Author's Pre Notes: Ok here comes the hard part like I mentioned in the beginning Lady Summerlee is dead so I have to have others take over her lines. This should be interesting . . lol
Onto the words . .
ACT I
Scene three
Veronica (handmaiden) enters
"Marguerite! Hey! Marguerite where are you? What! Marguerite!" she calls looking through the rooms.
"How now who calls," comes the very unenthusiastic voice of her dear friend and mistress.
Veronica follows the voice into the sitting room attached to a very large balcony where her mistress was sitting reading a book.
"It is only I, but you father comes," she smiled at her friend. True that they were of different social standings but they were dear friends, sisters they could say if they dare to utter it, Deanna being another 'sister' making their band three. It had been that way since she had been born, her mother being Marguerite and Deanna's nurse, all three being about the same age.
"Does he? And where pray tell has he been all morning? I was looking for him hours ago." Marguerite answered,
"Away, there was another incident in the village," Veronica said slightly annoyed at the thought.
"Of fault of theirs or ours," Marguerite asked bitterly.
"I cannot say, tis not known-"
"Deanna was not at the fray?" she asked a bit of concern in her voice.
"Ay, I fear she was," Veronica almost groaned in exasperation.
"Then it was most likely we are at fault this time, " Marguerite chuckled lightheartedly assured of Deanna's health by the tone in her friends voice.
"You mean not what your tongue utters, you know she is of seemingly good temper, would take an act to make her move so." Veronica scolded.
"True my dear friend true," she laughs again standing and replacing her book onto the shelf.
Deanna enters
"Dear cousin and what trouble pray tell have you been getting into this fine morn," Marguerite teased playfully already knowing the true answer.
Veronica exists after saying good morning to Deanna.
"Oh this and that, not more trouble than usual," she laughed sitting.
"And not any less," Marguerite remarked.
Deanna smirked.
"Oh beloved Deanna your arm, you have been wounded!" Marguerite cried moving over to her.
Deanna looks down at herself unaware of any injuries and spots the red mark on her sleeve.
"Oh, it is nothing but a scratch," she said looking at it standing and moving to a basin of water to wash it out.
"You had better watch yourself coz, with scars such as wounds like those can create you may find it very hard to marry before you are an old maid." She teased unaware of the nerve she had just hit.
Deanna's head had jerked up away from the basin startled by the comment. It causing thoughts of another to come creeping into her mind, this in turn causing anger to flood her senses. But she quickly recovered herself and threw a playful glare back at Marguerite who laughed and turned around right into her father.
"Yes, marry, that 'marry' is the very theme I came to talk of. Tell me, daughter Marguerite, how stands your disposition to be married?" he asked kissing her cheek greeting her good morning.
"It is an honor that I dream not of, " She replied expressionlessly turning away and walking back toward the balcony.
Deanna turned back smirking to her task as Veronica entered crossing the room to join her, fresh bandages in hand.
"Well, fear not to think of marriage now; younger than you, here in Zanga, ladies of esteem, are made already mothers: by my count, my dear departed wife, god rest her soul became your loving mother much upon these years that you are now a maid. Thus then in brief," he sighed hating to have to inform her of any of this, he had been so pleased at her answer of not dreaming to be married yet, but it was for her future that she should know and preside to create a stable life for herself, "The valiant Fantain seeks you for his love. "
Deanna couldn't help the snicker that escaped from her, she still being bent over the basin using all her resolve to bite her tongue and stay turned from the scene. 'Oh this ought to be lovely,' she thought sarcastically.
Veronica ribbed her and turned smiling to Marguerite and Professor Summerlee,
"A man, young lady! Lady, such a man as all the world--why, he's a man of wax."
"Yes he does seem to have a very nice-" Deanna began to chime in standing up glancing comically at Veronica.
"Oh hush! The both of you! You especially you my dear heart, Thee is in enough trouble for that fine scene in town today!"
Deanna stared at him now fully turned, Veronica trying to bandage her arm as she moved about.
"You cannot think that to have been a fault of mine!" she protested.
"I will not hear of it now, please. Be off with you, I will speak to you later," The Professor said attempting to keep his resolve.
He eyes widened a bit enraged, but she closed her mouth pursing her lips slightly and swiftly walked out of the room. Veronica followed gripping her arm tightly trying to finish bandaging it.
Summerlee sighed how he hated to dismiss her so.
Veronica walked back into the room stopping at the door, sticking her tongue out at Deanna (unseen) briefly then an object came flying from that side of the outer room hitting the door frame by Veronica. She dodged it and quickly fully reentered the room.
"Now Marguerite my dear, " he said regarding his daughter who was still standing open mouthed appalled at the statement.
"He wants me to be his WIFE!" she said a bit loudly still in horrid shock.
"Zanga's summer does not have such a flower as he," said Veronica sweetly trying to console her.
