Page 30 of The Silent Appeal

2:43 p.m. Marianne wrote:

Carol will be gutted too. She really wanted to play Lady Angkatell. Of course, she’s your mother-in-law so she’ll probably mention it.

2:43 p.m. Kevin wrote:

She probably will.

Message exchange between Kevin MacDonald and Carol Dearing on January 7, 2025:

2:49 p.m. Kevin wrote:

Everything ok?

2:49 p.m. Carol wrote:

Why wouldn’t it be?

2:50 p.m. Kevin wrote:

Thanks for reading last night. Tricky decisions had to be made.

2:50 p.m. Carol wrote:

I don’t doubt.

2:50 p.m. Kevin wrote:

Sorry you didn’t get a part.

2:51 p.m. Carol wrote:

Fine. Not a problem.

2:51 p.m. Kevin wrote:

Great! Well, thanks for being nice about it. Quite the relief.

2:52 p.m. Carol wrote:

I’m always nice, Kevin. You should know this by now.

2:53 p.m. Kevin wrote:

And I tell everyone I have the BEST mother-in-law anyone could ever hope for.

2:55 p.m. Carol wrote:

I’m only sorry you won’t see me in the Mendham Players production of The Count of Monte Cristo. Their production week is exactly the same as The Hollow and I’m playing Madame Danglars.

2:56 p.m. Kevin wrote:

WHAT? When did you audition for that?

3:09 p.m. Carol wrote:

Yesterday afternoon. I knew that you, permanently under the thumb of my lovely daughter, would never dare cast me in The Hollow (despite the fact I’m perfect for the role of Lady Angkatell). So, I took myself off to Mendham, and not only were they looking for an actor of exactly my age and stature, I bumped into lovely little Dustin. He’s playing Edmond Dantes. I can give him a lift to Mendhams every week.

3:10 p.m. Kevin wrote: