PETER My love. JOAN What are you do...

PETER My love.

JOAN What are you doing here?

PETER As I last remember this is still my room, no?

JOAN I guess I have forgotten. It's been months since you step foot in here it must have slipped my mind.

PETER You know how business is. It takes me on travels that take me away from home for months at a time.

JOAN And what about before? When you were here but never here.

PETER Please. I don’t want to fight with you. Not now.

JOAN I’m not fighting with you. I don’t have time nor the strength to bicker back and forth with you.

PETER You are not pleased by my return?

JOAN What do you want Peter?

PETER You haven’t talk to me since I came back. I understand I didn’t leave on the greatest of terms but I’m back now and I want to fix things.

JOAN What do you want Peter? You’re little dream.... fantasy hasn’t played the way it did in your mind? Are you that disappointed?

PETER No. She is my daughter. I will love her as I should. Of course, a boy would have been more fitting --

JOAN Of course. I can read you like a book.

PETER Just wait a second. I’m happy for the child. Don’t accuse me of being ungrateful.

JOAN Congratulations. It’s what you always wanted.

PETER It’s what we always wanted.

JOAN What are you talking about? That child needs her father. Not you trying to patch things up with me. To be honest, the rift between us, I believe it isn’t mendable.

PETER What are you saying? You want to divorce me? You don’t have the right.

JOAN I do so.

PETER You are a woman. You took vows to love, honor and obey me.

JOAN And you? What about you?

PETER We are not the same. I had to do what I had to do. That doesn’t mean that I don’t love you. But that is beside the point.

JOAN You love me? Like you told her?

PETER Is this really about Helen? We are way beyond that. What was I supposed to do? I needed her for something, and it got done. What was I supposed to do?! Bed her? Then What? She would of ran away with my child and leave us with nothing. I do whatever I can to secure our future. You really think I would break the rules of our marriage for nothing?

JOAN You must take me for some fool if you believe that I think Helen is the only one. I don’t know what you do outside those doors. What I do know is whatever it is it has no place in my bed, my home, my life. I deserve better.

PETER You’re right.

JOAN I’m right? And you?

PETER What?

JOAN You were wrong!

PETER I don’t agree with that.

JOAN Surprising. Why are you here, Peter? If you are so unhappy here, why stay?

PETER I love you, Joan. You must understand that.

JOAN I don’t have to do a thing!

PETER We must come together. We’ve been together to long to self-destruct. And despite your unhappiness things will change.

JOAN You are sure it?

PETER Very.

JOAN How so?

PETER The queen is convinced of her heir apparent, Edward, to take the throne. To ensure that, he will need great men around him. Due to my contributions to parliament, you are looking at one of the few men soon to be knighted.

JOAN Wow. Congratulations, Peter. You deserve it.

PETER Thank you, my love.

JOAN I thought you wanted to be magistrate?

PETER I did but times have changed. It doesn’t matter anymore. I will be in London for most of the year and there is no point in traveling back here when I’m not. I think it would be better if we moved to London after I get the okay. I want you to be by my side, Joan. All three of us.

JOAN I understand what you are saying, Peter, but Manchester is my home I can’t just -- The three of us?

PETER Yes, you, me and our daughter.

JOAN Our daughter?! Are you mad?! What about her mother?

PETER Her mother is you.

JOAN No, Peter.

PETER Joan. Is this not want you wanted all these years? God has finally answered our prayers and gave us a child. A beautiful girl.

JOAN I lost my babies. Four of them, Peter. My children were taken away from me. I could not do that to a mother. I could never have her live with the horror I have had to live through.

PETER Don’t do that to yourself. Do not live in misery. We couldn’t do it one way, so we had to do it another. We have to go about life different than others.

JOAN No. This is cruel and not deserving.

PETER WE ARE ROYALTY, JOAN. We have to do whatever to sustain our status. We can’t just bask in the good and forget about the bad. Sometimes, Joan, we have to get ugly.

JOAN And you are absolutely sure what God wants?

PETER We have been dealt a hand and we must move accordingly if we want to survive. How do you think we would maintain this? Anything that comes across our face we must take it. This is fate, Joan. Don’t mistake it for anything else.

JOAN I cannot bear a child. God will not let me.

PETER Not yet. You are good, Joan. You are pure --

JOAN I’m being punished.

PETER Some women just can’t bear children --

JOAN I mean now. This. This is not what God wants. I’m being tested.

PETER Who really knows what God wants? If there is uncertainty for you it’s because you don’t want it. If that so, just let me know. That child needs a mother.

JOAN What about Helen?

PETER She is a child. I beg for forgiveness as it was my doing so. She is not fit to raise a child. Don’t tell me you will allow this child to suffer because of my incompetence.

JOAN Don’t do that --

PETER You won’t. You care too much, Joan. That's why you took care of Helen. You kept her close and guided her through this. You can’t fight it. At heart, you are a mother, my love.

JOAN Peter, Please.

PETER Do not cry, dear. If we were in the royal lineage, you would be fit to be a queen. But still, in this life, people will cater to you on hand and foot. I will ensure that. So, our love cannot dissolve. I am your husband. I might do things that might be weird or leave you with uncertainty but at the end of the day it is for your benefit. I am here to serve you. And as my wife, as my rib, you are here to love, honor and obey me.

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