The Lady of Lyon House Read Free

hitting the bottle again and Sarah has him up in the dressing room, trying to sober him up in time for the last spot. If that man doesn’t lay off the stuff, Bill’s goin’ to throw him out.”
    Bert and Sarah Clemmons did a song and dance routine that had been pleasing the audiences for almost twenty years. They had been members of Bill’s original troupe, and I knew that he would never fire them, no matter how Bert drank. They had lost a child a few years back, and he had started drinking then, consuming more and more as the years passed. He and Sarah were both quiet, both quietly charming, and in their black costumes sewn with large silver buckles they did slow paced numbers that caused the audience to sigh with nostalgia. They also lived with us at the boarding house, and sometimes, if I happened to be sitting alone in the parlor when Bert came in, he would sit down and talk to me about my parents, who had been his best friends.
    â€œDo you think you’ll have my blue thing done by Saturday?” Laverne asked.
    â€œI’m sewing on the sequins and feathers now,” I replied. “I should have it done by then.”
    â€œI want to wear it Saturday night,” she said. “I’m getting tired of this rag—” She swept her hands over the pink dress. “I’m sure the fellows are, too.”
    In addition to doing a routine with my puppets, I was the official wardrobe mistress for the music hall. I did most of the sewing up in my dressing room, making all the bright, spangled costumes for the troupe. Besides Laverne and the Clemmons, there were eight chorus girls working for Bill. They shared a large, barn-like dressing room near the attic that always sounded like an aviary full of exotic birds. Most of the girls were in their middle or late twenties, loud, brassy creatures who treated me like a favored child. They were always running into my dressing room to have me sew a feather on or take up a hem. All of them brought their dresses to me for repairs, and twice a year I made a new set of costumes for them. I loved the work, and it was one of the ways I could pay Bill and Mattie for their kindness.
    â€œIs there a crowd tonight?” I asked Laverne.
    â€œAbout the same as usual. Pretty good for a Thursday night. They will come packing in later on—always do. By the way, your boy friend is out there again tonight.”
    â€œMy boy friend?” I said, startled.
    â€œSure. Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed him.”
    â€œNo, I haven’t.”
    â€œHe’s always at the same table, right up in front. He sits there with a glass of beer until you come on, and when your bit’s over, he pays for the beer and leaves. Same thing every night for a week now.”
    â€œAre you certain, Laverne?”
    â€œSure. He’s there tonight, same table. A good looking fellow, too. Classy. All the girls have commented on him. They say he comes just to see you.”
    Laverne smiled, her hands on her hips. “You sure he hasn’t come round to see you? You don’t have a secret romance, do you, kid?”
    â€œNothing of the sort,” I protested. “I want to have a look at this remarkable creature.” I tried to speak lightly, but my voice trembled just a little.
    I followed Laverne onto the darkened stage, moving around all the ropes and pulleys and props. We went over to the curtain and opened the little peep hole through which the performers could survey the house. Laverne looked for a moment and then motioned for me to look. She told me where the man was sitting and described him to me.
    I saw the large, crowded hall. Waiters with trays of beer balanced on the palms of their hands circulated among the tables. Men in suits and shirt sleeves and women in colorful dresses and feather boas sat at the tables, eating, drinking, laughing, waiting for the show to begin. I saw Bill behind the bar, polishing the silver handle of