Across the road from the Palais, Nancy Blum queued at the café counter and looked out of the window agog. One of the sisters she had interviewed last week looked as if she were in the middle of a row. One older, dark-haired woman, that Nancy guessed was Violet’s mother, was sobbing and tugging at Violet’s bag as she tried to walk away. Meanwhile a grey-haired woman who was standing next to her was shaking her head and trying to pull the dark-haired woman away, all while she sucked violently on a cigarette. As for Violet, she was red-faced with embarrassment, or was it anger? Nancy wasn’t sure. But amongst the curiosity she felt a pang of sympathy for the girl. The dark-haired woman reminded Nancy of her own mother, always shouting and getting upset about something. It was no wonder she had moved thousands of miles away just to leave her mother’s nagging behind.
Aware of the movement around her, Nancy reluctantly tore her gaze from the window as she reached the front of the queue.
‘Coffee, and make it strong will you, Marge?’ Nancy said in her broad New York accent to the woman behind the counter.
‘You got it, Nancy love,’ the older woman said over the roar of the industrial kettle. ‘You’re in early, ain’t ya? Don’t normally see you for another hour.’
Nancy drummed her bright red nails on the counter top as she waited. ‘What can I tell you? We’ve hired some new staff and I’ve gotta get them settled.’
‘Here you go, darlin’,’ the woman said handing her a fistful of change. ‘That ought to keep you going. I heard you were bringing back them tea dances. That right?’
Nancy nodded as she put the coins back in her purse and tried to ignore the guilt she felt every time she thought of the dances. She had been ambushed by her husband Alex to take on Bill Cain’s nephew as lead male dancer and she knew Renee would be upset. Nancy had wanted to speak to her before the auditions today but there hadn’t been time. She hoped she could get to her before someone else did. The last thing she wanted was to get on the wrong side of Renee. Nancy was fond of the outspoken Liverpudlian but she knew Renee didn’t suffer fools and routinely bore a grudge.
‘We’re doing Mondays as well now,’ Nancy said, aware Marge was still waiting for an answer. ‘Management thinks it will be good for morale if they’re on every day. You can see why we need more staff.’
The woman arched an eyebrow. ‘I tell you what’d be good for morale, Chamberlain sticking two fingers up to Adolf and giving him both barrels! I’m pig sick of all this, I mean where’s it gonna end? They’ll be rationing the shirt off me back next.’
At the remark Nancy laughed so hard a lock of brown hair fell from the loose bun pinned to her neck. Taking a sip of her coffee, she was about to take a seat by the window and resume the show when she saw the Palais’s junior ticket clerk, Temperance Adams, walk in.
‘Temperance, honey,’ Nancy called over the heads of the people queuing behind her. ‘What do you want?’
Ignoring the loud tuts from those in the queue behind her, Nancy continued to wave, until she caught Temperance’s attention. Whilst Nancy didn’t care what people around her thought, it was clear Temperance did, judging by the pink flush that crept across her caramel cheeks.
‘Erm, tea please, Miss Blum,’ she said in a half whisper.
‘I’ll bring it over,’ Marge said, as Nancy slipped her a couple of coins for Temperance’s tea.
‘You’re a doll.’ Nancy grinned as she walked across the crowded café towards Temperance who was sitting gazing out of the window.
‘You enjoying the show?’ Nancy asked, slipping into the seat opposite.
Temperance raised her eyes quizzically. ‘The show?’
‘Out there.’ Nancy jerked her head towards the row that was still ongoing between Violet and the other two women.
‘Who’s that?’ Temperance asked with interest.
‘Meet Violet Millington, our new cloakroom girl,’ Nancy declared.
Nancy watched Temperance’s lips form a perfect circle of surprise. ‘Who are those other two women?’
‘No idea.’ Nancy shrugged her shoulders. ‘Family, I guess. Nobody else would make you as mad as Violet looks right now.’
‘Do you think we should do something?’ Temperance asked, looking aghast.
At the question, Nancy laughed. ‘What do you suggest? Drag her into the Palais? Tell those other women to take a long walk off a short pier?’ She shook her head then checked her watch. ‘She’s not due to start for another twenty minutes, what she does in her own time is up to her.’
‘Even so, Violet looks like she’s ready to murder someone.’
‘What are you gonna do?’ Nancy shrugged. ‘Not our business.’
Temperance looked as if she were about to say something when Marge silently appeared and placed a large cup of steaming hot tea before her.
As the tall black girl took a sip, Nancy watched her carefully. The twenty-year-old had been working at the Palais for just over a year now and in that time had proved herself to be dependable and mild-mannered. She was not only junior ticket clerk but also barmaid and general Girl Friday. Temperance was keen, there was no doubt about it, but with that said, Nancy couldn’t help wondering if there was an ulterior motive for the girl’s unusual appearance at the café so early. The only day that staff needed to arrive early was Monday when they held the weekly staff meeting. Given today was Tuesday Temperance didn’t need to be here at this time.
