Act 3 - Scene 1

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_ ACT III - SCENE I

The next morning. ROBERT'S cousins are standing by the fire-place of the same room.

LIZ.
'Tis powerful unhomely here, Jane.

JANE.
And that 'tis. I wish as Robert had never brought us along of him.

LIZ.
She's a stuck-up jay of a thing what he's about to wed if ever I seed one.

JANE.
That her be. He'll live to wish hisself dead and buried one day.

LIZ.
There bain't but one sensible tongue in the whole place to my mind.

JANE.
Ah, he's a man to anyone's liking, sister.

LIZ.
'Tis homelike as he do make I to feel among all these strangers.

JANE.
Here he comes.

[JEREMY with a yoke and two pails stands at the doorway.]

LIZ.
Now do you come in, mister, and have a bit of talk along of we.

JANE.
Set down them pails and do as sister says, Mister Jeremy.

[JEREMY looks them all over and then slowly and deliberately sets down his pails.]

LIZ.
That's right, sister and me was feeling terribly lonesome here this morning.

JANE.
And we was wishing as we'd never left home to come among all these stranger folk.

LIZ.
Not that we feels you to be a stranger, dear Mister Jeremy.

JANE.
You be a plain homely man such as me and sister be accustomed to.

JEREMY.
Anything more?

LIZ.
I suppose you've put by a tidy bit--seeing as you be of a certain age.

JANE.
Although your looks favour you well, don't they, sister?

LIZ. To be sure they do.

JANE. And I reckon as you could set up a home of your own any day, mister.

JEREMY. [Pointing through the window.] See that there roof against the mill?

LIZ. Indeed I do.

JEREMY. That's where I do live.

[Both sisters move quickly to the window.

JANE. A very comfortable looking home indeed.

LIZ. I likes the looks of it better nor this great old house.

JANE. [Archly.] Now I daresay there's but one thing wanted over there, Mister Jeremy.

JEREMY.
What's that?

JANE.
A good wife to do and manage for you.

JEREMY.
I never was done for nor managed by a female yet, and blowed if I will be now.

LIZ.
[Shaking her finger at him.]

Sister an' me knows what comes of such words, don't us, sister? 'Tis an old saying in our family as one wedding do make a many.

JEREMY.
Give me a woman's tongue for foolishness. I've heared a saying too in my family, which be--get a female on to your hearth and 'tis Bedlam straight away.

JANE.
Now, sister, did you ever hear the like of that?

LIZ.
Us'll have to change his mind for him, Jane.

JEREMY.
I reckon 'twould take a rare lot of doing to change that, mistress.

JANE.
Bain't you a-goin' to get yourself ready for church soon?

JEREMY.
Dashed if I ever heard tell of such foolishness. Who's to mind the place with all the folk gone fiddle-faddling out?

LIZ.
There's the man William.

JEREMY.
I bain't a-goin' to leave the place to a stranger.

JANE.
Why, sister, us'll feel lost and lonesome without mister, shan't us, Liz?

LIZ.
That us will. What if us stayed at home and helped to mind the house along of he?

JANE.
[Slowly.]

And did not put our new gowns upon the backs of we after all the money spent?

JEREMY.
Ah, there you be. 'Tis the same with all females. Creatures of vanity--even if they be got a bit long in the tooth. 'Tis all the same.

[JANE and LIZ draw themselves up, bridling, but LIZ relaxes.]

LIZ.
He must have his little joke, sister, man-like, you know.

[JOHN enters.]

JOHN.
Jerry, and I've been seeking you everywhere. Come you off to the yard. 'Tis as much as we shall do to be ready afore church time. I never knew you to idle in the house afore.

JEREMY. [Taking up his pails, sarcastically.] 'Twas the females as tempted I, master, but 'twon't occur again, so there. [He hurries off, followed by JOHN.

LIZ. [With dignity.] Us'll go upstairs and dress, sister.

JANE. 'Tis time we did so. All them new-fashioned things be awkward in the fastenings.

[They go upstairs.]

[ROBERT and ROSE come in from the garden. ROBERT carries a little card-board box in his hand, which he places on the table. ROSE sits down listlessly on a chair leaning her arms on the table.]

ROBERT.
[Undoing the box.]

This is the bouquet what I promised to bring from town.

