The Melody Girls (6 page)

‘Sure,' Lorna said, with a return to euphoria. Oh, forget the money, eh? Things were going to work out, weren't they? If she could get a room for fifteen bob, and not have to shell out too much for food, she'd be OK. And she was in the band! As her new colleagues under Luke's direction moved in to ‘I'll Get By', it was no wonder her heart was singing along with them.

Ten

It was late when Lorna got home, travelling on wings, or so it seemed, and of course her mother was waiting and worrying. And so was Ewen.

‘Why, Ewen!' Lorna exclaimed, ‘whatever are you doing here?'

‘He looked in to see if you were back yet,' Tilly said coldly. ‘I must say, we never thought you'd be so long.'

‘I had to stay to see the rehearsal, and that took a while, and then I'd to get to the station. I was as quick as I could be, Ma.'

‘Point is, did you get the job?' Ewen asked, then shrugged. ‘Silly question. You must have done, if you were asked to watch the rehearsal.'

‘Yes, I got the job.' Lorna, suddenly returning to earth, sank into a chair. ‘I start in two weeks' time. Listen, is there any tea going? Nothing to eat, thanks, I had a sandwich at the station.'

‘A sandwich at the station – I can guess what that was like!' Tilly commented. ‘But I'll just put the kettle on.'

‘OK, then,' Ewen said quietly. ‘Tell us about it.'

Tell them about it? She didn't know where to start. But Ewen saw the smile that curved her lips as she remembered, and he sighed a little.

‘That good, eh? Beats the post office, I suppose?'

‘Well, it's different. I think the best part was watching the band play. Oh, it was so thrilling! All the time I was just dying to join in, and even now, the tunes are still going through my head. And you know what happened when they were playing “September in the Rain”? That was the one I had to sight read for Mr Riddell . . .'

‘No, what?' Ewen groaned, as Tilly came in with the tea tray.

‘Well, Mr Riddell suddenly stopped conducting and came up to me and asked me to dance, and there we were, doing the foxtrot, and everybody was laughing, but he was telling me to notice that his tempo wasn't the strict tempo some bandleaders liked but what he thought was best, and I thought so too. And when we came to the end of the music, everybody clapped!'

‘This guy married?' Ewen asked, after a silence. ‘This Mr Riddell?'

‘Yes, he is. Flo and Rod – two of the people in the band – told me on the way to the station. He's married to the vocalist, Suzie Barrie. She wasn't there this afternoon, but apparently she's very glamorous.'

‘Never mind his wife,' Tilly said swiftly, as she passed cups of tea. ‘What's he going to be paying you?'

Lorna drank some tea and set down her cup. ‘Three pounds ten a week.'

Tilly and Ewen exchanged glances.

‘And you've to pay for lodgings out of that?' asked Tilly. ‘You're no' going to have much left.'

‘Flo – she's a guitarist – is going to see if there's a bed sitter going at her place. That would be cheaper than lodgings.'

‘And you'd do your own cooking and starve to death, I suppose?' Tilly shook her head. ‘Oh, Lorna!'

‘Ma, I'll be all right. I can cook, you know.'

‘Know how much your dad was getting from Jackie Craik?'

‘He was experienced. I've got it all to learn.'

‘Fifteen pounds a week,' Tilly said quietly.

Lorna's jaw dropped; so did Ewen's.

‘Ma, I never knew that!' Lorna cried.

‘Mrs Fernie, are you sure that's right?' Ewen asked. ‘Why, it's a fortune! I mean – most folk are no' earning anything like that.'

‘It's what he got, all the same. Jackie Craik never minded paying good money to get the best.'

After a brief silence, Ewen said he'd better be going, and when Lorna went to the door with him, managed to say he was pleased for her. If she'd really got what she wanted.

‘Oh, I have, I have!'

He gave her a long serious look. ‘And who did you say took you to the station?'

‘Flo, the one who plays guitar, and Rod – he plays the trumpet.'

‘Why'd you need anybody to go with you to the station?'

‘I didn't need anybody! We were all going the same way, that was all.'

‘Rod's Flo's boyfriend?'

