Downton Abbey Script Book Season 1 (37 page)

VIOLET: Congratulations, Mr Molesley.

BILL MOLESLEY: Thank you, m'lady. Thank you for letting me have it.

VIOLET: It is the judge's decision, not mine. But very well done.

He leaves the stage where his friends mill around him as Violet rejoins her family.

ROBERT: Bravo, Mama. That must have been a real sacrifice.

CORA: And bravely borne.

VIOLET: I don't know what everyone is going on about. It's the judges who decide these things, not me.

Cora is puzzled.

CORA: But I …

VIOLET: All is well, my dear. All is well.

Firmly, she crumples the list and hides it in her reticule, as the celebrations continue around her.
*

The house is quiet. Edith, dressed for bed, sits at a writing table. She is addressing an envelope. She licks it, closes the flap and puts it down on the blotter where we can read it. ‘His Excellency the Turkish Ambassador, 43 Belgrave Square, London, SW.'
*

 

 

May 1914. There is a crowd at a rally in this country town. Among them is Sybil Crawley. A Liberal Parliamentary candidate speaks from a raised platform.

LIBERAL CANDIDATE: Last June saw Emily Davison crushed to death beneath the hooves of the King's horse! Will the summer of 1914 prove as fatal for the hopes of women? It cannot!

A woman heckles him. She's standing next to Isobel Crawley.

LIBERAL CANDIDATE (CONT'D): This historic by-election has been the first step of the journey to women's equality.

SECOND HECKLER: If you're so keen on women's rights, let a woman speak!

THIRD HECKLER: Why stop there? Let's get the dogs up, and listen to them bark!

The crowd starts to jostle. There are shouts and jeers. Branson approaches Sybil, who is bubbling with enthusiasm. A clod of earth strikes him on the chest, but he struggles on.

BRANSON: Are you all right, m'lady?

SYBIL: Isn't it exciting?
*

LIBERAL CANDIDATE (CONT'D): Are we to lie down under the weight of the iniquitous Cat and Mouse Act? So women are thrown out of prison when the system has nearly killed them, only to be dragged back inside when they have regained the strength to fight the forces of oppression? Mr Asquith tells us he is a Liberal. Well, so am I. He tells us this law was an act of mercy. I disagree, but let us give him the benefit of the doubt. That said, if the fate of women troubles him, then let us send him a message. Let us send him a message with this vote, so loud and so clear that he can hear it far away in London. The people of Ripon demand justice, not just for the men, but for the women of England, too! Their hour has come! Soon, they will be in Parliament representing themselves, but, until then, they must find champions where they may, and you all may rest assured that I am one of them!
*

As a missile strikes him, and the mood of the crowd grows angrier, Isobel hurries over to where Sybil is standing with Branson. Their dialogue is played against the background of the continuing speech.

MAN: You're an idiot.

ISOBEL: Sybil? I think it's time Branson took you home.

SYBIL: Not yet.

ISOBEL: I think so. I applaud your spirit in coming, and I will applaud your discretion when you leave.

SYBIL: But you do agree with everything he says?

ISOBEL: I do, my dear. But I also know that if anything happens to you, Branson will lose his place.
†

BRANSON: Better safe than sorry, m'lady.

With a smile at Isobel, he pulls Sybil through the throng.

BRANSON: The car's just here.

SYBIL: Women must get the vote, mustn't they, Branson? Why does the Prime Minister resist the inevitable?

BRANSON: Politicians can't often recognise the changes that are inevitable.

They have reached the car and now they climb in.

Sybil settles into her seat as they drive along.

SYBIL: I hope you do go into politics. It's a fine ambition.

BRANSON: Ambition or dream?

SYBIL: Ambition. Definitely. They can't afford to lose a man like you.

She says this simply, with a laugh, but he is pleased.

BRANSON: If I do, it's not all about women and the vote for me, nor even freedom for Ireland. It's social injustice. It's the conditions of the workers and the gap between the aristocracy and the poor and—

SYBIL: And what?

BRANSON: I'm sorry. I don't mean to speak against his lordship.

SYBIL: Why not? You obviously don't approve of him.

BRANSON: Not as the representative of an oppressive class, but he's a good man and a decent employer.

SYBIL: Spoken like a true politician. If a rather Jesuitical one.

He smiles. They have a relaxed relationship, these two.
*
Sybil catches sight of the clock on the dashboard.

SYBIL (CONT'D): Golly. Is that the time?

Now she sees herself in the driving mirror.

