31 Plays in 31 Days, #7 - “Cheeky Girl”

[breakinglight11]

This builds upon yesterday’s #6 - An Interesting Life. It’s still extremely clumsily written, as I am just focusing on the structure in this first draft. But at least it has slightly more in the way of specifics, in some of the dialogue in the beginning. I need Beatrice to be slightly cheeky in her insistence, with some tension between Nathaniel and Clara as the accommodating and stern parent respectively, while hinting at Mrs. Hawking’s reluctance to any emotional connection being the real issue here. It will also lead into an eventually revised version of 2020’s #4 - Soft Touch. It all needs SO MUCH editing, but it’s a start.

I’ve also got a small thematic detail I’m trying to run through without making too big a deal of it. Mrs. Hawking references a book here with an inscription that says it used to belong to “Cornelia M. Blake.” It will be echoed later in the second conversation with Beatrice, where she’s been looking at an old picture of “Madam Amina.” These are not big clues to anything, and certainly not related to the case. Maybe it’s too much, but I wanted to try out the idea that Miranda’s letters have been making her think about certain things.



Day #7 - “Cheeky Girl”
From the Mrs. Hawking series
By Phoebe Roberts

London, England, 1890

VICTORIA HAWKING, lady’s champion of London, early fifties
NATHANIEL HAWKING, her nephew and right hand man, mid thirties
CLARA HAWKING, his lady wife, late thirties
BEATRICE HAWKING, her grandniece, mid teens
~~~

(The doorbell rings. NATHANIEL goes to answer it, letting in CLARA.)

NATHANIEL: And there’s your mother, thank goodness. Not a moment too soon.

CLARA: Hello, dears. Still no one at the door? What happened to Louisa?

NATHANIEL: No prizes for guessing. But I’m told Dora still comes in the evenings.

CLARA: Well, at least she won’t starve. Are you ready?

MRS. HAWKING: For all of you to leave? Quite so.

CLARA: (Sighing) Come along, then, or we’ll be late for tea.

BEATRICE: But, Mama, I want to stay here and hear about the case.

CLARA: Young lady, you have not been invited. And we have obligations; the Graysons are expecting us.

BEATRICE: Bother the Graysons! Perhaps I can be of help to Auntie.

MRS. HAWKING: I rather think not, girl.

BEATRICE: But you’ve been injured! You need someone to keep you sharp. If you show me all your evidence, perhaps I can make something of it! I read Pride and Prejudice last year with Miss Lawrence, you know.

(She begins digging through the pile of MRS. HAWKING’s things, and opens up the copy of the book.)

BEATRICE: “Property of Cornelia M. Blake.” Is that the missing girl?

NATHANIEL: No, her name is Faith Tanner. Is that her book?

MRS. HAWKING: No, it isn’t. Nathaniel, please take your family to where they belong! I shall inform you if I make any progress with some peace and quiet.

(She exits.)

NATHANIEL: Well, there it is. Let’s be off.

BEATRICE: Papa! Must we?

NATHANIEL: You heard your aunt, my dear. I suppose I can tell you on the way.

BEATRICE: But what if puzzle something out—?

CLARA: Beatrice. Go wait in the carriage.

BEATRICE: But, Mama—!

CLARA: Young lady. I will not tell you again.

(BEATRICE flounces out.)