A Sister's Shame

by Carol Rivers

  Chapter 20

  Marie was surprised that night when Mr Scoresby, and not Teddy, entered the dressing room.

  ‘You did good,’ he told Shirley, who gave a nervous laugh as he walked across and peered at her. ‘You ain’t no oil painting, gel, but you’re a marked improvement on that clumsy tart Joanie.’

  He turned to Vesta and nodded. ‘I’m glad to see me money wasn’t wasted in forking out for new gear.’

  ‘Thank you, Mr Scoresby,’ said Vesta, her eyes wide and fluttering. ‘They’re really lovely costumes.’

  Marie didn’t think they were lovely at all. She had felt naked and self-conscious after she’d changed into the new costume, with its low neck and high-cut legs. To keep from exposing too much of her breasts she had managed to pin it tighter. Wrapping a sparkly green scarf from the clothes rail around her waist, she had felt able to sing and dance without embarrassment. Vesta wouldn’t hear of any changes to hers. Rose, Sal and Shirley had encouraged her, saying how much better she looked.

  Wally Scoresby puffed on his cigar as he moved slowly round the room. Marie had forgotten how ugly he was until he came closer. He narrowed his small eyes, one side of his face showing up under the light, as though he had shiny red worms under his skin. ‘What’s that?’ he demanded, pointing his cigar.

  ‘A scarf, Mr Scoresby.’

  ‘I know it’s a scarf, but it ain’t on your head.’

  Marie felt her knees tremble. She couldn’t think of anything to say, she felt so frightened.

  ‘Well?’ he demanded, frowning at her.

  ‘I . . . I thought the audience might like to see me and Vesta dressed a bit different,’ she stammered. ‘We did get more of an applause,’ she ventured to add.

  Wally stared at her, tilting his head as he scrutinized her. Marie knew the girls were all waiting to see what happened. She could feel Bev gazing up from the stool where she sat as if begging her not to say more. Marie knew she couldn’t let any of them see how intimidated she felt.

  ‘So you’re the brains of the act, are you?’ he said at last, his tone derisive. ‘Well, I don’t pay you to think, I pay you to sing and dance. And as long as the punters are happy, I’m happy.’ He stepped very close so that she felt his breath on her face. ‘But you were lucky tonight; you gave ’em a bit of a tease and they seemed to like it. Just don’t forget that the moment you lose me any trade, you’ll have Wally Scoresby to answer to.’

  Marie felt the colour burn in her cheeks as she looked down, away from his aggressive gaze.

  Wally straightened his back and, very slowly, went over to Vesta. ‘As for you, darlin’, you got the thumbs-up from the gaffer. Carry on as you are and the Duke’s will take good care of you.’

  ‘Oh, thank you, Mr Scoresby!’ Vesta gushed. ‘I’m very grateful for all you’ve done for us.’

  Wally gave her an ugly grin, then turned his attention to Bev. ‘What are you staring at, you ugly cow?’ he demanded.

  Marie saw Bev look quickly away.

  ‘You’d better smarten yourself up, gel,’ threatened Wally, moving across to where she sat. ‘Cos the same applies to you. If the customers don’t like you, then you’ll take the consequences.’ He swivelled and looked at Rose, Shirley and Sal. ‘The same goes for you lot. Right?’

  All three nodded silently. Glaring at them once more, he blew the smoke from his mouth and left the room. Sal, Shirley and Rose let out sighs of relief.

  ‘You lucky bitch, Vesta,’ said Rose in a voice filled with envy. ‘Wally will see to it you get on now. He’s got lots of connections in the entertainment world, so they say.’

  ‘Do you think so?’ Vesta asked coyly as they gathered round her.

  ‘You’re his favourite, it’s obvious.’

  Marie went over to Bev, who sat ignored by the others. ‘I don’t give a flying fart what he thinks of me,’ muttered Bev. ‘If I could get out of this place, I’d go right this minute.’

  ‘Why don’t you just leave?’

  Bev laughed emptily. ‘Because he won’t let me. He might not want me, but he won’t let me go, neither.’

  A sudden dread filled Marie as she blurted, ‘But what if you gave in your notice?’

  ‘No one leaves Wally.’ Bev stared at her pityingly. ‘He likes the pair of you, just as he liked me, Irene and Joanie once. We were the first three girls here, but he got tired of us . . .’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘I’ve said too much already.’

