31 Plays in 31 Days, #6 - "Promises Kept"

[breakinglight11]

One of my biggest regrets about Mrs. Hawking part 4 is there's no room in it for Clara, who has become one of my favorite characters. However, I definitely want her to be an important part of part 5, going so far as to actually include her in the adventure. Since I'm thinking a major part of that plot is Nathaniel gets captured by their enemy in that, she can become the temporary third member of Mrs. Hawking and Mary's team to help free him and solve the case. Particularly because with her social maneuvering, she has a skill set neither of the other two do, and I love the idea that it enables them to work against their enemy on a totally different level— as they realize in "A Separate Battlefield", a scene that kicked off last year's 31P31D.

It's never a great idea to write high-drama, high-intensity scenes before I fully know the context for them, but they're the easiest to imagine when I don't know the story's whole plot. Here's from after Nathaniel is rescued, a moment with just him and Clara.

Day #6 - “Promises Kept”
From Mrs. Frost
By Phoebe Roberts

London, England, 1886

NATHANIEL HAWKING, nephew and assistant to the lady's champion of London
CLARA HAWKING, his society wife
MARY STONE, apprentice to the lady's champion of London
~~~

(CLARA rushes in.)

CLARA: Is he here? Is he all right?

MARY: He’s here. We have him.

(She and NATHANIEL walk in, him leaning upon her.)

MARY: Easy does it.

CLARA: Oh, Nathaniel, are you—?

NATHANIEL: Oh, God, it’s you.

(MARY leads him over to CLARA and he collapses into her arms. MARY looks to CLARA, then withdraws to leave them alone.)

NATHANIEL: I thought I might never see you again.

CLARA: Darling, are you all right? What have they done to you?

NATHANIEL: Clara, I’m sorry.

CLARA: Sorry? Whatever for?

NATHANIEL: I made a wrong move. I walked into the trap.

CLARA: Please, love, no.

NATHANIEL: I wasn’t clever enough. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I made you a promise, and I failed.

CLARA: Hush! Enough of that. It’s all right. Everything is all right.

NATHANIEL: But I held out! I held out as long as I could. I didn’t tell her anything.

CLARA: I know, love. You were so brave. I’m so proud of you.

NATHANIEL: I didn’t know if I could. I almost… I almost didn’t.

CLARA: Hush. You did well. You did well. It’s done now, Nathaniel. It’s done now.

(NATHANIEL takes a few deep breaths. Then after a moment he bursts into tears. CLARA holds him as he cries.)

CLARA: It’s all all right. I’m here. We have you. We have you.

(After a moment he quiets.)

NATHANIEL: They told me what you did. How you took her on. How you beat her.

CLARA: It was all of us. Mary, Auntie… she kept her promise too.

NATHANIEL: They couldn’t have done it without you. Darling… you saved me.

CLARA: Did you expect any less?

NATHANIEL: Never. I’m only so sorry I put you through this.

CLARA: No fear, love. We all kept our promises. All of us.