Trust Me (Beggar's Choice #2) (3 page)

The two girls smile at me again.
“Have a good session,” Mabel offers. “We’ll see you later. Will you stay for
dinner?”

“That would be lovely,” I say
faintly. I have the feeling I’m going to enjoy spending time with this group of
people because there’s a strong sense of family about them which warms me like
I’ve stepped close to a fire.

Mabel turns, somewhat reluctantly
I think, to Lucy. “Are you coming Lucy? We’re going to have a coffee on the
High Street and have a mooch around the shops – make the most of our day off.”

The small blonde girl pouts
charmingly but there’s something slightly steely about it. “I’ll stay here I
think Mabel,” she says running her hands lovingly over Seth’s abs.

Capturing her wandering fingers
he smiles down at her in a slightly strained way. “Honey, you know you can’t do
that. It’s a no guest rule you know that. Remember when we talked about this?
We’ve got work to do and I won’t have time to talk to you.”

“Really?” she says disbelievingly.
“I’m sure it won’t matter if I just curl up here on the settee and wait for
you. You won’t know I’m here baby.”

I see Charlie exchange a loaded
look with Mabel and she grimaces at him before coming forward and taking Lucy’s
hand. “Come on babe,” she coaxes. “It’s Nell’s first time with the band and
she’ll need some privacy for her to work. Let’s leave them to it and go and get
a cup of coffee.” Lucy looks at me her eyes narrowed, and I try hard to look
like I really need privacy to do what I’ve been doing in front of loads of
people for years with no problem. I think Sid laughs but when Lucy glares at
him he immediately puts his hand to his mouth and offers a weak cough. For a
second it looks like she might object but Charlie claps his hands together briskly.

“Alright then, women out,” he
says loudly. “There’s work to be done and daddy’s got to earn some dough.” He
gives Mabel a brisk slap on her bum and a very loud, wet smacker on the cheek
and she wrinkles her nose at him.

“Please don’t use that word it
makes me very uncomfortable,” she sighs and he grins back at her as she and Viv
usher Lucy somewhat forcibly out of the door before she can make any more
protests.

I stare after them feeling the
atmosphere in the room settle and listening to Seth offer a low ‘thanks mate’
to Charlie. Looking up I catch Sid watching me. “What?”

“You have one of the most
expressive faces I’ve ever seen,” he offers.

“Is that a bad thing?” I ask
worriedly.

“It might be if you’re going to
be watching the Lucy Show for a while.”

I wince. “Ah, I’ll try to
cultivate a stone face from now on.”

“No don’t do that,” he says
hurriedly and I stare at him in confusion. “You’ll get used to her. We’ve had
to.”

Ouch
I think and go to ask
a question but Sid, obviously done with this conversation, distracts me by
turning to the men. “Shall we get started boys?” he asks and the men gather
around. He’s all business now, that firm expression back on his face. “Nell, I
take it that you know our music?”  I nod. I always liked Beggar’s Choice
and I’ve got all their albums, but over the last couple of days I’ve immersed
myself in a crash course of their music and I have to say that it’s deepened my
respect for them. They write all their own songs and I love the way that they
mesh catchy tunes with very clever lyrics which manage to be edgy but still
self-deprecating, funny and sexy. They reference modern trends but there’s a
real timeless quality to their work. It’s no wonder that they’re so big. “Okay,
Charlie and Seth missed out on the audition so how about you sing the Lily
Allen song that you did for me and Bram. Seth and I can accompany you. Is that
okay?” I nod my acceptance and he goes over to a stand full of guitars and
slings the strap of one over his shoulder settling it on his lean hip. I’m
immediately impressed and walking over to him I touch the neck of the beautiful
instrument.

“Wow!” I caress it. “This is a
Carvin isn’t it?” He nods with an arrested expression on his face. “How are you
finding it?”

“I love it. The tone’s so sweet
and rich it surprises me every time and the build quality’s amazing.” For the
first time since meeting him I get to see an animated Sid and I have to say
that it’s amazing, because all that hard distance has melted away to be
replaced by the enthusiasm only a true musician shows to instruments.

I nod. “There’s such mystique to
a Carvin. Did you like the custom build aspect of it because a lot of musicians
can’t deal with that?”

