31 Plays in 31 Days, #29 - “Not Prepared”

[breakinglight11]

This needs a lot of refining, but I'm rushing to make the deadline. Was especially tricky because technically I've drafted a version of this scene before, a long time ago, but I basically threw all of it out because my conception of it shifted so much as I developed the story to this point. But at least it means it counts as a new scene under the rules of the challenge I've set for myself, as I did not refer back to the old draft.


Photo by Jacob La Rocca

Day #29 - “Not Prepared”
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
~~~

(MRS. HAWKING, dressed in her stealth suit, creeps out of the Parkhill house. She checks if the coast is clear, but spies a policeman down the road. She pauses, waiting. But then he spots her.)

POLICEMAN: Oi! What are you doing in that window, then?

(He goes to chase her. She turns to flee, but then a tall caped figure leaps out, knocking the policeman out. MRS. HAWKING gapes at the figure a long moment, before they draw back their hood, revealing themselves to be MARY.)

MARY: Madam. It’s you.

(Pause.)

MARY: I must say I’m surprised to see you. Though perhaps I shouldn’t be.

MRS. HAWKING: Miss Stone.

MARY: It’s Mrs. Swann now.

MRS. HAWKING: Of course. I see you’re… back to work in London now.

MARY: Yes. I am.

MRS. HAWKING: It’s been a long time.

MARY: Four years. I hope you’ve been well.

MRS. HAWKING: In truth, not as well as could be hoped.

MARY: Well. I’m sorry to hear it. Though that, I’m afraid, does not surprise me.

(Enter NATHANIEL.)

NATHANIEL: Madam, are you—? By Jove! Mary?

MARY: I didn’t realize you and Mrs. Hawking were also working this case.

NATHANIEL: I— didn’t know that you were.

MARY: You didn’t?

NATHANIEL: I didn’t, Mary, I swear. You know I would have told you.

MARY: Of course. Well, it appears we’ve each approached this from our own ends. I’ll agree to share information I discover, if you shall do the same.

MRS. HAWKING: Of course.

MARY: Thank you. Well. I’d best be on my way, then. I shall write when I have something worth sharing. Nathaniel, Madam.

(MARY curtseys, then exits.)

NATHANIEL: (To MRS. HAWKING) I didn’t know. I swear.

MRS. HAWKING: Then how did she come to hear about it?

NATHANIEL: I don’t know. Clara must have… are you all right?

MRS. HAWKING: Yes, he didn’t touch me.

NATHANIEL: That’s not what I meant.

(Pause.)

MRS. HAWKING: I knew she would be about. I knew it was always a possibility… but I wasn’t prepared. Not like this.

(Pause.)

MRS. HAWKING: Perhaps we ought to leave off. Allow her to manage it.

NATHANIEL: Is that what you want?

MRS. HAWKING: Don’t you think I ought to?

NATHANIEL: I didn’t ask what you ought to do. I asked what you want.

(Pause.)

NATHANIEL: I know how much you’ve missed her.

MRS. HAWKING: She doesn’t seem to have felt the same.

NATHANIEL: She doesn’t know you’re sorry.

MRS. HAWKING: I don’t think it matters anymore.

NATHANIEL: You can’t know unless you tell her.

MRS. HAWKING: If she’ll even hear it.

NATHANIEL: Well. She won’t if you walk away.