Little Stars Read online

‘It will suit splendidly!’ I said.

  ‘Then run along now, dears.’

  We didn’t just run, we skipped! We didn’t wait for Bertie, though Diamond wanted to.

  ‘No, don’t let’s. He’s still in a bit of a sulk,’ I said. ‘Oh, Diamond, imagine! Tea with Marina Royal!’

  ‘What do you think we’ll have to eat?’ asked Diamond. ‘Will it be the pretty pink-and-yellow cake? Oh, I do hope so!’

  ‘I don’t care what we eat, just so we can be with Miss Royal. She’s so wonderful. What do you think they want to discuss with us, Diamond?’

  She shrugged. ‘I don’t know. They want to talk to us just because they like us,’ she said.

  ‘No, I think it’s more than that.’ My head was whirling. ‘Do you think – oh, do you think they might be inviting us to act in their show? They were gazing at us so intently, nodding and smiling. Why else would they be taking such a keen interest in our performance? Perhaps they want to include us in the comical murder play? Maybe I could act as a maid?’

  ‘But you didn’t like being a maid, Hetty,’ said Diamond.

  ‘I hated being a real one, but acting one would be entirely different.’

  ‘I don’t think I’d like to act. I wouldn’t be able to remember any new lines.’

  ‘Well, perhaps you could act the little daughter of the house. You could just sit on a rug and look sweet, but not say a word.’

  ‘Could I play with Adeline and Maybelle?’

  ‘Yes! Well, maybe not Maybelle, as she’s a little shabby now, but certainly Adeline,’ I said. ‘And then, when they do their Romeo and Juliet scene, maybe we could be fairies dancing in the moonlight. Shakespeare has lots of fairies in A Midsummer Night’s Dream so I’m sure he wouldn’t mind. You’d make a lovely fairy, Diamond.’

  ‘That’s what Mister called me. I don’t want to be a fairy,’ said Diamond stubbornly.

  ‘Well, you don’t have to act at all if you really don’t want to. But I rather fancy it myself,’ I said.

  Fancy it! I longed with all my heart to be a tiny part of the Parkinson Players and share the stage with Marina Royal.

  The next day I was restless with excitement, barely able to sit still and sew. I couldn’t wait to go to the Queen’s Hotel for our afternoon tea. But what time was afternoon tea? I was furious with myself for not enquiring. When I was a maid, I served afternoon tea to Mr Buchanan at four o’clock, but when I visited Mama at Bignor, her crotchety old mistress demanded it at three on the dot.

  ‘Miss Gibson, what time is afternoon tea?’ I asked.

  ‘Well, it can be any time, dear,’ she said unhelpfully. It was difficult to understand her because she was busy turning a hem and had a handful of pins in her mouth.

  ‘What time do hotels start serving it, do you know?’

  ‘I would think around half past two,’ said Miss Gibson, inserting another few pins.

  Diamond was staring at her in fascination. ‘Don’t those pins prick you terribly, Miss Gibson?’ she asked.

  ‘Of course not, dearie. The rounded heads are in my mouth, see?’

  ‘Don’t you try to copy Miss Gibson, Diamond,’ I said quickly. ‘You’ll sneeze or swallow and do yourself endless mischief. So, hotels serve afternoon tea early, at half past two?’

  ‘Yes, but they carry on serving it throughout the afternoon until about five o’clock.’

  ‘Oh goodness. So how on earth do I work out when we’re expected?’

  ‘Is dear Bertie asking you out for afternoon tea at a hotel today?’ Miss Gibson sounded wistful, maybe hurt she wasn’t invited too.

  ‘No, no. Miss Marina Royal and Mr Gerald Parkinson have invited us,’ I said grandly.

  Miss Gibson winced as if all the pins in her mouth had turned tail and attacked her. She spat them out to speak properly. ‘Isn’t she that old actress you keep talking about – the one that’s joined the Cavalcade? And Gerald Parkinson is her fancy man?’

