Annie’s happiness was suddenly whipped away. ‘Have you replaced me? I… I understand if you have, after all I did just disappear without warning.’ She blinked rapidly, trying to stop her tears from falling.
Kitty stepped forward. ‘No, darling, you can’t be replaced, you’re like the family I never had. Stan managed to track down the dresser for me, you know the one I wrongly sacked.’ She looked over at him and smiled.
Relief spread across Annie’s face as she watched the two of them give each other a lingering look. What was that look, was it love? Annie looked at Rose; did she also feel like they were intruding on something?
Rose shrugged, and gazed back at the photograph.
Kitty suddenly pulled away from whatever held them transfixed. ‘Anyway, to cut a long story short, he found her. I apologised for not believing her and she needed a job for a couple of weeks so I asked her to be my dresser while you were away.’
Annie felt a rush of jealousy course through her body. Colour filled her cheeks.
‘Don’t worry; she wasn’t a patch on you. As I said, you are irreplaceable. However, what was good is that I got to put right the wrong that I did and that’s all thanks to you and Stan.’ She smiled. ‘I quite like being nice to people.’
Annie laughed, pulling her eyes away from them both. ‘She certainly did a good job for you.’
Kitty smiled. ‘She did but she didn’t make coffee as good as you, so I couldn’t have kept her.’
Rose put the photograph back on the dressing table before looking across at Stan. ‘Thank you for keeping our jobs for us, we both really appreciate it.’
Kitty smiled. ‘I wouldn’t have had it any other way, and actually it was worth it just to upset Miss hoity-toity Hetherington.’
Stan stood up. ‘Talking of which I had better show you, Rose, where the sewing room is. Whether Jane likes you or not, I’m sure she will be glad to have you back.’
Rose picked up her case ready to follow Stan.
Kitty waved her hand at Rose. ‘Leave your case here for now, you can collect it on the way back.’ She looked over at Annie. ‘Shall I make you a cup of tea?’
Annie smiled. ‘Is that a hint?’ She watched Stan and Rose quietly leave the room before glancing back at Kitty. ‘Is there any news? You know, have I missed anything exciting?’
Kitty sat back down on the chaise longue and picked up her papers. ‘I don’t think so. I’m just reading through some lines but other than that I do believe it’s all as it was when you left, except without Matthew Harris, of course.’
Annie tilted her head as she watched Kitty look busy. ‘If there’s definitely no news, I might as well put the kettle on then.’ She walked over to the sink and turned on the tap, water spraying everywhere. She quickly turned it off again. ‘Do they make these taps like this on purpose? I always get so wet and all I want to do is fill up the kettle.’ She dabbed at her blouse with a towel that was sitting on the side.
Kitty looked over. ‘Try turning it on slowly.’
Annie put the towel down and picked up the kettle and tried again. At first the water trickled into it, before the pipe clunked and the water suddenly splattered out into the kettle. ‘Am I making tea or coffee?’
‘Coffee for me, please.’
Annie turned to face Kitty. ‘You know it feels like I’ve been gone ages so I thought I would have missed so much.’
Kitty stood up and elegantly walked to the door to her room and closed it. ‘All right, I shall tell you.’
Annie’s eyes lit up. ‘Tell me what?’
Kitty’s eyes screwed up. ‘As if you didn’t know. Mind you, I don’t know how you do because no one else does.’
Annie kept her eyes firmly fixed on Kitty. ‘Know what?’
Kitty’s face lit up. ‘If I tell you, it must stay between us.’
‘Of course.’
Kitty was almost fit to burst. ‘Stan has asked me to marry him.’
Annie couldn’t control the smile that spread across her face. ‘I knew it. I knew it. I take it you said yes?’
‘Once I got over the shock and I thought about how much he’s been in my life, looking after me without any fuss or drama, I couldn’t say no.’ Kitty beamed. ‘I’m so excited. I owe everything to you, thank you.’ She jumped up and once again embraced Annie.
Annie patted her back. ‘I am absolutely over the moon for you but it’s not all thanks to me at all.’
Kitty stepped back shaking her head. ‘Firstly, you got me off the brandy. Secondly, you spoke to me as a person, you were always honest with me and, thirdly, probably the most important one, you never asked for anything in return.’
Annie could feel her eyes welling up. ‘And neither did Stan.’
