We had performed our number from the show, and now we had to sit through all the others, waiting for the results to be announced.
Peregrine, I understood, did not like to be seen at this event until he stepped forward to confer triumph or disaster, but he had to be somewhere backstage. Perhaps he was watching us all from some spyhole. I adjusted my figure-hugging, sequinned evening gown, just in case.
I thought about the gamble I had taken and my reasons for doing so.
I knew about Peregrine Sands.
I knew because a friend of mine called Emma, a professional actress, had a little sideline when she was ‘resting’.
‘It’s not prostitution,’ she told me. ‘It’s just a little bit of role-play.’
‘So they don’t get to have sex with you?’
‘Well …’ Her eyes shifted off to the left. ‘You can if you want to. But you don’t have to. And if you want to have sex, and the person isn’t paying, then it isn’t prostitution, right?’
‘Right. So. Tell me about this place again. The Geisha Garden.’
‘We’re not really geishas, obviously. None of us is Japanese. We just kneel on this mat in this Japanesey-looking nightclub, wearing not very much, and pour tea and stuff.’
‘For men.’
‘Yeah. We just, sort of, serve them. And they can ask us to do anything they like and we have to do it. Like we have to get into different poses, do a little dance or whatever. And, if they can afford it and they fancy it, they can pick one of us to … spank.’
‘They pay to spank you?’
‘They pay the manager. It’s a hundred quid for five minutes. They can pay extra if they want to use implements.’
‘What if it’s too much? Too painful?’
‘You can take time out, or ask them to continue with another girl.’
‘Wow.’
‘We all want to get chosen for the spanking. Because we get to go off shift as soon as it’s over. If you’re the first girl chosen, in theory you get paid a six-hour rate for twenty minutes’ work. Not bad.’
‘But there’s no sex?’
‘There’s a strict no-touching rule. Except for the spanking. If they want sex afterwards, they can put a note with their phone number in your stocking top. It’s up to you to call them, and meet up outside the club.’
‘Have you ever done that?’
‘Now and again.’
‘Wow.’
This had made my imagination click wide open. I wanted to see it for myself, rather badly.
‘Do you ever get women customers?’
‘Hardly ever. Nearly all men. Quite wealthy men, because it’s expensive and the girls are all gorgeous.’
‘And you all serve one man at a time?’
‘They get to take a look at us all, see us in action, if you like, when they come in. The punter chooses his favourite for the spanking. If he can afford it. Otherwise, he just pays for drinks until he gets bored or runs out of cash.’
‘So is it all businessmen from out of town?’
‘Mainly. There are some regular customers. Some are friends of Allyson – the manager. If you swear, cross your heart and hope to die, not to tell a soul, I could give you a couple of names.’