‘I’m at your elbow, Father. Back to audience. I’ll give it to you if needs be. Don’t worry,’ said Malcolm.

‘You will, my boy, won’t you? No, I shan’t worry. But I can’t imagine why I dried like that yesterday. However.’

He caught his cloak up in a practised hand and turned round: ‘All right behind?’ he asked.

‘Splendid,’ his son reassured him.

‘Good. Good.’

‘Quarter hour, please.’

A tap on the door and Peregrine looked in. ‘Lovely house,’ he said. ‘They’re simmering. William –’ he patted William’s head – ‘you’ll remember tonight through all your other nights to come, won’t you? Your performance is correct. Don’t alter anything, will you?’

‘No, sir.’

‘That’s the ticket.’ He turned to Duncan. ‘My dear fellow, you’re superb. And the boys. Malcolm, you’ve a long time to wait, haven’t you? For your big scene. I’ve nothing but praise for you.’

The witches stood in a tight group. The picture they presented was horrendous. They said ‘Thank you’ all together and stood close to one another, staring at him.

‘You’ll do,’ said Perry.

He was going his rounds. It wasn’t too easy to find things to say to them all. Some of them hated to be wished well in so many words. They liked you to say facetiously, ‘Fall down and break your leg.’ Others enjoyed the squeezed elbow and confident nod. The ladies were kissed – on the hands or in the air because of make-up. Round he went with butterflies busily churning in his own stomach, his throat and mouth dry as sandpaper and his voice seeming to come from someone else.

Maggie said: ‘It’s your night tonight, Perry dear. All yours. Thank you.’ And kissed him.

Sir Dougal shook both his hands. ‘“Angels and ministers of grace defend us,’” he said. ‘Amen,’ Perry answered and welcomed the Hamlet quotation.

Simon, magnificently dark and exuding a heady vitality, also shook his hands. ‘Thank you,’ he said, ‘I’m no good at this sort of thing but blessings and thank you.’

‘Where’s Banquo?’

‘He went out. Having a pee, I suppose.’

‘Give him my greetings,’ said Peregrine, relieved.

On and on. Nina, ‘discovered’ leaning back against her dressing table and laughing madly. A strong smell of garlic.

The thanes nervy and polite. The walking gents delighted to be visited.

Finished at last. Front-of-house waiting for him: Winty’s assistant.

‘All right,’ he said. ‘We’re pushing the whole house in. Bit of a job. There are the royalty-hunters determined to stay in the foyer but we’ve herded them all in. Winty’s dressed up like a sore thumb and waiting in the entrance. The house is packed with security men and Bob’s your uncle. They’ve rung through to say the cars have left.’

‘Away we go?’

‘Away we go.’

‘Beginners, please. Beginners,’ said the tannoy.