The Melody Girls (11 page)

‘Oh, what did I tell you?' Flo cried, as they entered their coach for the first time. ‘It's freezing!'

Well, it was true, it wasn't warm, but Lorna, ready to get the most out of this new experience, scarcely noticed, and anyway, in spite of all Flo's warnings, she had Rod next to her, his comforting hand in hers covered by his folded overcoat – why should she mind the chill?

It soon became apparent, however, that everything Flo had said about touring was turning out to be true. The coach was cold; their lodgings spartan; the local dance halls where they played, always icy until halfway through the evening when the audiences added some warmth. As for the food, with rationing still in force, there was no point in expecting too much. The local people did their best, and if it felt as though the war was not yet over when the spam came out again and there were no eggs for breakfast, well, what could anyone do?

Go to the pub after they'd finished playing, maybe, or huddle round the fire in their digs – and wait for better times.

For Lorna, still determined to enjoy herself, the thing she couldn't help noticing about being on tour was that it seemed to have an odd effect on some of the men in the band. Their playing was fine, just the same as always, but in the coach they seemed to revert to being schoolboys again, playing practical jokes, singing bawdy songs, drinking, shouting and pointedly excluding the women in a way that hadn't been obvious for some time.

‘Och, guys are often like this on tour,' George told the girls, when they'd arrived in Peebles after a particularly rowdy session on the coach. ‘Just high spirits, nothing to worry about.' He laughed. ‘You've just got to dodge the paper pellets they fire around, eh?'

‘They wouldn't be behaving like this if Luke travelled with us,' Ina commented. ‘Why does he have to use his own car?'

‘He's the bandleader!' George answered, scandalized. ‘Got to allow him some perks. And he has Suzie with him, too, remember. She likes her comfort.'

‘I think it's a pretty bad way to go on,' Rod remarked, joining the girls. ‘I know we all like to relax but some of the fellows go too far.'

‘They're just having a bit of fun,' George told him. ‘And if you're thinking about the lassies here, they're tough, eh? Not going to be upset by a few blue songs!'

‘Sez you,' Flo retorted. ‘I agree with Rod – some of the guys go too far. Not all, of course.'

‘Well, don't say anything to Luke, will you? There's no need to get him involved.'

‘Wouldn't dream of it, George. We don't want any trouble.'

Rod's eyes, though, were on Lorna.

‘Sure, we don't want any trouble,' he murmured later, when they were managing to walk home alone to their lodgings. Which were not, as Rod had already secretly complained, in the same guest house, for Luke had made the bookings and carefully arranged for the three girls to be together and the men apart.

‘But I don't want you upset by those fellows, and I've a damn good mind to say something.'

‘Rod, don't worry about it. It's the way a few guys like to go on when they're with other guys.'

‘Yes, but it's quite unnecessary. They're grown men, for God's sake. They needn't behave like kids.'

‘I think it's because Luke's not around. A chance to let off steam.'

‘Just as I say – they're like school children when teacher's away.'

Rod suddenly took Lorna into his arms and kissed her hard.

‘Listen,' he whispered against her face. ‘Why not give all this up? Why put up with it?'

‘Put up with what?' she asked, pulling away.

‘Well, this band thing. I mean, I know you enjoy playing and you're good – really good – but it's no life for someone like you. Mixing with the guys and having to pretend you don't mind how they go on.'

‘Look, I don't care about being one of the boys, I just like being in the band. Playing my sax, trying to improve. If the men want to play the fool on the coach – so what? It's our playing that's important.'

‘Well, there is an alternative to the band, you know. One you might like just as much. One you will like, in fact.'

‘What are you talking about?'

‘You know,' he said softly. ‘I'm talking about that ring on your finger. I'm talking about being married to me.'

For a long time she was silent, her eyes searching his face in the poor light of the street lamps.

‘That's an alternative?' she asked at last. ‘We're talking “either or” here? I never knew when we discussed rings on fingers that it meant giving up everything else.'

