Midnight at Mallyncourt Read Online Free PDF Page A

Gerry?”
    â€œNot particularly.”
    â€œThink he’ll come round to your dressing room again tonight?”
    â€œI—I don’t know.”
    â€œBastards! All of ’em! Never was a man born worth the powder it’d take to blow ’im up. Gerald Prince is the worst of the lot. Why can’t he be satisfied with those silly tarts chattering up in their attic dressing rooms? Jenny, luv, what are you going to do ?”
    â€œI don’t know,” I said calmly.
    â€œAny other girl, she’d shrug ’er shoulders and give in for the sake of ’er job. I mean, what’s another quick tumble more or less? But you, you’re different. That’s why he wants you. Lord, if I wudn’t so worried about my own job I’d give ’im a piece of my mind, tell ’im off good and proper, I would, but he’s my boss. He pays my wages. This company ain’t so much, luv, but it’s the only security I got.”
    â€œI can fight my own battles, Laverne.”
    â€œI wonder, ducky. I really do. You got breeding, you got principles, but where’re they gonna get you? All them swells you turned down—” Laverne shook her head, fingering the chunky ruby necklace. “This ain’t no life for a lass like you, God’s truth. Both of us know that. If only you had enough saved to open that dress shop—”
    â€œI’ll manage somehow.” My voice was crisp.
    â€œI worry about you sometimes. I couldn’t love you more if you was my own daughter, you know that, ducky, but sometimes I worry. You’re hard, Jenny. You’re tough. You’ve had to be, true, you’ve had to fight every step of the way, but sometimes I’m afraid you’ll grow even harder. When I think of the innocent young sprig you was when you joined the company—it breaks my poor heart.”
    â€œInnocent young sprigs have a very poor chance of surviving.”
    â€œI know, ducky,” she said forlornly. “More’s the pity.”
    I stepped behind the screen and began to change into the sky-blue velvet gown I wore in the first act. Embroidered with silver and pearls, it had a formfitting bodice and wide, puffed sleeves slashed with silver, a magnificent garment just beginning to show signs of wear and tear. Laverne shook her head again as I moved around the screen to stand in front of the mirror.
    â€œA vision of loveliness, God’s truth,” she said. “One of these days some man is gonna be mighty lucky.”
    I smoothed the material over my thighs. “Think so?” I asked idly.
    â€œThat gent last night—he was very interested in you, luv. He took me out to a proper restaurant full of swells, just like I was as respectable as anyone else, fed me roast duck in orange sauce, kept refilling my wine glass. All those waiters hovering around! I wudn’t half-pleased, I don’t mind sayin’ so.”
    â€œI’m glad you enjoyed yourself.”
    â€œOh, I knew what ’e was after, all right. Wudn’t interested in me , not by a long chalk. He wanted to know everything about you, ducky, kept askin’ the most personal questions. I got a mite tipsy, probably talked too much, but he was so charmin’. A handsome brute, too, that one, though a mite too chilly and reserved.”
    â€œI’m not really interested in Edward Baker, Laverne.”
    â€œYou’ve met him, then?” she exclaimed.
    â€œI’ve met him.”
    â€œLord, ducky, and you never said a word! Just like you to let me babble on like that. A gent like him could do a lot for you, luv. He’s got to be rich with them clothes ’e was wearin’, and—”
    â€œCurtain!” the stage manager bellowed.
    â€œ Already ?” Laverne complained, disappointed at having to give up such a fascinating subject. “I’ll just have time to dart into my dressing room for a quick nip. Is my wig all