Bill laughed and said he hadn’t. ‘I only notice when you make eyes at me.’ He held her tight, her body moulded to his.
The last dance was a waltz. Margot laid her head on Bill’s chest and they danced closely and slowly, making up their own steps.
‘Right!’ Margot said when they were back at the table. ‘This place is about to close, but I haven’t had nearly enough fun. Let’s go back to our apartment and carry on the party.’
‘We must go home,’ Natalie said. ‘It’s been lovely, but it takes a while to get back to Hampstead.’ She took Margot’s hand. ‘Look after yourself, my dear, and get a good night’s sleep,’ she said, kissing her goodbye.
Anton said goodnight to Bill, and Natalie said goodnight to George and Betsy, kissing each of them in turn.
‘You were wonderful tonight,’ Anton said, turning to Margot. ‘You won’t give up your theatre job now you’re a famous cabaret star, will you?’
‘How could you ask such a thing?’ Margot looked suitably shocked and kissed Anton goodbye. ‘I’ll be on stage at the Prince Albert Theatre on Monday morning, ten o’clock sharp, to work on my new songs.’
‘Bets and I are off too.’ George said, kissing Bill and then Margot. And while Betsy was saying goodnight, George said, ‘We’ll take Jenny with us.’ Jenny opened her mouth to protest, but George ignored her. ‘Bets and I are getting a cab,’ she said, looking sternly at Jenny. ‘It’s no trouble to swing by the East End, make sure you get home safely.’
Jenny looked at Bill but, seeing Margot with her arms around him, she said, ‘If you’re sure?’
Walking the short distance home, Margot said, ‘She’s got one hell of a crush on you, Bill.’
‘Who? George?’ he said, laughing.
‘No! You know who! And, cheeky, there’s nothing wrong with George,’ Margot said, defending her friend.
‘I know that, you silly goose. George is a good sort. I just don’t think I’m her kind of-- beau.’
‘You’re definitely someone’s kind of beau.’
‘If you mean Jenny,’ Bill said, as they turned into Oxford Mews, ‘you’re wrong. Jenny is just a nice kid who’s a bit lost.’
‘Is that what she is, a bit lost? We’ll see.’
‘Yes,’ Bill said, opening the street door to the apartment. ‘And she does a good job on the ambulances, so don’t be so horrible, Margot!’
‘Me? Horrible? That girl is infatuated with you. And if you can’t see it, Bill Burrell, you’re dafter than I thought you were.’ In the living room, Margot went straight to the drinks cupboard and took out a bottle of brandy.
‘Thank you!’ Bill took the brandy from her. ‘I think it’s time you went to bed.’ After returning the bottle to the cupboard, he helped Margot out of her coat and hung it up. ‘Come on, I’m tired.’
She gritted her teeth. She was so close to telling Bill about Jenny and her lies. Another drink and she would have done. Serve the little bitch right. Bill too, for always taking her side. In a huff, Margot stomped into the bedroom.
“‘The assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler may have failed, but thanks to the Americans – and the other allied forces involved in the Normandy landings – the major cities of Europe are being liberated,”’ Bill said, reading the newspaper to Margot when she entered the sitting room. ‘They’ve listed the cities – Cherbourg, Florence, Paris, and on October 14th, Athens. Hitler won’t last long now.’
‘Good morning to you too, Bill. Yes, I am well, thank you for asking. No, I didn’t sleep through the night, because I was in agony with my ankle.’ Seeing the concerned look on her husband’s face, Margot put up her hand. ‘But this morning it feels much better,’ she said, plonking herself down on the chair opposite him at the breakfast table. Leaning on her elbows, Margot put her chin on her hands and looked up at Bill through tired eyes. She sighed loudly.
‘Sorry, sweetheart. For once the papers have some good news in them. Tea?’ He felt the pot. ‘It’s still hot.’
Margot nodded. ‘Toast?’
‘Have this,’ he said, buttering the last slice in the rack and handing it to her. ‘I’ll put another couple of slices under the grill.’
Returning almost immediately with the kettle, Bill topped up the tea pot. After taking the kettle back to the kitchen, he returned with two slices of toast. While he buttered them, Margot poured a second cup of tea.
‘It’ll be over soon,’ Bill said, picking up the newspaper again. ‘It says here, “June 6th 1944 will go down in history as the beginning of Adolf Hitler’s demise. Thanks to the amphibious invasion in Nazi-occupied France earlier this year, when allied troops landed on the beaches of Normandy and invaded the heavily guarded coastline, important headway was made towards overtaking Hitler's armies.” I told you, didn’t I?’
‘It hasn’t stopped him from bombarding us with flying bombs. Those damn Doodle Bugs have done more damage and killed more people--’
‘Not for much longer. Listen to this. “Allied paratroopers and glider units were dropped behind German lines along the coast, from Caen through Sainte Mere-Eglise beach--”’
‘I hope Claire isn’t there,’ Margot said, suddenly all ears.
‘What makes you think she might be?’
‘Because…’ Margot wished she’d paid more attention to what Bess had told her about Claire’s work in France.
‘I tell you, Margot, it’s going to be over soon. I can’t say anything, but Whitehall’s buzzing with optimism.’ Bill folded the newspaper and got up. Standing behind Margot, he bent down and kissed the top of her head. ‘And then, my love, we are going home.’
Margot sighed. Going home to the Midlands wasn’t what she wanted. She loved her life as a West End star. She loved the work, the fame, being recognised in the street. She still felt
