Her In The Room Upstairs. (4)
Sidney: You’re lying. Sally: Look at the letter then. It’s in your bedroom. Sidney: So, the old biddy’s dead, then? Sally: Yes. Violet was bit upset about it. Natural really. Sidney: So, we’re here alone. What about my dinner? Sally: We could go out and have dinner. Sidney: Go out? Sally: Why not? I can’t cook and nor can you. Sidney: I suppose we’ll have to. Just like her mother to be inconsiderate. Where’s this letter? Sally: In your bedroom. Perhaps we could find it together. Sidney: Yes, I suppose we could. It would save time. Sally: Yes, save time. (Pause.)Time saved is time not wasted. (Sidney and Sally walk upstage hand in hand and leave the room. Light fades.) End of Scene Three. Act Two. Scene Four. Middle of the morning two days later. Sally is standing by the window in her bedroom lower stage left. A bed is centre lower stage. Sally: She should be here soon. She said she’d be back today in her letter to Sidney. (Pause.)She’ll wonder where he’s gone. I’ll have to spin her some yarn about him being away a few days on a training course somewhere or other. (Peers out of the window.)I wonder how she’ll feel now that her mother’s dead. Maybe she’ll need me more than she did before. I don’t think she’ll miss Sidney too much. Leave more room for me to get closer. (Looks around the room.)What a place this is. What a sepulchre. White and empty. (Pause.)The police are still about. I saw them this morning going around the streets. They knocked here, but I didn’t answer. I let them think the house was empty. I didn’t want them sniffing around here. I had enough of that before. Interfering swine. (Pause. Stands back.)She’s back. She’s in the house. (Pause. Goes and sits on the bed.)Must keep her here. I don’t want her wandering off in search of Sidney. (Pause.) If I’m persuasive enough she’ll believe what I say. I can’t have her getting too nosey and spoiling things. (Voice from offstage. Sally goes to the bedroom door and opens it.)I’m up in my bedroom. Violet. (Stands by the door looking out.)Up here in my bedroom! (Pause.) Violet :( Offstage.)Where’s Sidney? Sally: He’s gone away for few days on a training course. Violet :( Entering the bedroom. Sally walks back into the room and sits on her bed.)Training course? When did this happen? Sidney never mentioned it. Sally: He came home yesterday and said about it. Violet: I bet he didn’t like that. He hates being away from home. Sally: He said it was a new idea from management. He wasn’t very happy about it. He wanted to wait until you came home, but he had to go this morning. Violet :( Stands by the window.)I hope he wasn’t lying. Sally: Why would he lie? Violet: Maybe he was seeing another woman. Sally: No, he seemed genuine. He showed me a letter. Violet: What did the letter say? Sally: It was about him going off for a few days on a training course. Violet: He’s never been on a training course before. Why now? It doesn’t make sense. Sally: He said you’d not be happy about it. But he had no choice. Violet :( Moves to the bed and sits next to Sally.)How’s he been while I’ve been away? Sally: He’s been fine. Violet: I bet he didn’t cook. He’s not one for cooking. Did you eat out or did he bring food home form the fish shop? Sally: He said we should eat out. Violet: I bet he did. (Pause.)Did he behave himself? He didn’t try anything on did he? Sally: No, he was fine. He was the perfect gentleman. Violet: Good. I did wonder if he’d start on you once I was out of the way. He has this thing about women sometimes. Not that he’s ever done anything, but I wouldn’t put it passed him to try. Sally: No. We sat in here last evening listening to the radio and he showed me his stamps again. Violet: Him and those bloody stamps. I’d burn the blooming things if it were up to me. Sally: How did it go at your mother’s house? Violet: Bad. My father was in a bad mood and nothing had been sorted out in any sensible way. Anyway, I’ve managed to get things moving. The funeral is next week. Sally: Will Sidney go? Violet: I doubt it. He and my mother got on. Sally: He’ll be back in a day or so. He might go with you. Violet: I wish he were here. I wanted to go through a number of things with him. Now, I’ll have to do it on my own. Sally: Is there anything I can do to help? Violet: I don’t know. (Pause. Looks around the room.)Did Sidney say anything about me while I was away? Sally: No. (Pause.)Shall I help you get dinner? Violet: Maybe later. (Pause. Looks at Sally.)Didn’t he even leave me a letter? Sally: No. (Pause. Looks at Violet.)Should he have done? Violet: It would have been nice to have a few words from him about his training course. But there you are; that’s Sidney for you. Not a thought about me. Just his usual thoughtlessness. Sally: You look tired. You should rest for a while. Why not rest here for a little while. (Both women look at the bed.) I can get you a cup of tea. Violet: Why are men so thoughtless, Sally? Why are they