the one to send ’em wild!’ Whipping the shocking pink dress from its hanger, she held it against the girl. ‘What d’ye think, me darling?’
Madeleine thought Alice had chosen well. ‘OK, let’s go for that one,’ she agreed. ‘Pink dress, black belt and shoes …’
‘And that sparkly diamond clip in your hair?’ Alice suggested.
The two women worked methodically in front of the big illuminated mirror, with make-up, perfume and hairspray until finally, Maddy Delaney – the Songbird – was ready to face her public.
When she emerged onstage, the punters went wild, and who could blame them? In the sexy knee-length gown with its sweetheart neckline, long skinny sleeves and back kick-pleat, she was both classy and glamorous.
Her long thick locks were swept off-centre to the top of her head, so as to cascade naturally down one side; the diamond clip accentuated the depth and sparkle of her eyes, and the stiletto heels gave her legs a long, slender appearance.
When the music started up and her pure, powerful voice rose to the rafters, the crowd fell silent. Maddy had chosen to sing The Beatles’ new hit, ‘Yesterday’ – a song which the public all over the world had taken to their hearts. The hush was complete as she sang to a sea of upturned faces about the sorrow of lost love and loneliness.
Each haunting song that followed was a story, and when finally she bowed and thanked them, the audience gave her and the musicians the rapturous applause they deserved.
And so, the evening was finally over. As Steve Drayton watched the punters go, a celebratory cigar drooping from his mouth, his hands were itching to count the takings. ‘I reckon we’ve done all right,’ he boasted, as Alice closed the outer door. ‘Now that Madeleine’s back, there’ll be no holding us.’
‘If you want her to stay, you’d best mend your ways,’ Alice declared. ‘You almost lost her because of your bullying. Next time, it might well be permanent.’
None too pleased at her unwelcome advice, he bit back, ‘When I need your opinion, I’ll ask for it. And if I find you’ve been trying to turn her against me, well now …’ He nodded affirmatively. ‘I’ll have no choice but to deal with it … if you know what I mean?’
Alice knew well enough what he meant, but she played him at his own game. ‘Whatever makes you think I might try and turn Madeleine against you?’ she asked sarcastically. ‘When you’re doing a perfectly good job of it yourself!’
‘This is the last warning, Alice. Just keep your nose out of my business.’ He caught the defiant look in her eye and shook his head. ‘You need to listen to what I’m saying! Oh, I won’t deny you’re worth your weight in gold here. But like I said before, you are not indispensable.’
‘I never thought I was,’ Alice said, beginning to empty the till. ‘Though you won’t find better than me.’ We’ll ‘Maybe I would, maybe I wouldn’t. We’ll just have to see, won’t we? So now, if it doesn’t go against your high principles, d’you think you could close up and see yourself off these premises? I’ll cash up tonight. Tell everyone they can go home – you’ve all done very well tonight.’
Steve sank into a reflective mood as he mechanically counted the takings. The sight of Madeleine on stage, her slim curves draped in silk, had reminded him of what he had been missing; twice he’d been to the flat he’d bought for her in Battersea, but there was no sign of her, and so he began wondering where she was, and who with. And yes, there had been others to satisfy him in Madeleine’s absence, but they were just filling in, until she came back … as he knew she would.
Hearing a noise behind him, he swung round. ‘What! Are you still here?’ Alice had become a thorn in his side, and if he had his way, it would be a mere matter of time before she was permanently removed.
On his words, Alice picked up her handbag which she’d left by the till and hurried away. There was no need to antagonise him further, she wisely decided. But she vowed to make Madeleine see sense; if not today, then soon.
Before something really bad happened.
With that in mind, she set off in search of Raymond, a shy, bumbling giant of a man who worked like a dog, and was solely responsible these days for keeping the club clean and shipshape.
Being another fortunate ‘find’ for Drayton, Raymond kept himself to himself, avoiding company and speaking only when spoken to. An orphan raised in a strict children’s home, he had been a wanderer sweeping the streets when Drayton came across him. Within a week, he had him working at the club.
Poor Raymond was forever grateful to his new boss. Given a windowless room where he could lay his head, free food from the club and a measly wage on a Friday, he thought himself a fortunate man.
‘Ray, where are you?’ Alice looked about, but could see no sign of him. Going to the bar, she asked one of the barmen there, ‘Jack, have you seen Raymond anywhere?’
Jack was genuinely friendly, honest as the day was long, and deeply fond of Madeleine – not in any sexual way, he was not that way intended – but he was prepared to stand up and defend her. Alice had seen the way his boyish features tightened whenever he saw Drayton bullying her. Hard-working and ambitious, Jack nevertheless remained untainted by the world of Soho; in fact, he wanted to run his own club one day.
In answer to Alice’s question, Jack gestured to the far side of the room. ‘Last time I saw him, he was clearing the back tables.’
Alice thanked him. ‘The boss is especially keen to have the club emptied and locked for the night.’
‘Why? What’s got into him? Most nights he’s here till all hours, him and his cronies, gambling and drinking. What’s so different about tonight?’
‘Sure, it’s no good asking me!’ Alice rolled her eyes to the heavens. ‘Best do as he says though. Ye know what a vile bugger he can be.’
‘Alice …’ Jack lowered his voice to a whisper. ‘He doesn’t know, does he?’
‘If you mean, does he know Madeleine was with you all that time, the answer is no – at least I don’t think so. He hasn’t said anything.’
Jack was concerned all the same, ‘You and I both know, he’d go mental if he found out. Not because anything would have happened between me and Madeleine.’ He smiled a sad little smile. ‘He knows the way things are with me. It’s just that I care about her! When I caught her crying in the back alley that night, I knew she needed to get away from him … if only to send him the message that she’s not his sole property to do with as he pleases!’
Alice understood his frustration. ‘The trouble is, she loves him – though God only knows why.’
‘I’m well aware of that,’ Jack sighed. ‘It was plain enough – the way she kept mentioning his name, even wanting to get back to him from the minute she came in through the door.’
‘Well, it was Drayton who put her up there in front of the crowds,’ Alice conceded. ‘Unfortunately, she seems to think she owes him for that for all eternity, when all the time any self-respecting club-owner would have cut his arm off for the chance. Anyways, all we can do is hope she comes to her senses, sooner