Kitty beamed. ‘Exactly.’
‘But do you love him? It would be wrong to marry someone who is head over heels about you if you don’t feel the same.’
Kitty looked down at her hands, bare of any jewellery. ‘You know I wasn’t sure at first, mainly because he’s been in the background for so long, but the more I thought about it the more I realised that if I didn’t say yes to marrying him and he disappeared out of my life then I would miss him beyond belief.’ She looked up. ‘I had just never thought of us as a couple until not long before you got locked in the cupboard.’
Annie beamed. ‘I’m thrilled for you both, many congratulations.’
Kitty frowned for a split second. ‘Are you sure? You can tell me if you think I’m doing the wrong thing.’
Annie shook her head. ‘On the contrary, I just wanted to make sure you weren’t going to break his heart and you were doing it for the right reasons.’
Kitty suddenly looked very serious. ‘He’s too kind for me to do that.’
Annie smiled. ‘He is, and you just have to remember that in the future. Have you set a date?’
‘No, there’s no rush. It’s just lovely to know it’s going to happen.’
*
Rose looked out of the dining room window. ‘It’s strange being in the house without Mr Bradshaw and Joyce. I wonder what’s keeping her.’
Annie took another bauble off the Christmas tree. ‘I expect she’s catching up with Simon.’ She carefully placed the bauble in a box. ‘Come and help get the decorations off this tree, all the pine needles have dropped onto the floor. This should have been done weeks ago, I’m surprised Joyce didn’t do it before she came up home.’
Rose walked over and flopped down onto the floor. ‘I expect she didn’t give it a thought. Remember they didn’t have a tree up for years.’
‘No, well, if we can get this done it will be a good thing.’
They both worked away quietly, each locked in their own thoughts for a few minutes.
Annie looked up from the bauble she was wrapping in newspaper. ‘It was strange seeing Peter and Dorothy in my home.’
Rose smiled. ‘I can’t believe that Dorothy is your aunt and we didn’t even realise it, but it does explain why Arthur kept looking at you. There’s definitely a family likeness there.’
Annie chuckled. ‘You never noticed anything until we were told, so there couldn’t be that much of a likeness.’
Rose smiled. ‘That’s true, but there was enough for Arthur to notice. I told you it was something about you that caused his attitude to change.’
‘It’s probably just as well we didn’t know Dot was his wife, because I’m sure we would have told Joyce and put our foot in it, causing all kinds of commotion.’
‘I shall miss Dot at work.’ Rose reached up and took another bauble off the tree. She stared at it for a moment. ‘I hope they do manage to get together again especially if it was only their grief that tore them apart.’ She turned the glass ornament in her hand. ‘These are quite beautiful.’
Annie gave her an anxious look. ‘For goodness sake don’t drop it.’
‘I won’t.’ Rose put it on the paper and started wrapping it up. ‘Now we are on our own, what did you really think about Peter turning up at your home?’
Annie immediately felt the colour rise in her cheeks. ‘I was shocked because he was the last person I expected to see. In fact, I had been trying to come to terms with not coming back to London and not seeing him anymore.’ Her eyes glistened. ‘I remember him saying on Westminster Bridge something about life taking over sometimes and decisions are made for you.’
‘So, is it love then? Should we be planning a wedding?’
‘All I know is the thought of not seeing him again upset me but it’s too soon to be talking weddings. We haven’t even kissed yet.’
‘Well, you need to sort that out.’ Rose’s smile gradually faded. ‘You do know your ma would have approved of Peter and you living your life.’
Annie could feel her throat tighten. ‘I know. I can’t believe I’m never going to see her again.’
Rose reached out and covered Annie’s hand with her own. ‘She’s in your heart so she’ll always be with you, and don’t forget that if you’re a good girl you will meet her again one day.’ She smiled. ‘That’s where it all falls down for me, being a good girl.’
Annie smiled. ‘You’re not as bad as you make out. Talking of which, I haven’t asked you how your family are?’
Rose’s lips clenched. ‘Apart from the disbelief at your mother passing away so unexpectedly, they were fine.’
‘How about Sam?’
Rose smiled. ‘I don’t want to break your heart but he’s been on a few dates with Fran. I think he’s quite smitten with her.’
