More Victorian ghost story-- scene 2, "Left Her in Marble"

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I found myself liking what I did for the first scene I scribbled of this idea for a Victorian ghost story. So I decided to keep going. They're very rough, basically just first drafts, but I'm enjoying thinking about it and hacking it together.

There's a bunch of things I need to figure out before I can go much further, though.

Scene 1 - "Alea Iacta Est"

Scene 2 - "Left Her in Marble"
By Phoebe Roberts
~~~
London, England, 1891

MARIEL STARLING, a classical scholar, early twenties

HELEN STARLING, her older sister, mid twenties

The WHISPER, just beyond hearing

~~~

SOUND: Crumpling of paper

SOUND: Rustling of satin

HELEN: Be careful. We don’t want to tear it. It was very fine.

WHISPER: Veni ad regem.

MARIEL: Mother packed it away nearly thirty years ago. It might be too fragile to wear.

WHISPER: Ordine mortuorum non.

SOUND: Rustling of satin

MARIEL: Oh, dear.

WHISPER: I came to see a king, not a row of corpses.

HELEN: Did it tear?

MARIEL: No, it’s only…

HELEN: Don’t you like it?

MARIEL: Well… it’s very old-fashioned.

HELEN: (Sighing) But it’s silk satin— think of how dear it would be to buy new. I thought… if we took the frill off the bodice… and the swags from the skirt…

(Pause.)

HELEN: I don’t want to look a fool.

MARIEL: You won’t. You’re right— we could narrow down the skirt and gather it up in the back. Some new trimming to replace the old lace, and that will do nicely.

WHISPER: Marmoream relinquo.

HELEN: Do you think?

MARIEL: You’ll be lovely. And soon you’ll be a baroness and you can buy all the beautiful gowns you like.

WHISPER: Quam latericiam accepi.

HELEN: (Gasping, as if faint)

MARIEL: Helen? Are you all right?

HELEN: Oh, dear Mariel. Am I making a mistake?

MARIEL: I beg your pardon?

WHISPER: I found her in brick and left her in marble.

HELEN: I’ve become… very uncertain, all of a sudden.

MARIEL: I thought you wanted to marry Frederick.

HELEN: I do! It’s only… he’s a baron now. He’ll have responsibilities. Duties his wife will be expected to uphold. I don’t know how to play the great lady.

MARIEL: You’re clever, you’ll learn.

HELEN: Perhaps. But then there’s the house. Some great lonely rambling house out there in the country. With not even a neighbor for a mile around.

WHISPER: Left her in marble.

MARIEL: You won’t be alone! You’ll have a legion of servants. And Frederick, of course.

HELEN: But not you.

MARIEL: Oh, Helen.

HELEN: You and I, we’ve taken care of one another as long as I can remember. With you in London and me away in the country, how will we do that? What will become of us?

WHISPER: Legiones redde! Give me back my legions!

MARIEL: We’ll visit— we’ll visit all the time, and when we can’t visit, we’ll write. And you’ll have Freddie now. He’ll take care of you.

HELEN: He won’t be sorry, will he? That he took me on?

MARIEL: Why ever would he?

HELEN: We both know I can be so very much trouble, with the heachaches and the fainting and all. Frederick knows I’m… not strong, much of the time. But suppose I can’t be what he needs?

WHISPER: Let us be satisfied with no more than unkind words.

MARIEL: Helen, he loves you. I’ve heard how he speaks of you. He loves you.

HELEN: And he’s a good man. Isn’t he?

MARIEL: He’s the best man.

WHISPER: Let us be satisfied with no more.

HELEN: Still… I will miss seeing you every day. You will come and see me, won’t you? Even all the way out in the country?

MARIEL: It’ll take more than a dreary old moor to keep me away. And you will rise to any occasion that comes.

WHISPER: Let us be satisfied.

HELEN: Mariel, you are dearer to me than anyone. I don’t know what I’d do without you.

WHISPER: Have I played the part well?

MARIEL: Lucky for you, you need never know.

WHISPER: The die is cast.

MARIEL: Now. Let’s see what's to be done about this gown.

Comments

[valleyviolet]

<3 <3 <3

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:-D :-D :-D