"Everybody can feather their nest, but it's not just anybody that can lay an egg!"
"Miss Mudd, will you please stand up...you're making a spectacle of yourself."
Arabella did as she was bid, standing elegantly.
"Yes, I guess I kinda make a habit of that, don't I, Miss Bowen?" she asked rhetorically, her crocodile tears ending as abruptly as they had begun, as she eyed Miss Bowen with a look that was more quizzical than anything else. Oddly, although Arabella found women attractive, she also usually found them rather boring to talk to: she was like most men in that respect. She would much rather have a conversation with a man, or even dance with a man, than a member of her own sex. But there was something in the authority in the schoolmarm's voice that commanded her attention and, if not respect, her interest.
"Well, I suppose you'd better tell me what you want me to do, Miss Bowen, to make amends. You can be sure that whatever it is, Miss Hardy and Mister Simons here will approve: I'm afraid I've brought them nothing but trouble of late, anything you can do to make me less of a liability, that'll shows the world how sorry I am, will be gratefully received by them."
She looked round at Ben.
"I don't think I've told you how thankful I am, Mr Simons, that you didn't fire me after my little, er, 'costume incident' last week, I wouldn't blame you if this is the last straw. You've been so kind and good to me, I know I don't deserve it. But I think Miss Bowen here might be able to actually make me come to my senses a little."
She turned again to Kate.
"You see, I never went to school, Miss Bowen, I've never even been in a school room. I guess I missed that firm hand in my education, I think that you are the kind of woman who could rectify that." she reasoned out loud as she gave the spinster a brave little smile.
Pity Miss Hardy wasn't here - she was always telling Arabella to tone down her performances: that one was actually pretty convincing. Evie would have been proud.
Kate thought for a moment, as she watched Arabella continue trying to convince her that she was an innocent...something she had a time in believing. The mention of making amends, however, was an intriguing idea. Perhaps there was something the young girl could do. From what she had heard about the performance last Saturday, Mister Simons might also be needing something to repair his reputation and his theatre's with the more genteel part of town.
She took a few moments to work out what that something could be and then it came to her. The school was growing and the current building needed an extension to help accommodate more students as well some new desks and learning materials. Maybe a charity performance with all funds going to the school was the thing but she would have to make sure that the only part Arabella played was the role she would be given. There would also have to be some other conditions to make sure that there wasn't going to be any surprises.
"All right, there is something you can do and perhaps you'll learn a few things as well," Kate said in a controlled tone, "However, I will first need to meet with Mister Simons and your employer to discuss the matter. "
Turning to Ben, she went on, "Would tomorrow at four o'clock be convenient for you and Miss Hardy?"
Ben nodded, "Yeah...fine. I'm sure Miss Hardy will be eager to help clear this up as soon as possible."
Looking back at Arabella, Kate nodded, "When we have come to an agreement, I will let you know what it is but I first need your promise that you will accept whatever the outcome of this meeting will be."
@ [Javia
"Everybody can feather their nest, but it's not just anybody that can lay an egg!"
"All right, there is something you can do and perhaps you'll learn a few things as well," Kate said in a controlled tone.
Arabella was about to ask what this mysterious task was, but the teacher lady added "However, I will first need to meet with Mister Simons and your employer to discuss the matter. "
Ah, her fate was to decided by the three 'grown ups' without her say in the matter. How delicious!
Turning to Ben, she went on, "Would tomorrow at four o'clock be convenient for you and Miss Hardy?"
Ben nodded, "Yeah...fine. I'm sure Miss Hardy will be eager to help clear this up as soon as possible."
Looking back at Arabella, Kate nodded, "When we have come to an agreement, I will let you know what it is but I first need your promise that you will accept whatever the outcome of this meeting will be."
"I promise to do whatever you tell me to, Miss Bowen." Arabella replied meekly, her heart was thumping in her chest, enjoying playing out this power dynamic with the pretty and, well, schoolmarmish schoolmarm.
"I am dismissed, then, Ma'am?" she asked, and gave a little curtsy.
"Everybody can feather their nest, but it's not just anybody that can lay an egg!"
When Arabella was summoned to Mr Simons' office, two days later, it was not really she who approached the door: it was Joan of Arc approaching the stake with the faggots piled below it; it was Lady Jane Grey approaching the block and the axeman; it was Queen Brunhild, approaching the four horses that would tear her limb from limb; and most of all she was her own imaginary Confederate lady-spy, Belle Endicott, walking toward a Yankee firing squad.
