JOSHUA
Did madam hear me wrong?
CLIVE
She heard something else.
JOSHUA
What was that, madam?
BETTY
Never mind.
CLIVE
Now Joshua, it won’t do you know. Madam doesn’t like that kind of joke. You must do what madam says, just do what she says and don’t answer back. You know your place, Joshua. I don’t have to say any more.
JOSHUA
No sir.
BETTY
I expect an apology.
JOSHUA
I apologise, madam.
CLIVE
There now. It won’t happen again, my dear. I’m very shocked Joshua, very shocked.
CLIVE winks at JOSHUA, unseen by BETTY. JOSHUA goes.
CLIVE
I think another drink, and send for the children, and isn’t that Harry riding down the hill? Wave, wave. Just in time before dark. Cuts it fine, the blighter. Always a hothead, Harry.
BETTY
Can he see us?
CLIVE
Stand further forward. He’ll see your white dress. There, he waved back.
BETTY
Do you think so? I wonder what he saw. Sometimes sunset is so terrifying I can’t bear to look.
CLIVE
It makes me proud. Elsewhere in the empire the sun is rising.
BETTY
Harry looks so small on the hillside.
ELLEN comes.
ELLEN
Shall I bring the children?
BETTY
Shall Ellen bring the children?
CLIVE
Delightful.
BETTY
Yes, Ellen, make sure they’re warm. The night air is deceptive. Victoria was looking pale yesterday.
CLIVE
My love.
MAUD comes from inside the house.
MAUD
Are you warm enough Betty?
BETTY
Perfectly.
MAUD
The night air is deceptive.
BETTY
I’m quite warm. I’m too warm.
MAUD
You’re not getting a fever, I hope? She’s not strong, you know, Clive. I don’t know how long you’ll keep her in this climate.
CLIVE
I look after Her Majesty’s domains. I think you can trust me to look after my wife.
ELLEN comes carrying VICTORIA, aged 2. EDWARD, aged 9, lags behind.
BETTY
Victoria, my pet, say good evening to Papa.
CLIVE takes VICTORIA on his knee.
CLIVE
There’s my sweet little Vicky. What have we done today?
BETTY
She wore Ellen’s hat.
CLIVE
Did she wear Ellen’s big hat like a lady. What a pretty.
BETTY
And Joshua gave her a piggy back. Tell Papa. Horsey with Joshy?
ELLEN
She’s tired.
CLIVE
Nice Joshy played horsey. What a big strong Joshy. Did you have a gallop? Did you make him stop and go? Not very chatty tonight are we?
BETTY
Edward, say good evening to papa.
CLIVE
Edward my boy. Have you done your lessons well?
EDWARD
Yes papa.
CLIVE
Did you go riding?
EDWARD
Yes papa.
CLIVE
What’s that you’re holding?
BETTY
It’s Victoria’s doll. What are you doing with it, Edward?
EDWARD
Minding her.
BETTY
Well I should give it to Ellen quickly. You don’t want papa to see you with a doll.
CLIVE
No, we had you with Victoria’s doll once before, Edward.
ELLEN
He’s minding it for Vicky. He’s not playing with it.
BETTY
He’s not playing with it, Clive. He’s minding it for Vicky.
CLIVE
Ellen minds Victoria, let Ellen mind the doll.
ELLEN
Come, give it to me.
ELLEN takes the doll.
EDWARD
Don’t pull her about. Vicky’s very fond of her. She likes me to have her.
BETTY
He’s a very good brother.
CLIVE
Yes, it’s manly of you Edward, to take care of your little sister. We’ll say no more about it. Tomorrow I’ll take you riding with me and Harry Bagley. Would you like that?
EDWARD
Is he here?
CLIVE
He’s just arrived. There Betty, take Victoria now. I must go and welcome Harry.
CLIVE tosses VICTORIA to BETTY, who gives her to ELLEN.
EDWARD
Can I come, papa?
BETTY
Is he warm enough?
EDWARD
Am I warm enough?
CLIVE
Never mind the women, Ned. Come and meet Harry.
They go. The women are left. There is a silence.
MAUD
I daresay Mr Bagley will be out all day and we’ll see nothing of him.
