by Sue Welfare
As the introductions and preamble rolled on Helen felt her pulse rate rising and tension building. How much longer were they going to be before they finally announced the results? There were rounds of thanks and self-congratulatory back-slapping and then finally the compere said, ‘And now we have come to the moment we’ve all been waiting for. Andrew, would you please tell us the results of tonight’s first ever Carlton Rooms talent extravaganza? Eddie, a drum roll if you please …’
An expectant hush fell over the whole theatre as the drum rolled and the man opened up the golden envelope that he had brought up onto the stage with him. ‘I have to say it’s not been an easy task. The standard tonight has been –’
‘Oh for God’s sake just get on with it, will you?’ mumbled Charlotte, as the judge blathered on.
Finally the impresario pulled out a card and read, ‘In third place we have … Tania-Anne Crosier and her fantastic dance troupe, Fire and Ice.’
The dancers on the far side of the stage whooped and hugged and bounced around like demented rabbits, while one girl executed a perfect flick-flack across the stage as the troupe leader sashayed down to the front to shake hands with the judge and collect a cheque.
Charlotte caught hold of Helen’s wrist. ‘God, this is so awful, isn’t it?’ she said, her voice tight with excitement. She held up her other hand to show Helen that her fingers were firmly crossed. ‘Come on, come on. Second or first, first or second,’ she murmured, closing her eyes as if making a wish, ‘Come on, come on. We have to win this. We do, we do – I’m planning that trip to America.’
Helen looked back at the judge, who was standing on the apron in a halo of light. ‘And in second place,’ said the man, ‘we have the pop group, The Nice Guys.’
‘Well done, lads,’ said the compere. ‘If you’d just like to come down here and take a bow and collect the cheque.’
From amongst the crush, four young men appeared and ambled down to the front to a hail of applause. They held their hands above their heads, grinning like loons, doing the walk of champions.
‘Nice Guys and Wild Girls,’ whispered Charlotte. ‘Sounds great, doesn’t it? I can see the headlines in tomorrow’s Argos.’
‘And finally in first place,’ Andrew said, milking the crowd. There was another drum roll. ‘And a very deserving winner of tonight’s competition … we have the Great Charlissimo!’
Even in the midst of the stamping and clapping and wild cheers of approval Helen could hear Charlotte gasp with disbelief.
‘What? How could we not have won?’ Charlotte growled. ‘How come we didn’t win? He’s a bloody magician. This is just plain ridiculous. The audience loved us. It’s a fix. It’s got to be, they were baying for more, you heard them! We even got asked to do an encore. Didn’t the judges see that? Didn’t they?’
Helen had no answer.
Charlotte rounded on her. ‘I don’t believe this is happening. They loved us,’ she repeated.
‘I don’t know what to say,’ murmured Helen.
‘Why doesn’t that surprise me?’ growled Charlotte.
Everyone else on stage looked a little crestfallen too, but were all still clapping the magician before taking a final bow. As Helen grabbed hold of Charlotte’s hand she could feel Charlotte shaking with fury. As they came back up from the second bow, Helen spotted Vince standing in the wings watching them. He was grinning and waving and then, tapping his watch, he pointed towards the stage door. Helen shivered.
‘A bloody magician,’ Charlotte snarled, stuffing her sandals into her bag. ‘A bloody-sodding magician. What the hell was going on there? They loved us. They did, didn’t they?’
Charlotte had been complaining nonstop since they had come off stage and showed no signs of letting up.
Helen could only nod. ‘Are we going to take our make-up off before we go out?’ she asked, not that Charlotte took any notice, she was far too angry to listen to anything Helen had to say.
‘My dad is going to be furious about this, you know,’ said Charlotte, wrenching off her costume. ‘Do you have any idea how much he donates to their bloody theatre charities every year?’ She pulled her sweater on. ‘A fortune, that’s what he gives them. A fortune. Well, they won’t be getting a sodding penny this year, I can tell you.’
‘Will he be waiting for you?’
Charlotte nodded. ‘Dad? Yeah, I told him to wait out the front, I didn’t want him round here fussing about. Mind you, if he was round here now I could get him to say something to the manager. I’ll just go and tell Dad that we’re going on somewhere. I won’t be a minute. Don’t go anywhere without me.’
