Who Am I, Mr Laurence? -Theodore Laurence

SCENE FIFTEEN

Laurie lazily looked at the beautiful duchess next to him, admiring her features. 

"Laurie, when are you going back to your grandfather?" Eva asked, not looking up from her drawing. 

"Very soon," he answered vaguely.

"Rather repetitive of you, don't you think?"

"Short answers save trouble."

"He expects you, so why don't you do it?"

"Natural depravity, I suppose."

"Natural indolence, you mean."

"I'll only plague him if I go so I might as well stay and plague you longer."

Laurie jumped up and poked her, making her laugh. 

"Plus, you can bear it. In fact, I think it agrees with you," Laurie observed. 

Eva just returned to drawing, only to look up again when she felt eyes on her. "What are you doing?"

Laurie smiled cheekily. "Looking at you."

"No. I mean what do you intend to do?"

"Oh, you mean with life?" Laurie asked. 

Eva just nodded. 

"I've been writing an opera. I'd be the central figure-"

"That's a waste of time," Eva interrupted, swiftly cutting it down. 

"What would you have me do?"

"Go back to your grandfather and work for him. Make something out of yourself," she answered, standing up with Laurie.

Her grey eyes watched his and his green ones watched hers before Eva gave him a drawing. "Here."

Laurie looked at her board, only to see another painting from when they had gone to the beach. 

"When did you do this one?" he asked, his voice softening at the end. 

"It was the day at the beach. The day before I met Maverick," she added as an after-thought. 

"When is he coming back?" Laurie asked her. 

"Oh a week or two, I believe. Went back to Manchester for something or another," Eva said. 

Laurie walked away before looking back at the beauty. "Don't marry him," he said. 

Eva looked at him in disbelief. "What?"

"Don't marry him."

"Why?"

Laurie held her hand, bringing it up to his lips to kiss her fingers. "You know why..."

Eva shook her head, frowning. "No, no, Laurie, that's mean. You're being mean."

"But-"

"Stop it."

"But why-"

"Stop it."

"Why?" Laurie asked, kissing her knuckles. 

Eva tugged her hands out of his, walking backwards as her eyes filled with tears. "I have been second to everyone my whole life. In everything. And I will not, will not, be the person you settle for just because you can't have Jo. I won't. I won't do it when I've spent my whole life loving you!" Her voice shook with tears as she threw down her drawings, tugged off her gloves and ran out, leaving Laurie regretting what he had done. 

Oh my god, there are literally 4-5 more chapter leftttt!

-Dominique M.