The Love Letter – High Tea Party Game

Miss Prunella Braithwaite – I am a refined and gentle young lady of somewhat delicate disposition but when the weather is fine I love to sit outside and capture the beauty of flowers with my watercolors. I spend a lot of time doing good works for the poor and people say I am a very kind hearted person. My father has extensive business investments in Virginia.

Miss Bethany Chesterfield – I am fond of riding sidesaddle and love the outdoors. My parents worry that I am somewhat more forthright than a lady should be and that I am apt to be quarrelsome in nature. My parents own a gunpowder factory. I like to ignore the constraints of civilized society.

Miss Wilma Winterflood – I am a lady skilled in all the social graces and excel at tapestry and singing. My parents are very well respected and we are an influential family in the community. Although I appear to be gentle and quiet, my brothers say I am rather headstrong and stubborn. I often take the buggy for a ride by myself much to my parents’ dismay.

Miss Hyacinth Huntington – I am an only child and I am of a somewhat shy disposition. I am very skilled at lacework and I love Shakespeare, especially the tragedies. Sadly my father recently made some unfortunate investments and my family is facing economic ruin. I am terribly embarrassed by my situation as I am used to wealth and all the luxuries it affords.

Miss Charmaine Chamberlain – people say I am very gracious and I love to read poetry. My favorites are Samuel Taylor Coleridge and William Wordsworth. I am also a skilled pianist. My father owns numerous cotton plantations. I traveled abroad with my family when I was younger and I yearn to travel again especially to London. I miss the operas and plays dreadfully.

Miss Emily Stratford – people say I am rather intelligent. I must say, I do love puzzles and am very fond of writing. There are some false rumors going about that I have been secretly writing mystery novels under the nom de plume of James Ridley. I am very polite, but prefer to observe rather than talk. My father is a highly respected surgeon. My mother is afraid that my mental abilities will frighten men away so she tries to make me appear a silly little girl in public. She insists I wear pink and lots of frills and bows in my hair to make me look more feminine.

Miss Elizabeth Montgomery – I am just back from finishing school in Paris where I was greatly admired by all. I have a definite flair for fashion and am terribly fond of dancing. At the Paris Balls all the men wanted to dance with me. I also have a beautiful singing voice. At the moment, I am passionate about the colour mauve and I wear it a lot. It’s so fashionable. My father runs a merchant shipping company.

Miss Clorinda Rosemonde – my father is a Duke and loves me so much he had one of his gardeners plant a rose garden for me, which I treasure. My mother died when I was young and my brother is a General in the army. I am fond of entertaining and my father encourages me to hold tea parties and the like. I play the flute admirably. Although I have no particular interest in getting married myself, I like to play matchmaker whenever I can.

Miss Prunella Braithwaite

ACT ONE

1.1 Prunella:  It is such a delight to visit this enchanting abode. I am anxiously awaiting the Ball. I know it will be such fun even though I may not have energy to dance all night being the delicate creature that I am. I am having a pale-yellow gown made for it. 

1.9 Prunella: In terms of decorations for your Ball, Lady Mazzing, may I suggest yellow roses on the tables. Roses always lend a classical elegance, don’t you agree?”

1.10 Prunella: : Lady Mazzing responded to my suggestion by saying: “I agree that yellow roses are beautiful Prunella, but surely we should avoid flowers with thorns as symbolically, if not physically, they suggest pain.”

1.25 Prunella:  When Lord Mazzing greeted me, I told him I noticed his horse appeared lame during a polo game. He said it was only a stone in its horseshoe.

Traci h.