‘I know. Sam and I had a long chat after ma’s funeral; he wanted me to hear it from him. He apologised for everything, as did I, but he said I’d been right to call it all off and follow my dream. He told me about Fran and how she wanted the same things he did. It was Fran who made him realise that he was trying to do the same thing, except his dream was a farm of his own. We hugged, I was so happy for him.’ Annie smiled. ‘I didn’t want to be the girl that broke his heart.’
Rose chuckled. ‘No, I think you’re all right there.’
The front door thudded shut. The girls turned to look towards the dining room door.
‘It’s only me.’
The girls smiled at each other. Joyce was back. ‘Hello, you,’ they chorused.
Joyce wandered in, still unbuttoning her coat as she walked through the doorway. She watched them kneeling on the floor wrapping the Christmas decorations in paper. ‘I’m so sorry, I should have done that before I left to come and see you.’
Annie tilted her head. ‘That’s all right. It’s good to be reminded how beautiful they are.’
Joyce nodded. ‘Goodness knows where we’ll be next Christmas. Living on the street I expect.’
Rose looked at Joyce frowning at the tree. ‘Don’t worry, Joyce, it will all come right in the end. You just have to keep the faith.’
Joyce shrugged. ‘Forgive me, but mine has been shaken a bit in the last few years.’
Annie stood up. ‘That’s all right you’ll get it back with time, we all get tested by the demons in our heads.’ She gave her a hug. ‘You have good friends and should have shared your burden with us and we would have tried to have come sooner. Your Uncle Arthur is a different man now, and I know he’s sorry for what he’s put you through.’
Rose looked up. ‘I agree, I think he’s come out the other side and you should be proud you didn’t desert him when he needed you the most.’
Joyce looked tearful as she looked at her friends. ‘It’s been so wonderful having you here. It means more than I can say.’
Annie rubbed the rough bobbly sleeve of Joyce’s coat. ‘Don’t worry about the future. If we have to move, we’ll face it when the time comes, and we’ll face it together.’
*
Annie passed Kitty her usual early morning coffee, adding a tiny splash of brandy. ‘I really don’t like the winter at all, it’s so grey and cold here in London.’ She put the glass bottle back in the drawer.
‘You’re spoiling me.’ Kitty tried to laugh but it caught in her throat and she started coughing.
‘It’s only for medicinal purposes so don’t get used to it.’ Annie rubbed her hand up and down Kitty’s back. ‘We’ve got to get you well enough for this evening’s performance.’ She picked up a blanket and wrapped it around Kitty’s shoulders. ‘Why don’t you lie down for a while?’
Kitty shook her head. ‘Can you please go and find Stan for me?’
Annie nodded. ‘Of course, are you going to be all right?’
‘Yes, I might just lie down on the chaise for a moment.’
Annie hovered. ‘Let me help you.’ She held onto Kitty’s slender arm and guided her to the chair, then went back for the coffee. ‘Don’t try and move until I get back, I’m not convinced you’re going to be able to perform tonight.’
Kitty gave her a weak smile. ‘Let me worry about that. You just find Stan for me.’
Annie nodded and walked over to the door. ‘Are you sure you’ll be all right?’
Kitty nodded.
Annie ran down the corridor and poked her head round the door of the sewing room. ‘Have you seen Stan?’
Rose looked up from the dress she was sewing. ‘No, is everything all right? You look quite pale.’
‘I don’t know, Kitty wants me to find Stan.’ Annie leant back and peered further along the corridor before looking back at Rose. ‘I don’t think Kitty is well enough to do tonight’s performance – not that she’s said that but she doesn’t look well.’
Rose raised her eyebrows. ‘What will they do? Kitty doesn’t have an understudy.’
Annie shrugged. ‘I don’t know, but I need to find Stan. If you happen to see him can you tell him Kitty needs to talk to him?’ She left before Rose could say any more, almost running to the stage.
Stan walked around the corner and collided with Annie.
Annie gasped for breath. ‘Mr Tyler, Kitty wants a word with you. She’s not at all well.’
Stan eyed her for a second.
Annie raised her eyebrows, wondering what it was that she saw flicker across his face, there only for a moment before it was gone.
Stan took a deep breath. ‘Right, I’ll go and see her.’
Annie turned to walk with him back to the dressing room. He was pacing it out and Annie found herself trotting alongside him.