SYBIL (CONT'D): What
do
I look like? Would you sneak me in round the back? I should hate for Papa to see me like this. Branson, if you want to be in politics, why aren't you?

BRANSON: Oh, no reason, really, m'lady. Just a little thing called money.

She keeps forgetting the distance between them.

Mrs Patmore is with Daisy.

MRS PATMORE: You foolish girl! Is it likely? Would I tell you to start a sauce today that's for tomorrow?

MRS HUGHES (V.O.): You might.

She is in the doorway, watching.

MRS PATMORE: What do you want?

MRS HUGHES: You asked for some baking soda.

MRS PATMORE: Though why I should
have
to ask—

MRS HUGHES: Once and for all, Mrs Patmore,
the housekeeper has the keys to the store cupboard
. That is how these things are managed. I did not invent the rules.

MRS PATMORE: Maybe not. But if you ask me, the rules should change.

MRS HUGHES: Really? And have you any thoughts on the future of the House of Lords while you're at it?

She hands the packet to the cook and walks out.

Carson is reading a letter when Mrs Hughes arrives.

MRS HUGHES: Mrs Patmore is very cruel to that poor girl.

CARSON: Mrs Patmore is frightened.

MRS HUGHES: Is she right to be?

CARSON: Well, Doctor Clarkson's confirmed she has cataracts.

MRS HUGHES: What can be done about it?

CARSON: There are treatments, but even the best are uncertain. And she doesn't want to risk losing what sight she still has.

MRS HUGHES: I don't blame her. But it can't go on forever.

CARSON: No …

He sounds depressed as he looks down at the letter.

MRS HUGHES: Oh, dear. Have you had bad news? I shouldn't have bothered you.

CARSON: No, you weren't to know.

He sighs as he puts the letter back.

Sybil is creeping along the passage. She almost runs into William, who's carrying a silver table centrepiece.

WILLIAM: Blimey. Excuse me, m'lady.

SYBIL: William, will you find Anna and tell her I've gone upstairs?

WILLIAM: Very good, m'lady.

She goes up the backstairs but we follow him to:

Bates, Anna, O'Brien and Thomas are there. Thomas is by the door as William pushes it, spilling Thomas's tea.

THOMAS: You clumsy clodhopper.

WILLIAM: Sorry.

THOMAS: You will be sorry when I've finished with you. Look at this!

BATES: Leave him alone.
*

WILLIAM: Anna, Lady Sybil's back from Ripon. She's gone up to her room.

Anna nods and leaves.

O'BRIEN: Why does she waste her precious time on politics?

THOMAS: Hear, hear.

BATES: Oh, don't you believe in rights for women, Thomas?

THOMAS: What's it to you?

BATES: Well, I know you don't believe in the rights of property.

Thomas looks at him. Is this a threat?

BATES (CONT'D): I think some people might find that interesting.

THOMAS: Who's going to tell them? You?

But Bates just smiles. Thomas glances at O'Brien.

Mrs Hughes is hurrying along. She reaches Carson's door.

MRS HUGHES: Mr Carson, are you all right?

CARSON: Why shouldn't I be?

MRS HUGHES: You've never rung the dressing gong and Mrs Patmore's doing a souffle' for the first course.

CARSON: Oh, my God—

He snatches at his watch, jumps up and hurries out.

Pharaoh watches as Bates holds a tailcoat open for Robert.

ROBERT: Rather unlike Carson. We'd better go straight in to dinner.

BATES: I'll tell Miss O'Brien and Anna.

ROBERT: Any more news of the by-election? Mr Crawley was here earlier. He said his mother had gone to the Liberal rally in Ripon. The vicar's wife took her. Classic.

BATES: I hear it was quite lively.

ROBERT: I dare say the Townies will make the usual stink when the Tory candidate's returned.

BATES: I'm not sure. I heard the Liberal was given a hard time, today. Mr Branson said it was getting out of hand when they left.

Bates has been talking easily as he folds the day clothes.

ROBERT: Typical Branson to be there. I hope he squared it with Carson. Who went with him?

Bates realises he has put his foot in it.

BATES: Uh … I'm not sure anyone went with him, m'lord.

ROBERT: But you just said ‘they'. Who was with him?

BATES: I don't like to say.

ROBERT: Bates. Who was with him?

BATES: Lady Sybil.

ROBERT:
Lady Sybil?
Why?

BATES: I should never have mentioned it, m'lord. I thought you knew.

ROBERT: No, I did not know.

The family has just sat down to dinner. Violet is with them. Carson, Thomas and William are serving.