the morning, alright?” He tipped his finger at the waiter who quickly rushed over and asked what he could do for Matteo.
“Another glass of white wine for my wife please, Andy, and a small port for me please.” Matteo was always kind to the staff, wherever they were, which was another reason Marie loved him.
People that were rude to the people that served them at stores or other places of business irritated Marie. They were snobby and that was more than Marie could tolerate. In her younger days, when she could still get around, Marie’s mother would go out into town and would talk condescendingly to everyone she came into contact with. She would be rude on purpose, just to get a rise out of them, because she knew if they reacted, they’d get fired. Even if it was Ruby Hebert they were rude to.
“Do you want to go downstairs?” he asked after they finished their drinks. His eyes were bright with delight. “I’d love to show you off.”
“I’ve seen how you growl at any man that comes near me with the least hint of interest,” Marie quickly retorted, amused.
“Showing you off is one thing, having men make an attempt to hit on you is something totally different,” he said with a dry smirk and a raised eyebrow.
“Ah, so you want them jealous, that’s it?” She got up from her chair, her bag in hand, and waited for him to escort her to wherever the door was for the place.
“Always.” It was an admission that shocked her. Not because he wanted men to be jealous of him, but that he’d actually admitted it.
A smile tilted the corners of her mouth as he led her back to the kitchen, and then to a room where wine was stored. His fingers traced along the wall until he found a button and pressed it. A thick steel door slid to the left side slowly and she saw a set of dark stairs.
“Wow.” She breathed as they descended the stairs, and she saw a large number of people gathered around tables and machines. Alcohol flowed from a bar off to the left while the gambling stations were to the right and towards the stairs.
“This place was built during the 1920s, during Prohibition. A speakeasy. I bought the restaurant above so that I could have this below. We keep it quiet, for obvious reasons, and anyone that comes in has to become a member. That keeps them quiet because they know we keep a member list. There’s no advertising and people can’t talk about the club. It’s private and members only.”
“What about those women?” Marie pointed to a group of women around a table full of men playing cards.
“They can bring their women in, but there’s no prostitution here, and we don’t provide that kind of entertainment.” He patted her hand and looked down at her as they paused at the bottom of the steps. “I’d never do that to a woman or allow it. I’ve fired a couple of managers at some of my houses lately, for that very reason.”
“I’m glad.” She tried to think quickly, to come up with something to keep him talking but her brain went blank. “I’m not sure they are those men’s wives.”
“I doubt it, but I can’t ask them, either.”
“Doesn’t that break the privacy rules?” she asked as the thought occurred to her.
“It does, in a way, but each guest has to sign a privacy form. Besides, these people know that they are exposing others to gossip, so they don’t bring in anyone that would break our policy. It keeps them happy too.”
“And those women?” Marie asked as she spotted a table full of women playing cards at another table.
“They’re some of the biggest names in the business, but you won’t ever hear about them. They don’t play the regular circuits, only the underground places.” Matteo led her to the bar and ordered two coffees for them after she told him what she wanted.
Marie watched the women at the table, fascinated by the fact that women were playing. She knew women could, but she’d considered this to be a man’s world and had thought women wouldn’t be involved. It was nice to see the group over there. One was a tall woman who looked to be about 45, with short blond hair and bright blue eyes; another had black hair and brown eyes; while the last one had long gray hair, wearing sunglasses, and sweats. The other two