Sarah smiled as she gently slid the script away. ‘Pretty dear,’ she thought, ‘I do hope she gets to play the part.’

Chapter Six

KATIE

The next morning, while Sarah was ironing her lace-trimmed underclothes, Margaret finished reading the play. The last act was, she discovered, laid in a great cathedral where Anastasia was being crowned. There were descriptions which made it clear it was a very colourful spectacle. There were fanfares of trumpets when Anastasia, followed by her lady attendants, entered, the ladies carrying a gold canopy over her head.

‘Sarah,’ Margaret called out, ‘did you ever see a coronation?’

Sarah laughed. ‘No, dear. I wasn’t born when the Queen was crowned but my mother talked about it for there were great goings-on to celebrate like. Mother had a mug with the Queen’s picture painted on. Why are you asking?’

‘It’s Anastasia in this play, it’s her coronation at the end.’

‘My word!’ said Sarah. ‘That will be good news for the theatre people, take a hundred or more extras or so to put that on I shouldn’t wonder.’

Margaret went back to the play. Anastasia’s procession had now reached a High Priest and the choir were singing. There was then the Coronation service which finished with Anastasia being crowned. Then Anastasia faced her people to say: ‘I, your lawful Queen, do solemnly swear that with God’s help I will do my duty.’ Then bells pealed, the choir sang, trumpets sounded and the curtain fell. Margaret was so carried away by all this that she believed she was Anastasia and was quite shocked when Sarah, handing her the ironed underclothes, didn’t curtsey.

When Sarah and Margaret arrived at The Dolphin that afternoon, the doorkeeper greeted them like friends,

‘You’re to go straight to the stage. That’s two floors down. You can’t miss it, it’s wrote up all the way.’

Mr Smith was on the stage waiting for them, Sir John Teaser was in the dress circle but he called out: ‘Good afternoon, Margaret. Mr Smith will show you what you are to read to me.’

The stage seemed enormous to Margaret, for it looked even bigger than it was with only rehearsal gas lights turned on.

They started with a bit of the first act, where Anastasia came back from the funeral. Mr Smith read the part of Anastasia’s father and mother. Then, to Margaret’s joy, she was told to read the scene in the third act where Anastasia lost her temper.

‘Can I start from where the man falls over?’ Margaret asked.

‘Do,’ Mr Smith agreed, ‘but don’t expect me to fall over on this dusty stage.’

To Margaret that scene was clear in her mind. Anastasia would be bored by all the fuss, probably wishing she was back at school, and then something funny happened.

Mr Smith, bowing, came in backwards through an imaginary door. Then he tripped and pointed down so Margaret could see he was meant to be on the floor. Margaret picked up her cue. She had a very infectious laugh and now, as in her mind she saw the courtier on the floor, she let it peal out. She was stopped by Mr Smith, as the King, saying: ‘Countess, will you take the Princess to her room.’