Applause (The Dudley Sisters Saga Book 2)

by Madalyn Morgan

  Margot left the dressing room and danced down the corridor. ‘Night, night, Bert,’ she sang, as she crossed to the stage door. Through it in a flash she waved to Bill, who had just turned into the Lane.

  ‘I’m working tomorrow.’

  ‘What?’ Bill looked disappointed as he passed her helmet.

  Margot kissed him before putting it on. ‘I’ll explain later.’

  On the way home Margot put her arms around Bill’s waist and held him tightly. As they approached Hampstead she inhaled the cool clean air of the Heath and smiled. Tomorrow couldn’t come soon enough.

  When she arrived at the theatre on Sunday morning, Lena was already on stage dressed in ballet shoes and dance leggings. She watched as the choreographer performed pliés on a portable bar. ‘I don’t think I could ever be as graceful as that,’ Margot exclaimed.

  ‘You don’t have to be,’ Lena said. ‘Richard won’t expect you to do pliés, only demi-pliés. But you will have to perform them more gracefully than the other dancers auditioning if you want the job. Right!’ she said, turning away from the bar. ‘Warm up exercises. Start with bending and stretching. Shan’t be long,’ she said, and she ran out, laughing.

  Margot had warmed up at home, in a fashion, but began now in earnest. When Lena returned she was sweating and breathing heavily.

  ‘Keep going or you’ll get a chill.’ Ten minutes later she shouted, ‘Slow it down… Right down, and… Stop! Grab your towel and come over here, I have something to show you,’ she said, waving a brown folder in the air.

  Margot rubbed the perspiration from her face and arms and put the towel round her neck. ‘Oh my God,’ she said, reading the name on the front. ‘Is that what I think it is?’

  ‘Yes. It’s a list of what Richard wants to see tomorrow, so have a drink of water,’ she said, handing Margot a glass, ‘and let’s get down to it. You obviously know your positions – first to fifth?’ Margot nodded. ‘Show me.’ Margot returned to the bar and did as directed. ‘Good!’ Lena shouted. ‘Now show me your demi-pliés.’ When Margot had finished Lena said, ‘Lovely.’

  Margot rolled her shoulders and stretched her arms. ‘Show me what you can do with your arms. Reach out into a broad sweep. Further,’ Lena shouted. ‘Further still.’ Margot thought the muscles in the tops of her arms would burst into flames they felt so hot and strained. ‘That’s lovely. Now bring them into your body… Sweeping, brushing the air. Head down and-- lift it! That’s lovely. Straight back. Head high. Tummy in. Watch your eye line and sweep out again. Bend your knees and follow your hand. Look at it, look at it. Keep looking. Look along your arm all the way to your fingertips. And… bring your hand back, slowly. Slowly… that’s it. Perfect.’

  ‘You’ve worked hard,’ Lena said when they stopped for a break. ‘You’re better than the understudies, which I expected you to be.’ Margot smiled and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. ‘Which doesn’t mean you can stop work,’ Lena said.

  ‘Not even to eat?’ Nancy appeared from the wings. ‘Thought you might like something sweet, give you some energy,’ she said, handing Margot and Lena a jam doughnut each.

  Delighted to see Nancy, Margot took the doughnut. ‘Should I?’

  ‘Of course,’ Lena said, taking a bite out of hers and letting the jam drip down her chin. ‘And tea!’ she said, spotting three cups. ‘I’m dying for a cuppa.’

  Nancy held out the tray. ‘Yours is nearest to you, Margot. I put a couple of sugars in it. I know you don’t take sugar, but you have the rest of the afternoon to dance it off.’

  ‘We won’t ask where you got the sugar,’ Lena said.

  ‘That’s good, because then I won’t have to lie,’ Nancy said, and they all laughed.

  The afternoon went quickly. The routines weren’t as difficult as they had been earlier, which was good because halfway through Margot’s calf muscles hurt so much she wondered if she would be able to walk in the morning, never mind dance.

  That night, after a hot meal and a long soak in a Radox bath – both courtesy of Bill – Margot fell into bed and slept like a baby. When she woke the following morning she ached all over and had blisters the size of sixpences on her heels and toes. Only slightly concerned about the pain, she took a couple of aspirin. They didn’t help, but Margot knew that if she got the chance to audition for Kat’s roles, Dr Theatre would kick in and she’d perform through the pain.

