The Devil To Pay (Hennessey.) (58 page)

His eyebrows arched in the way that Adela was so used to now after uttering her first words to someone in this part of the world. He smiled revealing gold filled teeth. Adela almost took a step back but Hennessey had a firm grip on her hand.

The man said, ‘Mr. Bentley is in his office, but will be out later to welcome you. He’s a little tied up at the moment, business you know?’

Hennessey nodded and the man said, ‘this way if you please.’ He led them along a hallway and down a flight of stairs, the stair carpet was worn and threadbare and much stained. Adela wondered afresh where Hennessey had brought her. She looked at him but he was whispering something into the other man’s ear.

At the bottom of the stairs were two huge doors not flaking and not peeling and dirty but a dark red flecked with gold and had huge brass handles. The doors were obviously very thick and heavy because the man had to push quite hard to open them.

When they were only half open Adela could hear the sound of soft music coming from the room, but when he had them fully open the sight and sounds that greeted them made the breath catch in her throat and she gasped. There before them was a huge beautifully and tastefully decorated dance hall. Magnificent chandeliers hung from the ceiling and ornate gold framed mirrors from the walls. The chairs were blue and gold and looked very comfortable and the tables were exquisitely decorated with candles and flowers of all colours and descriptions.

There was a mirror that ran all along the opposite wall and in front of it was a huge bar behind which served at least twelve bar staff. Some were throwing bottles into the air and although Adela had never before seen it done knew they were making cocktails, the people at the bar cheered and clapped in appreciation. To there left was a dance floor where couples held one another as they whirled around to the music, not jazz, but classical.

The wonderful smell of food made Adela’s mouth water. She stood amazed and fascinated. Hennessey heard her whisper ‘oh my gosh.’ He touched her arm and she slowly turned to face him. He was smiling at her surprise and enchantment. He said, ‘not so crappy after all, huh?’

She smiled a huge bright smile, ‘it’s not
too
bad.’

He laughed then whispered something to the big man who smiled and said, ‘if you’ll follow me I will seat you.’

Adela almost laughed out loud at the formal sounding words. Hennessey took her arm as he escorted her down the steps.

The man stopped at a table in an alcove at the back of the room which gave them an excellent view of the entire club but shielded them a little from the sight of most of the other diners. Adela knew that Hennessey had arranged this, knowing she would be ill at ease amongst so many people, she marvelled again at how considerate and thoughtful he was.

The man pulled her chair out for her as the posh waiter had done the previous evening; she thanked him and sat down. Hennessey sat opposite her.

The man said, ‘Mr. Bentley has told me to take care of you personally tonight, ‘he looked at Adela, ‘what can I get you to drink?’

Adela said, ‘oh, a...snowball, please.’

Hennessey smiled at her and said to the man, ‘and a bottle of your best wine, and I mean the
best
, not the stuff Carson keeps for senators and governors and other unimportant people.’

The man laughed and the sound was like a rumble of thunder.

When he’d gone to get their drinks Hennessey said, ‘well?’

She looked around her eyes still wide and bright, ‘I’ve never seen anything like this. It’s like one of those, what do you call them, speakeasy’s, from the 1930’s.’

Hennessey guffawed. ‘A speakeasy? I don’t think I’ll tell Carson you said that.’

‘This
Carson, I take it he owns this place.’

‘Yes.’

‘And he’s a friend of yours?’

‘Yeah
, an old friend, from back in the day.’

‘Do you keep in touch on a regular basis?’

Hennessey shrugged, ‘not really, when I’m here I look him up.’

‘And does he come to see you in
Texas?’

‘No,
Carson doesn’t like to travel much.’

‘Oh. He must think very highly of you to tell Jaws to look out for you especially.’

‘Jaws?’

‘Oh sorry, it’s just that he has teeth like Jaws in a couple of the Bond films.’

‘Does he?’

‘Have you never seen him, the Bond Jaws I mean?’

‘I’ve heard of the movie with the shark, I’ve never seen it, but that’s the only Jaws I know.’

She was astounded, she thought everyone single person in the world must have heard of the Bond films with Jaws in them. She was more and more surprised by Sterling Hennessey. She said, ‘
Carson’s man must have seen it though.’

He smiled, ‘so never mind
Carson's man, what do you think of his place? And don’t say it’s not too bad either.’

‘It’s…it’s magnificent. I just never expected this,’ she waved her hand around the room, ‘from the outside it looks so forbidding and, well, awful really.’

He grinned, ‘you should have seen your face, I wish I’d had my camera.’

‘I was beginning to wonder if you were crazy, or getting your own back for my asking to pay for this evening by bringing me to a dive.’

He chuckled, ‘Carson doesn’t like to advertise, he doesn’t want the Biloxi riff- raff hearing about this place and ruining its reputation.’

‘Oh perish the thought.’

He laughed, ‘as if I would bring a lady to a dive…or even a speakeasy.’

She laughed too but wondered why he always called her a lady, she wanted to correct him and say she was no lady. But sometimes he said it as though he was making fun of her. He picked up his menu, Adela followed suit. Just then the gold toothed man appeared with their wine and said, ‘a 1994 Le feat, with Mr. Bentley’s compliments.’

Hennessey smiled, ‘Carson must be feeling particularly generous tonight to part with the Le Feat.’

The man smiled, ‘he said nothing was too good for his old friend.’

Hennessey smirked and the man poured the wine saying, ‘the lobster is particularly nice tonight.’

Hennessey looked at Adela over the top of his menu and his eyes danced at the look on her face. But then she surprised him by saying, ‘lobster? That sounds good; I think I’ll have that.’