‘Won’t he mind?’ asked Helen. ‘You know, you going on somewhere after he’s shown up to see you and everything?’
‘No, of course not, why should he? I’m a big girl now, and besides he’ll have what’s-her-face with him.’ Charlotte widened her eyes and pulled a face, miming simpering adoration. ‘Since he and Mum got divorced he’s been out with one bimbo after another. This new one’s thick as a custard and trails around him like some sort of love-sick puppy, batting her eyelashes at him,’ Charlotte dropped into a sharp caricature. ‘Oooo Barry you are so clever,’ she purred breathlessly. ‘This new one’s a model apparently. Anyway, what I’m saying is he won’t mind if I don’t go home with him. It’ll give him more time alone with Miss Spaniel-Eyes.’
Helen didn’t really know what to say, so settled for, ‘Well, that’s good as long as he doesn’t mind,’ and turned her attention back to getting changed.
Harry was waiting for them both at the bottom of the stairs.
‘What do you want?’ snapped Charlotte, before he had the chance to speak, pulling her coat tight around her. ‘Come to gloat have you?’
Harry flinched as if she had hit him. ‘No, of course I haven’t come to gloat. I came to help you with your stuff,’ he said, looking at the bags and costumes they were both carrying. ‘I managed to grab a space in the main car park. I’m on your side, remember. I was going to say how sorry I am that you didn’t win. You sounded really good. I don’t know why you weren’t up there among the winners. And I was thinking if you hadn’t got to rush off maybe we could all go out for a Chinese?’ Harry smiled at Helen. ‘I’ve booked a table. I was planning to get some champagne if you won, but maybe we could have it anyway. We could drink to winning another night.’
‘Well, we most certainly didn’t win tonight, did we? And we can’t go for a Chinese with you,’ said Charlotte. ‘We’re meeting an agent.’
‘Really? Okay, well, that’s great,’ said Harry. ‘And brilliant that you made some contacts already from being in the show. I knew it would happen; you’re bound to get another chance.’
Helen felt sorry for him; he was trying so hard.
‘Do you want me to come with you? I can phone the restaurant and cancel our table, or we could all go there and eat together if you like. Bring the agent along. The restaurant wouldn’t mind, and the food is really good there. After all, I am your manager.’
‘No,’ snapped Charlotte. ‘And actually I meant to say that I was joking about the whole manager thing.’
Harry stared at her. ‘Oh, right, but I thought –’
‘Well, don’t bother. Thanks for the lift and all that and it would be great if you could just take all the stuff back to the flat for us. Helen was right, what we really need is someone who already knows the ropes, who has already got contacts in the business. Thanks, though.’ Her tone was offhand. As she spoke she handed Harry her make-up bag and the suit hanger with their costumes in it.
Harry looked bemused. ‘So you don’t fancy a Chinese?’
Charlotte glared at him. ‘I just told you, we’re meeting someone.’
‘How about you, Helen? Fancy coming down to the Golden Barge with me? My treat.’
It was the perfect get-out. Helen was about to say yes when Charlotte grabbed her arm. ‘Thanks, Harry, but no thanks. Helen’s coming with me. She can’t leave me on my own, not
with two strange men, and besides they want to talk to both of us, don’t they, Helen? We’re a duo, remember?’
Harry nodded. ‘Okay, I’ll see you later. And if you need me –’
‘Yeah, thanks,’ said Charlotte dismissively. ‘We know where you live.’
‘Do you want me to give you a hand with all the stuff?’ said Helen to Harry.
Harry glanced at Charlotte and then shook his head. ‘No, you’re all right, and besides you’ve got an agent to meet. I hope it goes really well.’
‘See you later,’ Helen called after him, as he turned and sloped off laden down with their things. As he made his way out Helen wished for all the world that she was going with him.
‘Why were you so horrible to him?’ she said, as Charlotte tidied her hair. ‘Harry’s done nothing but go out of his way to help us.’
‘Oh, don’t be daft. He knows that I don’t really mean it, and besides, he’s yours, isn’t he? I don’t want to get stuck in some Chinese restaurant between you two, playing gooseberry.’ And then Charlotte turned around and looked down at the floor.
