Sister's Trio Squad

Chapter 47

Chapter 47

As Edward helped them all out of the car, Nancy stared around her with smug satisfaction. The last time he brought me here I looked awful. Everyone looked at me as though I was something the cat had dragged in.' They won't tonight!' Margaret said, proudly. Nancy

looked radiant. 'I could drink Champagne until morning! I don't really

feel hungry, Edward.'

'You've had nothing to eat for hours and I don't intend

to have a repeat performance of you and Helen Mason's

"celebration" of "Starlight and Syncopation"." 'Oh, he's such a kill-joy, isn't he?" Nancy laughed as they were shown to their table. This time the gazes centred on them were approving and congratulatory and she beamed at everyone. The taste of success was so sweet!

'And what are you going to do now?' Margaret asked

as they waited for Edward to order.

'I won't have much time to sit back and enjoy myself, if that's what you mean. If tonight is anything to go by, the show will run forever! But I'm going to find time to get a place of my own. I've had enough of Rose and her rules and regulations, and when it's fin ished I'm going to give a grand party and you must come! You and Lewis, and you, too, Ellen, Lisa and Ma and oh, everyone! Even that awful Elizabeth

that you write about! Oh, she'll be green with envy, will that one!' Edward nudged her and inclined his head in Ellen's

direction.

Ellen was unperturbed. 'Lizzie wouldn't come. She hates it when people have nicer things than she does and she's not the centre of everyone's attention. And if she came, I wouldn't!' she added flatly. "That's no way to talk about your sister, Ellen,' Mary

Kate reprimanded her. 'And you know what Grandma told

you about little girls being seen and not heard?"

Edward was trying to hide his amusement while Nancy

looked a little puzzled. 'Grandma? Of course, you mean Ma! I just can't get

used to it all.' 'And what is Lisa doing?' Edward asked, thinking a change of subject was called for. 'She has finally got the job she wanted. It's in a very

exclusive shop in the centre of Glasgow and she has ambi

tions to get on. She's still living with Bernie O'Hagan who

is getting married, by the way,' Margaret said, turning

to Nancy.

'Not before time either. I don't know how Lisa can bear to live in the same house as that tinker.' 'Bernie's been a good friend to her,' Margaret said

quietly. Nancy frowned and ignored this statement, then her expression changed. 'Look, here's Helen and the crowd!' She waved to the group who had just arrived.

Edward looked slightly sour as Helen, followed by Freddie Marshalsea and Jimmie Masters detached them selves and came over to their table.

Helen hugged Nancy. 'Nancy! You were absolutely fantastic! You'll be all the rage tomorrow. I'm green with envy. Aren't you going to introduce us?' Helen enthused.

"This is my sister, Margaret Vannin and her daughters

Ellen, and Edward you already know. This is my friend, Helen Mason, Margaret, and this is Lord Frederick Marshalsea and The Honourable James Masters.'

It's Freddie and Jimmie to friends, charmed to meet you, Mrs Vannin.' Freddie shook Margaret's hand. Wasn't she just perfect tonight? You must be so proud of her?"

'I am - we all are."

'I say, why don't we all sit down together? Have a bit of a party, what?' Freddie suggested. Helen clapped her hands in delight and Nancy was about

to move her chair when Edward interrupted. 'Perhaps another night, this is really a family get together. Nancy hasn't seen her sister for so long and this supper is a treat for Ellen. I'm sure you understand?' He looked meaningfully at Ellen.

'Oh, yes, of course. See what you mean, old chap. Don't want to intrude on the family, do we? We'll make it another night, Nancy. Have a good time, nice to meet you all.'

I'll call you tomorrow, Nancy,' Helen said, waving airily

as they went to join the rest of their party. Nancy scowled at Edward. 'Why couldn't they have joined us, Margaret wouldn't have minded, would you?'

'No, they seemed very nice.'

'But they're a little cosmopolitan for Ellen, don't you think, Nancy?' She knew what he meant and she supposed he was right,

but she was still annoyed.

'What's "cosmopolitan"?' Ellen asked. 'It means you wouldn't have understood half of the conversation and you'd have been bored silly and we don't want that, do we?' Edward answered, smiling. In his opinion Helen and her friends were not fit company for Margaret either.

