A Case of Perplexity in Piccadilly by Clara Benson

Author:Clara Benson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mount Street Press

Chapter Twelve

The sun was sinking below the horizon when the four of them arrived at the Jollity Theatre, and darkness was falling.

‘I might have come alone,’ said Peggy. ‘But I don’t know—I felt I needed some company in case—in case—’ She did not finish.

The Jollity was locked and deserted on the day of rest, but Peggy had managed to procure a key and they went in through the stage door. Not even Alf was at his post when they entered, and the place was in darkness.

‘I don’t like it,’ said Minnie fearfully.

Peggy found a switch and the place was suddenly flooded with light.

‘There,’ she said. ‘Let’s go together.’

On the wall in Alf’s box was a cabinet hung with the keys to all the dressing-rooms. The ones on the nearest corridor were very quickly run through, but there was no sign of Dinah.

‘I don’t believe she’s here at all,’ said Maudie. ‘She probably decided to go somewhere else instead of our party.’

‘No she didn’t,’ said Peggy from the doorway of their dressing-room. ‘She left her coat, look.’

She indicated the article in question, which was hanging on a rail by Dinah’s chair.

‘Perhaps she brought another one for the party,’ suggested Minnie, although without much conviction.

Freddy’s senses were starting to tingle and he shook his head soberly. He did not like this at all. He proceeded along to the end of the passage and slowly mounted the steps to the dark corridor that ran behind the stage. It was the oddest feeling, but despite the silence he was almost sure somebody was here in the theatre with them.

‘What can you see?’ whispered Minnie from behind him. ‘Is the ghost there?’

‘Don’t be silly,’ he replied. ‘I wish I had a torch, though. Do you know where the light switches are for this corridor?’

‘Just a second,’ came Peggy’s voice. There was a click and the lights came on. The twins made sounds of relief.

‘That’s better. It doesn’t look so frightening now, does it?’ said Maudie.

Freddy made no reply. He looked into the unfinished dressing-room that had previously been home to the chorus, then glanced into the new lavatory, but saw nothing. He emerged and walked slowly along the corridor, looking into each room as he did so. Peggy, Minnie and Maudie hung back nervously, staying close to the steps and to each other.

‘Anything?’ asked Peggy.

‘No.’

The door to the props room was slightly ajar, and Freddy pushed at it. It swung open with an ominous creak.

‘Someone ought to put some oil on that hinge,’ he remarked.

He took a step into the room. Odd-shaped shadows loomed out of the darkness towards him. He groped for the light switch, and suddenly the shapes were revealed as the ordinary, everyday articles he had seen the other day. He scanned the room slowly. Everything seemed normal. He picked his way through the various objects, turning his head this way and that, but saw nothing untoward.

‘This place could do with tidying up,’ said Peggy behind him, wrinkling her nose in the doorway.

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