Songbird

by Josephine Cox

  Slumped in the chair, she let the emotions flow, and when sorrow flared to anger, she picked up the silver-backed hairbrush. For what seemed an age she examined the beauty of it; with the fine, curved handle, it was a magnificent thing.

  The sight of a few delicate strands of blonde hair caught in the bristles was like salt in the wound. He gave her this, Maddy thought – and no doubt he told her the same wicked lies he told me. It wasn’t all that long ago since he gave me a hairbrush not too different from the one I am holding. The man is a liar and a cheat. No good to anyone.

  Gripping the hairbrush so hard it hurt, with one vicious swipe Maddy sent the entire collection of cosmetics crashing to the floor. She glanced at the wreckage and thought how like her own life it was.

  Taking a moment to compose herself, she reached into the bottom drawer, took out a box of her own makeup, and dabbed a shower of cream powder over her cheekbones. She then tidied her crumpled dress, and fluffed her thick, dark hair. “You don’t need him.” She spoke to her reflection in the mirror. “But you can’t let him get away with it so easily. Don’t let him think he’s broken you.”

  Striding from the dressing room, she made her way to the top of the stairs; from here she could view both the stage and the bar area.

  She saw him straightaway. Leaning against the bottom of the stage, he was looking up at the singer. Long-limbed and youthful, her slim figure draped in darkest silk, she made a striking image.

  From below, his eyes ogling her every move, Steve Drayton was like a dog drooling over a juicy steak. With every wink and “come-on” gesture, he was not ashamed to let her know he wanted her… in the same way he had once wanted Maddy.

  When all of a sudden he straightened up and turned toward the stairs, Maddy fled to the safety of the alcove, where she remained until he walked by, blissfully unaware of her presence.

  She knew exactly what he had in mind, because of the countless times he used to give her the “come-on” from the foot of that very stage – and hadn’t she always answered his call by making straight for his office after finishing her set? The minute she was in the door he would draw the blinds and they would make love.

  She recalled these times with a surge of pleasure, because she had believed in him, believed every lie he uttered. But now, after learning the truth, these times would be shut out of her mind forever. They meant nothing to her now, just as they had meant nothing to him then.

  As she made her way to his office, the rage she had felt dissipated, meeting under a rush of fear. What would he do when he saw her? How would he try and explain himself away? Or would he throw her out as before… treating her with the contempt she now knew he felt for her?

  As she approached the office door, her fears deepened and for a moment she hesitated. She could see him closing the blinds in anticipation of his new woman’s arrival. She heard the telephone and watched as he answered it, and all the time he remained unaware that she was just outside.

  He seemed agitated by the conversation. Pacing up and down beside the desk, he was threatening the person at the other end of the line. “You heard what I said, and let that be an end to it. Now, I suggest you make other arrangements. In fact, from where I’m standing, you don’t have any alternative!” With that he slammed the phone back into its cradle, at the same time thumping his other fist against the desk. “Bastards! If they think they can get the better of me, they’d best think again!”

  It was then she made her move. As she flung the door wide open, he glanced up, astonished to see her there. “What the devil do you want?” Crudely staring her up and down, he laughed out loud. “All glammed up and nowhere to go, eh?”

  Closing the door behind her, she boldly approached him, determination etched in the set of her features. “I want to know why you took on another singer.”

  “Because I’m done with you, isn’t that reason enough?” His spite was cutting. “I needed a new face, a younger woman who would know better than to come crying to me, after she’s been knocked up by some other bloke who’s cleared off and left her in the lurch.”

  “I was never with any other bloke, and you know it.” It was time to speak her mind and to hell with it. “It’s your child, Steve. The reason you won’t admit to it, is because it might hamper your precious lifestyle with a woman and child in tow.”

  “You’ve said enough. Now get out!” Taking a step toward her, he gestured to the door. “You’re a dirty little tart, and everyone will know it soon enough. And even if this… thing…” repulsed, he prodded her in the stomach, “even if it is mine, which it most definitely is not, you and I both know I would never admit to it.”

