The Ebb Read online

  “Of course, Mr Mills!” She nodded her head eagerly, for him to continue.

  He gave a deep sigh. “I’m ruined, dear girl! I’m ruined unless you help me!”

  “What can I do for you?”

  “It’s Janice! My leading lady, my star! She had an accident last night after the premiere and wound up in hospital,” he cried out in anguish.

  “Oh my God! Was it serious? Is she all right?” Laura feared the worst. She knew Janice well enough, as she knew everyone else who worked at the Pavilion. Sooner or later, they all came to the café to eat, to socialise and to chat. Janice was a sweet girl, and Laura wished she were all right. Yet, Mr Mills’s gloomy expression made her afraid to hear what he had to say.

  “Don’t worry, dear Laura,” interrupted Mr Thornton. “Janice is back in her house now. She was released from hospital in the early hours of the morning.” He had started to feel rather annoyed by Mr Mills’s dramatic account of the event. Surely, he had started to scare poor Laura, making her think the worst while the problem was so much easier than one of life and death. Damn these artists, they’ll be the death of me! They’re so impossibly dramatic!

  “Yes, she’s back home,” confirmed Mr Mills, realising he had made things sound worse than they were. “But not well enough to perform for a good while. She broke her leg, I’m afraid.”

  “Oh, poor girl! How did it happen?”

  “She was out celebrating last night after the premiere. She was in high spirits and lost her footing… She fell down some steps… Dreadful, dreadful thing to happen!”

  “Oh, I see. Were you there, Mr Mills?”

  “No, dear girl, but I found out early this morning. Her mother called me to let me know. You can imagine my anxiety to hear my leading lady is going to be incapacitated for a good while!”

  “Oh, yes I can imagine Mr Mills. I’m so sorry. If there’s anything at all I can do for you—”

  “My dear Laura, this is exactly why I’ve come here to see you. You’re the only person who can possibly help me out.” When he turned to gaze at Laura’s blank expression, he felt at once obliged to carry on. “The trouble is, there’s no one to play Janice’s part tonight.”

  “But what about Helen? She’s the understudy, isn't she?” Helen had been appointed for the task from day one. Laura had seen both girls rehearse for the same part.

  “Ah! Woe is me! You won't believe it when I tell you about her!”

  “She left town overnight,” interrupted Mr Thornton to explain, far more calmly than Mr Mills ever could.

  “Oh my goodness! But why?”

  Mr Mills pulled a face of disdain. “Bah! She’s been moaning at me for a while, she and her American boyfriend! They just weren’t happy with my choice to make Janice the leading lady and Helen the understudy. They believed she should have taken the lead.”

  “And this is why they left? Where did they go?”

  “They’re going to America,” answered Mr Thornton, trying to speed things up again. Time was pressing, and he had a lot of things to do. “Her boyfriend promised her a career on Broadway. Apparently he had some connections. It’s all in the letter she left Mr Mills. Helen asked one of the chorus girls last night to give it to him this morning,” he added, relieved to be able to inform Laura himself and save precious minutes.

  “Oh, Mr Mills, I’m so sorry,” said Laura. “You must be distraught!”

  “Indeed, I am! Thank you, my darling girl…” Mr Mills mopped his brow with a handkerchief. “I’m ruined if I don’t find a leading lady today!” he added with a theatrical wave of his hand. “I’ve invested a lot in this performance. I’ve put into this a lot of my own money. After the week at the Pier, we’re scheduled to play in London’s West End for another week! I had to grovel, I had to travel, I had to persuade! My dear girl, I’ve even had to bribe! Only God knows how much this has cost me! It was my chance to promote my precious protégé, and now both she and her understudy are unavailable. Oh, what a momentous disaster!” he lamented, shaking his head ruefully.

  “Calm down, calm down now, Mr Mills! Why don’t you tell Laura what you came here to say?” suggested Mr Thornton with a frown, aware that his last resources of patience had started to wear thin. Surely, drama at the workplace annoyed him the most, among all annoying things in the world.

