The Betrayed by Kate Kray Page A

nodded. ‘Actually,’ she went on, ‘I’m more concerned about my husband, Johnny. He’s… um… I don’t know how to put this. Well, he’s a gangster. And he is totally unaware that I worked in a gentlemen’s club. I think if he read it in a paper or someone told him in prison, he’d be mortified. I’m serious, he’d go ballistic. It would be humiliating for him, the ultimate mug-off. He’d kill me.’
    Andrew leaned back into his chair. Rosie could see that he was shocked, but was doing his best to hide it. There was an uncomfortable pause. Rosie looked around at her fellow diners. She briefly made eye contact with the man on the nearby table who had entered soon after her, but he quickly glanced down at his coffee.
    ‘Well, I can’t make that decision for you, Rosie, the decision has to be yours,’ Andrew said, breaking the silence. ‘Secrets don’t always come out, you know. If you want to keep it hidden and hope that no one comes forward…’
    Rosie shook her head. ‘That would be crazy. Even if one of the girls didn’t try to sell their story – and I know they will – there are always the men that I encountered. Any of them could easily recognise me. Although, I suppose it’s a bit naïve to think anyone was looking at my face.’
    That comment finally broke the tension. Andrew stretched back and looked around the restaurant, his eyes lit with humour. He dabbed his mouth with a crisp white napkin.
    ‘Probably,’ he said, in a way that made her smile too. ‘Look, you get to call the shots. Take some time and think it over. Talk to your family. Then decide whether or not to confide in the publicist. As far as I’m concerned, it will go no further than this table.’
    ‘Thank you,’ she said.

    An hour or so later, as they stepped out onto the street, taking care to dodge the black Hackney cabs with irate drivers that constantly whizzed up and down, Rosie felt so alive that she could have flung her arms around Andrew and kissed him.
    ‘Okay, so you’re off to see the publicist now,’ he said, checking his watch. ‘And I have a meeting on Goodge Street. Which means we’re going in opposite directions. Thanks for coming today, Rosie. I’ve enjoyed getting to know you a little better.’
    ‘I’ve enjoyed it too,’ she told him, with an enigmatic smile. ‘Very much. In fact, having unburdened my sins, I’m so relieved that I’m in danger of gushing. So, let’s spare your blushes and make the parting swift.’ Rosie held out her hand.
    ‘Consider me gone,’ Andrew said, before gently kissing her on both cheeks. ‘You have an extremely busy few weeks ahead, but you have my number if you need it. Otherwise, I’ll see you at the pre-shoot meeting.’
    ‘I look forward to it,’ she said warmly. ‘And thanks again.’
    ‘My pleasure.’

ten
     
    ‘O h my God ! That’s wicked!’ Ruby laughed, her mouth open as wide as the Dartford Tunnel. ‘Oh Mum, you really did that?’ Then she looked over at Aunt Madge, with her butter-wouldn’t-melt-in-her-mouth expression, her grin widening all the time. ‘Did you know?’
    Aunt Madge shook her head, a little less impressed. ‘Not until today.’
    Ruby dissolved into giggles. ‘You actually took your clothes off, Mum? All of them? What on earth were you thinking! I never would guess that you’d ever do that.’ Looking at Aunt Madge again, who was keeping busy, brushing out the tangles in Dibble’s coat. ‘Why aren’t you as surprised as me?’
    Aunt Madge tried to play it down. She shrugged, appearing to be more interested in the small dog that was perched on her lap. Of course, Rosie knew that, in reality, she was trying not to make a big issue out it. She was well aware of how she must be feeling after making such an enormous and personal admission.
    ‘Well… I surprised myself ,’ Rosie assured her.
    Ruby drew up and dropped her shoulders abruptly, gesturing indifference. ‘Who cares?’ she said, trying to act all grown