Phoebe Roberts

Here I go again, banging out important, high-emotion moments from stories that I can’t fully picture in too short a period of time. That is a recipe for wasting them. But I just want to finish 31P31D 2016 at this point, and I’m so close, so I’m just going with any idea I think I can reasonably attempt.

This is probably the last scene of Mrs. Hawking part 6, or thereabouts. Mary has just informed Mrs. Hawking and Nathaniel that she’s parting ways, and Nathaniel doesn’t take the news well. Especially given it’s all Mrs. Hawking’s fault.

ONE DAY LEFT.

Day #30 – “Alone”
From Ripper
By Phoebe Roberts

VICTORIA HAWKING, lady’s society avenger, late forties
NATHANIEL HAWKING, Mrs. Hawking’s assistant, early thirties

London, England, 1890
~~~

NATHANIEL: My God. This… this can’t be. This can’t have happened.

MRS. HAWKING: It appears it has.

NATHANIEL: Madam…

MRS. HAWKING: I suppose you’ll soon be after me to find a new maid.

(NATHANIEL turns and stares at her.)

NATHANIEL: Are you mad?

(Pause.)

NATHANIEL: How could you?

MRS. HAWKING: Nathaniel—

NATHANIEL: How could you!? That’s not just anyone— that’s Mary! That is our Mary, and you— drive her away!?

MRS. HAWKING: It’s done, Nathaniel! Her mind’s made up. There’s no undoing it now.

(NATHANIEL stares at her, shaking his head.)

NATHANIEL: How can you be so cunning and yet such a fool? Do you… have you any idea just what it is you’ve done? After all you’ve been through, after all that girl has been for you, if you’ve pushed her to leave… can’t you see you’ve gone too far?

MRS. HAWKING: She made that choice. How could I have stopped her?

NATHANIEL: How!? By— by apologizing! By letting her live her life!

MRS. HAWKING: She knew what she wanted. And clearly it wasn’t this.

NATHANIEL: So that’s it? Eight years of life and work and war, and you won’t fight to keep her? I… I have weathered a great deal from you over the years madam, but this… this I don’t know if I can forgive.

MRS. HAWKING: Perhaps it’s for the best. I’ve always preferred to be alone.

NATHANIEL: Well. All right, then.

(NATHANIEL strides out the front door. Once alone, MRS. HAWKING hurls her knife into the wall. Wincing in pain, she sinks down into her chair and presses a hand to her forehead.)