Cecilia's Secret

by Patricia Gallinetti

  After supper Agnes settled down with her endless knitting, her two girls looked through their magazine with little cries of delight,

  “Mama,” crooned Cecilia. “These fashions are divine, and the women are so glamorous, I would love to wear some of these outfits, they would suit me perfectly.”

  Helena replied with a mischievous grin

  “Yes, you do love yourself.” she said. Helena received a playful slap from her older sister.

  Agnes was pleased to see the two of them teasing each other - at last they were coming out of their grief.

  Agnes finished knitting the order she was working on for Mrs. Jackson and waited for a call. It came sooner than she thought, her client wanted to give her an order. When she arrived, and in greeting her Mrs. Jackson told Agnes she would like her to knit a fair isle waistcoat for her husband and believed that Berets were in fashion, could she possibly knit two for her. The two of them were sitting in a small study and Agnes noticed the woman glancing nervously towards the closed door. When they were finished talking about prices and colour etc. Mrs. Jackson then passed over a white envelope and lowering her voice she said.

  “Would you please deliver this for me Mrs. Skye?” she slipped Agnes another two pounds. Also paying Agnes for the order she had just completed.

  Agnes took the envelope and put it in her bag. She made her way to Dandenong road as before and as she walked up to the door, it opened suddenly, startling her.

  “So sorry, I did open the door rather rapidly, my apologies.”

  Agnes saw a woman of about her own age, the woman was tall and striking but not particularly pretty, she had a beautiful voice and she smiled kindly at Agnes as she walked away. The woman had left the door open, Agnes knocked and receiving no answer she tentatively pushed the door wider and sidled slowly in, glancing around she noticed that there was no furniture in the room.

  “Hello? She called softly, no reply, “Hello, anyone there?” she called louder, thankfully she heard footsteps approaching. A gentleman came through the door, and when he saw Agnes, beamed and held out his hand.

  “Ah,” He said. “Our newest recruit. Mrs. Skye?” he shook hands with Agnes and introduced himself. “Archie Collins, how do you do? Come into the inner sanctum.”

  He seemed delighted to show Agnes around. He turned and walked upstairs, beckoning her to follow. They eventually reached the top of the stairs and opening a door Archie Collins stood aside indicating for her to precede him. She walked into a medium-sized room. In the room, they entered were two desks and Collins explained that the young men working there, were taking the bets over the telephones for him. On the other side of the room she noticed two doors. As she glanced curiously towards the doors, Collins explained.

  “We don’t use the other room much and the door that is closed leads down to the interior of the building, but we never use it, this old building has stood empty for a number of years.” He told Agnes. “This isn’t a big business, but we have established customers and we keep it very hush-hush. We have another woman on the team, her name is Ida Poole, you must have seen her on your way in. I will introduce you next time you are here, you will like her.”

  Agnes met Ida Poole and they became fast friends over the next few months. Agnes was now making a fair amount of money from the gambling and she found herself able to relax as she became more confident. Agnes and Ida would meet at the building in Dandenong road and after they finished handing over the bets or collecting the winnings, they would stop at a nearby tea shop. Archie Collins gave Agnes a few more customers to call on and collect bets and winnings and Agnes decided she could afford to move to a better neighbourhood, in South Yarra and she was pleased that she could make a better life for them now that she was earning a lot more money.

  Circumstances gradually improved considerably, she could afford to enrol Cecilia and Helena in a private school, where they were to start in 1928. After almost a year delivering envelopes, Archie confided to Agnes and Ida that he had purchased the old building and planned to renovate it.

  “I am hoping that you two will help in this project,” he said. “I want to have a ballroom on the ground floor and the next floor I want to have a cabaret. Of course, keep the upper floor for the gambling.” he grinned. Upstairs, he told them would stay as a secret gentlemen’s club, where they could continue to bet on the horses, to play cards, drink and unwind. He wanted this to be separate from the rest of the entertainment and to reach these rooms the punters had to go outside to enter the Club, where they could be vetted before being allowed to climb the stairs to the gambling. Archie asked the two women if they were willing to decorate the downstairs. He took them around to the front of the building in Dandenong road and they entered the big double doors into the entrance hall, which Archie said would be ideal for the cloakroom, beyond that was a large room. Agnes noticed there were black and white tiles on the floor and half way up the walls were smaller tiles to match. Archie explained.

