Annie laughed. ‘All right we’ll start there. I might get some colourful ribbons for Margaret’s hair while we’re there. I would like to go to Foyles Bookshop as well, though we had better do that last because I could spend all day in there.’
Rose laughed. ‘What are you going to buy your ma and pa?’
Annie’s lips tightened. ‘My father is a difficult one, maybe handkerchiefs or socks. I’ll probably buy David the same. I might get my ma a nightdress or dressing gown. It’s difficult because of posting it.’
They stopped and glanced in some of the shop windows, which were decorated with colourful paper chains, along with pieces of holly and church candles strategically placed in the window display.
Carol singers stood outside in the middle of Oxford Street, and as people walked by, they shook buckets of coins at them. They rang hand bells intermittently as they sang “Oh Come All Ye Faithful” to the growing crowds. People threw coins into the buckets, while some joined in with the singing.
The girls stopped and listened. They both looked tearful.
Memories of singing in the church choir came rushing back to Annie. ‘This is lovely, I used to like going carol singing.’
Rose nodded.
The singers began “Away In A Manger”. An old man next to Annie grabbed her arm and burst into song. ‘Come on lovey, it’ll do yer good to have a good sing.’
Annie laughed and found herself joining in, “No crib for a bed, the little Lord Jesus lay down his sweet head…”
People turned to see who the owner of the beautiful voice was.
Rose grinned at her friend and found herself joining in.
As the last words faded away the man turned to Annie. ‘You have a lovely voice. You should be up there singing with them.’
Annie blushed. ‘Thank you, it’s very kind of you to say so.’ She smiled. ‘I love a Christmas carol and you’re right it does lift your heart to sing along.’ She opened her handbag and pulled out a cloth coin purse. Opening it, she pushed the coins back and forth before pulling out one of the larger silver ones.
Rose followed suit.
The girls stayed there for a few more minutes, before each threw half a crown into the bucket. The singers nodded to them as they sung and the girls reluctantly walked away.
‘I could have stood there all day.’
Annie sighed. ‘Me too, it was lovely to listen to them singing my favourite carols.’
Rose smiled. ‘And joining in with them.’
‘I cannot tell a lie.’ Annie smiled. ‘It did feel good, but I suppose we had better get on with our Christmas shopping otherwise the family won’t get their presents until Easter.’
Two hours later the girls were laughing when they almost fell in through the stage door.
Bert looked up from his newspaper. ‘You two look like you’ve been ’aving fun. Do you need help wiv them bags?’
Annie rubbed her hands together. ‘No thanks, Bert, I’m sure we’ll manage to get them to the dressing and sewing room.’
‘What yer been doing, buying up all the shops?’
Rose chuckled. ‘It feels like that but we’ve only bought a few bits for our families.’
Annie breathed a sigh of relief as she let her shopping bags slip from her fingers. She removed her gloves and examined the red imprint on her hands from her gloves. ‘I’ve bought loads of chocolate to send to my brother, wherever he is. We’ve also got some ribbon and brown paper to wrap everything up tonight and post tomorrow.’ She rubbed her hands together. ‘Oh, I almost forgot, my friend Peter might be coming to meet me after the show to walk me home.’ Annie put on her best smile. ‘Will you let him wait inside please, it’s too cold to be out for too long.’
Bert grinned. ‘Course I will, now off with yer before yer get me shot.’
14
Annie opened the dressing room door; it was too cold to take her coat off. She walked over to the sink and filled the kettle up and lit the gas under it. She was early but had got used to the silence and liked being in the theatre before everyone else arrived. Annie tugged at the fingers of her gloves one at a time and pulled them off. She removed her woollen hat and fluffed up her hair with her fingers. Having finally removed her coat, Annie sat at Kitty’s dressing table and stared at herself in the mirror. She thought about Kitty and the make-up she wore every day and yet here she was without a scrap of it on her face. Annie glanced down at the many tubs, jars and lipsticks that cluttered the table; opening a jar she bent her head to smell it before moving on to another. ‘Wonder what all these jars of creams do?’ Annie picked up a lipstick and rolled it up; it was bright red. She peered over her shoulder before looking back at the mirror and tentatively applying it all over her lips and rolling them together like she had seen Kitty do. Swirls of steam started to escape through the kettle’s spout. Annie put the lid back on the lipstick before pushing the chair back and getting up to turn it off.
