A Sister's Shame (3 page)

‘You could wear a big hat and a feather boa, too,’ Marie teased, thinking Vesta was joking.

Vesta dropped the dress immediately. ‘Now you’re making fun of me, just like that horrid Bing and his mate.’

‘No one is making fun of you.’

‘I wish Teddy was here to give me advice. He says with my looks, I could easily go on the stage.’

Marie stared at her sister. ‘When did he say that?’

Vesta looked guilty. ‘Oh, just when he talks to me. Why shouldn’t he tell me nice things if they’re true?’

‘Vesta, try to keep a level head.’

‘There was a time you believed in our dreams,’ Vesta protested. ‘But now you seem happy at the factory.’

‘It pays our wages. And the girls are all right.’

‘Is the factory all there is to our lives?’ Vesta asked dramatically.

Marie couldn’t help but giggle. ‘You sound like Dad when he has one of his moments. Remember, you’re not on the stage yet.’

‘I will be!’ Vesta exclaimed fiercely. ‘And no one is going to stop me.’

‘We don’t know what the future holds,’ Marie warned.

‘You sound like Mum now,’ Vesta flung back. ‘Always going on about meeting the right man and settling down.’ She took in a sharp, tearful breath. ‘Well, I
don’t want to settle down! I want a glamorous life and people around me who appreciate me. Like Teddy.’

‘Mum wants us to be practical,’ Marie argued in defence of their mother. ‘As Dad don’t earn much money busking, it’s her who has kept us going. She don’t want
us to end up poor.’

Vesta shrugged sullenly. ‘She didn’t mind us singing and dancing when we were kids.’

‘Yes, but we’re grown-up now. We have to support ourselves.’

‘Oh, don’t you go on too!’

‘I want to sing and dance as much as you,’ Marie insisted, ‘but without Mum we could be like some of the girls at work who never have a penny to their names. Because they are
so poor, they have to give everything to their mothers and it makes life very difficult for them.’

Vesta hung her head and mumbled, ‘I know.’

‘Is the dress really that important to you?’

Vesta looked up. ‘The old girl is asking three bob for it.’

‘Knock her down to two and I’ll go halves.’

Vesta’s blue eyes flew wide open. ‘Would you?’ She threw her arms around Marie. ‘You’re the best sister in the world.’

Ten minutes later they were on their way home and Vesta had the dress over her arm. Marie knew she was imagining what she would look like when Teddy saw her that evening.

‘Thank you. Tonight means so much to me,’ Vesta sighed.

Marie thought about their quarrel as they walked home. They never used to disagree. She hoped that they weren’t growing apart.

From the front room, Marie looked along the narrow passage to their bedroom. She could hear Vesta humming as she made the last adjustments to her black dress. Her parents were
talking in the scullery, a small room to the left, where Hector was helping Ada to make the supper.

‘You look lovely, dear,’ Ada said as she came out, untying her apron and draping it over a chair.

Hector followed, a tall, portly figure wearing a big smile on his face under his walrus moustache. ‘A real bobby-dazzler,’ he agreed, nodding approvingly at his daughter.

Tonight Marie had chosen to wear a tailored belted navy-blue dress, black strapped shoes and a thin blue band in her hair with a sparkling slide to hold it. Glancing at her reflection in the
mirror over the mantel, she was pleased with the way she looked. The soft pink lipstick suited her and the dab of powder disguised the freckles over her nose.

‘Thanks, Dad.’

‘Well, we’d better sit down and eat our meal,’ said Hector, patting his generous stomach. ‘I’ve set the table. So call your sister.’

Marie did so, and when Vesta joined them the talk was all about the coming evening.

‘I haven’t dressed up in a long while,’ Ada said as she dished out the carrots and peas with a good helping of tender braised mutton. ‘It’ll be a real pleasure to
sit in the theatre with all those smart types. I hope I do you girls justice.’

‘You look lovely, Mum,’ Marie said as she tucked into her meal. It wasn’t often their mother took such care over her appearance. As a school cleaner, she had little time or
money for herself. She spent it all on her family. But tonight was an exception. Going to the Queen’s was a big event in any girl’s book. Her fair hair was carefully arranged in a coil
at the nape of her neck. Her pale blue eyes were shining, and her pressed grey suit moulded her still slender figure. The pearl brooch slipped through the collar of her jacket had been a wedding
gift from their father.

‘You should wear that suit more often, Mum,’ Marie said encouragingly.

‘Don’t mind for a special occasion,’ said Ada shyly. ‘Anyway, this is your and Vesta’s treat, not mine.’

