hurry.
SCENE 3 – ALISON, ANNA, AND THE STANDING STONES OF STENNESS
Meanwhile... Stenness. It’s bright and sunny though the sky is garnished with a number of puffy, white clouds. Alison and Anna are foraging in the meadows for herbs and wildflowers and other things Alison uses to create her remedies.
“Now this one here,” Alison began, crouching down beside a white rain drop petal flower ,“is used for stomach ailments.”
Anna, all ears during such walks through the meadows with her mother, crouched down beside her: “Is that what you used to make the draught for Lady Bellenden?”
Alison smiled at her daughter’s keen observation. “The very same.”
The young girl, clearly enthralled, eyed the flower with intense curiosity. “Does it do anything else?”
Alison nodded. “If you boil it and add it to honey, you can apply it to any cut, wound, or bruise and it will hasten the healing.”
“Really?”
Alison laughed at the awe-struck look on her daughter’s face. “Yes, you seem so surprised!”
“Well…” said the girl, glancing hesitantly at the flower, “it’s just…it’s a plant anyone can pick…and it’s right there…does everyone know about these kinds of things? The things you know, mother?”
Alison pursed her lips (though her eyes smiled). “Not everyone takes the time to appreciate the wonders God has given us. There is surely a reason for every tree, flower, bush, and berry on this island, just as there is a reason for you and I. We do ourselves no justice to remain ignorant about the uses for the many things we find in our natural environment. I was fortunate enough to have Roshanna teach me these things before it was her time to venture to heaven.”
“How old were you when she taught you?”
Alison paused to reflect a moment. “Twelve or thirteen. I remember as it was she who taught me how to prevent my clothes from soiling during menses. I had no mother to teach me these things after all.”
“What’s menses?”
Alison smiled at her daughter’s bewilderment. “I’ll explain to you when you’re older...now then have a look at this purple flower here. The stem of this – and only the stem – can be used to make a tea that will put the person to sleep within a quarter of an hour.”
Anna gaped at her mother.
“Come, let’s pick a few of these as my supplies are low.”
The girl nodded and together mother and daughter picked enough to fill the rest of the basket Alison carried with her for the purpose. As they made their way home a short while later, treading carefully but with purpose along the dirt road that led to the village, Anna spied something she always liked to ask about.”
“Mother can we - ”
Alison, accustomed to her daughter’s requests to visit the Standing Stones of Stenness, obliged before the question had left Anna’s lips. “Yes we can go, but only for a short while. We have to get home and start dinner for William and your father.”
Alison always referred to Abraham as the children’s “father” even though everyone in town knew he was more suited to being the children’s grandfather (given his age). Alison believed it would be disrespectful for her or the children to refer to him as anything but as he’d been the only (decent) man in the Orkney Islands willing to marry her, a widow, with two bairns had by another man. This, in itself, commanded respect and though theirs was not a relationship founded on romance, there was friendship between them.
The stones loomed large before them as they drew nearer, Anna pointing and oohing and aahing as she always did, despite having seen the stones a dozen times.
“That’s my favourite,” she said, pointing to one stone in particular. “No, actually that one is my favourite.”
Arriving at the stones, Alison closed her eyes and exhaled. This was a place of greatness. Their ancient ancestors had decided this would be the best spot in all the Orkney Islands for the standing stones. It was not hard to see why - no matter the time of day, the sun or the moon would cast light and shadow upon them in mesmerizing ways. There was strength and beauty in these stones, grace and power, that connected a person to the heavens. Not that she would ever say such a thing publicly as the church would most certainly not approve. In fact it was a wonder that the stones had been left standing given that they stood, quite literally and tangibly as a representation of their pagan past. The church was adamant that no one should worship or depict idols – and yet here were these stones. While none contained carvings or images, they were nonetheless objects of worship and not to be praised by Christian souls.
“Why is this one crooked, mother? It looks like it’s going to fall down.”
“It’s very old and the ground beneath it has possibly shifted.”
“And that’s why it’s crooked?”
