31 Plays in 31 Days, #7 - "Repute"

[breakinglight11]

This piece is also part of "Disgraced," my idea for a series about an upperclass English girl in 1914 who is forced to move with relatives in Newport, Rhode Island to escape the shame of a scandal and build a new life.

This piece takes place before "#3 Companion" and "#6 - No One Knows You Here," and is about Rosaline, the maidservant obliged to go with Elise into exile. Rosaline would be the other major character of the series.

Repute
By Phoebe Roberts

ROSALINE BAY, lady’s maid to Elise Charnmore
ENID BROME, the Charnmores’ housekeeper

London, England, 1914
~~~

(MRS. BROME is discovered in her sitting room, writing in her daybook. There is a knock at the door, and ROSALINE sticks her head in.)

ROSALINE: Mrs. Brome? Might you have a moment?

MRS. BROME: Come in, Rosaline. What is it?

ROSALINE: You know they’re saying Miss Elise will go to America soon.

MRS. BROME: I know.

ROSALINE: I was only wondering… when she goes, if you knew… if I was expected to go with her.

MRS. BROME: I daresay, Rosaline.

ROSALINE: Oh. Oh, I see.

(Pause.)

MRS. BROME: You don’t want to go.

ROSALINE: I’m not ungrateful, ma’am. It’s a grand adventure, but… I’ve family here, and my church. And my mother’s not well, without me, there’s only my sister to look after her.

MRS. BROME: What do you mean to do, then?

ROSALINE: I thought it might be that you would ask them to let me stay.

MRS. BROME: Miss Melinda’s gone to Yorkshire, and Lady Lydia has Miss Conley. They shan’t have much use for you here. They shall expect you to follow Miss Elise.

ROSALINE: I see.

(Pause.)

ROSALINE: I could hand in my notice.

MRS. BROME: You could.

(Pause.)

ROSALINE: Why not?

MRS. BROME: Well. I suppose it depends what your plans are.

ROSALINE: I’m a trained lady’s maid now. I can get another place.

MRS. BROME: Can you?

ROSALINE: Of course I can!

MRS. BROME: People talk, Rosaline.

ROSALINE: Not about me, surely.

MRS. BROME: They talk about Miss Elise.

ROSALINE: You can’t mean…

MRS. BROME: A servant is touched by her mistress’s reputation.

ROSALINE: I’m not like that! You don’t think I’m like that, do you, Mrs. Brome?

MRS. BROME: No, my girl.

ROSALINE: You could write me a character! You could vouch for me!

(MRS. BROME just looks at her sadly.)

ROSALINE: But you think it’s too late.

MRS. BROME: I couldn’t say, Rosaline. But I’ve seen it ruin blameless girls before.

ROSALINE: That’s not fair. I’ve done nothing.

MRS. BROME: I know. But that’s the way our world works.

(ROSALINE shrinks in on herself, defeated.)

MRS. BROME: Try to see the journey as a new start. God has a plan for us all, my dear. This might be His path for you after all.