  “Of course,” responded Mr Mills, wiping his forehead again, totally oblivious to Mr Thornton’s growing impatience. “Laura, my dear girl, I need you to sing in the show!”

  “What?” came Laura’s shocked response in a shrill voice that sounded foreign, even to her own ears. “This is preposterous!”

  “Please, dear girl, you promised to listen to me carefully before you answer, remember?” He put up both hands and waved them desperately before Laura’s eyes.

  “But, Mr Mills, what you ask is simply impossible!”

  “Listen to me, Laura! I’ve heard you sing along to the songs during rehearsal. Your voice is the perfect pitch. It’s exactly what I’m looking for!”

  “I’m flattered, Mr Mills, honestly, I am! But—”

  “Your voice is perfect, Laura. Please help me!”

  “But why me? You have plenty of talent at the Society, surely!”

  “No one can sing these songs half as well as you, my dear. I need you, please believe me, you’re perfect for this!”

  “But I have a job here. I can’t possibly quit my post,” she reasoned, her eyes seeking Mr Thornton for validation. She saw contentment in his eyes, but he didn’t speak to back her up. What Mr Mills said next made her understand why.

  “Of course, I appreciate that. Which is why I’ve already spoken to Mr Thornton and made arrangements for that. You can come to the theatre to work with me at once. Someone else will be employed here to take your place. If you agree to all this, of course—”

  “You’ve made arrangements already?” she asked, taking turns to stare at both men, aghast.

  “I really don’t mind, Laura,” said Mr Thornton. “Of course, I’ll be sad to lose you; you’re a fine employee. But if you sing half as beautifully as Mr Mills says you do, it would be a shame not to pursue this. It sounds like a great opportunity for you. And Mr Mills is, indeed, in a desperate situation.”

  These kind and honest words left Laura speechless. She turned to look at Mr Mills again, and although he wasn’t speaking, his eyes kept pleading. It was quite a devastating sight. Yet, the thought of being on stage terrified her.

  “I’ve never sung in public. How could I?” she mumbled.

  Her defences had started to weaken, and Mr Mills was astute enough to see that. He was desperate, and he knew that if he could only convince her, it would save him, and he would be forever in her debt. There was no reason to hide it, or make it sound any less crucial than it was. So he explained it plainly to her. If the show didn’t go on, he would be financially ruined. It could cost him the Society, perhaps even his house, too. Inevitably, he would also lose face, with all his connections rendered useless. No one would want to do business with him again, and he would be ruined professionally for sure.

  Encouraged by the sheer look of sympathy in her eyes, he went on to offer her a very handsome daily wage, plus a solid percentage from the ticket sales of every show, including those in the West End. There, the figures were bound to be a lot higher.

  As she listened, her fear of public exposure began to fade in the face of her inner desires growing, eager to take flesh and blood in the real world. She thought of the money Mr Mills was offering her. She could buy with it every single thing that took her fancy in the shops, all the things she could never afford. Mr Mills promised her also that the adoration of her fans would soon be her daily reality. She would be granted access to high society circles, she would dine at the finest places in London, and she would brush shoulders with the rich and famous. When Mr Mills finished his speech, Laura wondered why this had seemed such a bad idea at first. How could she not have seen it from the start for what it was? A godsend; a
unique opportunity to get everything she had ever wanted.

  And so it was. She shook hands with Mr Mills and after an hour, just like that, she was already out of her uniform. She put on some lipstick in the staff room, smoothed out the loose folds on her patterned cotton dress and headed for the auditorium. She had been in there as a cleaner and as a spectator. Now, she entered its doors as part of the show.

  With unsure steps, and her mind brimming with apprehension, she paced straight up to the stage for her first rehearsal. Mr Mills was already there. He had arranged for a pianist and a violinist to be there too, and he stayed with them for hours until they finished for the day. He had cancelled that evening’s performance of course, but they were scheduled to reopen the next day. This gave Laura very little time to learn all the songs as well as the dancing part. The choreographer, who soon joined them, had to simplify most of the routines for her sake, allowing her to concentrate on the singing for now, until she had time to learn the dance steps perfectly as the days progressed.