He gave her a sideways glance. ‘This could be very serious.’ Stan cleared his throat. ‘Mind you, Kitty has never missed a show so I’m sure we’re worrying for nothing.’
Stan walked into the dressing room just as Kitty pulled the blanket back over her shoulder. He smiled at her then remembered himself and gave a look of concern. ‘I hear you wanted to see me.’
Annie followed him in and wrinkled her nose. Was that onion she could smell?
Kitty coughed into a handkerchief. ‘I don’t think I’m going to be able to do the show tonight.’
Stan stared at the star of the show. ‘What? How are we meant to get a replacement at this late in the day?’
Kitty’s eyes were watery and bloodshot. ‘I’m sorry, Stan, someone else is going to have to do it.’
Stan paced around the room throwing his hands up in the air. ‘Like who? To play Elphin Haye is a big role.’
Kitty winked at Stan. ‘Why don’t you let Annie do it?’
Fear trampled over Annie’s worried features. ‘I can’t do it, I’ve only been back a few weeks.’ She groaned. ‘I’m not an actress. You need to get better before tonight.’
Stan stopped pacing and gave a half smile. ‘That’s an excellent idea, Kitty, panic over.’
‘I can’t do it. I don’t know the lines.’
Stan rested his arm on Annie’s shoulders. ‘I see you mouthing each line from the wings every evening.’
Annie’s stomach lurched up into her chest. ‘That’s not the same as performing it on stage in front of hundreds of people.’
Stan nodded. ‘That’s true but you’ve watched it enough to be our best option.’ He peered over at Kitty before glancing back at Annie. ‘You won’t let us down, will you? You know the old saying the show must go on. Well, it’s very true, we have people who have bought tickets and we can’t let them down.’
Kitty sneezed into her handkerchief. ‘You can do it, Annie. You wanted to be on the stage so now’s your big chance.’
Annie dropped down on the sofa next to Kitty. ‘Not at your expense I didn’t.’
‘I will probably be over the worst of it tomorrow so it will probably be for one night only. Just enjoy it.’
Stan clapped his hands and rubbed them together. He looked pleased with himself when he spoke. ‘Good, that’s that settled then.’ He looked at Annie. ‘You need to spend the day practising your lines and the movement on the stage of you and the other players.’
Annie could feel the colour draining from her, she couldn’t believe it was happening; she needed to go and see Rose. She jumped up and ran out the room and along the corridor.
Stan’s booming voice followed her. ‘I hope we haven’t scared her off.’
Kitty’s voice held a smile. ‘She’ll be all right. Have they arrived yet?’
Annie almost fell into the sewing room, her face flushed from where she had been running. ‘Rose,’ Annie scowled. ‘Rose, Stan and Kitty only want me to play the leading role tonight because Kitty’s too sick.’
Rose jumped up and clapped her hands. ‘That’s wonderful! Not that Kitty’s sick, but you getting your chance on the stage. It’s what you’ve always dreamed of.’
Annie shook her head. ‘I can’t do it, I really can’t.’
Rose took Annie’s hands in hers. ‘Calm down, take some deep breaths.’ She pulled her friend to a nearby chair and sat her down. Rose pulled a chair over and sat next to her. ‘I don’t understand, I thought it was what we came to London for. It’s what you’ve been going on about for years, remember?’
Annie nodded. ‘Not like this! I wanted to start off at the bottom, you know, do rehearsals, learn what I have to do.’
Rose nodded. ‘Just remember you’ve watched this show practically every night from the wings. The only time you didn’t was when you went home and we’ve been back a few weeks now so it’s all fresh in your head. You definitely know all the words and the songs.’ She paused. ‘You know it’s an honour to replace Kitty, and for one night you’ll be fine.’
Annie’s eyes widened. ‘Who said it was only for one night?’
Rose fidgeted in her chair. ‘Obviously no one did, I just assumed that as soon as Kitty is feeling halfway decent she’ll want to start work again. After all that’s what she’s like.’
Annie stared at Rose for a minute before nodding in agreement.
‘Shall I help you practise?’
‘I think Kitty will, if she’s not asleep.’
*
Annie stared at herself in the mirror as she mumbled the words to “I Would Like To Marry You”.
Rose helped Annie into Kitty’s first dress for the show, pinning and stitching where it was a little big. ‘Are you all right? You’re mumbling away to yourself.’
