![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
breakinglight11Sigh. One and a half scenes of Mrs. Frost to go. Being so close is nerve-wracking. And I want to finish in enough time to take a few days away from it, so I can polish it up in time for the reading dinner. I've just got one real problem left to crack, then I can push through. But I'm feeling twitchy and nervous about it; I really want to make it good, but I'm not feeling great about anything I've generated recently, which is stressing me out.
This isn't a Mrs. Frost scene. I feel like I'm basically out of Mrs. Frost scenes that aren't spoilers. This is an idea of something to include in a possible flashback audio drama focused on the Hawking marriage. It's the last time Victoria and Elizabeth saw each other before their paths diverged. Semi-spoilery for Gilded Cages.
Day #22 - Bottom Drawer
From Hawking
By Phoebe Roberts
VICTORIA STANTON, daughter to the lieutenant territorial governor, about to be married, early twenties
ELIZABETH DANVERS, her companion and governess, mid twenties
Singapore, 1860
~~~
(ELIZABETH packs a trunk while VICTORIA sits on the bed.)
ELIZABETH: You really have no proper clothes, you know. For where you're going, you'll have to have ever so many things made. But I suppose this will do for the meantime.
VICTORIA: Do you think Malaika's all right?
ELIZABETH: Well, she's not in prison at least. Beyond that, I don't know.
VICTORIA: I wish I could see her. Will she come back, do you think?
ELIZABETH: Oh, she's well and truly sacked. Even if they did let her go, you can’t expect them to allow her to come back here.
VICTORIA: I suppose not. But where will she go? Where do you think she is now?
ELIZABETH: I don't know, Victoria.
VICTORIA: Even if I could get her a letter-- saying... I don't know. How sorry I am. I feel so terrible.
ELIZABETH: Well, count it as a stern lesson and move on. Sometimes the odds are just too long. So how do you like your wedding gown?
VICTORIA: Elizabeth! Blast the gown! What about Malaika?
ELIZABETH: Captain Hawking spoke quite passionately on her behalf, so she won’t be charged. I'd say that's the best any of us can hope for.
VICTORIA: But if I could just—
ELIZABETH: Victoria! Haven't you done enough?
(Pause.)
ELIZABETH: Now. In any case, you've other things to worry about now.
VICTORIA: I— I don't want to do it.
ELIZABETH: I know. But very little in this world is about what we want.
VICTORIA: I don't know how this happened!
ELIZABETH: He fell in love. What did you think he was going to do?
VICTORIA: I never meant for this!
ELIZABETH: Oh, honestly, Victoria. Then why were you acting that way with him?
VICTORIA: Because he was my friend!
ELIZABETH: He was a great deal more than that. Believe me, this was a long time in coming.
VICTORIA: Then why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t you warn me?
ELIZABETH: I thought you knew. Everyone else did.
VICTORIA: What do you mean?
ELIZABETH: Anyone with eyes could see it. The way he looked at you? Some girls would do murder for it.
VICTORIA: Do you really think I wouldn't have— said something? Done something?
ELIZABETH: Believe me, Victoria, after what you did, there are many worse fates than this.
VICTORIA: Still! You should have said something. If you knew, you should have said!
ELIZABETH: You should be thanking me. I ought to be packing my own trousseau. But heaven knows it isn't as if you've been keeping a bottom drawer.
VICTORIA: Are you sure you can't be there?
ELIZABETH: I'm sorry, no. I've got a ship to catch. And my own wedding to attend to.
VICTORIA: Why do you want to marry this Ethan Cameron? Are you in love with him?
ELIZABETH: Please, Victoria.
VICTORIA: Then why?
ELIZABETH: Because this is what happens. We can't go about in the world on our own. If you're lucky, he's decent and proper and has the will and means to take care of you. And you, my dear, are very lucky. (Under her breath) As in all things.
(Pause.)
VICTORIA: Do you think... he'll...?
ELIZABETH: Do I think he'll what?
VICTORIA: You know. Afterward.
ELIZABETH: Ah.
VICTORIA: I’ve— I’ve heard what happens. Do you think he'll... do that?
ELIZABETH: He's a man, isn't he?
VICTORIA: I... I don't like the sound of it. Not at all.
ELIZABETH: Well, I don’t think you’re alone in that.
VICTORIA: Do you… know about it?
ELIZABETH: Good heavens, Victoria. However would I have gotten away with that? Just what I’ve been told. Something to do with lying back and thinking of the empire, I believe.
VICTORIA: What?
ELIZABETH: Nothing. From what I hear, it’s rather a mixed bag.
VICTORIA: Elizabeth! I don’t know what to do! And— I may never see you again. Isn’t there… something you can say?
(ELIZABETH sighs.)