ROSE.
[Her gaze wandering outside.]

Well, we might as well look at it afore I go to dress.

[ROBERT uncovers the box and takes out a small bouquet of white flowers surrounded by a lace frill.]

ROSE.
[Taking it from him carelessly and raising it to her face.]

Why, they are false ones.

ROBERT.
[Contemptuously.]

My good girl, who ever went to church with orange blossom that was real, I'd like to know?

ROSE.
[Languidly dropping the bouquet on the table.]

I'm sure I don't care. I reckon that one thing's about as good as another to be married with.

ROBERT.
[Going to the window and looking out.]

Ah--I daresay 'tis so.

ROSE.
I feel tired of my wedding day already--that I do.

ROBERT.
There's a plaguey, fanciful kind of feel about the day, what a man's hardly used to, so it seems to me.

ROSE.
[Wildly.]

O, I reckon we may get used to it in time afore we die.

ROBERT.
Now--if 'twas with the right -

ROSE.
Right what, Robert?

ROBERT.
[Confused.]

I hardly know what I was a-going to say, Rose. Suppose you was to take up your flowers and go to dress yourself. We might as well get it all over and finished with.

ROSE.
[Rising slowly.]

Perhaps 'twould be best. I'll go to my room, and you might call the girl Lucy and send her up to help me with my things.

ROBERT.
Won't you take the bouquet along of you?

ROSE.
No--let it bide there. I can have it later.

[She goes slowly from the room.]

[Left to himself, ROBERT strolls to the open door and looks gloomily out on the garden. Suddenly his face brightens.

ROBERT.
Lucy, Lucy, come you in here a moment.

LUCY.
[From outside.]

I be busy just now hanging out my cloths, master.

ROBERT.
Leave your dish cloths to dry themselves. Your mistress wants you, Lucy.

LUCY.
[Coming to the door.]

Mistress wants me, did you say?

ROBERT.
Yes, you've got to go and dress her for the church. But you can spare me a minute or two first.

ISABEL.
[Going quickly across the room to the staircase door.]

Indeed, that is what I cannot do, master. 'Tis late already.

ROBERT.
[Catches her hand and pulls her back.]

I've never had a good look at your face yet, my girl--you act uncommon coy, and that you do.

ISABEL.
[Turning her head away and speaking angrily.]

Let go of my hand, I tell you. I don't want no nonsense of that sort.

ROBERT.
Lucy, your voice do stir me in a very uncommon fashion, and there's sommat about the appearance of you -

ISABEL.
Let go of me, master. Suppose as anyone should look through the window.

ROBERT.
Let them look.
I'd give a good bit for all the world to see us now.

ISABEL.
O, whatever do you mean by that, Mister Robert?

ROBERT.
What I say. 'Tis with you as I'd be going along to church this morning. Not her what's above.

ISABEL.
But I wouldn't go with you--No, not for all the gold in the world.

ROBERT.
Ah, you've changed since yesterday. When I caught your eye at dinner, 'twas gentle as a dove's--and your hand, when it gave me my mug of cider did seem--well did seem to put a caress upon me like.

ISABEL.
O there lies a world of time twixt yesterday and to-day, Master Robert.

ROBERT.
So it do seem. For to-day 'tis all thorns and thistles with you--But I'm a-goin' to have my look at your pretty face and my kiss of it too.

ISABEL.
I shall scream out loud if you touches me--that I shall.

ROBERT.
[Pulling her to him.]

Us'll see about that.

[He tries to get a sight of her face, but she twists and turns. Finally he seizes both her hands and covers them with kisses as KITTY enters.]

KITTY.
O whatever's going on! Rose, Rose, John--come you in here quickly, do. [To LUCY.] O you bad, wicked girl. I knew you couldn't be a very nice servant brought in off the road by Jeremy.

[ISABEL, released by ROBERT, goes over to the window arranging her disordered sun-bonnet and trying to hide her tears. ROBERT watches her sullenly.]

KITTY.
[Goes to the staircase door and calls loudly.]

Rose, Rose-- come you down as quick as you can run.

ROSE.
[Coming down.]

What's all this, I'd like to know?

KITTY.
It's Lucy, behaving dreadful--O you must send her straight away from the house, Rose.

ROSE.
What has she done, then?

