Peter and Paul by Susan Scarlett

Author:Susan Scarlett
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dean Street Press
Published: 2022-07-03T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 7

After that first party at the Savoy it was a case of taking your place in the queue to go out with Petronella. At once she became a figure in the night-clubs and restaurants. Very few people knew her name, but everybody knew her by sight, and quite a few knew who she was.

“Look, my dear, there’s that lovely girl. She’s a model at ‘Reboux’. Isn’t she too beautiful!”

All the restaurateurs, night-club owners, and maitres d’hotels knew her. She was one of those people that the whole of their training had taught them to spot. Useful now because she brought men to eat and drink at their tables. Certainly worth making a fuss of because you never knew what might happen to a girl with a face like that. She might marry a duke, or a millionaire. At every gala night in any dancing place the best of the gifts and novelties went to her.

“Our bedroom,” said Pauline in disgust, “looks more like a nursery every day. I can’t think what you want the things for.”

Petronella looked round at the collection of dolls, paper hats and toys.

“I don’t really, but people give them to me. I can’t throw them away, can I?”

David, by dint of booking her well ahead, managed to get a couple of nights a week with her. He usually took her to a cinema. The first time they went out this was followed by the Savoy Grill for supper. She seemed to enjoy it, for as usual half the stage, film and literary lights of London were there. He liked it because it gave him a chance to talk to her. To try to get to know her. But somehow the Savoy Grill was a failure. For all his struggling conversation ran dry. He simply could not take an interest in the home life of the film stars, or what Betty, Violet, Eloise and Mary thought about film stars; and Petronella had nothing else to talk about. As for Petronella, she summed up what she thought of the evening on her way home. David said:

“Don’t forget Wednesday is mine. We’ll do another film.”

“All right,” she agreed, “but don’t let’s have supper there. Let’s go where there’s a band.”

Pauline began to go out a little too. Once or twice Petronella’s parties wanted an extra girl. She made two men friends out of these occasions. They were both a lot older than she was, and liked good food and somebody to talk to while they ate it. Pauline was perfect for the job. She listened entranced to what had happened on the Stock Exchange from one of them, and to grumbles about his wife from the other. Where she failed from their point of view was on the way home. Nothing would make her allow them to kiss her in the taxi.

“But why not?” the Stock Exchange asked. “A kiss won’t hurt you.”

Pauline considered the point.

“I think kissing people’s only nice when you’re fond of them.”

“Aren’t you at

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