Bit of blood comes off it onto her hand.

  She gets a towel and wipes it. Fucking hell: more. Manages to contain it.

  Gets a few more chairs.

  Lady Macbeth

  How come this place is not clean? Assistant –

  Servant

  I am the servant.

  Lady Macbeth

  Servant. I meant servant.

  Servant

  I cleaned it this morning, I swept –

  Lady Macbeth

  Well another sweep it seems to require – and these chairs –

  Servant

  Yes with my own cloth I washed them.

  Lady Macbeth

  Wash them again and tell those within the castle to come in – Lennox and Ross are loyal I believe, and we have thanes and lords –

  Servant

  Madam I will.

  Lady Macbeth takes a breath, looks around.

  Seven

  Lady Macbeth and Lady Macduff meet in half-light –

  Lady Macduff

  So you bring me now by force?

  Lady Macbeth

  Would you have come otherwise?

  Lady Macduff

  Do you know what they say about you?

  Lady Macbeth

  And what do you say back?

  Lady Macduff

  I don’t like to believe it.

  Lady Macbeth

  Then don’t.

  You know who I am, and who I have always been to you.

  This is a tricky time I will admit, but will come good by degrees. A few weeks of this turmoil, and then the king –

  Beat.

  Lady Macbeth gets her composure together.

  I didn’t know you were delivered –

  Lady Macduff

  As you see.

  Lady Macbeth

  How was it?

  Lady Macduff

  You know yourself.

  Hell.

  Lady Macbeth

  Yes hell. And now?

  Lady Macduff

  Sore breasts.

  The child doesn’t sleep much. He tires me.

  Lady Macbeth

  A boy?

  Lady Macduff nods.

  Lady Macbeth comes over to her.

  I thought you might have brought him –?

  Lady Macduff

  Here?

  Lady Macbeth

  I thought you might let me see him, yes.

  The cot we have here stands empty

  Lady Macduff

  I’m not coming back.

  Lady Macbeth

  Of course I’m not suggesting, but these weeks – do you really want to be alone? Please Isobel, this time – the thanes are in upheaval again – the only safe place is here with us.

  Lady Macduff

  I am married.

  I belong to my husband, Macduff has promised to return, he hasn’t yet seen his son so even if I –

  Lady Macbeth

  You understand what you say?

  Lady Macduff

  Yes.

  Lady Macbeth

  You are my sister.

  Lady Macduff

  We are cousins, you always said cousins.

  Lady Macbeth

  And what about the baby –?

  Lady Macduff

  What about the baby?

  Lady Macbeth

  I can try to keep you safe, but the lords that are loyal they are saying that the Macduff castle is the centre of the rebellion –

  Lady Macduff

  The Macduff castle is my home. The Macduff castle is my castle, I am Macduff.

  Lady Macbeth

  You said you loathe him –

  Lady Macduff

  He is my husband.

  Lady Macbeth

  If you will not see sense, okay, stand by your husband but bring the child here, I will make sure it remains safe –

  Lady Macduff

  Bring my child to you?

  Lady Macbeth

  Yes why not?

  Lady Macduff

  And then?

  Hear that he died in your arms like all of yours?

  Beat.

  Lady Macbeth looks at her sister.

  Lady Macbeth

  What did you say?

  Lady Macduff

  I said, hear that he died in your arms like all of yours.

  Beat.

  Lady Macbeth

  Tell me, what does this baby look like anyway –?

  Lady Macduff

  You’ll never see him.

  Lady Macbeth

  He looks like Banquo I wager –

  Lady Macduff

  He looks like a baby.

  Lady Macbeth

  Does Macduff know he raises Banquo’s kid?

  Lady Macduff looks at her cousin.

  Lady Macbeth looks back at her.

  Isobel please? I can’t help you if you don’t come here.

  The little girl recites the thanes of Scotland.

  Mae

  Montrose, Kincardine, Birse, Cowie, Arbuthnott, Fettercairn, Kinnaber, Menmuir, Clova, Kinalty, Tannadice, Old Montrose, Menteith, Inverkeilor, Coupar Angus, Longforgan

  Lady Macduff

  Goodbye sister.

  Eight

  Lady Macbeth goes and finds her husband.

  He is lying on the bed.

  She sits down next to him.

  Lady Macbeth speaks to the Doctor.

  Lady Macbeth

  How long has he not slept for now?

  Doctor

  Two weeks.

  Lady Macbeth

  Without any time being still?

  Doctor

  So seems it. sometimes he nods a little, and we hope surely this drought will break but as soon as he is down he is up and walking –

  She climbs onto the bed beside him.

  Macbeth

  The thane of Fife he had a wife. And the wife she had a chook, the both they were across the land and up before the rook –

  She holds him close.

  Lady Macbeth

  Shush shush, don’t say that

  Macbeth

  All that we do, we do together?

  Lady Macbeth

  Yes we do.

  I’m here, I’ve got you.

  She rocks him.

