Downton Abbey Script Book Season 1 (15 page)

ANNA: What d'you mean ‘supposed to be'?

He laughs. He really does like her, no question. They are interrupted by the sound of a bell ringing.

BATES: What's that?

Anna jumps up to look at the bell board. It's the front door. They are both caught out by this.

BATES: I said they shouldn't have let both footmen go.

ANNA: Well, you'll have to answer it. Mr Carson wouldn't like a maid answering the front door.

BATES: He'd be afraid they'd think it was a doctor's surgery.

He has already risen. He walks towards the main hall.

A smooth character, Charles Grigg, stands there, looking like a travelling salesman. He pulls the bell again.

Bates opens the door.

BATES: I'm sorry to have kept you waiting, sir.

GRIGG: So that's why it took you so long.

He casts a sneering look at Bates's stick.

GRIGG (CONT'D): I'm here to see Lord Grantham.

BATES: Is he expecting you?

GRIGG: No. But he'll be very interested in what I have to tell him.

BATES: His lordship is not at home, but if you will leave your name, I—

GRIGG: Don't be all high and mighty with me. I don't know who you are, but you're certainly not the butler, so don't make out you are.

BATES: How do you know?

GRIGG: Because Charlie Carson's the butler round here.

BATES: Does your business concern him?

GRIGG: It might do.

BATES: If you will excuse me for one moment, sir.

Bates walks over to the hovering Anna who's heard all this.

BATES (CONT'D): Fetch Mr Carson as fast as you can. Use the front door.

She nods and hurries off. Bates turns to the visitor who has by now followed him into the hall.

BATES (CONT'D): If you'd like to follow me, sir—

He turns towards the service stair.

GRIGG: Oh, no. If you think you're tucking me away somewhere, you've got another thing coming.

BATES: But you'll be more comfortable, sir—

GRIGG: Sorry, chum.

He turns to the left and walks into the library. Bates, in a quandary, follows him, glancing around.

Grigg strolls through the small library into the main one, surveying it all with a lordly air. He takes up a position in front of the chimneypiece.

GRIGG: Oh aye. I'll not mind waiting here.

SYBIL (V.O.): Bates?

She's in a riding habit in the arch dividing the two libraries. She is staring at the man.

BATES: This gentleman is an acquaintance of Mr Carson, m'lady.

SYBIL: What is he doing in here?

BATES: He says he has urgent business with his lordship.

GRIGG: Urgent.

BATES: I've sent for Mr Carson to come at once.

He gives a clear message with his eyes.

SYBIL: Then I'll stay with you. In case explanations are needed.

Bates mimes ‘Thank you.'

Robert is walking home. Carson is visible some way away. Robert sees Anna racing down the drive, waving at Carson. She reaches him.

ANNA: You're needed at once in the library.

Robert has come through the front door into the outer hall when he hears a noise. He is surprised.

GRIGG (V.O.): How long are you expecting me to wait. I'm a very busy man, you know.

BATES: If you could just be patient for a little longer, sir.

Robert enters, puzzled.

GRIGG: Ah!

ROBERT: May I ask who this is? And what precisely is going on?

There is the sound of running feet and Carson bursts in.

CARSON (V.O.): Mr Bates, what are you …

Carson sees Lord Grantham.

CARSON (CONT'D): I am sorry, your lordship. Mr Bates you may go now.

ROBERT: Please stay where you are. Nobody's going anywhere.

This has defeated Carson's anxiety to clear the room.

ROBERT (CONT'D): Do I take it you know this man?

GRIGG: Don't try and deny it.

CARSON: No, I won't deny it. I do know him, m'lord, but not what he is doing in the library.

BATES: I tried to stick him downstairs, out of sight, Mr Carson, but he wouldn't come.

This makes Carson pause, as Anna comes round the door.

CARSON: Thank you. That was thoughtful.

ROBERT: But who is he?

GRIGG: Will you tell him, or shall I?

CARSON: His name is Charles Grigg. We worked together at one time.

GRIGG: Oh, I'm a little more than that, aren't I, Charlie? We're like brothers, him and me.

CARSON: We are
not
like brothers.

Anna looks over to Carson, standing to attention, silent.

GRIGG: We were an act. On the halls.

ROBERT: You were on the stage? Carson, is this true?

He is genuinely astonished.

CARSON: It is, m'lord.

GRIGG: The Cheerful Charlies. That's what they called us.

Grigg has taken out an old flyer out. Now he unfolds it. There they are. The Cheerful Charlies. Carson says nothing.

GRIGG: We did quite well.

CARSON: Until you couldn't keep your hands out of the till.

ANNA: Would you like us to go, Mr Carson?

