“I don’t have an awful lot of money,” Evelyn said cautiously.
“Then we’ll be careful. But you really can’t keep dressing as if it’s twenty years ago. It’s so awfully liberating to wear what you want to.”
Evelyn decided there was no point arguing that she was already wearing what she wanted to, and that she really had no desire to dress as elaborately as Lilian. She would fight that battle when it came to actually purchasing a dress. In an effort to change the subject, she decided to try to find out a little more about Lilian and her friends.
“It was nice to meet Dorothy last night,” she said. “Are you old friends?”
“Reasonably, although we weren’t at school together. I’ve known her since I came to London. It was Dorothy who told me about the Yellow Orchid. She’s known Vernon for simply ages. She’s almost like his sister.”
Evelyn had not really paid much attention to the relationship between Vernon and Dorothy. However, the comment brought Vernon’s real sister into her mind. “And have you known Jos long?”
“Not really. She’s rather a standoffish sort. Of course, James is disapproving of her kind and that doesn’t help us make friends.” Lilian did not sound like she really wanted to make friends with Jos.
“But you’re not disapproving?” Evelyn pressed. She was oddly fascinated by Jos and her friends.
Lilian looked awkward. “Not disapproving, exactly. I mean, I don’t really think it’s right, not the done thing so to speak. I mean, what can they really do with each other?” When Evelyn responded with a puzzled frown, Lilian looked mildly exasperated. “I mean sex, Evie. What can two women possibly do with each other?”
Evelyn flushed. “I’m sure I don’t know. I can’t begin to imagine…” Although, she found, as she said the words, she could begin to imagine. True, she was only contemplating what it would be to kiss a woman like Jos, in the way she and Michael had kissed, but the image was rather vivid.
“I will admit that Clara and Courtney have a good relationship. I don’t really object to them. They’ve got each other and they’re really quite eccentric, aren’t they? Besides, Courtney’s American, so it’s not really any surprise. But still, one has to wonder if they wouldn’t be happier if they found husbands. Or men to love them.”
“It is rather extraordinary to think of two women courting each other,” Evelyn said. “But somehow it doesn’t shock me.” It was just one in a list of extraordinary things that had happened in the last two days. “Does Jos live with Vernon?”
“No, but she spends a lot of time with him.” Lilian seemed irritated by this. “She often calls in on the way home from her work at the theatre.”
“She works in the theatre?” Jos seemed even more interesting now.
“Oh yes, did we not tell you that? She makes scenery. Doesn’t just paint it, mind, she does all of the carpentry and things too. She might do more than too, I can’t say I’ve paid that much attention. I think she’s close by because she’s working on a pantomime on Shaftesbury Avenue somewhere.”
“She does the carpentry?” Evelyn remembered Jos’s warm, rough fingers, the sensation of touching them as she looked into Jos’s blue eyes.
“Oh yes. But then you can tell from looking at her that she’s a tomboy—it’s not really a surprise, is it?”
“No, I suppose not. Are there many women like her?” Evelyn realised how naive her question sounded as soon as she asked it.
“Well, that’s a question, darling. Who can say? Obviously you met Clara and Courtney last night, they went to school with Dorothy. And I know a few others. One or two who bat for both teams too.”
“Both teams?”
“They like men and women. For sex, at least.”
Evelyn found herself, once more, lost for words. That anyone could like another person for the purposes of sex was entirely a revelation to her, let alone that a woman could like another female in this way.
“It’s not just women either. There’s plenty of men who like other men too. James is even more uptight about that one. Of course, the men tend to be relatively private about it because it’s against the law for them.”
“Is it? Why for them and not for women?” Evelyn could not work out why that would be the case.
“Oh yes. But that’s because men can, well, do…something…a little more than women can. If you know what I mean.” Evelyn did not know what Lilian meant but chose not to admit this and press the matter. “But they find ways of making themselves known to each other. Of course, the Yellow Orchid attracts all sorts of people. And one can’t really complain. It’s modern times, isn’t it? What was it that Mr. Pound said about writing in modern times? Make it new! And really that’s what’s important isn’t it?”
Evelyn reflected that if it was possible for women to love women and men to love men, it was likely not a new development or a modern affectation. Her one encounter with Clara and Courtney had showed her how genuine their love seemed to be. It certainly seemed far more sincere than much of what Lilian did and said in the name of being new and modern. She chose not to share these thoughts with Lilian. “How often do you go to the Yellow Orchid?” she asked instead.
“Oh, whenever we feel like it. At least twice a week in the evening and once during the day. I don’t always sing, of course. Vernon hosts other singers and some top-notch bands. You’ll keep coming with us, of course.”
“Yes, I’d like that. It will be interesting to get to know Dorothy more.