He shrugs. “I’ve played enough
guitars over the years to have a good idea what I want and the blokes there are
really good so I enjoyed that aspect, and it really feels like it’s all mine if
that doesn’t sound too fanciful.” I shake my head and smile stretching out my
hand to touch the tortoiseshell finish. He looks at me intently. ”You play
don’t you?”

 I shrug. “A little,” I say
modestly. “I play and teach the violin mainly but I can also play the piano,
viola, cello and guitar, although that’s just for fun.”

“I’d love to hear you play the
violin,” he muses almost absently as if his attention is on some thought I
can’t gather.

“My brother was the guitarist in
the family…..” I stop abruptly and I know from the suddenly sharp look on his
face that he’s seized on this slip up.

“Your brother?” he offers
tentatively.

“Yes,” I say firmly, shutting
down the conversation by turning to the other boys and rolling the sleeves up
on my rose pink, asymmetrical cardigan. I’m wearing it over a black ruffled
shirt which I’ve paired with my denim cut offs worn over opaque tights and my
boots. “Are we ready boys?”

We launch into the song and the
feeling at singing with him is indescribable. It’s not my song and I have no
connection with it beyond liking it and finding the lyrics funny, but playing
it with Sid Hudson changes my whole perception of it. His fingers fly over the
guitar and the look on his face when he plays I have to admit makes my knickers
damp. He’s so focused and in the moment and his enjoyment shines through
intensely, and our connection is there again as he laughs with me as I sing
about a Mr Right whose only failing is that he’s terrible in bed. The other men
are just as focused, leaning forward, occasionally talking low and I see Seth
nod approvingly at Bram over his drums. However, I notice that Charlie’s attention
has shifted to Sid and he’s watching him closely with a strange expression on
his face. We come to the finish with a flourish and there’s silence for a
second and then the men burst into applause and surround us, slapping Sid and
Seth on the back and hugging me.

“That was brilliant,” Seth says
as I peer up at him. “I fucking absolutely love your voice. You’ll steal the
show from this old twat,” and he laughs at Charlie.

Charlie just grins. His
expression is animated and eager. “I cannot fucking wait to sing with you,” he
says simply and I see Sid grin at him. “Your voice is amazing honey. This is
going to make the tour so much fucking fun. The new stuff is going to sound
fucking brilliant with you in it.”

I flush happily. “Thank you,” I
say breathlessly, grinning at him. I’m not immune to praise and to have it
coming from someone who’s won the Ivor Novella award for song writing and must
have shelves full of the awards that he’s won for his voice, is just amazing.

We’re bought back to earth by Sid
who has put his guitar down and appears to have retrieved his Captain Downer
personality all of a sudden. “Right then,” he claps out. “I take it we’re all
in agreement about Nell?” The others nod enthusiastically. “How about we play
her and Adam the new stuff and then we can measure out where she can come in?”

The others nod and I settle down
on the settee that Sid nods to as the others mill about grabbing their
instruments and getting themselves sorted out while I hug myself. I’m about to
have a personal show by Beggar’s Choice - oh my! Adam slides in next to me and
I smile at him as Sid wanders over with an electric guitar resting on his hip.
He looks at us sitting close together and his expression which was already
cool, chills further. “Bill will be here soon,” he says referencing their
manager. “He’s got the contracts ready for you so when he comes you can scoot
off with him. Don’t worry about being rude and leaving us, because we’ve got to
get Adam sorted out as well.” I nod and smile and he wanders back to the other
boys. I know that he’s being kind and actually very considerate today but his
moods give me a slight case of whiplash.

Adam distracts me by reaching out
and touching my arm and I turn to him. “How’s it going?” he asks in a deep
voice with a twang of Yorkshire in it. “You’ve got an amazing voice Nell.”

“Thank you.”

“No, really. It’s so distinctive.
Who’ve you sung with before?”

“Oh, no one really. I mainly
teach violin and I’ve done some adverts.”

He snaps his fingers. “The
marmalade girl?” When I nod he laughs. “I fucking love that song. It’s so
catchy.” Then he sobers. “I can’t believe you’re not singing at the front love.
You’ve got a real talent there. You know something, I feel like I know you,” he
adds slowly, staring at my face closely.

