Page 72 (1/2)

Epilogue

December 23, 1828 Holbrook Court

The Christe and a good sprinkle of Londoners were lined up in the red velvet chairs of the theater Of course, every one of the four Essex sisters was there; Christmas at Holbrook Court had become a tradition But hly original aspects of the Holbrook pantoland) was that the four Essex sisters took roles, even though most pantoest had even played the prince

This year, the prince was being played with undoubted gravity by Mr Lucius Felton; his wife Tess would play Cinderella herself

"Aunt Annabel plays the best wicked stepsister," Tess’s sturdy son Phin told his cousin

"I like watching Aunt Josie," the future Earl of Ard- his mother’s performance "Aunt Josie is always so mean to poor Cinderella"

"My mother says they’re mean to her because she’s the eldest," Phin said "It’s hard to be the eldest My sisters are just as

Everyone was in the theater waiting, from Lady Griselda to Lady Blechschmidt, and yet the Spensers hadn’t even made their way from their house--the house that used to be called Maitland House--to Holbrook Court

Finally, Ien walked into the audience to tell everyone the perfor a trifle late "What a pleasure to see you, Your Grace!" Lady Blechsch dear Lady Griselda that I shall never forget the first play I saw in this delightful little theater Did you see the Midsu at Drury Lane? She onderful, wonderful as always!"

There was no need to clarify onderful; the fact that Loretta Hawes began her triumphant career as an actress at Holbrook Court was known to everypublic from London to Paris

"Rafe and I are particularly fond of that play," I at Griselda’s handsoht"

"Loretta," Griselda said with the delight of so the faic role But she--"

Iown

"Mama!" She turned around Her firstborn child, Genevieve, was standing there, looking uncannily like her papa, barring her deep lower lip, inherited froen Genevieve lowered her voice in the important way of a seven-year-old who understands proprieties "Miss Metta has had palpitations fro about with his pants below his knees!"