‘Well, now that’s very nice. Very nice indeed.’
Startled, Annie knew that voice anywhere. She spun round and Matthew was standing in the doorway. ‘Kitty’s not here yet, and won’t be for a couple of hours.’
Matthew walked in the room and shut the door behind him. ‘Well, that’s lucky for us, isn’t it?’
Panic began to spread through Annie’s veins, her chest tightened as her fear took hold. She attempted to clear her throat and licked her dry lips. ‘Would you like a cup of tea or coffee? It’s good timing because, as you probably saw, the kettle has just boiled?’
‘You’re not flirting with me, are you?’
Annie could feel the colour draining from her face. ‘What?’
Matthew was suddenly standing in front of her, his hands rested on the worktop, one each side of her. ‘Running your tongue over your lips like that, it sends a shiver down my spine.’
Annie looked one way then the other but knew she was trapped.
Matthew lifted his hand and gently ran it through her dark brown hair. ‘There’s no escape. You know that, don’t you?’
‘Please Matthew, I wasn’t flirting, my lips were just dry.’ She blinked rapidly in a bid to stop the tears from forming. ‘If you feel I’ve led you on then I’m truly sorry because that was never my intention.’
Matthew stared at her before running his thumb over her lips, smudging the lipstick onto the side of her mouth. ‘All you young girls are the same. You all give us men the eye and then don’t want to deliver when the pied piper comes calling.’
‘But… but I haven’t given you the eye.’
Matthew gave a humourless laugh. ‘That’s what the last one said.’
Annie’s tongue felt like it was stuck to the roof of her mouth and she fought the urge to lick her dry lips. ‘I’m sorry, Matthew, there’s clearly been a misunderstanding.’
‘I don’t think so. When I offered you singing lessons, I told you we would work out how you’re going to pay for them later. Well, I’m sick of being patient, so later has arrived.’ He lowered his head.
Annie leant back further against the wooden worktop. ‘Please don’t do this Matthew, please. I won’t tell anyone, I promise.’
‘You don’t think I believe that, do you? You’re not the first, you know. I had to get rid of the last dresser because she refused to deliver the goods and threatened to tell everyone, but trust me when I say no one will take the word of a dresser over mine. Mind you taking the compact out of Kitty’s drawer made it a whole lot easier; it was genius on my part because Kitty doesn’t trust anyone. Now enough talking, it’s time to pay the piper.’ He grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled her head back.
Annie tried to control the scream that was bubbling up inside her. His lips came down hard on hers, adding to the bruising his thumb had left there. His tongue tried to force open her mouth but she kept it clamped shut. He bit her bottom lip and pulled tighter at her hair, her lips parting as the pain hit her. She could taste blood in her mouth. His tongue forced its way in. She bit down
hard. For a moment his blood mingled with hers.
Matthew jerked back and held his mouth with his hand.
Annie pushed him away but he grabbed her arm and swung her back against the worktop, knocking the air from her body. He pulled back his hand and struck her hard against the face. Her face stung, tears rolled down her face. ‘I don’t understand how I’ve wronged you but please stop, I’m sorry.’ Her hand went up to her face, the heat of where his hand had landed seeped into her palm. ‘Please…’
The door swung open. ‘What’s going on?’ Kitty’s anger was undeniable. ‘Matthew, get out of my room before I call security.’
‘Hah, Bert won’t be able to do anything.’
Kitty walked over to her dressing table and picked up a letter opener that had been placed there for show and hardly used. ‘Don’t test me, Matthew, because you will regret it. I’m not going to stand by and let you ruin someone else’s life.’
Matthew eyed Kitty. ‘Hark at you. Don’t you know you’re a nobody here? Without me there wouldn’t be a show. You’re a laughing stock with your bottles of brandy.’
