encouraging.’
‘You’re big girls now. And anyway, your dad will be with you.’
Marie laughed. ‘Or rather, we shall be with him!’
They all began to laugh as they washed and dried the dishes. But Marie could see that Ada was trying not to show her concern, whilst Hector was back to clearing his throat and puffing out his
chest, fiddling with the knob on the radio in case Harry Lauder was being broadcast.
‘I was afraid Mum might spoil things,’ Vesta whispered that night as they lay in bed. ‘But for once she encouraged us.’
‘She wasn’t expecting all three of us to get jobs.’
‘Especially Dad, who is a bit old to take up performing again, don’t you think?’
‘Just goes to show it’s never too late,’ Marie said eagerly.
‘But it’s men like Teddy who catch a girl’s eye.’
‘One girl in particular,’ Marie laughed as she lay back on the pillow.
Vesta sighed longingly as she, too, lay down. ‘I haven’t seen Teddy all week. Nor has Elsie.’
‘Did you ask her, then?’
‘Yes. She said he goes out early and comes in late. Some nights she doesn’t think he comes home at all.’
‘Where would he go?’
‘To the club, of course. Oh, Marie, can you believe we are really going to sing and dance there?’
‘It hasn’t sunk in yet.’
‘I wonder if there will be lots of people watching us.’
‘There were plenty of tables and chairs.’
‘I wonder what the other girls are like.’
‘They were all very pretty and could dance. Now, I’d better turn off the lamp or else we’ll never get to sleep. And tomorrow is our big day.’
‘I’m too excited to sleep.’
But it was Marie who remained awake, wondering what would happen on their first performance at the club the following night. Mr Scoresby hadn’t said anything about their costumes, so they
planned to wear the pink dresses again. Their act was now word- and dance-perfect; the only thing missing was the sheet music for the piano player to follow.
This problem had been discussed with Elsie, who had a friend who owned a music shop in Bethnal Green. But nothing had come of that yet.
Marie turned restlessly towards the open window. It was a hot summer’s night, the last in August. As the warm breeze blew in, it carried all the scents of the river. She remembered the day
at the park with Bing when the same smells had felt exciting and new, and she had challenged Bing to sing for her. She couldn’t forget the way he had looked into her eyes and sung
‘I’m Through With Love’. His voice had given her sweet chills. And yet the magic had seemed lost as soon as he’d talked about settling down.
Marie finally drifted off. She dreamed of sparkling costumes, the mellow lights of the Duke’s and the attentive audience who, in her dreams, were sitting at the tables watching the
twins’ act. She saw their dressing rooms with little lights all around the mirrors. In her imagination she could smell the make-up and perfume of the artistes in the air. And the applause . .
. she could even hear that too.
The next day they hurried home from work at twelve thirty. As soon as they got in, Elsie stopped them. ‘Come in, I’ve got something for you. Your mother has gone to
the market, so I’ll make you a cuppa and we’ll have some cake.’
‘We’ll just change into something cooler.’ Marie and Vesta hurried into their bedroom and took off their heavy, uncomfortable working overalls. Their cool summer dresses felt
much better. When they returned to Elsie, she had a tray of tea and cakes ready and waiting.
‘Sit down and tuck in, girls.’
Marie loved Elsie’s part of the house. They were sitting in two big, tub-shaped chairs made of leather. The room was full of old, quality furniture, heavy drapes and thick carpeting. Elsie
had hundreds of mementoes of the theatre all over the shelves and on the walls. Being the landlady of the Cubby Hole, she had been given these over the years by artistes appearing at
‘You’re big girls now. And anyway, your dad will be with you.’
Marie laughed. ‘Or rather, we shall be with him!’
They all began to laugh as they washed and dried the dishes. But Marie could see that Ada was trying not to show her concern, whilst Hector was back to clearing his throat and puffing out his
chest, fiddling with the knob on the radio in case Harry Lauder was being broadcast.
‘I was afraid Mum might spoil things,’ Vesta whispered that night as they lay in bed. ‘But for once she encouraged us.’
‘She wasn’t expecting all three of us to get jobs.’
‘Especially Dad, who is a bit old to take up performing again, don’t you think?’
‘Just goes to show it’s never too late,’ Marie said eagerly.
‘But it’s men like Teddy who catch a girl’s eye.’
‘One girl in particular,’ Marie laughed as she lay back on the pillow.
Vesta sighed longingly as she, too, lay down. ‘I haven’t seen Teddy all week. Nor has Elsie.’
‘Did you ask her, then?’
‘Yes. She said he goes out early and comes in late. Some nights she doesn’t think he comes home at all.’
‘Where would he go?’
‘To the club, of course. Oh, Marie, can you believe we are really going to sing and dance there?’
‘It hasn’t sunk in yet.’
‘I wonder if there will be lots of people watching us.’
‘There were plenty of tables and chairs.’
‘I wonder what the other girls are like.’
‘They were all very pretty and could dance. Now, I’d better turn off the lamp or else we’ll never get to sleep. And tomorrow is our big day.’
‘I’m too excited to sleep.’
But it was Marie who remained awake, wondering what would happen on their first performance at the club the following night. Mr Scoresby hadn’t said anything about their costumes, so they
planned to wear the pink dresses again. Their act was now word- and dance-perfect; the only thing missing was the sheet music for the piano player to follow.
This problem had been discussed with Elsie, who had a friend who owned a music shop in Bethnal Green. But nothing had come of that yet.
Marie turned restlessly towards the open window. It was a hot summer’s night, the last in August. As the warm breeze blew in, it carried all the scents of the river. She remembered the day
at the park with Bing when the same smells had felt exciting and new, and she had challenged Bing to sing for her. She couldn’t forget the way he had looked into her eyes and sung
‘I’m Through With Love’. His voice had given her sweet chills. And yet the magic had seemed lost as soon as he’d talked about settling down.
Marie finally drifted off. She dreamed of sparkling costumes, the mellow lights of the Duke’s and the attentive audience who, in her dreams, were sitting at the tables watching the
twins’ act. She saw their dressing rooms with little lights all around the mirrors. In her imagination she could smell the make-up and perfume of the artistes in the air. And the applause . .
. she could even hear that too.
The next day they hurried home from work at twelve thirty. As soon as they got in, Elsie stopped them. ‘Come in, I’ve got something for you. Your mother has gone to
the market, so I’ll make you a cuppa and we’ll have some cake.’
‘We’ll just change into something cooler.’ Marie and Vesta hurried into their bedroom and took off their heavy, uncomfortable working overalls. Their cool summer dresses felt
much better. When they returned to Elsie, she had a tray of tea and cakes ready and waiting.
‘Sit down and tuck in, girls.’
Marie loved Elsie’s part of the house. They were sitting in two big, tub-shaped chairs made of leather. The room was full of old, quality furniture, heavy drapes and thick carpeting. Elsie
had hundreds of mementoes of the theatre all over the shelves and on the walls. Being the landlady of the Cubby Hole, she had been given these over the years by artistes appearing at
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