Out on the pavement, an elderly woman with a small sausage dog gave him a filthy look. He sighed again.

That put the tin lid on it as far as Patrick Kelly was concerned. The old bird thought he was a nonce. The Rolls was parked outside once more and he climbed in.

‘Forest Gate, guv?’

‘No. Home, I think, Willy.’

‘Okey doke.’

Kelly watched the people in the cold grey streets. It was New Year’s Eve and he had arranged to spend it with Kate.

He settled into the seat once more. Sod the Toms. He had enough on his mind.

‘Oh, Mum! Why must I always have you and Dad on my back? All the girls in my class are going. I’ll be the only one who doesn’t! I’ll never live it down!’

Louise Butler stamped her foot.

Her mother Doreen grinned. She had a mind of her own did Louise. She glanced at her husband.