BETTY
He plays the piano. Surely he will sometimes stay at home with us.
MAUD
We can’t expect it. The men have their duties and we have ours.
BETTY
He won’t have seen a piano for a year. He lives a very rough life.
ELLEN
Will it be exciting for you, Betty?
MAUD
Whatever do you mean, Ellen?
ELLEN
We don’t have very much society.
BETTY
Clive is my society.
MAUD
It’s time Victoria went to bed.
ELLEN
She’d like to stay up and see Mr Bagley.
MAUD
Mr Bagley can see her tomorrow.
ELLEN goes.
MAUD
You let that girl forget her place, Betty.
BETTY
Mother, she is governess to my son. I know what her place is. I think my friendship does her good. She is not very happy.
MAUD
Young women are never happy.
BETTY
Mother, what a thing to say.
MAUD
Then when they’re older they look back and see that comparatively speaking they were ecstatic.
BETTY
I’m perfectly happy.
MAUD
You are looking very pretty tonight. You were such a success as a young girl. You have made a most fortunate marriage. I’m sure you will be an excellent hostess to Mr Bagley.
BETTY
I feel quite nervous at the thought of entertaining.
MAUD
I can always advise you if I’m asked.
BETTY
What a long time they’re taking. I always seem to be waiting for the men.
MAUD
Betty you have to learn to be patient. I am patient. My mama was very patient.
CLIVE approaches, supporting MRS SAUNDERS.
CLIVE
It is a pleasure. It is an honour. It is positively your duty to seek my help. I would be hurt, I would be insulted by any show of independence. Your husband would have been one of my dearest friends if he had lived. Betty, look who has come, Mrs Saunders. She has ridden here all alone, amazing spirit. What will you have? Tea or something stronger? Let her lie down, she is overcome. Betty, you will know what to do.
MRS SAUNDERS lies down.
MAUD
I knew it. I heard drums. We’ll be killed in our beds.
CLIVE
Now, please, calm yourself.
MAUD
I am perfectly calm. I am just outspoken. If it comes to being killed I shall take it as calmly as anyone.
CLIVE
There is no cause for alarm. Mrs Saunders has been alone since her husband died last year, amazing spirit. Not surprisingly, the strain has told. She has come to us as her nearest neighbours.
MAUD
What happened to make her come?
CLIVE
This is not an easy country for a woman.
MAUD
Clive, I heard drums. We are not children.
CLIVE
Of course you heard drums. The tribes are constantly at war, if the term is not too grand to grace their squabbles. Not unnaturally Mrs Saunders would like the company of white women. The piano. Poetry.
BETTY
We are not her nearest neighbours.
CLIVE
We are among her nearest neighbours and I was a dear friend of her late husband. She knows that she will find a welcome here. She will not be disappointed. She will be cared for.
MAUD
Of course we will care for her.
BETTY
Victoria is in bed. I must go and say goodnight. Mother, please, you look after Mrs Saunders.
CLIVE
Harry will be here at once.
BETTY goes.
MAUD
How rash to go out after dark without a shawl.
CLIVE
Amazing spirit. Drink this.
MRS SAUNDERS
Where am I?
MAUD
You are quite safe.
MRS SAUNDERS
Clive? Clive? Thank God. This is very kind. How do you do? I am sorry to be a nuisance. Charmed. Have you a gun? I have a gun.
CLIVE
There is no need for guns I hope. We are all friends here.
MRS SAUNDERS
I think I will lie down again.
HARRY BAGLEY and EDWARD have approached.
MAUD
Ah, here is Mr Bagley.
EDWARD
I gave his horse some water.
CLIVE
You don’t know Mrs Saunders, do you Harry? She has at present collapsed, but she is recovering thanks to the good offices of my wife’s mother who I think you’ve met before. Betty will be along in a minute. Edward will go home to school shortly. He is quite a young man since you saw him.
HARRY
I hardly knew him.
MAUD
What news have you for us, Mr Bagley?
CLIVE
Do you know Mrs Saunders, Harry? Amazing spirit.
EDWARD
Did you hardly know me?