'Aunt Nancy, the girls in school will never believe me when I tell them about you! Could special on my programme?' you write something

Her good humour restored, Nancy borrowed Edward's pen and wrote, "To my niece, Ellen Vannin, with lots of love, Nancy O'Maxwell.' She paused and then added And I expect to see you at the party I'm going to give to celebrate the success of "Steamboat"."

'Oh, Nancy, don't encourage her!' 'Why not? It's good for girls to have dreams. We all had dreams and we're all making them come true. You dream away, Ellen.'

Edward frowned again as he caught Margaret's eye. Nancy was so impetuous; she never thought before she spoke and Ellen was obviously identifying herself with Nancy and that would only cause trouble for Margaret later.

Margaret was beginning to feel uncomfortable. What

if, in a fit of her natural exuberance, Ellen told Lewis all

about this evening. He would be horrified and he would

blame her. Her head had begun to ache a little and she

felt hot. If it wasn't for the fact that she would have upset

Nancy and seemed ungracious to Edward, she would have

preferred to have gone back to the hotel. It had been a long day, a long journey and she was tired out. 'Are you going to see some of the sights while you're here?"

She realized Edward was speaking to her, but his voice was very muffled and with dawning horror she knew that she was going to faint. A mist swam before her eyes. It cleared and she saw his face and Ellen's, then it became a fog and the fog became total darkness.

When she came to, she was lying on a chaise longue in the restaurant vestibule and Edward, Nancy and a strange man were bending over her. She struggled to rise. 'Oh, I'm sorry... her again. "The mist threatened to envelope

'Lie back, Margaret. You fainted, you must rest for a few minutes before we take you back to the hotel." 'Where's Ellen?'

'I'm here, Ma!'

She heard the sob in the child's voice and struggled to rise again. Once more Edward gently pushed her back and then Ellen was standing beside her. Margaret took her hand. There's nothing to worry about, Ellen, I'm fine.

It was just a bit too hot." Ellen suddenly burst into tears and clasped her arms around her neck. 'Oh, Ma! I'm frightened! I don't want you to get ill! I don't want you to die, too!'

Edward gently prized her away from Margaret. 'Ellen, she's not going to die, get that right out of your head! She just fainted. It's probably all the travelling, the excitement, the Champagne and the heat in here. Now be a good girl and stop crying, you're upsetting your Ma. I'm going to take you both back to the hotel, so she can rest, and this gentleman is a doctor and he's kindly agreed to come with us.'

Nancy was far from pleased with a situation that was fast developing into something of a fiasco. Margaret was absolutely ruining her evening and it just wasn't fair! 'Oh, I feel such a fool! Everyone is looking at us!' she hissed crossly.

'I thought that was what you wanted?' Edward snapped. 'Don't be facetious!' she snapped back.

The doctor was quietly talking to Margaret in the background. Nancy glared at Edward. It was probably all his fault anyway. Margaret wasn't used to drink and he'd probably been plying her with it half the evening!

'Are you feeling better now?' she asked her sister a little more graciously, stung by Edward's remark. Margaret nodded.

Nancy turned to Edward. 'And just what am I supposed

to do while you take them back?' 'I would have thought you'd have wanted to come with us? Of course you could join your friends, I'm sure

they're far better company.' His tone was sarcasm. biting with

She glowered back. Indirectly he was calling her selfish. "There won't be room for everyone in the car!' Couldn't he I see what he was doing? This was her night and he knew how hard she'd worked for it! She deserved her night of glory.

Margaret was getting up, assisted by the doctor. "Nancy, you stay, and so must you Edward. You've both worked so hard and Nancy's done so well that she deserves to enjoy herself tonight, and I'm just spoiling it for her.'

'Margaret, you can't Edward insisted. go back to the hotel by yourself!' 'I'll look after Ma! I'll take care of her!'

He smiled. You're a brave girl, Ellen, but I'm sure the doctor will agree with me that we can't let you take on such a responsibility.'

The colour was slowly coming back to Margaret's cheeks.

'She's looking a lot better,' Nancy pointed out. She'd only fainted, she wasn't on her death-bed, she thought. Although by the fuss they were all making you'd think she was! She couldn't see any reason why this doctor and Ellen couldn't take Margaret back to the hotel and she said so.