Chapter 61
‘What about the caveat to put on a play?’ Hannah asked.
Everyone sitting in the theatre turned to look at Hannah.
After the surprise revelation that Julian was Bridie’s mysterious benefactor, everyone, including Bridie, had quite forgotten about the caveat, even though that was the very reason they were all there that evening – to honour Bridie’s benefactor’s wishes.
‘Ah – that.’ Julian sighed. ‘It was my grandfather’s dying wish.
I thought if anybody could do it, Bridie could.
She didn’t have to, though. The solicitor who handed over the keys told her that.
She was free to sell it, do what she wanted with the property.
It was rather selfish of me to even suggest it.
But I thought about what your grandad had said to me.
I went round there one day, not long after you’d left, wanting to know how you were, when you weren’t answering my texts or calls.
He’d been worried about your future and what you would do when working on the stage became just too exhausting. It’s a young person’s game.’
Julian turned to Bridie’s grandad. ‘You gave me the idea to gift her the theatre, even though you didn’t know it at the time.
’ Julian’s eyes settled on Bridie. ‘Although I meant what I said about you returning to the London stage, if you wanted to, I am so pleased you’ve decided to stay here though.
You make a fine producer and business owner. ’
Bridie nodded. ‘Yes, I do.’
‘And if you don’t mind me saying,’ Julian continued. ‘You’ve found your true home.’
Bridie couldn’t agree more. ‘Your grandparents who bought this place,’ said Bridie, ‘what was their story?’
‘They met here, when they were touring in theatre, and fell in love with it. They always resolved that one day they would buy it and run it themselves. It was their dream – but it didn’t work out.’
‘I’m sorry to hear that,’ Bridie said genuinely. ‘You know, I couldn’t have done it without my friends and family.’ She looked about her at them all, sitting gathered around, listening.
She turned her gaze on Julian and had a feeling there was more to their story. ‘There’s more – isn’t there?’
He nodded. ‘Not to get morbid, but when my grandmother died, the family believed she was still here, in this theatre – that’s why my grandfather wouldn’t let it go or let any of his descendants sell either.’
‘You mean – like her ghost?’
Julian nodded. ‘Her spirit, I guess. She loved this little theatre so much.’
‘How did she die?’ Bridie asked. ‘Was it here? Did she … did she fall from the sea wall to her death?’
‘What makes you say that?’ Julian asked.
Bridie thought about the rumour that it was what had happened to Isobel Raine. She said, ‘It nearly happened to me.’
‘Seriously?’ Jack said.
She nodded.
‘I’ve seen those fogs that can suddenly roll in from the sea,’ Julian commented. ‘But no, that’s not how she died. She fell asleep, right here, sitting in this theatre – her husband by her side; they were still making plans to reopen their beloved theatre.’
Bridie felt tears in her eyes. That was so sad.
Julian said, ‘Don’t be sad, Bridie. She knew her time had come – they both did. She wouldn’t have had it any other way.’
Now Bridie understood why his grandfather hadn’t wanted to let go of the crumbling theatre and had wanted to ensure it was passed on to future generations. He had hoped that one day his descendants would fulfil the dream that he and his wife had cherished.
‘There was a rumour about the theatre being haunted.’ Bridie didn’t mention that the rumour had involved Isobel Raine.
Bridie had googled Isobel’s stage name, the one Isobel had adopted when she’d left the little theatre, along with Reggie and Rufus, behind.
It turned out that she’d been quite well-known on the London stage until she’d suddenly upped sticks and moved to New York.
Bridie realised that over decades, the stories of Isobel and Julian’s grandmother had been all but forgotten, but the rumour of the haunting had persisted.
‘Can you forgive me, Bridie – for everything?’ Julian asked.
Bridie sighed. How could she not? This theatre, his theatre, had saved her, given her back her life, and led her back to Isobel, Reggie – and Oliver. ‘Of course I can.’
‘What will you do next – with the theatre, I mean? You will keep it, won’t you, and stage more plays?’
‘Yes, I can’t think of anywhere I’d rather be – apart from the cottage next door.’
Oliver grinned.
Julian didn’t have a clue what she was talking about.
Bridie said, ‘I just have to decide which production I’m going to stage next.’
‘I think this show is going to run for some time yet,’ said Julian. ‘Judging by the opening night.’
Bridie agreed. ‘We’re having a party afterwards.’
‘A wrap party after the last performance of this show?’
‘No, actually. This evening we’re having an unwrap party. I’d like you to come.’
‘I’m sorry – what’s an unwrap party, exactly?’
‘It’s similar to a wrap party at the end of a theatre run, after the last performance, but it’s been … well such a journey getting to this point of actually staging a performance, we thought it would be fitting to celebrate opening night, and have an unwrap party, unwrapping the show – get it?’
Julian laughed. ‘I like it! And I will indeed come.’
Rufus chimed in, ‘This evening happened to coincide with my retirement party. So, it’s going to be a joint party.’ He grinned. ‘I couldn’t be happier.’
Bridie smiled at her dad, in his element, back in the theatre.
She guessed how, and where, he was going to spend his retirement.
She’d never see the back of him – in the nicest possible way, of course.
And she had a surprise retirement present for him.
It had been hanging in her flat in Cobblers Yard all this time.
It had been for sale, but Hannah had taken it out of the shop window and sold it to Bridie for a small amount, payable whenever she was ready, when she’d expressed an interest in the painting.
Although she loved the painting by Maisie of The Little Theatre by the Sea – even more so because Hannah had given it to her when they’d first met – and it marked the beginning of their friendship, and her new life here, she was still going to give it to her dad so when he wasn’t in the theatre, the theatre would always be with him, hanging in his study.
He wasn’t getting his dog back though. She had yet to tell him that Barney was staying with her and Oliver for good.
‘Your show was amazing,’ said Jeremy.
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 just squatting.
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.
Oliver said, ‘I think underneath all that shy, reserved exterior, she’s a bit of a party animal.’
‘I could say the same about you,’ Jack joked. ‘I saw you throwing your legs out and singing at the top of your voice as we left the theatre.’
Oliver laughed. He cast his gaze around the theatre. ‘Yeah, it’s been such fun.’
‘Takes you back,’ said Jack.
‘Not to happier times,’ Bridie mused.
Jack and Oliver turned to look at her.
She took both their hands in hers. ‘We don’t have to look back anymore, do we, to a happier time when we were carefree teens, before life got in the way and took us all in different directions?’
Jack and Oliver nodded. They understood. Happiness didn’t elude them anymore.
‘We made it, all three of us, to the life that was always waiting for us.’
She watched them looking at her thoughtfully and then casting a gaze around the theatre. ‘Who would have thought – this theatre that tore us all apart, back then, would bring us back together, and show us the way to where we truly belonged, and with whom?’ said Jack.
‘Yes,’ Oliver agreed.
‘I love you guys so much.’ Bridie held their hands. ‘Come on, we’ve got a party to get to.’
As they left the theatre, Bridie, alone in the foyer, turned and whispered, ‘Goodbye, Beatrice. You can rest in peace now. Your theatre is safe with me.’
The lights flickered one final time.
Bridie walked out of the theatre and stood there for a moment.
Jack and Oliver were waiting for her. She glanced at the cottage next door, imagining what her future would look like with a little girl called Beatrice.
Perhaps she would follow in her footsteps, like Bridie had with her mother, or perhaps she wouldn’t.
But whatever the future held, Bridie knew her beloved little theatre would always be there for her, just next door – where her own story had begun.