dropping to crawl on all fours, pausing here and there. It arrives at
P EARL’S
desk and is stopped by the sight of the jar. Reaches for it. Fumbles with it
. F LORA
appears in the doorway with an oil lamp. The
F IGURE
looks up and drops the jar
.
F LORA . There you are. Thank God.
[Firm but gentle.]
Come, now. Come.
The
F IGURE
rises and starts toward
F LORA’S
outstretched hand
.
Here now. Give them to me.
The
F IGURE
reaches out and hands
F LORA
her ring of keys
.
Scene 2 Pearl’s Study
Next morning
. P EARL
enters and spots something on the floor. She takes tweezers from her desk, bends and carefully picks up the ear
.
P EARL
[bellowing to off]
. Wee Farleigh!
W EE F ARLEIGH
enters with a frilly tray
.
Where is that slavering cur?
W EE F ARLEIGH . Out frolicking, Miss.
P EARL . Well find it and beat it. No. Put it in a sack and drown it. What’s that?
W EE F ARLEIGH
[formal, well-mannered, yet somehow seductive]
. Breakfast, Miss. Earl Gray tea. Coddled eggs. Brioche –
P EARL . What?
W EE F ARLEIGH . A bun. Only better.
P EARL . Oh. [a
beat]
Well, take it away, I’m …
[wave of nausea]
.
W EE F ARLEIGH . Feeling poorly, Miss?
P EARL . Do as I say.
He goes to exit with the tray
. P EARL
catches sight of something else, bends and retrieves the lid and the empty jar, perfectly intact
.
Wee Farleigh. You needn’t drown it, just … give him away to anyone who wants him.
W EE F ARLEIGH . Ay, Miss.
Scene 3 Hallway / The Attic Stairs
F LORA
and
D R R EID
enter, heading for the attic stairs
. W EE F ARLEIGH
enters with a pot of coffee
. F LORA
and
D R R EID
step back out of sight, allowing
W EE F ARLEIGH
to cross before they mount the stairs, resuming their conversation:
F LORA . I was wushin’ the poor creature in the tub–
D R R EID . The tub?
F LORA . In the old nursery – not to worry, it’s quite out of the way – I’d doffed ma dress, if ye maun know, down to ma linens so’s not to drench mis-sel, and scarce had I turned my back when she lifted ma keys.
[A touch of admiration.]
For a’ that she’s meek, she’s clever.
D R R EID
[admonishing]
. She’s cunning. What if she’d –?
F LORA . There was no harm done.
D R R EID . Next time get Wee Farleigh to help you with the bathing.
F LORA . Wee Farleigh? That’s hardly decent.
D R R EID . And in future, confine her ablutions to the attic. Use a basin. Do not lavish upon her, luxuries to which she is insensible.
F LORA . Ach, I was anerly tryin to make the poor lamb presentable.
D R R EID . For whom?
F LORA . Why, for Pearl.
A beat
.
It’s this morning I’ll be telling her. You’ll help me, won’t you, Seamus? I fear to tell her on my own.
D R R EID . Need you tell her at all?
F LORA . She’ll have to know now she’s mistress here.
D R R EID . Not necessarily. Not if I am master.
A beat as
F LORA
takes in the implications
.
F LORA . Ach Seamus, you’re old enough to be the lassie’s faither.
D R R EID . And that is what I shall be to her. A second father. I shall guide her studies and stimulate her mind to fructify as her womb never shall.
F LORA . Ay, but …
[resisting tears]
I always pictured a bonnie lad. One who’d awaken her heart and bring a flush to her cheek, a sigh to her lips –
D R R EID . She’s thirty-two years old, Flora. Barren and waist-deep in the sands of time.
V ICTOR
enters in his bathrobe, badly hung-over, the bridge of his nose bandaged, nursing a cup of coffee. He is stopped by their voices behind the door to the attic stairs, and listens
.
F LORA . Ay, so she’s old enough to hear the truth.
D R R EID . She’s a woman for a’ that.
F LORA . As am I, and have I not borne the horror of it?
D R R EID . Ay but the horror does not lurk within your very loins.
F LORA [stung]. How would you know the first thing about my loins? Mayhap the flaw did come from my brother’s side, he was the one with the Faery hair!
