'Are you here on your own?'
'No, I'm with ... friends.' For some reason she did not want him to know she had been brought here by Solly. 'And you? Are you with your awful aunt?'
He grimaced. 'No. Methodists don't approve of race meetings--she'd be horrified if she knew I was here.'
'Is she fond of you?'
'Not in the least.'
'Then why does she let you live with her?'
'She likes to keep people in sight, so she can control them.'
'Does she control you?'
'She tries.' He grinned. 'Sometimes I escape.'
'It must be hard, living with her.'
'I can't afford to live on my own. I have to be patient and work hard at the bank. Eventually I'll get promoted and then I'll be independent.' He grinned again. 'And then I'll tell her to shut her gob like you did.'
'I hope you didn't get into trouble.'
'I did, but it was worth it to see the expression on her face. That was when I started to like you.'
'Is that why you asked me to dine with you?'
'Yes. Why did you refuse?'
'Because April told me you haven't a penny to your name.'
'I've enough for a couple of chops and a plum pudding.'
'How could a girl resist that?' she said mockingly.
He laughed. 'Come out with me tonight. We'll go to Cremorne Gardens and dance.'
She was tempted, but she thought of Solly and felt guilty. 'No, thank you.'
'Why not?'
She asked herself the same question. She was not in love with Solly and she was taking no money from him: why was she saving herself for him? I'm eighteen years old, she thought, and if I can't go out dancing with a boy I like, what's the point in living? 'All right, then.'
'You'll come?'
'Aye.'
He grinned. She had made him happy. 'Shall I fetch you?'
She did not want him to see the Soho slum where she shared a room with April. 'No, let's meet somewhere.'
'All right--we'll go to Westminster Pier and take the steamer to Chelsea.'
'Yes!' She felt more excited than she had for months. 'What time?'
'Eight o'clock?'
She made a rapid calculation. Solly and Tonio would want to stay until the last race. Then they had to get the train back to London. She would say good-bye to Solly at Victoria Station and walk to Westminster. She thought she could make it. 'But if I'm late, you'll wait?'
'All night, if necessary.'
Thinking of Solly made her feel guilty. 'I'd better get back to my friends now.'
'I'll walk with you,' he said eagerly.
She did not want that. 'Best you don't.'
'As you wish.'
She put out her hand and they shook. It seemed oddly formal. 'Until tonight,' she said.
'I'll be there.'
She turned and walked away, feeling that he was watching her. Now why did I do that? she thought. Do I want to go out with him? Do I really like him? The first time we met we had a quarrel that broke up the party, and today he was ready to squabble again if I hadn't smoothed it over. We really don't get on. We'll never be able to dance together. Perhaps I won't go.
But he's got lovely blue eyes.
She made up her mind not to think about it anymore. She had agreed to meet him and she would. She might enjoy it or she might not, but fretting beforehand would not help.
She would have to invent a reason for leaving Solly. He was expecting to take her out to dinner. However, he never questioned her--he would accept any excuse, no matter how implausible. All the same she would try to think of something convincing, for it made her feel bad to abuse his easygoing nature.
She found the others where she had left them. They had spent the whole afternoon between the rail and the bookmaker in the checked suit. April and Tonio were looking bright-eyed and triumphant. As soon as April saw Maisie she said: 'We've won a hundred and ten pounds--isn't it wonderful?'
Maisie was happy for April. It was such a lot of money to get for nothing. As she was congratulating them, Micky Miranda appeared, strolling along with his thumbs in the pockets of his dove-gray waistcoat. She was not surprised to see him: everyone went to Goodwood.
Although Micky was startlingly good-looking, Maisie disliked him. He reminded her of the circus ringmaster, who had thought all women should be thrilled to be propositioned by him, and was highly affronted when one turned him down. Micky had Edward Pilaster in tow, as always. Maisie was curious about their relationship. They were so different: Micky slim, immaculate, confident; Edward big, clumsy, hoggish. Why were they so inseparable? But most people were enchanted by Micky. Tonio regarded him with a kind of nervous veneration, like a puppy with a cruel master.
Behind them were an older man and a young woman. Micky introduced the man as his father. Maisie studied him with interest. He did not resemble Micky at all. He was a short man with bowed legs, very broad shoulders and a weatherbeaten face. Unlike his son he did not look comfortable in a stiff collar and a top hat. The woman was clinging to him like a lover but she had to be younger than him by thirty years. Micky introduced her as Miss Cox.
They all talked about their winnings. Both Edward and Tonio had made a lot on a horse called Prince Charlie. Solly had won money then lost it again, and seemed to enjoy both equally. Micky did not say how he had fared, and Maisie guessed he had not bet as much as the others: he seemed too careful a person, too calculating, to be a heavy gambler.
However, with his next breath he surprised her. He said to Solly: 'We're going to have a heavyweight game tonight, Greenbourne--a pound minimum. Will you join in?'
She was struck by the thought that Micky's languid posture was covering up considerable tension. He was a deep one.
Solly would go along with anything. 'I'll join in,' he said.
Micky turned to Tonio. 'Would you care to join us?' His take-it-or-leave-it tone sounded false to Maisie.
'Count on me,' Tonio said excitedly. 'I'll be there!'
April looked troubled and said: 'Tonio, not tonight--you promised me.' Maisie suspected that Tonio could not afford to play when the minimum stake was a pound.
