Chapter 7
‘Aren’t you coming to the club?’ I ask Dolly as we make our way to the side entrance.
She shakes her head. ‘I need to be up early. Loads to do. You go ahead. You earned it.’
‘But I thought it was bad luck. Everyone in the ensemble has to toast the opening night. It’s a tradition.’
Dolly shrugs, confused. ‘Never heard of it. Anyway, remember what I said about—’ I follow her eyes to Luke, who is waiting at the taxi rank nearby, surrounded by girls.
She has already warned me to take what Luke says with a pinch of salt – the whole ‘wife’ misunderstanding as a case in point, as he is prone to charming everyone around him and saying things they want to hear.
‘You’ve no worries there, Dolly. I’m pretty sure we won’t get along off stage. We’re too different. He’s too…’
As though he has sensed we are talking about him, Luke suddenly turns in our direction. He smiles warmly at Dolly before being distracted.
‘Luke. Come with us in our taxi!’ shouts one of the chorus girls.
They are dressed in skimpy outfits and towering stilettoes.
I lose sight of them in the hustle and bustle, as more and more musicians pile out of the door as though a starter gun has gone off and the last one to get a cab has to walk home over flaming-hot coals.
The line of waiting taxis is rapidly disappearing.
I look pleadingly at Dolly. ‘Please come.’
Florrie suddenly appears beside me to tut loudly. ‘Who, Dolly? She never comes. She hates dancing and having a good time. Hurry, Luke doesn’t like to be kept waiting.’
As she drags me away, Dolly smiles tightly. ‘Have a great night.’
We battle our way through the remaining crowd, Florrie darting ahead.
I can’t see, but I can hear car doors slamming and engines roaring and quite a lot of beeping, as people spill out in front of the opera house.
Its huge stone pillars are packed with theatregoers and Sinfonia singers and musicians.
I’m just about clearing the crowd when I’m knocked sideways by one of the musicians carrying a double bass over his back.
I go careering into the people at my side, only to realise at the last second that they’ve parted ways to let me fall right through them onto the road.
I’m toppling backwards into actual moving traffic when two things happen at once.
A massive horn blows, which appears to be from the vicinity of the headlights hurtling towards me, and a strong hand swoops from nowhere to grab my arm, yanking me back from being mowed down by a passing double-decker bus.
Loud shrieks from the crowd drown out my own choked attempt at a scream. My hand flies to my chest. I can barely catch my breath. My eyes travel up to meet those of my saviour, and in that instant, I know that things will never be quite the same between Luke and me again.
* * *
‘He’s love-bombing you,’ explains Ged on a video call later that evening. ‘Why else would he buy you the most expensive champagne and insist on a limo to take you back to the hotel? Now, tell me again how he’s suddenly gone from zero to hero in the space of a few hours?’
I put Ged on speaker as I sit and take off all my make-up. He’s playing devil’s advocate because Liam has gone full-on man-crush crazy for Luke since he saved my life.
‘Well, he began by saving my life… so there is that, of course. He was quite the hero.’
‘I can’t believe he saved your life! It’s textbook romcom!’ Liam appears and yells excitedly into the phone. ‘You’ll have to bloody marry him now.’
‘I think you’ll find she’s wildly in love with Matteo, Liam. Don’t confuse her,’ Ged says, as though my head could be turned so easily.
‘And he also said that because of me, the Sinfonia had had the best opening night in recorded history.’ I can’t help gloating.
‘What if meeting him is fate? Destiny?’ asks Liam. He’s become very invested, very quickly.
‘Hmmm.’ Ged frowns. ‘Or… maybe it’s too much of a coincidence how he just happened to be in the exact right place at the exact right time. What are the chances that Luke fought his way through the crowd at breakneck speed to become a have-a-go hero?’
Liam inhales loudly. ‘What are you insinuating?’
‘Another option could be that he’s a highly functioning sociopath,’ Ged says, throwing himself into the role.
What an exhausting night it has been. Euphoric in one way and completely overwhelming in others. ‘It felt heroic and coincidental at the time, if that helps. I mean, it all happened so incredibly fast, I can hardly believe it either, but he was the perfect gentleman all night. I swear.’
‘I’ll be the judge of that. Let’s start from the beginning.’
‘Well, by the time I got changed and went to the stage door, most of the musicians had already left in the taxis. Fortunately, Luke waited for me.’
‘Convenient.’
‘He means gallant,’ says Liam.