A beat
. D R R EID
gives her a look
P EARL’S
desk and is stopped by the sight of the jar. Reaches for it. Fumbles with it
. F LORA
appears in the doorway with an oil lamp. The
F IGURE
looks up and drops the jar
.
F LORA . There you are. Thank God.
[Firm but gentle.]
Come, now. Come.
The
F IGURE
rises and starts toward
F LORA’S
outstretched hand
.
Here now. Give them to me.
The
F IGURE
reaches out and hands
F LORA
her ring of keys
.
Scene 2 Pearl’s Study
Next morning
. P EARL
enters and spots something on the floor. She takes tweezers from her desk, bends and carefully picks up the ear
.
P EARL
[bellowing to off]
. Wee Farleigh!
W EE F ARLEIGH
enters with a frilly tray
.
Where is that slavering cur?
W EE F ARLEIGH . Out frolicking, Miss.
P EARL . Well find it and beat it. No. Put it in a sack and drown it. What’s that?
W EE F ARLEIGH
[formal, well-mannered, yet somehow seductive]
. Breakfast, Miss. Earl Gray tea. Coddled eggs. Brioche –
P EARL . What?
W EE F ARLEIGH . A bun. Only better.
P EARL . Oh. [a
beat]
Well, take it away, I’m …
[wave of nausea]
.
W EE F ARLEIGH . Feeling poorly, Miss?
P EARL . Do as I say.
He goes to exit with the tray
. P EARL
catches sight of something else, bends and retrieves the lid and the empty jar, perfectly intact
.
Wee Farleigh. You needn’t drown it, just … give him away to anyone who wants him.
W EE F ARLEIGH . Ay, Miss.
Scene 3 Hallway / The Attic Stairs
F LORA
and
D R R EID
enter, heading for the attic stairs
. W EE F ARLEIGH
enters with a pot of coffee
. F LORA
and
D R R EID
step back out of sight, allowing
W EE F ARLEIGH
to cross before they mount the stairs, resuming their conversation:
F LORA . I was wushin’ the poor creature in the tub–
D R R EID . The tub?
F LORA . In the old nursery – not to worry, it’s quite out of the way – I’d doffed ma dress, if ye maun know, down to ma linens so’s not to drench mis-sel, and scarce had I turned my back when she lifted ma keys.
[A touch of admiration.]
For a’ that she’s meek, she’s clever.
D R R EID
[admonishing]
. She’s cunning. What if she’d –?
F LORA . There was no harm done.
D R R EID . Next time get Wee Farleigh to help you with the bathing.
F LORA . Wee Farleigh? That’s hardly decent.
D R R EID . And in future, confine her ablutions to the attic. Use a basin. Do not lavish upon her, luxuries to which she is insensible.
F LORA . Ach, I was anerly tryin to make the poor lamb presentable.
D R R EID . For whom?
F LORA . Why, for Pearl.
A beat
.
It’s this morning I’ll be telling her. You’ll help me, won’t you, Seamus? I fear to tell her on my own.
D R R EID . Need you tell her at all?
F LORA . She’ll have to know now she’s mistress here.
D R R EID . Not necessarily. Not if I am master.
A beat as
F LORA
takes in the implications
.
F LORA . Ach Seamus, you’re old enough to be the lassie’s faither.
D R R EID . And that is what I shall be to her. A second father. I shall guide her studies and stimulate her mind to fructify as her womb never shall.
F LORA . Ay, but …
[resisting tears]
I always pictured a bonnie lad. One who’d awaken her heart and bring a flush to her cheek, a sigh to her lips –
D R R EID . She’s thirty-two years old, Flora. Barren and waist-deep in the sands of time.
V ICTOR
enters in his bathrobe, badly hung-over, the bridge of his nose bandaged, nursing a cup of coffee. He is stopped by their voices behind the door to the attic stairs, and listens
.
F LORA . Ay, so she’s old enough to hear the truth.
D R R EID . She’s a woman for a’ that.
F LORA . As am I, and have I not borne the horror of it?
D R R EID . Ay but the horror does not lurk within your very loins.
F LORA [stung]. How would you know the first thing about my loins? Mayhap the flaw did come from my brother’s side, he was the one with the Faery hair!
A beat
. D R R EID
gives her a look
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