Her brother and sister-in-law explained that they had intended to call in and collect their grandad on their way down to Suffolk for the opening night at The Little Theatre by the Sea, but he’d already told them he’d made other arrangements. Bridie was so pleased they had come.
‘I never knew you were so talented. If only we’d gone to one of your performances in London,’ said Jeremy. ‘I regret missing your shows.’
‘Well, now you don’t have to – go to one of the London shows, I mean,’ said Bridie. ‘When you come down to Suffolk, you can come here and see me in one of my shows.’
‘I will – I promise you, Bridie.’
‘So,’ said Rufus, clapping his hands, ‘Now we’ve got all the revelations out of the way, shall we go to the joint retirement and unwrap party?’
At that moment, the lights flickered and briefly went off.
Everyone sat there in the dark until the lights came back on.
Rufus said, ‘What just happened?’
Bridie said, ‘I think that means everyone liked my show, and is in agreement.’
Jack looked at Bridie and whispered. ‘Isobel is sitting right here. I need to get the electrician in again.’
Bridie touched Jack’s arm. ‘I don’t think that’s necessary – do you? I get the feeling we probably won’t be having any more issues with the lights, or things mysteriously moving around the stage.’
Julian stared around the theatre. ‘Is that what’s been happening?’
Bridie nodded, thinking of Isobel. They’d all assumed it was her, living in the theatre, flicking the lights on and off and moving stage props around, trying to scare everyone away.
Bridie looked across at Isobel. She had apologised, and Bridie had assumed it was over sabotaging her theatre, not justsquatting. She thought about that other assumption she’d made – that it was Isobel who’d saved her that day she’d run out of the theatre in a tizz, straight into a thick fog, and had nearly lost her balance and gone over the sea wall. But she’d never seen the woman’s face.
‘What was your grandmother’s name?’ Bridie asked.
Julian smiled. ‘Her name was Beatrice, and a lovelier woman you couldn’t hope to meet.’
‘Beatrice,’ said Bridie smiling. ‘What a lovely name.’
Oliver looked at her. ‘What are you thinking?’
She turned and whispered in his ear. She was thinking of their future in that cottage next door, with more bedrooms than they’d know what to do with, unless …
He grinned. ‘I love that name too.’
Rufus clapped his hands again enthusiastically. ‘Right, come on, folks, back to my house. It’s time to parteee!’ Rufus stood up and wiggled his hips, like he was boogeying. Claire grabbed on to his hips. Rufus turned around, and said, ‘Anyone for the conga?’ It was meant to be a joke, but getting into the party spirit, everyone joined together in a line.
Rufus looked at Bridie. ‘Come on, sweetheart, you first. You’re the star of the hour. Show us how it’s done.’
Bridie laughed. ‘All right.’
Rufus put his hands on her waist, and they all laughed uproariously as they did the conga up the theatre aisle, and into the foyer. Bridie stopped at the theatre door, and opened it, waving the party through, watching them all do the conga out of the theatre door, some still in their costumes, much to the amusement of passersby braving the cold night air on the promenade.
She could see the line carrying on down the promenade, but Bridie wasn’t the only one who’d broken away from the conga.The last two, Jack and Oliver, had left too and had reappeared in the foyer, looking for her.
‘I’m in here,’ she called out, for some reason expecting them.
She turned around as they walked back in the empty auditorium, Jack and Oliver looking red-faced after the impromptu conga, both smiling broadly.
‘Where’s Isobel?’ Bridie asked. She’d thought she might stay behind too.
‘Enjoying herself out there with all her mad new friends, and her old friends,’ said Jack.
Bridie smiled.