HARRY
Of course I knew you. I mean you have grown.
EDWARD
What do you expect?
HARRY
That’s quite right, people don’t get smaller.
MAUD
Edward. You should be in bed.
EDWARD
No, I’m not tired, I’m not tired am I Uncle Harry?
HARRY
I don’t think he’s tired.
CLIVE
He is overtired. It is past his bedtime. Say goodnight.
EDWARD
Goodnight, sir.
CLIVE
And to your grandmother.
EDWARD
Goodnight, Grandmother.
EDWARD goes.
MAUD
Shall I help Mrs Saunders indoors? I’m afraid she may get a chill.
CLIVE
Shall I give her an arm?
MAUD
How kind of you Clive. I think I am strong enough.
MAUD helps MRS SAUNDERS into the house.
CLIVE
Not a word to alarm the women.
HARRY
Absolutely.
CLIVE
I did some good today I think. Kept up some alliances. There’s a lot of affection there.
HARRY
They’re affectionate people. They can be very cruel of course.
CLIVE
Well they are savages.
HARRY
Very beautiful people many of them.
CLIVE
Joshua! (To HARRY.) I think we should sleep with guns.
HARRY
I haven’t slept in a house for six months. It seems extremely safe.
JOSHUA comes.
CLIVE
Joshua, you will have gathered there’s a spot of bother. Rumours of this and that. You should be armed I think.
JOSHUA
There are many bad men, sir. I pray about it. Jesus will protect us.
CLIVE
He will indeed and I’ll also get you a weapon. Betty, come and keep Harry company. Look in the barn, Joshua, every night.
CLIVE and JOSHUA go. BETTY comes.
HARRY
I wondered where you were.
BETTY
I was singing lullabies.
HARRY
When I think of you I always think of you with Edward in your lap.
BETTY
Do you think of me sometimes then?
HARRY
You have been thought of where no white woman has ever been thought of before.
BETTY
It’s one way of having adventures. I suppose I will never go in person.
HARRY
That’s up to you.
BETTY
Of course it’s not. I have duties.
HARRY
Are you happy, Betty?
BETTY
Where have you been?
HARRY
Built a raft and went up the river. Stayed with some people. The king is always very good to me. They have a lot of skulls around the place but not white men’s I think. I made up a poem one night. If I should die in this forsaken spot, There is a loving heart without a blot, Where I will live – and so on.
BETTY
When I’m near you it’s like going out into the jungle. It’s like going up the river on a raft. It’s like going out in the dark.
HARRY
And you are safety and light and peace and home.
BETTY
But I want to be dangerous.
HARRY
Clive is my friend.
BETTY
I am your friend.
HARRY
I don’t like dangerous women.
BETTY
Is Mrs Saunders dangerous?
HARRY
Not to me. She’s a bit of an old boot.
JOSHUA comes, unobserved.
BETTY
Am I dangerous?
HARRY
You are rather.
BETTY
Please like me.
HARRY
I worship you.
BETTY
Please want me.
HARRY
I don’t want to want you. Of course I want you.
BETTY
What are we going to do?
HARRY
I should have stayed on the river. The hell with it.
He goes to take her in his arms, she runs away into the house. HARRY stays where he is. He becomes aware of JOSHUA.
HARRY
Who’s there?
JOSHUA
Only me sir.
HARRY
Got a gun now have you?
JOSHUA
Yes sir.
HARRY
Where’s Clive?
JOSHUA
Going round the boundaries sir.
HARRY
Have you checked there’s nobody in the barns?
JOSHUA
Yes sir.
HARRY
Shall we go in a barn and fuck? It’s not an order.
JOSHUA
That’s all right, yes.
They go off.
Scene Two
An open space some distance from the house. MRS SAUNDERS alone, breathless. She is carrying a riding crop. CLIVE arrives.
CLIVE
Why? Why?
MRS SAUNDERS
Don’t fuss, Clive, it makes you sweat.
CLIVE
Why ride off now? Sweat, you would sweat if you were i
n love with somebody as disgustingly capricious as you are. You will be shot with poisoned arrows. You will miss the picnic. Somebody will notice I came after you.
Cloud Nine Page 2
