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breakinglight11This 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 after "#3 Companion," "#6 - No One Knows You Here," and "#7 Repute" but probably before "#10 Humiliated." Elise and Rosaline will be the two main characters of the series and, to up the drama and establish what their problems are, I like the idea that they don't get along at first and eventually become friends. I think this establishes that one of Elise's main problems is that she's so self-centered, which she'll have to move beyond. It's always interesting writing about a servant who has an issue with her mistress; since the servant can't speak too openly against someone of higher status, it makes for an interesting exercise in writing subtext. Which God knows I need lots of practice on.
Adventure Abroad
by Phoebe Roberts
ELISE CHARNMORE, niece to the earl of Brockhurst
ROSALINE BAY, her lady's maid
Newport, RI, 1914
~~~
(Early in the morning, ROSALINE creeps into ELISE's bedroom and begins to lay out clothes. ELISE turns in the bed to look at her.)
ELISE: You're early, aren't you?
ROSALINE: I'm sorry, miss. I'm still on London time. Did I wake you?
ELISE: No, same trouble here. Besides, can't sleep with all these cherubs staring at me.
(She sits up as ROSALINE returns to work. They are silent for a long time.)
ELISE: I suppose the place will take some getting used to.
ROSALINE: That's certain.
ELISE: All this splendid novelty, and of course I can't enjoy it. You're lucky, you know.
ROSALINE: Beg your pardon, miss?
ELISE: Well, you know. On an adventure abroad, not a care in the world.
ROSALINE: I wouldn't say that, miss.
ELISE: Oh, surely. You can do whatever you like. Hop a rail, chuck it all to the wind if you please. Nobody staring at you every moment like you've got a contagious disease. I envy you that.
ROSALINE: My mum wouldn't say so.
ELISE: Your mother?
ROSALINE: At home with my sister. She's not well, you see. Hasn't been for some time. She wasn't glad to see me go.
ELISE: Oh. Well, I'm sorry to hear it.
ROSALINE: I worry for her. Being so far away and all.
ELISE: She has your sister, though, doesn't she?
ROSALINE: That's so.
ELISE: So you needn't feel guilty if you had a little fun.
ROSALINE: They're still counting on me.
ELISE: All the way in Newport?
ROSALINE: Someone has to see the money makes it home.
ELISE: Ah. Well, better from here than from that dreary old fog.
ROSALINE: No one asked me, miss.
ELISE: What if I did now?
ROSALINE: Still, it doesn't matter one way or the other.
(She finishes laying out the clothes.)
ROSALINE: I'll see that the water's put on for your tea.
This piece takes place after "#3 Companion," "#6 - No One Knows You Here," and "#7 Repute" but probably before "#10 Humiliated." Elise and Rosaline will be the two main characters of the series and, to up the drama and establish what their problems are, I like the idea that they don't get along at first and eventually become friends. I think this establishes that one of Elise's main problems is that she's so self-centered, which she'll have to move beyond. It's always interesting writing about a servant who has an issue with her mistress; since the servant can't speak too openly against someone of higher status, it makes for an interesting exercise in writing subtext. Which God knows I need lots of practice on.
Adventure Abroad
by Phoebe Roberts
ELISE CHARNMORE, niece to the earl of Brockhurst
ROSALINE BAY, her lady's maid
Newport, RI, 1914
~~~
(Early in the morning, ROSALINE creeps into ELISE's bedroom and begins to lay out clothes. ELISE turns in the bed to look at her.)
ELISE: You're early, aren't you?
ROSALINE: I'm sorry, miss. I'm still on London time. Did I wake you?
ELISE: No, same trouble here. Besides, can't sleep with all these cherubs staring at me.
(She sits up as ROSALINE returns to work. They are silent for a long time.)
ELISE: I suppose the place will take some getting used to.
ROSALINE: That's certain.
ELISE: All this splendid novelty, and of course I can't enjoy it. You're lucky, you know.
ROSALINE: Beg your pardon, miss?
ELISE: Well, you know. On an adventure abroad, not a care in the world.
ROSALINE: I wouldn't say that, miss.
ELISE: Oh, surely. You can do whatever you like. Hop a rail, chuck it all to the wind if you please. Nobody staring at you every moment like you've got a contagious disease. I envy you that.
ROSALINE: My mum wouldn't say so.
ELISE: Your mother?
ROSALINE: At home with my sister. She's not well, you see. Hasn't been for some time. She wasn't glad to see me go.
ELISE: Oh. Well, I'm sorry to hear it.
ROSALINE: I worry for her. Being so far away and all.
ELISE: She has your sister, though, doesn't she?
ROSALINE: That's so.
ELISE: So you needn't feel guilty if you had a little fun.
ROSALINE: They're still counting on me.
ELISE: All the way in Newport?
ROSALINE: Someone has to see the money makes it home.
ELISE: Ah. Well, better from here than from that dreary old fog.
ROSALINE: No one asked me, miss.
ELISE: What if I did now?
ROSALINE: Still, it doesn't matter one way or the other.
(She finishes laying out the clothes.)
ROSALINE: I'll see that the water's put on for your tea.
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