Downton Abbey Script Book Season 1 (44 page)
Read Downton Abbey Script Book Season 1 Online
Authors: Julian Fellowes
CLARKSON: No, Lady Grantham sent a message.
ROBERT: Why? She's not ill, is she?
CLARKSON: Not âill', exactly â¦
ROBERT: Would you mind waiting in the library?
Robert makes for the stairs. Cora appears in her dressing gown on the landing at the top.
CORA: Robert, would you come up for a moment? Doctor Clarkson, can I ask you to wait in the library?
Clarkson goes to the library as Robert goes upstairs.
ROBERT: This is very mysterious.
Robert is thunderstruck.
ROBERT:
Pregnant?
CORA: You needn't be quite so shocked.
ROBERT: Give me a moment. You haven't been pregnant for eighteen years.
CORA: And I'm pregnant now.
ROBERT: I don't understand what we've done differently.
She holds up her hand.
CORA: Stop, right there. If you want to know more, go down and offer the doctor some whisky.
ROBERT: I can't take it in.
CORA: But you're pleased?
ROBERT:
Of course
. Of course I'm pleased.
*
Thomas smokes as he reads the letter.
THOMAS: I didn't think she'd do it.
O'BRIEN: I told you she would. I could see she was interested. And I was speaking as one lady's maid to another. That means something, you know.
THOMAS: 'Course we thought we had him before but he's a slippery devil.
Robert and Clarkson are drinking whisky.
CLARKSON: It's unusual, obviously.
ROBERT: Unusual? It's biblical.
CLARKSON: Not quite. You understand women go through a certain ⦠change.
ROBERT: Thank you. I know quite as much as I need to about all
that
.
CLARKSON: Well, sometimes it can result in a surge of ⦠fertility, for want of a better word. It might have been what happened with St Elizabeth.
Robert is not interested in discussing St Elizabeth.
ROBERT: But the child will be healthy?
CLARKSON: Oh, there's no reason why not.
ROBERT: How long has she �
CLARKSON: Hard to be precise. Things had become irregular, but â¦
ROBERT: Please!
CLARKSON: I'd say she's about four months gone. It'll begin to show soon.
ROBERT: And I don't suppose there's any way of knowing if it's a â¦
Clarkson does not answer. The door opens. Mrs Hughes stands in the doorway.
MRS HUGHES: I do beg your pardon, m'lord. I thought you were alone.
CLARKSON: Please come in, Mrs Hughes. I'm just leaving.
Mrs Hughes turns to the open door and calls gently.
MRS HUGHES: William!
ROBERT: Well, thank you, Doctor ⦠I'd better start writing some letters
William appears in the doorway.
MRS HUGHES: Show Doctor Clarkson out.
The others go and Robert and Mrs Hughes are alone.
MRS HUGHES: I didn't want to bother her ladyship, if she's not well â¦
ROBERT: She's resting, but tell me anyway.
MRS HUGHES: It's Mrs Patmore, m'lord. The time has come when we really have to make a decision.
Carson is with Thomas and O'Brien. He's reading the letter.
THOMAS: Now do you believe me?
CARSON: Careful, Thomas. Your position is not a strong one.
O'BRIEN: Don't punish
us
, Mr Carson. It's Mr Bates who's wanting here.
THOMAS: Tell me, Mr Carson, do you think it right, a man like
that
should live and work at Downton?
Carson is floored. Thomas and O'Brien share a quick look.
Mary is sitting by the window when the door opens and the servant announces Mr Evelyn Napier. Evelyn comes into the room.
SERVANT: Mr Napier, m'lady.
MARY: What a surprise. I'm afraid you've just missed my aunt.
EVELYN: I know. I watched her leave.
Mary gestures for him to sit. He lays his hat on the floor.
MARY: How are your wedding plans going?
EVELYN: Not very well ⦠In fact, we've decided to call it off.
MARY: Really? It seemed quite fixed at Sybil's ball. What a shame! Please.
She motions him to sit down.
EVELYN: It'll be better in the long run.
MARY: Perhaps. I know what high hopes you have of the institution.
She is cold. This is a man who effectively turned her down.
EVELYN: The thing is, Lady Mary, I am here today because I needed to tell you something, face to face, before you went to the country.
MARY: âFace to face'? Gracious me.
EVELYN: I've recently heard gossip about the time when I came to Downton with Kemal Pamuk. Gossip that I believe has made life difficult for you. I've also heard it said that I am the source of these stories.
Mary just looks at him. She will not help.
EVELYN (CONT'D): It is
very
important to me that you should know I am not. From that day to this, I have never spoken one word on the matter.
MARY: Then who did?
EVELYN: It seems to come from the Turkish Embassy, from the Ambassador, himself, in fact. And his wife.
MARY: But who told them, if not you?