  Natalie was sitting at the piano on stage when Margot slipped backstage to watch the auditions. The director, Richard Smiley, and choreographer – now friend – Lena Di Angelo were in the stalls. The first and second dancers to perform were no competition to Margot or the understudies and were told to stop before they’d completed the director’s list. The third and fourth were the understudies – both familiar with Kat’s roles. Margot watched from the wings. The dark one was as tall as Kat, but to Margot’s delight she was nowhere near as good a dancer. The second, a pretty fair girl, had a sweet voice and could dance beautifully, but she lacked Kat’s physical presence and vocal range. But, Margot thought, she’d be perfect to take over from me.

  ‘We’ll let you know,’ she heard Richard Smiley say to the second understudy. And as she left the stage he shouted, ‘Next?’

  Margot strained her ears, hoping to hear his reply to Lena’s suggestion that she could play Kat’s roles. ‘Margot’s in this morning, Richard. I said I was sure you’d audition her. I mean, there’s no reason why you won’t, is there?’

  ‘No. No reason.’ Margot wrinkled her nose. He didn’t sound very enthusiastic. She heard a seat go up with a slam. ‘Will someone get Margot Dudley?’

  ‘I’m here.’ Running onto the stage, Margot put her hand up to shade the glare from the stage lights, and looked into the auditorium.

  ‘Waiting in the wings again, Margot?’ She ignored the sarcasm. ‘Do you know the routines?’

  Margot couldn’t see Lena’s face and wasn’t sure whether she should admit to having seen them.

  ‘I have a spare set,’ Natalie said, handing Margot a list of the dance moves and a song sheet.

  ‘You know Kat’s work, so when you’re ready.’ He sounded irritated, impatient. Margot didn’t delay. She looked at Natalie and took a breath. Natalie winked and began to play. She wasn’t going to let Richard Smiley intimidate her, nor was she going to have Lena think she’d wasted her time the day before. When she finished singing the first song, Smiley shouted directions to the moves she’d learned and rehearsed the day before.

  ‘Thank you,’ he shouted, after putting Margot though several routines that weren’t on the list, and were much more difficult. ‘We’ll let you know.’

  Margot was in the dressing room, putting on her coat, when Lena burst in. ‘I’ve got something to tell you,’ she whispered. ‘You’ve got the job.’

  Margot threw her arms around Lena. ‘What did he say?’ she giggled, unable to contain her excitement.

  ‘He said you were the best of the dancers. “An exceptional talent,” he said.’ Lena laughed. ‘Then he said, “Tell her she’s got the job, but keep her waiting a couple of hours. She’s too cocky by half, that one.”’ Lena laughed again. ‘He doesn’t believe you just happened to be backstage when the auditions were taking place. He said, “The little madam used the situation to her own advantage, prepared for it, the way she did when she took over from Goldie Trick.”’

  ‘Can’t imagine what made him think that,’ Margot said, linking arms with Lena. ‘Let’s go to Lyons Corner House for tea – my treat. You can tell me if I’ve got the job over jam doughnuts.’

  ‘There’s a message for you, Miss Dudley,’ Bert said, when Margot poked her head through the window in his door to say good morning. ‘Would you go up to wardrobe before you go into rehearsal?’

  ‘Will do,’ she said, making for the stairs. ‘See you later.’

  Mrs Horton and the blonde understudy Tilly Bronte, who Margot had thought from the beginning was perfect to take over her roles, were looking
at her costumes. Although Tilly was the same height and dress size as Margot, she was a little smaller on the bust and hips, so Margot’s costumes needed a nip and a tuck. Kat’s costumes, on the other hand, needed major surgery. Kat was a couple of inches taller than Margot and over the last four months had become quite a size.

  ‘If we removed all the panels we put in to make Miss Kaplinski’s dresses bigger, I’m sure they’d fit Margot,’ Violet mused.

  ‘Couple of years ago we’d have made her new ones,’ Ivy said. ‘Now, even if we could afford to buy new material, there isn’t any.’

  ‘It’s the government saw to that with their controls on importing and manufacturing cloth.’ Violet shook her head and clicked her tongue. ‘There hasn’t been any material to be had for love nor money since those restrictions were brought in.’

