‘Great. I’m rootin’ for ya,’ she told him, squeezing his arm, while Brooke couldn’t wipe the smile off her face.
He was nervous and there was no hiding it. Aubrey, Peter, Walter, Isaac (who was clearly oblivious to how awful he sounded), Millie and Harmony all auditioned, along with the four children and Danny himself.
Lawrie, Silas and Lucy held a meeting at the side of the stage while the ghosts waited nervously for their verdict. Lawrie had offered to pass Silas’s thoughts to Lucy, so it would be a genuine three-way decision, and Danny tried hard not to care too much about the outcome.
It didn’t really matter anyway. He wasn’t bothered about taking a lead part and wasn’t even sure why he’d auditioned, except he had to admit it had been nice to hear Brooke singing his praises like that. It was good to know that she appreciated his singing. It had been a long time since anyone had told him how good his voice was.
‘Okay,’ Lucy said finally as the three of them rejoined the others in the centre of the stage. ‘We’ve made our choice. Lawrie?’
‘We’ve decided,’ Lawrie said, ‘that Aubrey will sing the first verse, Harmony will sing the second, and Danny will sing the third. The three girls, Millie, Florence and Immi will join in with each of you on the fifth line of each verse. We think their voices will sound really sweet together and alongside the three soloists, and also it means Brodie will hear Immi’s voice and know whereabouts in the song you are. Does that sound fair to you all?’
‘Rather hard cheese if it doesn’t,’ Silas said, a gleam in his eye. ‘That’s our decision so take it or leave it.’
‘You’re all heart,’ Isaac grumbled.
‘Do you object?’ Silas demanded.
Isaac and Peter looked at each other, then shook their heads.
Walter sighed. ‘I will accept,’ he said generously, ‘that I am a better poet than minstrel.’
‘Oh, Aubrey my darling, I’m so proud of you,’ Agnes said, her hand resting lightly on the place where her heart should be beating. ‘I always said you had the most divine singing voice.’
‘Excellent,’ said Lawrie, as Millie, Immi and Florrie jumped up and down in excitement. ‘Then it’s settled.’
‘Great,’ said Lucy. ‘Now, Sam’s agreed to play the guitar, and Lawrie’s just agreed to play the violin parts for us?—’
‘Though I am a little rusty,’ Lawrie said hastily. ‘Please don’t expect miracles.’
‘Now we just need a pianist.’
‘I know,’ Immi said at once, ‘the vicar! I mean, the other vicar. Amelia.’
‘Absolutely not!’ Silas said furiously. ‘She is to have no part in this. Bad enough that she’s taken my job, my church and my home. I refuse to let her take this from me, too.’
‘But Reverend Alexander—’ Immi began.
Silas held up his hand. ‘This is not up for discussion! I said no. I meant no.’
‘Well, who else do we know who plays the piano?’ Lucy asked after Lawrie relayed the conversation to her.
There was no answer. Silas looked furious but Lawrie was quite firm.
‘I’m sorry but I’m afraid I shall have to ask Amelia whether you like it or not. We need a pianist.’
‘But—’
‘Amelia can’t see or hear you or the other ghosts, Silas. It’s not as if she can interfere with your work in any way, shape or form. All she’ll be doing is playing the piano for us, nothing more. You, on the other hand, are our choirmaster. There’s no more important task.’
Silas grunted. ‘I suppose you’re right.’
‘Excellent. Now,’ Lawrie said cheerfully, addressing the entire gathering, ‘I suggest we call it a day for now and you all head off to rehearse in your own homes – although in the case of Aubrey and Immi you will have to be extremely careful that Brodie and Callie aren’t in the vicinity. Class dismissed.’
‘Er, are you forgetting that I’m the one in charge?’ Silas called as everyone turned to leave. ‘I say when the class is over, no one else.’
Lawrie nodded. ‘I apologise, Silas. Of course you’re quite right. Ignore that, everyone. As you were.’
Silas cleared his throat. ‘Yes, well, I think that’s enough for today. Class dismissed.’
