Act One
Scene One
We are in a church where a woman is lighting a candle in remembrance of a loved one; a little girl tugs at her Mum's coat as the bells dong out the hour. The mother turns and wipes a tear from her cheek. She bends down and picks up her little daughter. The little girl wipes away her Mum's tears
"1. Overture"
"2. Where are you now?"
Laurie
(to child) Come, my dear. Let us not stay here any longer. It will make me cry all the more.
Theresa
But Mummy, why are you sad? Where is Daddy?
Laurie
He's gone away for a while.
Theresa
Has he gone to Paris? Can we see him?
Laurie
No, dear. He's gone further away than that. (Pause) We will go to Paris to see his sister, Aunt Jacqueline.
Theresa
Will he be back? (Scrounges up face) I know where he's gone. It's another one of his "trips" is it not?
Laurie
(Smiles through tears)
Yes, my dear. He has gone on a business trip.
Theresa
That's okay, then. Just as long as he comes back for my birthday party. It'll be great, Mummy! I want to invite Angela and Kate and Nicholas too!
Laurie
They can all come, my love.
Theresa
Can you imagine me being four? O boy am I grown up already!
Laurie
(Laughs and sets Theresa down)
Just don't rush it, dear. You'll need all the time you can get.
Theresa
I don't think so. I can't wait until I get homework from school. It'll be so cool!
(Continues to jabber as they exit)
Kataline
(Crosses herself)
Dear Father, what ever shall I do for the café? Surely it will close now. O and Josette will have to go find work elsewhere again. O but father, she's been my best friend and my loving mother all these long years while you were sick. I have always attended to you and you have always been so good to me, and she loved you too. Now, oh Father how can it be so horribly wrong? Now poor Josette is going to marry Uncle Pierre. I have advised her not to but she loves the café so much and I love it too…but we have no other choice, now. She doesn't love him, Father…(pause) but you know that, don't you?
(Reverent silence; clasps hands together to pray)
Father, I pray that you strengthen my soul. Make my heart worthy, O Lord, to receive your mercy, and grant me the favour and pardon that you so bestow upon your children and all your dearly beloved. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost…Amen.
(Lights fade to black)
Scene Two
We are in a train station in Paris; Edmond and Elley are present; they may have been arguing and now have their backs turned to each other and their arms folded
Elley
You should have checked the bags back in London.
Edmond
What for? No one's going to steal a suitcase and a type-writer! They'd have to be desperate.
Elley
At any rate, it's a necessary precaution going to a city like this.
Edmond
But, Eleanor, I have been to this city many times before with my Father.
Elley
(disgusted)
Well, not everyone has been born to privilege as you have. Remember that!
Edmond
And do you think I enjoy have a Duke for a father? Do you? You have the whole of London at your fingertips if you just walk outside every morning. No one will disturb you. No one will be watching wherever you go as though they think, every time, that you'll run off!
Elley
Well, perhaps, Edmond, if you didn't run off so often, you'd earn a little more freedom from your father! Besides, you know where all your next meals will be coming from. I don't have that luxury. Do you think I enjoy having to beg for work everyday just to get enough money to have a solid meal or two in one day? Do you think I like, even remotely, knowing the fact that unless I can find someone like you to marry, I'll be poor the rest of my life? Edmond, I know it's tough to have them watch over your every move, but I think you need to realize that being a Duke's son is quite an honour. Do not make a good thing bad!
Edmond
Eleanor, you can't know what you say. My father will not let me out of his sight…ever!
Elley
(Turns around)
And that's why you're here in Paris and he's not, right?
Edmond
Well…I…uh…okay. You win. You're right…(painfully)…again.
Elley
Where do you imagine our luggage can be retrieved from?
Edmond
We shall ask one of these station masters. They'll know.
Elley
I hope.
Edmond
Look, Eleanor, I may not seem to be in control of things here…plans for our stay, but I am willing to admit that I can't do this alone. I need you more than anything now for my father's influence is far-reaching and I know he will seek vengeance upon me if he finds me here. I need your support. I need your friendship to help me through. Can you do that?
Elley
Edmond, you know I'll do whatever you need me to do. I came to help you, not to hurt you.
Edmond
(taking her in his arms)
That is the best answer you could have ever given me.
