Authors: Carol Rivers
‘Don’t play with people’s feelings, Vesta,’ Marie warned, stopping to look into her sister’s face. ‘You could hurt Charlie. And his girlfriend.’
Vesta stared at her. ‘Hark at you! I’m not the one playing with people’s feelings. You’re only being nice to Bing because he’s useful.’
‘That’s not true. It was you who encouraged me to get the music.’
‘Let’s not argue about men,’ Vesta dismissed, taking Marie’s arm again as they went up the steps to the house. ‘Girls should stick together. Especially girls like
us.’ She laughed.
Marie glanced at her sister. Vesta had a familiar expression on her face. She looked like she was planning something.
That night’s performance went better than Marie had expected. They wore their pink dresses and tap shoes, and the songs were sung without fault. The musicians, whose
names they learned were Benny, Jeff and Walter, all gave the girls the thumbs-up as they left the stage.
‘Sorry again about last night,’ said Bev when the twins returned and began to take off their make-up.
‘Yes,’ said Joanie quietly. ‘Mr Scoresby says we’re to mind our own business.’
‘I hope you didn’t get into trouble,’ said Marie. She didn’t want to fall out with them.
‘No,’ said Joanie, glancing over her shoulder. ‘It was Irene who got the sack instead.’
‘The girl behind the bar?’
‘Yes. Wally’s ex.’
‘I didn’t know that,’ said Vesta as she brushed her hair in the mirror.
Marie saw Bev nudge Joanie hard. ‘If you two want to hear Teddy sing,’ Bev said quickly, ‘he’s on now. You’d better be quick if you want to catch him.’
Vesta dropped the hairbrush and hurriedly pulled on her coat. ‘Come on, Marie, I don’t want to miss him tonight.’
‘I haven’t changed yet.’
‘All right. I’ll meet you at the back of the stage.’
Marie had no desire to hear Teddy again. She took her time in removing the little make-up she wore, then went behind the screen. As she took off her clothes, she overheard Irene’s name. In
the mirror she could see the girls talking together. Their faces were very serious. What was it they didn’t want to say in front of her?
When she had hung her and Vesta’s costumes on the rail and put on a blouse and skirt, she slipped her coat over her arm and went to the door. ‘’Night everyone.’
‘See you next week,’ Bev and Joanie called, but the others were still talking in whispers.
Marie stood in the draughty passage outside. She tried to listen to what was being said in her absence. But Teddy’s droning made it impossible to hear. Once again Joanie had been silenced
by Bev, and Marie suspected she had been on the point of talking about Irene.
Marie looked along the passage. A pale light flickered at the end of it. She walked along slowly and turned left into yet another passage. The air smelled as though that part of the club
hadn’t be used in a long time.
Finally the passage came to an end. A door was slightly open and she pushed it.
‘Dad, what are you doing?’ she asked in surprise as she saw the bent figure of her father behind some crates.
‘Marie! I might ask you the same.’
She walked over to where he stood. There was a door to his left, with two heavy bolts drawn across it. ‘Does that lead outside?’
‘Yes, but it’s not for general use. You shouldn’t be here. Did anyone see you come down?’
‘No. The door was open slightly and I could hear noises.’
‘This is a private area.’ He wiped the sweat from his face with a rag. ‘Wally has asked me to clear the rubbish and put a new lock on the door.’
‘What’s in those crates? They look heavy.’
‘They are a bit,’ Hector said quickly. ‘It’s mostly drinks for the new bar.’
‘New bar?’ Marie repeated.
Hector looked over her shoulder. ‘Yes, Wally and Leo intend to open one here for their most select trade.’ He smiled nervously, which seemed unusual to Marie. Her father was always
so full of confidence. She saw how hard he was breathing and sweating. His clothes were all dusty too. ‘Dad, I don’t like to see you doing this work. It’s heavy
labouring.’
‘It’s only temporary, my dear,’ Hector dismissed, wiping his forehead again. ‘I’ve agreed to fill in as their handyman until there is a spot for me in the cabaret.
Now, not a word to anyone about this. I don’t want your mother to worry.’
Marie nodded. ‘We’ll wait for you in Duke Street.’
He caught her arm. ‘No, I may be longer than usual, so go on home.’
‘What shall I tell Mum?’
‘Just that I was given overtime.’
Marie didn’t want to leave him. Hector might look strong, but he wasn’t used to hard physical work. He wasn’t cut out to be a handyman.
‘Go along, love.’ He shooed her off and reluctantly she made her way back down the dark passage.
