‘Yes, well done,’ Ruby said somewhat begrudgingly as she saw the appreciative way Max was watching the girl. ‘Why don’t you pop along to the dining room now and tell the maid you’re ready for your meal.’ The moment the door closed behind her, Ruby asked him, ‘So what did you think?’ Although she supposed it was a rather unnecessary question as he was almost drooling. She could remember a time in the not too distant past when she herself had had that effect on him.

‘I think with a little training and the right clothes she’d go down a storm with audiences everywhere. And we would have to think of a new name for her, of course. Kitty Smith doesn’t sound quite right, does it? We need something a little more romantic.’

‘Hmm.’ Ruby frowned. ‘But only if you don’t get further bookings for me,’ she responded somewhat sulkily. Although she could see the possibility of Kitty bringing in a lot of money for her, she didn’t want it to be at the expense of her own career.

‘The thing is, Ruby darling,’ Max said smoothly, ‘you and I both know that this business is very fickle. The public like young, fresh entertainers and while you still sing beautifully …’

When his voice trailed off she stuck her bottom lip out. ‘Are you trying to say that I am past my prime?’

‘I wouldn’t say that exactly.’ He had no wish to hurt her feelings but felt it was time to be honest. ‘But you and I both know that, managed properly, Kitty could become a highly paid artiste. That’s assuming you would wish to be her manager, with me as her agent?’ Max knew he really had no need to ask. He could see exactly the way Ruby’s mind was working.

‘Of course I would be her manager,’ she said immediately. ‘My niece is very young and green so would need someone to look out for her.’

‘That’s what I thought.’ Max tried to hide his amusement. Ruby was no fool; she knew what kind of fees Kitty might command, and he had no doubt that as her manager Ruby would take the lion’s share.

‘Well, let’s get your performance tomorrow night over with and then we’ll talk some more about it,’ he suggested, only too aware that, as yet, he hadn’t managed to procure any further bookings for her. Ruby was no longer in demand and despite his best efforts he’d had no success at all. Things weren’t helped by the state of unrest in the country. The possibility of war was becoming more likely and if that happened then the entertainment world would be badly affected.

‘Very well.’ Ruby sighed as Max poured them both a glass of whisky from the cut-glass decanter on the sideboard.

Chapter Eighteen

The following evening, Kitty expectantly took her seat in one of the balconies next to Miss Fox at the Prince of Wales Theatre. The atmosphere was alive with chatter and laughter as the audience waited for the curtain to go up and the first act to appear, and the girl stared about in awe, thinking she had never seen so many people gathered together in one place before in her whole life.