ELIZABETH: It’s the natural order of things, Victoria. It happens to all of us, sooner or later. It won’t break you. And… he is your friend, Victoria. You couldn’t ask for more than that.
(Pause.)
ELIZABETH: Now, listen here. Let’s see that you don’t go in blind.
This isn't a Mrs. Frost scene. I feel like I'm basically out of Mrs. Frost scenes that aren't spoilers. This is an idea of something to include in a possible flashback audio drama focused on the Hawking marriage. It's the last time Victoria and Elizabeth saw each other before their paths diverged. Semi-spoilery for Gilded Cages.
Day #22 - Bottom Drawer
From Hawking
By Phoebe Roberts
VICTORIA STANTON, daughter to the lieutenant territorial governor, about to be married, early twenties
ELIZABETH DANVERS, her companion and governess, mid twenties
Singapore, 1860
~~~
(ELIZABETH packs a trunk while VICTORIA sits on the bed.)
ELIZABETH: You really have no proper clothes, you know. For where you're going, you'll have to have ever so many things made. But I suppose this will do for the meantime.
VICTORIA: Do you think Malaika's all right?
ELIZABETH: Well, she's not in prison at least. Beyond that, I don't know.
VICTORIA: I wish I could see her. Will she come back, do you think?
ELIZABETH: Oh, she's well and truly sacked. Even if they did let her go, you can’t expect them to allow her to come back here.
VICTORIA: I suppose not. But where will she go? Where do you think she is now?
ELIZABETH: I don't know, Victoria.
VICTORIA: Even if I could get her a letter-- saying... I don't know. How sorry I am. I feel so terrible.
ELIZABETH: Well, count it as a stern lesson and move on. Sometimes the odds are just too long. So how do you like your wedding gown?
VICTORIA: Elizabeth! Blast the gown! What about Malaika?
ELIZABETH: Captain Hawking spoke quite passionately on her behalf, so she won’t be charged. I'd say that's the best any of us can hope for.
VICTORIA: But if I could just—
ELIZABETH: Victoria! Haven't you done enough?
(Pause.)
ELIZABETH: Now. In any case, you've other things to worry about now.
VICTORIA: I— I don't want to do it.
ELIZABETH: I know. But very little in this world is about what we want.
VICTORIA: I don't know how this happened!
ELIZABETH: He fell in love. What did you think he was going to do?
VICTORIA: I never meant for this!
ELIZABETH: Oh, honestly, Victoria. Then why were you acting that way with him?
VICTORIA: Because he was my friend!
ELIZABETH: He was a great deal more than that. Believe me, this was a long time in coming.
VICTORIA: Then why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t you warn me?
ELIZABETH: I thought you knew. Everyone else did.
VICTORIA: What do you mean?
ELIZABETH: Anyone with eyes could see it. The way he looked at you? Some girls would do murder for it.
VICTORIA: Do you really think I wouldn't have— said something? Done something?
ELIZABETH: Believe me, Victoria, after what you did, there are many worse fates than this.
VICTORIA: Still! You should have said something. If you knew, you should have said!
ELIZABETH: You should be thanking me. I ought to be packing my own trousseau. But heaven knows it isn't as if you've been keeping a bottom drawer.
VICTORIA: Are you sure you can't be there?
ELIZABETH: I'm sorry, no. I've got a ship to catch. And my own wedding to attend to.
VICTORIA: Why do you want to marry this Ethan Cameron? Are you in love with him?
ELIZABETH: Please, Victoria.
VICTORIA: Then why?
ELIZABETH: Because this is what happens. We can't go about in the world on our own. If you're lucky, he's decent and proper and has the will and means to take care of you. And you, my dear, are very lucky. (Under her breath) As in all things.
(Pause.)
VICTORIA: Do you think... he'll...?
ELIZABETH: Do I think he'll what?
VICTORIA: You know. Afterward.
ELIZABETH: Ah.
VICTORIA: I’ve— I’ve heard what happens. Do you think he'll... do that?
ELIZABETH: He's a man, isn't he?
VICTORIA: I... I don't like the sound of it. Not at all.
ELIZABETH: Well, I don’t think you’re alone in that.
VICTORIA: Do you… know about it?
ELIZABETH: Good heavens, Victoria. However would I have gotten away with that? Just what I’ve been told. Something to do with lying back and thinking of the empire, I believe.
VICTORIA: What?
ELIZABETH: Nothing. From what I hear, it’s rather a mixed bag.
VICTORIA: Elizabeth! I don’t know what to do! And— I may never see you again. Isn’t there… something you can say?
(ELIZABETH sighs.)
ELIZABETH: It’s the natural order of things, Victoria. It happens to all of us, sooner or later. It won’t break you. And… he is your friend, Victoria. You couldn’t ask for more than that.
(Pause.)
ELIZABETH: Now, listen here. Let’s see that you don’t go in blind.
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}