‘I feel sick. I’m trying to remember the words to “I Would Like To Marry You” because I have to sing it on my own in the first act.’ Annie shook her head. ‘I can’t believe I agreed to do this. What am I saying? I didn’t agree, it was thrust upon me!’
Rose smiled. ‘Try to enjoy the moment. This is your dream, remember. This is what you’ve wanted for most of your life.’
‘Please stop saying that.’ Annie rolled her eyes heavenward. ‘Anyway, I always imagined I’d have my family cheering me on when the time came.’
‘Well, you are going to have to make do with me, Stan and Kitty, your theatre family. I’m sure when you tell them about it the family will be able to picture it as though they were here.’
Kitty wandered into the room. ‘How are you doing? You’re bound to worry about everything but that’s part of performing, everyone’s nerves are terrible at this point.’ She stood back to admire the costume. ‘You’ve done a good job, Rose. I will be in the wings watching so good luck.’
Panic raced across Annie’s face. ‘Oh my goodness, that in itself terrifies me.’
Kitty laughed. ‘Don’t worry, you won’t be able to see much of the audience but they will be able to see you so just pretend you are performing in front of your family and friends. It’s going to go well.’
Annie eyed Kitty suspiciously. ‘Your cold sounds a little better, and your eyes aren’t bloodshot anymore. Maybe you could play the role yourself now.’
‘I do feel a little better but you will be on in five minutes so there’s not time to make any changes at this late stage.’
Annie opened her mouth to speak.
A sharp rap on the door made her jump. ‘Time ladies, we need you in the wings, there’s less than two minutes to go before the curtain is pulled up.’
*
Tom Cradwell and his family followed the usher’s instructions and wandered down the aisle. Margaret stared open-mouthed at the magnificent theatre. They took their seats next to Joyce and Peter. He hadn’t known what to do when he’d received Rose’s telegram a few days earlier but he knew he couldn’t miss Annie’s first role on stage. His stomach churned. Annie wouldn’t know they were there until the show was over; they had all been sworn to secrecy. The lights went down in the auditorium.
Stan Tyler walked out and peered into the darkness of the auditorium. ‘Ladies and Gentlemen, for tonight only the role of Elphin Haye will be played by Annie Cradwell. Please enjoy the show.’ Stan walked off into the wings.
The curtains opened, the lights were lit on stage and the audience clapped as the show began.
Stan took his place next to Kitty and Rose.
Kitty watched Annie focused on the show and grinned. ‘I’m so glad I’ve finally got rid of the smell of onion. It really did sting when I rubbed it under my eyes.’
Rose could feel her eyes welling up. ‘You’re certainly an amazing actress. This is wonderful; I’m hoping this will stop her crying herself to sleep at night. Thank you.’
‘It was a team plan.’ Kitty and Rose hugged as Annie walked on to the stage, all nerves forgotten.
Stan glanced across. ‘Annie has been through so much. I hope she enjoys it and doesn’t hate us forever.’
A few minutes later Annie burst into song and the audience sat hushed as they listened.
Rose watched in awe as her friend sang and moved elegantly around the stage. She tore herself away to glance at everyone sitting in the front row, all mesmerised at Annie’s performance and her ability to melodically dance with the notes with strength and passion.
Tom squeezed Margaret’s hand as he stared wide-eyed at Annie, losing himself in the music and his daughter’s wonderful voice. His eyes became watery. Blinking rapidly, his gaze darted around the audience, wondering if they were hearing what he was. How he wished Ivy could see their daughter bring the song to life.
Margaret looked up at him, loving what she saw.
Peter leant forward in his seat holding his breath as Annie sung her heart out.
Joyce shook her head slowly, with her fingertips pressed to her lips. She nudged Peter, who peered over his shoulder and gave her a broad smile before staring back at the stage.
The music stopped. The audience was silent for what seemed a lifetime. Annie held her breath as she glanced at Kitty, who was wiping her eyes. Had she let them down? Her heart was racing. The theatre suddenly erupted with everyone jumping to their feet cheering and clapping. Annie’s eyes welled up and she gasped as the wall of applause hit her. Beaming, she caught sight of her father and Peter following everyone to their feet, along with Margaret and Joyce.
The orchestra began the opening chords of the next song.