KITTY.
Going on with Robert. Flirting, Rose, and kissing.

ISABEL.
O no, mistress, twasn't so, I do swear to you.

ROBERT.
[Brutally.]

Yes 'twas. The maid so put me powerful in mind of someone who--who -

ROSE.
[Coldly.]

I understand you, Robert. Well, 'tis lucky that all this didn't come off an hour or so later.

KITTY.
[Tearfully.]

O Rose, what do you mean?

ROSE.
I mean that what's not broken don't need no mending. Robert can go to church with someone else to-day, he can. And no harm done.

[She takes up the bunch of orange flowers and begins pulling it to pieces and throwing it all about the room.]

KITTY.
O Rose, Rose, don't take it so hard. 'Twasn't Robert's fault. 'Twas the girl off the road what led him on. I know it. Tell her to get out of the house. I'll dress you--I'll do the work. Only be just and sensible again; dear Rose.

ROSE.
Let the girl bide. It makes no difference to me. There'll be no marrying for me to-day.

[JOHN comes in at the door.]

KITTY.
[Running to him.]

O John, John--do you quiet down Rose and tell her to get upstairs and dress. She's a-saying that she won't marry Robert because of his goings on with the new servant--But, O, you'll talk her into reason again, won't you, dear John?

JOHN.
Come, come, what's all this cackle about, Rose?

ROSE.
I'm breaking off with Robert, that's all, John.

JOHN.
Robert, can't you take and explain a bit what 'tis.

ROBERT.
[Sullenly.]

A little bit of play 'twixt me and the wench there, and that's about all, I reckon.

JOHN. Now that's an unsensible sort of thing to get doing on your marriage day, to my thinking.

KITTY.
'Twasn't Robert's fault, I know. 'Twas the maid off the road who started it.

[Here ISABEL sinks down on a chair by the window, leaning her arms on the table and bowing her head, in tears.

JOHN.
[Going to the door.]

Jeremy--Jeremy--come you in here a minute.

[Instead of JEREMY, LUBIN comes in.]

JOHN.
'Twas Jeremy I did call--not you.

LUBIN.
He's gone off the place for a few minutes.

JOHN.
[Vexedly.]

Ah, 'tis early for the Red Bull.

LUBIN.
Can I--can I do anything for you, master?

JOHN.
Not unless you can account for the sort of serving wench off the roadside what Jerry has put upon us.

LUBIN.
What is there to account for in her, master?

ROSE.
[Passionately.]

O I don't particular mind about what's happened. Let her kiss with Robert if she has the mind. 'Tis always the man who commences.

JOHN.
'Tis not. There are some wenches who don't know how to leave anyone alone. Worser than cattle flies, that sort.

ISABEL.
[Going across the room to LUBIN'S side.]

O you shame me by them words, I bain't that sort of maid--you'll answer for me-- William?

[LUBIN silently takes her hand.]

ROSE.
[Her eyes fixed on LUBIN.]

I'll tell you what, John; I'll tell you, Kitty. I wish I'd held me to my first lover and I wish 'twas with Lubin that I was a-going to the church to-day.

ROBERT.
[Sullenly.]

Then I'll say sommat, Rose. I wish 'twas with Isabel that I was getting wed.

JOHN.
Now, now--'Tis like two children a quarrelling over their playthings. Suppose you was to go and get yourself dressed, Rose- Anna--And you too, Robert. Why, the traps will be at the door afore you're ready if you don't quicken yourselves up a bit. Kitty, you go and help your sister.

ROSE.
[With a jealous glance at Isabel.]

No, I'll have Lucy with me.

JOHN.
That's it, you keep her out of mischief

KITTY.
I've got my own dress to put on.

JOHN.
And Robert, you and me will have a drink after all this caddle. 'Tis dry work getting ready for marriage so it appears.

ROBERT.
'Tis fiery dry to my thinking.

ROSE. [Crossing the room and going up to LUBIN.] I have no flowers to take to church with me, William; go you to the waterside, I have a mind to carry some of the blue things what grow there.

KITTY. Forget-me-nots, you mean!

ROSE. Forget-me-nots, I mean. And none but you to gather them for me, William. Because--because--well, you do put me in thoughts of someone that I once held and now have lost. That's all.

[Curtain.] _

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