The Illumination of Ursula Flight

Anna-Marie Crowhurst

• Publisher: Allen & Unwin
• Year: 2018
• Topic: Literature
• eBook ISBN:
  9781760638795
• Subtopic: Historical Fiction
• Index: Literature

One of Stylist's must-read books of 2018

'Original and charming, joyous and funny.' Tessa Hadley

'...[this] debut novel sweeps us away to the world of Ursula Flight, wannabe actress and playwright in 17th-century Britain. Ursula is a spirited and funny protagonist.' Sarah Shaffi, Stylist

'ON THE 15TH DAY OF DECEMBER IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 1664, A GREAT LIGHT BLOOMED IN THE DARK SKY...'

Born on the night of a bad-luck comet, Ursula Flight has a difficult destiny written in the stars. Growing up with her family in the country, she is educated by a forward-thinking father who enables her to discover a love of reading, writing and astrology. Ursula dreams of becoming a famous playwright, but is devastated to learn she must instead fulfil her family's expectations and marry. Trapped and lost, Ursula plots her escape - but her freedom will come at a price.

As Ursula's dangerous desires play out, both on and off the stage, she's flung into a giddy world of actors, aristocrats and artistic endeavours which will change her life irrevocably.

A gutsy coming-of-age story about a spirited young woman struggling to lead a creative life, this uplifting tale vividly evokes the glittering world of Restoration-era theatre. For anyone who has ever tried to succeed against the odds, The Illumination of Ursula Flight is an inspiring journey of love and loss, heartbreak and all-consuming passion. This is a debut pulsating with life for readers of Jessie Burton, Sarah Waters and Sarah Perry.

PART

The Second

I

LOVING

In which I enjoy my honeymoon

ACT II, SCENE I

Dawn. A grand chamber with a canopied bed. The sun is a slanted orange square on the claret-coloured bed curtains. The curtains twitch, and a small white hand is thrust out. The hand wrenches back the curtains – it belongs to a GIRL, who is pale in her creamy shift. She wears a nightcap tied over her curl-papers. The MAN’s head on the pillow beside her is dark. He snores, his mouth a slack, dark hole below his courtier’s moustache. There is spittle on his cheek. The girl looks at him; sighs; then suddenly and violently sneezes.

GIRL: Ah-shoooo!

MAN: [Starting up from the bed mid-snore\ Whuh?

GIRL: Forgive me!

MAN: Mmm. Wife.

He stretches out his arm and drags her to him.

There now. My girl.

She grimaces in his embrace. He strokes her hair. She twitches.

Good morrow, wife. How did you sleep in my great bed?

GIRL: Well, not too badly. It was odd being in bed with a man. I have not tried that before, for as you know, Mother does not believe in bundling. I had a queer dream...

MAN: Hmm, let me see. Was it about... a handsome prince and a pretty young maid?

GIRL: Nay, sir. It was that I was a famous actress ’pon the stage and was taking my curtseys while all the handsome gallants in the stalls threw yellow roses at my feet. And in the dream I had writ the play as well as acted in it and even the King stood up in his box to shout ‘Brava’ for the finest lady playwright in England.

MAN: It must be all of that curd-cake you took at dinner. For I fancy whenever I eat it, I have a cauchemar.

GIRL: Aye.

MAN: Well now, Lady Tyringham, my sweet new bride, I drifted off last night being so fatigued from the extravagances of our wedding day. But I find myself quite awake now.

He twists his body, pressing it to hers.

GIRL: Husband?

MAN: Aye?

GIRL: I thought yesterday I heard you say to your mama that fornication was a sin. Did you not say that?

MAN: Eh? Aye, aye, but ’tis not if it be done in matrimony.

GIRL: Have you not fornicated before now then? I am trepidatious then, for I hoped you’d know what you were doing.

MAN: Why I – of course I have. ’Tis different for men.

GIRL: I have heard that it is so, in all things. But faith, husband, I do not remember the part which says fornication is a sin only to women. I will have to look at my Bible again and apply myself more rigorously to the commandments.

MAN: [Annoyed\ ’Tis not said expressly in the Bible – but ’tis known widely that it be so. I cannot explain it beyond saying ’tis the way of the world. But you are a child still, and would not know it.

GIRL: Aye, I am but fifteen years old.

MAN: You have a woman’s wit and way of twisting things about that belies your years.

GIRL: Thank you, sir.

MAN: ’Twas not a compliment! Now. [Resuming his nuzzling\ Oh, my lambikin. Oh my pretty, silken rabbit.

