Pas de Deux A novel by Bronwen Welsh A Sequel to 'Antonette's Story' Copyright 2021

Chapter 6   Charlotte and Kal

I was good friends with the other principals and soloist dancers of the Company. One of these – Charlotte de Tomas had recently gone through a rather unfortunate breakup. For some years she had been in a relationship with a man called Brian who was married but had split with his wife. Because he was Roman Catholic he could not get a divorce. As far as Charlotte was concerned she felt they had a very good relationship.

One evening while we were performing 'Raymonda', partway through the first act, she developed severe stomach cramps and knew that she couldn't go on performing, so she moved over to the wings where the Assistant Stage Manager was standing and quietly but urgently told him to get her understudy dressed and made up to replace her, then, by a superhuman effort, she returned to the stage and carried on with her performance. I really don't know how she did it.

Understudies don't often put on costumes before a performance since if called upon to perform, they usually have plenty of notice. In this case Erin, the understudy and the dressers and makeup artists performed a small miracle and she was ready in just over five minutes to arrive in the wings to replace Charlotte. Once more, Charlotte moved to the wings and out of sight and Erin came on stage in her place. She didn't miss a beat and I'm sure that none of the audience members was aware of the change of cast. I knew that something was wrong because when Charlotte first went over to the wings it was not part of her performance. I don't know how she hung on as long as she did, but then she is a true professional.

Back in the dressing room, a doctor was called in to treat her. (The old story about a performance being stopped while someone comes on stage and dramatically calls out 'Is there a doctor in the house?' almost never happens.). Anyway, he diagnosed an acute Staph gastroenteritis, gave her an antibiotic injection and suggested plenty of fluids and rest. After a while Charlotte felt better and a taxi was organised to take her home, and that's when things got worse. Later she told me what happened.

“As I closed the front door of the flat I heard a squeak from the bedroom and when I went there, Brian was in bed with his best friend's wife. At that point I very nearly did collapse. Men are such liars, but they're not even good at it. He gave me some story about how he didn't know how it had happened, and it had never happened before, and never would again. I didn't believe a word of it of course. I told them they had five minutes to get dressed and out of the flat. Brian I told to come back in the morning for his things and to leave the key because I would be out. To give him his due, that's what he did but not before ringing me to plead for forgiveness, but there are some things you just can't forgive.”

I couldn't do anything else but agree with her. Fortunately for me, I couldn't ever imagine Jack doing something like that..

Early in this memoir, I mentioned a new member of the company, Kal McBride, who had joined us as a soloist and performed in 'The Nutcracker'. He was tall, slim, with dark hair and was VERY handsome. Add to that his Scottish accent and you can imagine that he made quite an impression on all the single ballerinas. Even old married women like myself had to admit that he was easy on the eye. However, when I wrote 'all the ballerinas', this is not quite true, since there was one who seemed impervious to his charms, and that person was Charlotte de Tomas. I thought perhaps she was still recovering from her recent personal breakup, and that was understandable but there was a problem. There was a strong possibility that they would be called upon to dance together soon, and while this often involved pretending to be in love, it doesn't help if the two people involved don't seem to actually like each other.

I had a call frm Miss Higgins to come and see her in her office. When I first arrived at the Ballet, I was terrified of her, as are most of the newcomers, even the men. As time went on, it became apparent to her that I and also Jack were totally dedicated to our craft, and as I slowly climbed the ladder to the height of soloist, we became quite friendly. It even occurred to me that perhaps she saw me as a possible replacement for her when she eventually retired, and I didn't find the thought totally displeasing.

“I want to talk to you about Kal McBride and Charlotte,” she said as soon as I sat down in front of her desk. “It can't have escaped your notice that they don't seem to like each other very much.”

“I've noticed it too, Miss Higgins. I'm wondering if perhaps they have 'history'? There doesn't seem any other reason for it.”

“I really don't want to call Kal into my office and subject him to an inquisition. Do you think you can find out what is going on for me? If they can't get on, then I'll have to seriously reconsider rôles that I have in mind for them in the future.”

“Certainly, Miss Higgins. I'll see what I can find out.”

I realise that this makes me sound like I was spying for her, but she was right in saying that it is important that all the dancers have an harmonious relationship and if it was possible to smooth things over between Kal and Charlotte without an official summons to Miss Higgins' office, then I would be doing both them and the company a good turn.

I gave some thought about who to approach first, Kal or Charlotte, and decided that Kal might be the best.one. I took the opportunity of passing him in the corridor near the rehearsal rooms to stop him and ask him to have a cup of coffee with me. “It's ballet company business” I explained, just in case he got the wrong idea.

Later that day we met in the café well away from other people. Kal looked nervous, obviously wondering if he'd done something wrong.

“Thanks for meeting me, Kal. First of all, you haven't done anything wrong. Miss Higgins has asked me to have an informal chat with you rather than call you into her office. She's concerned that you and Charlotte de Tomas don't seem to get on and we wondered if there is something we can do to improve the situation?”

Kal coloured slightly. “I didn't think it would be that obvious,” he muttered.

“Kal,” I said gently. “You are working with a lot of women. We notice things men don't. So do you and Charlotte have 'history'?”

“Yes, we do, To be honest, if I'd realised she was in the Company I wouldn't have applied to join. It was quite a shock when I saw her.”

“Did she do something to upset you?”