  “I would like this to be the ball room,” they then followed Archie to the left up more stairs and the three of them came upon another large room. “This,” he said smiling “will be the dining room where the cabaret acts can be performed to entertain the guests while they are eating.”

  Renovations started on the building and were rapidly completed. Agnes advised Archie on the décor and it was decided to keep the black and white floor and wall tiles and there were a few large pot plants placed around the ballroom. Very few people knew of the upstairs and as Archie planned this side of the business was separate. He informed Agnes and Ida, they would have nothing to do with the Club. The gentlemen who attended the gambling had a private bar and could run up a tab, but anyone who had not been before, had to be sponsored by an established member. There was a staircase at the back of the dining area leading up to the cloakrooms and at the rear of the gentlemen’s cloakroom was another door which led through into the club, Archie decided to have a wall built to close off the gambling activities completely. He knew there would always be a possibility that an irate gambler may reveal everything. He was confident that this area was well concealed. Ida was to oversee the catering, and the two women would work together to book acts for the cabaret, also sell tickets for the Balls they planned to hold. Archie gave Agnes free rein and she decided to call it “Collins Cabaret.”

  Finally, the day came for the opening, Agnes looked radiant in a deep mauve outfit, and she had a corsage in her hair.

  “Oh, Mama,” Helena gasped, her eyes shining with delight “You look so beautiful.”

  Agnes gave a trill of laughter and looking in the mirror twirled from side to side.

  Yes. she thought. I wish Bernard could see me now, I have come a long way since he died. She sighed sadly.

  As planned Archie arrived to escort Agnes to the ball and blushed looking very pleased when Agnes told him that he looked handsome and he smiled at her fondly. She regarded Ida and Archie as her dearest friends, they were both very kind and supportive and had helped her through a very dark period of her life.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Melbourne - 1929

  T he cars pulled up and a Commissionaire, in a maroon outfit with gold piping, stepped forward to open the car doors and greet the passengers as they alighted. There were valets on hand to drive the vehicles around the back to where the stables once stood, now turned into a large open area for parking. A few influential people received complimentary invitations and Agnes and Archie were delighted to notice they had all accepted. On the second floor of the building where the dining room and cabaret were situated, there were stained-glass double doors leading out to a big open area, this terrace overlooked the front door and the guests’ cars. Agnes had placed a few tables and chairs here for the guests as well.

  October 1929. Wall Street crashed and this sent shock waves around the world. In Melbourne, the people were rioting and the police were out in force stretched to their limits. Agnes became worried about the girls going to school in all
the upheaval, but Archie said he would send them in a car and have them picked up in the afternoon until the situation improved. Circumstances didn’t affect the Cabaret however. Although there weren’t as many customers as before, people seemed to want to enjoy life.

  A good-looking gentleman attended the balls at Collins Cabaret, occasionally, always partnered by beautiful women. Being hostess Agnes knew his name, Liam Dannaher, he was charming to her, but, she took a dislike to him. She noticed he often left the Balls early and she surmised he went to the Club to gamble. When she had questioned Archie, he confirmed that Dannaher was a regular.

  “He is alright” said Archie after she had confided how she felt. “I believe he arrived from Ireland, months ago but I will make a few enquiries about him if you so wish.” Agnes replied.

  “No never mind Arch, his money is as good as anybody else’s, I just don’t like or trust him.”

