Like all other actor-managers Sir John thought a long way ahead. He decided with any luck The Little Queen would run until after Easter but he wanted something to take its place. Something, he thought wistfully, like Little Lord Fauntleroy in which he could build on Margaret’s success as The Little Queen. But no play was sent to him to read which had a child’s part in it and he began to feel he would have to give up his idea of using Margaret.
Then Tommy Smith made a suggestion.
‘Why not put on The Tempest? You will be a magnificent Prospero. There is enormous scope for the lavish production your public expect of you and Margaret can play Ariel.’
‘By Jove, Tommy, I think you’re right. I have always wanted to play Prospero and we really can let ourselves go on the decorations, that island just asks for it.’ Then he looked thoughtful. ‘But I don’t believe I see Margaret as Ariel. She is full of good qualities but I don’t see anything magical about her. Her great gift is her reality. She puts both feet solidly on the stage and becomes a real person and makes the cast believe in themselves. Several of them have mentioned it. But Ariel is a creature of the elements – all spirit. Could Margaret play the part?’
Tommy could see in his mind’s eye Katie. Little slim Katie as she had looked when she played Puck. Never human, never of this earth.
‘The trouble is,’ he said, ‘it’s difficult to see Margaret in the role because we see someone else who was born to play the part.’
Sir John made a face. ‘It’s no good thinking of it, Tommy. Her Ladyship has made up her mind and I am not bringing the subject up again. But I’ll tell Miss Grey to put the girls on to study The Tempest and that will mean by the time I am ready to hear Margaret read the part, she will have some idea of what it is all about.’
Though it was not talked about, Miss Grey was nervous when she took the children out. She had, of course, never seen the orphanage Matron and only had Lavinia’s word for it that she was in London, but she could see that Margaret believed she was about, from the way she kept close to her side and kept glancing behind her. Because it was still the Christmas holiday Miss Grey had to take the girls out whenever it was fine, but she much preferred it when they amused themselves in the schoolroom.
What frightened her most was when they went to afternoon performances in a bus. They always drove both ways, but, when leaving a theatre, it was only too easy to get separated for a moment by the crowds.
Katie had not been told anything about Lavinia thinking she had seen the Matron. Much better not worry her, Miss Grey had decided. It is not as though she would be any help; if the Matron does make an attempt to kidnap Margaret there are enough of us to see she does not succeed. Then she comforted herself by feeling for her police whistle.
It was the police whistle which put Katie on to the fact that something odd was happening. Katie was nobody’s fool and very soon she had seen something was pinned under Miss Grey’s jacket. She was helped by the fact that every few minutes Miss Grey’s hand shot up to be sure it was still there. Katie would probably never have known it was a police whistle if, just as Miss Grey was giving it a furtive feel, Henry had not come in with elevenses on a silver tray. Miss Grey put her hand down so suddenly that the whistle caught on her little finger and, for a second, it was exposed to Katie’s view.
Katie said nothing but accepted the glass of milk and biscuits Henry handed her. But after he had gone she put her mind to the problem. She had never seen a police whistle, but she knew the police carried them. She had both seen and owned whistles, especially the sort that sang like song birds, particularly cuckoos. But what would Miss Grey be doing with a whistle?
That afternoon there was a matinée. It was a shocking day, raining cats and dogs and with a wind full of sleet. Lady Teaser was out playing cards and was not expected back until about six so Miss Grey – sorry for Katie cooped up in the house – let her go down and sit with Margaret while she got dressed for the play.
Katie stayed on for a short while, after Margaret had gone to the stage, to talk to Liza. She did not know Liza well but she enjoyed talking to her and today she had something to find out.
‘Liza, what does a police whistle look like?’
Liza was caught off balance for she had been talking about something quite different. ‘A police whistle? Why?’
Katie had to giggle. ‘Because I think Miss Grey is wearing one.’
Katie expected Liza to roar with laughter for the very idea was funny, but instead she hesitated. She knew Katie had not been told what was feared; how was she to explain a police whistle? Then she had an idea.
‘Lots of ladies wear them,’ she said, ‘same as lots wouldn’t get into bed without they sees if there’s a burglar under it. Single ladies like Miss Grey, they ’as to be careful on account they have no ’usband to look after them.’
‘Well, Miss Grey has only just taken to wearing one and I think it’s odd.’
Liza felt on firm ground. ‘I don’t. There’s terrible types about the streets these days. And if you don’t hurry up them stairs she’ll be blowing her whistle for you.’
When the girls’ lessons began again Miss Grey started them studying The Tempest.
‘Why The Tempest?’ Katie asked. ‘You said we’d do As You Like It this term.’
‘Nothing is decided,’ Miss Grey explained, ‘but when The Little Queen comes off there is just a chance your father might produce The Tempest. He wishes to play Prospero.’
Margaret’s heart sank. Shakespeare! What in her innermost heart she called ‘that awful Shakespeare’. However, she did not say anything for it would sound – what indeed it was – a groan because she would be out of work.
‘Is there a child in it?’ she asked without much hope.
‘It depends on how Papa plays it,’ Katie explained. ‘There is Ariel. Papa has said it should be played by a child but I think he thinks it should be a boy.’
‘I like being a boy,’ said Margaret. ‘I loved being Little Lord Fauntleroy.’
Miss Grey realized Margaret had never even read the play and decided nothing would be gained by discussing her chances.
‘Ariel is a spirit, neither child nor adult, neither boy nor girl.’
‘And you would have to sing,’ said Katie, and crooned, ‘Full fathom five thy father lies’.
Miss Grey stopped her. ‘No singing now, Katie. We’re going to do sums.’
That evening, walking home with Sarah, Margaret told her what Miss Grey had said about The Tempest. Sarah, too, had heard gossip.
‘I think it’s only talk at present, dear, and nothing may come of it, but they do say Sir John hasn’t a new play he wants to do and, when he finds what he wants he’d like to find one with a part for you, seeing he found you in the first place. You were very nicely wrote about in the papers. So he discovered you, as it were.’
Up went Margaret’s chin. ‘If anybody found me it was Mr and Mrs Fortescue. But really nobody did, I found myself and it was you who put me in The Dolphin Theatre.’ Margaret was silent for a few steps, then she went on. ‘If Sir John doesn’t find a play with a part for me, how do I look for work in another theatre?’
Sarah really did not know for she herself between theatre engagements had always worked in some theatre wardrobe. But she had talked over the problem with Lou.
‘There are sort of schools where they teach you acting and dancing and that and find you work. We’ll have to enquire of Mr Smith about them, it’s no good asking me about this Shakespeare, I never had nothing to do with him.’
They had reached Miss de Lang’s auntie’s house. Sarah stepped forward to put her key in the front door, but before she got it out of her reticule, Mrs Wallow flung the door open.
‘Oh, there you are! I’m ever so glad to see you. There’s something funny going on.’
Sarah managed to keep a tremble out of her voice. ‘What sort of funny?’
‘It was the people next door told me. They said when I was out shopping an old woman was ’anging around asking questions about Margaret. They thought we ought to know for they said she looked like a witch.’