breakinglight11 | 31 Plays in 31 Days, #8

Okay, this is pretty bare bones, but there’s a germ of a good idea in here. In Hawking 8, Nathaniel and Clara’s daughter Beatrice’s involvement in Mrs. Hawking’s work is going to be further explored. I like the idea of looking into what her integration into the team looks like, and how that affects Mrs. Hawking and Mary dealing with one another again after their four-year separation. It will also add a lot of grist to Clara’s story, as she navigates her feelings about Beatrice’s path.

This will need a lot of refining and expansion. I still don’t know the details of the case or how it will work. But there’s something I can work with banged out here.

Photo by Mark Edwards

Day #8 - “Hall Girl”
From Mrs Hawking part 8
By Phoebe Roberts

London, 1892

VICTORIA HAWKING, lady’s champion of London, early fifties
MARY SWANN, her former apprentice, now society avenger, early thirties
NATHANIEL HAWKING, Mrs. Hawking’s nephew and assistant, late thirties
CLARA HAWKING, his lady wife, early forties
BEATRICE HAWKING, their precocious daughter, mid teens
~~~

MRS. HAWKING: Someone shall have to go inside. It’s not ideal for an infiltration, but I could make do.

NATHANIEL: But even if you can, who knows how long you’d have to lie in wait before anyone said anything useful?

MRS. HAWKING: (Sighs) So what do you propose? An undercover operation?

NATHANIEL: I’m sure it won’t surprise you that I’m in favor of being able to talk to someone.

MARY: I agree. And we do know they’re hiring maids. I could go in for the job and see what the scuttlebutt is.

NATHANIEL: Only for the hall; they’re just looking for young girls.

MARY: Oh, aye? Drat.

MRS. HAWKING: Well… it so happens we have a young girl. What about Beatrice?

BEATRICE: What?

CLARA: What about Beatrice?

MRS. HAWKING: She says she cares to make herself useful. It seems like the circumstances are calling for it.

BEATRICE: Oh, yes!

CLARA: No.

BEATRICE: Oh, Mama, please!

NATHANIEL: Steady on, dears, let’s discuss this—

CLARA: It’s far too dangerous!

MRS. HAWKING: Not as our missions go. There’s no one there that bears her ill will.

CLARA: But what if someone wonders why she’s asking questions?

MARY: Well, the place has no interest in Mrs. Saroyan’s case. Even if someone does ask, it shan’t give anything away to our adversaries.

NATHANIEL: Still, she’s never done anything like this. Infiltration, or kitchen work, for that matter.

MARY: Everyone’s got to learn sometime. Do you think you’re up to it, dear?

BEATRICE: Oh, I was born ready!

CLARA: Surely Mary could do it—

MARY: I don’t know that I could pass as a hall girl anymore. Miss Beatrice is the right age.

CLARA: But she never done a day’s hard labor in her life! They’ll know her for a fake a mile off— goodness, the moment she opens her mouth!

MRS. HAWKING: Hmm, a fair point. With your manners and your soft hands. Do you think you could pretend you’re not a princess, then?

BEATRICE: I could learn! Mrs. Swann could teach me.

CLARA: (To NATHANIEL) Surely you can’t be considering this.

NATHANIEL: It is about as simple a field operation as we’ve ever had. Good as anything for her first go?

CLARA: But— but— she can’t!

BEATRICE: Oh, Mama, you must let me try!

MRS. HAWKING: Come now, Clara—

NATHANIEL: Here now, I think we need a breath.

MRS. HAWKING: We must get a move on if we’re to make progress, Nathaniel.

NATHANIEL: I know, Auntie. But I think a moment might do us all good. Would you do me that favor?

MRS. HAWKING: (Sighing) If you insist.

NATHANIEL: Beatrice? If you could ask Hazel to see Auntie and Mrs. Swann out.

BEATRICE: Yes, Papa.

(BEATRICE leads MRS. HAWKING and MARY out.)