  ‘Bev, did Wally and Teddy have something to do with what happened to Irene and Joanie?’

  Bev’s voice was muffled as she looked back at Marie. ‘You don’t want to know.’ Bev’s face became hard. ‘Listen, I admire you, gel, for taking on Wally like you did tonight. But he won’t forget that in a hurry. As for your sister . . .’ she glanced at the four girls talking and laughing together, ‘she’s playing with fire and can only get burned. My advice to you both is to get out of this dump whilst you can. Your old man too, if he knows what’s good for him.’

  With that, she stood up, ending the conversation as she slipped on her coat and gathered her things. Without glancing back, she left, once again with her head bowed.

  Marie tried to think calmly about Bev’s warning. She had to consider if it was to be taken seriously, or if Bev was just jealous of Vesta, like Flo Davis at the factory.

  Chapter 21

  It was almost a month later, on a cold November Sunday, when Bing called round again. ‘I was wondering if you’d like a ride out?’ he asked Marie as he stood on the doorstep, dressed in a smart overcoat and a trilby hat, which he slid off his head as he spoke.

  Marie heard Ada and Vesta’s raised voices coming from the front room. There had been nothing but rows since Vesta had got it into her head she was Wally’s favourite. Marie nodded quickly. ‘Yes, I’ll just get me coat.’

  ‘You sure I ain’t come at the wrong time?’ Bing asked, looking uncomfortable as the quarrelling became louder.

  ‘No, it’s perfect timing.’ Marie hurried in and took her coat from the peg, calling to Ada that she was going out with Bing.

  Soon he was driving them down the Commercial Road. Marie was relieved to be away from the bickering.

  ‘Ain’t your mum and Vesta getting along?’ Bing asked after a while.

  ‘Mum doesn’t approve of Teddy. But Vesta won’t hear a word against him.’

  ‘What does your dad say about this?’

  Marie lifted her shoulders on a sigh. ‘He’s taken to staying out late again.’

  ‘Can’t say as I blame your mum,’ said Bing quietly. ‘As you know, Teddy and the club ain’t my cup of tea either.’

  ‘You were right,’ Marie admitted, putting aside her pride. ‘And I wouldn’t listen.’

  Bing turned briefly, an eyebrow quirked.

  ‘One of the dancers called Irene went missing and was found dead in the docks,’ she faltered. ‘But the police think it was an accident after Teddy gave them a statement. Then another dancer, Joanie, also disappeared.’

  ‘That’s a big coincidence,’ Bing nodded as he drove.

  ‘I didn’t know Irene, but I did know Joanie.’ Marie paused. ‘I helped her friend, Bev, to get Joanie out of the club one night when she was drunk. There’s a back door in a room we’re not supposed to go in.’

  ‘But you did?’

  ‘Me dad helped us. Wally has made him the handyman. I don’t believe he ever meant Dad to perform at the club. He just wanted a dogsbody.’

  Bing growled under his breath. ‘Wally really is the animal they say he is.’ He paused. ‘Marie, I reckon you should leave that club.’

  ‘I promised Mum I wouldn’t without Vesta.’

  ‘And she won’t because of Teddy?’

  Marie nodded. ‘I didn’t mean to tell you all this. It’s not your problem.’

  Bing gave a long sigh. ‘You’re wrong there, Marie. You might not know this, but Vesta is seeing my pal Charlie. And is about to cause him and his
girl, Dolly, a lot of grief.’

  ‘What?’ Marie gasped.

  ‘Charlie is going to leave Dolly.’

  ‘But Vesta’s mad about Teddy.’

  ‘Then what’s Vesta’s game?’

  ‘Perhaps it’s to make Teddy jealous,’ Marie guessed with a heavy heart. ‘Working at the Duke’s is changing her.’

  Bing slowed the car in traffic, his expression grim. ‘I’ve told Charlie he’s a right chump, but he won’t listen neither.’

  ‘I’ll speak to Vesta,’ Marie offered, ‘but I don’t know if it’ll do any good.’

  ‘Thanks. It’s worth a try.’

  After a few moments of silence, Bing threw her a smile. ‘Do you fancy dropping in for a cuppa with me mum and dad?’

  ‘That would be nice.’

  ‘I said I might bring a friend.’

