where to go and what to do.
CLAIRE
You think they could because it’s your precious Robert who wants to lead them, Priscilla. Too bad he’s not a doctor.
PRISCILLA
Claire Johnson!
ROBERT
(full of himself)
She’s right, of course. Officers lead men and direct them to where they need to go. Like Meade at Gettysburg. Did youread in the Times how his men held their positions against Longstreet?
PRISCILLA
What time is it? I have to get to the orphanage.
CLAIRE
Robert, you’re not carrying Priscilla’s books today. Do you think it’s really safe? I mean, they’re throwing rocks….
ROBERT
I’ll go with her to see she’s safe.
CLAIRE
(teasing)
And don’t forget to put your arm around her if you see any danger, Captain Van Vorst.
PRISCILLA
(gathering her reticule)
Claire!
CLAIRE
(serious)
Both of you keep your eyes open!
ROBERT and PRISCILLA are at the door of the Peacock.
PRISCILLA
Ta-ta, Lady Claire.
CLAIRE
Ta-ta, my dear.
ROBERT and PRISCILLA exit. CLAIRE starts to put away the sewing.
ELLEN
Do you think Priscilla’s really sweet on Robert?
CLAIRE
She’d marry him tomorrow if she could get him from under his mother’s thumb.
ELLEN
A man that’s under his mother’s thumb needs to stay there until he can wiggle out himself.
CLAIRE
Priscilla’s ready to give him a tug. She thinks his mother doesn’t want to let him grow up. Like all mothers.
ELLEN
Nonsense. I can’t wait until you’ve hoppedfrom the branch and tried your own wings.
CLAIRE
And you’re supposed to be teaching me the rest of the song about the black rosebud. Did you forget that?
ELLEN
And you have a sweet voice. I’d tell Mum that if she were still alive. It’s the Irish in your heart that makes your voice so sweet. Let’s hear you sing.
CLAIRE
(singing)
The Erne at its highest flood,
I dashed across unseen,
For there was lightning in my blood,
My dark Rosaleen!
My own Rosaleen!
Oh, there was lightning in my blood,
My dark Rosaleen!
ELLEN
Oh, and you do have such a sweet voice. If your feet weren’t so big, I could marry you off before the weekend!
(kisses CLAIRE’s hand)
CLAIRE
Ma, why is this girl coming this afternoon?
ELLEN
Liam’s friend? Because I can’t do all the cooking and cleaning and everything that’s to be done in this place. You know that, Claire. And your father wants you to continue school. Get something beside daydreams in that pretty head of yours.
CLAIRE
Mother, you know what I mean…. If you’re going to hire someone to work in the Peacock, then why not Priscilla? She loves the children in the orphanage, but there’s not a lot for her there.
ELLEN
(sits at the table with her daughter)
The Peacock is quite a lovely business, Claire, and you know it. Your father and I want to buy it one day. We’ve been talking with Mr. Valentine—
CLAIRE
I don’t care about Mr. Valentine.
ELLEN
Well, I do, and your father does as well. We’re trying to convince him to sell us this place. It has a good reputation—
CLAIRE
He’s been letting it run down. We’re giving it back its reputation.
ELLEN
And so we are, colleen. This place has been here for a while and people know about it. But he wants it to be a place for a high-class clientele. We don’t want to open some place like the Gallant Frog down the street, do we? Oh, is that ever a hooligan haven.
CLAIRE
He means a place for white people?
ELLEN
There’s nothing wrong with white people, Claire. And seeing that I am one of them, I’m hoping that you can understand that. We’ll have all kinds of people here if your father and I have anything to do with it.
CLAIRE
In two months, this war will be over. Then there won’t be any more slavery and then it won’t matter if any of us are white or black.
ELLEN
Did the Good Lord himself tell you that, Claire? Because if He did, I’m very much impressed. The last person I know who heard the Lord talking back to him was your great-uncle, and that was only when he had a few pints in him.