so thoughtless and selfish? Sally: Men are men. Do you actually expect them to be other than they are? Violet: I expect a little thought and concern. What did he say when you told him about my mother dying? Sally: He said he was sorry to hear about it. Violet: Then he’s a damned liar. He never liked her. He was probably jumping about the room with joy knowing him. Sally: No. He was quite saddened by it. Said he would arrange for some flowers to be sent when he gets back from his course. Violet: Saddened by it? Oh, what a hypocrite! Flowers of joy no doubt. Sally: Look, rest here for a few minutes and I’ll get you some tea. Violet: Why do I bother with him, Sally? Why do I even bother to stay with him anymore? Sally: Because you still love him? Violet: Love him? No, no, that’s long gone. It’s all a shell now. Full of emptiness and sham. Sally :( Puts her hand on Violet’s knee.)Don’t let all this upset you more than you already are. I hate it when you’re upset like this. Violet: I can’t help how I feel. My mother’s dead, my father’s in a foul mood and Sidney’s gone off on some bizarre course without so much as a letter. (Pause.)Why can’t he be more like you? Why can’t he be considerate and kind like you? (Sally’s hand moves up Violet’s leg. Violet puts her hand over Sally’s.)I’m not sure what to do? I’m confused. Sally: Poor you. (Leans forward and kisses Violet’s cheek.)All this sadness and trouble. You need rest and comforting. Violet :( Looks at Sally.)Why am I so lonely? Sally: I’m here if you need me. Violet: I want to feel wanted. Is that such a crime? Sally: Not to me it isn’t. (Moves her hand away from Violet’s leg.)I am always here if you need me. Violet: He will be back won’t he? Sidney will come home won’t he? Sally: Of course, he will. (Looks around the room.)He said he’d be back. Violet :( Lays her head on Sally’s shoulder.)Help me. I feel so lost. Sally: I’m here, Violet. (Softly.) No need to feel lost anymore. (Violet looks up at Sally. They kiss as the light fades. Silence.) End of Scene Four. Act Two. Scene Five. Three days later. Mid morning. Sally is sitting at the table. The table is laid up for breakfast. Sally pours herself a cup of tea. She pours in some milk and then spoons in some sugar. Violet sits opposite her looking at her cup. Violet: Why isn’t Sidney here yet? I thought he was going to away two days. This is the third day. Are you sure, he said two days? Sally :( Looks at Violet.)Two days, three days what does it matter? Violet: What do you mean what does it matter? He’s my husband. I need to know when he’ll be home. Sally: Why? Why do you need to worry? Violet: Wouldn’t you worry where your husband was if you were married? Sally :( Sips her tea. Looks at her cup and then sips again.)Not if he cheated on me, I wouldn’t. Violet: What do mean if he cheated on you? Sidney hasn’t cheated on me. He wouldn’t cheat on me. Sally: Are you sure? :( Sips her tea.) Violet: Of course, I’m sure. We have a history. He’s never cheated on me or ever would. He’s just one of those men who look at other women but he’d never do anything. Sally: You’re wrong, Violet. He would and he has. Violet: How do you know? Did he tell you this? Sally: No. He never told me. He was cheating on you from the moment I came here. Violet: What are you talking about? Sally: He lusted after me from the moment he saw me. Violet: That’s not being unfaithful, that’s just being a man. All men lust after women in their minds and hearts, but he wouldn’t do more than look. Sally: But he has. (Looks at her hands.)With me. Violet: You’re lying. You’re just saying that. (Pause.)When was this? (Pause.)You’re lying. You’re just saying it to see what my response would be. Sally :( Looks at Violet.)Did you enjoy making love to me? Violet :( Pause. Looks at the table.)I never realised I could feel so alive. Sally: But did you enjoy it? Violet :( Looks at Sally.)Yes. (Pause.)But where is Sidney? Sally: Why worry about him when you have me? Violet: Because he’s my husband. I need to tell him things. Sally: What things? Violet: I need to tell him that our marriage is over. Sally: He knew that. That’s why he made love to me. Violet :( Looks puzzled.)Made love to you? (Pause.)You’re lying again. (Pause.)When was this? If it happened at all, when was it? Sally: After you went, he came home early and we went to bed and made love. Violet: You’re lying. You wouldn’t sit there so calm if it had actually happened. You’re just trying to get me angry and say things. Sally: He was a lousy lover. Was he a lousy lover with you, too? Violet :( Picks up her cup and throws it at Sally.)Liar! You’re a damned liar! (Pushes back her chair, gets up, and stands staring at Sally.)Where is he now? Where is he now? Sally: It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter anymore he’s betrayed you. Violet: You betrayed me! (Goes to slap Sally but Sally grabs her hand and pulls her down towards her face.)Let me go. Sally :( She releases