Kitty shrugged. ‘Maybe I am, but why do you suppose that is Matthew, eh, why? I can tell you why, it’s because of men like you. You think it’s all right to just take what you want because you’ve promised a part in a play that turns out to be a walk on part. You’re right, it is too late for me but it isn’t for Annie, and I’m not going to stand by and let this happen, not again.’
Matthew snarled at her. ‘You’re no different to me, Kitty, you’ve clawed your way to the top. It’s too late to get a conscience now.’
Kitty shook her head. ‘It’s never too late and the fact I’m standing here threatening you with a letter opener should be telling you I’m different to you. Now get out and don’t ever step in this room again or I’ll ruin your career.’
Matthew glared at her. ‘I’ll take you down with me if that’s the case.’
Kitty shrugged. ‘You do your worst but I will survive, unlike your good self. Now get out of here.’
Matthew glared at her. ‘None of you are worth it, you’d be nothing without me.’
Kitty smiled. ‘No? But the lipstick on your lips tells me you don’t actually believe that.’
Matthew rubbed the back of his hand over his mouth before turning to Annie, his lips curling in distaste. ‘And any thoughts you had at going on the stage are now lost forever.’ He marched over to the door, looked back at them before walking out and slamming it shut.
Kitty began to tremble as the realisation of what she had just done hit home. Did she really threaten to harm, or even kill, Matthew with a letter opener that he had given her? She fought the urge to laugh hysterically; her armour of protection had reached a whole new level. Shaking her head, she wondered when her affection for Annie had begun. When did she start to see her as family?
Annie dropped to her knees sobbing. The tears rolled down her face and rested on her lips, leaving their salty taste.
Kitty looked hesitantly, unsure what to do, but she took a small step forward. Taking a deep breath, she bent down and put her arms around her and let her sob. It dawned on her no words were necessary. Kitty rubbed Annie’s back as her own memories of needing comfort jumped into her mind. The last time she had cried in someone’s arms was when her parents died; she was just a child then. Memories of when she had been treated in the same way as Annie flooded her mind, but no one had been there to save her back then. Kitty shook her head; she remembered being told it was just the way it was. That’s when she realised she only had herself to rely on; no one else cared about her. She couldn’t recall ever giving comfort to someone, but then, she told herself, no one had given her any either.
Annie sniffed and gasped for breath, her sobbing showing no sign of subsiding.
Kitty could feel her eyes welling up. ‘It’s all right; it’s over now. Come on, let’s sit on the sofa.’ She pulled Annie up with her and led her to the chaise longue. ‘It’s over now, he won’t bother you again, I’m going to speak to Stan about this.’ She lowered Annie down on to the seat. ‘Let me just take my coat off.’ Kitty quickly undid the buttons and removed her thick black winter coat. She felt inside the coat pocket and found the clean lace handkerchief; she passed it to Annie before sitting down next to her. ‘This won’t help much. I don’t know why I carry fancy ones, it must be all part of the show.’
Annie’s chin wobbled as she tried to speak. ‘I… I was so frightened.’
Kitty’s lips tightened as she looked at Annie, her face red and blotchy, and the tears just kept coming. Matthew had broken her; his hand had left its mark on her face. Kitty just hoped she would survive it.
Annie screwed the handkerchief into a ball. She wiped away her eyes with her hands. ‘I never encouraged him, honestly, he said I did but I never.’
Kitty shook her head. ‘Don’t think about it. Men like Matthew don’t need any encouragement.’
Annie looked up at Kitty. ‘I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t come in.’
‘I did, so that’s all that matters right now.’ Kitty stood up. ‘I’ll make you a cup of tea, with plenty of sugar for shock.’ She walked over and filled the kettle up. ‘You might have to tell me where everything is though.’
Annie gave a watery smile. ‘It’s meant to be me looking after you.’
Kitty laughed. ‘Well, it’s about time I returned the favour.’
Annie watched her spoon tea leaves into a pot and hunt out cups for them both. ‘I’ve just realised you weren’t meant to come in for another couple of hours, so what are you doing here? Not that I’m complaining.’