  Violet and Ivy cut and cobbled Kat’s costumes. ‘That looks fine,’ Violet said during Margot’s first costume fitting. ‘All right for you, Ivy?’

  Ivy nodded. ‘Margot?’

  ‘No! It isn’t all right, Ivy. I’m the number two dancer now. I shouldn’t have to wear costumes that look all right!’ She pulled at the neckline. ‘This is miles too big.’ Then she turned and looked over her shoulder at the back of the dress in the long mirror. ‘The bodice bags and the waistline is too low. If it was lifted and taken in….’ She saw Violet look at Ivy and roll her eyes. ‘I’m sorry if it means more work for you, Violet, but Kat wouldn’t go on stage in something that didn’t fit and nor will I!’ Margot allowed Ivy to help her out of the costume and took her own clothes from Sylvie who, although she daren’t comment, gave her a quick nod.

  The following afternoon, Margot went for a second fitting and to her delight the costume she had tried on the day before fitted. By the end of the week all Kat’s costumes had been altered properly and fitted well. Mrs Horton looked tired; Violet, Ivy and Sylvie looked exhausted. Margot knew from her time working as a seamstress that to remodel Kat’s costumes to this standard they had worked very hard and for long hours.

  ‘We are happy with your costumes, Margot. How do you feel now?’ Natalie asked.

  Margot nodded and smiled. ‘Thank you,’ she said, ‘They look wonderful and they fit perfectly. Thank you ladies, they look as if they’ve been made for me.’

  ‘They have,’ Ivy whispered.

  ‘Each costume has been taken apart and remade to your measurements, which is what we should have done in the first place,’ Mrs Horton said, standing back and admiring the dress from a distance.

  ‘Can’t have the number two looking anything but perfect,’ Violet winked.

  Margot looked from Ivy to Violet, her eyes wide and sparkling with tears.

  ‘What is it, dear?’

  She wiped her tears and laughed. ‘I’ve been so busy learning Kat’s songs and dances that I haven’t had time to think about it, but I really am the number two, the second lead in the show, aren’t I?’

  Her old friends from wardrobe laughed and congratulated her as they helped her out of the costume and into her own clothes. ‘And we’re all very proud of you,’ Violet said.

  On Margot’s first night as second lead the show opened with Nancy, dressed in white, alone on stage. Margot heard a gasp ripple through the audience as first the stalls, and then the circle, followed by the upper circle and the gods, watched her being lowered from the fly-deck on a swing dressed as the black swan.

  Once on the stage, Margot performed the Deboulé. Stepping from one leg to the other high on her toes, she danced effortlessly in a circle around the white swan. The dance of the swans ended to rapturous applause.

  The extra work she’d done with Lena before and after rehearsals paid off. She turned slowly and gracefully, her steps quick and smooth; she looked beautiful.

  In the second act Margot allowed herself to relax as she performed routines and sketches – tragic or comic – with perfect timing. At the curtain call, she was the penultimate artist to enter the stage. Standing alone in the spotlight she took her bow. As the audience stood, she thought she would burst with happiness. She looked into the wings. Nancy was applauding too. As she arrived at Margot’s side to take her curtain, Nancy turned to Margot’s young replacement and applauded her, which encouraged the audience to clap louder. She then took her own bow before taking Margot by the hand. Together they bowed several times to an audience that were on their feet and clapping wildly. Eventually Nancy nodded to Margot and after one last bow they left the stage, followed by the company. The audience were still clapping.

  After the show Kat, who sat with Bill, Natalie and Anton in the Goldmans’ box, was the first to arrive backstage and, apart from Bill, was the first to congratulate Margot. ‘You were wonderful, darling.’ Kat threw her arms around Margot. ‘I leave my black swan in good hands. Congratulations, my friend.’

  Everyone who came into the dressing room congratulated Margot, but it was the praise that Kat had given her that touched her heart and brought tears to her eyes.

  Tilly Bronte, who had taken over from Margot, received congratulations too. And, she told Margot later, the most important were the compliments that Margot and Nancy had given her.

  Before they all went to the first night party at the Albert Club, Kat took her leave. She was tired. She didn’t feel up to going to a party, but she promised to call in the following day between the matinee and evening performance.

