on the bedside table. ‘God in heaven, I’ve been in here almost an hour!’ How the time had flown. ‘I’ll have to get this key back. Now, sweetheart, nice as it is we’ve got to stop all this cuddling and be practical. How long before himself returns?’
‘I should think at least another hour.’
‘Then I’ll have to make a start on our relief fund.’ He attempted to disentangle himself.
‘I have a few coins hidden!’ An adoring Etta made a grab for her portmanteau, hurling clothes right, left and centre before pressing the money into his hand. ‘Sorry there’s so little but I spent the rest on my last escapade.’
Marty accepted the few shillings with grace. ‘Never mind, this’ll be a big help, though we’ll need just a bit more.’ He gave her a quick kiss. ‘So let me go about getting it, and the moment I do I’ll be back to whisk you away.’
Overjoyed, she clung to him all the way to the door. ‘Oh, surely I must be dreaming!’
‘And I must be crazy!’ Loath to drag himself away, Marty kissed her heartily, dealt her one last adoring look, then, peeking into the corridor to check that it was clear, rushed back to his proper quarters.
On the way down, however, he encountered the pageboy, whom he knew received plenty of tips, and, without preamble, demanded excitedly, ‘Joe, me old mucker, lend us some cash. I’ll pay it back soon as I can.’
The trusting youngster fished a couple of silver threepences out of his trouser pocket. ‘No rush.’
‘Thanks, but I meant a bit more than this.’ Needing to shout it from the rooftops, Marty grinned and in an excited whisper revealed his intentions. ‘You’ll never believe this. You know the stunner? She wants me to run away with her!’
Joe gave an impassive nod and made to move on. ‘Right…sorry, Bootsie, can’t stop, that lady in room one-two-five’s just rang down to ask if I’ll go slip her a length. She can’t get enough of –’
‘I’m not codding ye!’ Marty pressed a delaying hand to his friend’s chest, hissing with bright-eyed enthusiasm, ‘We’ve really clicked. Her dad locked her in and –’
‘Oh aye, Joanna’s just been ranting on about that!’ Joe rolled his eyes in amused exasperation. ‘Proper disgruntled she was.’
‘Will you stop bloody wittering on!’ Marty displayed urgency. ‘I have to think of a way to get her out o’ here before he comes back.’
Joe laughed aloud then. ‘You soft article! A lady like her’s not really interested in the likes of us. She only spun you a line to get you to unlock the door. Joanna told u—’
‘Ach, I haven’t time to sod about!’ Marty rushed away, muttering that he had to get some money together.
Watching the other retreat, the little pageboy shook his head knowingly, dismissing Marty’s outpouring as fantasy. ‘She’ll be vanished by the time you get back!’ he called after him.
‘Don’t bet on it!’
But down in the basement Marty was to be shown equal disrespect. Having been reliably informed by Joanna, everyone was of the opinion that he had taken leave of his senses.
‘I know she’s lovely,’ said a motherly chambermaid, ‘because she asked me to do up her corsets and gave me sixpence for my troubles –’
‘Blimey, I’d’ve done ’em for nowt,’ interjected one of the boys.
‘– but I rather think she’s teasing you, dear,’ finished the maid.
‘Aye, she’s having you for a mug, Bootsie,’ sneered a waiter.
‘But will you lend us something, please, please?’ Clutching his cap to his breast, Marty dropped to his knees, shuffling in this fashion around the workers and making them all laugh.
‘Here you are then, I’m happy to bet on a certainty.’ Casually, one of the porters dropped a florin into the outstretched cap.
Others gasped at the munificent gesture. ‘Bloody hell, I’ll have some if you’re chucking it about!’
The contributor’s face creased in mockery. ‘Nah – I’ll be getting it back in ten minutes when Bootsie finds out she’s done a flit!’
Ignoring the ridicule, Marty lauded his benefactor. And as others good-naturedly followed suit he blessed these too, even knowing it was done out of jest, for they would soon be laughing on the other side of their faces.
‘Eh, we’ll look daft if he runs off to Timbuktu with her,’ joked one of the boys, nudging his neighbour.
‘We won’t be running that far.’ Marty got to his feet, looking smug.
‘She might not be but you will! When her dad comes back you’ll find yourself travelling to Timbuktu on the end of his foot.’
Marty remained smiling and chinked the coins now in his hand. ‘Mock if you will! But Etta and myself will be using this for a deposit on a home.’
Alas, this drew more than raucous guffaws.
‘What’s this infernal racket? Boots!’ Marty jumped and shoved the coins in his pocket as his superior appeared and everyone hurried about their work. ‘I might have known you’d be at the centre of it!’
‘Sorry, Mr Wilkinson.’
‘You will be! The gentleman in room one-twenty has made a complaint that his dirty shoes are still in the corridor.’
Marty retreated quickly with an apologetic bow. ‘I must have missed them, sir. I’ll go fetch them now.’
‘Jump to it, boy – and return those whilst you’re at it!’ Wilkinson pointed to a lone pair of ladies’ shoes, which Marty quickly seized.
‘Yes, sir, I’ll see to it immediately!’ The errand gave him just the excuse he needed to go upstairs again.
On the way his luck increased, for not only was he able to replace the key but he met Joe struggling under the weight of two cases and whispered urgently to him, ‘When you’ve done that will you keep watch for me? I need to know if that Ibbetson gadger comes back – he hasn’t been past already, has he?’
Joe said not that he knew of, adding that he would act as lookout so long as he was not needed. ‘You’ll get me hung, you will!’
‘Hanged!’ corrected Marty with a grin, and, thanking him, he galloped off to Etta’s room.
Yet at the point of entering he stalled – not simply because her father might be there but more because he feared his friends could be right. Had he indeed been fooling himself, caught up in the moment? What could a ravishing, wealthy young lady like her see in him? Moreover, how could he be idiot enough to expect her to give it all up?
But the doubt was transitory. Once inside, everything was all right again. More than all right. In her relief Etta threw herself at him, sparking off a feverish bout of kissing.
Reinvigorated,