“Oh no, quite the reverse as it happens.”

“Why don't you tell me the whole story?” I said, and he did.

“Charlotte and I first met when we went to the same school. We were both sixteen at the time. I knew that she was taking ballet lessons, but she didn't know I was too, in fact nobody at the school knew. You can imagine what the boys would have said if they had found out; my life would have been hell.”

I nodded sympathetically. I had done gymnastics at school and even that was considered a little 'suss'.

“One of the teachers decided that it would be good for the 'young ladies and gentlemen' to learn ballroom dancing. The girls were keen but not the boys, in fact we had to be coerced into attending the lessons, usually as an alternative to punishment for some transgression. That's how I ended up in the class, and by chance I was partnered with Charlotte. Ballroom dancing may be quite different to ballet, but I think our ballet practice made us quite good at it, and soon we were Miss Green's star pupils. In fact, we were so good that she decided that we should enter a local ballroom dancing school's annual competition in the open novice category. I really wasn't that keen, but Charlotte was thrilled. Her mother made her a glamorous ballroom gown, and my parents hired me a ballroom 'tail' suit.

"On the evening of the competition, I was all dressed up in my suit, hair slicked down and looking several years older than my true age of sixteen. I felt nervous and so while walking to the ballroom, I stopped off at a local pub. I had some money and I ordered a whisky. This was a lot stronger than the occasional beer I was allowed to have at home. Then I followed it with another one, and another, and the more I thought about it, the more I decided that I really didn't want to compete, so when my money ran out, I just wandered the streets. The time for the competition came and went and I just didn't show up. Eventually, when the time seemed right, I walked home.

Mum was still up and she asked me how it went. “We came fourth,” I lied.

“That's funny, someone came knocking on the door asking where you were, and all I could say was that you had gone out in good time for the competition. Then I started to worry about you. So where were you?”

“I decided not to go,” I said, and I can still remember her staring at me.

“You didn't go? You left that poor girl Charlotte waiting there for you, and you never turned up? Oh Kal, how could you?”

“She'll get over it,” I said, and Mum was so furious, she slapped my face, the first time she'd ever done that.

“You apologise to her on Monday,” she said. “That's the least you can do.”

“Monday came and I went to school. Charlotte was waiting at the gate for me.

“Oh Kal,” she said “What happened? Were you sick?”

“Sick? No. I just didn't feel like dancing,” I replied, in an off-hand manner and with that she slapped my face too, turned on her heel and walked away. She never spoke another word to me for the rest of the time we were at school together. I know now that I had behaved in a despicable way. I even thought of writing a letter to her apologising, but I knew it wouldn't do any good; what I had done was unforgivable. We finished school and so parted ways and I never expected to see her again, Then I came here, and here she is.”

I had listened to this sorry tale in silence. “Have you tried speaking to her and telling her that you have matured now and realise what a terrible thing you did?”

“I would have, but all she said was 'Hello” and hurried away. It was pretty obvious that she hasn't forgiven me, and I can't blame her for that.”

“So what do we do now? We can't have two soloists with one looking daggers at the other when they are supposed to be dancing a love duet,” I said.

“The only thing I can think is for me to hand in my resignation,” said Kal. He looked thoroughly miserable. I was beginning to think he was right, and then something happened which usually only happens in novels, but just occasionally in real life; Charlotte walked into the café.

“Charlotte!” I called out to her. “Come over here please.”

Charlotte saw who I was sitting with and she hesitated, but then, reluctantly, she walked over to the table where Kal and I were sitting.

“Please sit down,” I said. “Kal has just been telling me about something he did when he was young and stupid. Now I think he has something to say to you. Kal?”

Kal had flushed again. He drew a deep breath. “Antonette is right, Charlotte. The last time we spoke I was young and very stupid. I've wished a thousand times that I could turn back the clock and undo what I did, but I can't. All I can say is that I apologise from the bottom of my heart and beg your forgiveness if you can possibly find it in your heart to do so.”

I noticed that Charlotte was flushed too, and seemingly lost for words, but at least she hadn't got up and walked away. I realised that three's a crowd and I should leave them to it. I stood up and said “I'm going to leave you two to it, but I'd like you to stay here until you sort this out. The Ballet needs you both, remember that.” Then I walked away, silently praying that they would indeed sort something out.

I didn't see either of them for the rest of the day. I had called in on their classes, seen they were missing, and said they had something important to decide and had Miss Higgins' permission to be absent from the class. Then I could only pray that it would all end well.

The following day it was Charlotte that I saw first and I confess my heart was in my mouth when I went up to her and said 'Well?”

She smiled. “I think we've come to an amicable conclusion,” she said. “Kal said he was a bloody fool and I agreed with him.”

“And do you think you can work together now?” I asked.

“Well he's taking me out to dinner on Sunday night and we'll see how things go,” she said.

I'm sure the look of relief on my face was very obvious. This was even better than I could have hoped for. It's a funny thing that hate and love are two such strong emotions, and sometimes so close that they can change from one to the other in a twinkling of an eye. I was happy to report back to Miss Higgins that things had been sorted out between Kal and Charlotte and this was born out by their first pas de deux, where it was obvious to me that they were in love. If proof were needed, less than six months later, Charlotte came to a rehearsal wearing a beautiful solitaire diamond engagement ring. "All's well that ends well." Shakespeare was so right.

To be continued

Next time: Summer School