  “Tell me why not.” Hurt and angry, she stood up to him. “I need an explanation. You owe me that much.”

  “I don’t owe you anything! The hard truth is, you’ve had your fun and now it’s over. It wouldn’t bother me if I never clapped eyes on you again. What would I want with you anyway? Like I said – you’ve had your day. It’s time to move over for someone more talented.”

  Maddy understood his thinking. By “talented,” he meant young and pliable.

  She stood her ground. “You can try every which way you like to get out of it, but in the end I promise, you’ll be made to face the consequences. You know as well as I do, I never loved anyone but you. And now, you want rid of me. All right, that’s your choice.”

  Looking him straight in the eye, she calmly warned him, “I also have a choice, so understand this: whatever happens between the two of us, I will not let our child grow up without knowing who their father is.”

  The smile slid from his face. “Are you threatening me?”

  Unflinching beneath his hostile gaze, she promised, “I’ll do whatever it takes, to give our child a name. I’ll make sure it’s common knowledge that you’re the father, and that through no fault of ours, you’ve washed your hands of us.”

  She smiled at the look of disbelief on his face. “You wouldn’t like that, would you, eh? The great Steve Drayton – no one ever got one over on him, did they? But I give you my word, I’ll fight tooth and nail, until you’re made to admit that you’re our baby’s father. I’ll make you take your responsibilities seriously, you see if I don’t!”

  No sooner had she finished issuing the warning than she felt the full force of his fist, and when her lip split open and the blood spattered over his hands, he was like a madman.

  “Bitch!” Ripping at her new dress, he tore it from neck to waist, leaving her desperately clutching the remnants with both hands. “I’ve seen off more threats and danger than you could ever imagine. So don’t make the mistake of thinking you’ll come out on top, lady, because you won’t.”

  Holding her trapped with one hand, he fished into her evening bag, drew out the keys to the flat and thrust them into his pocket. “You won’t be needing these again.”

  When she struggled to get away, he held her there. “I swear to God, if you show your face here again, or try to get in touch with me, I’ll have you done away with. Make no mistake, I will do it!” Taking her by the arm, he dragged her through the door and down the back stairway; halfway down, with one great heave, he sent her careering down the remaining steps.

  Then, coming down the steps two at a time, he went after her, grabbed her by the neck and threw her out onto the back alley, tossing her handbag after her. Wiping his hands together as though ridding himself of something dirty, he warned her, “If you bother me again, I won’t hesitate to have you and the kid set in concrete. Do you hear what I’m saying?” When she didn’t answer, he raised his foot and kicked her in the groin. “DID YOU HEAR WHAT I SAID!”

  With her lip swelling, and her body bruised and battered, she could only nod, which thankfully was enough to appease him.

  And then he was gone; only at the top of the stairs did he momentarily turn, to look down on the fallen woman with contempt.

  Through tears of shame, Maddy watched him go, and for a moment she felt nothing, no hatred or d
esire for revenge; all the love she once felt for him was as though it had never been.

  After a while, she levered herself up and felt her way along the wall, managing to stumble a short distance. Just when she was beginning to believe she might make it to safety, the wall caved into a doorway; she fell inside, and for a moment she feared as though she might never be able to get up. Faintly, she could hear the sound of a Latin beat coming through the wall, as the club carried on with its usual Saturday-night party mood. But for Madeleine Delaney, the party was well and truly over.

  When she made an effort to stand, her legs crumpled beneath her. “Alice!” Twice she sobbed out her friend’s name, before her senses began to fade.

  Yet somewhere in the dark recesses of her mind, she drew strength from the knowledge that Alice was never far away.

  Six

  Though it was only minutes, it seemed an age before she opened her eyes. She must have passed out, she thought. The cold was numbing; and even when she drew the fragments of her dress about her, she could not stop trembling.

