“You frightened her away!” She shouts out, throwing her arms in the air. “But I can see some lonely Moulin Rouge dancers out there who are looking for a partner or two. So if you can hunk-hunk, you can hunkadola with them!”

The crowd cheers, and the band strikes up. Bette looks confused.

“All together now!” The bandleader tells the crowd.

Backstage, Tina’s assistant and best friend, Dana, hurries over to her with smelling salts.

“Out of my way, quickly,” she says to the people standing in her way. She waves the smelling salts under Tina’s nose and Tina wakes up.

“Oh, Dana,” the blonde sighs. “These silly costumes.”

“Just a little fainting spell,” Dana replies.

“All right you girls, get back out front and make those gents thirsty. Problems?” the stage manager, who has just come in, asks.

“Nothing for you to be worrying about,” Dana says.

“Don’t just stand around then,” the stage manager replies in an annoyed tone.

Tina starts coughing and Dana holds a handkerchief to her mouth. When Tina turns away, Dana sees blood on it. Tina doesn’t notice. The brunette looks grave.

+++

Back in the dance hall, things are in full swing. Sam is singing.

Come out of the garden baby,
You’ll catch your death in the fog
Young girls, they call them the diamond dogs!

+++

In the garden, Jodi is getting impatient. She turns to Amy and says: “Find Wischnia. The girl’s waiting for me.”

+++

Backstage, Tina is getting ready to meet who she thinks is the Duchess.

“That twinkle-toes Duchess has really taken the bait, girl. With a patron like her, you could be the next Sarah Bernhardt,” Dana says.

“Oh Dana, do you really think I could be like the great Sarah?” Tina asks, her eyes full of hope and longing.

“Why not? You’ve got the talent. You hook that Duchess and you’ll be lining up the great stages of Europe.”

“I’m going to be a real actress, Dana, a great actress. I’m going to fly away from here.”

She turns to Henry, her tiny bird, and says: “Oh yes, we can fly, fly away from here!”

Joyce Wischnia rushes in. “Duckling! Is everything alright?”

“Oh yes. Of course, Joyce,” Tina answers.

“Oh thank goodness! You certainly weaved your magic with that Duchess on the dance floor.”