CLAIRE
So we can’t hire Priscilla
CLAIRE
You think they could because it’s your precious Robert who wants to lead them, Priscilla. Too bad he’s not a doctor.
PRISCILLA
Claire Johnson!
ROBERT
(full of himself)
She’s right, of course. Officers lead men and direct them to where they need to go. Like Meade at Gettysburg. Did youread in the Times how his men held their positions against Longstreet?
PRISCILLA
What time is it? I have to get to the orphanage.
CLAIRE
Robert, you’re not carrying Priscilla’s books today. Do you think it’s really safe? I mean, they’re throwing rocks….
ROBERT
I’ll go with her to see she’s safe.
CLAIRE
(teasing)
And don’t forget to put your arm around her if you see any danger, Captain Van Vorst.
PRISCILLA
(gathering her reticule)
Claire!
CLAIRE
(serious)
Both of you keep your eyes open!
ROBERT and PRISCILLA are at the door of the Peacock.
PRISCILLA
Ta-ta, Lady Claire.
CLAIRE
Ta-ta, my dear.
ROBERT and PRISCILLA exit. CLAIRE starts to put away the sewing.
ELLEN
Do you think Priscilla’s really sweet on Robert?
CLAIRE
She’d marry him tomorrow if she could get him from under his mother’s thumb.
ELLEN
A man that’s under his mother’s thumb needs to stay there until he can wiggle out himself.
CLAIRE
Priscilla’s ready to give him a tug. She thinks his mother doesn’t want to let him grow up. Like all mothers.
ELLEN
Nonsense. I can’t wait until you’ve hoppedfrom the branch and tried your own wings.
CLAIRE
And you’re supposed to be teaching me the rest of the song about the black rosebud. Did you forget that?
ELLEN
And you have a sweet voice. I’d tell Mum that if she were still alive. It’s the Irish in your heart that makes your voice so sweet. Let’s hear you sing.
CLAIRE
(singing)
The Erne at its highest flood,
I dashed across unseen,
For there was lightning in my blood,
My dark Rosaleen!
My own Rosaleen!
Oh, there was lightning in my blood,
My dark Rosaleen!
ELLEN
Oh, and you do have such a sweet voice. If your feet weren’t so big, I could marry you off before the weekend!
(kisses CLAIRE’s hand)
CLAIRE
Ma, why is this girl coming this afternoon?
ELLEN
Liam’s friend? Because I can’t do all the cooking and cleaning and everything that’s to be done in this place. You know that, Claire. And your father wants you to continue school. Get something beside daydreams in that pretty head of yours.
CLAIRE
Mother, you know what I mean…. If you’re going to hire someone to work in the Peacock, then why not Priscilla? She loves the children in the orphanage, but there’s not a lot for her there.
ELLEN
(sits at the table with her daughter)
The Peacock is quite a lovely business, Claire, and you know it. Your father and I want to buy it one day. We’ve been talking with Mr. Valentine—
CLAIRE
I don’t care about Mr. Valentine.
ELLEN
Well, I do, and your father does as well. We’re trying to convince him to sell us this place. It has a good reputation—
CLAIRE
He’s been letting it run down. We’re giving it back its reputation.
ELLEN
And so we are, colleen. This place has been here for a while and people know about it. But he wants it to be a place for a high-class clientele. We don’t want to open some place like the Gallant Frog down the street, do we? Oh, is that ever a hooligan haven.
CLAIRE
He means a place for white people?
ELLEN
There’s nothing wrong with white people, Claire. And seeing that I am one of them, I’m hoping that you can understand that. We’ll have all kinds of people here if your father and I have anything to do with it.
CLAIRE
In two months, this war will be over. Then there won’t be any more slavery and then it won’t matter if any of us are white or black.
ELLEN
Did the Good Lord himself tell you that, Claire? Because if He did, I’m very much impressed. The last person I know who heard the Lord talking back to him was your great-uncle, and that was only when he had a few pints in him.
CLAIRE
So we can’t hire Priscilla
Similar Books
