“I am Vito Ferrari.”
He watched her lose colour, and he smiled, pleased to see that she knew who he was.
“You have heard of me?”
“Yes, I have heard of you,” she returned, knowing now why she was frightened of him.
“Good.” He rapped on the bar, and the bartender, turning to glare at him quickly changed his expression and jumped forward to give service.
Ferrari climbed up on a stool, and Dolores didn’t feel quite so ridiculous now the little man was perched up so that at least his shoulders were above the bar.
Ferrari waved his glass in her direction and sipped, then he set down the glass, took out a cigarette-case and offered it to her.
She reached for the cigarette, then her hand paused as she stared down at the case. She had never seen anything like it before, and its ornate beauty fascinated her.
It was solid gold. The inside of the case was one mass of glittering diamonds, slightly larger than a pin’s head and set so closely together they formed a white mosaic of fire. Seeing her look at the case, he closed it and handed it to her. In the centre of the case was a big ruby the size of her thumb nail, and on the back of the case were his initials in emeralds.
“You like it?” he asked, watching her face, seeing her amazed expression.