Sister's Trio Squad

Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Hello there, Andy, have yese nowhere warm to go the night, instead o' walkin' the streets?' He laughed.

'I fancied some air, after being stuck in that room all day and then being half-choked in the "Steamy", Lisa said coldly. 'An did yese carry the washin' back for her then, Andy?'

'No, he did not! I do that myself.' But she didn't like Maggie or the way she was insinuating that she had some strange, demeaning power over Andy. 'And where are you off to, Maggie?' He had treated the

insinuation with the contempt it deserved. She grinned. 'I'm meetin' some friends in a nice, warm pub, we're havin' a few drams to keep oot the cold. An'

I expect we'll be havin' a few laughs and do a bit o'

blatherin'.' She smiled, invitingly. Lisa pulled at his arm. 'We'd best be on our way, think I felt a spot of rain.' I

"Goodnight then, an' don't do anythin' I wouldn'a do!' Maggie laughed, pulling the collar of her coat up around her neck.

'She's a bold piece,' Lisa said as they walked on. 'She's not all that bad, she doesn't mean half of what she says."

'Oh,

you

know her that well then?'

'I've known her all my life, she lives in our street. What's the matter with you tonight, Lisa?' 'Nothing, I'm just tired.' Somehow Maggie had dis turbed her peace of mind. 'Will we go back now?'

They turned and began to retrace their steps, but after a few minutes the rain began to fall heavily. Cold, sheeting rain that hit the pavement and then bounced off. As Andy had predicted, the umbrella was useless, blowing inside out as soon as she put it up. They ran across the road and into the side doorway of a warehouse, just wide enough for them.

'We'll have to wait here until we hear a tram, then we'll make a dash for it.'

'Oh, I'm sorry I dragged you out on a night like this, I must be an eejit!'

He pulled her to him. 'I don't mind.'

His lips sought hers, kissing her gently at first, then with a stronger, more urgent desire. Whenever he kissed her like that she felt strangely dizzy and a feeling of warmth crept over her, despite the cold of the wind and the rain. She always felt safe and warm in his arms and she wished they could stay just like this forever. She felt so happy that it made her want to cry.

'Oh, Andy, hold me like this forever,' she whispered as his lips burned against her throat. She gently stroked the dark hair that curled low on the back of his neck. His mouth was on hers again, the tip of his tongue parting her lips. Then she felt his hand against her breast and it seemed to burn her flesh, despite the layers of clothing. She gasped as he clung to her mouth. She felt his fingers inside her coat, caressing her and the darkness swirled around her. Oh, she wanted him! She wanted him so much. It was a flame that was consuming her, willing him to go on.

'Bridie! Bridie! Oh, my own little Bridie!' he mut tered.

Through the mists that clogged her mind the diminutive of her name rang clearly. Bridie! Little Bridie! Her Pa's name for her. She pushed him away, her face flushed. 'Andy, no! No more!'

'I want you, Lisa, I love you!"

I can't! It's wrong! It's a sin! I love you, too, Andy, but... but I'm not like Maggie Baird!'

He held her away from him and looked down into her face. 'No, you're not like her. She doesn't lead a man on, tease him and then stiffen up and become all Holy!'

She was stung. 'I didn't lead you on and I wasn't teasing!" I'm only a man and I can't help my feelings or

my needs." I'm sorry! Oh, I'm truly sorry, but I just can't ... not until I'm married. She had been brought up too strictly, with the fear of eternal damnation, shame and disgrace, to throw those feelings to the winds now, even for him.

Do you think I wouldn't marry you?' 'I don't want to trap you, I don't want that! I want you of your own free will."

A distant expression came into his eyes and his grip on

her relaxed. 'Come on, let's go back, it's eased off a bit.'

She felt utterly miserable. She did love him and she

had wanted him, she still wanted him, but he made her

feel guilty. He took her hand and looked down at her again, then he sighed. Now you're crying. Oh, I'm sorry!'

She tried to brush away the tears with her free hand. "No, it's me who's sorry, Andy. I've hurt you and I never meant to."

He bent and kissed her cheek. 'Don't be an "eejit", you've not hurt me. Come on, I can hear a tram, if we run we'll get it.

As she lay in bed beside Eileen and Bernie, both of whom were sleeping soundly, Lisa fidgeted in the narrow space, trying not to disturb them. Sleep had eluded her. Oh, if only he would ask her to marry him, to become engaged even, it would be different. She didn't want to lose him. She just couldn't imagine life without him. But to give in to him and to her own longings would make her little better than Maggie Baird. And if he did marry her, what then? Where would they live? How would they live? She pushed those questions to the back of her mind. Her love and longing for him carried her no further than the altar of St John's church. She lay staring at the dim shaft of moonlight that filtered in through the tiny, curtainless window and struggled with her conscience and her desires until she fell into a fitful sleep.

At lunchtime on Monday Lisa sat with Bernie and a few other girls on the low stone wall at the back of the factory, eating the meagre bits of food they had taken with them. The bulk of the factory shielded them from the wind and watery sunlight had tempted them from eating inside.

Andy had seemed his usual self over the weekend and had even taken her into the Waverley Hotel on Sauchiehall Street and had paid two shillings for a pot of tea and scones for her and a dram of the finest whisky for himself. That kind of money was too precious to be spent on such luxuries and she'd told him so, only to have him laugh and say, 'Och, I'll never understand women! One minute you want to have tea in those fancy Tea Rooms and then, when I bring you here and buy you tea, you say it's a waste of good money!'