  After waving Kat off in one taxi, the company piled into several others that were waiting at the stage door. Margot travelled with Nancy and Bill in the car Salvatore had sent for them.

  The following day, when Kat arrived at the theatre, everyone was on stage except Nancy and Margot, who were waiting for her at the stage door. ‘So many people wanted to say goodbye to you, Kat, that we thought we’d get everybody together on the stage,’ Nancy said.

  ‘There isn’t enough room to swing a cat in the dressing room,’ Margot added. ‘And we didn’t want to leave wardrobe and stage management out.’

  Nancy and Margot led the way, chatting excitedly, because the Goldmans had arranged a surprise tea party. And that wasn’t all. They had bought Kat a Bluebird pram.

  Kat’s eyes filled with tears when she saw the beautiful pram with its navy hood and cover and its chrome handle and wheels. ‘It is beautiful,’ she said.

  The pram stood centre stage, surrounded by tables laid with sandwiches and cakes, tea and cold drinks.

  ‘No alcohol, I’m afraid,’ Anton said. ‘We have a show tonight.’

  Several of the girls protested jokingly, as they tucked into egg sandwiches and slices of cheese on Jacobs biscuits.

  ‘Will you be all right?’ Margot asked Kat when they were alone.

  ‘Yes, I think I will. I have spoken to my parents. I have been trying to get in touch with them for a long time.’ Kat put her hand on her stomach. ‘The baby’s father tried for me but… It was difficult, even for him I think. My embassy was sick of me pestering and arranged a telephone call. I can’t go home now, but when the war is over the baby and I will go back to Ukraine. If things work out we will stay, if they do not we will come home to England. I have lived here for so long I feel as English as I do Russian.’

  ‘I’m pleased you got in touch with your parents.’

  ‘Yes, I am too. My mother is excited about the baby.’

  ‘And your father?’

  ‘Papa is not excited. He is ashamed of me, as I expected him to be. He is very old-fashioned. When I became a dancer he almost disowned me, so now…?’ Kat laughed. ‘Don’t worry about us, Margot. My mother will have talked him round by the time I get home.’

  Margot hugged Kat for a long minute. ‘It may be a year, longer, until the war ends. You’ll come and see us, won’t you? And when the baby’s born, I’d love to see--’

  ‘And you shall. You shall be godmother. After all, if it hadn’t been for you...’

  Before Margot had time to say anything, the girls surrounded them. ‘Come on, Kat, we want to give
you your leaving presents.’ The girls gently pulled Kat to the centre of the room to a table laden with gifts, and sat her down. Tears filled her eyes as she was given beautiful baby clothes and soft toys.

  ‘How did you find such lovely things with everything being rationed?’

  ‘We weren’t going to tell you in front of Mr Goldman,’ Mrs Horton said, ‘but there’s plenty of soft fabric around if you know where to look, and plenty of friends who are willing to give up their time to knit and sew baby clothes.’

  By the time Kat had kissed and thanked everyone for the gifts she was in tears again.

  Ten minutes later Bert arrived to say Miss Kaplinski’s cab was outside.

  Once Kat was seated in the taxi, her friends packed the presents around her. There were so many, she could barely move. The pram, Anton said, would be delivered the following day.

  Everyone waved and shouted goodbye and the taxi sped off with Kat waving out of the back window. The cab disappeared into the traffic and was out of sight in seconds, but Margot knew that Kat, her talent and her friendship would have a lasting influence on her life.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  ‘It’s time we got a place of our own,’ Margot said, the second Bill sat down to supper. ‘I’m working longer hours, and so are you. If we lived in the West End we’d be nearer to work, and there’d be no risk of me getting lost in the blackout.’ Margot stopped and shuddered, hoping that reminding Bill of that terrible night would persuade him. It didn’t. ‘Hampstead is so far away from everything. Besides,’ she went on, ‘it isn’t fair on you having to wait around for me at night, especially now I’m doing the late spot at the club. Not when you’ve been driving to and from goodness knows where all day for the MoD and been on the ambulances half the night.’

  ‘I suppose we do live quite a way from where we work,’ Bill conceded. ‘And as much as I don’t want to leave these rooms, because they’re where we began our married life, I suppose it would make sense.’