‘Then, after he saved me from going under a bus, he insisted on taking me back inside the theatre to sit down because I was a bit shaken.’
‘Like a stalker isolating its prey, yes, yes…’
‘Like a gentleman, he means.’ Liam is having none of it. ‘Ignore him.’
‘But I didn’t want any fuss because literally everyone was staring at us, so we got in the next taxi. And when we arrived at the club, he went straight to the bar to get me a stiff drink.’
‘I think I can guess where this is leading,’ Ged says. ‘Was it spiked?’
I ignore him. ‘Then, he introduced me to some dame or other, who is patron of the Royal Opera House in London, and she asked if Luke and I would consider an exclusive performance in front of the Royal Family for some anniversary they are organising.’ My mind is still blown.
‘Where did this conversation take place exactly?’
‘In a private room at the club. It made sense to sit together… in a booth… away from the noise. Because of the shock from earlier.’
‘Cosy. Go on,’ Ged says, suddenly sounding like a chief inspector. ‘What happened next?’
‘I tried to make casual conversation and mentioned that Dolly, the tour manager—’
‘Is Dolly the woman who looks like a pudding?’
I nod guiltily. I’m a woman’s woman. I need to start thinking like one. I will start by being more charitable towards Dolly. She has to be everything to everyone all at once.
‘Dolly, the woman who previously claimed that she was not his wife? Yet conveniently failed to testify if he was married or unmarried?’
This is not the time to pull him on his semantics. ‘She has a really busy job. It’s like herding cats, she says. Especially now she has to help me get into my costumes. I should have gone for dresses that didn’t require me to be double-jointed.’
‘Let’s stick to the facts.’
‘Ged, this isn’t a police report.’
‘Tell that to the judge when all of this goes to court.’ He’s transforming into Judge Judy before my very eyes. And, by his admiring expression, Liam seems to quite like it. ‘We need clarification. What did he say?’
I peel off my eyelashes and put them in the pot beside me for tomorrow and make a start on wiping off the strong eyebrows with cotton-wool pads and glance down to see their faces, cheek to cheek, on my phone.
‘Well, I said to Luke, “Dolly told me she wasn’t your actual wife.” And he said, “No, of course she isn’t.
It was you who called her my wife. Anyway, she’s gay.
” Then I said, “Oh really? That’s nice.” Because now I think back, I did refer to Dolly as his wife, but then he did play along with me, which was a bit misleading.
So I said, “You really must be clearer when declaring your relationship status.” Then he looked confused and turned back to talk to Dame whatever she was called.
He thinks we should definitely do a private performance for the Royal Family because it would open all sorts of doors for me. ’
‘And you still don’t know if he is married?’
I shake my head.
‘Does he wear a ring or give off married vibes?’
‘No, but I suppose that isn’t evidence of being married these days.
Anyway, like I said. There’s nothing to worry about.
He saved my life; I’ll be forever grateful, and we’re singing partners.
Nothing more. Hardly seems relevant anyway, seeing as I’m not interested in him like that. He’s no match for Matteo.’
Ged ignores me. He’s seen how ridiculously good-looking Luke is for himself.
‘Well, it’s great that he was there to save your life, but I’d watch out for him.
Something doesn’t add up. And his eyes are too far apart.
Still, well done tonight. I knew you’d smash it.
We’re very proud of you. Can’t wait to see you at the end of the tour. ’
‘Now get plenty of sleep,’ Liam says, blowing me a kiss. ‘You have a big day of avoiding temptation tomorrow.’
‘But I don’t find him remotely—’
Ged has clicked off the call.
* * *
The next morning, I drift down to the hotel breakfast room feeling a little smug with myself.
I really did give a top-notch performance last night.
I wish I could ring Matteo and tell him all about it.
Instead, I left him a rather excitable voicemail.
Hopefully, the Sinfonia will feature me on their website today, and I can send him the link.
I hope they have a photo of me singing in that ruby-red costume. It was divine. I looked amazing in it.
‘Hey, Constance,’ Dolly calls over to me. ‘You’re late. And what did I tell you last night about not getting involved with Luke? Now BBC Radio Manchester wants an interview with the pair of you later this morning. Maestro is not pleased, let me tell you.’
‘Is this about Luke saving my life?’
‘Saving your life? No. He never mentioned that. It’s the other thing.’ She shakes her head as though I’ve done something I shouldn’t and returns her attention to the plate piled high with eggs and sausage in front of her.