Theatre Shoes by Noel Streatfeild Page A

wished most heartily that this were going to be the case, but she remembered what Winifred had said about their both being in the same class. Quite time enough, however, for Miranda to find that out if it happened. So she just smiled politely and admitted to being a beginner and went back to her changing.
    Sorrel and Holly had just got into their overalls and were fastening their belts when the changing-room door was thrown open and a little girl dashed in. She had on a frock of bright orange linen, against which her thin little face looked pale and yellowish, in fact there seemed hardly any face at all, it was so surrounded by a fuzz of black hair. In one hand she carried a grand leather attaché case of the sort which cost pounds and pounds. She glanced imperiously round the room.
    â€œWhich is my cousin Holly?”
    Holly was shy of being called out in front of all the big girls and she spoke in a very small voice.
    â€œMe.”
    The child dashed over to her, put her attaché case on the floor and gave her a kiss.
    â€œWe’re cousins. I’m Miriam Cohen. You’re just a tiny bit older than me, I won’t be eight until the end of this month.”
    This was so insulting that Holly forgot to be shy.
    â€œIf you don’t mind my saying so, I’m a great deal older than you. I shall be nine just after Christmas.”
    Miriam seemed to be a person who did everything quickly. She snapped her attaché case undone and threw everything in it out on to the floor.
    â€œNever mind, let’s be friends. Mum says if we’re friends I can ask you to tea. I can’t come to you because we’re not on speaking terms with Grandmother just now. We hardly ever are, you know, except at Christmas. Of course, we always go to Grandmother’s then.”
    Sorrel and Holly rather liked the look of Miriam, who was, at any rate, friendly. Sorrel knelt down beside her and began collecting the things that Miriam had upset.
    â€œI’m a cousin, too. I’m Sorrel. Do you know which your locker is?” She picked up a white satin tunic and knickers and gave them a shake. “These will get awfully dirty on the floor.”
    Miriam got up and began tearing her orange linen frock over her head.
    â€œMum’s made me two tunics and two knickers. She cut up one of her best nightdresses. I think that was pretty decent of her, don’t you? She said I’d have to have two, she knew I wouldn’t be clean a minute if I only had one. I’ve got the locker next to Holly, they told me so at the door.”
    Sorrel hung up Miriam’s tunic and knickers and her linen frock and helped her into her black knickers and tunic. Holly passed Miriam her dancing sandals.
    â€œAre you absolutely new, like me, or have you learnt it before?”
    Miriam sat on the floor to put on her sandals.
    â€œLearnt what?”
    Holly crouched down beside her.
    â€œAll these routines and things the big girls do, and that tap and that work at the bar.”
    Miriam tied the tapes of one of her sandals.
    â€œI began tap when I was three, then I started acrobatic work, you know, flip flaps and all that. I learnt to sing when I was four. I did some shows with Dad for charity when I was five. I don’t really ever remember a time when I wasn’t learning, but mostly I went to special classes or learnt at home. That’s why they’ve sent me here. It’s to see which way I’m heading—at least, that’s what Dad says. He thinks it’s time I specialised. He says I’m too plain for the glamour type and I ought to do a lot of acrobatic work and become a comedienne. But I shan’t, I’m going to dance. He knows that really.” She tied her second sandal tapes. “There’s no doubt about it, I’m a bitter disappointment.”
    A bell clanged in the passage. At once there was a crash of locker doors and everybody hurried out. Winifred was standing at the foot of