Now how about finding our luggage?
(exits)
Elley
(sighs)
I know it's very unusual…a poor flower girl marrying a Duke's son.
(pauses)
But is it not natural for a girl to fall in love with a boy? A man?
(begins to pace)
And I have been so much in love with him since we were just childhood friends…only I didn't know what it was to love someone then. Now, I can't stop thinking of him.
(stops her pacing)
Though, he hasn't been always nice to me…then again, not many people have. I remember how I used to, at one time, hate him for his wealth in spite of my poverty. But that was just me, being silly Eleanor Bixley all over again. He's come here for freedom, what have I come here for?
(looks as if she's had some grand idea)
Him. I've come here for him! I didn't know that was what my aim was, when he asked me to sneak away with him to a better life! Oh, I do love him, and perhaps he loves me too.
And, if it's a good thing, I'll take it.
"3. If It's A Good Thing"
(exit)
Scene Three
We open the scene at the Café; there are a couple of small tables with chairs turned over (legs up) on the table top; there is an old fashioned mop and big wooden bucket next to one such table; Jacqueline is presently mopping the floor
Lina
(enters holding a letter in her hand) Good afternoon, Jacqueline.
Jacqueline
Good afternoon, Miss Lina. Say, Miss, has the postman come?
Lina
Why yes. He left this letter. (turns the letter over) I believe it's for you.
Jacqueline
O thank you, miss. (eagerly opens the letter and reads it furiously)
Lina
Might I inquire on the letter's contents?
Jacqueline
O yes, misses. It's just a letter from my cousin in England. She says she's arrived this morning. She says that she would like to see this place she's heard so much about. Her late husband, Ethan, just died and he asked that he be buried in his mother's native France…Normandy actually. She arrived by train and she says she would like to come as soon as she can. O, Miss Lina, will you allow me to go see her in at the station? I promise I'll be back as soon as I can.
Lina
Yes, Jacqueline. You have done such a fine job already. I encourage you to take the rest of the day off. (fumbles in her cloak pockets but retrieves a bit of coins and hands them to Jacqueline) Here. I give you your pay early so you can travel a little easier. Have a cabby take you to the station, then take your cousin and enjoy the rest of the afternoon in Paris. I am sure you will be back again tomorrow.
Jacqueline
(excited and happy) O Miss Lina! Can I ever thank you?
Lina
Yes, my dear. Enjoy the day and I'll take that as worthy thanks. Now go clean yourself up. I'll lay out a good dress for you in my room. When shall your cousin be in?
Jacqueline
O, a quarter past four.
Lina
(mumbling) That's in an hour. (clearly) Very well, you best get going.
(Jacqueline exits; Jeannette enters with Castor)
Jeannette
O, look who decided to come back, Castor? The little orphan. (mockery)
Lina
(turns to Jeannette)
I would hate, Jeannette, to think that you favour yourself higher than me in society because you still have a feeble old father and I do not. You do not think such things do you?
Jeannette
(sneering) At least I am married and you are not. (shows off her ring) Castor paid a large sum for this. He's going to elevate my societal status because of his position with Mr. Mirabeau as his boss. Plus, I do love having him spoil me (laughs obnoxiously) with all these diamonds! (shimmies to show off her many diamond necklaces and bracelets) So I do suppose that I am the higher woman in society here.
Lina
I have always favoured practicality over money. I am not perturbed or intimidated by you, Jeannette. Now, how can I help you?
Castor
Well…uh…
(Jeannette elbows him in the side)
Jeannette
We'll not be buying anything, today. We came to pay our regards to your late father…after all, he was my employer (eye roll); I figure it's the least I can do in his memory.
Lina
Well, I thank you, no matter what your reasons are. My father was a generous man in his lifetime. I only hope that those he knew will do the same to the less fortunate. (she is directing this at Jeannette)
Jeannette
(sniffs proudly) Well, that's nice. Come, Castor darling, we've wasted too much time here. The opera is starting soon! (exits)
Castor
(whispering to Lina)
Help me!
Jeannette
(offstage) CASTOR!
(Castor exits)
Lina
(turns over one of the chairs and places it upright on the floor; repeats action with other chairs at table and removes the mop and bucket to backstage)
Edmond
(while Lina is backstage, enters with Eleanor and sits at one table with Elley)
Elley
(sits and looks around suspiciously as though she suspects something or someone will jump out at them) I don't know, Edmond. You said your father knew the owner of this café?
Edmond
My father knows the man who owns this café. He was also acquainted with that man's daughter, I believe.
Lina
(from backstage) Josette? Pierre? Is that you? (coming out from backstage) You're back erm… (sees Elley and Edmond)
Elley
Hello.
Lina
(looks at door and sees that the sign is on the wrong side) O…O no. O I'm so sorry. We're not open today. Jacqueline must have forgotten to flip the sign. (walks to the door and flips the sign herself)
Elley
Please, miss. We've just arrived from London. We are very hungry. Can't you just serve us?
Lina
I'm…I'm sorry, miss. We're closed.
Elley
But…
Edmond
(breaks in) My father knows your boss! (Lina stops walking and looks up) They were old acquaintances. I don't know if you knew a Sir Richard Wentworth?
Lina
(gasps) Sir Richard! He's your…you're his…he's your father?
Edmond
So you know him?
Lina
Quite personally actually. He helped my father, the owner as you call him, get the café off of the ground financially.
Edmond
Then you must be Louis's…
Lina
(finishes for him) Daughter. Yes. (sticks out her hand) I am Kataline Marie Farcois. Have you come to pay your respects?
Elley
Our respects? No, we're here to eat.
Edmond
Is Louis here?
Lina
(hangs head slightly) Actually…actually he is not…nor will he ever be from this day on.
Elley
Oh, I am so sorry. I had no idea.
Lina
(sitting) I didn't expect you to have known. Word doesn't travel that fast. He passed away two days ago. In fact I've just come from his funeral. That's why we're closed today.
Elley
(rising) Oh, I see. I suppose we should go, then.
Lina
No, don't bother. I can make you something. England is a long journey from here. (pause) It would be nice if you'd stay.
Elley
(sitting) Okay. I can help if you'd like.
Lina
Thank you. (to Edmond) You said you know my father?
Edmond
Yes, Sir Richard, my fathers, frequently visited Paris after long business trips…you know, as a sort of get-away. That's where, I assume, he met your father.
Lina
Why, yes. It seems like it was ages ago that Sir Richard visited this part of Paris. He was a good friend to my father…and to me. He was very kind in his actions.
Edmond
I only wish that were true.
Lina
But it is. Why?
Edmond
The very charitable man you so compassionately portray in your descriptions of my father, is not the man I live with…lived with. I don't plan on going back to him.
Lina
You are wrong! He was nothing but kind and…and generous. Pure of heart, Sir Richard was. I don't believe your accusations of the man! And he being your own father too!
Edmond
How can I love a man who is intent on being the benefactor of my internal destruction? Just for an heir to his estate! That's the only reason he has enforced me to comply with his will to marry the woman he chooses. He will never understand what it means to fall in love.
Lina
And how can you condemn a man whom you only know one side of? Have you not given him the opportunity to show his other side? You say he is the benefactor to your destruction? Well, he's the benefactor to my survival. My father offered me this job knowing that I would never be able to fend for myself once I had finished secondary school. He knew I would be out on the streets…probably selling myself like so many of my friends were when my father hired them too. Your father was our saving grace when the government threatened to close the café down. Your father saved my friends, and all of them are out getting married and living successful lives because one man, whom you lay accusation after bitter accusation upon, showed some pity on their misfortune. What can you say to that? Is he the same man as the one who is forcing you, an irresponsible son I deem, to marry against your will?
(awkward pause)
I'm sorry. It's not my place to scold you. You just see Sir Richard differently than I do. I suppose living with him does that to you, and I should respect you for your opinion. (gets up to go) I should make you something. How does soup and baguette sound?
Elley
Just fine, thank you.
Edmond
Wait…don't go just yet.
Lina
No, really. I should get you something.
(exits)
Elley
I think she's a little forceful. Do you?
Edmond
(watching where Lina has exited) I don't know.
Elley
Well, I think she esteems your father more than you do. I mean, he seems like a great guy from how she described him. To have saved all her friends from a life of prostitution…that is a great feat, I daresay. Perhaps you should give him a second chance?
Edmond
(Thoughtfully)
I think I will.
(fade to black)