‘No!' Lorna was growing impatient. ‘They just live near each other. Had to go back to change before work at the ballroom. What's the matter with you, Ewen? Asking all these questions?'

‘Nothing.' He put his collar up, pulled his cap down. ‘See you Monday, then. Goodnight, Lorna.'

‘Goodnight!'

Closing the door on the wintry night, Lorna hurried back to the living room, where her mother was sitting by the fire.

‘You'll be ready for your bed?' she asked, looking up wearily ‘I am, anyway. Better fill the kettle for the hot water bottles.'

‘Ma, I'm still amazed by what you told me about Dad's wages. If he earned so much, how come we didn't . . . well, spend more?'

Tilly smiled. ‘Because your dad spent plenty anyway. And you know what on.'

Lorna lowered her eyes. ‘I never saw him drunk.'

‘Och, no, it was all just drinking and relaxing with the boys after they'd finished playing. But he got through quite a bit of cash, until he started thinking about us and took out some insurance. That's all put away for the future – your wedding, maybe.'

‘My wedding? Oh, Ma, if there's any money, it's for you.'

‘Now, what would I do with it?' Tilly rose, rubbing her back. ‘Still think that Luke Riddell could be paying you more. Ask around, see what the others are getting.'

‘The main thing is I've got the job I want, Ma. My foot's in the door.'

‘Don't I know it,' Tilly sighed.

Lorna, feeling guilty, said hastily, ‘I'll be popping over from Glasgow all the time, Ma, you'll see!'

‘Aye, if you can afford the train fare.'

‘There's always the bus.' Lorna took a deep breath, watching her mother carefully. ‘But, listen, Ma, could you do me a favour? I don't like to ask, when I'm going away, but I'm pretty desperate.'

Tilly gave her a long enquiring look. ‘Oh? Sounds bad. Better tell me what it is, then.'

‘Well, looks like I'm going to need a couple of new dresses. Seemingly, the men in the band all wear dark blue jackets, and Mr Riddell likes the girls to wear long dark blue dresses to match.'

‘Does he indeed?' Tilly frowned. ‘Sounds particular. And why do the dresses have to be long? You've got the nice blue one you wore for the talent contest – surely that would do?'

‘It's just that Mr Riddell likes something more formal.'

‘Well, the problem will be to find the material. I've some blue stuff left but I might need more. And how much is it all going to cost?'

‘It's OK, Ma, I'll pay out of my wages.'

‘Oh, what a piece o' nonsense! Couldn't Mr Riddell pay for what you have to wear in the band?'

As Lorna said nothing, Tilly shook her head. ‘We'll just have to hope that my material will be enough, then. So, when do you want these dresses? I've a lot on at the moment.'

‘Just for when I go away, Ma.'

‘For when you go away . . . All right, I'll do what I can.'

‘Oh, Ma, you're an angel!' Lorna hugged her mother again. ‘I don't know what I'd do without you!'

‘You'll soon find out,' Tilly said dryly.

Eleven

When the time came for Lorna actually to leave instead of thinking about it and talking about it, the parting was just as bad as she'd guessed it would be.

‘The end of an era,' Cissie said cheerfully. ‘Comes to us all, Tilly. Still, Lorna's only going to Glasgow, eh?'

But Tilly, carefully folding the new blue dresses for Lorna to add to her case, knew that Cissie had got it right. When a child grows up and departs, yes, it was the end of an era. And yes, it came to all parents sooner or later, but that didn't make it any easier.

‘Won't be easy for you, either,' Cissie told Lorna the night before her departure. ‘You'll be all excited inside, but sort of sad as well, eh? I mean, you've had to say goodbye to all your friends at the post office. They'll be a big miss.'

‘I'll still come back to see them,' Lorna muttered, just wishing Auntie Cissie would go for her bus to Musselburgh. ‘As you say, I'm only going to Glasgow.'

‘And Ewen's coming with us tomorrow,' Tilly said firmly. ‘We're going to see Lorna into her new bed sitter.'

‘Ah, the faithful Ewen!' Cissie cried. ‘He's no' ready to forget you yet, Lorna.'

‘No one's forgetting anybody, Auntie Cissie,' said Lorna.