  The rest of the company joined them towards the end of the day, in order to meet Laura and to rehearse with her. By then, the choreographer was quite sure the new leading star would be just fine. As for Mr Mills, he watched Laura rehearse by the piano with her angelic voice, saying over and over again that with a voice like that, no one in the theatre would even care about the dancing.

  The whirlwind of untold opportunity had picked her up and literally placed her on the stage that day. It all happened so quickly that she never even got the chance to seek out Christian and let him know. When Laura started to sing, he recognised her voice and came out from backstage. His face lit up with sheer disbelief and wonder. Laura excused herself for a few moments and went up to him to quickly explain. She sighed with relief when he wrapped her in his arms, congratulating her, though mixed with his joy, was a secret shadow of fear. Was this the beginning of the end? How long before she finally experienced the world he couldn’t give her? How long before she would start to run through his fingers like precious water? She was precious to him for his own survival, and yet, he knew already he would be totally unable to hold her back.

  Chapter 23

  The crimson curtains pulled back, and Laura stood for the first time in front of the audience at the magnificent auditorium of the West Pier Pavilion. She grimaced with panic beside herself as she squinted, feeling like a stunned rabbit that had just surfaced from its hole to run into glaring headlights. The breath in her lungs felt hot, chocking her. Her mouth became dry, and her heart started to race. Feeling numb, she willed her knees not to buckle.

  Ian, her experienced dancing partner, sought her eyes. Silently, he nodded to her, and she nodded back. That was it. She owed it to him; to everyone, to do as was expected of her. Any thought of the audience now had to be totally isolated. She simply had to pretend they weren’t even there. She focused on Ian’s eyes as he had taught her. When the first notes of the song started to play, her feet, as if they had a mind of their own, began to obey.

  Laura and Ian were now swirling among the other dancing couples on stage, to a romantic waltz. Spontaneously, the audience responded with a fervent applause. Laura’s confidence took wings. When she opened her mouth to sing, just as Ian had advised her to, she kept her eyes on him for as long as it took her to take courage. Despite her heart thumping violently against her chest, somehow, she maintained her focus to a tee, keeping perfect time to the melody.

  Once her singing duet was well underway, and as she felt her body sway obediently to all she had learned in such a short time, her eyes dared stray from Ian’s to turn to the audience at last.

  Her voice rose in high notes, beautiful crescendos that filled the air, rich with emotion, and the audience became mesmerised by her. At the end of the song, Ian held her by the hand as they took a bow to the sound of rapturous applause. When the curtain closed before them, Laura felt like she was coming out of the water for air. She sighed audibly with relief and dived into Ian’s arms with sheer gratitude.

  In the wings, Laura ran into Christian’s arms, and he hugged her proudly, then Mr Mills approached to do the same. The look on his face was one of pure elation. He was bursting with excitement, eager to thank and praise her again, but all that had to wait. Laura rushed without further ado to her dressing room to get changed for the next number. The show carried on, with Laura performing to perfection every single note of her songs, every wave of her arms, every grin and frown of her acting part, every twirl and sway among her dance moves. When the whole company came on stage for the final curtain call, the audience was in standing ovation, calling out Laura’s name. As she took her bows holding hands with everyone, the sound of the applause stirred in her a newfound ecstasy, the indescribable feeling of being admired and adored.

  ***

  Laura was alone in her dressing room. She had just changed into a low-backed, red dress and high heels. Christian and their friends were waiting outside to take her to their favourite hangout in town. It was The Swan, a tiny pub in the Lanes.

  The expected knock on the door came at the perfect time, as she had just got ready to leave. She thought it was her friends, but then she heard Mr Mills’s voice instead.

  “Laura dear, may we come in?”

  “Of course,” was her immediate response, as she took a seat again before the large mirror. Mr Mills had already come in a couple of times since the end of the performance to congratulate her and to share in their triumph. She thought perhaps he was bringing Christian in this time. Surely he had finished work by now, all the props and gear tidied up and neatly put away.

