Tiger Ragtime by Catrin Collier Page A

farm he didn’t know much about costs or prices, beyond animal feed and what livestock fetched at market, but he did know that he couldn’t afford to be extravagant until he found a job. ‘Is Mr Holsten’s sister’s house far?’
    ‘Half an hour’s walk, but we could take a tram part of the way.’
    ‘Then we’ll do that.’ He picked up his case again. ‘When did you say Edyth would be home?’
    ‘I didn’t,’ she replied shortly. ‘Are you serious about wanting to work on a ship?’
    ‘Very.’ He had to walk quickly to keep up with her as she ran down the steps that led from the platform to the tunnel that opened into the street.
    ‘As soon as you’ve met Mrs Brown and paid her for your board and lodging, I’ll take you across the road to meet my Uncle Jed. He’s worked on and off ships for over thirty years.’
    ‘He’ll find me something?’ David asked excitedly.
    ‘If he could find work, he’d find it for himself and his two brothers first. They’ve been living on next to nothing for months,’ she retorted bluntly.
    Anna Hughes sank down on the plush sofa in the sitting room of Aled’s hotel suite before taking the glass of champagne Aiden handed her.
    ‘A little bird told me that you’ve put in an offer for the old Sea Breeze,’ she said to Aled who was sitting, telephone at his elbow, in the chair opposite her.
    ‘If that was the name of the hotel before it closed. I see the little gossip birds are flying around Tiger Bay as fast, nosy, and garrulous as ever.’ Aled shook his head when Aiden held up the bottle of champagne. ‘I’ll have a brandy. After you’ve poured it, tell the hotel staff to serve us dinner here in an hour. I won’t need you or Freddie again until tomorrow morning. You can do what you like, as long as you don’t stir up trouble with the natives.’
    ‘Thanks, boss.’
    ‘Here.’ Anna handed Aiden a card. ‘If you two boys are out for a good time, tell my girls to give you one. But we don’t give discounts, not even to friends of old friends.’
    ‘Thank you, ma’am.’ Aiden mixed Aled’s brandy and soda the way he liked it, with a splash of soda to ninetenths brandy, handed it to Aled on a tray and left.
    ‘Good boys you have there,’ Anna complimented after Aiden had closed the door.
    ‘Almost as good as your girls,’ Aled replied.
    ‘I heard that you enjoyed yourself at my house yesterday.’
    ‘You talked to Gertie?’
    ‘She’s hoping you’ll become a regular.’
    ‘No chance, but I might send for her sometime if I’m bored.’
    ‘Why not visit?’
    ‘You’ve a nice place, Anna, discreet, well-staffed, comfortable, but I feel more at home in my own territory.’
    ‘In other words, you wanted to see my set-up for yourself.’
    ‘And your girls,’ he replied frankly. ‘One or two of them are a bit rough, Colleen, for instance. She has a mouth on her like a colliery siren, but given less obvious clothes, better make-up, and perfume instead of scent, the others might clean up well enough.’
    ‘Thank you for the compliment,’ Anna retorted sarcastically. ‘What did you expect? Greta Garbo?’
    ‘That wasn’t a criticism, so you can smooth your ruffled feathers. Some men like a girl with a mouth like a colliery siren.’
    ‘Each to their own – that’s what your mother always used to say.’
    ‘Among other things.’
    ‘It’s all over Bute Street that you intend to open a club in the old hotel,’ Anna fished blatantly.
    ‘If everything goes to plan. The ground floor is large enough to take a small stage – or will be, once the rooms and hall have been knocked into one. The casino will go on a mezzanine on the first floor so the gamblers can watch the show in between losing their money, and that brings me to the top floor.’
    ‘Before we go that high, you seem very sure of getting planning permission,’ Anna commented.
    ‘I am, and that’s where you come in, Anna.’
    ‘Me?’ She looked at him in surprise.