Who Am I, Mr Laurence? -Theodore Laurence

SCENE FOURTEEN

Eva was looking through her paintings and sketches when the door opened. 

"Hello Eva!" Laurie cheerfully greeted as he walked in. 

But without turning, Eva rolled her eyes and said, "I don't want to see you."

"Oh Eva, I'm so sorry for how I behaved. Please? Forgive me?" Laurie asked. 

Eva just ignored him, cleaning her brushes. 

"Eva?"

Suddenly, a brush came flying towards Laurie, making him duck rather slowly. 

"Have you been drinking again? And throw that back to me please," Eva added, not turning around. 

"Only a little, and it's four p.m. You can't be too hard on me," Laurie complained, throwing her the brush which she caught out of mid-air. 

Eva scoffed. "Well, someone has to do it," she replied. 

"And when do you begin your great work of art, Raphaella?" Laurie asked. 

Eva finally turned. "Jamais," she answered. 

Laurie's eyes filled with confusion. "What-why?"

Eva blew air out of her nose. "I'm a failure. Jo is out in New York becoming a writer, Meg is perfectly well with Mr Brooke, Beth I have no idea of, and Amy is a perfect lady of society and with my teaching, she could be the best--she has suitors lined up for her. As for me," Eva looked at her paintings she called less-than-perfect. "As for me, I am a failure. I have no men who I can marry but the Duke of Manchester."

Laurie raised a brow. "That's quite a statement to make at twenty."

Eva laughed harshly. "He even thinks I'm twenty, for the lord's sake!" she exclaimed, throwing up her hands. 

Laurie tilted his head, puzzlement written all over his face. "You are not?"

"No, Theodore, I'm not. But that's not the point. I'm giving up all my hopes and dreams. All of my foolish artistic hopes."

"Why should you? You have so much talent and energy."

"No, Laurie, stop it. I am of middling talent-both male or female," Eva answered, putting away her canvases. 

"Middling talent? Then may your last portrait be of me?" Laurie asked, hopping to the chairs and sitting down. 

Eva just laughed. "All right."

"Now that you've given up all your foolish artistic hopes, what are you going to do with your life? Laurie asked.

"Be an ornament to society. Just like how I was born to be," Eva said.

"Here is where Maverick Mason comes in," Laurie said, a bitter tone in his voice. 

"Theodore, stop." Eva looked away from him, her eyes flitting over her paintings. 

"You are not engaged, I hope?" Laurie asked. 

Eva shook her head. "No..."

"But you will be, if he goes down properly on one knee?" Laurie asked. 

Eva just nodded vaguely. "That is the plan, yes." 

There was a beat of silence. "He's rich, Laurie. Richer than me, even."

"I understand queens of society can't get on without money, but it does sound odd coming from the selfless Duchess of France," he commented. 

"If you are saying that to make me feel ashamed, you are better off with your mouth closed, Mr Laurence," Eva retorted. 

"There is nothing to be ashamed of, as long as you love him."

"My foolish dreams of love are dead," Eva said monotonously. 

"I think the poets might disagree," Laurie commented. 

"Well. I'm not a poet, I'm just a woman. And as a woman I have no way to make money, not enough to earn a living and support my family." 

Laurie scoffed. "You have enough money to last a lifetime, Eva."

"No. Ignorance blinds you so, Theodore. I cannot use that money unless I have a husband. But even then, my supposed money will belong to him, leaving me only a couple hundred dollars and nothing else. And if we had children, they would be his property. His, not mine. So don't just sit there and tell me that marriage is not an economic proposition, parce qu'i est. Ce n'est peut-être pas pour toi mais ça très certainement pour moi."

Eva walked over to Laurie, turning around. "Could you...the buttons?" she gestured to the buttons on her back. 

Laurie stood up, quietly undoing the buttons-letting him see the slight skin of her back. His finger ghosted over her bare shoulders, making Eva involuntarily shiver.

Then suddenly, the sound of a carriage rings out, making Eva jump slightly. "Oh, that must be Maverick. How do I look? Do I look alright?" she asked, twirling a little. 

Laurie looks at her properly before his hand went out to her hair. He pulled her ribbon and her head of curly golden curls fell out of its updo. "Perfect. You're beautiful," Laurie said, pocketing her ribbon. 

Eva brushes and hand through her hair, smiling at how he undid the silk so quickly and with no second thought. She then ran out, her shawl slightly swishing in the wind as she greeted Maverick with a kiss on the cheek as he helped her onto his carriage. 

Whilst Laurie stood on the top of the staircase, his heart slightly twisting at the sight and for some reason, his eyes welled with tears as he saw her rest her head on Maverick's shoulder.