‘Richard? Why does that name sound familiar?’ She stared at him as it all tumbled horribly into place. ‘Oh, heavens! I think Villiers might be the man that Lucy’s seeing – the one who has taken over her life. She’s besotted with him, thinks he’ll make her into a star, but all this time...’ Her breath caught in her throat. ‘What kind of trouble has she got herself into?’
Sinclair frowned. ‘Villiers uses young women, Miranda. I’ve heard rumours of him plying them with treats and taking them to his Lunch Club to sell to the highest bidder.’
For a moment, she stood frozen, unsure what to do. She then looked at her watch. It was gone five already. Turning fast, she grabbed his arm. ‘Come on! We have to go!’
‘Where to?’ He hurried behind her as she darted out of the abbey, breaking into a run as she plunged into the Underground station.
‘We have to find Lucy!’
The train came quickly, and soon they were heading up the steps into Camden, Miranda explaining how much Lucy had changed.‘We’ve been so worried about her, that this Richard fellow is manipulating her. He says he’ll help her become a singer, but now I think he has a lot more in mind.’
Sinclair nodded and said, ‘From what I gather, he gets away with it because of his connections to Philip.’
‘And now it turns out he’s married, too.’ Miranda’s heart fell as she remembered the woman at the launderette showing her Lucy’s new risqué lingerie. ‘At least he was taking her out for a fancy lunch today – that must have been the reason he couldn’t attend the coronation rehearsal.’
Frowning, Sinclair slowed down. ‘Where was she meeting him?’
‘It was a restaurant in Soho. I can’t remember what it was called, Wheelers, I think?’
‘Wheelers is the haunt of the Thursday Lunch Club.’ He stopped. ‘They’re meeting there today. I hope she isn’t caught up with that lot.’
‘Why’s that?’
‘Although no one has actual proof, the upstairs rooms are renowned for debauchery.’ He grabbed her hand, dragging her faster through the streets, weaving between the traffic to cross the road.
‘What happens there?’ Miranda asked.
‘The waitresses are expected to, well’ – he blushed – ‘provide extra services.’
Miranda balked. ‘But Lucy is there as a guest. That’s what she said—’
He interrupted her, pulling her around to face him. ‘But women aren’t allowed, except for the waitresses. It’s a men’s-only club. No one knows what goes on, but the rumours are pretty consistent.’
As they turned down the street, she flew up the steps to the front door. ‘Let’s just hope she’s home.’ She turned to Sinclair. ‘Thank you for your help, but I think I need to take it from here.’
He hastily wrote a phone number on a page from his pocket diary, tore it out and handed it to her. ‘You can get hold of me here. Promise you’ll call if you need anything.’
‘Thank you.’ Miranda looked up at the windows. ‘I can only hope it’s not too late.’
And with a hasty goodbye, she let herself into the house.
From the gramophone player in the living room, ‘Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend’ oozed into the hallway. Evidently Lucy was at home, and Betty was most definitely out.
The door to Lucy’s bedroom was open, and Lucy was singing along as she sat at her dressing table.
She gave Miranda a cursory smile through the reflection in her mirror. ‘I’m just on my way out,’ she said in an attempt to get rid of her.
It was the kind of comment that might work on Betty or Caroline, but Miranda wasn’t going anywhere.
‘I wanted to have a chat with you about this Richard fellow you’re seeing. Did you know his last name is Villiers?’
Lucy took off the lid of a light-pink lipstick and made an O with her mouth. ‘That’s right.’
‘I really don’t think he’s a very nice man.’
Lucy’s eyes flickered to hers; she was already fed up with the conversation. ‘He’s helping me with my singing career. He’s already introduced me to a real agent – I met him at lunch today.’ Something in her jaw hardened, so different from the soft, frightened girl she’d been just a few months ago. ‘It was you who told me I had to do anything I could to get ahead. Well,’ she smirked, ‘that’s precisely what I’m doing.’
Miranda balked.