  Agnes would go around to the cabaret daily to see that everything was ready for the night’s entertainment and ball, usually while the girls were at school. One day she let Cecilia and Helena accompany her, which she had never allowed before, but as they were going on to a small party for the girls she would not get them to the party in time if she took them home first. Entering the front door with the girls close behind her, she noticed Liam Dannaher walking towards them; he lifted his hat and greeted her, his red hair sparkling in the sunshine. Agnes admitted he was handsome, but she knew his kind, a philanderer, in her opinion.

  “Good afternoon Mrs. Skye.” He said, his eyes darting towards Cecilia, obviously expecting an introduction. Agnes bowed her head and replied icily.

  “Mr. Dannaher.” And she continued to walk inside, the girls following, glancing over her shoulder she noticed Cecilia holding the door slightly open, looking out.

  “Close the door Cecilia. We have to hurry or you will be late for the party.” she said sternly. Agnes certainly wasn’t going to let Dannaher see Cecilia again if she could avoid it.

  Cecilia never mentioned the inopportune meeting, but Agnes felt uneasy, she did not want Cecilia to meet up with his kind, when the time came she would choose a suitable husband for her daughter, from a good family. As the weeks passed, Agnes did think she was worrying too much, however, she thought she should send Cecilia to her sister for a few months, once the child had finished her schooling. The Cabaret took up a lot of her time and Agnes became anxious that maybe she was leaving the girls alone too much. She started to make enquiries about sending Cecilia to Eloise, Agnes’ younger sister in South Africa. Cecilia needed a passport of course, but, travelling on her own and being a minor, Agnes had to apply for an Emigration Permit for her. However, she was reluctant to send her daughter so far on her own. Besides, she thought Helena also needed companionship.

  Circumstances changed Agnes’ mind. The family were having a picnic, Ida and Archie had accompanied them. They had all decided to spend the day at a popular spot called Denne’s Point, Cecilia and Helena asked if they could walk down to the river bank and as they moved towards the river Agnes called after them.

  “Be careful, don’t go too near the edge, the banks are very slippery and there has been a lot of rain recently, you may get your shoes wet.”

  The two girls were absent for only a few minutes when Agnes, Archie and Ida heard a scream followed by a loud splash. Archie jumped up with a curse looking towards the river, Agnes’ heart stood still,

  “Oh God,” she said looking in the direction the girls had gone “It sounds as if somebody has fallen in, the current is very strong.”

  Archie raced to the edge of the river bank and she followed him with Ida behind her. As Agnes came up to Archie she noticed Liam Dannaher, hastily removing his jacket and shoes. Agnes gasped as he dived in. She saw Helena standing on the banks crying and wringing her hands, there was no sign of Cecilia.

  Liam meanwhile began swimming strongly towards a dark head being dragged swiftly away by the current, at last Liam reached Cecilia and grabbed her by the collar, people were beginning to gather around to see what had happened. Liam waded in a bit further down, with Cecilia in his arms, he placed her on the grass and turned her on her side. Agnes watched in horror as the girl didn’t move. At last Cecilia retched and coughed and brought up water. Agnes and the others rushed up to the couple, Cecilia was looking bewildered with Liam sitting beside her, she had sat up and he was rubbing her back gently. Archie managed to grab a picnic blanket from somebody and he draped it around the girl’s shoulders. Agnes threw herself down next to Cecilia and hugged her. She then turned to Liam and exclaimed.

  “Mr. Dannaher, thank you so much, you have done a brave thing, I am so grateful to you.”

  “It was the least I could do Mrs. Skye,” He said looking at Agnes with a small smile, he had a fascinating Irish lilt and a deep voice, “I am a very strong swimmer and I happened to be in no danger at all, but I could see your daughter was drowning and I had to do something.

  Archie drove the family home and the Doctor was sent for. After the Doctor checked Cecilia over, he stated that she must remain in bed for a day or two as she may have caught a chill.

  “You are a lucky young woman,” he said to Cecilia, “you have no idea how many people have been drowned at Denne’s Point. Donning his hat, the Dr. took his leave. Cecilia didn’t improve, her condition worsened. The doctor informed Agnes he suspected that she had developed pneumonia.

