The swirl of the brightly coloured dresses, the set of the dancers’ hair, the easy smiles of their companions as they were whisked across the ballroom in a quickstep made it difficult for Nancy to tear herself away from the enchantment of the dance hall that Friday night. Everything about it was so joyful and carefree – a stark contrast to what was happening in the country. She had been trying to shake her family worries, but images of what could have happened to Rosa and others like her had plagued her all day.
‘You look like you’re in a dreamworld,’ Renee said, sidling up to her as the orchestra played in the background.
Nancy shook her head in despair. ‘I can’t understand why Edna let Bill hire him.’
‘Because Edna’s got some fanciful idea Bill’s her sweetheart, and your husband’s too nice to let her down easy,’ Renee said, cutting to the core of the matter.
Nancy grinned. Edna had always adored Bill. Now Alex was gone, Bill was very happy to have Edna’s support so he could ride roughshod over Nancy and run the Palais as he saw fit.
‘I’ll try and talk to her, I promise.’
As Renee nodded in thanks, Nancy felt a flash of sorrow she couldn’t do more. Renee was the most talented dancer at the Palais. She deserved better.
‘I mean it, Renee,’ she said firmly.
Renee sighed. ‘Nance love, save your breath, I’ve heard it before. You’re too terrified of upsetting people to get anything sorted.’
‘That’s not true,’ Nancy exclaimed.
‘It is true, love,’ Renee replied, more softly now. ‘Think about it, ever since Alex left you’ve been terrified to put Edna right and you’ve let her and Bill walk all over you. I don’t understand why.’
At the question Nancy felt a flash of panic. She knew she wasn’t doing a good job of managing the Palais, it was time to admit why.
‘Because I don’t wanna upset Alex,’ Nancy said sadly. ‘This place is his.’
‘And you’ve been left in charge, love,’ Renee pointed out. ‘So do what’s been asked and take control.’
‘I’m trying,’ Nancy said. ‘But Bill and Edna have been here almost since the place opened. Trying to manage those two is a full-time job in itself. You know how Alex feels about his mother, he feels sorry for her and he’s grateful that she brought him up single-handed. He can never say no.’
‘Not even in a letter?’ Renee said, with a sigh. ‘Well if we can’t do something about Edna we need to do something about Bill. He’s making Temperance’s life a misery.’
‘I’d noticed,’ Nancy said through pursed lips. ‘I’ve asked Eamon to play piano for us in the bar when he’s not working at the theatre. I’m hoping his presence might make Temperance feel more secure and get Bill to back off a little. I’ve been working on another little idea too, something that might keep Edna happy and out of our hair. I’m going to bring it up at our next staff meeting.’
Renee chortled and was about to ask more when Bill’s voice rose loud and true from the front of the stage.
‘Thank you, ladies and gentlemen,’ the MC said smoothly, standing in front of the band, ‘we’ll be taking a short break so use this time to recharge your glasses and when we come back we’ll be dancing a very special foxtrot in honour of two lovely ladies that started working here at our wonderful Palais de Danse this week –Violet and Maisie Millington. Where are you, girls? Don’t be shy, wave and say hello.’
Nancy cringed on the new recruits’ behalf as Maisie and Violet waved shyly at the audience who all clapped and waved. Violet looked as if she wanted the ground to swallow her whole as she stood at the centre of the ticket office alongside Temperance. Maisie, however, appeared to be lapping up the applause as she smiled and waved back at the crowds and at one point even blew them kisses. How different they are, Nancy marvelled.
‘I take it there’s still no word off your Rosa?’ Renee asked above the din of the cheers.
Nancy shook her head. ‘Not a word. I just wish there was something I could do.’
‘But what if you could?’ Renee fixed her gaze on Nancy.
‘How do you mean?’ Nancy asked. ‘It’s not like I can go find Rosa. Ma wrote me this morning, she hasn’t heard from her either.’
‘I don’t mean that,’ Renee said, her face serious in the low lights of the dance floor.
‘Then what do you mean?’ Nancy asked, feeling confused.
‘I mean why don’t you find out what people in the community are doing? I know you don’t have time to go to synagogue but you can’t be the only one with missing family. They must all be worried too.’
At the mention of the word synagogue Nancy felt a stab of guilt. She hadn’t been for over a fortnight, citing work as an excuse. Whilst that was partially true, the real reason was that the last time she had been, the rabbi asked them all to join in prayer for every lost Jewish soul and Nancy had felt overwhelmed with Edna beside her. The moment she could, she had made an excuse and rushed straight back to the Palais, burying herself in paperwork. But perhaps people in the community were more active than she realised. It was possible one of them had even heard from Rosa and her spirits lifted at the thought.
‘You’re right, I’ll talk to the rabbi next week,’ Nancy said and meant it.
Renee smiled and reached into the pocket of her tea dress. ‘There’s not just that. I cut this out of one of your Jewish Chronicles I found in the staff room. I thought there might be something in this.’
Nancy frowned as Renee handed her a small newspaper clipping. Taking the article, she could just make out the words in the dark glow of the dance hall. It appeared to be a series of requests:
‘Urgent help needed. Please help me home our two Munich boys aged eleven. Good family.’
Another read: ‘Would anyone like to look after my Jewish daughter, fourteen from an orthodox Austrian family?’
Nancy felt her heartbeat quicken. She looked up at Renee. ‘What are you saying?’
‘I’m saying there are people all over Europe that need your help,’ Renee said staunchly. ‘It might be a bit much to house a family, but you could get involved, couldn’t you, with the children and the families that arrive in Britain? You know Abe Ledbetter, delivers our meat?’
Nancy nodded.
‘He’s a Quaker. He was telling me only the other day how he and several others are going to meet these children’ – Renee gestured at the paper – ‘off the trains, helping them find homes and jobs. Maybe there’s something you could do there.’
For a moment Nancy said nothing. She just peered down at the cutting, her mind whirring, hope burning with possibility.
‘I know how frightening this all is but you’ve got to talk about things, Nancy. You don’t have to be strong all the time.’
She smiled at her friend. ‘I didn’t know I was.’
‘You’ve always been strong,’ Renee said with unexpected tenderness. ‘It’s one of the reasons you’re me mate. But getting you to see that for yourself, that’s the real job.’
In that moment Nancy saw herself through Renee’s eyes, as a strong and confident Jewish New Yorker. Maybe she couldn’t save Rosa or her family but perhaps she could help save others just like her.