Although Lorna considered herself lucky to have been able to rent a room at Flo's place, an old tenement house off Buchanan Street, Tilly, naturally, didn't think much of it. True, it was very small, with only the basics of furniture, a washbasin and a miniature cooker, but what could you expect for fifteen bob a week? Lorna said it would suit her fine.

‘And you think you're going to be able to cook on this?' Tilly asked, running her finger round the hotplate. ‘First, it'll need a good clean. Have you got some scouring powder? I'm sure I canna think how you're going to manage.'

‘Don't worry about Lorna, Mrs Fernie,' Flo told her earnestly. ‘I know that's easy to say – my folks are dead now, but my mum used to worry about me, too. I'll see Lorna's all right.'

‘That's very kind of you, Miss Drover,' Tilly said, studying Flo's thin, intelligent face, and seeming reassured by what she saw. ‘I must admit, I feel better, now I see she's got a friend. I know the band scene, you see, I know what she's up against.'

‘Oh, Ma,' Lorna sighed, glancing at Ewen, who was too despondent to join in the conversation.

After they'd had something to eat at a small cafe with Flo, there was the melancholy walk to the station where Lorna, having embraced her mother, even kissed Ewen, which would once have cheered him up, but now had no effect. He did manage a wave with Tilly however, as they were carried away on the train to Edinburgh, while Lorna waited until it was out of sight,

‘Sad for your mother,' Flo commented. ‘Even though you're no' far away. And your young man looked pretty glum.'

‘Oh, Ewen's isn't my young man, Flo!'

‘He'd like to be, then. My guess is there'll be a few feeling like that in the band, too. Once they've got over the shock of having a girl sax player. I mean, you'll be sitting on the front line, eh? We other lassies are at the back, out of the way – they hope.'

‘You talk about young men for me – how about you?' Lorna asked with some hesitation. ‘I bet there's someone.'

‘Wrong.' Flo studied her nails. ‘I've had my fill of affairs that have gone wrong. At the moment, I'm no' interested.'

‘That makes two of us. All I want at the minute is to be a success in the band. Mr Riddell says I've a lot to learn. That's why he's no' paying me much.'

‘If you don't mind me asking, how much is he paying?'

‘Three pounds, ten.' Lorna hesitated. ‘How about you?'

‘I'm on six.'

‘Six!'

‘You think it's good? Know how much Dickie Tarrant gets, who stands right next to me playing bass? Twelve.'

‘Dickie gets twelve pounds a week?'

‘Aye, and he's no' been with the band five minutes and I've been with it two years. All the guys get twelve, and think they should get more – that's why Luke's always losing fellas. He'll no' pay the right money, so some just move on, if they can find another band. Some stay because they think he's good, or they don't want to go to England where there's more work. Of course, he banks on that.'

‘But girls accept less, anyway?'

Flo shrugged. ‘And play as well as the men. To be fair, Luke wouldn't take them on if they couldn't, he thinks the world of his band. But he's certainly thinking about taking on more women, so's he doesn't have to pay too much.'

‘And yet he can seem so nice.'

‘Oh, a charmer. But there's a dark side to him. Sometimes have to watch your step.'

Yes, perhaps she'd already seen that dark side, thought Lorna, but said nothing, as Flo, looking at her watch, told her they'd better be going. Lorna wouldn't want to be late for her first rehearsal with the band.

‘Oh, Lord, no!' Lorna had cried, as she was seized with an attack of nerves that set her wondering how she would ever find the courage to play again to Luke's satisfaction, or under the sombre gaze of Josh Nevin, whose chair would be next to hers.

But it was all right. It was fine. That first time with the band, she played as though born to it, which was what she'd always dreamed of doing, and when it was over, though not a great deal was said by the men around her, she felt she'd proved herself. It might be, that however well she played, some men would never accept her, but she knew and they knew that she was worthy of acceptance and that was what mattered.

Certainly, Luke himself was pleased with her, and when he came up and praised her performance, she found herself again forgetting about her wages and remembering only that he'd given her the chance to do what she wanted. Her smile was radiant.

‘Did well, didn't she?' Luke asked Josh, who gave a quick nod.