s'ings of grande value, but no monnaies, for to eat? So I mak' ze arrangement wiz ze Monteverdes at ze osteria, 'oo know ze farmers, ze shopkeepers, aussi, e voilа … ze entreprise we begin. 'E 'ave monnaies, I 'ave une peu. Pardon, but I see you' agent, 'e advance me all ze fif y pound you leave for me at firs'. Be non to worry, mon amour, I pay eet all back, wi'sin ze mont ', from my profeet,' she said with another pleased chuckle, and a toying with his hair.
'You parleyed fifty pounds into all this?'
'Out,' she admitted, with a proud cock of her head.
'Bloody hell, you should be in London, at the 'Change!' He gaped. 'You'd make a fortune, overnight. And show them how.'
'Merci, Alain, you are please-ed? Bon.' Phoebe smiled, rewarding him with a fond kiss. 'Now, non more trade. You' Navy, you' Army, so many at San Fiorenzo, 'oo deman' 'ouses, rooms, food an' wine. An' ze refreshment, from ze siege? Ze grande йmigrйs, zey mus' 'ave servants, pay rent, buy food an' wine. An', where are soldiers an' sailors and ze rich, zere come domestiques, chefs, ze restaurants an' cafйs… ooh la, San Fiorenzo ees awaken! Tailors an' dressmakers, zey are mak' money so quick! So, even more people come, from Bastia, Ajaccio… all need what we 'ave, comprende? Ze people 'oo are jus' depart, zey open ze maison public … ze 'ore-'ouse, wiz so many beautiful jeune filles. Maison public mus' be elegant, 'ave furnishings grande, an' I on'y am 'ave, no one else, so zey buy from moi.'
'You're in the brothel business?' he yelped in alarm. 'That's as good as saying we both are! Now, hold on just,..'
'Course, everyone I knew in the early days said I'd make a hellish grand pimp, he recalled, somewhat ruefully.
'Non, non,' she countered heartily. 'Sell, on'y ze furnishings. For monnaie, an' some wine. Wine, I sell to ozzers, at profeet. You' officiers Brittanique, mos'ly. Forgive plais, Alain, mon coeur, but…' She sobered, almost biting her lip shyly. 'Mos' of zem, zey are 'aving trиs monnaies, but are… les folletes-ze leetle fools? Pay any sum I as' for zere port an' claret. An', zey mus' 'ave clubs, hein? Where officers go, when zey wish to be amusant? Zey need furnishing grande for zose, aussil An', so many gowns, an' jewelry I 'ave tak' in trade. Officers mus' 'ave zere courtesans… and courtesans mus' 'ave pretty gowns, or jewelry. Or ze les follettes, zey buy for zem, from moi.'
'So, we're… you're running a secondhand shop for whores and such,' he stated flatly.
'Non!' she declared, aghast, and suddenly losing her gay confidence and pride. 'To shop, on'y, Alain, never to… I s'ought you be 'appy, zat I do so well. Zat I mak' ze 'ome beautiful, an' eet cos' you nossing!' She began to blubber up, her pouty little lower lip beginning to tremble. 'I… I s'ought you be proud of me!'
'Phoebe…'he crooned, abandoning his champagne to take hold of her before she fled in tears, to slide her down onto his lap where he rocked her and stroked her like a heartbroken child. 'There there, don't take on so, my girl. Of course, I'm proud of you. 'Bout pleased as punch, don't ye know! You're a marvel, so clever, so enterprising…'
Hold on there, he thought, though: let's not trowel it on too bloody thick! I still don't know what people think of this place. Or my association with it!
'It's just such a surprise, that's all, Phoebe. Ma chйrie,' he told her softly, cradling her head on his chest. 'Aye, you have done a miracle with this house! I'd not recognize it. And so tasteful! Grand as the Walpoles, grand as the richest house ever I've seen back home in England! But I thought I'd be coming back to our… to you, my girl… and our little hideaway, where we could be private and intimate. Cozy and pleasant, hey, like you said? And I find people crawling about underfoot, jam-packed to the deck heads with stuff like a chandlery, too damn' busy a bustle, bad as the 'Change back home. And some of 'em not the elegant sort you should-a lady should-be knowing. Now, where is our privacy in all that, hmm?'
'Ees jus'…' Phoebe hiccuped, snuggling closer even as she dashed away her tears with the back of her hand. 'You' Prize Court… zey tak' so long, an' eef I mak' monnaies zen you non worry 'bout eef you can afford me, Alain! Merde alors, eef I lose you, what is zere for me to do? Become ze putain, again? Non. Never again, mon amourl'
'Phoebe…' he gentled, stroking her back. Touched, though, to his heart by her concern for him. He plucked a dainty, gauzy silk handkerchief from the bosom of her elegant gown and began to dry her tears.
'Someday, oui …' she whispered, turning her face up to his to be gentled. 'You go 'way to sea, return to Englan'. Or, we grow tired of each ozzer? I pray zat do non 'appen for trиs beaucoup anй, mon amour] All zese I do, so you 'ave nossing to s'ink about but 'ow much you love me, ow much I love you! An' 'ow 'appy we are. Zose zat come 'ere…' She sniffed, taking the handkerchief for a vigorous swipe at her nose, 'Zey non shame you, Alain… or moi. Zey do non come to trade wiz ze leetle 'hore 'oo 'ave e'spensive s'ings,' she swore, all but making the sign of the cross over her heart.
'Non, zey s'ink zey deal wiz йmigrй royaliste from Toulon. Our 'ouse ees non ze salon, or ze maison public. Ze courtyard, on'y, ees market. Non 'ere, in 'ouse. Oh, la, I store gowns an' jewelry, in ze ozzer bedchamber, for sйcuritй, mais … I do non entertain! An' I am non for sale, ever again, Alain! Eef I mak' monnaies, honestly… zen I am 'ave sйcuritй so I never 'ave to sell myself to men, ever. Give to a man I love, wiz all my 'eart, oui … but, never sell.'
'Dear God,' he whispered, in awe of her. 'Forgive me for rowing you, Phoebe. Forgive everything I said, or thought. You really are a wonder. A bloody knock-down wonder!'
'Oh, Alain!' she relented, flinging herself upon him once more, this time shuddering with relief, her tears turning to ones of restored joy.
And a poser, and a puzzle, and God knows what else, Alan thought, damned well relieved, himself; but above all, girl… a sweet, cunning little… entrancing dear'un!
