Then she opened her jacket to show a police whistle at the ready, as it were, pinned to the lining.

Though Margaret did not know it, no one took Margaret’s danger lightly.

‘I don’t like it,’ said Lou when Sarah told her the story. ‘I thought young Margaret was pitching a tale when she told us about that Matron but maybe she was not. There’s a lot of evil people in the world and you can’t be too careful. You’d better see her window is bolted of a night time.’

Sarah usually exchanged a few words with Bill Todd during the show but, to tell him about Margaret’s troubles, she took a special expedition to his little room during the last act, when Margaret never left the stage.

‘Could I have a quiet word with you, Mr Todd?’

Bill had a bottle of porter. He held it out. ‘Would you fancy a drop, Mrs Beamish?’

Sarah said she would and Bill opened his door and sat on his box and gave Sarah the chair.

Sarah settled down and supped her porter. ‘It may be true or it could be a mare’s nest as the saying goes.’ Then she told him the story just as Lavinia had told it to Margaret. ‘I thought I’d like you to know just in case, like.’

Bill poured himself out some more porter.

‘You done right in telling me; if that little Lady Lavinia says that is what she saw and heard, then it’s Bible truth. She wouldn’t make nothing up, that she wouldn’t. And you done right to tell me ’cause I’ll be extra careful on my door. There’s many bad people about, Mrs Beamish, you can’t be too careful.’

Liza was another who took Margaret’s danger seriously.

‘You want to watch it. You don’t know who you is. Might be heir to a fortune you might. Anyways the world is full of shockers and that Matron sounds one. You can’t be too careful. Now you take my advice, never be ashamed to scream. Better scream than have your throat cut is my motto.’

Margaret tried not to sound scared.

‘Trust me,’ she promised. ‘I’ll scream.’

Chapter Sixteen

A SCARE

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?’