“Nah, I’ve just got one of those
faces,” I say tensing up but luckily the boys start to play and our discussion
is over. Twenty minutes later I’m in heaven. The new stuff is amazing. They
haven’t lost their edge, but the lyrics are softer somehow. I suppose that must
be Charlie settling down because the focus is more on the ins and outs of
relationships and love. They’re still funny and sarcastic and occasionally hard
hitting, but there’s a softer underbelly to the songs and I can’t wait to get
stuck in. I’ve already identified areas which I know will benefit from my voice
and sometimes my fingers itch because a few of the songs are begging for a bit
of violin, but that’s got to be up to them and I keep reminding myself of this.
It’s hard because in the past I was always in the driving seat but I already
feel more positive than I have in years. My thoughts are fizzing through my
head at a million times a minute.

“What do you think?” Adam asks,
his long fingers tapping a rhythm on his ripped, skinny jeans.

 “I think it’s brilliant,” I
shout as we watch Seth crashing away on his drums. I also think it’s brilliant
that he’s removed his shirt but I think I’ll keep that little thought to
myself. “How about you?”

“Fucking amazing. I’ve played
with them on tour before but I can’t wait to play this new stuff. It’s so
melodic and I’ve already heard a few Number Ones.”

“It’s softer,” I say musingly and
he nods enthusiastically. “You’ve been on tour before?” I ask and he laughs.

“I’ve done two tours,” he shouts.
“Fucking head rush both times.”

“I bet you’ve got some stories
then?”

“Yep and you will too by the end.
I don’t think they’re as wild as they were though. I mean Charlie’s married now
and I’ve never seen a bloke so settled so there won’t be many shenanigans from
him, and Seth’s bird looks like she keeps him on a short leash.” We look at
each other in complete agreement and start laughing. “Mind you Bram’s still
single and he’s always been a wild man. Total pussy magnet.”

“What about Sid?” I ask slowly.
Adam looks at him consideringly as he plays guitar next to his brother while
they both share a microphone. They’re completely different to each other but at
this moment with their blue eyes shining, you can tell that they’re brothers.

“Fucking hell Sid was the wildest
of them all,” he says finally.

“
Really
?” I ask in
disbelief. I can’t believe Mr Control Pants was ever wild.

“Yeah,” Adam says a bit sadly.
“He used to get up to all sorts of shit but I think a lot of that was down to
the stuff he was shovelling up his nose.” I wince and he’s quick to try to
reassure me by putting his arm around me and giving me a hug. I see Sid look
intently at us and glare and I hope he hasn’t realised that we’re talking about
him. “He’s not on it now babe. He’s been clean for eighteen months and he’s
different now anyway.”

“In what way?”

“He just seems very controlled
now and focused. He’s definitely a driving force in the band at the moment, but
other than that he seems healthy, not just in his body but in his mind if you
know what I mean?” I nod. “Before, he was out of control all the time and it
could make people uncomfortable because you never knew what he was going to do
or say next.” I tense inside because I know exactly what he’s saying. “The
crowd he ran with weren’t too brilliant either but Sid wasn’t ever like them
and I couldn’t understand why he hung around with them. They were hard faced
bastards, always spending his money, but even when he was in a bad way Sid’s
always been a good bloke, always looking out for people and funny as fuck man.
He’s had me close to wetting myself before he’s that funny. That’s why I could
never understand why he was with that Leah.”

“Leah?” I say questioningly,
aware that the music is slowing, and then I’m interrupted by a voice from over
my shoulder that makes me jump.

“Mr Phillips how nice to see you
again.” Adam jerks in surprise. “Oh, I’m sorry. Have I interrupted your gossip
session?”

Adam turns slowly and his lip
curls slightly, not much, but I can tell that he doesn’t like this man. “Hi Bill,”
he says carefully and I gasp, turning quickly to see the manager. I’ve spoken
to him before but never met him. He’s a smallish bloke probably about 5’ 8”
with thinning brown hair swept back over his high forehead. He’s thin and
wearing a suit that even I can recognise is tailor made and a pair of shoes so
shiny that I could do my make up in them.

“Mr Phillips,” he says and then
turns to me. “Miss Slater,” he adds slowly. “It’s nice to finally put a face to
a voice.”