‘You’re not due in for another two hours. Kind of a long time to be waiting to start work,’ Nancy said carefully.
‘I’m here for the men’s dance auditions this morning,’ Temperance replied. ‘Sybil told me to come in early.’
Nancy narrowed her cat-like green eyes. ‘She did, huh? She’s supposed to clear things like that with me. I can’t see why we need you and I can’t see why the auditions are going ahead. Bill gave his nephew the job last week.’
At the mention of her Master of Ceremonies, Bill Cain, Nancy tried not to show how irritated she was at the decision. Although she was front desk manager and in charge of the general running of the Palais since her husband Alex Goldstein had been called up to the army, Nancy often found decisions were made over her head. She took a sip of her coffee and tried to think rationally. She had a tendency to blame her MC for almost everything.
‘Oh.’ Temperance’s face fell. ‘I’m sorry, Miss Blum, I didn’t mean to cause no trouble.’
Nancy smiled kindly at the girl. ‘You didn’t. It’s Sybil causing trouble as usual. But what is it you really want?’
At the question Nancy could see a fresh bloom of pink creep up Temperance’s gazelle-like neck and knew she had hit a nerve.
‘It’s my brother,’ she said softly.
‘Eamon? What about him?’ Nancy asked sharply.
‘He’s decided to join the army. He wants to do his bit.’
Nancy frowned. ‘Has he been called up then? I thought you said he wouldn’t be as he’s in a reserved occupation. Has that changed?’
Temperance shook her head. ‘No, he’s going to volunteer. He’s spoken to his employer and they’ve said they’ll release him if the recruiting office will take him. You know how quickly they get boys to start once they’ve passed their medicals.’
‘Well, he’s a dockworker so I’m sure he’ll be declared A1.’
‘I expect so,’ Temperance agreed. ‘He wants to do his bit for his country, like all other boys his age.’
Nancy nodded in understanding. She had three brothers back in New York and knew that they wouldn’t be stopped from serving their country either.
‘How do you feel about that?’
At the question Temperance managed to smile and Nancy could see she was trying to put a brave face on things. It wasn’t lost on anyone at the Palais how Temperance was still in mourning following the loss of her father from tuberculosis last year.
‘Fine,’ Temperance managed. ‘It’s right he serves his country.’
‘Of course,’ Nancy agreed. ‘But seeing as you’ve come to find me over my first coffee of the day I can’t help thinking there might be more to it.’
Another flush of colour crept along Temperance’s cheeks.
‘I hoped you might ask him to play at the Palais. In the café or restaurant like,’ she said nervously.
Nancy leaned over and placed her hand over Temperance’s. For a moment the sight of her pale alabaster skin contrasted with Temperance’s caramel flesh surprised her and it took her a moment to shake it off. In her native America Negroes were barely tolerated, subject to segregation and perpetual abuse. Here it felt different. Folk in England didn’t just tolerate coloureds, they made friends with them and even welcomed them into their communities. Or at least they did on the surface, Nancy observed with the wisdom that came from being an outsider. The English were more polite about their feelings. From what she had gathered, they were more likely to tell a Negro there were no vacancies in a hotel or refuse them entry into a restaurant or a club like the Palais than tell them to their face they weren’t welcome.
‘Eamon’s a very talented player,’ Nancy reasoned. ‘Do you think he’d wanna play?’
At the question Nancy saw Temperance’s bottom lip tremble and she sensed she’d hit a nerve.
‘He loves it,’ she replied.
‘But he loves the idea of joining up to fight more?’ Nancy asked.
Temperance met her gaze and smiled. ‘Something like that.’
‘Then let me see what I can do.’
As Temperance smiled gratefully, Nancy released her hand.
‘I take it Alex’s mother’s still being difficult?’ Temperance said, reaching for her tea.
With an exaggerated eye-roll, Nancy took a gulp of coffee. ‘What do you think? It was her idea that Bill employ his nephew Larry as chief male dancer.’
Temperance winced. ‘Larry Cain’s famous for one thing only – trading off his uncle’s reputation.’
Nancy nodded. ‘I know. I’ve heard the stories of how he was such a dance genius he helped Bill develop dances at the Blackpool Dance Festival when in truth he was probably sitting on a bucket and spade, working out the best place for a goddamned moat!’
At the outburst Temperance giggled.
‘If you don’t mind me asking, Miss Blum, why did Mrs Goldstein want Larry as chief dancer? I mean, she’s a famous championship dancer in her own right ain’t she?’
‘She won Blackpool four times and set up her own school in Leyton,’ Nancy said. ‘To be honest, Temperance, I think she’s sweet on Bill Cain. From what Alex has told me it seems that when Edna was chief dancer herself at the Palais she and Bill had a fling. When it went south she never got over it and I think still hopes to this day that Bill will take her back.’
