A Night of Gaiety Read Online Free PDF

hackney-carriage when yer’re ready, an’ yer tell ’im to go to the stage-door. Yer’ll find ’er in ’er dressing-room. The Show don’t start for another ’our.”
    Because Mrs. Jenkins spoke so positively, Davita did not dare to argue with her.
    Instead, as the Landlady went down the stairs, she obediently took off her travelling-gown and cape, and found in one of her trunks a pretty afternoon-gown which was not too creased.
    It had belonged to her mother, and she had altered it to look a little more fashionable, copying one of the gowns which Katie had brought North with her.
    When she was ready, Davita looked very pretty. Katie had told her that everybody in London always wore a hat in the evening unless they were going to a Ball, so she took one from her hat-box.
    It was a hat which Katie had given her and which she had thought she would never wear because it was far too smart and over-decorated for Scotland.
    Even now she hesitated after she had put it on, thinking as she looked at herself in the mirror that if she appeared in the Kirk in such a creation, the Congregation would either be scandalised or would laugh at her.
    Quickly she removed two of the ostrich-feathers, and when she thought she looked comparatively ordinary and her appearance was unlikely to cause comment, she picked up her handbag and went rather nervously down the stairs.
    S he had difficulty finding Mrs. Jenkins. Then, hearing a noise from the basement, she descended to find her in a large, dark kitchen, cooking on an old-fashioned range.
    “ Excuse me ... ” Davita began nervously.
    M rs. Jenkins turned round.
    “ Oh, there yer are, dearie,” she exclaimed, “quicker’n I expected!”
    “ Do I ... do I look ... all right?” Davita asked hesitatingly.
    “ O’ course yer do!” Mrs. Jenkins replied. “A bit plain for th’ Gaiety, but London’ll soon smarten yer up, don’t yer worry about that!”
    S he suddenly shouted so loudly at the top of her voice that Davita jumped.
    “ Billy! Where are yer? Come ’ere! I wants yer!”
    T here was no response for a moment. Then just as Mrs. Jenkins opened her mouth to shout again, a strange-looking, under-sized man, with arms that were too long for his body and a leg that limped, came to the door on the other side of the kitchen.
    “ Wot yer want?” he asked.
    “ Sleepin’ again?” Mrs. Jenkins demanded. “ ’Ow often do I have to tell yer, there’s work to be done?”
    “ I were working,” Billy answered sullenly.
    “ Well, work yerself out the door an’ find a cab for this young lidy.”
    B illy looked at Davita with what she thought were bright, rather intelligent eyes which belied his appearance. Then he gave her a grin.
    “ A’noon, Miss.”
    “ Tell the driver to take ’er to the Gaiety—to the stage-door!”
    A s Billy passed Davita and started up the stairs ahead of her, Mrs. Jenkins shouted:
    “ An’ mind ’e don’t over-charge yer. Ninepence is th’ right fare from ’ere to th’ Gaiety, an’ threepence for th’ tip.”
    “ Thank you for telling me,” Davita said, and hurried up the stairs after Billy.
    T he Gaiety was ablaze with lights. Katie had told her that it was the first Theatre in London to have electric lighting, and although it was what Davita had expected, it seemed dazzling.
    T he stage-door, the cabby told her, was down an alley-way at the side of the Theatre.
    D avita expected to see young men in top-hats outside it, but there were only a few poorly dressed people, obviously waiting to see the actors and actresses arrive.
    Then she told herself that of course the “Stage-Door Johnnies” would not be there until after the Show.
    T here were a number of messenger-boys arriving with magnificent baskets and bouquets of flowers, and she followed them nervously through the open door.
    Inside, there was what looked like the Ticket-Office in a Railway-Station, and behind the counter was an elderly man with grey hair, surrounded by the flowers