Marguerite just stared in shock and confusion looking from her friend to her father and back again.
"Peace my daughter but what say you?" Summerlee said trying to ease the stress that he could see in her face. " Can you love the gentleman? This night you shall behold him at our feast; Read o'er the volume of young Fantain's face, And find delight writ there with beauty's pen; Examine every married lineament, and see how one another lends content and what obscured in this fair volume lies find written in the margent of his eyes. This precious book of love, this unbound lover, to beautify him, only lacks a cover: The fish lives in the sea, and 'tis much pride for fair without the fair within to hide: That book in many's eyes doth share the glory, that in gold clasps locks in the golden story; So shall you share all that he doth possess, by having him, making yourself no less. " He finished feeling as if he was truly full of something rotten. Why was he doing this? Perhaps she would love him? Perhaps he would have to say nothing more? 'Her future and happiness is all that matters now' he thought to himself.
"No less but bigger, women grow by men," Veronica joked and then turned a bright shade of red.
"You sound like you mother my dear friend!" Marguerite said stretching the word finding the need to remind that is what she was and that this was not the time to be cracking such jokes against her.
"Hush you or you will be dismissed as your beloved companion!" Summerlee scolded.
Veronica bowed her head stepping back against the wall hands behind her back, biting her bottom lip to contain her laughter.
He turned back to Marguerite and heaved a sigh this was truly not what he wanted to be doing, "Speak briefly, can you like of Fantain's love?"
Marguerite smiled softly she knew her father only meant the best for her, she sighed relenting for a while,
"I'll look to like, if looking liking move: But no more deep will I endart mine eye than your consent gives strength to make it fly."
Summerlee smiled and hugged his beautiful daughter graciously.
A servant enters and speaks to Veronica.
"Sir?" she called
He turned to her looking at the servant having her motion for him to speak.
" The guests are come-*pant* -supper served up, you
called-*pant*-my young lady asked for, the nurse cursed in
the pantry-*pant*-and every thing in extremity. I must
hence to wait; I beseech you, -*pant* follow straight!" he said breathlessly
running back out of the room to attend to these problems.
"I follow thee!" he nods to his daughter and darts off after the servant. Veronica at his heals.
Deanna enters from balcony upon seeing Summerlee take leave.
"So you shall look," she stated entertained.
"It is the least I can do, Father only wants the best, and he didn't demand I marry him outright, he let's me look, so look is what I shall do," she said gently sighing slightly. She then moves walking over toward a pitcher and begins pouring herself a glass of water.
"And if I may say, looking, is not so much a bad design," Deanna said slyly looking over the balcony leaning on the rail with her elbows.
Marguerite looked up puzzled setting down the pitcher, and walking over. Deanna motioned downward with her eyes.
Marguerite looked, "Oh for heaven sakes!" she gasped irritated.
Down below Count Horance Fantain paced the garden waiting for the celebration to begin, twirling a single rose in his hands apprehensively. Feeling eyes on him he looks upward just missing Marguerite as she dives out of view.
Deanna laughed once harshly and looked back at the count and gave him a small wave not moving from her position.
His face she could tell from there had gotten a bit paler at the sight of her, but he hesitantly raised his hand and waved in return. She chuckled again shaking her head, walking back into the sitting room away from the balcony.
"Is he gone?!" asked Marguerite still a bit shocked standing flat against the wall almost behind the curtain of the balcony, 'he's everywhere!' she screamed in her head
"Yes, " Deanna chuckled "he is gone-for now," she added walking over and pouring herself a glass of water drinking it slowly.
"He is easy on the eyes is he not?" Deanna asked.
"I suppose but he seems so much older," she replied looking back out of the balcony from afar.
"Age has nothing to do with it, you are just resolved about not marrying him,"
"I told my father I would look -" she protested not liking to sound so predictable.
"You deny what we all know is true, you have already decided to firmly reject his proposal-"
Marguerite pursed her lips at her cousin's victorious smirk.
"I just don't think that, 'that' is what I want," she snapped
"Then what do you look for, be cause the shell of the man appears flawless," she said licking the water off her lips.
"As do most exteriors dear friend, but like a precious jewel on closer inspection, a perfect gem can be found wanting much." Marguerite countered smartly.
Deanna smiled lifting her glass to Marguerite "Good show," she laughed and took another sip.
Veronica entered the room.
" Marguerite, the County waits," she says pleasantly.
Marguerite rolled her eyes groaning, "I go to dress," she whined walking out of the room.
Veronica turned as she passed out the door, Deanna standing behind her.
"Go, girl, seek happy night to happy days." Veronica smiled serenely.
End of Scene III
The table's set,
The band will play.
Mischief is about,
So please do stay.
The party is started,
The celebrating light,
But was other things may happen this night,
So do sit tight,
Since you're in store,
For much more Evil in Scene FOUR . . .