‘Where have you been?’ demanded Vesta as they stood in the wings, listening to Teddy’s pathetic attempts at crooning.
‘I took me time to get changed.’
‘I should think you did!’ whispered Vesta. ‘You’ve missed the best part. Just listen to him. Isn’t he wonderful?’
Marie could see that Vesta was besotted by Teddy’s performance, as she stood with a dreamy expression on her face.
The next morning, Sunday, Marie was first to answer a knock on the front door. When she opened it she was surprised to find Bing standing there. ‘I thought these songs
might do,’ he said as Vesta joined them.
Vesta looked at them and frowned. ‘ “Tiger Rag” and “Where The Blue Of The Night”?’
Bing nodded. ‘ “Tiger Rag” is by the Mills Brothers, a good tune to dance to. The other is from Bing Crosby’s radio show, but I warn you, it could take some
practice.’
‘We can ask Benny, the piano player at the Duke’s, to play it for us,’ suggested Vesta.
‘I’d offer myself,’ Bing said, ‘but I’m driving some friends out to Epping Forest. Doubt there will be many more nice days like this.’
Marie wanted to ask who his friends were. Were they Charlie and his girlfriend?
‘Let me know if I can help,’ he called as he ran down the steps.
They stared after him as he climbed into the car. Marie was surprised when she saw him slide a straw boater onto his head. She noticed he was wearing immaculate white flannels and a blue blazer;
was he looking as smart as that for someone special?
‘Who’s he taking out, I wonder,’ said Vesta when they went back in.
‘Don’t know,’ shrugged Marie. ‘And I don’t care.’
But Marie found herself thinking about Bing. Would she have liked to be the one who was sitting next to him in his car? Still, she couldn’t expect the offer as she had made it quite plain
that she wasn’t interested. Perhaps another girl had been given the opportunity and had taken it.
Teddy was trying to make a quick getaway. He’d done his fair quota tonight. This being a Wednesday, the club was closed and it was poker night. All evening the stakes had
been high. A group of nine hard faces sat at the table with Wally and Wally was a bad loser. The Scoresbys’ addiction to gambling was a problem here in the East End, where rival gangs all
vied to be top dog. Not so up West in the brothers’ gentlemen’s club, where the wealthy were willing to take big losses and not make a fuss. They had too much to hide, what with their
fresh totty provided by the Scoresbys, guilty secrets that could end a political career or ruin a marriage. They always allowed the brothers to indulge themselves when Wally or Leo took to the
tables. The wealthy liked to say they had rubbed shoulders with the East End’s roughest and toughest, knowing the game had been rigged from the first hand.
Teddy shook his head in wonder at the punters’ foolishness. Life must be so uneventful for them that they were quite willing to risk their careers and standing for a night’s
excesses.
Teddy slipped quietly to the wings of the stage. He intended to go along the passage to the end room, Wally and Leo’s secret project, where there was a hidden exit. He’d go through
it and out into the night unobserved.
Uncomfortably aware that he had bitten off more than he could chew with Irene, Teddy didn’t want a repeat. And he was very much afraid he might be saddled with one. Last month, Wally had
paid a backhander to the Law to turn a blind eye to the late-night gambling and drinking. That backhander had led to Irene’s downfall. Screwing around with Wally had given her an inflated ego
and sealed her end.
Teddy shuddered. There had been no way he could do it. He’d had to get someone else to do the job for him. It had cost an arm and a leg, and he begrudged taking it from his savings.
Thinking of arms and legs, Teddy hurried on his way. And he almost made his escape – would have, if Pedro hadn’t called him back.
‘Teddy bear, you’re wanted.’ Pedro’s high-pitched voice drifted along the passage. Teddy froze, then turned slowly round. Pedro blew him a kiss from the palm of his hand.
‘You’re too pretty to leave the party early.’
Teddy groaned inwardly. His shoulders fell forward and, as if he were being pulled by an invisible chain, he retraced his steps.
As he entered the club, the air was dense with smoke. Wally’s fearful disfigurement still made Teddy squirm as he stood at Wally’s side. Wally sat at the table with Joanie on his
knee, her arms around his neck. Teddy felt the urge to slap her. She hadn’t learned from Irene, who was supposed to be her best mate. Instead, she had taken Irene’s place. And now Wally
was making the most of it.