  With determination, she took stock of the damage Steve had done to her. She had taken a hard beating, yet she was relieved to find she could move her arms and legs, and thankfully, she still had her wits about her.

  She slid the tips of her fingers over her face; it was bruised, and the cuts from yesterday had reopened, but as far as she could tell, nothing was broken.

  Her fears were for the child inside her. Was it harmed in any way? Had he hurt the baby when he had kicked her in the groin? How could she tell? She needed help… she had to get away from here.

  Thankfully, her legs took the weight when she uprighted herself. It was then that she heard a flurry of girlish giggling, and a voice asking, “Why are we out here? It’s so much cozier in your office, Stevie.”

  Steve Drayton’s low, thick voice was unmistakable. “Too many interruptions,” he said huskily, “but you needn’t worry about the cold.” There was a sexy chuckle. “I’ll keep you warm enough, I can promise you that.”

  There was a moment of silence, then another burst of giggling and the man’s voice urging her to, “Keep quiet, eh? We don’t want them coming out to see what’s going on, do we?”

  “Was it true, what you said earlier?”

  “You’d best remind me.” His voice was soft and persuasive, and then there was the wet, smacking sound of a long kiss. “What was it I said?”

  “That you’d never seen anyone as beautiful as me, and that you would always look after me – even when I’m older and not so pretty.”

  “Hmh!” His laughter echoed through the alley. “You really are a little worrier, aren’t you? Well, you can stop worrying, because I meant every word.” Steve Drayton had enough experience to know that a little flattery and a few cleverly placed lies would melt any young fool like her.

  “And what about…” the girl hesitated, “the singer before me – the one they called Songbird.” She paused again. “Did you say all these things to her?”

  “Never!” Maddy heard him light a cigarette, the soft glow from the lighter flickering through the darkness. “Why would I say those things to her? She meant nothing to me.”

  “I was told she was a wonderful singer.”

  “Were you now?”

  “Was she? A good singer, I mean?”

  “She may have had a passable voice, but she could never hold a candle to you. Besides, she was a slut – a cheap tramp who would go with anybody.” Disgust trembled in his voice.

  “I’ve made you angry now, haven’t I?”

  He laughed – an angry sound, and then his voice thickened as he said, “You’d best make it up to me then, hadn’t you?” Tossing his cigarette butt to the cobbles, he ground it out with the toe of his shoe.

  A long silence followed, during which Maddy eventually managed to maneuver herself into a position from where she could see them. And what she saw only deepened her shame, because hadn’t she been equally besotted with this vicious man, who had turned his back on her when she needed him most? She thanked her lucky stars that at long last, she could see the badness in him.

  Out there, in the darker shadows of the alleyway, Steve Drayton had the girl pressed against the wall, his trousers round his ankles as he pushed into her. The girl was wrapped round him, her skirt above her waist and her shrill voice emitting little gasps of pleasure.

  Maddy wanted to look away, yet somehow, finally seeing him for what he was, the sight of his fornicating had a mesmerizing effect on her. She needed to keep the moment, so never again would she be deceived by him, or any other man. She stood, hurt and bleeding, agonizing with herself as to whether she ought to tell the girl what she was letting herself in for, or whether to stay quiet, out of sight, and make a hasty retreat once they were gone.

  In that moment, after a final surge, Drayton thrust the girl from him. “Get back inside before they miss you.” He hastily pulled up his trousers. “If they ask where you’ve been, tell them you had to get out for a breath of air.”

  “I’d rather stay out here with you.” Hopelessly infatuated, she clung to him. “I’ve never loved anyone like I love you.”

  Impatient, though clever enough to keep her sweet, he replied teasingly, “You don’t know me enough to love me.”

  While they dressed, they talked, she offering herself again and he trying to worm himself out of a difficult situation; though mindful of the fact that if he intended using her, he’d have to play it smart.

