The Whicharts by Noel Streatfeild

Author:Noel Streatfeild
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Published: 2018-07-25T14:21:26+00:00

Chapter 12

DAISY had the chance of a job. A revue was coming on, there was to be a very elaborate all­ English ballet. A principal dancer was wanted. Madame, full of ambition for her favourite, suggested Daisy. There would be an audition. Nannie, with yards of tarleton, refurbished a ballet dress, patched the toes of Daisy’s best ballet shoes, and washed and darned the family’s only pair of silk tights. Then a blow fell. Tania brought a message. Madame said she had written to ask if Daisy might dance at the audition, and her name had met with approval from no less a person than Leon Low. Leon Low was presenting the revue. He had seen Daisy dance in the pantomime. He remembered her. He had thought her brilliant, but he was afraid she was too young for what he wanted. He suggested that Madame should bring her round to his office, so that he could study her. He didn’t want a child, the ballet wasn’t written for a kid. Madame had explained all this to Tania, who was to explain it to Nannie, who would please dress Daisy for the appointment, in such clothes that she looked a good two years older than her age.

They had just got new clothes. Neat fawn coats, with straw hats to match. In the house there were two pounds. Nannie and Tania discussed the situation. Even if Daisy wore Tania’s coat it was no good pretending it aged her two years. It was a schoolgirl’s coat and looked it. Obviously what was wanted was something smart, a little cloche hat, and not just a loose coat, but something with a shape. Maimie must help, something of hers must be altered. Maimie, when she got in, agreed at once. She laid armloads of frocks and coats and hats on the bed. But Maimie was her mother’s daughter, she was exceptionally tall. Daisy was a shrimp, she didn’t look as though she was thirteen. She was still wearing socks, they were so convenient for a dancer. In Maimie’s clothes she looked, as Tania said:

“A tiny slice of lamb, trying to look like a whole leg of mutton.”

Even with the addition of Tania’s best stockings she still looked a baby.

“Something simple but doggy is what she needs,” moaned Tania—“but simple dogginess costs money.”

Maimie was really distressed, she eyed her clothes regretfully. Bad luck if the kid lost the job just for lack of the right clothes. Certainly in her own things she looked hopeless, no style or any­ thing, just a schoolgirl. She told Herbert of their troubles. He was touched, and delighted to find that Maimie was really worried; he hadn’t known she had so kind a heart. Besides, if the kid really did well, got away with a good job, there’d be no need for Maimie to live at home. He gave Maimie twenty-five pounds.

“Take it to the child, tell her any lies you like, but get her fitted out.”

Maimie went home triumphant. At breakfast the next morning she produced the money.

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