She was in the middle of describing the interior of the Waverley Hotel to the group when Maggie Baird and two others came and sat beside them.

'Yese say he paid two shillin's for tea? Didn't I always say Big Andy MacDonald had his brains in his trewsers? I hope he got his money's worth!' Maggie laughed, coarsely. Bernie turned towards her. 'It's a mind and a mouth

like a sewer you've got!'

'Would yese listen t' her,' Maggie retorted, mockingly. 'I don't need to be bought, Maggie Baird, not like some people!' Lisa said coldly.

'Jesus! Listen t' her. Miss Prim an' Proper. I dinna whit he sees in yese, Lisa O'Maxwell. An he'll get no comfort from yese, either! Och, I've met your type before.' And what type is that?' Lisa shot back.

Maggie pursed up her mouth and mimicked 'Yese'll no'

be havin' me until yese wed me, Andy.' At least I don't have to resort to "having my card stamped" and I don't have to behave like a... a... 'Hairey!' Bernie supplied, using the local name for

a w***e. Maggie jumped to her feet. 'Who're yese callin' a

hairey?' 'If the cap fits!' Lisa snapped.

The girl sitting next to Bernie started to snigger. Seeing she was outnumbered, Maggie just glared at Lisa. 'Yese think you've go' him, don't yese? Well, we'll be seein' aboot tha'! He's a man, isn't he, an' he'll no' go without for long. So, I'm givin' yese fair warning, I'll have him off the end!' yese in

'Yese'll have anyone in trewsers, Maggie Baird. Why don't yese move to the Saltmarket with the rest o' them?" one of Lisa's group sniggered.

Maggie's dark eyes narrowed as she glared at them all and then she turned and walked away.

"Take no notice of that one, Lisa, she's all mouth. Andy's your man and he wouldn't give the likes of that one a second look, that he wouldn't,' Bernie stated.

Lisa pulled off a piece of bread and ate it, but a nagging seed of doubt had been sown. It was as if Maggie's threat had brought all her fears to the sur face again.

The cold wind, after the heat of the theatre, stung Nancy's cheeks. She shivered and walked quickly up the narrow alley and out into the brightly lit street. Edward was waiting for her in his car, but on seeing her, he got out and opened the passenger door for her. She'd been working steadily and hard since the day she'd walked back into his office, ignoring the pre vious day's incident, and he had had the good grace to ignore it, too.

And to what do I owe this honour? You don't usually pick me up and take me to supper?' She'd been surprised and intrigued ever since she'd been handed his note, just before she'd gone on stage.

'I think you deserve a little spoiling now and then, besides I think I've got a part for you.' 'A part! What in? Where?' She forgot how tired she was and how her feet ached.

'All in good time,' he laughed. He deliberately kept their social lives apart, for he had found himself thinking far too much about her lately. Now she looked like a pretty child on her birthday. Her eyes full of expectation and excitement as she anticipated the delights to come. It was strange how he always thought of her as being so young. Perhaps it came from the fact that he was much older, but then that really wasn't true; he was only thirty-one.

She clutched his arm. 'Oh, Edward, don't be so mean!

Tell me now!'

'If you don't stop pulling my arm we'll end up wrapped around a lamp post and that would be the end of both of us!"

She let go and, delving into her handbag, pulled out a small mirror and studied her reflection. At least tell me where you're taking me?' "To Stefano's.'

She was a little disappointed. She would have prefered somewhere much smarter, but at least it would be warm and comfortable and quiet and the food was good. She leaned back in her seat. Oh, was there really an end in sight to all the rushing about and the tatty theatres with their noisy and sometimes unappreciative audiences? Had her chance arrived at last? The turquoise taffeta looked a little out of place amidst the sombre-suited customers in the quiet, little restau rant. Edward ordered a bottle of wine and handed her the menu.

Oh, I'm too excited to eat! If you don't tell me all about it I'll... scream!'

We'll be thrown out,' he joked, but seeing he could no longer keep her quiet, he decided to put her out of her misery. 'You've got an audition tomorrow for the London production of "Starlight and Syncopation' at the Gaiety in the Strand.' He filled her glass with wine and handed it to her.

Her eyes widened and her mouth formed an 'O' as she just stared at him, the glass half way to her lips. 'Say something, you look like a fish with your mouth

open!' She put the glass down with a rather shaky hand. 'Oh, Edward! It's going to be a roaring success, I know it. Oh, I don't know what to say

Thank you would do for a start.' She caught his hand and held it tightly. 'Oh, thank you!

A million times! I just can't believe it. No more Charlie

Grayson, no more tatty theatres.'

He felt a tremor of excitement pass from her hand to his own and he slowly pulled his hand away. Her face was transformed and he thought how beautiful she was; her pale skin glowing, her eyes sparkling, her lips parted in a smile. He had a sudden urge to lean over and kiss her. 'Don't get your hopes up too high. It's for the chorus and there will be others after a place, too!'

'I don't care. Oh, I know I'll get it! Is it singing and dancing? What shall I sing? Is there a "set" piece?'

'One thing at a time! Yes, it's singing and dancing. You can sing anything you like but I'd advise you to do something up to date, at least then they'll know you're really interested."

'Interested! I'd kill to get the part.' 'I believe you would, too, Nancy.'

She laughed. 'So, what shall I sing?'

'Do

you

know "Tea for Two"?"

She nodded as she sipped the wine. She felt exuberant and already intoxicated. Again she took his hand and began to sing softly,

Tea for Two and Two for Tea, And me for you and you for me,

Oh, can't you see how happy we would be ...