Alison shrugged. “Perhaps…or perhaps there’s a monster below (she set down her basket and moved closer to her daughter), and he’s pulling it down into the netherworld (Anna retreated slowly from her mother) and he’s going to get you next!”
Alison lunged at her daughter and the girl ran away giggling, fighting off her mother’s tickles.
“Mother!”
Laughing, Alison ceased her teasing and the pair collapsed onto the grass in a fit of giggles. Alison got in one last tickle which caused Anna to screech.
“Stop it!” the girl cried, still giggling uncontrollably.
Mother wrapped an arm around daughter and the two gazed up at the sky.
“Look at that cloud, mother. Is that a whale? Is that what a whale looks like?”
Alison smiled and followed her daughter’s gaze. “Yes, that’s what a whale looks like, only it has a tail fin as well to help it swim.”
“How come whales don’t sink to the bottom of the sea? They’re so big and heavy.”
“Well, they can swim, can’t they now. They’ve got strong fins that keep them afloat.”
This seemed an acceptable answer for the seven year old, as she nodded and with a little sigh, returned her attention to the stones. “Tell me why they made this place again, mum? What did they use the stones for?”
Alison studied the ring of slate slabs, rising vertically ten, twelve, fourteen feet in the air and assembled in a perfect circle. “No one knows for sure, my dear, but most have said that this was a place of worship.”
“For who? Who lived here?”
Alison smiled. “You have more questions than I have answers. You need to speak to Father Clouston. He might know the answer.”
Anna wrinkled her nose (as was her habit when she disagreed with something). “Father Clouston is a mean man.”
“Oh hush, Father Clouston is just himself.”
“He’s mean!” the girl insisted, “and I don’t like him.”
Alison sighed. Her daughter was just as stubborn as she had been at her age. “Well, maybe you’ll change your mind once you’re older. He’s not a gentle man, that’s sure. He’s got his opinions about things and they are quite black and white…but he’s certainly not mean.”
“He is too and I don’t want to talk about.”
Alison sighed once more as she brushed the grass from her dress and readied to return home.
“Alright, well let’s get on then and we can talk about something different.”
SCENE 4 – JOHN STEWART PAYS A VISIT TO HIS SERVANT THOMAS PAPLAY
A short time later... Kirkwall Castle. Servants’ wing. The Paplay family’s chambers. Thomas Paplay and his wife, June Paplay, are spending the lunch hour together as it’s mid-day break for the servants, Thomas having started his day at the rooster’s crow. June has just finished nursing Isabelle, their six month old and now she is tidying up and organizing the apartment. Thomas holds Isabelle, making soft “coo coo’s” at her while June babbles about her day.
“And would you believe it,” June said with a laugh, “she looked at me with this big smile on her face and smiled. She just smiled. And it was as though she had understood what I had said to he
r.”
Thomas smiled and poked gently at the infant’s button nose, making baby sounds and baby faces all the while.
“She’s going to be a sharp one,” June continued. “Take after her father.”
Thomas smiled and resumed playing with their six month old.
Banging at the door.
Thomas and June exchanged a glance.
“Are you expecting anyone?” asks Jane, glancing at the homemade sundial etched into the wall flanking the kitchen stove. “You’ve still got time yet, don’t you? Before you’re due back at work?”
Thomas nodded, studying the door as though it held some secret. “I have time. And I have chores today, but I’ve been getting all my work done...perhaps I missed something and Sharon has come to inform me.”
“I doubt as though she would disturb you on your lunch hour. She knows full well you spend that time with me.” June’s tone was uncharacteristically irritable.
Banging at the door (again).
“Thomas! Are you in there?”
The voice was unmistakable.
“John...” said Thomas, looking once more at his wife.
She made a face, but said nothing. She had never liked the Earl’s brother.
Thomas moved to the door, unlatched it, and pulled it open.
“Get inside!” said John, barging past. “Is anyone here?”
Thomas closed the door slowly before turning to face his employer. “No. It’s just us.”
John seemed to relax at this information. He glanced around the room, his eyes stopping on Thomas’ wife and the baby in her arms. “Please, June, leave us. We have business to