Kitty turned round to face Annie. ‘I don’t know, something told me I had to get here but I have to say it did catch me by surprise when I walked in. It took a minute for it to sink in.’
Annie nodded. ‘I still can’t believe it, but I’m so grateful you did come in early and for the courage you showed in standing up for me.’ She shook her head. ‘I know you didn’t have to and I hope it doesn’t affect your job. Matthew is a powerful man.’
Kitty frowned as she watched the despair crushing her. ‘Stop worrying, I’ve been around the block a few times.’ She tried to give Annie a reassuring smile but wasn’t sure that she had. ‘I’m a survivor, and you will be too.’ She turned back and poured the tea into the cups and carried them over to the sofa.
‘I know you said about talking to Stan, Mr Tyler, about Matthew but I really don’t want anyone to know about all of this.’
Kitty frowned. ‘I won’t speak out if you don’t want me to but you do know none of this is your fault, you have nothing to be ashamed of.’
Annie sniffed and took a deep breath. ‘It feels like I do, he said I encouraged him with my glances.’
Kitty put down her cup and took Annie’s hand in hers. ‘Look, he’s relying on you feeling guilty in some way, and worrying what others might think, therefore keeping quiet about it all. That’s how they get away with it.’ She took a deep breath. ‘I should have spoken out years ago when it happened to me, but I didn’t. My desire to be a star of the stage was too important to me. The man involved threatened to ruin it for me.’
Annie gasped. ‘That’s awful, and you had no one. You are such a strong person.’
Kitty shook her head. ‘As I said, I’m a survivor, but it won’t stop unless we speak out about it.’
Annie nodded. ‘Maybe, but give me a few days to think about it. I feel so ashamed.’
‘That’s what they rely on.’ Kitty picked up her cup and sipped the hot brown liquid. ‘Don’t let your tea go cold.’
Annie did as she was told. ‘That’s a lovely cuppa, you can always make me another.’
Kitty smiled. ‘Don’t get too used to it, it’s a one-off.’
‘Kitty, there’s something I need to tell you, although you may not want to hear it.’
‘Don’t look so worried, just spit it out.’
Annie took a deep breath. ‘Matth
ew told me he had taken the compact so you would think your last dresser had stolen it and get rid of her.’
Kitty sat in silence.
‘She was also someone he had tried it on with.’ Annie watched Kitty’s face carefully, but it didn’t give anything away. ‘Anyway, apparently, she threatened to tell on him so he wanted her out of the way.’
Kitty shook her head. ‘And I helped him.’
Annie put her hand over Kitty’s. ‘You weren’t to know.’
Kitty made a humourless sound before shaking her head. ‘I’m as bad as him.’
‘No, I’m not having that. You just saved me from him, so how does that make you as bad as him?’
‘If I’d stopped to think about it, I probably could have worked out he was behind it all.’ Kitty hung her head. ‘To think he probably tried it on with her, got nowhere, and she lost her job because of it.’
‘I’m sorry, I wasn’t telling you to make you feel bad, I was just trying to clear her name.’
Kitty took a deep breath and squeezed Annie’s hand. ‘You were right to tell me, thank you.’ She took another sip of her tea. ‘Are you going to tell Rose what happened this morning?’
Annie shook her head. ‘I don’t think so because she’ll go after him and she loves her job here. I don’t want to be worrying about what she might do on top of everything else.’
Kitty nodded. ‘I can understand that, but let me tell you he’s not going to keep getting away with it.’
*
Annie watched Kitty screwing up her face up as she looked in the mirror in her dressing room; neither of them had mentioned Matthew again. ‘I don’t think I’m going to be able to play a schoolgirl for much longer.’ She sighed and leant back in her chair. ‘All I can say is it’s a good job the audience don’t get too close to me.’
Annie smiled. ‘You worry too much. I think you play Elphin Haye very well, and your American accent sounds really good to me.’
Kitty laughed. ‘Annie, I will say this, you are very good to me but tell me, how many American accents have you heard?’
a heartwarming WW1 saga about love and friendship (The West End Girls Book 1) Page 23