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Authors: Carol Rivers
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glamorous in
The Blue Angel.
’
‘Yes, that’s right, we do.’
‘And what about “I Found A Million Dollar Baby”? We know the words to that too.’
Vesta giggled. ‘It will make a change from all the old stuff.’
‘Come on, we’ll begin with Marlene’s song.’ Marie dragged Vesta up from the bed. ‘Let’s look in the mirror and practise.’
‘Don’t make me laugh.’
‘I won’t. This is serious.’
They practised for a good half an hour and finally got all the words right.
‘We don’t sound much like her,’ said Marie afterwards.
‘No, we’re more like stray cats. But with a little more practice we’ll be all right.’ They were laughing when a loud knock came on the front door. When they rushed out to
open it, they found Teddy standing in the hall.
‘What are you dressed like that for?’ His dark eyes gleamed as he stared at their costumes. Wearing a dark grey suit and a matching Homburg he looked very handsome. Marie could feel
Vesta almost wilting beside her.
‘We’re rehearsing,’ said Marie, feeling a little uncomfortable as Teddy’s eyes strayed down to their bare legs and stayed there.
‘Is there any news?’ asked Vesta hopefully.
‘Mr Scoresby has agreed to see you next Saturday.’
Vesta flew into his arms. ‘Oh, Teddy, thank you!’
Marie was embarrassed as Teddy held her close. ‘I told you I would try to fix you up.’
Vesta disentangled herself slowly. ‘We’re very grateful.’
Marie nodded. ‘Thank you,’ she said quietly.
‘I’ll drive you in my new car, if you like,’ said Teddy casually, leaning a shoulder on the door jamb. ‘But I’ll be singing later that evening so you’ll have
to make your own way home.’
‘Thank you,’ said Vesta again, staring up at him with adoring eyes.
‘Six thirty sharp, then.’ He reached out and drew a finger down Vesta’s cheek. ‘Mr Scoresby will be impressed, I’m sure.’
Marie was suddenly aware again of their old dresses. In this last year the twins had both filled out and the buttons on the backs of their bodices were straining. She didn’t like
Teddy’s expression, but Vesta seemed flattered.
‘Better be going.’ He raised himself slowly. ‘Bye, girls.’
‘Bye, Teddy.’ Vesta watched him go up the stairs. Then she closed the door and fell back against it, sighing dreamily. ‘Oh, he’s simply wonderful. Fancy getting us an
audition. And he said we would catch Mr Scoresby’s eye.’
‘Don’t get your hopes up,’ Marie warned her. ‘We’ve got to tell Mum first.’
‘She can’t stop us. And anyway, why would she want to?’
But Marie knew they were dreading breaking the news to Ada.
‘Why didn’t you ask me first?’ Ada stood stiffly in the kitchen after placing her bags of groceries on the table. ‘I don’t want you going off
somewhere strange on your own.’ Ada’s face had gone white after Vesta had told her.
‘But it’s the Duke’s, Mum,’ pleaded Vesta. ‘Everyone’s talking about it and saying how posh it is. And anyway, Teddy will take us there in his car so we
won’t be on our own.’ Red spots appeared on her cheeks and Marie waited for the full force of Vesta’s disappointment to show itself.
‘I should have been asked,’ repeated Ada, beginning to unpack her groceries. ‘Now take off those costumes. They’re too small.’
‘Teddy said we looked pretty in them.’
Ada glared at Vesta. ‘You must tell him you can’t go.’
‘We can’t do that,’ Vesta gasped. ‘He’s gone out of his way to get us an audition. The Scoresby brothers are looking for quality acts. We’re very lucky to get
in.’
Ada turned to Marie. ‘And what have you to say for yourself? Were you part of all this secret scheme?’
‘It wasn’t secret, Mum. It was just a vague offer from Teddy at first. Neither of us knew it would come to anything.’
‘You were wearing those when he called?’ Ada nodded to their dresses.