‘Get me a drink,’ Wally ordered without looking up. The other players, all guarding their hands, glanced up at Teddy. They knew, as he knew, Wally’s run of luck was sure to be
contested. The hands he had played all evening stank like bad fish. Which was why Teddy had been trying to make an exit before he was told to step in and stop trouble.
Teddy walked over to the bar. Pedro raised his eyebrows and blinked his long black lashes. He handed a clean glass to Teddy. ‘He didn’t want me to pour it for him, sweetheart, though
I did offer.’
‘I’ll bet you did.’
‘Don’t be like that, Teddy bear. Green ain’t your colour.’
Teddy ignored the remark; Pedro enjoyed playing to his effeminate side, even though he was tall and had a good physique. But Teddy never underestimated the barman. Wally hadn’t hired Pedro
for his ability to make cocktails; Pedro was insurance. He came with his own lethal speciality: a knuckle duster with a razor built into the metal, which made him almost as dangerous as Leo.
Teddy heaved a fatalistic sigh. He was part of the Scoresbys’ machine. For now. But there was a day not too far off – a day he had been planning since Wally and Leo had set him up at
the Duke’s.
Pedro’s dark eyes gleamed as he leaned close. ‘Haven’t you noticed the looks on the faces of the three idiots opposite Wally?’
Teddy nodded. He’d noticed all right. That was why he had been trying to make himself scarce.
‘South of the river mob,’ continued Pedro under his breath as he poured Wally’s drink, ‘and they must fancy their chances on Scoresby turf. So if Wally’s next hand
is a flush, be prepared.’
Teddy nodded gratefully. He knew that if he was in a tight spot, despite their bickering, Pedro would be the one he’d look to.
Taking a deep breath, Teddy took the whisky over to the table. He managed – just – to keep his hand from shaking as he passed it to Wally, who downed the drink in one.
Teddy’s heart dropped as Wally threw down his cards. An ace, a king, a queen, a jack and a ten. All hearts. And Wally’s fourth lucky flush of the evening.
Minutes seemed to drag by, although Teddy knew it could only be seconds. All the players sat still. Then one by one, they left the table, leaving only the bald punter and his two mates. Teddy
saw Wally grin, urging Joanie off his knee, then lean forward to claim the pot.
But a fat hand got there first. ‘I reckon you’ve got more than your dick stuffed down your trousers, pal,’ said the bald-headed idiot with a mouth and nose that had lost
direction in his fat face. ‘You don’t strike me as having enough nous to play four flushes in a row, so you must be having a joke, right?’
Teddy closed his eyes in distress. These were the words he had dreaded to hear. He glanced nervously over towards Pedro, who reached out to knock lightly on the partition wall.
Wally stood up. Teddy took a nervous step back. The bald-headed contender rose to his feet, as did his mates. One of them tried sliding a hand inside his jacket, but Wally shook his head.
‘Stop right there,’ he said in a malevolent whisper, ‘or that move will turn out to be your last one.’
Once again time seemed to stand still for Teddy. Until a tall, dark-haired figure wearing a hand-tailored suit emerged by the bar.
Teddy wished he was a million miles away, marooned on an island where Wally and Leo could never ever get to him. He looked at the three bolshie South Londoners and almost felt sorry for them.
They had smiles on their faces and were puffing up like turkeys at Christmas.
And everyone knew what happened to turkeys at Christmas.
Although they’d had all week to learn their new routine, Marie had to admit that Bing was right. Without a musical accompaniment, ‘Where The Blue Of The
Night’, was tricky. On Friday, they decided to revert back to their old songs and went to the Duke’s hoping that Benny would help them.
After they had left Hector at the office, they went into the dressing room, to be greeted by four long faces.
‘Where’s Teddy?’ asked Vesta worriedly.
‘Gone out,’ answered Bev evasively.
‘Where to?’ Vesta looked disappointed.
‘It’s not our business,’ said Bev, keeping her voice down.
Marie glanced at Vesta. Without speaking they changed into their costumes. It was Benny’s voice they heard in the corridor, shouting to tell the chorus line they were on.
When the dancers had filed out, Marie looked at Vesta. ‘What do you make of that?’
‘Do you think Teddy’s all right?’ Vesta was very pale. ‘He’s always around normally.’
‘I’m sure he’s all right.’ Marie sat down on one of the chairs.
‘I wonder if Elsie’s seen him?’
Marie was thinking about this when she noticed a newspaper folded on the top of Bev’s make-up box. She picked it up and read the headlines. The police were having trouble in separating the
Fascist and anti-Fascist marchers in the city, but at the bottom of the page, someone had drawn a large circle.