Chapter 5

While Becca had been on the telephone Mary had been down to the newsagent and bought a local paper. She settled down at the kitchen table and went through all the jobs on offer highlighting the ones that appealed. Many called for typing and shorthand. She had taught herself to type with two forefingers but had no idea about shorthand. There were receptionist jobs but she could not see those keeping her enthralled for long nor giving her scope for promotion. She said as much to Becca.

"Why don't you start with a receptionist job and do evening typing and shorthand classes? Then you can go for a secretarial job."

"Brilliant!"

"Or you could come and work with the Damsels and do the evening classes."

"In many ways I'd love to do that but, being a relative, that might not be a good idea. I'd hate anything to damage the relationship you have with your girls."

"I doubt it would but it's good of you to think of it. Treat us as a fall back."

"OK. Thanks."

Mary answered four receptionist advertisements and arranged four interviews over the next two days: one at a hotel, one for a dentist, one for a firm of solicitors and one at a car showroom. She also enrolled on a secretarial course two evenings a week, Tuesdays and Thursdays. All four advertisers offered her a place. The hotel offered her the highest wage and, she reckoned, the most variety. It did mean that she would have to work some weekends and evenings. She was assured that they would not interfere with her evening classes. She took it.

Becca decided that Jane would be one of the two new drivers. Jane had been on her shortlist the first time. She decided to offer the second slot to Maisie as Kim had turned the opportunity down last time. It would mean that another of her section leaders was a driver. Maisie was thrilled.

In mid-October Alison Thorpe rang Becca asking her to do some further modelling for Soignée in January. Becca happily accepted. She felt sure that Alison would make certain there was no repetition of the Simon Garfield incident.

Later that month Rita came over to meet the Damsels. She brought Alan Curtis with her because she wanted a photographer's input. Becca told Rita that she thought Kim and Carly might be suitable models. The girls were all very excited at the thought of being selected as models and there was a great deal of hair-washing and setting the previous evening. Kim did not bother despite Nell badgering her.

"I'm really not interested," she said.

"But it could be a stepping stone to something bigger."

"The last thing I want to become is a professional model."

"Why not?"

"Leering men."

Nell dropped the subject.

Rita and Alan came by car to Becca's house so they toured the three sites in that. Becca pointed out Kim and Carly as they went round. Nell was delighted to see them both, hugged Rita warmly and kissed Alan which embarrassed him enormously even though he thoroughly enjoyed it. Alan took a lot of photographs. His gentle good humour even persuaded Kim to relax and he took two of her, one smiling cheerfully and the other laughing happily. They were also very taken with Anita.

"Why?" asked Becca. "Yes, she's quite pretty but nothing special."

"She's got a gamin, urchin look," said Rita, "which a lot of people will find appealing, particularly as we're doing some work clothes this spring."

Rita said nothing more publicly at that stage other than that they would develop the photographs and go from there.

"I want Kim," she said to Becca. "There's that shy wistfulness about her which is very appealing. She's got a lovely figure even though she's quite small and, when she smiles, she's devastating."

"Good luck!" said Becca with a grin.

"Yes, I know, but you wait until I turn it on."

"Sex won't get you anywhere."

"Becca!"

Becca collapsed with laughter. "All right. All right," she gasped. "Your unparalleled powers of persuasion." She doubled up again with laughter.

Rita eyed her and then started to laugh herself. "Foul girl! I love you though, Becca dear." She hugged her fondly.

There was silence on the Brain Bros. front for some weeks.

Mary became rather quiet and a bit snappy around this time. Becca asked her if anything was wrong.

"Just the curse," said Mary brushing it off.

Becca left it for the time being. Mary had not behaved in the same way a month earlier and her moodiness persisted.

Steven had become personally involved in a case and was doing a lot of his own sleuthing. Becca hated it. She did not know what it was about. Steven was rigorous in defending his clients' confidentiality but he assured her that there was no threat of violence. Nevertheless, Becca hated not having him around and insisted on him taking a thermos of soup and two sandwiches with him every day. She put the same effort into that meal as she did into dinner. Steven found each lunchtime an excitement.

Becca came home one day to find Mary sitting at the kitchen table with her head in her hands crying. She knelt beside her and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Mary, my sweet, tell me."

"It's over six weeks," Mary sobbed. "I don't think he's going to come to me."

"How much notice would he have to give?"

"Four weeks but what difference does that make? If he really wanted he could have just walked out."

"He'd miss out on pay, pay in lieu of holiday and that sort of thing."

"Chicken feed compared to the cost of a flight."

"No, Mary love, a sizeable contribution."

"I suppose so but six weeks!"

"Mary, my love, OK you threatened to leave him and I'll bet he didn't believe you and then suddenly you were gone. It must have taken him some time to get over that."

"Not if he really loved me. He should have been on the next available flight."

"No, my love. I don't think so. I suspect he was so shattered that you would actually leave him that he couldn't think straight for several days. I'll bet he even thought, 'If that's extent of her love she can get stuffed.'"

"Do you really think so?"

Becca nodded.

"Even though I'd threatened to leave him for over a fortnight?"

Becca nodded again. "He never believed you'd do it."

Mary gazed at her and then her eyes filled with tears again.

"Oh God!" she wept. "It's all my fault."

"No!" said Becca firmly. "What you did was absolutely right. He was at fault operating in a vice ring. You gave him every chance although your insistence on him telling the management or the authorities about it probably frightened him too much."