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I said. “I’m educated and well traveled.”
    He smirked. “I’m not planning to quiz you on your knowledge of geography.” Then he became aware that we were both still standing. “I suppose you’d like a drink before we go?” he said.
    “That would be nice. I’d like champagne if they have it.” I took a seat at the table.
    “Bloody ’ell,” he muttered. “You London girls certainly have expensive tastes.” I noticed that he had a beer in front of him. He beckoned to a waiter and a bottle of champagne was brought to the table.
    “I hope you’ll join me,” I said, feeling embarrassed now that he’d had to buy a whole bottle when all I’d wanted was a glass.
    “Why not? Help us both to loosen up, won’t it?” he said and gave me a wink.
    The bottle was opened with a satisfying pop. Two glasses were poured. I took a sip then held up my glass to him. “Cheers,” I said. “Here’s to a lovely evening for both of us.”
    I noticed he swallowed hard. In fact it almost looked as if he was sweating. “So I expect you want paying up front, do you?”
    “Oh, I don’t think that will be necessary,” I said. “But I shall expect cash at the end of the evening.”
    “So what’s the plan then? Do we go back to my hotel, or do you have a place where you take clients nearby? I know I should have asked on the telephone but this was all rather last minute, wasn’t it? In fact I’d never have thought of it if I hadn’t seen your advert this morning. I don’t usually do this sort of thing.”
    I was just trying to digest what he had said when the music picked up in tempo. There were whoops and catcalls coming from the front of the room. I looked up at the stage. The girl was still dancing, but I was suddenly aware that she wore almost no clothing. As I stared in fascinated horror, she opened an ostrich feather fan which she held in front of her, then, to a final drum roll, she produced her brassiere and tossed it into the front rows of the audience.
    Suddenly the penny dropped. My hotel or your place?
    “Wait,” I said. “What were you expecting from me?”
    “Only the usual, darling,” he said. “Same as you do with all the men. Nothing too kinky.”
    “I think there must be some mistake,” I said. “We are a respectable escort service. We provide girls as dinner companions, theater companions, not the sort of thing you obviously have in mind.”
    “Don’t play coy with me, sweetheart,” he said. The words were slurred enough to tell me that he had been drinking for some time. He reached across and grabbed my arm. “What are you trying to do, push up the price? I wasn’t born yesterday, you know. Come on, drink up your bubbly and we’ll go back to my hotel, or you’ll be charging me by the hour.”
    I attempted to stand up. “I’m afraid there’s been a horrible misunderstanding here. I think I’d better go.”
    His grip on my arm tightened. “What’s the matter, girlie, don’t you fancy me, or what? Isn’t my brass good enough for you?” The smile had disappeared from his face. He was blowing beery breath in my face. “Now you come with me like a good girl or you know what I’ll do? I’ll have you arrested for soliciting.”
    He stood up and attempted to drag me with him.
    “Let go of me, please,” I said. I sensed people at the tables around us watching. “Just let me go and we’ll forget the whole thing.”
    “No, we bloody won’t,” he said. “I’ve had to pay for a bottle of champagne. And we made an agreement, me and your agency. We struck a bargain and Harold Crump doesn’t take kindly to people who try to back out of business deals. Now stop playing the prissy little miss and get moving.”
    “Didn’t you hear the young lady? She will not be coming with you,” said a voice behind me.
    I recognized that voice and spun around to see Darcy O’Mara standing there, looking amazingly dashing in a white dinner jacket and bow tie, his unruly black hair combed into