EVELYN: This is the hard part. When I discovered the answer, I debated whether I should relay it, but in the end I feel you ought to know.
MARY: The suspense is killing me.
EVELYN: It was your sister, Lady Edith, who wrote to the Ambassador. That is why people accept the story.
MARY:
Edith?
EVELYN: It's very hard to believe.
MARY: Harder for you than for me.
Carson is with Mrs Hughes.
MRS HUGHES: I love the thought of a baby in the house, but if it's a boy â¦
CARSON: It'll be very hard on Mr Crawley.
He has completed her sentence. She is surprised. He nods.
CARSON (CONT'D): I know. I was no great champion when he first arrived. But it seems to me he's tried his best, and he's done the decent thing.
MRS HUGHES: I can't see that coming off.
CARSON: You don't mean the engagement?
MRS HUGHES: But it's not an engagement yet, is it?
CARSON: She'd never throw him over!
MRS HUGHES: Mr Carson, Lady Mary Crawley does not deserve you.
His shocked expression has made her smile.
Violet is with Cora.
VIOLET: And she hasn't been in touch with Cousin Matthew?
CORA: Not that I've heard.
Violet nods. She doesn't want to comment on this bad sign.
VIOLET: Wonderful news, of course. You must look after yourself.
CORA: Don't worry. O'Brien has me wrapped in silk and feathers.
VIOLET: You're lucky. I have a horrible feeling Simmons is about to hand in her notice. She's looking very fidgety, lately, and I saw her hurrying to meet the postman.
CORA: You poor thing. Is there anything worse than losing one's maid?
VIOLET: I mean, why would she want to leave me? I've been as gentle as a lamb.
Cora says nothing.
VIOLET (CONT'D):
Most
of the time.
Robert is walking with Matthew, in front of the house.
ROBERT: I want to say I'll make provision for you, if it's a boy and you're pushed outâ
MATTHEW: Don't worry. I know you can't. If any man living understands the strength of the entail, it's me.
ROBERT: I can give you Crawley House for life, if it's a help.
*
MATTHEW: Have you heard from Mary?
ROBERT: No. Have you?
Matthew shakes his head. They know this is significant.
ROBERT (CONT'D): By the way, I want to ask a favour. What's the name of your cook? The one you brought with you from Manchester?
MATTHEW: Mrs Bird.
Daisy is loading William's tray, while Mrs Patmore is draining some vegetables. She is very clumsy.
DAISY: I'll get it, Mrs Patmore!
She darts in and saves the boiling saucepan.
MRS PATMORE: Oh! Don't fuss me!
WILLIAM: Is that everything?
DAISY: Yeah. How are you feeling?
WILLIAM: Well, most people's parents die before them, and so they should â¦
THOMAS: Oh, give it a rest.
He has also come down to load up his tray.
THOMAS (CONT'D): Your mother knew how to drag it out. I'll say that for her.
WILLIAM:
What?
MRS HUGHES (V.O.): Thomas! Get up to the servery!
She's arrived as Mrs Patmore screams. She's burned herself.
MRS PATMORE: You gave me the wrong cloth! Ow!
MRS HUGHES: Here, sit down, Mrs Patmore.
MRS PATMORE: I can't sit down. I've got the luncheon to finish!
MRS HUGHES: It was not a suggestion â¦
Sit!
Daisy and I'll finish the luncheon.
ISOBEL: So he'll give us this house for life, will he? How generous!
MATTHEW: It
is
generous. He doesn't have to. But it's made me think. You must stay here if you want but I wonder if it mightn't be better all round, if I went back to Manchester.
*
ISOBEL: It may not be a boy.
MATTHEW: Really, mother. You never approved of it all in the first place. If it
is
a boy, you should see it as a release, not a disappointment.
ISOBEL: What does Mary say?
MATTHEW: Nothing yet.
They both know they should have heard. The door opens. Molesley enters with a grim-looking woman. Mrs Bird.
MOLESLEY: You wanted to see Mrs Bird, sir.
MATTHEW: Yes. Mrs Bird, Lord Grantham has rather a favour to ask of you.
MRS BIRD: I'm surprised Lord Grantham knows that I exist, sir.
Bates is laying out Robert's tails, when Carson appears.
CARSON: I'm sorry to disturb you.
BATES: Quite all right.
CARSON: Mr Bates, it's about your somewhat startling confession. As you'll have surmised his lordship has yet to come to a decision â¦
BATES: His delay is generous.
CARSON: However, it will be no surprise to you that Miss O'Brien has been unwilling to let things drop. It seems that, when we were in London, she made a new friend. A lady's maid in the house of a colonel of your former regiment.
He hands over the familiar letter for Bates to read.
CARSON (CONT'D): Please tell me that this account is false, at least in part.
BATES: I wish I could.
CARSON: I'll have to show it to his lordship.