Page 35 of The Lavender Bride

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‘You didn’t have to come in,’ Dirk says as Jean shows me into his office. ‘A telephone call would have been fine.’

I glance around the room. It’s not changed much. There are still untidy piles of paper covering Dirk’s desk. His cigarette case sits next to the telephone. Does Jean buy him Pall Malls as I used to and keep the jar of mint balls topped up? On the wall behind the desk are the photographs of Dirk’s clients, with Rex top and centre. Seeing his picture makes my stomach harden.

‘I came to show you these.’ I take the prints out of the envelope I brought them in and slap them down on his desk.

The first is of Rex and Tony holding hands. I spent ages working with the enlarger to make the images fill the paper and be clear and crisp. In the second, they share a joke, their hands still entwined. It’s their faces that speak in this one. They both look to be on cloud nine, buoyed up by love and happiness. The last one is when Rex cupped Tony’s face.

Dirk sucks in a breath through his teeth when he sees that.

‘I’ve got copies and the negatives are with my lawyer.’ The poor guy’s secretary was baffled when I arrived at nine this morning with an envelope I insisted she give to him as soon as he stepped through the door. ‘The copies are with a friend who will mail them to Eyewitness , Louella Parsons and Hedda Hopper if I don’t call her by midday.’

That bit was Jack’s idea. He said I shouldn’t give Dirk time to regroup and find another way to threaten us.

Dirk reaches for a cigarette and then roots around under the papers to find his lighter. I make a show of folding my arms, popping my hip and tapping my toe. I see myself reflected in the glass of the photographs. I’m wearing a suit that Ginny lent me. The navy sheath dress fits me like a glove. Over it is a matching jacket piped in cream. I’m wearing cream gloves, shoes and shell cap to complete the outfit. I look older. A woman, not a girl.

Dirk blows smoke at the ceiling and then pulls the photographs towards him. ‘In exchange for these, you want what exactly?’

‘The files on Jack and Freddie destroyed. A formal undertaking that you’ll not do anything to jeopardise Jack’s career, Freddie’s job or my right to stay in the USA. The wording for that will come from my lawyer.’ That bit was Ginny’s idea. Seems she imbibed some legal jargon over the family dinner table. ‘Rex makes no objection to our divorce and you keep Jack’s name out of the newspapers.’

Dirk looks at me as if he’s never seen me before. Then he claps slowly, the sound sharp in the quiet room. ‘Looks like you got me. I didn’t think you’d got it in you, kid.’

I narrow my eyes, not sure if it’s a compliment or not. ‘My name’s Audrey. Not kid. And I worked for you for ten months. Guess I picked up a thing or two.’

He points to the photographs. ‘Just out of interest, where did you get the snaps?’

There he goes again, underestimating me. ‘I took them.’ Seeing his eyes widen brings a rush of satisfaction. ‘With the top-notch camera Rex gave me for Christmas last year.’

‘Christ! He’s the agent of his own downfall.’ Dirk laughs ruefully. ‘Except he’s got me to catch him. I tell you it’s a thankless job.’ Then he stands and leans on the desk, looking me straight in the eye. ‘You win, Audrey .’ He puts heavy emphasis on my name. ‘You know I can’t risk these seeing the light of day. You’ll get your divorce.’

I’m about to say thank you like the well-brought-up girl I am. Then I bite my tongue. ‘My lawyer will be in touch,’ I tell him instead. It’s the kind of thing Dirk would say at a time like this.

I move to the desk to gather up the photographs. I pick up the first two but Dirk’s got his finger on the one of Rex cupping Tony’s face. ‘How do I know I can trust you? You could leave here and still sell these to Eyewitness .’

‘Except I won’t, Dirk. Because I’m not a low-down snake like you.’ I lean on the opposite site of the desk and face him. It feels good, powerful. It feels like I’m finally his equal, rather than just the secretary. ‘You brought me into this. You picked me to be Rex’s girlfriend and wife. You trusted me with all of that. I guess you’re going to have to trust me a bit longer.’

He sits down heavily in his desk chair. ‘As soon as the divorce is through, I want the negatives.’

I snatch up the last photograph and put it back in the envelope. ‘Fine.’

I stride to the door and then take a moment to look back. He’s stubbing out his cigarette with short, angry movements.

‘Cheerio, Dirk.’

He doesn’t raise his head.

I close the door, take a breath and smooth my skirt with trembling hands. Now it’s over, I’m shaking. My chest feels tight and I want to cry. But there’s one thing I have to do before I leave.

I stop by Jean’s desk. ‘Do not trust him,’ I murmur, my voice low to make sure the girl occupying Ginny’s desk doesn’t hear. ‘He’s a scoundrel of the first degree.’

Her eyes widen.

‘And if he offers to introduce you to any movie stars, say no.’

‘But he wouldn’t…’

‘Oh, believe me,’ I say. ‘He would.’