  Cecilia was tossing and turning in bed, mumbling incoherently, Agnes worriedly leaned forward with a cool wet cloth in her hand, dabbing the perspiration off Cecilia’s forehead, who began to gasp out a name

  “Annie, Annie.” she whispered.

  Who is Annie? Agnes thought. One of her school friends no doubt.

  Cecilia floated in soft clouds, they were all around her, puffy thick clouds and as they parted she found herself in a strange bedroom, there were two beds in the room both occupied, she was propelled over to one of the beds and looking down, she saw a young woman with long brown tousled hair. The woman whispered something. Suddenly Cecilia was back in her own bedroom, eerily, she could see herself in bed and her mother was leaning over her. She then fell into a peaceful sleep. Cecilia slowly recovered, but had to remain in bed another week, her thoughts continually reverting to her weird experience and the girl she had seen whilst in her semi-coma. She dismissed it as just a result of her high temperature at the time. Agnes decided she did not want to send Cecilia to her sister, she had almost lost her daughter and was reluctant to be parted from her.

  Liam had been around every day to enquire about Cecilia and finally Agnes told him he could see her. He arrived with flowers and a big box of chocolates, they met in the drawing-room and Agnes decided to stay with them and asked Helena to prepare the tea.

  Cecilia looked at Liam, blushing slightly “Mr. Dannaher I want to thank you for saving my life, you risked drowning.”

  He shrugged. “Call me Liam please. I have swum in many a raging river back in Ireland,” He then said. “I am delighted that you have recovered.”

  Liam had tea with Agnes and the girls and they chattered about mundane things, after about an hour Liam left with a last glance at Cecilia and Agnes was satisfied that she had thanked him enough, she certainly didn’t want him to be a regular visitor, she did not think he was suitable company for Cecilia.

  Over the next few months however the family saw a lot of Liam and Agnes relaxed slightly. After all he had saved Cecilia’s life. Against her better judgement she allowed Liam to take Cecilia occasionally to the pictures, but she made Helena accompany them or with more risqué films she and Archie would join them. She never left the couple alone.

  Christmas 1930. Agnes planned a ball for Cecilia’s eighteenth birthday, which was Christmas Eve. The dance was at “The Collins Cabaret” of course. A well-known dressmaker designed a beautiful dress of white Chantilly lace, with this ensemble Cecilia wore a diamante Tiara. Around her neck she had a string of pearls and small pearl earrings completed th
e outfit. Agnes hesitated to include Liam in the invited guests, but Cecilia pestered her until she finally gave in.

  At last it was the day of the ball and Cecilia couldn’t relax, she thought about the evening to come, she was sure Liam was in love with her. She knew she loved him and given time he would ask her to marry him. He had kissed her, when they had been able to catch a moment alone and it was a thrilling experience. She had kissed a few boys, but Liam’s kiss made her feel as if she was floating on a cloud he cast a spell over her when he gazed into her eyes and his lips touched hers softly. Mother knew Liam was nine years older than Cecilia and thought he was too old for her daughter, but the girl was hopeful that eventually Agnes would change her mind about him. He was always so kind and considerate to her family and Cecilia thought he was divine.

  When the dancing started, Agnes reluctantly allowed Cecilia to have the first dance with Liam. They were whirling around the floor, the chandeliers were sparkling, the music enchanting and Cecilia had never been so happy. She looked up at her handsome partner, he was smiling down at her and her heart skipped a beat, Liam was surely the best-looking man in the ballroom, his black tuxedo and tie were immaculate and his gorgeous red hair gleamed from the myriad lights around the room. The wonderful night wore on and she wished it to go on forever. Cecilia could feel Liam’s hard body pressing against her. Her body was reacting in an amazing thrilling way, she felt his warm mouth brush her ear and as he breathed out, she felt a sensuous tickle slither down her spine. The dance ended and reluctantly Cecilia dropped her arms and walked back to her table with Liam close behind, her senses reacting to his nearness.