Applause (The Dudley Sisters Saga Book 2) by Madalyn Morgan (best authors to read txt) 📕

Margot couldn’t remember a time when she’d been happier. She loved the hustle and bustle of London. She loved the apartment, she loved Bill, and she loved her job. Life was perfect. Or as perfect as it could be considering the country was at war and the city she lived in was bombed every night. Grateful that she lived in the West End, not the East End, she turned into Bedford Street and quickened her step.

As she approached Maiden Lane, Margot heard the explosion. She began to run, but an ear-shattering second explosion stopped her in her tracks. It was close. She looked around. Nothing. She looked up at the roof of the bookshop opposite the theatre. The impact of the bomb had cracked the ornate pillars of the Juliet balcony on the third floor. As if in slow motion they began to sway. It was as if they couldn't make up their mind whether or not to fall. Suddenly flames filled the window between the pillars. Red hot and smoking, they licked at the window frame until, distorted and grotesquely misshapen, it gave way. Frozen with fear, Margot watched as the window blew out, showering Maiden Lane with shards of shattered glass. She brought her focus back to the Lane. There was a taxi parked outside the theatre. Bert came running out. Margot screamed and waved hysterically. ‘Bert! Go back inside!’ She looked up at the bookshop’s roof again. The pillars had started to buckle. ‘Bert!’ she screamed. ‘Bert!’ Get back! The roof! It’s going to come down!’

Bert couldn’t have heard her because he kept running. Seconds later the pillars crashed to the ground. Huge lumps of masonry landed on top of the taxi, the impact crushing it until the windows bowed and burst out. Several large lumps of brick and mortar fell on the bonnet. One bounced, flew through the air and hit Bert on the side of his head. The old doorman’s body jerked and for a second he stood perfectly still. Then he closed his eyes and slid to the ground.

‘No!’ Margot screamed. ‘No!’

In her haste to get to him, Margot stumbled and fell. ‘Damn!’ Her right leg became entangled in steel wire sticking out of a block of plaster. She ripped it from her ankle, tearing the flesh and exposing the bone. Slates were falling, hitting the ground, splintering, and cutting her already bleeding legs. She didn’t care. ‘Bert!’ she screamed, and she dropped to her knees to help the old man. ‘Bert?’ He wasn’t moving. A large lump of plaster lay on his chest. Margot knew not to move it; it could cause internal bleeding. Blood flowed from his right temple. She couldn’t bear it. Where was everybody? She got to her feet. ‘Help! Someone help!’

She could hear hammering coming from the stage door. She didn’t want to leave Bert, but she needed to get him help. She ran to the door and pushed. It was stuck. She pushed again and again until finally it gave way and Mrs Horton, followed by Miss Lesley, came running out.

‘It’s Bert,’ Margot said to Miss Lesley. ‘I think he’s dead.’

‘What about Nancy?’ Mrs Horton asked.

‘Nancy?’ Margot turned towards the taxi. ‘No, no, no. No!’ she screamed. ‘Please God, no!’ Her beloved friend was in the passenger seat. She had been there all the time. Margot ran to her. Most of the glass in the window had gone. Nancy was leaning on what was left. Her arm hung from her shoulder at a strange angle. Margot knelt until her face was level with Nancy’s and pulled on the door, cutting her hands on what remained of the window, but the door wouldn’t open. ‘Oh Nancy.’ Margot stroked her hair. It was sticky, reddish-brown and matted with blood. Her face was white, translucent like alabaster, and her eyes were staring and sightless. There was a trickle of blood at the corner of her mouth and another on the lobe of her ear.

Margot opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came. The pain in her throat was excruciating and threatened to choke her. She looked into the unseeing eyes of her friend and fell to her knees. Somewhere deep inside her the pain rose and strangled screams burst from her. ‘Get her out! Get her out! Get her out! She’s stuck. Nancy’s stuck inside. Won’t somebody help her?’

Bill, suddenly at Margot’s side, tried to pull her from the taxi.

‘Bill? Why-- how--?’

‘I was on my way to Tommy’s when I heard the explosion.’

‘You’ll help Nancy, won’t you, Bill? You’ll help her?’

‘Of course I will, love, but you must let go of the door. Come on, sweetheart, the ambulance and fire brigade are here now. If we move away they’ll be able to get Nancy out of the taxi.’

Margot shook her head vigorously and gripped the door even harder. The man standing beside Bill was holding a pair of cutters. ‘You be careful!’ she said. ‘Don’t hurt her!’

The fireman turned to Bill. ‘Get her out of here, will you, mate?’

‘Come on, sweetheart. There’s nothing you can do here.’

‘I’m not leaving. I’m staying with Nancy. She’ll need me when--’

Bill put his arms round her and held her tightly from behind, so she was unable to move. ‘Nancy’s gone, love,’ he whispered. ‘There’s nothing you can do for her. Come away now and let the fireman do his job.’ Margot shook her head and tried to break free. Bill tightened his grip. ‘She’s gone, Margot!’ he said, firmly. ‘She’s gone!’

‘No!’ Margot cried. ‘Please, Bill,’ she begged, ‘say it isn’t true.’

Bill prized her hands from the door of the taxi and Margot spun round. She beat her