Free The Club by Mandasue Heller Page B

– who was too busy telling a joke to notice him. Coughing to attract his attention, the blood rushed to Leonard’s cheeks when everybody turned and looked at him.
    Irritated by the interruption, Tony frowned up at him. ‘Yeah?’
    ‘Oh, sorry . . . didn’t mean to disturb you,’ Leonard said, suddenly nervous because Allen obviously didn’t recognise him. ‘I, er, just saw you and thought I’d best come and say hello.’ Grinning then, he added, ‘Wouldn’t want you thinking I was ignoring you, or anything.’
    ‘Do I know you?’ The frown deepened.
    ‘We met last week,’ Leonard reminded him. ‘Lord Kimberley’s do.’
    ‘Kimberley?’ Tony repeated slowly, narrowing his eyes.
    ‘At The Lowry,’ Leonard prompted, embarrassed now because people were beginning to smirk. ‘Auction and dinner in aid of the dialysis unit? Lord Kimberley introduced us.’
    ‘That the old dude with the horse-face wife?’
    ‘Maureen,’ Leonard affirmed, smiling again. ‘Yes, that’s them. I was sitting across from you on the long table at dinner. We discussed some of the lots.’
    ‘Can’t say I remember too much about it.’ Tony shrugged. ‘It must have been boring.’
    ‘Those things often are,’ Leonard agreed disloyally. ‘So, I, um, guess you won’t be going to his Poloquet party next week?’
    Repulsed by the smarmy conspiratorial grin, Tony said, ‘Whatever the fuck that means – no , I won’t be going.’
    Excusing herself just then, Brenda Thompson got up and squeezed her way out from behind the table.
    ‘Do you mind?’ Leonard indicated her vacated seat.
    ‘Free country, last I heard,’ Tony grunted. ‘Wouldn’t be here otherwise.’
    Leonard laughed, but quickly stopped when Tony flicked him an irritated glance. Okay, keep it cool , he told himself, squeezing onto the chair. Don’t get carried away and make a fool of yourself when everything’s going so well.

    Over at the bar, Kalli was casting disapproving glances in Leonard’s direction as she washed a pile of glasses. She’d seen the leering way he’d followed Austin with his eyes when Austin had taken him a drink a short while ago, and she hadn’t liked it one little bit.
    Austin would say she’d imagined it, but she hadn’t – and she knew better than most about men and their disgusting ways, having been forced to cater to all manner of filthy pigs when her father had sold her to the brothel owner in Hong Kong. Just like that fat man, those men had smiled like angels while making their deals with the Devil. And Austin, with his cute dimples, bleached-blond hair and baby-blue eyes, was prime meat for that kind of man.
    Austin bounded over just then with a fresh order. Waving a hand in front of her face, he said, ‘Oi, quit staring at the stars and get on with your job.’
    Snatching the order slip from him, Kalli gave it to the other waitress and grabbed his hand.
    ‘ Ooer , get off!’ he protested, jerking back and looking at the soapsuds in disgust. ‘Now look what you’ve done. I’m all wet.’
    ‘Never mind that,’ Kalli said impatiently. ‘What were you and that man talking about?’
    ‘ Man ?’ Austin repeated bemusedly. ‘Honey, in case it’s slipped your distracted attention, there’s about a zillion men in here tonight, and I’ve been talking to them all, like the good little waiter I am.’
    ‘ Him .’ Kalli jabbed a finger in Leonard’s direction.
    ‘I wasn’t talking to him about anything,’ Austin told her innocently. ‘Oh, except to tell him that he didn’t have to pay for his drinks.’
    ‘So, what did he give you?’ Kalli persisted. ‘And don’t lie, because I saw you put something in your pocket.’
    ‘Check you , Miss Marple!’ Austin teased. ‘But for your nosy information, it wasn’t his number, so you can drop the slapped-bum mush.’ Pulling the ten-pound note from his pocket, he dangled it in front of her face for a second, then stashed it away again before the other waitress