ACT II

Scene five

Marguerite walks restlessly about in the Summerlee orchard beneath the tree house. She wrings her hands as she looks toward the gates of the orchard for some sign or her friend's approach.

"The clock struck nine when I did send that nurse; in half an hour she promised to return." Marguerite began to worry

"Perchance she cannot meet him: that's not so. O, she is lame!" she said suddenly frustrated slamming her fist onto the bough of an apple tree.

 "Love's heralds should be thoughts, Which ten times faster glide than the sun's beams, driving back shadows over louring hills: Therefore do nimble-pinion'd doves draw love, And therefore hath the wind-swift Cupid wings." Marguerite said whimsically taking comfort in her day dream, only to be abruptly brought back to reality when she looked back to the gate which still showed no sign of Veronica.

"Now is the sun upon the high most hill of this day's journey, and from nine till twelve is three long hours, yet she is not come." Marguerite groaned sitting down under the apple tree covering her face with her hands.

"If she had use of her affections and warm youthful blood, She would be as swift in motion as a ball; My words would bandy her to my sweet love, And his to me: But she move as the old folks, many feign as they were dead; Unwieldy, slow, heavy and pale as lead." she said scornfully the words coming out muffled through her hands. She picked her head up and sighed resting her chin on the top of her hand when she suddenly perked up.

"O God, she comes!" Marguerite cried jumping up, " O honey nurse, what news? Hast thou met with him? Send thy man away." She yelled running over to him a extra bounce in her step.

"Away with you now, you have been most helpful," Veronica said smiling at the boy who taking his cue departed back to the house.

"Now, good sweet Veronica!" Marguerite cried reaching her but her bright smile faded " --O Lord, why do you look sad? Though news be sad, yet tell them merrily; If good, you shame the music of sweet news by telling it to me with so sour a face." She said earnestly taking hold over Veronica's shoulders.

"I am a-weary, give me leave awhile: how my bones ache! What a day out have I had!" Veronica said putting her hand on her forehead as she turned form Marguerite a mischievous smile coming to her face.

Marguerite stands anxious slightly shocked by her old friends actions.

"I would thou hadst my bones, and I your news-" Marguerite said as sweetly as she could her patience waning "Nay, come, I pray thee, speak; good, good nurse, speak." Marguerite said putting her hand gently on her arm.

"My word, what haste? Can you not stay awhile? Do you not see that I am out of breath?" Veronica continued still turned away from Marguerite

 "How art thou out of breath, when thou has breath to say to me that thou art out of breath?!" Marguerite said through gritted teeth beginning to tighten her hold on Veronica's arm.

Feeling this Veronica started to move away attempting to let the blood flow back into her arm.

"The excuse that you make in this delay is longer than the tale you do excuse. Is thy news good, or bad? Answer to that; say either, and I'll stay the circumstance: Let me be satisfied, is it good or bad?" Marguerite said slowly raising her voice as she charged at Veronica and turned her around the both of them then falling onto the grass Marguerite holding to Veronica's dress collar. "Tell me!"

" Well, you have made a simple choice; you know not how to choose a man-" Veronica said calmly regaining her composure as she laid back on the grass stretching her arms out looking up at the sky "Roxton! No, not he; though his face be better than any man's, yet his leg excels all men's; and for a hand, and a foot, and a body," she smiled moving the said body parts knocking Marguerite off of her, who was looking at her with a perplexed face.

"Though they be not to be talked on, yet they are past compare: he is not the flower of courtesy, but, I'll warrant him, as gentle as a lamb. Go thy ways, wench; serve God. What, have you dined at home?" Veronica said finally looking over at Marguerite who was lying on her side staring at her with a dumbfounded expression.

"W-WHAT?!" Marguerite said sitting right up a exasperated tone in her voice.

"Have you dined at home?" Veronica repeated her question calmly stilly lying on her back her face turned to her frazzled companion.

"No, no: but all this did I know before. What says he of our marriage? What of that?" Marguerite moaned anxiously

"Lord, how my head aches! What a head have I! It beats as it would fall in twenty pieces. My back o' t' other side, --O, my back, my back! Shame your heart for sending me about, to catch my death with spreeing up and down!" Veronica pretended to groan reaching her hands up to her head to animate her suffering.

Marguerite's face felling to her hand annoyed.

