William rounded on his sister. ‘They are!’
A hushed silence fell in the room. Bridie looked around at her friends. Were they all thinking the same thing? Bridie swallowed. ‘Jack wouldn’t – would he?’
Suddenly everyone was out of their seats and rushing to the door.
Maisie said, ‘Where are you all going?’
They all stopped in a bunch at the door.
Andy said, ‘I’ll stay with the children – and Barney. Now go!’
Chapter 52
Kate answered her phone. ‘Layla – I can’t hear you. What’s all that noise in the background?’ She thought they’d finished rehearsals and were on their way home.
‘What?’ Kate’s eyes went wide. ‘The theatre is on fire? Oh, god! Where’s George and Andy? At the art and craft shop? Oh, thank god. But is anyone inside the theatre? You don’t know? I’ll be right there.’
Claire said, ‘Did you just say the theatre is on fire?’
‘That’s what Layla said, Mum.’
‘Oh, god! Is Bridie there, in the theatre?’
‘Mum, I don’t know, Layla was hysterical. I could barely hear her. I thought they’d all finished rehearsals.’
Rufus walked into the kitchen, catching the word rehearsals. He raised his eyebrows. ‘Is there something you’re not telling me? Did Bridie get a job back in London?’
Kate exchanged a glance with her mum. ‘Mum – I need your car.’
‘I’m coming with you,’ said Claire, rushing after her out of the kitchen. They both grabbed their coats so quickly they nearly knocked the coat stand over.
Rufus stood in the kitchen doorway with a cup of tea, looking from one to the other. ‘What on earth is going on?’
‘There’s no time to explain, Rufus,’ Claire replied.
‘Then I’m coming with you.’
‘No!’
‘No?’ Rufus looked at his wife in astonishment. ‘I think I am.’
Kate was already out of the door, getting into the car on the driveway as Claire rushed outside. Kate opened the window and shouted, ‘Get in the car!’
‘Dad is coming too.’
‘Oh, god!’ said Kate, realising that Bridie would not be happy – although after what she’d heard from Layla, that was the least of their concerns. Kate didn’t care about the theatre; all she wanted to know was that her sister was okay. If they had all just left the rehearsals when the fire broke out, she wouldn’t put it past Bridie to run back in and try and save her precious theatre. But it wasn’t worth her losing her life over.
With that thought, Kate intended to put her foot down and get to Aldeburgh as fast as she could.
‘Where did you say we’re going?’ Rufus asked from the front door.
Kate shouted, ‘Just get in the car – if you’re coming.’
‘Okey dokey.’
He seemed to take an age, getting his coat on and then strolling to the car as though they were going for a leisurely jaunt on a Sunday afternoon.
Kate had had the impulse to leave him behind, but if something had happened to Bridie …