CARSON: You know it now. You might as well bear witness to my shame.

BATES: Not ‘shame'—

CARSON:
Shame!

His shout has silenced them all, even Robert and Sybil.

CARSON (CONT'D): He turned up in the village with no warning some days ago, on the run, asking for somewhere to hide. And, of course, for money.

ROBERT: God in heaven.

CARSON: He's wanted for some petty crime, of which he is certainly guilty.

GRIGG: Steady on.

CARSON: He threatened to expose my past, to make me a laughing stock in this house, and in my vanity and pride, I gave him what he wanted.

GRIGG: You did not.

CARSON: I put him in an empty cottage and fed him from the kitchens. I couldn't buy food in the village. It would raise too many questions. I stole. I am a thief. She saw it.

He nods at Anna.

ANNA: I'd never …

CARSON: And now my disgrace is complete. My lord, you have my resignation.

He looks like a tragic hero on his way to the scaffold.

ROBERT: Really, Carson. There's no need to be quite so melodramatic. You're not playing Sydney Carton.

SYBIL: Why did you give up the theatre?

CARSON: He was arrested for theft, and sent down.

GRIGG: I was innocent.

CARSON: After that, I decided on a change of career and chose service.

Robert turns to face Grigg, but the latter is unrepentant.

ROBERT: So, why have you come here? If he's done everything you asked of him?

GRIGG: Because he hasn't. He wouldn't give me any money.

CARSON: If I had, how could I prevent his returning to Downton once it was spent?

Robert, calm and immensely impressive, approaches Grigg.

ROBERT: My dear Mr Grigg—

GRIGG: Oh, nice to see someone round here's got some manners.

CARSON: Hold your tongue!

ROBERT: I'll tell you what is going to happen. When I have given you twenty pounds, you will leave Downton immediately. And we'll never set eyes on you again.

GRIGG: I'll have to see about that.

ROBERT: If you return to the area, I will personally ensure your conviction for theft and blackmail—

GRIGG: Just a minute …

ROBERT: You will serve from five to ten years in His Majesty's custody.

Grigg is furious at his predicament.

GRIGG: You think you're such a big man, don't you? Just because you're a lord, you think you can do what you like with me.

ROBERT: I think it because it is true.

He takes two large white ten pound notes from his wallet. Grigg hesitates, then takes them.

GRIGG: You'll not always be in charge, you know. The day is coming when your lot will have to tow the line, just like everyone else.

ROBERT: Perhaps. But, happily for Carson, that day has not come yet.
*

In another moment, Grigg has gone. Bates and Anna look at each other and follow him. But Carson hesitates.

CARSON: I take it my resignation has not been accepted?

ROBERT: My dear fellow, we all have chapters we would rather keep unpublished.

Carson makes to go, but Robert can't control his curiosity.

ROBERT (CONT'D): To be honest, Carson, I'm rather impressed. Did you really sing and dance and everything? In front of an audience?

CARSON: I did.

ROBERT: Do you ever miss it?

CARSON: Not in the least, m'lord.

He is very disdainful as he goes. Sybil holds the flyer. Robert takes it with a smile and puts it in his pocket.

The others are having a tea break before the dressing gong.

ANNA: Poor Mr Carson. We'll have to treat him like a god for a month to calm his nerves.

BATES: He'll be afraid this'll change the way we think of him.

ANNA: Then we mustn't let it.

BATES: Oh, but it will. The Cheerful Charlies?

He gives her a look and she cannot help laughing.

BATES (CONT'D): For all his talk of dignity, we know his story now.

ANNA: And admire him
more
because of it.

BATES: Maybe. But it will change how we think of him. It always does.

Something sad in his eyes catches her attention.

ANNA: I don't see why. I shouldn't care what I found out about you. Whatever it was, it wouldn't alter my opinion one bit.

BATES: But it would. It certainly would.

Before they are aware of how much they have revealed, there is a crash. They look at each other.

BATES (CONT'D): Blimey. No more surprises please.

Daisy is picking up the pieces of a large china bowl.

MRS PATMORE: Stupid girl! Who's going to pay for it? Can you tell me that?

DAISY: I didn't do nuffin, honest.

MRS PATMORE: Honest? The day you're honest will be the day Queen Mary takes up polo!

DAISY: She put it down wrong on the table and it just fell. I didn't do nuffin.

She hurries past Anna and Bates, with the pieces.

BATES: The Scourge of Tyranny is never far away.

Violet and Cora are together.

VIOLET: We're running out of options. The lawyers I write to only huff and puff. They echo Murray, and say nothing can be done …

CORA: Or they don't want the bother of opposing him.