‘Well, it would have to, wouldn't it? Luke would never want us as a married couple, but that's not important. We wouldn't want it ourselves, would we? Most guys in the band are married. Their wives aren't in the band too.' Rod laughed a little. ‘Hell, if they were, there'd be no more bawdy songs or practical jokes on the coach, eh?'

‘Let me get this straight,' Lorna said evenly. ‘You're saying that if we get married, I'll be staying at home while you'll be playing in the band as usual?'

‘Well, it is usual, isn't it?' Rod's eyes were puzzled. ‘For the wife to be at home and the husband to be at work? That's how it's always been.'

‘There has just been a war, Rod, when women did all kinds of jobs. They were even called up to make munitions, as I was. They even went to war, didn't they?'

‘Yes, but that was hardly normal, was it? Now that the war's over, things will get back to how they used to be. There'll be no need for women to do those things.'

‘So, what do they do? Give up work, stay at home and do the dusting?' Lorna's eyes were flashing. ‘I'm sorry, Rod, that isn't for me. I've found the job I've always wanted and I shall never give it up. If I marry, I keep on in the band, that's all there is to it.'

‘For God's sake, Lorna, you must see that that's not possible!' Rod's arms were raised, his hands waving, as he stared into Lorna's set and determined face. ‘There's no way we could be married and play in the same band! It would never work out, we'd have no home life at all. And, as I say, Luke would never permit it.'

‘I don't see what it would have to do with Luke. He wants good players. We're good players. Why would he want to let us go because we were married?'

‘Because it's just the way things are, Lorna. You tell me how many married couples you know playing in the same band!'

‘Well, there aren't many women in bands anyway, are there? But, there's Luke and Suzie.'

‘Suzie's a vocalist. It's not the same thing at all.' Rod ran his hand over his brow and groaned a little. ‘Look, please think about this rationally—'

‘Just because I don't agree with you, I'm no' being rational?' Lorna shook her head. ‘Rod, let's leave this for now, OK? I'll say goodnight and see you in the morning.'

As she moved quickly away from him, Rod ran after her and tried to take her arm but she shook it away.

‘In the morning, Rod. I said we'd leave it for now.'

‘Please, Lorna, let's not part like this. You know we won't sleep a wink.'

‘Goodnight, Rod.'

‘Lorna, I'm not saying goodnight—'

But it was too late for him to say anything else. The door of Lorna's lodgings had opened and closed, and she was gone.

In the morning, when they met at rehearsal, their faces were alike: white, strained and desperately unhappy. Even though they knew others were watching, they clasped hands and gazed into each other's eyes, not speaking until Luke came in, when, very hurriedly, Lorna leaned forward and whispered in Rod's ear, ‘Oh, Rod, no more arguing, eh? Let's just keep on as we were.'

‘For God's sake, let's!' he whispered back.

‘When you're ready, you two!' Luke cried, frowning, and tapping his stick on a music stand. ‘Perhaps we might start?'

‘Sorry,' Lorna murmured, hurrying to her place next to Josh.

‘Sorry, Luke,' Rod added cheerfully, joining the trumpet players.

And as the first number got under way, it was amazing to everyone how well the two of them played when they should have been in disgrace. And might still be, if Luke took exception to all that holding of hands and looking into eyes, thought the rest of the band, awaiting events with interest.

Twenty-One

What happened was nothing to do with Lorna or Rod.

Dickie Tarrant, returning to his digs in Moffat, the small town that was their next venue, took a tumble down a flight of stone steps after a pub session, not only dislocating his shoulder but also breaking a bone in his hand. No bass playing for him for some time was the doctor's verdict when Luke drove him to the local cottage hospital, which so enraged Luke, he almost threw a tantrum in Casualty. For where was he going to find a replacement bass player?

‘Talk about blue songs,' Ina said at breakfast the morning after the accident. ‘George said we should have heard Luke in the car after they'd left Dickie at the hospital. Oh, my, the air was blue then, all right!'

‘But poor old Dickie,' Lorna commented sympathetically. ‘He's got to stay in hospital?'