  Maddy was sickened at how easily he manipulated the girl, and was torn two ways. She wanted to warn the girl as to the monster Steve Drayton really was. On the other hand, if she took another beating, it could well be her baby who paid the price this time.

  So, she waited for her chance to escape, hoping that even now, the girl might see the wrong side of him; though from the way she continued to throw herself at him, it did not seem likely.

  While Steve Drayton had been satisfying his lust outside in the alley, something more sinister was unfurling inside the club.

  The four men were eager to find him. Having barged in through the front door, ignoring the ticket desk and cloakroom counter, they made straight for the bar, where Raymond was dumping a crate of bottles. “You! Drayton – where is he?” Smartly dressed in an expensive dark suit and overcoat, the leader had an air of authority.

  Raymond placed the crate on the bar and glanced around, searching for someone else who might deal with the situation. However, the older barman was pulling a pint at the far end of the bar, and there was no sign of Jack.

  “Look, sunshine,” prodding his finger into Raymond’s chest, the man leaned forward. “You deaf or what? I’ll ask you again. Where can I find that thieving bastard Drayton?” He had the look and manner of a man who always got what he wanted.

  “I’ve n-no idea where he is,” Raymond answered nervously. “M-matter of fact, I don’t think he’s been about this p-past hour or m-more.”

  “Think again.” This time, the man took Raymond by the throat and drew him close until their faces were almost touching. Raymond was more than capable of teaching this nasty piece of work a lesson, but he doubted he could take on the other three as well. Fearing he might be blamed if the club was trashed, Raymond thought twice.

  “Give me a minute,” he said gruffly. “I’ll find out where he is. What name is it, please?”

  With one of the men keeping a wary eye on him, he repeated the gang boss’s name, to make sure he’d got it correctly. “Den Carter. Right you are, mister.” And he went away to the office, to find Steve.

  Unaware of what was happening upstairs, Jack was down in the cellar, changing barrels.

  He was surprised and pleased to see Alice. “Raymond said you were looking for me earlier,” she told him.

  “That’s right.” Straightening from his task, he conveyed his concern over Maddy. “What’s been going on?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Aw, come on, Alice. Don’t shut me out.
If Maddy’s in trouble, I need to know.”

  “What makes you think she’s in trouble?” Her calm expression gave nothing away.

  Jack was incredulous. “You mean you don’t know?”

  Alice tried to put his mind at rest. “If you’re talking about what happened last night, there was no real harm done.”

  “How can you be so sure? Raymond found broken glass, and things scattered everywhere… there was blood on the walls and over the floor.” Coming to stand before her, he pleaded, “For God’s sake, Alice, what went down? Was it Maddy – did they have a row?” His face darkened with rage. “If that twisted bastard has hurt her, I swear I’ll cut his hands off.” Jack had been bullied by his stepfather as a child, and could not tolerate it. “Where is she now? I need to know she’s safe.” Jack was beside himself. “Does she know he’s taken on a new singer?”

  Alice gave him as straight an answer as she could, without betraying Maddy’s secret about the child. “You’re not to worry. Yes, they had a set-to, but Maddy is fine. I took her home with me, and as far as I know, she has no idea he has taken on a new singer. Even I didn’t know, until I saw her up there on the stage tonight. Look, Jack, with any luck it’ll make Maddy finally see the light where Drayton is concerned.”

  “What about the blood?”

  Alice chose not to answer this, merely repeating, “I can assure you, Maddy is fine. She’s keeping her distance for a while – trying to teach him that he can’t just take her for granted.” She had seen how her words were calming him. “Look, Jack, she intends coming in tomorrow. You can talk to her then.”

  “I’d rather come round to your place tomorrow morning before work and see her there, if that’s all right with you?”

  “Yes, I don’t see why not. You’ll be very welcome.”

  “I’ll tell her about this new girl, if you like. She’s bound to be upset,” Jack said protectively.