  Yet, when the door opened, there was an elegantly dressed, young gentleman standing at the door instead. Mr Mills was barely visible behind him, looking like a midget servant in stark comparison. The stranger was tall, dark and dashing. He had piercing blue eyes, thin lips under a fine moustache, and a perfectly upright, confident stance. His dark hair glistened under the electric light, heavily brilliantined and groomed to perfection. He smiled at her and walked right in with a territorial air about him. He was dressed in a fine, dark suit and bow tie, shiny black shoes and a top hat, which he held in his hand in a very elegant manner.

  Laura stood up slowly and remained speechless for a few moments, smiling pleasantly, full of intrigue for this man. He had quite an aura floating around him. The whole room felt different now just because he was in it, but what it was that had changed, she couldn’t really tell. He looked important and that’s all she could perceive about him with certainty, even before he stopped before her with a little bow, taking her hand to kiss it. Laura smiled rather embarrassed in response. Never had a gentleman kissed her hand before.

  “Miss Mayfield, I am charmed! It is an enormous pleasure to meet you in person!” he said with a twinkle in his eyes.

  “The pleasure is all mine Mr…” Her voice trailed off.

  “Dear Laura, this is the Viscount Willard,” interrupted Mr Mills rather breathlessly, with a little bow that she found entertaining. The stranger was royalty indeed; her employer couldn’t even utter his name without paying his respects.

  “The viscount’s father is the most honourable, Earl Fenshaw!” Mr Mills continued with fervour, then pointed at the tall gentleman again with a fluid movement of his hand. “His lordship is a true supporter of the Arts and has been funding our Dramatics Society from its very first year!”

  “Charmed,” she replied with a slight tilt of the head, never taking her eyes from the viscount. She was impressed of course; he looked very handsome, and yet his eyes made her feel slightly uneasy. His look was intense, and he hadn’t let go of her hand yet. It felt rather odd and what’s more, his hand felt increasingly clammy as he stood there before her, staring at her. Was his radiant smile turning sickly, or was it her discomfort? She couldn’t tell. Unwilling to bear the uncomfortable sensation any longer, she took the initiative to retrieve her hand from his grasp politely, bringing it to her hair at once in an unnecessary gesture to
toss one of her long, red curls behind her shoulder.

  “Miss Mayfield, I am a huge fan of your singing voice. It is absolutely splendid, just splendid!” he commented at last, breaking the awkward silence.

  “Thank you, my lord, I’m really flattered.”

  “Please, call me Charles,” he urged her. His eyes were alight with enthusiasm.

  Laura shook her head, appalled at the very thought. “Oh no, my lord, I couldn’t possibly.”

  “I must insist. Actually, I quite hope to be friends.” He raised an eyebrow, smiling with sheer confidence.

  Laura stared back at him, speechless. This man clearly didn’t acknowledge objections from others.

  “Dear Laura, his lordship is a connoisseur of the performing arts. He can appreciate talent when he comes across it. You must be very flattered! I told you you’d be a great success, didn’t I?” said Mr Mills. As he stood behind the viscount, he gave Laura a suggestive nod, making her realise he expected her to sound more obliging.

  “Miss Mayfield,” continued Charles undeterred, “My friends and I are dining tonight at Notre Dame. Nothing would give me more pleasure than if you were to come as my guest.”

  Laura got the uncomfortable feeling she was actually being told rather than asked. She knew of this fine French restaurant in town, but it was by far too classy and expensive for the likes of her. No one she knew had ever dined there. She considered for a few seconds the sheer enjoyment of entering such a grand place, but of course she wasn’t willing to go out with him. Besides, she had plans for the night.

  “I’m terribly honoured, my lord…” she started with a broad smile.

  “Tut-tut,” he interrupted her playfully, “It is Charles.”

  “Well, Charles,” she conceded, no matter how wrong it felt to call him by his first name, but Mr Mills’s eyes were pinned on her full of hope, and she felt trapped. “As I said, I’m terribly honoured, but I do regret I’ve already made plans for dinner tonight with my friends. I couldn’t possibly let them down; I’m sure you understand. They’ve rather been looking forward to taking me out tonight to celebrate,” she added, trying to smile as agreeably as she could.