Brielle and Georgina were the interview committee. There was a string of girls referred by Knuckles. The Hogarth Club was close to being fully staffed and even the Land Army was doing well, the opportunity was all that was missing for many of the girls.
Both Georgina and Brielle had superb flat reading skills, it seemed no lie passed unnoticed. Most of them were innocuous until they came to Claire Corbett.
"So Knuckles wants a spy in our club?" Brielle said.
Claire smiled, "He said you were good and that I would be unable to fool you. He wants a go between. He figured if I looked like a spy I could move without suspicion and keep the lines of communication open."
"It's a good idea," Georgina said, "but why wouldn't we choose a pseudo spy. Someone who we could trust to keep our secrets?"
There was a knock before Ashley interrupted with morning tea, she almost dropped the tray.
"What the fuck are you doing here Claire? Is everything OK with Knuckles?"
"Yeah, he wants me off the street. More to the point, what are you doing here?"
"These girls pulled me off the cruciform. Fucking Harold sold me to settle his debt, so now I'm Head Chef of the Hogarth Club."
"It was you on the cruciform, I'm sorry Sis I would have come in and killed that bastard Jock if I'd known."
Ashley and Claire met in a hug that looked more like a collision. Ashley was the first to wake up.
"I'm sorry Georgina, Brielle, this is my sister Claire."
Brielle was quick, she looked at Claire and said, "So we trust your sister, why should we trust you?"
"Because I am in your debt, you got rid of that walking shit pile Jock fucking Mosley and saved me cutting his balls off."
"Why?" Georgina asked.
Claire looked at her sister, "Joanie, my daughter is eleven he said she's old enough to be sold, he said she'd be worth ten of me. My mum did it to me, he wasn't going to get my daughter and live."
Ashley pulled her sister back into a hug, "If you'd told me I would have held them while you sliced."
The girls let the sisters commune.
"And you?" Brielle said to Ashley.
"Mum sent me away to relatives in the south. Jock almost killed her for it but she was earning good money for him so she lived.
"Do you want to sit in Ashley?" Georgina asked.
"Yes please."
She turned to her sister, "Is that OK with you Claire?"
Claire just kissed her hands, it was all the affirmation Ashley needed she went to the sideboard for another cup then sat at the table and poured the tea.
After they had sipped their teas Georgina said, "Just tell us the story Claire."
Claire looked at the girls then at her sister, who nodded.
"I was sold at the age of eleven to men with weird tastes and deep pockets. Jock used girls whose tits had just started. He said that was the financial sweet spot. Though he's taken girls as young as nine in payment of debts."
Brielle was angry, "So he runs a pedophile ring, has Knuckles taken that over too?"
"No that's why Cee wants me out of the way. Jock just supplied some shadowy bloke."
"So Joanie is Cyril's daughter too?" Georgina said.
"How the fuck did you know that? And don't call him Cyril, he'll kill you."
Brielle laughed her anger temporarily forgotten, Georgina added scintillating intelligence to her flat reading skills.
"Georgina knows everything," she said.
"OK," Georgina said, "you can join us, you can share with Ashley, we can get four beds in that room."
Claire's mouth flopped open.
"How did you know?" she said.
Georgina laughed, "I know that if Cyril is putting Joanie and his mother in our hands, this shadowy bloke must be scary. We will have a conversation when you've settled in."
Brielle's smile was fully back, pleased that eliminating pedophile scum was now on the agenda.
It was early afternoon when Roger crashed into the kitchen disturbing their tea.
"Georgina my uncle wants to meet you before our party tonight."
He looked at Reggie, "I've booked rooms at the Dorchester. You three can have the room with the big bed."
He ignored their raised eyebrows.
"Can you bring Georgina's clothes. We have to go?"
He stood and pulled Georgina to her feet.
"Why is your uncle so important?" Georgina asked.
"He is the trustee for my estate it doesn't vest until I'm thirty two."
Georgina could see that it was important.
"You'll have to wait, I need to organize party wear for tonight and I can't go dressed like this."
The girls all rose and left with Georgina. Well this will be an hour Roger thought.
Within twenty minutes they were all back, Roger's mouth flopped open.
"You look stunning," he said. "I'll get my gun, I'll need it to keep the wolves at bay."
Georgina kissed him.
"I copied it from a magazine. Anne Rutherford was wearing it," she said.
"It's parchment beige wool jersey sports frock." Reggie pointed to the hem, "Look it's cut on a bias."
Lola added, "See, the blouse has shoulder and cuff gathers and I love the soft neckline."
"No I didn't mean the clothing, I meant Georgina. Ann Rutherford couldn't make those clothes look like that."
He was smothered in kisses, at last he had said something right. It was time for him to escape before he messed it up.
He found his uncle in Octavian's alcove.
"Uncle Ralph, this is Georgina. Georgina Uncle Ralph."
They shook hands.
"You must be commended Dear, you have turned this wastrel into a man. Until you, he has never displayed any taste in women. Octavian speaks so highly of you, I believe he fancies you himself. I can see why you have won my nephews' hearts."
"Thank you Lord Hardcastle," Georgina said demurely.
Wicklow arrived and took orders. Sugar was so heavily rationed Georgina ordered an afternoon tea, with the finger sandwiches replaced by additional sweets.
"I say Old Girl, you'll end up looking like a turnip," said Ralph jovially.
"With rationing Lord Hardcastle I'll be lucky to end up looking like a carrot."
They consumed their repast before getting down to business. Ralph, who was not only related but the family solicitor, went to great lengths to outline the terms and limitations of Roger's legacy. Should Roger die before the vesting date Georgina would not be in the line of inheritance.
"I'm sorry Old Girl but you'll have to keep him alive, or have his babies. The money would flow to offspring irrespective."
Georgina, who didn't give a jot about Roger's money, suddenly teared up at the mention of babies. Babies she couldn't deliver.
It hit her like a brick, she had deceived Roger. He had said his family line was important when he had told her about Helen, his previous fiancee. She couldn't do that to him anymore. When she thought about living without Roger she broke down. She flew from the table to the Powder Room.
Roger threw his uncle a caustic look before he set off after Georgina. He crashed into the women's domain. She was distraught her whole body displayed her distress. She was curled in a chair in a foetal position, her shoulders were shaking to match her crying.
Roger pulled her from the chair into his arms.
"Georgina, nothing is important in comparison to you."
She looked at him with such longing, Roger's heart melted. Her face was red and blotched tears were running down well established tracks and dripping off her chin onto her gathered soft neckline.
"Roger, you need to know that-"
He interrupted her, "I need to know nothing, you are all I need to know. I know I love you, I know I will sacrifice anything for you and I know you'll be my wife."
"But-"
"No buts Georgina. Your concern, whatever it is, has no ability to affects us."
Georgina kissed him, she could feel his resolve through his lips. She decided she would be selfish and enjoy as much of Roger as she could. She'd tell him before they were wed. She pulled a notebook from her bag.
"You said we had a room, can I have the key?"
"Of course," Roger pulled the key from his pocket it was the honeymoon suite, he pulled out the key to the girls room. He wanted the true purpose of the evening to remain a secret for as long as possible.
"What am I to do with this?" he asked, waiving her notebook.
"Read the front page."
When Roger had settled Georgina he returned to his uncle.
"She OK, Lad?"
Roger nodded.
"Maybe she's after your money Lad, I've never seen such a reaction-"