  As they drove to Aldgate where Mr and Mrs Brown lived, Marie gazed out at the street vendors and pedestrians beginning to fill the Sunday streets of the East End. The smells from the taverns and the hot chestnuts cooked on the barrows mingled pleasantly in the winter’s air. It would be nice to meet Bing’s parents. But her mind was still on Vesta and Charlie. What would Teddy do if he found out that she was seeing Charlie? It could only spell trouble. Marie didn’t think Vesta would heed her warning, but she had promised Bing she would try.

  ‘Is that cup strong enough for you, Marie, love?’ asked Ivy, Bing’s mother, as she poured rich brown tea into a dainty white china cup.

  Marie sipped the delicious brew. ‘It’s just right, thank you, Mrs Brown.’

  ‘It’s Ivy and Johnny to you, dear. We don’t go on formalities in this house. Now, Johnny, do the honours and cut the cake.’ Ivy sat down at the big square table covered in a starched cream linen tablecloth. The cutlery shone, the speckled knitted tea cosy was put over the teapot and the home-cooked caraway seed cake was sliced up by Johnny.

  Marie liked Bing’s father. He was an older version of Bing. Johnny was tall and lean like his son, with hair that Marie imagined had once been the identical shade of gold to Bing’s. Now it was blended with grey, yet it still stood up on end, as energetic as ever, in what seemed to be the trademark of the Brown family. Johnny also had Bing’s big brown eyes and generous mouth. But it was from his mother that Bing got his smile. Ivy was a neat, plump lady with short fair hair, styled into finger waves around her head. She had a smile that, like Bing’s, stretched from ear to ear.

  The four of them sat in the parlour of the small terraced house that backed onto a row of shops and pubs. The room had a flower-tiled fireplace and over-mantel, a button-back leather couch and two matching easy chairs. There was a brown carpet on the floor neatly bordered by lino. Marie thought it was a solid house, just like Johnny and Ivy, who told her they had lived at Aldgate all their lives and raised two sons there.

  ‘Archie’s older by a year,’ Ivy explained as she watched Marie turn the pages of the large family photograph album. ‘That’s my boys when they were nine and ten. Little devils, they were, but they turned out all right, didn’t they, Johnny?’

  ‘Too right, love,’ Johnny agreed, pressing tobacco into the bowl of his pipe. Though not lighting up, he puffed at it; Ivy had explained to Marie that smoking was only allowed after tea.

  Marie looked up from the sepia photograph of two young boys standing in a back yard. They both wore school uniforms and big grins. Their skinny arms were strung around each other and their hair stood up at all angles.

  ‘I can’t tell the difference,’ Marie said as she looked at Bing and Archie.

  ‘Everyone thought they were twins,’ nodded Johnny. ‘And you should have seen the scrapes they got into and blamed each other! We never worked out who was the culprit.’

  ‘I brought Marie round here to impress her,’ said Bing with a chuckle, ‘not to put her off’

  ‘My two sons were thick as thieves as kids,’ said Ivy proudly. ‘Just like you and your sister, no doubt. Bing’s told us all about how talented the Haskins girls are.’

  Marie looked at Bing. He was now the colour of the red chintz cushion on the couch beside him.

  ‘Mum, don’t give away me secrets,’ he said, quickly swallowing his cake.

  ‘Oh, he don’t stop going on about you,’ Ivy continued eagerly. ‘And he says what a lovely voice you’ve got. And of course, how pretty you are, though I have to say in person, dear, you’ve exceeded all expectations.’

  It was Marie’s turn to blush. Had Bing really been singing her praises? ‘Bing is the one with the good voice,’ she answered, glancing shyly across the table.

  ‘Oh, don’t we know it,’ agreed Ivy. ‘Mind you, he’s used to family knees-ups and parties. Once, me two sisters and brother lived close by, but now they’ve moved to all parts of the country and we don’t see much of them. Still, we have lovely memories, don’t we, Johnny?’

  ‘Yes, and hopefully a lot more to come in the future as our boys’ families expand.’ Johnny winked at his son.

  Marie saw Bing roll his eyes in embarrassment.

  ‘I’ve got a good idea. Why don’t we all go in the other room for a bit of a singsong?’ suggested Johnny eagerly. ‘This house ain’t seen a good knees-up since our Archie’s leaving do before he went to Australia three years ago. And we rarely get down the pub these days.’

  ‘No, Johnny, sit down,’ said Ivy, waving her hand. ‘Marie is used to professional entertainment, not an amateur banging about on a piano.’

  ‘I’d love to hear you play,’ said Marie eagerly.

  ‘Would you really?’ Ivy looked surprised.