‘I’m glad we can share it,’ Vesta said as she only picked at her food. Marie knew she was thinking of Teddy. ‘But I wish Dad was coming.’ She looked at her father.
‘Couldn’t you take a night off from busking?’

Hector quickly swallowed the large mouthful of meat and veg on the end of his fork and waved his hand. ‘You girls won’t miss me,’ he declared. ‘You’ll be too busy
watching the show. And anyway, I’ll see you outside. It’ll be a very good night for custom.’

‘Yes, but you should be singing on the stage, Dad, not out in the street,’ replied Vesta, pushing her plate away.

‘Now, now, dear,’ Ada interrupted. ‘Your father is quite used to playing to the crowds outside. And missing a night’s money won’t help the larder.’

Marie saw Vesta give a slight frown of annoyance. She knew that Vesta didn’t care for their father’s profession of busking. It was a big comedown, Vesta felt, from his days with the
travelling theatre and music halls.

‘I still think . . .’ began Vesta, but then got a look of warning from her mother as she cleared away the empty plates.

‘There’s custard and jelly for afters,’ interrupted Ada sternly. ‘But we’d better hurry up as time is getting on.’

Hector smiled and winked at his daughters. ‘Custard and jelly!’ Once more he pushed out his stomach and patted it. ‘Your mother certainly knows the way to this man’s
heart!’

Though they both loved their father dearly, Marie knew that he still lived in the secret hope of becoming a famous performer one day. This upset their mother, who had always urged him to find a
normal job. But Hector had managed to keep on with his busking and keep Ada happy with the little he did bring in. Marie knew he was happy doing what he did, and when he appeared outside the
Queen’s tonight, as they were waiting to go in, their applause would be louder than anyone else’s.

After their meal and the washing-up was done, and Vesta had gone to change, Marie watched her father stand in front of the mirror wearing his best suit, black cape and silk
cravat. As usual before going out, he twirled his moustache in a theatrical way. After clearing his throat loudly, and reciting a few verses to himself, he gave her a big grin.

‘What d’you think of that?’ he asked Marie, returning to his normal voice. ‘Will I knock ’em dead?’

‘Course you will, Dad.’

He looked very pleased, kissed her on the cheek and then marched out, calling over his shoulder, ‘Cheerio, girls! See you later!’

‘I’ll just get me bag, then we’ll call for Elsie,’ Ada said as she came out of the kitchen in a fluster, patting her hair. ‘Where’s your sister? Oh, silly
me,’ she grinned, looking along the passage, ‘I don’t need to ask. I’ll go along and give her a shout.’

Whilst waiting, Marie gazed around her at the room she had grown up in. It was elegant in its own way, with its high ceilings and Victorian embellishments. The view over Sphinx Street from the
big bay window was what she loved most; you could always see what was going on, even quite a long way down the road. If you ignored the peeling wallpaper, damp patches and threadbare carpet, and
looked only at Elsie’s lovely furniture, like the big leather couch and sturdy dining table and four chairs, the room was quite a delight.

The fire in the grate was unlit and the room was cool, owing to the thick brick walls and heavy drapes. On the mantel was a photograph of the twins as children, just after they had moved here.
Two smiling little blonde girls in ballet dresses that Ada had made, posing under an umbrella. Next to this was one of Ada and Hector. It had been taken long ago, just after they were married.
Hector’s walrus moustache and sleeked-back hair made him look very distinguished. Ada stood beside him in a long frock that hung down to her ankles. She looked young and innocent. They were
such a handsome couple!

Suddenly Vesta appeared, followed by Ada. ‘How do I look?’ she asked, her blue eyes wide and sparkling.

‘Perfect,’ Marie told her, admiring the way Vesta had clipped up her hair to show off her long neck in the black dress. Her slim figure, an inch shorter than Marie’s, looked
dainty, but the black beads, Marie thought, were a bit gaudy for a young girl, though she smiled appreciatively nevertheless. She knew Vesta only wanted approval.

‘I remember the time neither of you would go out wearing different dresses,’ said Ada, sliding her small bag over her arm. ‘Now look at you both.’ She frowned.
‘Vesta, that neck is rather low.’

‘It’s fashionable, Mum. I won’t get cold.’

‘It wasn’t the cold I was thinking of,’ remarked Ada, raising her eyebrows.

Vesta threw a dark glance at Marie, who quickly smiled.

‘Elsie will be waiting,’ Marie said hurriedly, and was relieved when Ada nodded.

