to do Flo’s bidding. She hoped that Daisy would send her packing with a flea in her ear.
Eight
When Daisy arrived at the club a little later, Harry greeted her warmly. ‘Hello, love, can’t you keep away then?’
‘I’ve come to see Flo; do you know where she is?’
‘She was here a while ago. Hey, Stella, seen Flo?’
Stella walked over and said, ‘She had to go out, Daisy, but she asked me to talk to you. Come on up to my room, I’ve got a bottle up there.’
Daisy followed Stella up the stairs and into a larger room than she’d imagined. It was tastefully furnished, if not simply. There was a small washbasin in the corner, a dressing table, side tables with lamps and the bed had a brightly coloured cover with several small cushions on it, giving it a mildly exotic look.
Stella poured them both a gin and tonic and sat beside Daisy on the bed. ‘Flo told me about your problem. I’m really sorry you lost your job, love.’
‘I was so shocked when Madam fired me,’ Daisy told her, ‘for a minute I couldn’t speak. I’m hoping that Flo will let me work behind the bar, full-time.’
‘That’s what she wanted me to talk to you about,’
Daisy felt her stomach tighten and her heart beat faster. She had the feeling that Stella was going to give her bad news.
‘Flo is unable to take you on behind the bar for the week. She said it wouldn’t pay her to, I’m afraid.’
Daisy’s shoulders slumped.
‘However she did suggest another way for you to earn the money you need.’
‘Did she? That’s wonderful; I knew she wouldn’t let me down.’
Stella wondered how the girl would feel when she realized that Flo wasn’t quite the friend she thought. How could she put this so as to soften the blow?
‘As you know and as I’ve told you often, the effect you have on our clients since you’ve been working here is really something.’
The eager expression on Daisy’s face changed to one of suspicion. ‘Go on.’
God, this is going to be hard, thought Stella, and she hated to be the one to put this proposition to this lovely girl of whom she’d grown really fond. ‘Flo suggests that if you were to work the other side of the bar, you could make a great deal of money.’ There, she’d said it!
Daisy looked at Stella in disbelief. ‘Flo knows I’m not into all that. I made that clear to her when she took me on!’ she cried.
‘I know, love, and I told her I knew you wouldn’t be interested and in my opinion she’s out of line to even suggest such a thing. If I were you I would go and look for another job in the meantime. You’ll still be behind the bar at the weekends, getting paid and collecting tips. If you get another job real soon, you’ll be fine.’
‘I don’t have much time,’ Daisy told her. ‘Nearly all the money I have will be spent this week and I have to pay the rent and buy food for Mum.’
‘You could bring your dad home,’ Stella suggested.
Daisy shook her head. ‘He doesn’t have much time left, he’s deteriorating each day. If he was at home, he wouldn’t get the right care. Mum and I can only do so much, but where he is, they have everything to hand and trained nurses which he really needs at this moment. I’ve got to keep him there, Stella, I’ve got to!’
‘Well, darling, you must go out tomorrow morning and try and get another job. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you. Now drink up, I’ve got to get to work.’
As Daisy walked home she was more than a little confused. How could Flo even consider asking her to become a whore? She didn’t think any the less of the girls who worked the tables in the club. She’d taken their profession for granted, after all it was their choice and she’d got to know them and they were nice to talk to. But to become one of them – to have men touching her – and to have sex with a stranger. She remembered the young man who said he would pay twenty pounds to take her to bed. That was a great deal of money. But
Eight
When Daisy arrived at the club a little later, Harry greeted her warmly. ‘Hello, love, can’t you keep away then?’
‘I’ve come to see Flo; do you know where she is?’
‘She was here a while ago. Hey, Stella, seen Flo?’
Stella walked over and said, ‘She had to go out, Daisy, but she asked me to talk to you. Come on up to my room, I’ve got a bottle up there.’
Daisy followed Stella up the stairs and into a larger room than she’d imagined. It was tastefully furnished, if not simply. There was a small washbasin in the corner, a dressing table, side tables with lamps and the bed had a brightly coloured cover with several small cushions on it, giving it a mildly exotic look.
Stella poured them both a gin and tonic and sat beside Daisy on the bed. ‘Flo told me about your problem. I’m really sorry you lost your job, love.’
‘I was so shocked when Madam fired me,’ Daisy told her, ‘for a minute I couldn’t speak. I’m hoping that Flo will let me work behind the bar, full-time.’
‘That’s what she wanted me to talk to you about,’
Daisy felt her stomach tighten and her heart beat faster. She had the feeling that Stella was going to give her bad news.
‘Flo is unable to take you on behind the bar for the week. She said it wouldn’t pay her to, I’m afraid.’
Daisy’s shoulders slumped.
‘However she did suggest another way for you to earn the money you need.’
‘Did she? That’s wonderful; I knew she wouldn’t let me down.’
Stella wondered how the girl would feel when she realized that Flo wasn’t quite the friend she thought. How could she put this so as to soften the blow?
‘As you know and as I’ve told you often, the effect you have on our clients since you’ve been working here is really something.’
The eager expression on Daisy’s face changed to one of suspicion. ‘Go on.’
God, this is going to be hard, thought Stella, and she hated to be the one to put this proposition to this lovely girl of whom she’d grown really fond. ‘Flo suggests that if you were to work the other side of the bar, you could make a great deal of money.’ There, she’d said it!
Daisy looked at Stella in disbelief. ‘Flo knows I’m not into all that. I made that clear to her when she took me on!’ she cried.
‘I know, love, and I told her I knew you wouldn’t be interested and in my opinion she’s out of line to even suggest such a thing. If I were you I would go and look for another job in the meantime. You’ll still be behind the bar at the weekends, getting paid and collecting tips. If you get another job real soon, you’ll be fine.’
‘I don’t have much time,’ Daisy told her. ‘Nearly all the money I have will be spent this week and I have to pay the rent and buy food for Mum.’
‘You could bring your dad home,’ Stella suggested.
Daisy shook her head. ‘He doesn’t have much time left, he’s deteriorating each day. If he was at home, he wouldn’t get the right care. Mum and I can only do so much, but where he is, they have everything to hand and trained nurses which he really needs at this moment. I’ve got to keep him there, Stella, I’ve got to!’
‘Well, darling, you must go out tomorrow morning and try and get another job. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you. Now drink up, I’ve got to get to work.’
As Daisy walked home she was more than a little confused. How could Flo even consider asking her to become a whore? She didn’t think any the less of the girls who worked the tables in the club. She’d taken their profession for granted, after all it was their choice and she’d got to know them and they were nice to talk to. But to become one of them – to have men touching her – and to have sex with a stranger. She remembered the young man who said he would pay twenty pounds to take her to bed. That was a great deal of money. But
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