Gypsy - Lesley Pearse [77]
He let out a foul stream of expletives, but Beth reached for her coat and put it on. ‘You’ve got just one minute to make that up to fifteen dollars,’ she said, looking at the money still in his hand. ‘Or I walk out and never come back.’
‘I won’t keep your brother on if you do that,’ he said, his eyes narrowing like a snake’s.
‘Then you’re a bigger fool than I took you for,’ she said tartly. ‘Where are you going to get another honest barman like him?’
His fist came up, but Beth was growing so angry now that she slapped it away. ‘You hit me and I’ll go and work in the saloon right next door just to spite you,’ she hissed at him. ‘Sam would never work for you again either. Your minute is up now. Either give me the fifteen dollars or step out of my way.’
She knew she had won when he reached into his pocket, brought out a roll of bills and peeled some off for her. In a strange way she was disappointed, for he had just proved how valuable she was to him, and now she couldn’t walk out and work for someone else she would like and trust.
‘I want to count the hat money myself from now on,’ she warned him. ‘I’ll give you half because that’s what I agreed, but try to cheat me again and I’m off.’
She flounced past him into the bar and made her way over to Sam. ‘Be careful what you say to him tonight,’ she whispered. ‘I’ve just had a spat with him.’
Sam looked worried and glanced over towards the back room. ‘He wants me to stay late for cards. Is he going to get you a cab?’
‘I’ll see she gets home,’ a familiar voice spoke up just behind her. ‘That is, of course, if Beth’s agreeable!’
Beth spun round. ‘Theo!’ she exclaimed, unable to hide her joy.
As the cab jogged home to Houston Street, Beth told Theo the bare bones of what had been said.
‘Of course you were right to stand up for yourself,’ he said. ‘And very brave. But Heaney is a vindictive man, Beth, I’ve heard many stories about him.’
‘He won’t hurt Sam, will he?’ she asked fearfully.
‘I don’t think so, he needs him. I doubt he’d dare try to do anything to you either, there are too many customers who would string him up if he did. But both of you must be on your guard with him. It would be as well to try to butter him up a bit when you work next.’
‘I’m not doing that,’ she said indignantly.
‘My dear,’ Theo sighed, ‘take a tip from me. Always disarm your enemies with charm, it works far better than fists, guns or knives.’
As the cab drew up to Beth’s house, Theo took her hand. ‘I’m going back there now, but may I take you out somewhere tomorrow?’
Beth beamed, her altercation with Heaney all but wiped out by Theo’s request.
‘I’d love that,’ she said.
‘Then I’ll be round for you at one,’ he said. ‘Now, how about one of those lovely kisses?’
It was pitch dark on the stairs as always. The only gas light was by the front door, and that had been turned off long ago. Beth felt as though she’d been bewitched as she groped her way up the four flights. She was on fire from Theo’s kiss, her heart racing, and out of breath from the climb. She stumbled several times when she missed her footing, but the excitement she felt because she would be seeing Theo the following day banished any thought of the scene earlier with Heaney.
Once in her room and the oil lamp lit, she slumped down on her bed, still panting. Theo wanted her, and that was all that mattered.
‘You look very lovely, Beth,’ Theo said as he jumped out of his cab to greet her the following day. ‘I hope you haven’t been waiting out here in the cold for long?’
‘Oh no, I only came downstairs just now,’ she lied. She had in fact been waiting on the doorstep for over twenty minutes, too afraid to stay upstairs in case he walked into the house through the ever open front door and saw, heard and smelled how grubby, noisy and smelly the place was.
She wished she’d had more notice that he was going to take her out, because then she could have got something new to wear from Ira’s shop. As it was,