  And for what it’s worth, those women said none of woman born shall harm Macbeth, so – a few days more, then we’re both safe.

  There is no going back.

  Missy joins the reciting the names of the thanes:

  Mae and Missy

  Montrose, Kincardine, Birse, Cowie, Arbuthnott, Fettercairn, Kinnaber, Menmuir, Clova, Kinalty, Tannadice, Old Montrose, Menteith, Inverkeilor, Coupar Angus, Longforgan

  Lady Macduff stands alone, she talks as if to her baby.

  Lady Macduff

  And what will you do now? How will you live? As birds do Mother. What with worms and flies? With what I get, I mean, and so do they. Poor bird, thou’dst never fear the net nor lime, the pitfall not the fin. Why should I Mother? Poor birds they are not set for. My father is gone, for all your saying. Yes he is gone. How wilt thou do for a father. Nay how will you do for a husband?

  Why I can buy me twenty at any market

  Was my father a traitor, mother?

  Aye that he was.

  What is a traitor?

  Why one that swears and lies, everyone that is a traitor must be hanged –

  As she has been talking blood has appeared through her dress.

  We hear the sound of a savage stabbing.

  She looks down at her dress.

  Mae and Missy

  Montrose, Kincardine, Birse, Cowie, Arbuthnott, Fettercairn, Kinnaber, Menmuir, Clova, Kinalty, Tannadice, Old Montrose, Menteith, Inverkeilor, Coupar Angus, Longforgan

  The sounds of a stabbing continues.

  Lady Macduff is covered in blood. She screams.

  Nine

  Lady Macbeth tuns a light on.

  Silence.

  Then the sound of a bird.

  Chairs are set out for a council meeting.

  Lady Macbeth

  Shut the windows – is there a bird in the room?

  Another bird, not Cawdor come back again – shooo – Bring another light, this day is dark

  She rubs her face again.

  She rehearses what she will say.

  Macbeth is safe. We are safe. The mind I sway by, and the heart I bear, shall never sag with doubt nor shake with fear – leave me. I need my supporters not those bearing bad news – supporters come. Friends –

  Those that are left and do believe in us –

  She feels a little faint.

  Some water please.

  I have been too long at this desk – and

  A little water –

  There is no one to help her, she goes to the tap, gets some water.

  Ross and Lennox come in.

  Lady Macbeth rushes to them.

  So glad I am to see you.

  Ross

  Of course –

  Lady Macbeth

  And here in person.

  Ross

  My lord.

  Lady Macbeth

  You mean my lady why call me not so?

  Ross and Lennox look at each other briefly.

  It matters not but I prefer my title –

  Lennox

  Of course my lord.

  Lady Macbeth

  Lady – liege

  Queen in fact.

  Beat.

  Ross

  Where is the queen?

  Lady Macbeth

  The queen is here.

  Ross

  I heard the queen is not well –

  Lady Macbeth

  You heard wrong. The king is not well – just temporarily disposed, the queen however stands in front of you.

  Ross

  Then it is not as I see it.

  I see the king.

  Lady Macbeth

  This is the queen, I am the queen.

  Lennox

  Little matter, let’s take our places –

  Lady Macbeth

  Little matter to confuse me so? I think it is a large matter.

  Ross

  You know your own degrees, sit down.

  Lady Macbeth

  Don’t pronounce it for me, when my tongue speaks they are welcome –

  Lennox

  Perhaps we should wait gentlemen his highness isn’t well.

  Lady Macbeth

  I am well.

  I am well, I am not ‘his highness’ but I am well.

  This is the very construction of all our fears, you cannot see me as your queen because some lens of artifice is in your eye – alright, you want the king, I’ll be the king. So now I am the king. Are you contented? Can I be it by saying so? First item, how many have we loyal to our army –

  Ross

  Some thousands sir.

  Lady Macduff comes in and sits on one of the chairs.

  Lady Macbeth sees her, tries to look away.

  Lady Macbeth

  Some thousand good, well there we are –

  Ross

  But Macduff and the English means to start a siege.

  Lady Macbeth

  I heard it but I think we are prepared. Macduff is at large.

  Lennox

  His castle is surprised but he lives.

  Lady Macbeth

  It is the wrong way around then – I heard he was murdered.

  Ross

  Not so, but his lady sadly mauled.

  Lady Macbeth

  Who ordered it so?

  Ross

  We do not know but –

  Lady Macduff picks up her chair and makes a scraping noise.

  It seems to echo very loudly.

  Lady Macbeth composes herself.

  Lady Macbeth

  A sadness then. My sister gone but her husband still on our tail.

  Lady Macduff reaches down and knocks.

  Banquo walks on also covered in blood and sits next to Lady Macduff.

  Ross

  My lord?

  Lady Macbeth manages to compose herself.

  Lady Macbeth

  Hang out our banners on the outwards walls: the cry is still, ‘They come’. Our castles strength will laugh a siege to scorn. Here let them lie till famine and the ague eat them up.

