‘Working! It’s Friday night. I do a late night spot at the Albert Club on Fridays, remember?’ As Margot dropped onto the settee Bill pushed himself up. ‘You’re obviously not interested in what I’ve got to tell you,’ she said, as he made his way to the bedroom.
‘What’s so important it can’t wait until morning?’ Bill said, turning in the doorway and yawning again.
Margot felt like saying nothing, but that would cause another argument. ‘Bernard Rudman was at the club with Salvatore tonight.’
‘Is that what you’re keeping me from my bed to tell me?’
‘No!’
Sudden realisation crept across Bill’s face. He hit the doorframe with the flat of his hand and shook his head. Margot jumped, but said nothing. ‘He’s asked you to do a spot and you’ve said yes, haven’t you? Well, am I right?’
‘Yes! You’re right! Are you happy now you’ve spoilt it for me?’ Margot screamed.
‘I’m tired. Don’t wake me when you come to bed,’ Bill said, closing the bedroom door.
The following morning when Margot got up, she was pleased to see Bill had already left for the MoD – she didn’t feel up to another argument. Bill said it was because of her health that he didn’t want her to take on any more work, but it was because when the war ended – and those in the know were saying it would be sooner rather than later – he wanted her to leave London with him and go back to the Midlands to start a family. She had managed to change the subject every time he brought it up, but she wouldn’t be able to do it for much longer.
‘Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Miss Margot Dudley.’
Margot stood up to overwhelming applause. After kissing Bill on the cheek, she made her way across the room, elegantly weaving through tables of diners, smiling and greeting them.
The bandleader offered her his hand, which Margot graciously accepted. After a brief exchange she turned to the audience. ‘Thank you,’ she said into the microphone, smiling, and she waited for the applause to die down. When it did, she nodded to the bandleader. The band began to play and Margot began to sing “A Nightingale Sang In Berkley Square”.
At midnight, after singing for almost an hour, Margot ended the set with “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” followed by “I’ll Be Seeing You”, to a standing ovation. She bowed to the band, thanked the bandleader and blew kisses to the audience. Then she made her way back to the table where Bill and her friends were sitting, smiling and thanking people on the way.
‘Bravo!’ George shouted as Margot approached the table. ‘You were wonderful, darling.’
‘Thank you, George. Pour me a drink, will you?’
Bill pulled out her chair. ‘Sit down, Margot, you look exhausted.’
‘I am a bit. Cheers!’ she said, taking a glass of wine from George and drinking half of it in one go. ‘I needed that. It’s hot under all those lights. Bright too; given me a headache,’ she said, more to herself than to her friends.
After congratulating her, Natalie and Anton got up and made their way to the dance floor.
‘Do you want to dance, Margot?’ Bill asked.
‘Not at the moment, darling, if you don’t mind,’ Margot said, leaning back in her chair and smiling lovingly at her husband. ‘Give me ten minutes to shake off this damn headache and I’ll dance you off your feet.’
‘I’ll dance with you, Bill,’ Jenny said, jumping up.
‘See you later, ladies,’ Bill called over his shoulder, as Jenny led him to the dance floor.
George poured another drink. ‘Do you trust her, Margot?’
‘Who?’
‘Jenny.’
‘Why do you ask?’
‘It’s probably nothing, but she’s been making eyes at Bill all night. Agreeing with everything he said and laughing at his jokes, which frankly weren’t all that funny.’
‘Making eyes at him and agreeing with him is one thing, but laughing at his jokes? That’s grounds for divorce,’ Margot said, putting her arm around George. ‘What do you think, Bets?’
‘I think she’s got a crush on him, that’s all. But there’s no harm in keeping an eye on her. Bill’s a good looking fella and they do spend a lot time together on the ambulances.’
Margot scanned the dance floor until she found them. Bill stood head and shoulders above Jenny. With a straight back he held her at arm’s length. She waved the idea away. ‘Loyal to the core, my Bill.’
‘He might be,’ George said, ‘but is she?’
‘No, she isn’t!’ Margot’s eyes flashed with anger.
‘But I thought she was your friend,’ Betsy said.
‘She was. Bill thinks she still is, so don’t say anything. She tried to pinch him off me while we were touring with ENSA.’ Margot’s pulse quickened and she felt her cheeks flush. Not at the memory of Jenny, but at the memory of her own near indiscretion with Lieutenant Boyd Murphy on the second ENSA tour. If she hadn’t felt so guilty she might easily have--
‘What happened, Margot?’ George asked. ‘Margot?’
‘Sorry, I was miles away... She said she’d been bombed out and had nowhere to live, so Bill took her in.’
‘And had she?’
‘No. It was a pack of lies. Anyway, I threatened to tell Bill and she promised not to try it on with him again.’
‘Do you believe her?’ Betsy asked.
‘Oh yes! She knows if I told Bill it would put the kibosh on her working on the ambulances.’ Margot laughed. ‘She won’t try anything again. If she does, I’ll get her sacked.’
‘Shush, they’re coming back,’ George said.
‘I think this is my dance,’ Margot said to Bill when he and Jenny returned to the table. ‘Sir?’ She slipped her arm through his.
Bill stood up very straight. ‘It would be my pleasure, Madam.’
While they danced, Margot asked Bill if he’d