Ah yes, there was not much in life that could get you down if you had an overactive imagination.
She was dressed in suitably dour and sober array, the black plain dress the she still used for funeral work and her hair parted in the middle and in neat plaits, she knocked and entered the room with a respectful tread and turned to face the tribunal, only daring a brave little smile to Evie, whom she saw as her friend on the panel, and who would no doubt recognise this demeanor as the one that Arabella had been adopting in rehearsals the last couple of days as Little Nell in The Old Curiosity Shop, which they were opening tonight.
She gave them a little curtsey and then raised her eyes to them.
"I am here to receive my sentence." she intoned with the sort of quiet dignity that can only really be perfected by practicing in front of a mirror in the comfort of one's hotel room.
Eve took a deep breath. Arabella was playing the part of the innocent to the hilt and if she hoped that it would have some effect, then she was too late. Miss Bowen had presented an interesting proposition and it was one Arabella wasn't going to like...at least for now.
As for Ben, he was trying to work out who was the better actress. There were times during the meeting that Ben had a feeling that the schoolteacher wasn't as prim and proper as she was making herself out to be. It wasn't anything she said or did, it was just something in her eyes that made him think that way. Her eyes! What the heck was he thinking? There was no way he was going to get himself involved with the likes of Miss Katherine Bowen as that meant trouble and he had enough of that where women were concerned to last him a lifetime.
Arabella, on the other hand was milking it for all she had and it was better he concentrate on what Arabella would do when she got told what they had decided to do.
After receiving a nod from Miss Bowen, Eve took another deep breath, "We've discussed the situation and Miss Bowen, along with Ben and myself, have come to terms on what you and we can do in order to rectify any negative consequences of what happened the other night along with the cabinet cards that you have given out. It has been decided that the Excelsior Theater will put on a charity performance of 'The Innkeeper of Abbeville' with all profits, including our wages, going to the Kalispell school to build an extension to the building and to obtain any equipment they need."
@ [Javia
"Everybody can feather their nest, but it's not just anybody that can lay an egg!"
After receiving a nod from Miss Bowen, Eve took another deep breath, "We've discussed the situation and Miss Bowen, along with Ben and myself, have come to terms on what you and we can do in order to rectify any negative consequences of what happened the other night along with the cabinet cards that you have given out..."
"I am ready to hear my fate!" the girl declared dramatically, like the heroine of some trial drama.
"... It has been decided that the Excelsior Theater will put on a charity performance of 'The Innkeeper of Abbeville'..."
Arabella shrugged; she'd never head of it. Hopefully she had a good part, with plenty of lines, and a nice costume, oh well, even if t was a horrible costume, Dolly would fix it up so it looked nice. Hm, didn't seem like much of a punishment... then she heard the bad part!
"... with all profits, including our wages, going to the Kalispell school to build an extension to the building and to obtain any equipment they need."
"What... no pay?!!" Arabella exclaimed "How'm I supposed to live... I'll starve to death before the first night!! In fact, I feel quite faint right now..." she gasped, starting to sway on the spot.
Eve rolled her eyes, "You know very well Arabella that you will not starve to death as your room and meals are covered by your contract. However, you will need to find another way to pay for your expenses until after the performance."
She briefly looked at Katherine and Ben, who both nodded in response. Turning back to Arabella, she continued, "Perhaps you will learn something from this and think about the consequences before you do something that may jeopardise not only your reputation but that of those you work with. What you do personally to advertise yourself, like distributing cabinet cards, is something for you to decide on your own...however, unless you plan on a solo career in the theatre, you will need to learn to consult with others first."
Stepping forward, Eve sighed, "Your decision to go a la denude in Saturday night's performance sullied both the theatre's and my acting company's reputation. We need to make amends and create some goodwill with our audience. Not only you but the rest of the cast have to go without pay as a consequence of a poor decision you made. As for the cabinet cards, Miss Bowen feels that raising money for the school will suffice in helping prove that you have only good intentions."