  Marie nodded. She looked at Bing, who gave her a mischievous smile. In the short time she had been with Bing’s parents, she had managed to forget all about her problems, surrounded by the warmth and harmony in the Browns’ cosy home.

  Marie glanced through the lace curtains to the early evening outside. She had spent such happy, laughter-filled hours, singing, dancing and having fun with the Browns, that she felt as though she had always known this kind and talented family. They reminded her of how life had once been in her own home before they had discovered the Duke’s. She didn’t want the day to end.

  Ivy closed the sheet music in front of her and replaced it on the pile on top of the piano, mopping her forehead with her handkerchief as she did so. Johnny replaced his ukulele in its case and sat down heavily on the chair, a big grin on his face. Bing and Marie had sung to Ivy’s excellent rendition of ‘Chinese Laundry Blues’, the last of the many other popular songs in her repertoire.

  Ivy swivelled round on the piano stool and smiled at Marie. ‘I hope we haven’t worn you out.’

  ‘Not at all,’ Marie said a little breathlessly as she sat on the couch by Bing.

  ‘Nothing like a good family singsong to bring people together,’ said Johnny. ‘Kids never forget them as they grow up.’

  Ivy laughed. ‘Once upon a time we would have all gone down the pub and carried on there. The Cubby Hole was our favourite, and now our son plays there.’ She looked across at her husband. ‘Whoever would have thought that, eh?’

  ‘How’s Elsie?’ Johnny asked as he slipped his tie from his collar as he sat in the easy chair. ‘Me and Ivy ain’t seen her for ages.’

  ‘She’s very well,’ Marie answered. ‘I’ll tell her I’ve seen you.’

  ‘Give her our best. The pub was never the same after Joe died and she retired. Kind of lost its character.’

  ‘Well, don’t let’s get maudlin,’ said Ivy firmly, lifting the tray full of dirty crocs that had been ignored during the afternoon of merrymaking. ‘You’ll stay for supper, Marie love, won’t you?’

  ‘No, Ivy, thank you all the same.’ Marie rose to her feet. ‘I must get home as Mum didn’t know where I was off to.’

  ‘Next time, perhaps.’

  Johnny helped his wife take the things out to the kitchen and Bing brought in Marie’s coat. ‘It’s a shame you can’t stay. Mum does a tasty bubble and squeak for Sunday suppe
r.’

  ‘Don’t tempt me,’ Marie sighed. She wasn’t looking forward to going home. If Ada and Vesta weren’t speaking, the house would be very quiet and tense. On the other hand, they could still be going at it hammer and tongs. Marie looked up at Bing as he helped her on with her coat. ‘I’ve had a lovely afternoon, thank you.’

  ‘Me mad family ain’t put you off then?’

  Marie laughed. ‘You’ve got a lovely family. I can see now where you got your talent from.’

  ‘They’re all right,’ he agreed with a grin, ‘not bad, as families go.’ He tilted his head and drew a hand through his hair. ‘Next Sunday?’ he asked. ‘Reckon you could stand my company again?’

  Marie looked into Bing’s big brown eyes and knew that she couldn’t refuse him. He lifted her chin, his fingers soft and gentle on her skin. He looked into her eyes, a clear message written there. She gave a little shudder of delight. Her heart was being stolen and she knew he was about to kiss her.

  Then suddenly, Ivy and Johnny’s voices could be heard in the hall. Bing let her go as Ivy bustled in to say her goodbyes.

  It was the following Saturday afternoon, as they were walking home from work, that Marie brought up the subject of Charlie. She knew it would upset Vesta but she had promised Bing she would try.

  ‘Are you seeing Charlie?’ she asked as they walked by the dock gates.

  ‘Who told you that?’ Vesta snapped. She had been in a bad mood all morning after Teddy had promised to take her out shopping this afternoon, then said he couldn’t.

  ‘Bing is Charlie’s friend and he also knows Dolly.’

  ‘You can tell Bing to mind his own business.’

  ‘Charlie might leave Dolly for you. Have you thought about that?’

  Vesta tossed her head. ‘It’s just a bit of fun, that’s all.’ Nevertheless, Vesta hurried past the dock gates. Marie knew she didn’t want to bump into Charlie in front of her.

  ‘Vesta, stop.’ Marie caught her up.

  Vesta laughed, pushing her dirty turban away from her face. ‘It’s only Teddy I’m interested in.’