GIRL: I must have had it wrong from Mother.

MAN: [Breaking off\ What?

GIRL: She said that I must allow no man to conquer me that has not first conquered my heart. For ’tis not godly, without love, Mother says. And Jesu will look down and punish they who do not commune together in the spirit of true affection – with an empty womb and a useless, shrivelled seed...

MAN: Why, but I have! Have I not wooed thee with the softest tongue? Have I not given thee trinkets – and billets-doux – and jewels? Gad – have I not married thee and vowed to cleave by thy side?

GIRL: Aye, but it has not worked.

MAN: It has not worked?

GIRL: Gad, I do look upon you with a kind eye, but I do not yet feel that a spark has been lit... or a fire started in my belly, such as might engulf me in a torrent of molten-hot flames – my mother told me there should be such a fire before I, young girl as I am, consent to submit to ardour. [Aside\ ’Tis all a lie, I have read all this in plays!

MAN: Why, I have never heard the like. Away with this silly modesty, and let us do our duty as husband and wife. The marriage is not legal without it.

GIRL: With all the guests who came in with us last night and threw the stocking and caroused and bore witness to our bedding?

MAN: ’Tis not enough.

He begins to kiss her neck.

GIRL: I have heard it said that flattery often helps in these matters.

MAN: [Breaking off again\ Flattery?

GIRL: Aye, and perhaps you should attempt it, for who knows, it may work to soften me, as tallow does a rough and inflexible hide.

MAN: The Devil!

GIRL: I will lie here like this, husband, until you have thought of it.

She serenely closes her eyes, folds her hands.

MAN: [Muttering\ I do not see why – uh – why...

She does not move.

MAN: Fine then, have it your way... Oh... your beauty. Gad, I am – struck quite dumb with it.

GIRL: [Nodding with closed eyes\ ’Tis plain.

MAN: But it also – it fires my soul.

GIRL: [Opening one eye\ Go on.

MAN: Your face – it – it is so very pretty. And it – your face I mean – would launch a...

GIRL: Mmm?

MAN: ... hundred... barges.

GIRL: That cannot be it.

MAN: Well then, I am a – a slave to your wondrous charms... I am wretched with love. A poor, poor wretch.

GIRL: [Wriggling\ How so?

MAN: I’ve got it! Uh, would – would I were a sailor charting the blue seas of your limpid eyes...

GIRL: Yes... it may be working.

MAN: ... and your voice is... music. And so sweet. Like the singing of a choir of angels!

GIRL: [Burping\ I beg your pardon. I had a great slab of pie at dinner and it seems it has come back to haunt me. Do continue – I am feeling much more malleable already.

MAN: I worship at the heavenly altar of your celestial body! I will let my burning kisses fall down onto your lips like hot rain!

GIRL: [Aside\ Everything I have been taught suggests that is impossible.

MAN: Let me be your dog, I will lie on you!

GIRL: Oh husband, I find my heart going pit-a-pat. But it may well be the talk of pie.

MAN: Wife!

He pulls her to him. Pushes her arm back above her head.

GIRL: First, swear that you will have none other but me.

MAN: I did so on the Holy Book. Yesterday. Now let us get on with it.

His arms disappear beneath the bedclothes.

GIRL: Wait! For I am afraid, now I think ’pon it, that I cannot now see the advantage to it.

MAN: Advantage! Advantage or not, it does not signify for I have the law behind me in this.

GIRL: The law was writ by men and so it does not surprise me that you have it behind you. What do I have behind me but this bolster – and an invisible army of a thousand angry women with gnashing teeth and hellfire in their eyes? [Pause\ But, Gad, I suppose we must try it – for I have always wanted to see heaven.

MAN: [In the midst of mounting her\ Heaven, child? I hope it will not be that bad.

GIRL: Nay, it has just come back to me now – for I have heard [Aside\ or rather, read – that that is the advantage of the sport of love. That the couple may reach such a state of earth-shattering joy that they may – at climax of their sheet-shaking, at the peak of their princum-prancum, at the crescendo of their frenzied feverish fadoodling – actually see heaven. And in truth I am excited, for it must surely be a better sight than Wiltshire. And so let us begin. [Murmuring\ Oh it will be so beautiful. I shall tell all my friends that I have seen it and exactly what it looked like.

MAN: I’m not sure that’s a good idea.

Curtain

II

DOMESTICITY

In which I spend a quiet...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Dedication
• Contents
• Part: The First
• Part: The Second
• Part: The Third
• Acknowledgements
• Copyright