Lizzie of Langly Street by Carol Rivers

Author:Carol Rivers [Rivers, Carol]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Book Three

Chapter Eighteen

1924

‘T hat lets me out,’ grunted Frank Flowers. He threw down his cards and raised his arms above his head in a long stretch. The room was filled with smoke; the gambling, drinking and philandering that had gone on in the airey over the Friday night and into the early hours of Saturday had made the air pungent. With his shirtsleeves rolled up and collar removed, Frank scratched the top of his chest. The blond, bristly stubble on his chin had formed into a light beard, unlike that of the man sitting next to him.

The gypsy’s dark hair was greased and combed away from his narrow face. Yawning loudly, Mik Ferreter grinned slowly through uneven teeth. ‘Well, Frankie boy, I’m gonna have to clean you out. No wonder your old man don’t trust you with the takings. You’ve given it all to me.’

‘You ain’t kidding, Mik.’ Frank laughed nervously. ‘It’d pay me to stick to Lena – a whole night with her is a damn sight cheaper than a round of poker with you.’

‘Yeah, well, no one comes cheaper than Lena,’ muttered Vinnie, who sat on Frank’s other side, his elbows resting on the table. His braces hung loosely round his hips as he leaned forward on his chair. A dark blue Homburg was tilted over his forehead and a cigarette dangled from his lips.

Vinnie was getting on Frank’s nerves. In fact, Ferreter was too. The luck that had won the bookie the pot on the table was highly suspect, but Frank kept his mouth shut. Ferreter didn’t play by the rules. He made them up as he went along.

‘Lena ain’t a bad looker,’ Frank said in mild defence of the woman who had spent the night in his bed.

Vinnie laughed. ‘Yeah, but only if you’re desperate.’

If that little toerag pushes his luck much further . thought Frank angrily, then told himself to calm down. Vinnie was baiting him. He wanted a reaction. Well he wasn’t going to get one.

Vinnie nodded to the bedroom, which had not long been vacated. ‘Gave her a right good seeing to, did you, Frankie? Let her know who was boss?’

Frank swigged his beer. ‘Yeah, well, why not? Might as well enjoy me last days of being single.’

The bookie threw his head back and laughed. ‘Now that takes the biscuit, that does.’

‘What do you mean?’ Frank bristled.

‘You ain’t gonna be any different when you’re hitched, you randy old sod,’ said Mik Ferreter gruffly. ‘You ain’t stopped taking your Johnny out since I’ve known you. Hardly likely to keep it in there just ’cos you’ve got a ring on yer finger.’

Frank regarded this as flattery. He grinned. ‘Nah, I’m gonna turn over a new leaf. You see if I don’t. Anyway, I got me girl’s big brother over there to keep an eye out for me.’

The bookie sneered. ‘He can’t keep an eye out for himself, let alone you.’

Vinnie’s close-set eyes slid towards Ferreter. Frank felt a wave of satisfaction. Vinnie had sold his soul to the devil years ago, but Ferreter treated him with no greater respect.

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