  ‘No! I mean, yes, Miss Royal is a wonderful, extremely famous actress, but Mr Parkinson isn’t her fancy man! He’s her manager and he acts too. He’s surprisingly good, but still not a patch on Marina Royal. She’s utterly magnificent,’ I said.

  ‘But she’s still an actress. I know you have to associate with them all at the Cavalcade, but I really don’t think it’s proper taking tea with such types,’ said Miss Gibson primly.

  ‘Miss Gibson, if you don’t mind my saying so, you’re a terrible hypocrite! You’re happy enough to make a profit making gowns for all the Cavalcade ladies,’ I said.

  ‘I didn’t make any profit at all out of that blue gown you were working on. I didn’t see a penny for that fine muslin you used for the sleeves, not to mention the skeins of embroidery silk.’

  ‘Oh, that’s not fair! You know I’m going to pay you as soon as I get my wages!’

  ‘Now now, don’t use that tone to me! I can’t really blame you, Hetty, because I know you’ve had an unfortunate background. You haven’t had a mother around to teach you the ways of the world. It’s perfectly acceptable to run a respected business and converse pleasantly with Mrs Ruby when she orders gowns from my establishment, but I’d never dream of taking tea with her at a hotel.’

  ‘Then you’re very silly,’ I said. ‘And totally illogical. You had no qualms when you thought we were having tea with Bertie, and he works at the Cavalcade.’

  ‘But he’s your young man, and a very sweet boy too. Totally devoted, in fact. You beware of taking him for granted! He could easily turn, you know. I’m sure he isn’t too keen on you running around with painted actresses who give themselves airs.’

  ‘I don’t care whether Bertie approves or not. Or you, for that matter! I keep my own counsel,’ I said, and I flounced out of the room.

  I decided that Diamond and I would have to lurk discreetly opposite the Queen’s Hotel, waiting until we saw Miss Royal and Mr Parkinson go inside. It seemed a sensible plan in theory, but it was a chilly afternoon, and Diamond and I hadn’t wanted to spoil the effect of our best frocks by covering them with old shawls. We hopped up and down on the pavement, shivering.

  ‘Can’t we go inside and wait?’ Diamond begged.

  ‘No, I think it’s more polite if we join them when they’re already at a table. I don’t want to look too forward,’ I said, wishing I knew more about general etiquette.

  ‘But I’m getting awfully cold. And I very much need to visit the WC,’ said Diamond.

  After another ten minutes this became a matter of urgency. I needed to go myself, so I agreed that we should go into the hotel. It wasn’t as gilded and grand as the Cavalcade and didn’t boast a single chandelier, but it seemed formidable even so. A man in livery was standing in the vestibule, staring at us disdainfully.

  ‘I’m afraid unaccompanied children are not allowed in here,’ he said.

  ‘I’m not a child,’ I said indignantly. ‘And we won’t be unaccompanied anyway. We are joining Miss Marina Royal and Mr Gerald Parkinson for afternoon tea.’

  ‘Then please proceed to the Pink Room, where afternoon tea is served,’ he said, sniffing.

  ‘But first we require a visit to the ladies’ room,’ I whispered, blushing.

  I felt as if everyone was staring as he directed us down a corridor – but my spirits lifted when we were inside the ladies’ room. The facilities were very grand and glamorous. Diamond was so fascinated by the swoosh of water when she pulled the chain that she ran into each and every cubicle to repeat the action. I spent ages washing my hands in the hot water, using a particularly delectable honeysuckle soap. I dabbed a little behind my ears to act as perfume.

  There were snowy white towels and free little brushes to tidy our hair.

  ‘Is this money for us too?’ Diamond asked, fingering a little mound of pennies in a saucer.

  ‘No, I think that must be for the lady attendant,’ I said.

  ‘Oh, how I should like to be a lady attendant in a fancy WC,’ said Diamond. ‘You could play waterfalls wit