‘Oh my God, don’t look. I said don’t look! He’s here,’ she whispered. ‘Over there by the doors. That is him. That’s Leon Downey.’ Helen turned to follow Charlotte’s gaze and caught sight of Vince and another older man making their way down the corridor towards them.
‘I said don’t look,’ murmured Charlotte. ‘I don’t want him to think we’re staring.’
‘Even if we are?’ whispered Helen.
‘Particularly if we are,’ said Charlotte.
The second man was big and balding, with a paunch. He walked with a confident swagger and was dressed in a Crombie coat, carrying a trilby in his hand. He had to be at least as old as Charlotte’s dad and had an unhealthy sallow look about him despite his smart clothes. He grinned when he spotted the two of them.
‘Ladies, ladies, ladies. So there you are,’ he said, rubbing his hands together and smiling to reveal a great mouthful of uneven, yellowing, smoker’s teeth. ‘I’m delighted you decided to accept my invitation. I’m Leon Downey, and I’m very pleased to make your acquaintance.’ He offered Charlotte his hand. ‘And you are?’
‘Kate,’ said Charlotte daintily. ‘Kate Monroe.’
‘Well, I’m very pleased to meet you, Miss Monroe. I thought you ladies made a real impression out there tonight. Quite a performance. We really saw what you had to offer, didn’t we, Vince?’
Vince sniggered. Helen, knowing exactly what they meant, blushed crimson.
Leon turned his attention to Helen. ‘And you are?’
‘Helen,’ she stammered. ‘Helen Redford.’ Leon Downey’s hand slid, clammy and hot, around hers.
‘Well, I’m delighted to meet you, Helen,’ he purred, tightening his grip fractionally. It took Helen all her effort not to wipe it when he finally let go.
‘Vince and I were just wondering where you’d both got to. Thought maybe you’d got a bit rattled and decided to make a break for it, didn’t we, Vince?’
Charlotte giggled. ‘We wouldn’t do that.’
‘That’s good, very good,’ said Leon eyeing them up and down. ‘Now how about we get out of here? We thought we’d go for a little drink first and then maybe grab ourselves a bite to eat. That sound all right to you, girls?’
Charlotte nodded. ‘Lovely. I’ve just got to go and tell my dad where we’re going.’
‘Really?’ The man laughed. ‘You’re serious?’
Charlotte nodded.
‘Well, right you are then. Go on, you run along and tell Daddy,’ he teased. ‘We don’t want him worrying about his little girl, now do we?’
Helen glanced at Charlotte. Under any other circumstances Charlotte would have turned round and snapped right back at him but this time she tipped her head coquettishly to one side and, smiling, said, ‘I’ll only be a minute or two, he just likes to know where I am, that’s all.’ And with that she headed towards the front of the theatre.
Leon nodded and pulled out a cigar from his inside pocket. ‘Don’t be long then, sweetheart. We haven’t got all night, have we, Vince?’ And then he turned his attention back to Helen. ‘And how about you, darling, you got anyone you need to tell anything to before we head off for a little drink?’
Helen hesitated for a split second and then she said, ‘Yes, actually I have.’ And before Leon could protest she was away and hurrying down the corridor and out into the car park, praying that Harry hadn’t already left. He couldn’t be more than a minute or two ahead of them. She caught up with him just as he was about to pull away in the car.
‘Helen?’ he said in surprise, braking sharply as he spotted her. ‘Are you all right?’ he asked as he slid open the car window.
‘No, not really,’ she said. ‘I just wanted to tell you that I don’t want to go for a drink with Charlotte. I’ve got to be up early tomorrow. They’re filming at the Old Quay and one of the people I met asked if I want to go. I need to be up by half past five.’
Harry laughed. ‘Well don’t go, then. Come on, get in,’ he said, leaning over to open the passenger-side door. ‘We’ll go and eat instead.’
Helen smiled at him; she really liked the way Harry said we. ‘I’d love to, Harry, but Charlotte’s right. I can’t leave her on her own. Not with those two …’ Helen stared at him, unable to find the words to convey her fears. ‘I really can’t –’
He smiled. ‘It’s all right. Do you know where you’re going?’
