31 Plays in 31 Days, #12 - “The One You Should Fear”
As I said on Facebook-- suddenly I'm very inspired by the idea of Nathaniel Hawking tied to a chair. This is a later scene also for Mrs. Hawking part 5, where Mrs. Hawking's Moriarty Mrs. Frost kidnaps Nathaniel to get information for how Mrs. Hawking's going to come for her. I want there to be some psychological warfare going on, to put relationships under stress and to show Mrs. Frost to be a truly dangerous genius.
This would take place after Day #10 - As My Guest, but I'm not sure where it would fall in relation to Day #1 - A Separate Battlefield.
“The One You Should Fear”
From Mrs. Frost
By Phoebe Roberts
London, England, 1886
NATHANIEL HAWKING, early thirties, Mrs. Hawking's nephew and assistant in her society avenging
ELIZABETH FROST, late forties, criminal mastermind
~~~
(MRS. FROST sits at the table while NATHANIEL is tied to a nearby chair.)
MRS. FROST: It seems my little scheme has not served as I hoped it would. It may interest you to know that my operatives keeping eyes on your aunt have observed no movement on her part. Or her house girl’s, for that matter.
(Pause.)
MRS. FROST: I must admit, it isn’t as I suspected. I had planned that, as soon as I’d made off with you, that would spur her to immediate action to find you. But it seems my distraction failed; she’s as hot on my trail as ever.
NATHANIEL: I see what you’re suggesting, madam.
MRS. FROST: And what is that?
NATHANIEL: That she isn’t coming for me.
MRS. FROST: Is that the conclusion you come to?
NATHANIEL: It won’t work. First of all, why should I believe a word you say?
MRS. FROST: I’m not your enemy, young man.
NATHANIEL: Indeed? Do you drug and bind all yours guests to tea?
MRS. FROST: My quarrel is with your aunt, not you. If you remained content to stay out of things, I’d make no nevermind about you. And the moment you tell me what I need, you’ll be on your way.
NATHANIEL: Somehow I doubt you’ll let me go free after all I’ll learned about you.
MRS. FROST: And why not? You know no more than you did before, and you could do nothing to me then.
(Pause.)
MRS. FROST: How that must have burned her. Such a depth of betrayal, and yet she was powerless to stop me. She has been grinding over it ever since, hasn’t she? By now her rage must be terrifying. Isn’t it?
(NATHANIEL doesn’t answer, but his expression speaks volumes.)
MRS. FROST: No matter. I know her well enough. Which is why I’d wager to say that, from the signs observed, she’s fixed herself more on handling me than you. So you may wish to reconsider holding out for rescue.
NATHANIEL: And that’s for a second- I don’t believe that for a moment.
MRS. FROST: Oh, don’t you?
NATHANIEL: You hope that if I think she’s given up on me, I’ll give up on her. But I won’t. Because she’ll beat you in the end, and damned if I’m going to do anything to get in the way.
MRS. FROST: She couldn’t the last time our paths crossed.
NATHANIEL: I believe in her.
MRS. FROST: Oh, dear boy! Do you know, Nathaniel, you never look more like him than when you proclaim your faith in her? I remember that light in your uncle’s eyes once too. Tell me, son, in all this time you’ve labored for her favor, what has mattered to her more? The fierce pursuit of the work that she’s dedicated her life to, and the challenges she’s sworn to overcome? Or the people whose paths she crosses along the way?
(Pause.)
MRS. FROST: Perhaps you ought to heed me. I am the only one who can save you now.
NATHANIEL: How? When you won’t even be able to save yourself?
MRS. FROST: Do you think you can cow me, boy?
NATHANIEL: I’m not the one you should fear.
MRS. FROST: Consider this, young man. If all her engines are bent to coming for me, then you can believe I will defend myself by any means, with any information necessary. And one way or another, I will extract that information from you. So make your wager carefully. You may bet your life on it.
This would take place after Day #10 - As My Guest, but I'm not sure where it would fall in relation to Day #1 - A Separate Battlefield.
“The One You Should Fear”
From Mrs. Frost
By Phoebe Roberts
London, England, 1886
NATHANIEL HAWKING, early thirties, Mrs. Hawking's nephew and assistant in her society avenging
ELIZABETH FROST, late forties, criminal mastermind
~~~
(MRS. FROST sits at the table while NATHANIEL is tied to a nearby chair.)
MRS. FROST: It seems my little scheme has not served as I hoped it would. It may interest you to know that my operatives keeping eyes on your aunt have observed no movement on her part. Or her house girl’s, for that matter.
(Pause.)
MRS. FROST: I must admit, it isn’t as I suspected. I had planned that, as soon as I’d made off with you, that would spur her to immediate action to find you. But it seems my distraction failed; she’s as hot on my trail as ever.
NATHANIEL: I see what you’re suggesting, madam.
MRS. FROST: And what is that?
NATHANIEL: That she isn’t coming for me.
MRS. FROST: Is that the conclusion you come to?
NATHANIEL: It won’t work. First of all, why should I believe a word you say?
MRS. FROST: I’m not your enemy, young man.
NATHANIEL: Indeed? Do you drug and bind all yours guests to tea?
MRS. FROST: My quarrel is with your aunt, not you. If you remained content to stay out of things, I’d make no nevermind about you. And the moment you tell me what I need, you’ll be on your way.
NATHANIEL: Somehow I doubt you’ll let me go free after all I’ll learned about you.
MRS. FROST: And why not? You know no more than you did before, and you could do nothing to me then.
(Pause.)
MRS. FROST: How that must have burned her. Such a depth of betrayal, and yet she was powerless to stop me. She has been grinding over it ever since, hasn’t she? By now her rage must be terrifying. Isn’t it?
(NATHANIEL doesn’t answer, but his expression speaks volumes.)
MRS. FROST: No matter. I know her well enough. Which is why I’d wager to say that, from the signs observed, she’s fixed herself more on handling me than you. So you may wish to reconsider holding out for rescue.
NATHANIEL: And that’s for a second- I don’t believe that for a moment.
MRS. FROST: Oh, don’t you?
NATHANIEL: You hope that if I think she’s given up on me, I’ll give up on her. But I won’t. Because she’ll beat you in the end, and damned if I’m going to do anything to get in the way.
MRS. FROST: She couldn’t the last time our paths crossed.
NATHANIEL: I believe in her.
MRS. FROST: Oh, dear boy! Do you know, Nathaniel, you never look more like him than when you proclaim your faith in her? I remember that light in your uncle’s eyes once too. Tell me, son, in all this time you’ve labored for her favor, what has mattered to her more? The fierce pursuit of the work that she’s dedicated her life to, and the challenges she’s sworn to overcome? Or the people whose paths she crosses along the way?
(Pause.)
MRS. FROST: Perhaps you ought to heed me. I am the only one who can save you now.
NATHANIEL: How? When you won’t even be able to save yourself?
MRS. FROST: Do you think you can cow me, boy?
NATHANIEL: I’m not the one you should fear.
MRS. FROST: Consider this, young man. If all her engines are bent to coming for me, then you can believe I will defend myself by any means, with any information necessary. And one way or another, I will extract that information from you. So make your wager carefully. You may bet your life on it.