‘Come along then,’ she smiled. ‘We mustn’t be late.’

When they walked into the hall, Elsie was already there. She was staring up at the first-floor half-landing and to the heavy oak banister where a little brown monkey with owl-like eyes and a
white chin was perched. Between his sharp teeth was a cigarette.

‘That bloody Kaiser,’ Elsie swore loudly. ‘He’s pinched me fags again. And this time he’s flamin’ lit one. The smoke is coming out of his ears.
Look!’

Everyone stared upwards. To Marie’s amusement, the monkey chattered loudly and swung from one banister to the other. His long spidery legs and tail latched onto whatever hold he could
find.

‘Don’t you drop that fag on me carpet, you little devil,’ cried Elsie, ‘or I’ll skin you alive. And that’s a promise!’

By now, everyone had begun to laugh, even Elsie, who was familiar with Kaiser’s tricks. After a small accident when a lighted cigarette he’d dropped on the carpet had almost caused
catastrophe, she kept a vigilant eye on his antics.

‘Where are you, Wippet?’ Elsie shouted up the stairs to the top-floor resident. ‘Come and get your sodding animal and lock him away!’

There was a light shuffling sound and a small man appeared, no taller than a child, with a round smiling face. He was accompanied by a pretty blonde girl, another lodger, Nina Brass. Marie
smiled at Wippet and Nina. She liked both of Elsie’s top-floor residents and Kaiser was a favourite with everyone, despite inciting the landlady to bad language.

‘Sorry, Mrs G,’ apologized the little man, climbing on the banister and sliding down it to the last stair. ‘Come here at once, Kaiser!’

The monkey, who was hanging from the cobweb-covered chandelier, made a defiant screeching. Everyone laughed again. Wippet and Kaiser had formerly been a sideshow at a fair and never failed to
amuse. Marie knew Wippet was very brave. His acts at the fairground had included being tied with chains underwater and being shot from a cannon. His dark hair was short at the back and sides and
had little patches in it, where for some reason the hair wouldn’t grow.

Nina, who had come downstairs the conventional way, held out her arms and the monkey jumped into them. ‘Naughty boy, Kaiser,’ she whispered affectionately.

‘Sorry, Mrs G,’ apologized Wippet once more.

‘He’s dropped a fag end somewhere,’ said Elsie sharply. ‘We’re going out so you’d better find it, Wippet, before I come home to find me place on
fire.’

‘Don’t worry. It’s here.’ Wippet picked the cigarette butt from the stair and crunched the lit end with his stubby fingers. ‘This won’t happen again.’
The monkey chattered and pushed his furry knuckles around his eyes. ‘He’s sorry, Mrs G. See, he’s crying.’

Everyone laughed again, and Elsie relented. ‘Poor little bugger. He shouldn’t be cooped up all day in that cage of yours. He should be free, swinging from trees in Africa or wherever
he comes from.’

‘Oh, he was born in a circus,’ Nina said as she held the little monkey close, ‘and wouldn’t leave Wippet even if he could.’

Marie knew that Nina worked as a cloakroom attendant in one of the West End clubs. She was rather glamorous, dressed this evening in a cream-coloured pleated skirt and top, and her blonde hair
was long and smooth. It always amazed Marie that she didn’t appear to have a boyfriend. She seemed more Teddy Turner’s type, though Marie had noticed that she rarely spoke to him if
they happened to pass on the stairs.

‘You all look very smart,’ Nina said in her quiet voice. ‘Are you going somewhere special?’

‘Yes,’ said Vesta at once. ‘To the Queen’s, to see Teddy.’

Nina didn’t reply. Marie felt sorry for her. She never seemed to have any friends other than Wippet. Elsie must have felt the same, she decided, as Elsie said quickly, ‘You’re
welcome to join us, ducks, but you’ll have to pay for yourself.’

‘That’s very nice of you, but no thanks.’ Nina turned and ran up the two flights of stairs with the little monkey safe in her arms.

‘Well, we ain’t asking you, love,’ chuckled Elsie to Wippet as he lingered. ‘This is a girls’ night out.’

Wippet laughed as he moved his small body almost painfully up the stairs. ‘I wouldn’t be able to see over the heads anyway, Mrs G,’ he joked, and then, turning slowly, he
added, ‘but next week Kaiser and I are to return to the travelling fairground at Blackheath for a few days and perform a special trick. So if you all want to come and see us, you’re
welcome.’

‘What’s the trick?’ asked Elsie curiously.

‘I hope to escape my chains underwater.’