"I' faith, I am sorry that thou art not well. Sweet, sweet, sweet Veronica, tell me, what says my love?" Marguerite said attempting to play nice again as she moved a bit closer to her friend leaning over her face.

"Your love says, like an honest gentleman, and a courteous, and a kind, and a handsome, and, I warrant, a virtuous," Veronica began turning toward her resting her head on her bent are "--Where is your father?" she said suddenly looking around.

Marguerite's face lost all expression

"Where- is -my-fa-ther!" Marguerite repeated slowly with drained patience "Why, he is within; Where should he be? How oddly thou reply! 'Your love says, like an honest gentleman, where is your father!!'" She said standing finally become fed up with the game Veronica was playing

" O God's lady dear! Are you so hot? " Veronica laughed sitting up, Marguerite began to blush turning back to her

"Marry, come here, I am finished; is this the medicine for my aching bones? Henceforward do your messages yourself-

" Veronica laughed again, Marguerite sitting back down with her on the grass under the tree.

"Here's such twist! Now come, what says Roxton?" Marguerite said almost pleading grabbing her friend's hands.

Veronica smiled, "Have you got leave to go to confession today?"

"I have." Marguerite nodded apprehensive

"Then go you hence to Friar Jesabar's cell; there stays a husband to make you a wife!!" Veronica said great gladness in her voice

Marguerite shouted with joy and jumped into her friend's arms hugging her with all of her delight.

" Now comes the wanton blood up in your cheeks, they'll be in scarlet straight at any news. Get you to church; I must another way, to fetch a ladder, by which your love must climb soon when it is dark," she said releasing Marguerite and standing " I am the drudge and toil in your delight, But you shall bear the burden soon at night. Go; I'll to dinner: go you to the hut!!" Veronica laughed

Marguerite jumped up smiling brighter than Veronica had ever seen her smile before.

"OH Thank you!! Thank yoU!!!" Marguerite cried hugging her friend once again.

"Yes, well- go!! Get you to church before that man changes his mind!!" Veronica laughed sending Marguerite off

"Go to high fortune! Honest nurse, farewell!" she heard Marguerite call as she watched her gracefully but swiftly ran from the orchard.

Veronica sighed and closing her eyes pleased for her friend but unable to shake a bad feeling form the back of her mind, a feeling she had felt only once before.

------

Deanna walks in on the seen from the other side of the orchard, having seen a excited transaction go on between her two dear friends and marguerite run off with great hast.

She walked up silently behind Veronica who seemed to be lost in thought.

"Good eve Sweet Veronica," she said gently and watched as her friend jumped about three feet spinning around her eyes wide with fright.

"Deanna!" she said her voice still shaking, not really being relieved to see her standing there.

"It is only me, sorry to have given you such a scare-" Deanna said good-naturedly.

"No real –*gulp*- harm done-" Veronica said attempting to calm herself hundreds of thoughts running through her mind.

'How long has she been there? Does she know? What does she know? What will she do? She seems so calm -too calm-' she thought frantically.

"Veronica?" Deanna said seeing Veronica's mind wander again

"Yes?" Veronica said suddenly snapping back to the present

Deanna laughed crossing her arms casually "Where is my cousin off to in such a hurry?"

"Cousin? Off to?" Veronica repeated her stomach doing flips inside of her

"Yes- in a hurry-" Deanna smiled repeating the rest for her, beginning to think of reasons why Veronica was so much on edge.

"W-why, she- Marguerite is-off to confession," Veronica sighed smiling finally getting her bearings

"Confession-" Deanna said nodding once

Veronica smiled praying silently

"Well then I will just see her when she returns-" Deanna smiled

"Yes- good- well I-I must be off to help with supper," Veronica said beginning to walk away.

Deanna nodded "Oh and Veronica?"

"Yes," Veronica said putting on a smile turning back

"You would tell me if something was wrong with Marguerite, wouldn't you?" she asked looking up at her

Veronica stared back at her her smile fading 'Of course," Veronica said slowly "If- something was wrong-"

Deanna nodded "Thank you Veronica,"

Veronica nodded and stood there for a minute thinking, "Well I must be off of your uncle will have my head-"

Deanna nodded and Veronica walked off to the tree house that bad feeling stirring within her again.

End of Scene Five