HOUSE OF ANGELS

Sisters Autumn and Helen Vane share a love for the same man - James - but Helen and James will soon marry and Autumn keeps her feelings secret. Despite her unsettled emotions, Autumn has managed to contain her feelings until James brings an artist into their home for tea to paint Helen's wedding portrait.

(AMELIA lifts a small silver bell, gives it a vigorous shake)

AMELIA

May I tempt either of you gentlemen with this cake?

AUTUMN

James, did you tell your new friend that my father was also an artist? (To HENRY) One of the most accomplished architects in New York.

JAMES

Mr. Vane was employed with my father's firm - extremely gifted. Henry, look, the firelight on Helen’s hair - see how it forms a halo—

AUTUMN

My father would often exhaust himself working—have you ever done that, Mr. Lafont? Become lost in your work - lost to any consciousness of the world—isn’t it a wonderful feeling - I myself—

AMELIA

Autumn, fetch Mrs. Lennon for me, will you, dear?

JAMES

I’ve brought along the set of plans you asked for, Mrs. Vane.

AMELIA

Please–please - call me “Amelia,” dear. I’m planning their garden for them, Mr. Lafont.

HENRY

How ambitious.

AUTUMN

Indeed, mother’s nothing if not ambitious, right, Helen?

HELEN

(Ignoring her) James’ parents have given us the most charming sundial with a quote from Longfellow.

AUTUMN

Our brilliant father designed it — it’s in the form of a woman’s face— and the hand’s carved in the shape of her profile so the shadow falls in such a way—

HELEN

(Interrupting) “What is time? The shadow on the dial, the striking of the clock, the running of the sand, day and night, summer and winter, months, years, centuries—these are but the arbitrary and outward signs—the measure of time, not time itself. Time is the life of the soul.”

(An appreciative pause. HENRY whispers something to HELEN who blushes and looks away)

AMELIA

Be a dear, Autumn, and see where Mrs. Lennon’s got to. Now, everyone’s hounding me, James - have you settled on a honeymoon?

HELEN

Mother...please.

AMELIA

I merely wished to urge a warmer climate - didn’t you say your father suggested you visit family in Rhode Island?

JAMES

You know how Father is - hoping I’d squeeze in some business—

(CARRIE appears.)

AMELIA

Ah, there you are, Mrs. Lennon—would you be so kind as to...?

(A looks passes between THEM, then CARRIE goes off)

James, I understand your father’s concern but think of a cunning little cottage on an island - St. Simon’s off the Georgia coast, for example? Greeting your first mornings together with the sun spilling onto an ocean as endless as your future happiness.

AUTUMN

In addition to the society pages, we’re insanely fond of novels in this house, Mr. Lafont.

AMELIA

Wasn’t there a famous author who warned us of being snobs with regard to novel reading?

AUTUMN and HENRY

Jane Austen.

(THEY laugh only AUTUMN’s laughter continues.)

HENRY

I have to side with Mrs. Vane, James. A warm climate for a honeymoon would be preferable. At least for now.

AUTUMN

Oh, so you’re an expert, are you? Have you taken many honeymoons, Mr. LaFont?

HENRY

Dozens. All of them warm.

AUTUMN

Well - I shouldn’t wonder. Have you spent any in Germany? I hear the doctors are brilliant—

AMELIA

Mrs. Lennon - what a delightful surprise!

(CARRIE has entered with a tray of liquor.)

AUTUMN

Aha - just what you’ve been waiting for, Mother - is there enough, Carrie?

JAMES

Well, I’m relieved to report I’ve booked us on the Mauritania for the twenty-second. Madeira, Genoa, Naples, Trieste and London.

AUTUMN

How horribly exciting— did you hear, Helen!?

HELEN

But so far?

AUTUMN

Oh, don’t be a fool - what possible consequence is distance? Everyone should see Europe, everything’s more real there -around every corner something wonderful awaits, a child with rosy cheeks, a church with its arms held out and generations resting in the churchyard beneath wind-blasted stones - there's such a want of depth here, we read the papers and learn of the rich and newly rich and copy their dress, their coiffure without knowing what’s in their heads, we only care about impression - every week there’s some new actress to mimic—some new invention with which to improve ourselves, hell it’s ridiculous—

AMELIA

Whiskey, Mr. Lafont? It was my husband's and quite good. There are cigarettes and cigars there on the table if—

HENRY

I can’t help warning that it’s not exactly wise to leave port just now.

JAMES

I’d prefer, Henry, if you’d—

HENRY

Things don’t happen overnight. With deference to the ladies, trouble has been brewing for a considerable—

AUTUMN

What are you saying— there’ll be some sort of war?

JAMES

In Henry’s gruesome imagination—

HENRY

Your own newspapers suggest otherwise. In today’s Times—

HELEN

In today’s Times it said that the Suffragettes broke a glass display case in the British museum and it had to be closed down. Fancy that? They were quite violent.

AUTUMN

Really? Helen - show me - where did it say—

AMELIA

Autumn! Sit down, dearest. What do you gentlemen say to some music?

HELEN

Not now, Mother.

HENRY

James - I must thank you for arranging things so I might observe my subject in a natural setting. You know, I’m not easily surprised, but I didn’t expect to discover such... heightened senses... in someone so...inexperienced.

JAMES

Excellent - then I can expect an inspired result—

HENRY

But I’m more astonished that you’d be so foolish as to place the young lady in harm’s way just for the sake of a lavish honeymoon.

JAMES

Henry, you promised before we arrived—

HENRY

Quite right - forgive me, ladies.

AUTUMN

But, James, wouldn’t Mr. LaFont be in a better position than you to know about a war?

JAMES

No, Autumn, he wouldn’t, no more than— I’m sorry, Henry, but you’re referring to a disturbance of no consequence - little underground factions—

HENRY

Size is seldom an obstacle. Don’t pawns on a chess board have queens and knights to support them? Besides, I’d fight for anything I wanted dearly, no matter it's size, wouldn’t you, Miss Autumn?

AUTUMN

(To JAMES) Yes, I would, especially if I thought that the something was "loved" rather than as you say, only "wanted."

HENRY

Touché. I see your bride will keep you on your toes, James. As to her portrait, my only request is she allow her hair to fall about her shoulders. That, and a russet light as the day dies around her, and do you own a crimson gown, Miss Vane? That will complete the work. It will be entitled "Autumn Vane." It might be my masterpiece.

(HENRY turns to AMELIA who stares at HIM dumbly. HE turns to THE OTHERS who are equally struck silent.)

AMELIA

Mr. Lafont, I'm ....I'm afraid there’s been—

JAMES

It's Helen. Helen. Here. Here’s the Miss Vane who’s to be my wife.

AMELIA

Perhaps James failed to mention my daughter's Christian name—

HENRY

Yes. Yes, that’s it precisely! Can you forgive such a faux pas? Beauty is clearly contagious amongst you ladies. Recounting the charm of one must, by rights, include the others.

AMELIA

It....it’s an understandable mistake, if, as you say—and English isn’t your native tongue—

HELEN

I hope you're not disappointed - it’s true, Autumn's portrait would be more arresting.

AUTUMN

Helen, no—

JAMES

Not at all.

HENRY

No–no—I’m beyond stupid not to have guessed that you were the object of James’ heart, my dear Miss Helen. And I consider it an honour to paint a face as likely to send a Navy scurrying into treacherous waters as your namesake.