‘The Anchor, I think, but I’m not certain. And then they said something about eating afterwards.’ She hesitated.
‘I’ll be home if you need me. Okay?’
‘What about your Chinese meal?’
Harry laughed. ‘Don’t worry about that. It’d be no fun going on my own. I’ll pick up some fish and chips on the way back to the flat.’ And then Harry paused, and Helen felt a funny little arc of desire ripple between them, and it made her lean in closer to the car and him lean out to meet her. As their lips touched, she shivered with pleasure and couldn’t help but smile.
‘Umm, that was nice,’ he said.
Helen giggled. Maybe Charlotte had been right about him after all.
‘I don’t know what I’d do without you,’ she said.
Harry kissed her again, a gentle soft kiss that made her heart do an odd fluttery thing. ‘You don’t have to do without me,’ Harry said. ‘I’ll always be here for you.’
Helen pulled away. ‘Thank you,’ she said.
‘There’s no need to thank me,’ he grinned. ‘Now go on. If you need me you know where I’ll be. Just ring.’
Helen ran back towards the theatre. She could feel her heart pumping with excitement and she had a huge grin on her face. God, was this what love felt like? She glanced back to wave Harry goodbye. He pipped his horn and blew her a kiss as he pulled out of the car park. Helen smiled; whatever it was, it felt wonderful.
As Helen was about to head back into the theatre she spotted Charlotte standing on the corner, at the front of the entrance to the theatre car park, looking into the crowd. Helen was about to call out when something stopped her. Charlotte was stalking backwards and forwards staring into the street, standing out amongst the steady stream of people pouring out of the doors, moving around her, all heading home. Charlotte had her coat pulled tight around her, her hands tucked up under her armpits. She did another circuit and then checked her watch and walked back again, and then again. It was obvious that her dad wasn’t there; maybe he hadn’t shown up after all.
Helen hesitated, wondering what to do. Should she go over, should she call out? Before she could decide Charlotte swung round and came scurrying across the car park back towards the stage door.
‘Are you okay?’ asked Helen, as she drew level with her.
Charlotte looked surprised to see her. ‘Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?’ Charlotte said stuffing her hands into her pockets. ‘What are you doing out here anyway? Spying on me, are you?’
‘No, of co
urse not. I just came over to say goodbye to Harry,’ Helen said.
Charlotte laughed. ‘Oh don’t tell me, you were worried lover boy might get jealous if you went out on the tiles with someone else.’
Helen reddened in spite of herself, ‘No, it’s just that you were so rude to him and he’s been brilliant to us today,’ she protested.
‘Oh, for goodness’ sake,’ sighed Charlotte, ‘Harry’s a big boy now and this is business. He’ll understand.’
‘Did you find your dad?’ Helen asked casually.
Charlotte’s eyes narrowed. ‘You were out here spying on me, weren’t you?’
‘No, of course I wasn’t. Why should I?’
‘That’s all right then. He’s just fine,’ Charlotte said, in a throwaway tone. ‘He said we were brilliant, and he is really angry that we didn’t win. He said we were robbed, he said –’ Charlotte stopped. ‘Actually it doesn’t matter what he said. Let’s go and see what Leon Downey’s got to say for himself. You never know, he might be the answer to all our prayers. Best not to keep him waiting.’
Helen nodded and fell into step alongside her, wondering where Charlotte’s father had got to and why Charlotte felt that she needed to lie about it.
Leon Downey and Vince were waiting for them by the stage door. Vince was leaning against the wall smoking a cigarette, Leon was puffing away on a cigar.
‘Well, hello there, ladies,’ purred Leon. ‘I thought perhaps you’d changed your minds and run away home. So how was Daddy, sweetheart?’
Charlotte reddened. ‘He was fine, thank you.’
‘And so he didn’t mind his little girl going out on the town, then?’
‘No, of course he didn’t. I told him it was business. He understands – and besides, I’m not a child.’
Leon grinned. ‘Of course you aren’t, poppet. Come on. Let’s get out of the cold and go and get ourselves a drink, shall we? The Anchor’s just down here a-ways, nice place. Have you ever been there?’