31 Plays in 31 Days, #20 - "Until the Bell Rings"

[breakinglight11]

The last part of the opening scene of Mrs. Frost. It comes immediately after yesterday's Day #19 - "Time and Strife", which in turn continues from Day #20 - "Disguise". I think I feel a little better about this part than I did when I posted yesterday's, but I can't shake the feeling that I'm either repeating myself, being too obvious, or not hitting the real point. I guess that's normal for a first draft. But as is so often the case, I feel like I know what I OUGHT to be saying, but can't figure out how to say it. It's hard to foreshadow without spoiling, it's hard to be clear without being too obvious or repetitious, and it's hard to be focused without giving away the game.

But that's what second drafts are for.

Day #20 - "Until the Bell Rings"
From Mrs. Frost
By Phoebe Roberts

MARY STONE, Mrs. Hawking's housemaid and assistant, mid twenties
NATHANIEL HAWKING, Mrs. Hawking's nephew and assistant, early thirties

London, England, 1886
~~~

(MRS. HAWKING exits.)

NATHANIEL: How is it that nobody cuts me quite like her?

MARY: She turns at the drop of a hat these days. As if nothing ever changed.

NATHANIEL: No. No. I don’t believe that. Not after as far as we’ve come.

MARY: Even so, she’s in a terrible way now. You can’t reason with her like this.

NATHANIEL: I suppose we ought to tread carefully. At least until she settles things with Frost.

MARY: Are you so certain? That could take years, if ever. And she’s already beaten her once before.

NATHANIEL: She was bloodied in round one. But the match isn’t over. Not as long as she’s still fighting. She’ll do whatever she has to— and we’re here to help her do it.

MARY: I don’t know where to begin. I don’t even know how to talk to her anymore.

NATHANIEL: She needs us to stand by her. To see her through. And once we have… she can heal from this. We’ll do cases together again. And… you won’t have to hide Arthur from her anymore. I know that hasn’t been easy.

MARY: No. It hasn’t.

NATHANIEL: Just think— you can finally bring your young man by to meet the family for inspection and approval. Won’t that be fun? You’ll be longing for the days when nobody knew he was alive.

(They laugh.)

MARY: How is it that you never give up hope?

NATHANIEL: I was brought up to never say die. And I’ve led an easy life, so I suppose it isn’t hard.

MARY: Thank you. For helping me keep my chin up. Or… take it on the chin for round two.

NATHANIEL: At your service. Until the bell rings.