As she waited for Arabella's response, Eve hoped that she hadn't sounded too harsh. The cabinet cards were all that bad, Arabella's scheme to go naked in an effort to drum up some sort of publicity was a wrong choice. Maybe her scheme might have worked in some place like Chicago or New York but not in a conservative place like Kalispell and that it in itself warranted a good reason as to why she had agreed to put on this charity performance. The long-term reputation and livelihood of her theatre company depended on it.
@ [Javia
"Everybody can feather their nest, but it's not just anybody that can lay an egg!"
Eve rolled her eyes, "You know very well Arabella that you will not starve to death as your room and meals are covered by your contract. However, you will need to find another way to pay for your expenses until after the performance."
"Hmmm, well, I suppose it must be borne... one must suffer for one's art!" the girl declared airily, with the look of a martyr being carried to a grisly end.
"Perhaps you will learn something from this and think about the consequences before you do something that may jeopardise not only your reputation but that of those you work with. What you do personally to advertise yourself, like distributing cabinet cards, is something for you to decide on your own...however, unless you plan on a solo career in the theatre, you will need to learn to consult with others first."
Arabella stood with her hands behind her back, her mouth in a studied pout, eyes cast down, as she received her telling off, although now and again she glanced at the strict school Marm Miss Bowen to see her reaction to all this and, well, just to look at her.
Stepping forward, Eve sighed, "Your decision to go a la denude in Saturday night's performance sullied both the theatre's and my acting company's reputation. We need to make amends and create some goodwill with our audience. Not only you but the rest of the cast have to go without pay as a consequence of a poor decision you made. As for the cabinet cards, Miss Bowen feels that raising money for the school will suffice in helping prove that you have only good intentions."
The Mudd girl cast her eyes in the teacher's direction.
"Well, if it'll make amends to you, Miss Bowen, then of course it must be done. I simply live for your forgiveness over all this mess" Arabella gushed. "But it does seem awful rough on the others: poor old Miss Nightingale, and Mr Darling, both of them getting on in years, of course..." [Darling would have killed her if he'd heard that crack!] "... and Mr Astin, what with all his crippling gambling debts... I guess you'd know about those Mr Simons. It's all right for me, I can make money other ways, giving piano lessons and helping Mr Jolly at the funeral parlour: I guess I'll just have to support the four of us over the next few poverty filled weeks..." she smiled with sickly sweetness at Katherine "... but it'll be all worthwhile if it will change your poor opinion of me, Miss Bowen."
Kate would forgive Arabella as it was the Christian thing to do but she highly doubted her opinion would change. It was evident that Arabella Mudd wasn't taking this too seriously and in a way that was the saddest thing about this whole incident. It made her feel sorry for the girl who was doing all she could to make herself out to be better than she really was. There would be some who would continue to accept Arabella's way of doing things but she would not be one of them. Once this performance was over, she would have nothing to do with Arabella Mudd ever again.
She also felt sorry for Miss Hardy, who was trying her best to teach Arabella how to think of others before herself. This was a task that look hopeless as Arabella was under some impression that world revolved around her. The best that any of them could do for now was to focus on the upcoming charity performance and raise the much-needed funds for the school.
Looking at Arabella, Kate simply nodded her head once, "I guess that's all we can expect for now. However, I do hope that you would at least think about what Miss Hardy has said to you today and learn from your mistakes."
@ [Javia
"Everybody can feather their nest, but it's not just anybody that can lay an egg!"
Looking at Arabella, Kate simply nodded her head once, "I guess that's all we can expect for now. However, I do hope that you would at least think about what Miss Hardy has said to you today and learn from your mistakes."
"Yes Ma'am, I will" Arabella promised with a little curtsey bob.
"And Miss Bowen, do let me know if there is anything else I can do to to rectify the damage that I have done." she continued "Perhaps I could talk to the parents of the boys who were fighting over my portrait... or even to the boys themselves... I could apologise to them... that my uncovered flesh so horribly wrecked their once blossoming bond... that my seductive image fractured their bosom friendship..."
The idea of people fighting over her image was a heady one, she dwelt upon it inordinately. This temporary cut in income was well worth it. And the play might not be too bad, after all, Evie had OKed it and, despite all the mischief that she got up to, and selfishness she displayed, Arabella respected Miss Hardy and her judgement.
"... or maybe I could come along and give a talk to your whole class about my mistake, and how they should learn from it. That'd be peachy... I've never been in a schoolroom before." she admitted.
@JulieS