Little Stars Read online

  ‘You should never have risked it, not on a Saturday. We’ve got a sell-out audience, and half of them were here to see you two, the kiddies everyone’s talking about. There was uproar when you didn’t show up. I’m not having the show disrupted like that! They’re in an ugly mood now, and it will be the devil’s own job to calm them down. All my major third-act stars are very angry. It puts everyone in a bad light. I’m not having this. I’m getting shot of you two. Go on, out of here. You’re no longer part of the show,’ Mrs Ruby declared.

  ‘But that’s so unfair, Mrs Ruby. Hetty couldn’t help it—’ Bertie began.

  ‘And you can shut your mouth or you’re out too,’ she said curtly.

  ‘Hey, hey, maybe you’re being a bit hasty,’ said Samson, pouring her a glass of wine. ‘You saw for yourself – the little girls are a big draw. Why not pop them on at the beginning of the third act – which was due to start ten minutes ago, so we’d better get cracking. It’ll surprise the crowd and settle them down.’

  ‘Put them on as third-acters? Reward her for a no-show?’ exclaimed Mrs Ruby. ‘Never! They’d all start taking liberties then.’

  ‘They wouldn’t dare. But these girls are good – you know that. I’m not saying put them on as third-acters permanent, like. Just for tonight, as a crowd-pleaser.’

  Mrs Ruby’s eyes had narrowed suspiciously. ‘How come you’re sticking up for the kid, Samson?’ she said sharply. ‘What’s it to you if I get rid of her?’

  ‘She means nothing to me. Like you said, she’s just a kid. But we’re in this show to make money, aren’t we? You’re meant to be the shrewd businesswoman, aren’t you – Auntie?’

  She flushed when he said the word. She drained her glass, thinking. Then she dabbed her lips with an embroidered handkerchief and faced me. ‘All right. You’re on in one minute. Get your skinny little rump downstairs, and take the cry-baby with you. I’ll decide what to do with you after the show. Go on then, jump to it!’

  We jumped.

  ‘Stop crying, Diamond! Wipe your eyes, quick,’ I said as we hurtled down the stairs. There was no time for modesty. I stripped off my primrose dress and shrugged on my stage costume in full view of everyone. Samson was lurking around instead of going to his table to quieten everyone down.

  ‘Push off – give the girl some privacy,’ said Bertie angrily, trying to shield me. ‘Go and announce them!’

  ‘You button your lip, little goblin,’ said Samson, aiming a blow at him, but luckily he was too tipsy. He lurched off, though he turned round several times, leering at me.

  There were resentful mutterings in the wings as we seized the penny-farthing and Samson announced the beginning of the third act.

  ‘Welcome back, ladies and gentlemen – and others! I hope you’ve had a chance to imbibe sufficient liquid refreshment, my dears. And now you’re in for an unexpected treat. It’s been brought to our attention that some of you are a tad disgruntled because two special starry little ladies have failed to put in an appearance tonight . . .’

  There was a loud response from the audience.

  ‘Aha, I thought so! But do not despair, ladies and gentlemen. Perk up, all you others! The management understands your feelings. We love those little ladies too. That’s why we’ve decided, on this very special sell-out Saturday at the Cavalcade, to move our miniature misses to the start of the third act! And here they are, so give a big hand to our Little Stars!’

  As we went on stage, I couldn’t help marvelling at Samson’s ability to give us a fine introduction, even though he was clearly drunk. His voice was perhaps a little huskier than usual, but it wasn’t slurred, and he was completely articulate. I knew from my own experience that it was hard work getting the words to roll out so fluently.

  I was conscious of Samson peering at us intently throughout the act. I thought he was simply keeping an eye on us, making sure we wouldn’t let him down after he’d persuaded Mrs Ruby to give us a second chance.

  Somehow, though I was bone weary and heartsick, and poor little Diamond still had tear-stained cheeks and looked exhausted, we gave what was probably our very best performance. It seemed daisy-fresh, though we’d said the same lines so many times, and when Diamond made her flying leap up onto my shoulders, she did it with such finesse that there was a great gasp from the audience, and then a frenetic burst of applause.

  When we left the stage on the penny-farthing, they clapped even harder. Samson clapped too, actually standing up at his table. I still couldn’t bear him, but I was so grateful to have this chance that I smiled and blew him a kiss.

  BERTIE WALKED US home, telling me all about the shenanigans of the evening, the panic when I failed to arrive, and Mrs Ruby’s increasing rage.

  ‘Well, I never thought I’d say this, but good old Samson for saving us,’ I said, doing a little dance down the road because I was so happy.

  ‘You watch out, Hetty. I can’t bear the way that man looks at you. Keep away from him, do you hear me?’ Bertie took hold of my arm and gave me a little shake.

  I just giggled, feeling light-headed with tiredness. Of course I didn’t want to encourage Samson in any way – but he seemed to have taken a shine to me. He was considered a fine figure of a man. He wore foppish velvet jackets and big silk neck ties, but he was so tall and broad-shouldered, with such a pronounced cleft chin, that he didn’t look remotely effeminate. The showgirls thought him handsome because of his thick wavy hair, his shrewd dark eyes, his high colouring. It was astonishing that such a man could be interested in a small slight girl like me, sickly pale, with flaming red hair.

  ‘You don’t like him, do you?’ Bertie demanded.

  ‘Of course I don’t like him. I absolutely hate him. He gives me the shivers,’ I said, truthfully enough. ‘But thank goodness he spoke up for us.’

  ‘I spoke up for you too. I practically tore my tongue in two, making excuses,’ said Bertie. ‘Were you really simply held up by the train? Are you sure you didn’t stay too late celebrating at this wedding of yours? Were you having one last dance with the newly-wed?’

  ‘You do talk such nonsense, Bertie,’ I said, laughing at him.

  He waited outside the door while I took Diamond in to Miss Gibson, thanking her fervently – and then slipped out again. Bertie drew me away from the porch, where the gaslight was bright. We stood together in the dark alleyway beside the shop.

  He put his arm round me. ‘You’re a one, you are, Hetty Feather, whizzing about the country all by yourself, so devil-may-care. Doesn’t anything ever frighten you?’ he asked.

  ‘Oh my goodness, Bertie, I was desperate when the first train was cancelled, and then the second one stopped in the middle of nowhere and wouldn’t start again. I was all for jumping out and walking. This man had to hold me down. I still haven’t stopped shaking!’

  ‘There now. You’re safe with old Bertie – and you two absolutely stunned the audience. I bet Mrs Ruby makes you permanent third-acters. Then there’ll be some mutterings! Mine will be the loudest! How dare you jump higher up the bill from me when you’ve only been in the business five minutes!’

  ‘You are joking, aren’t you?’ I said uncertainly.

  ‘Course I am. I want you to do well, silly,’ said Bertie. ‘I’m proud of you, Hetty Feather. So how did the wedding go, then? Was it strange seeing your Jem wed this other girl?’

  I was glad he couldn’t see my face properly. ‘It was a lovely wedding,’ I said smoothly. ‘I’m so pleased for Jem and Janet. They make a lovely couple. They’ll be very happy together.’

  ‘And you didn’t have any second thoughts? You didn’t wish you could be his bride?’ Bertie persisted.

  ‘Of course not,’ I said.

  ‘Did you tell him you had your own sweetheart now? Did you show him your ring?’

  ‘Of course I did,’ I fibbed.

  ‘So you told him all about me?’

  ‘Yes, I did.’

  ‘What did you say?’

  I paused. ‘I told