Wednesday, August 15, 2012

31 Plays in 31 Days: #15 - "No Trust Left"

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This scene is set within the universe and timeframe of The Tailor of Riddling Way, one that didn't really have a place in the actual script but probably happened behind the scenes. It's Rowan and Emma Loring right after Rowan learns a disturbing truth about their father and his business affairs-- it's a bit spoilery for the full story, just as a warning. It's not all that powerful a scene as it doesn't advance the plot much, nor get into the meat of the revelations, but I do like the idea that Emma and Rowan had different reactions to the revelation, and different instincts about how to handle it.


Day #15 - "No Trust Left" based on The Tailor of Riddling Way

(EMMA LORING, a prim young woman stern beyond her years, sits at a desk sorting through paperwork. Her handsome brother ROWAN LORING storms in.)

EMMA: Rowan?

ROWAN: It’s all been a lie. He holds himself up like… like a decent, enterprising man. But it’s all a lie.

EMMA: Whatever’s gotten into you?

ROWAN: It’s Father, Emma. He… he told me what he’s been up to. He finally told me.

EMMA: Told you what?

ROWAN: He’s a traitor. He’s made a deal, Emma, a deal with the Germans. He’s agreed supply the German army in time of war. He’s a collaborator with the enemy!

(He looks to EMMA for reaction, but she says nothing.)

ROWAN: Don’t you understand, Emma…? My God. You knew.

EMMA: I suspected.

ROWAN: You did?

EMMA: I see the books, Rowan, I see the contracts. After a while it became clear.

ROWAN: And… you said nothing? You did nothing?

EMMA: What could I have done? I have no power over Father.

ROWAN: You could have come to me!

EMMA: I didn’t know that!

ROWAN: You… didn’t know that? What do you take me for, Emma?

EMMA: Rowan, for all I knew you were with Father all along!

ROWAN: Did you really believe that of me? Did you really think I would do such a thing?

EMMA: Rowan—

ROWAN: I see no one in this family trusts anyone else!

EMMA: Rowan! I thought I knew Father, too.

(ROWAN deflates a little. He heaves a sigh.)

EMMA: Well, we’re both in this now. What are we to do?

ROWAN: We’ve got to put a stop to this.

EMMA: Stop it? How can we stop Father’s entire enterprise?

ROWAN: We can’t simply allow him to profit off of supporting an enemy nation!

EMMA: What can we do? Expose him?

ROWAN: It’s no more than he deserves!

EMMA: Rowan, we’ll ruin the whole family then. Is that what you want? To punish ourselves along with him?

ROWAN: I’m not afraid.

EMMA: Oh, no? And what about Constance and Bethany? Will you do that to them, too?

ROWAN: All right, all right. But we must do something. Not just for the principle of it, Emma. There’s… there’s something else to this, I’m sure of it.

EMMA: Whatever do you mean?

ROWAN: He’s kept the truth of this from me for ages. He told me now for a reason. He… he must need something. My help, my support, something. Why? What’s different now?

EMMA: I couldn’t say. But all the more reason why we must not be hasty!

ROWAN: What do you suggest, then?

EMMA: We must… we must find out more. Find out precisely what, if anything, that means. And… perhaps you and I can take action then.

ROWAN: Very well. I’ll wait for now. But just until we’re certain we’ve unraveled all of this.

EMMA: Just so no more damage is done.

ROWAN: Just for that. No longer.

EMMA: That’s all I ask. Please trust me.

ROWAN: It had better be, Emma. I’ve no more trust left.

(He turns on his heel and strides out. EMMA covers her face with her hands.)

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