The Vaudeville Star

“Charming woman. I think I’m captivated already,” he said, smiling.

Ford said nothing and kept silent about his relationship with Ruby. She had not said anything, so he would follow her lead and do the same. Instead, he said, “The agency said you had a job for me.”

“I do. You were quite impressive with your last assignment, so I thought who better than Rutledge to handle this?”

“He’s invited me to the park tomorrow on a picnic,” Ruby told Vernon once they had settled into the taxicab.

“That’s excellent, Ruby! Excellent,” he said, rubbing his hands together.

“Vern, I want to be onstage, and I want top billing like Zeta has. But I’m not a prostitute. So if you’ve promised anything to King in return for services rendered, you’ll both be disappointed,” Ruby said, flushed and angry.

Vernon looked at her in confusion and then laughed. “Oh, my dear, you have it all wron

g. King and I were discussing a possible venture this evening. He wants to back a tour to London. He was quite taken with you, and I told him where you lived so that he could send a car for you tomorrow. Other than that, nothing was promised. I can assure you.”

“Oh. I see.” Ruby nodded.

“Furthermore, King did say that you should have a place in the show, and I agree. I want you to open the second act.”

“Open the second act?” Ruby felt her heart beat faster inside her chest. “You haven’t even heard me sing!”

“I did. You sang to the empty audience when you thought no one was around. I was in the back taking a nap. You woke me, and I was never more surprised in my life.”

Ruby thought back to the moment she had been singing to the empty audience and grinned. “Thank you, Vern.”

“As to what you and King do, that is your own affair. I never interfere with love and relationships. Theater? Yes. Love? Never.”

Ruby smiled as she looked out the window. Opening the second act? How exciting! She could barely contain herself as she thought of standing on the stage in front of all those strangers.

“Maybe I’m not ready,” she turned suddenly to Vernon in concern, “to go onstage!”

“You’ll learn. You’ll do fine, kid. No one goes onstage with a perfect act. It takes time. Give the sheet music to the conductor, and we’ll work on it next week. I’ll have Bessie watch as well. She can help you move the right way and show yourself off.”

“Thank you, Vern. You’ve been very helpful to me,” she said sincerely.

“I’ve been in this business a long time. I worked with Tony Pastor, and he taught me how to spot a star, Ruby. And you’re it,” he said quietly.

“Me? I’m a star?” Ruby smiled. “How can you tell that? You don’t know me at all.”

“It has nothing to do with that. It has to do with the face, the body, the way you move. On top of all that, the audience loved you. Even carrying a card and doing nothing, they responded to you. That’s a beginning. That’s what we build on!”

“Well, I’m grateful to you.”

“Don’t be grateful. Be loyal. And work hard,” he told her.

“I will,” she promised him. “I will.”

7

“I know it’s not much, Rutledge, and not very prestigious, but I would be grateful. My wife’s brother has been nothing but a thorn in my side since the day we married. His gambling debts are enormous. But I need to make certain this new club he joined is on the up-and-up. If they are just taking him for a ride to get to my money, I need to know,” King said.

“Of course. We may have a man already inside. I’ve heard the club’s name mentioned before.” Ford nodded and sipped his whiskey.

“Excellent! I knew you were the man for the job.” King rang the bell, and a butler appeared with Ford’s overcoat and hat.

“I’ll get in touch with you once I have something concrete,” Ford said as he took the coat and hat from the elderly butler.

They shook hands, and Ford stepped out onto the sidewalk, looking for a taxicab to hail.