Free Songbird by Josephine Cox

top to show off the bits of herself that he hadn’t marked. The smile fell from her face as she recalled his vicious attack on her. How could she risk her safety, and that of their child, with such an unpredictable man? When he fell into one of his rages, Steve Drayton became a monster.
     
     
    Being Saturday, the Underground was busier than usual, the pavements heavy with people, and the Oxford Street shops full to bursting. At every pedestrian crossing, there was a long wait before the road was clear.
    “I hate coming into London on a Saturday,” said a gray-haired woman, who was almost lifted off her feet when a gaggle of girls came rushing past. “I can’t stand all this pushing and shoving!”
    Taking the pensioner by the arm, Maddy helped her across the road, to receive the loveliest smile for her trouble. “I’m glad not all young people are loud and selfish,” the woman said, ambling away with a tut and a grumble.
    Maddy headed straight for Liberty’s on Regent Street. They had such fabulous evening wear there, suitable for showbiz.
    “I want to open Steve’s eyes and make him see what he might be losing,” she told herself. “No more pink ladies. I’m going to get a fiery red dress! Yes, that’s it — I’ll go for red and be a scarlet woman instead.”
    The saleslady looked at Maddy, at her voluminous golden-brown hair and her striking dark eyes, and said, “Oh no, my dear! Not red. With your coloring, you should wear the palest ivory.”
    Maddy was amazed. “I’ve never even considered wearing ivory,” she confessed. “I’ve always thought that it would make me look washed out.”
    The woman persuaded her to give it a try.
    The first dress she put on was nipped in at the waist and full-skirted. “No, it’s definitely not me.” Maddy was unhappy with the style, but amazed by how flattering the color was.
    The second one was straight-skirted and fitting, but the neck was high and the sleeves too full.
    The third was stunning — low-cut at the top, but with straps instead of sleeves. “Good heavens, what on earth did you do to your arms?” The woman was shocked by the bruises.
    Maddy stammered an excuse, and returned to the cubicle where, both disappointed and embarrassed, she began quickly dressing to cover up the bruises where Steve had gripped her last night.
    She was reaching for her blouse when there came a knock on the cubicle door. “My dear, I’ve found a dress I think you really should try.” The door inched open and an arm reached through, over which hung the loveliest-looking gown. “You looked wonderful in the ivory,” the saleslady explained, “so I went away and searched through another batch of stock that’s just arrived from Italy. This one is absolutely right for you… trust me.”
    Suspecting the woman was trying hard to make a sale, Maddy agreed to try it anyway.
    Five minutes later, she emerged from the cubicle, looking a million dollars.
    “Oh my dear!” The woman’s mouth fell open. “I knew it was the one for you!”
    The ivory-colored dress was plain and elegant; with long, slim sleeves, small silk-covered buttons at the cuffs, it hung exquisitely. In fact, it could have been made for her.
    “It simply flows over you!” The attendant was delighted. “And the ivory… so beautiful.”
    Maddy was pleased to note the discreet split in the skirt, running down the left side from thigh to hem, which opened only when she stepped one leg forward. The punters at the Pink Lady adored it when she wore something a little bit sexy but still ladylike.
    Wondering what Steve might say, she looked at herself in the long mirror. Against the ivory, her eyes and hair seemed richer, deeper in color, and more importantly, the long slim sleeves hid the marks he had made on her arms.
    And so she bought it, though it was more than she could easily afford. Steve liked her to have decent stage outfits, but the money he gave her for them was on the mean side. But this was a