- Trying hard to catch up, but I'm pretty behind. This scene isn't great, it's pretty low-conflict, but I'm just trying to get words on the page. I wrote about Chapman again, the Colonel's former valet. It displays a bit of how Mrs. Hawking seemed to people outside the know, and how badly she often handled having to deal with things that got in the way of her work.
CHAPMAN, the Hawkings’ valet
JANE KELLER, their maid
~~~
(JANE is preparing the tea set. CHAPMAN enters, looking intense.)
CHAPMAN: Is it true? Is she here?
JANE: Is who here?
CHAPMAN: You know.
JANE: You mean the aunt? I’m bringing in the tea now.
CHAPMAN: Blast it.
JANE: I don’t know what’s got you so out of shape over this woman.
CHAPMAN: I’ll have you know I served for the Colonel for fifteen years, only for her to send me packing when he died.
JANE: What was she to do with a valet all on her own?
CHAPMAN: She gave me my papers the day after the funeral!
JANE: Heavens.
CHAPMAN: So you’ll forgive me if she’s no friend of mine.
JANE: It didn’t end so badly. Mr. Hawking took you in.
CHAPMAN: No thanks to her. I was lucky to get a reference off of that woman, much less an arrangement with the family. And it wasn’t only me, you know. The cook and the maid too received their notice.
JANE: Them too? Why ever for?
CHAPMAN: Blow me down if I know. She was a strange one, though.
JANE: How so?
CHAPMAN: A cold soul and no mistake. And very secretive. There were places even the house girl wasn’t to go.
JANE: That’s not so strange.
CHAPMAN: That’s not all. She would lock herself away for hours at a time. Not a clamor in the world could make her come out till she was quite ready.
JANE: Must be lovely, to have that kind of privacy.
CHAPMAN: Wasn’t proper for a woman of her station. To hide away like that.
JANE: Well, I couldn’t tell you. I only saw her the once at Christmas.
CHAPMAN: You’ll see. I don’t know what’s dragged her out of her cave, but it must be something if she’s deigned to see the rest of the family.
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