The man who had opened the door was short and thickset with a mop of blond wavy hair. He eyed Ken over, and gave him a brief nod.
“Hello, Joe,” Fay said, smiling. “Busy tonight?”
“So, so,” Joe returned. “Your table’s free.”
She nodded and led Ken across the bare lobby, down a passage to another heavy door. As she opened the door, the sound of a dance band reached them.
They walked down red-carpeted stairs where a hat check girl took Ken’s hat. They went on into a big ornate bar.
There were a number of people in the bar, and Ken looked at them uneasily.
He saw at once he had nothing to worry about. Fay was right. These people certainly didn’t come from his part of the world. The women were hard, showy and noisy. The men looked tough and sporting. Several of the women and a number of the men were in evening dress. None of them took any notice of Ken. Three or four of the men saluted Fay and men looked away.
The barman came over, wiping the shiny counter with a cloth.
“Evening, Miss Carson.”
“Two martinis, Jack.”