My sister asked a very daring question that day. It was just after our performance and I was plucking my eyebrows in preparation for the next show.
"Nora..."
"Yes?"
"Give me your fella for a birthday present."
At that point I put the tweezers down.
"Get your own bloody fella!" I snapped back, my sister may not be as daring as me but she has a tendency to not half ask for ridiculous things sometimes. Of course at that point, I knew that was what she had set her mind on; so I relented. Of course it was only for one night, and I would want him back at the end of it. We agreed we would swap perfumes and clothing to make the allusion seem more realistic. I would go to the party as Dora, and Dora would go as me. Foolproof.
The day of our birthday came around. After the show we put the plan into action. I slipped into her chiffon dress and put on some of her Shalimar and she put on my Mitsouko. Once the formalities of cutting the cake were over, we started the party. Of course I tried to remain on my best behaviour but after a tipple too many, as Grandma Chance would say. I found it rather hard to behave. To cut a long story short, I ended up dancing on a table and got off with the pianist, though by that point everyone was completely plastered so no one really noticed.
However, this incident did have a continuing effect on mine and Dora's relationship. At "The Dream" casting party we bumped into the drummer boy again. He and Dora slipped upstairs to rekindle their (or should I say our) relationship. Don't say I spent the night alone though; the American director was rather good looking. We danced for a while and nothing seemed wrong. We could have gone on all night! However, fate dictated that it was never meant to be. The cry everyone dreads to hear. Fire! I panicked as smoke filled the room. Dora. Where was she? Had she gotten out? In the heat of the moment I stayed put, frantically searching the blazing building for her. I looked until I could take it no more and succumbed to the heat. When I came to again I was in Peregrine's arms being carried outside. Dora came straight over to me and took me home. Peregrine gave us a lift to Clapham; then we got the night tram home.
Another incident happened soon after "The Dream" party. Remember the pianist that I got off with at our 17th? Well, he turned up again a few years later at another performance. Of course, it was a bit awkward at first. I mean I barely knew him. All that had happened between us was a one nighter when I was 17. He kept flirting with me and trying to get off with me again. At this point I was an engaged woman and wasn't interested in all of that nonsense any more. He didn't know that though, and after every performance, I went through the ritual of spurning his advances and finding an excuse to leave. He got the message eventually. Poor guy. He was rather good in bed, if I must say so.