Hennessey lowered his menu leaned across the table and whispered, ‘are you sure?’

She whispered back, ‘I’ve seen people eat it on television shows and often wondered what it was like.’

He looked unconvinced but said, ‘well if you’re sure.’

‘I am.’

The man said, ‘good choice, madam. And for you, sir?’

‘The same.’

‘Good enough. If you would like to come this way you can choose your lobster.’

Adela looked up at him and stammered, ‘choo…choose?’

Hennessey said, ‘yes, from the tank, you choose which one you want.’

She swallowed hard, ‘you mean they…they’re still alive.’

Hennessey tried to keep his face straight, ‘of course.’

She looked up at the man expecting to see him grinning at Hennessey’s joke but he wasn’t, he just nodded his head.

She looked back at Hennessey, ‘you know, I don’t think I do fancy Lobster after all, maybe I’ll wait for another time to try it. I think I’ll have the…the duck à l'orange instead.’ She looked up at the man who she could tell was trying hard not to laugh. Her face was as red as any lobster in a tank.

Hennessey all amusement gone now said, ‘I think you’re right, and the Duck sounds great to me as well.’

He took Adela’s menu from her hand and handed it and his own to the man who took them with a small smile, ‘even better choice, sir, madam.’

When he’d gone she put her face in her hands and shook her head. He leaned over the table and removed her hands from her face. She said, ‘oh gosh, oh gosh, oh good gosh, what an idiot. I had no idea that’s what one did with lobsters. What must that man think of me? I’m so unsophisticated, so stupid, I should never be allowed in posh restaurants.’

‘It’s not posh, it’s a speakeasy.’

She tried a smile but her embarrassment was plain to see. He frowned, ‘why do you worry so much about what kind of impression you make on people? Why should you care what they think of you? There’s far more important things to concern yourself with than whether you know anything about lobsters, or which wine is best, or what to drink in a bar. People aren’t going to judge you on whether you know which fork to use for fish and which for steak.’

She stared at him taken aback by his vehemence. She looked down then back at him and leaned over the table and whispered, ‘which fork
is
for steak?’

He leaned back and saw the smile light her face. He pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes. She laughed outright, ‘but thank you for what you said. You’re quite the expert in putting things into perspective.’

He shrugged, ‘look, you look great tonight, lovely as I’ve said. You’re the best dressed woman here. You have taste that most women for all their money and expensive boutiques and sycophants telling them what looks good, don’t have. You’re funny and witty and smart and plucky…and classy.’

‘Classy?’

‘Yes, and don’t call me silly or I’ll march you over to the lobster tank and force you to choose one in front of everyone.’

She laughed, then the laughter faded then the smile and her eyes were bright and her expression very soft as she said, ‘thank you for that, every woman likes to be complimented and to be thought smart and funny and…classy.’

He smiled and she suddenly realised that they were both still leaning over the table and their faces were only inches apart. She drew back and looked down at her dress brushing imaginary specks from it. Then said, ‘but you’re still silly.’

He gave her an exasperated look then laughed. Just then their food arrived and they kept the conversation light as they ate.

After they’d eaten and their plates had been cleared away they were asked if they would like desert, Adela refused saying that she was quite replete and she might just explode. Jaws laughed and said, ‘what about coffee then?’ They both accepted and leaned back in their seats feeling very full and satisfied. She said, ‘that was splendid.’

He smiled, ‘yes, it was.’

She picked up her drink and he waited in anticipation for her to do what she had done every time she had had a snowball. He wasn’t disappointed. Why did that do what it did to him? Why did the sight of her closed eyes and her pink tongue running slowly over her full red lips excite him as it did. He had seen many women drinking, drinking snowballs and every other kind of drink you can think of, but it had never made his stomach do a little flip, never made his heart flutter in his chest, and  never made his penis bulge almost out of his pants. Maybe it was because she was not aware of what she was doing. The women whom he had known were sophisticated, experienced women, women of the world, who knew what to do and say to please a man, this women didn’t, she was completely ignorant of what she was doing and what it did to him.

Adela saying, ‘I must go the ladies room; have you any idea where it is?’ Broke into his thoughts.

He had to blink several times to bring her face into focus; he had been concentrating so intently on those smooth fine lips of hers. He said, ‘yes, it’s through that door there, the ladies room is first on the right.’

‘Thanks.’ She stood and so did he. The perfect gentleman.

He watched her walk down the room, noticing how she held herself straight which elongated her slim, regal neck still further. And the way her hips moved against the soft material of her dress. He also noticed the sneaky glances of other men as they watched her walk by their table. She was either ignoring their licentious glances or she did not notice, if he had to guess he would have said the latter. One guy’s eyes followed her all the way across the room just as his own did. He disliked the idea of another man looking at her and finding her attractive, mainly because at this moment in time she was with him and those men should know that and respect it, respect his ownership of her.

He felt possessive towards her as most men would to their date. Right now she belonged to him until such a time she had served her purpose then he would rid himself of her and go on his merry way. But in the meantime she was his and he resented any man who ogled her openly, or clandestinely come to that. He sat up straight in his seat and scowled at the man hoping his eyes would burn a hole in his forehead, if not, he knew what would.

A voice behind him caused him to whip round quickly. ‘I don’t care if he
is
ogling your woman, I don’t want no killing here,
comprendez
?’

Hennessey stood up and looked at the man who stared right back. Neither man showed any expression nor made a move towards the other, they just stared into each other's eyes until simultaneously they both laughed and threw their arms around one another. They kept the hug for a long time both pleased and happy to see the other after almost two years.

They broke the hug as they had begun it, simultaneously but kept their eyes locked on the other's.