Violet, stands up, goes around the table, and walks down to the edge of the stage.)Don’t you understand? He betrayed you. I knew he would the moment I saw him the first time and he was lusting after me that first moment. And I knew he would. I could feel his damned eyes burning into my flesh. And I said to myself she shouldn’t have to put up with this and I thought I’d see just how far he’d go when you weren’t here and he did as I thought he would and he was lousy at it. Bloody lousy. Violet: Shut up! (Runs upstage and then stops. Turns at glares at Sally.)How could you? How could you do this to me? Sally: He did it to you. He betrayed you. He was always going to betray you someday. (Pause.)But what’s it matter now? You and I can get on well without him. Violet: You and I? What do you mean you and me? There is no you and I. Sally: Why deny it? You know how you feel about me. Violet :( Walks downstage towards Sally.)What does that matter? I need to see Sidney. I need to tell him about our marriage. Until I’ve done that there is no you and me. Even if there is a you and me at all. (Both women stand facing each other.)When is he coming back? Sally: He’s not coming back. Violet: Not coming back? Did he say that? Sally: No. (Pause. Smiles weakly.)He never said goodbye even. Just went. Violet: Where is he now? Why isn’t he coming back? Sally: He’s dead. (Pause. Violet looks shocked.)He’s in the shed. The wooden shed in the back garden. Violet :( Runs over to the window and peers out.)You killed him? And put him in the shed? Sally: For the moment. I had to think quickly, it was dark, and I didn’t want the neighbours peering at me so I put him in the shed. Violet :( Turns around and walks back to Sally.)What did you kill him for? What had he done to you that you should kill him? (Stands shaking.)How? What did you do to my husband? Sally: I suffocated him with a pillow, as he lay asleep. He struggled a bit but I was too strong for him and he finally gave up and died. (Pause)Therefore, no blood was shed. No mess to clear up. Violet: Suffocated him? How? He struggled? (Pause. She puts her hands over her face for a few moments.)Why? Why did you kill him? Sally: Because he betrayed you. Violet: You killed him because he betrayed me? But you betrayed me too. You killed my husband. Sally: Yes. (Pause.)What shall we do with him, now? Violet: Do? What do you mean do? I don’t want anything to do with this murder. Sally: I killed him for you. Violet: For me? Why did you do it for me? Why? Sally: Because you deserve better. He was dragging you down. He was no good for you. You’re better off without him. Just us now. You and me. Violet: No, no, no. It’s murder. I don’t want you anywhere near me. Leave me! (Pause. Both women walk to the end of the edge of the stage.)You’ll hang for this. You’ll swing for what you’ve done. Sally: Done? Me? We’ve done, Violet. Both of us wanted him dead. You and I are free of him now. No need to worry. Violet: Both of us? You not me. Sally: Who’s to know about it anyway? He’s gone. Soon he’ll be just a memory. Violet: I’ll tell the police. They’re just around the other street. They’ll be interested I know they will. Sally: No, that wouldn’t be wise, Violet. Who’d you think they‘d believe? Me a complete stranger who barely knows your husband or you his wife who used to row with him and probably the neighbours heard rowing and wouldn’t be surprised if you killed him as he betrayed you? Violet: You are a liar. You killed him. Not me. I didn’t know. Sally: No one knows I’m here. I’ve not been out since I came here. Violet: You can’t put the blame on me. You’re the murderer. Sally: We Violet, dear, we are. And it’s a deed well done and finished with. So calm down and think what we’re to do with his body. Violet: Do? Me? Us? (Pause. Look sat her hands. Looks at Sally. Sally walks along the edge of the stage towards her.)What if the police find out? Sally: They won’t. They’re too busy with the other murders. Violet: Other murders? You? Sally: She was a fool. She wasn’t wise like you. She was going to tell the police even if it meant she’d be charged with murder too. I had to stop her didn’t I? She was so silly. I quite liked her. But you. I love you. And you’re wise. You’re not a fool. Why hang for a worm of a husband? Violet: We could…Bury him. (Pause. Looks at Sally.)Under the shed. Then we could concrete the floor afterwards and no one need ever know. Yes, yes, that’s it, that’s it. Bury him. (Pause. Laughs hysterically.)Bury him like a bag of bones. Sally: Is there any more tea in the pot? (Pause.) A nice cup of tea help you think. (Smiles.)Will you be mother or shall I? (Violet picks up the teapot and pours them both another cup of tea and ads milk and sugar. She does this a in a daze.) Violet: I’ll be mother. I want to be the mother. (Laughs again but softer and then Sally joins her and the light fades. Silence.) End of Act two and Scene Five.
Copyright © 2005 Terry Collett |