‘It was just a coincidence,’
The Blue Angel.
’
‘Yes, that’s right, we do.’
‘And what about “I Found A Million Dollar Baby”? We know the words to that too.’
Vesta giggled. ‘It will make a change from all the old stuff.’
‘Come on, we’ll begin with Marlene’s song.’ Marie dragged Vesta up from the bed. ‘Let’s look in the mirror and practise.’
‘Don’t make me laugh.’
‘I won’t. This is serious.’
They practised for a good half an hour and finally got all the words right.
‘We don’t sound much like her,’ said Marie afterwards.
‘No, we’re more like stray cats. But with a little more practice we’ll be all right.’ They were laughing when a loud knock came on the front door. When they rushed out to
open it, they found Teddy standing in the hall.
‘What are you dressed like that for?’ His dark eyes gleamed as he stared at their costumes. Wearing a dark grey suit and a matching Homburg he looked very handsome. Marie could feel
Vesta almost wilting beside her.
‘We’re rehearsing,’ said Marie, feeling a little uncomfortable as Teddy’s eyes strayed down to their bare legs and stayed there.
‘Is there any news?’ asked Vesta hopefully.
‘Mr Scoresby has agreed to see you next Saturday.’
Vesta flew into his arms. ‘Oh, Teddy, thank you!’
Marie was embarrassed as Teddy held her close. ‘I told you I would try to fix you up.’
Vesta disentangled herself slowly. ‘We’re very grateful.’
Marie nodded. ‘Thank you,’ she said quietly.
‘I’ll drive you in my new car, if you like,’ said Teddy casually, leaning a shoulder on the door jamb. ‘But I’ll be singing later that evening so you’ll have
to make your own way home.’
‘Thank you,’ said Vesta again, staring up at him with adoring eyes.
‘Six thirty sharp, then.’ He reached out and drew a finger down Vesta’s cheek. ‘Mr Scoresby will be impressed, I’m sure.’
Marie was suddenly aware again of their old dresses. In this last year the twins had both filled out and the buttons on the backs of their bodices were straining. She didn’t like
Teddy’s expression, but Vesta seemed flattered.
‘Better be going.’ He raised himself slowly. ‘Bye, girls.’
‘Bye, Teddy.’ Vesta watched him go up the stairs. Then she closed the door and fell back against it, sighing dreamily. ‘Oh, he’s simply wonderful. Fancy getting us an
audition. And he said we would catch Mr Scoresby’s eye.’
‘Don’t get your hopes up,’ Marie warned her. ‘We’ve got to tell Mum first.’
‘She can’t stop us. And anyway, why would she want to?’
But Marie knew they were dreading breaking the news to Ada.
‘Why didn’t you ask me first?’ Ada stood stiffly in the kitchen after placing her bags of groceries on the table. ‘I don’t want you going off
somewhere strange on your own.’ Ada’s face had gone white after Vesta had told her.
‘But it’s the Duke’s, Mum,’ pleaded Vesta. ‘Everyone’s talking about it and saying how posh it is. And anyway, Teddy will take us there in his car so we
won’t be on our own.’ Red spots appeared on her cheeks and Marie waited for the full force of Vesta’s disappointment to show itself.
‘I should have been asked,’ repeated Ada, beginning to unpack her groceries. ‘Now take off those costumes. They’re too small.’
‘Teddy said we looked pretty in them.’
Ada glared at Vesta. ‘You must tell him you can’t go.’
‘We can’t do that,’ Vesta gasped. ‘He’s gone out of his way to get us an audition. The Scoresby brothers are looking for quality acts. We’re very lucky to get
in.’
Ada turned to Marie. ‘And what have you to say for yourself? Were you part of all this secret scheme?’
‘It wasn’t secret, Mum. It was just a vague offer from Teddy at first. Neither of us knew it would come to anything.’
‘You were wearing those when he called?’ Ada nodded to their dresses.
‘It was just a coincidence,’
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