  Banquo bends down to knock on the floor.

  Were they not forced with those that should be ours, we might have met them full of dare, beard to beard and beat them backward home.

  Lennox

  Well said.

  The knocking is echoing around. Duncan walks on.

  Lady Macbeth

  We will fight them on every front – we have friends don’t we? Call all around – Macbeth is king by rights, and that by means or strength cannot be denied –

  She goes over to Lady Macduff.

  Were you not warned, did you not use your head, you are stupid yes but to go back to the castle – thank me that your baby was saved, I had it written so.

  Ross

  Are you talking to the room or to yourself master?

  Lady Macbeth

  I …

  Mistress.

  She sees blood on her clothing –

  Lady Macbeth

  Excuse me.

  She goes over to the servant –

  I thought we agreed, I was to have a clean dress?

  Servant

  You had a clean dress.

  Lady Macbeth

  This dress is not clean – look, see?

  Servant

  I see nothing

  Lady Macbeth

  There is a mark, a blemish –

  How can I lead the country if I am in a marked dress?

  These men already cannot see me as a woman – their eyes are so accustomed to the male form as leader, so more important is it that I wear a dress that is clean –

  Servant

  I don’t know if we have another dress –

  Lady Macbeth

  Find another.

  Servant

  I gave you one this morning –

  Lady Macbeth

  Or some water then – here’s a spot, and here another – Do not muse at me my worthy friends – just a moment and I will return.

  A new dress is brought.

  She should thank me, not haunt me.

  She takes off her dress and puts on the new one.

  She hears a knocking.

  Who is it that knocks?

  Lennox

  No one madam.

  She goes and puts a bit of tissue under the table.

  Ross

  Can we discuss what supplies we might have for our men –

  Lady Macbeth

  Yes we can – begin –

  Ross

  Glengowrie has said his barn and all the feed for his animals –

  She double-checks that the table isn’t what is making the noise, then she sits down in the new dress.

  Lady Macbeth

  But some thousand you say. Glengowrie is not enough alone. That is good news of course but Kincardine is the best we have? The new Kinross, Findowie – where is Tannadice with his offers? And it is not just our men in battle, we will need to be supplied here – if we are to be under siege, there is a path goes round the back of the castle – some time since it has been used but –

  Why has the Macduff infant not been brought to me?

  Beat.

  I said why has the Macduff infant not been brought to me?

  Ross

  It was as you asked for it.

  Lady Macbeth

  I asked that it was brought to me, I would raise it.

  Ross

  No both dead, laid together in the same box.

  Lady Macbeth

  That is not as I asked for it – he was to be ours – here our heir.

  Lennox

  Crannock and Dalmarnock are coming to our aid.

  Lady Macbeth

  Will you answer me –?

  Ross

  When?

  Lennox

  When they can get here – it is our nearest supporters we call for now.

  Lady Macbeth

  That baby was supposed to be mine –

  Ross

  Fintry, and Strowan?

  Lennox

  Aye appease them with news of how –

  Lady Macbeth

  Will you not answer me! Answer me! He was to be mine –

  They look at her.

  Blood comes through the new dress.

  She sees it.

  She speaks across the room to the servant.

  Is this a game you play? To bring me yet another dress that is marked?

  Is this the limit of your villainy? To see a woman in front of you, you must tease and disrupt not even call her by the title but insist that she be something that she is not. I am not fragmenting – and I am not mad. Mad you will not say the queen was. The king lost his mind yes but the queen, she held it together and made it work as women must when men fold as little children – why is the queen and not the king that was given to the conscience? Why can you not see a queen before you?

  Excuse me. Another dress –

  I will keep changing my dress, and I will keep changing my dress and I will keep changing my dress until there is a clean one on my back – Send out more horses, skirr the country round hang those that talk of fear – I will see us through this siege, you know I will – A little water cleans the dress – I will run this country and I will run it well, excuse me –

  She is standing there trying to get the blood out of the dress. Washing at it and scrubbing –

  Another dress – keep talking, keep talking I can clean my dress while we are talking – another dress –

  The Doctor comes in – Ross watches her.

  Doctor

  It is an accustomed action with her. I have known her continue in this a quarter of an hour.

  Ross

  What means it?

  Doctor

  This disease is beyond my practice: yet I have known those which have walked in their sleep who have died holily in their beds.

  Ross

  Can you not cure her of that? Can’t thou not minister to a mind diseased, pluck from the memory a rooted sorrow, raze out the written troubles of the brain?

  Lady Macbeth

  What? No –

  Doctor

  Therein the patient must minister to herself

  Ross

  Throw physic to the dogs then. I’ll none of it.

  Lady Macbeth

  Whoa – hold on a minute –

  Doctor

  If she will let me take her to be sedated, she might do better –

  Ross

  As you wish, just cure her –

  Lady Macbeth

  Get off me, I do not need curing.

  Doctor

  See she snarls.

  Lady Macbeth

 

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