Pierre le Valle - Yes, My Darling Daughter!

Stella arrived as Mrs. Matthews was making coffee, which gave me a chance to put the finishing touches to my make-up while she drank a cup. Jane was still hanging about as we were about to leave.

“What are you up to today, Jane-didn't you say you were going swimming, or something?”

“I was going with Lucy, but she's-well, you know-the usual curse. So instead, Sue and I are going to her place for lunch. We'll probably play records all afternoon-I'll be home about seven, I should think.”

“Well, that'll make a change!”

“We could drop her off if she's ready,” offered Stella.

“I'm ready-I was ready ages ago, to go swimming, until Lucy phoned. It's annoying-I've only been for a swim twice since I've been home and there's only about ten days left of the holidays.”

“Sorry, darling; your father's been too busy these past few months, or we would have taken you away for a couple of weeks. Still-we'll make it up.”

We dropped Jane off and then drove on into town.

“You know, you could have taken her somewhere yourself, Rita — a girl of her age needs a complete change of atmosphere during holiday time, apart from her home, especially when she'll be swotting for exams pretty soon.”

“I know-I feel rather guilty about it, too. I had intended taking her somewhere, but one thing led to another and I kept putting it off. I really will make it up to her, though.”

We went into town and I got my coat-only a few pounds more than I had intended spending on one! Stella bought shoes and some underthings and then we went to lunch at Wheelers.

We sat back and lit cigarettes. Stella waited until the waiter had topped up our glasses with the Louis St. George, then leaned forward.

“You know-I have a friend…”

“Oh?”

“An old friend, who…”

“Intimate friend, Stella?” I gave her a sideways glance.

She coloured slightly, then smiled.

“Well-er-as a matter of fact-yes. That's all in the past, now, of course. I still see her occasionally, but it must be a couple of years since we went to bed together.”

“Was she as nice as me in bed?”

“Sshh!” Stella looked round at the other tables. “Someone will hear you-the women who come in here together at lunch-time are all ears, trying to find something to gossip about at dinner-time! As I was about to say-this friend rang me the other day to let me know she was going abroad, probably for a year. Now she has a bungalow at Bridlington-it actually overlooks the beach. She has told me I can use it whenever I want to. Now, apropos of Jane-how about you and I taking her there this week-end? The weather has been so marvellous for the past couple of days, it must hold up for another few-the weather man says it will!”

“That's a very kind thought, Stella. She has to be back at school for the following week-end, though.”

“Well that's no problem. Today's Wednesday-we could start out on Friday and come back on Monday afternoon. That would give us a clear week-end-will Phil be all right, do you think?”

“Oh, yes-he's so immersed in work, he'd hardly notice we were gone! They're working on plans for the entrance of the Chunnel project; he'll be stuck quite happily in his den with his drawing-board over the week-end and have a prowl round the 'fridge whenever he feels hungry.” I had one small misgiving, which I didn't mention to Stella-what his reaction would be when I told him I was going to spend a week-end with “the lesbian”! But that would be solved when I told Jane was coming and that it was for her benefit.

“Then all it needs is for me to give Rose a ring-she has a flat in town. I don't have to, really, but I will, just the same-just to let her know I'm taking her up on her offer and to wish her 'bon voyage.' Let's have coffee and whatever else you want with it, and I'll take you to a club I'm a member of for a quiet drink-I'll phone Rose from there.”

“If we're going to have more to drink-a cup of coffee will be fine-I don't want to roll home stoned!”

“We've only got through one bottle of wine! Still-I'm more used to drinking than you are, so we'll settle for a coffee. I've got to drive, anyway.”

We had our coffee and left the restaurant.

“I'll leave the car in the car-park-goodness knows where we'd find a space nowadays. Anyway-it's less than ten minutes' walk from here.”

We crossed Piccadilly and walked down the Hay-market, which I knew; then Stella took a right turn and a left turn, which I didn't know, and we eventually arrived at a well-kept, nineteenth century building on which one automatically expected to find a plaque, informing all who cared to look, that so-and-so lived here in 18?? We went inside and I found myself in an extremely plush hallway-flock wallpaper and thick pile carpet; paintings on the walls that looked as though they should cost the earth and what looked like a genuine Addams staircase.

I followed Stella across the hall and down narrow wooden stairs to what, in days gone by, were obviously the servants' quarters. We stopped at a door with a covered grill and she turned to me.

“Listen, darling-don't be surprised at what you see in here,” she whispered. “Above all-don't tell anyone about the place, or where it is-OK?”

“OK. Why-isn't it licensed, or something?”

“Oh, it's licensed, all right-but not for all that goes on! No one ever seems to be quite sure about the law on female homosexuality, and one has to play safe. You will see quite a few things that will open your eyes, my sweet. They have a strip-show-very much like they have for men, only it goes somewhat more into detail. You'll find it interesting, anyway.”

She pressed a bell at the side of the door and the cover slid away from the grill. I was aware of eyes glinting at me from the dimness.

“Stella Chambers-I've brought a friend-she's all right-I can vouch for her.” The door opened and I tagged along behind Stella.

“Hi, Stella-long time no see! Good to see you. Who's your friend?”

“This is Rita-a very close friend; we are practically next-door neighbours.”

“Of course-you live way out in the sticks, now, don't you! Hi, Rita-welcome to the clan.”

I had my hand clasped in a strong grip and pumped up and down. It was the woman who had opened the door to us. She sat on a high stool, and I saw that the bar came right up to the door, so that she only had to swivel on her seat to open it or to look through the grill, as the stool was right at the end of the bar.

For a moment, I wasn't quite sure whether I was having my hand shaken by an extremely effeminate man, or a woman in a man's suit. When I took a closer look I saw she had, incongruously, pencilled eyebrows and a light face make-up; as my eyes traveled down her body, I took in the loose, open jacket, partially disguising the enormous pair of breasts she had.

“Take that table just over there,” she pointed. “The show's starting in a couple of minutes. Watch out for the third act-it's a corker! The last one, of course, is still fabulous-yes-we still have Jean and Penny! They've worked out a completely new routine, though, and it's the berries! Tell me what you want and I'll have it sent over.”

“Oh, send over a bottle of-let's see, what wine do you have here? We don't want to mix our drinks too much. I know-Chatteau neuf du Pape; still keep it?”

“One Chatteau neuf coming up!”

We sat at the table she had indicated; it was right on the edge of the small dance floor, where several couples were swaying round to the accompaniment of a hidden juke-box.

Two or three obvious women were “dancing” with each other-smooching to music, I would have called it; two other couples were less obvious, though; I had to look very closely to find out that they were all women. One girl looked very attractive in a light print dress reaching to just above her knees; fairly low-cut, showing a lot of cleavage and the tops of fair-skinned well-developed breasts and straight shoulders.