Episode 51
Episode 51: Late May, 1876
Scene 5 written by Heather
Scene 1: A spacious London townhouse, late evening. Grace and Carey are alone in a bedroom. Grace sits while Carey, in full evening dress, fixes her hair. Grace, too, is dressed.
Grace: And you do all this twice a week for several months?
Carey: Oh, stop complaining. You know you've been looking forward to it.
Grace: I just didn't realize how much work was involved.
Carey: It's not work. There, now, I'm finished. I didn't realize it would take so little time. You'll have to wait up here for a while. I'll have to go and help Mama greet guests shortly.
Grace: But if she is there, and everyone else is up here, could I not sneak into the ballroom before Laura makes her appearance? I'll be bored up here by myself.
Carey: I won't be there to watch you, Grace.
Grace: I'm not a child.
Carey: You're less prepared than Laura is, and there won't be many people there yet.
There is a knock at the door.
Carey: Quick, into the dressing room. She waits till Grace disappears. Come in.
Maid: So sorry to disturb you, milady. Mr. McLeod, Mr. Pritchett, and Mr. Moody have arrived. They asked me to tell you so. Her Grace also requests your presence greeting guests.
Carey: I will be right down.
Carey waits till the maid leaves, then opens the door to the dressing room.
Carey: I suppose you may come. I'll make Johnny and Paul watch you. I can trust them.
Grace: And Scotty?
Carey: I can trust Johnny and Paul. Come along.
Scene 2: Liberty Creek, early afternoon, a short time later. Several parents are gathered at the general store. John Henry and Lazarus are also there.
Man: I know your family has become friends with Miss Taylor, Mr. Marshall, but we can't someone with her reputation teaching our children.
John Henry: I'm certain this is just a misunderstanding. Miss Taylor is a perfectly decent young woman.
Second Man: We were willing to ignore the incident with that other fella since it weren't her fault, but now she was seen with this other fella, and she weren't protestin'.
Man: This is nothing our kids should be learning. To just go cavorting with a strange man in the middle of the street, it's nothing a single woman living on her own should be doing. I don't want my Mary getting any bad ideas about what's right and wrong.
Third Man: If she's doin' that in the street, who's to say she ain't doin' that or more in that cabin o' hers. Up there all by herself, who knows who's coming and going?
Lazarus: Now, here! I'll not allow you men to spread anymore rumors when you have no proof that her relationship with that man is indecent in any way.
Man: Maybe we ought to find out.
Second Man: Maybe we oughtta find out right now.
John Henry: There will nothing said or done until the school board meets. I will talk to Miss Taylor. Until then, don't sully her reputation by passing around rumors that have no basis on fact.
Scene 3: The ballroom of Charles' London townhouse, a short time later. Music is playing, but no one is dancing. Grace stands by the wall, behind a crush of people, with Paul and Johnny.
Grace: Why isn't anyone dancing?
Paul: The ball is hosted in honor of your cousin, and Lady Laura has yet to arrive. She will begin the first dance.
Grace: Which is the first dance?
Carey: Appears from behind. Goodness, Grace, haven't you remembered a word I told you?
Grace: Oh, stop nittering at me. I remember the steps to all the dances.
Carey: You'd better. You'll dance the first, the quadrille will Paul. Johnny and Scotty will also be in your set, and I think Scotty is recruiting a fourth now.
Grace: Who will you dance with?
Carey: Mama has paired me with someone and I am to dance with Laura. I hate it when she does that. The men she chooses are so old and dull.
Grace: Why don't you just announce your engagement to Mr. Pritchett?
Carey: Shh! Not so loud. You've no idea how fast rumors spread.
Johnny: I'm honored, Carey, but I hardly think we could stand being married to each other.
Carey: Thank you, Grace, I hadn't asked him yet. As a ruse, Johnny, to make all those money-hungry men leave me alone. You'd do it for me, wouldn't you?
Johnny: Of course. You know how jealous they make us.
Voice: Announcing. Lady Laura Marshall.
Laura descends the stairs and a man in her thirties takes her arm.
Carey: Whispers. That's Prince Alfred. I must go.
Voice: Please take your places for the first dance of the evening, the quadrille.
The music changes and becomes louder as the guests begin to dance.
Scene 4: Georgie and Gabe's house, San Francisco, early afternoon. Stuart lies in bed holding her baby, not noticing Tess and Georgie looking on with concern.
Tess: Whispers. Is it really our place?