‘Just overnight. They thought he might have a bit of concussion as well.' Ina's normally pale face was flushed, her expression anxious. ‘I might try to get to see him today. Maybe cheer him up. I mean, it's worse for him, not being able to play, than for Luke, eh?'

‘And you will cheer him up,' Flo said kindly. ‘Might as well admit you've been going out with him quite a lot lately.'

Ina's flush deepened and she glanced at Lorna. ‘All right, I have, but you know what Luke's like – tries to control our whole lives. Dickie and me've been keeping things quiet.'

‘I'm a bit tired of Luke's control,' Lorna muttered, and Flo, eating a last slice of toast, nodded.

‘Aren't we all? But Lord knows where he's going to find a new bass player at such short notice. He'll be on the phone now, I expect, ringing round his contacts. Might even try poaching. You know what these bandleaders are like, always pinching other people's players.'

‘Oh, I hope Luke doesn't try that!' Ina cried. ‘He'd have to make the job permanent to get anybody, and then what would Dickie do?'

‘Don't worry,' Flo told her. ‘No one from a good band will want to join us in the middle of touring, eh?'

It seemed she was right about that for the bass player, found for Luke by one of his Glasgow contacts, was not from any other band but a young fellow named Sorley Simpson, just out of the navy who was looking for a job. Tall and well built, with a head of curly dark hair and a cheerful grin, he seemed nervous when he arrived two days later and had to run the gauntlet of the band's stares and Luke's keen ear.

‘Of course, I'm out of practice,' he murmured, after his first run through, and was not made to feel better when Luke coolly agreed that he could tell. Still, beggars couldn't be choosers, a bass player was needed and Sorley was taken on as temporary replacement for Dickie.

‘Only temporary – that's a relief,' Ina sighed. ‘I was afraid Luke might give him Dickie's job.'

‘Don't think he'd do that,' Flo said grudgingly. ‘But what I'm wondering is how much he'll be paid. Having heard him, maybe we needn't worry, eh? Luke won't push the boat out for him.'

‘By which you mean he won't get more than you?' Lorna asked with interest.

‘He'd better not!' Flo cried.

Rod said, if they liked, he'd tactfully find out what the new guy had been offered.

‘But don't blame me if it's more than you,' he told Flo with a grin. ‘I'll only be the messenger, and you have to remember Luke just does what's usual.'

‘Pays a man more than a woman however badly he plays?' Flo shook her head in exasperation. ‘Go ahead, then, Rod, tell us the worst.'

And the worst was just what the girls had half feared. Sorley Simpson was to be paid twelve pounds a week, the same as Dickie.

‘I don't believe it!' Flo breathed, turning pale. ‘Luke wouldn't be such a fool. He knows he needn't pay Sorley as much as that. He wants the job, eh?'

‘Seems he's had another offer,' Rod said quietly. ‘From some band in England. And he knows it's Luke who wants him, so he's held out for the going rate.'

‘Going rate for men!' Flo cried. ‘But what about women? I'm going to have it out with Luke, I'm going to tell him straight, if I don't get the same as this new fellow, I'll be the next one to go!'

‘Better not, better calm down,' Rod advised. ‘Luke's not the type to respond to having a pistol at his head. And remember, Sorley's only temporary. He'll be gone as soon as Dickie recovers.'

‘It's the principle of the thing!' Flo answered, now turning scarlet with anger. ‘You agree with me, don't you, Lorna?'

‘Yes, I do,' Lorna declared. ‘It's disgraceful that we're paid the rate we are. I'll go with you, Flo, if you want to talk to Luke.'

‘That wouldn't be a good idea,' Rod said at once. ‘You won't be doing yourselves any good, threatening Luke, and with all due respect, Flo, guitarists are easier to find than bass players.'

‘Thanks so much, Rod! It's nice to know that I'm expendable!'

‘Look, I didn't mean—'

‘Why don't we wait a bit,' Ina asked reasonably. ‘Say, till we get back to Glasgow? By then, Luke will have seen that Sorley's not worth the extra wages and might cut him down anyway.'