Temperance’s jaw dropped in surprise. ‘But I thought she’d come out of retirement to help you run the Palais while Mr Goldstein was away.’
Nancy let out a hollow laugh. ‘Honey, the only thing Edna Goldstein is interested in is herself. Always has been and always will be.’
‘Oh,’ Temperance replied, clearly at a loss to know what to say.
‘Oh is right,’ Nancy agreed. ‘It doesn’t help of course that Edna has also made it clear that a brash New Yorker like me is not what she wanted for her son. It’s part of the reason I chose to keep my own name when we got married. I felt like being difficult and it worked.’
Aware she had probably said too much Nancy took another gulp of coffee and pulled her bright red coat around her. Even though it was early April there was still a nip in the air and Nancy knew the Palais wouldn’t be warm until later when the dances were well underway and body heat had spread to every corner. She gazed out of the window again but rather than look at Violet rowing with her relatives she took in the scenery around her. Since war was declared the colour seemed to have been drained from every corner of the city. Even when the sun was shining everything and everyone seemed so lifeless and grey.
‘Sorry,’ Nancy blurted, looking back at Temperance. She had no idea why she was confiding in Temperance, only that she knew she needed to talk to someone and there was something about the young girl Nancy knew she could trust.
Temperance gave the front desk manager a small smile. ‘Oh Miss Blum, we’ve all got to talk to someone. Your heart must be broken with Mr Goldstein being away and it would have been nice I expect to have been close to his mum at a time like this.’
Nancy gave Temperance a shrewd look. How well she knew her. Despite her protests that she didn’t care what Alex’s mother thought about her, it still cut her deep. She wasn’t about to admit that to Temperance though, no matter how much she might trust her – there were some truths too difficult to face.
‘Frankly, I’d be happy never to see the witch again but she’s Alex’s mother,’ Nancy said instead. ‘After his dad died in the last war, they’re close. And the Palais of course is in his blood as well as hers. He was practically raised there, with all the dancers acting as his surrogate parents. He sees the Palais as his home, he wants to share that with me and I know he’s hurt she won’t accept me.’
‘Has he tried to talk to her?’
‘Yeah. I mean when we got together ten years ago she wasn’t quite so hostile. But the moment we said we were getting married, old Edna made it clear I wasn’t good enough for her only boy.’ Nancy finished with a sigh.
‘It was a bit like that for my mum and dad,’ Temperance said evenly. ‘You’d think that with Mum being white and Dad being Ghanaian, it would have been her family that didn’t want to know, but actually it was my Aunt Winnie who came over with Dad on the boat that made life difficult for Mum. Said she didn’t trust no white woman. Said they would take advantage.’
‘And how’d that work out?’ Nancy enquired.
Temperance said nothing for a moment and looked at Nancy with a hint of knowing. ‘Auntie Winnie came round in the end. She’s always round ours since Dad died, playing cards with Mum or encouraging her to get out the house so Mum must have done something right.’
‘This the same Auntie Winnie that runs the nightclub just off Shaftesbury Avenue where Eamon plays in the evenings?’
Temperance nodded.
‘And the same Auntie Winnie that refused to shut down when the government made us all close during the first few weeks of the war?’ Nancy asked, trying not to grin.
At the question Temperance laughed. ‘That’s her.’
Raising an eyebrow, Nancy rested her chin in her hands. ‘Well, if you’ve any tips from Auntie Winnie on how to get a family to accept you I’d love to hear them.’
‘You won’t want to hear it but it’s time. That, and patience. Mum had to have a fair bit of that,’ Temperance admitted. ‘It took a while.’
‘And I don’t have either of those things so I guess I’m stuck,’ Nancy quipped as she checked her watch and got to her feet. ‘Time to go.’
Temperance drained her cup and looked out of the window. ‘Looks like Violet sorted out her row.’
Nancy followed the girl’s gaze and saw she was right. The trio had disappeared and had now been replaced with Violet, together with her sister Maisie standing nervously outside the Palais. ‘Either that or one of ’em’s knocked the others out.’
‘Maybe that’s the way to settle all family rows,’ Temperance said with a smile.
‘Don’t tempt me,’ Nancy replied as she walked out of the café. Outside, the spring sunshine was just beginning to emerge from the clouds and Nancy enjoyed the feeling of warmth around her neck. She paused for a moment with Temperance beside her and looked at the building before her. As front desk manager Nancy had seen and heard a thousand different stories, each with their own happy or sad ending. But above all, the place was home, complete with a family every bit as dysfunctional as her own. That was what the Palais would always be: a place for those lost souls to feel as though they belonged. Looking at Violet standing nervously with Maisie by her side, Nancy smiled. It was time to make the latest additions to the family feel right at home.