Georgie: Whispers. She is our friend.
Tess: Whispers. But now?
Georgie: Whispers. The sooner the better. I'll start. She walks closer to the bed and speaks up. Stuart, dear, I think we should talk.
Stuart: Doesn't look up. About what?
Georgie: About the baby, Carolina.
Stuart: I know what you're going to say.
Georgie: You do?
Stuart: You don't think I'll be able to raise her.
Georgie: Well, yes, actually.
Stuart: I know I won't be able to take care of her. My kind of work would keep me away from her all the time. Perhaps when she's a little older, but I couldn't possibly watch a baby.
Tess: Then you know you're only making it harder for youself by getting so attached to her.
Stuart: I know, and I know it will be hard giving her up, but I would never forgive myself if I did not have just this little time with her.
Georgie: Just what are you planning to do, Stuart?
Stuart: I don't know. I was... I was hoping you or Tess would adopt her. I know either of you would give her a good home. And I wouldn't try to interfere. I would move away.
Georgie: Oh, dear, I couldn't. I'll have my hands full with my own baby soon.
Tess: I would do it for you, gladly, but it is not my decision alone. Nick would have to be equally sure it was the right thing to do.
Stuart: Well, I want to ask him myself. When are you going back home?
Georgie: You don't mean going back to Liberty Creek? Everyone knows.
Stuart: I don't care. And I wouldn't be out and about much.
Tess: With the baby here, I planned to go back a week from now. It's much too early for you to travel.
Stuart: I feel fine. I will be back to normal a week from now. Where I grew up, women would be up and about working by now.
Tess: It's an awful responsibility, Stuart. I just don't know...
Scene 5: Liberty Creek, Late afternoon. Cole is walking with Madison along the path to her cabin.
Cole: Why did you leave home, Maddie? I can understand why you left the estate, because of Jonathan and everything he did to you... but why didn't you stay in Boston?
Madison: Because I knew that sooner or later he'd find me. That, and...
Cole: And what?
Madison: She takes a deep breath. I started gambling when I was in Boston. It was just for fun, at first... Then, when I realized I was fairly good at it, it became a...
Cole: Compulsion?
Madison: I suppose you could say that.
Cole: So what happened?
Madison: I ended up losing most of the funds Father left me.
Cole: How much?
Madison: Two thousand.
Cole: So you were broke, and you were scared, and so you decided to come here?
Madison: Yes, but that's not everything...
Cole: What else could there possibly be?
Madison: The man I lost my money to... His name was Robert Marshall.
Cole: So?
Madison: He is the son of John Henry Marshall, the man who hired me to be the town schoolteacher.
Cole: Oh my...
Madison: I overheard Mrs. Elliot talking to her sister at church a few weeks ago. It seems that young Mr. Marshall will be returning home for the summer sometime in the very near future.
Cole: That's not good at all...
Madison: It all depends on how you look at it, Cole. On one hand, he could expose my fondness for gambling and cause me to lose my job. But on the other hand, I could demand a rematch and possibly win my money back.
Cole: I suppose you are right.
The two reach Madison's door. Madison turns to her brother.
Madison: Now it is your turn, dear brother. Why did you lie about using Mother’s maiden name?
Cole: I changed my name so that I wouldn't hurt Father's reputation.
Madison: How on earth could you have possibly done that?
Cole: Speaks quietly. I have done many things in my life, Madison. Not all of them were good. If anyone had found out that I was Senator Joseph Taylor's son, Father would not have been re-elected.
Madison: But what did you do that was so terribly awful?
Cole: That is not important right now. It is in the past.... a time I fully regret and wish to permanently put out of my mind.
Madison: I understand. Would you like to come in for a while? Perhaps we could chat over some tea?
Cole: I wish I could, but I really must be going.
Madison: All right... some other time, then?
Cole: Kisses his sister on the cheek. I promise.
Cole starts to walk away as Madison opens the door to her cabin and walks inside. She screams, and Cole runs back to see what has happened. He finds Madison standing in the doorway, her hand covering her open mouth, gaping at the room before her. Someone has broken in, turned over the tables and chairs, broken the dishes, and strewn Madison's personal belongings throughout the tiny cabin. Cole puts a loving hand on his sister's shoulder, and she turns to him, crying in vain.
Cole: Whispers to himself. Who could have done such a thing?
Madison seeks refuge at Belleterre, but her
reputation might prevent it Grace is found out Olivia returns home
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