‘Who – me? But I only run a drama club.’
‘Yes, exactly. You’ve got experience. You shall be my artistic director, if you want to be.’
‘Ah, I overheard you’re making appointments already,’ Mabel said, her sister following her down the row to where they were seated.
Bridie nodded. ‘Would you like an appointment?’ she asked.
‘Oh, yes. We were thinking that you’d need a financial secretary to balance the books.’
‘Or two,’ said Bridie looking at Marjorie.
Marjorie said, ‘Yes, there’s always room for an understudy.’
Reggie said, ‘So, are the auditions taking place after lunch?’
Bridie nodded.
‘Then you better get up on stage and announce it. Also, I think you should move to sit nearer the stage, to judge the auditions – don’t you?’
She looked at Mabel and Marjorie, along with Reggie, Hannah, Lili, Thea and Joss; her little tribe from Cobblers Yard had joined her. ‘Will you all sit with me and help? I don’t want to do this alone.’
Hannah reached for her hand. ‘Bridie – you’re not alone. Just look around you.’
Bridie cast her gaze around at the many people sitting eating sandwiches. She didn’t know these people who’d volunteered their time on a Sunday morning.
‘They are all here to make sure the play gets put on in the hope the theatre will stay open and that this will be the first of many.’
Bridie swallowed, thinking of her plan to return to the London stage. It would mean abandoning all these lovely people who had come to support her and the theatre – and all her friends in Cobblers Yard. Could she really do that? She felt a tear roll down her cheek at the thought.
‘Oh, Bridie,’ Thea said softly, ‘I know it’s overwhelming, but it’s really happening. You’re going to stage a play, and we just know it’s going to be a success.’
‘Thanks to all of you – and them.’
Oliver took her hand. ‘Come on.’
‘Where are we going?’
‘Up on the stage to introduce yourself and start the auditions.’
‘But they don’t know me.’
‘They soon will, and I will be by your side. They know me. Everyone knows me, obviously, because I work at the school.’
As Bridie rose from her seat, she said, ‘Jack should be here.’
Oliver frowned. ‘Why? Because he sent in some guys to fix the roof and the electrics?’
No, because he was the one who gave me the theatre,thought Bridie. But without him there to corroborate it, she knew nobody would believe her.
A moment later she was standing on the stage with Oliver, the colour rising in her cheeks, suddenly remembering the last time she’d stood on a stage. How many of them would remember her from that embarrassing episode posted all over social media?
‘Oh, god – I can’t do this.’
Oliver grabbed her hand as she backed away and whispered, ‘If you’re thinking about what happened in London. Don’t. Nobody cares about that now. Actually, maybe they do, because if that hadn’t happened, you wouldn’t be here now in thistheatre, putting on a production. It all led here, Bridie, to this moment.’
Bridie stared at Oliver. She’d never thought about it that way.
‘Head high, Bridie. This is your theatre, and your show.’ Oliver introduced the new owner of the theatre and stepped to one side to give her the limelight.
