Downton Abbey Script Book Season 1 (49 page)

DAISY: William, I'm sorry I've been so unkind to you, lately.

WILLIAM: Oh, that's all right.

DAISY: No, it's not all right. I don't know why I said those things.

WILLIAM: You were under an evil spell.

She knows what he means and blushes.

DAISY: I'm not under it now.

WILLIAM: I'm glad.

DAISY: Friends?

WILLIAM: Always friends.

He goes back to the party. She goes to the kitchens.

Mrs Patmore, looking more normal, is supervising. Mrs Bird is with her. All round the other maids carry, wash and dry.

MRS BIRD: I think we should start the ices now. If you agree, Mrs Patmore.

MRS PATMORE: Certainly, Mrs Bird.

There is the unfamiliar sound of a telephone ringing.

MRS PATMORE: Oh, my Lord. Listen to that. It's like the cry of the banshee.

Branson appears in the doorway.

BRANSON: Mr Carson's telephone is ringing. Isn't someone going to answer it?

MRS PATMORE: I wouldn't touch that thing with a ten foot pole.

BRANSON: Well, I will then.

Branson is on the telephone.

BRANSON: No, Mr Carson's busy but can I take a message?

Branson comes tearing round the house. He sees Sybil and races up, rather surprising the others with her, including Edith.

BRANSON: I've got news, m'lady!

She listens and then looks round for Gwen. She sees her walking round the house with a full tray and hurries over.

SYBIL: Mr Bromidge has rung! You've done it, Gwen! You've got the job!

Gwen screams so that one or two guests look over. She turns to a passing maid to get rid of her tray.

GWEN: Take it! Take it!

She and Sybil and Branson hold each other and laugh and spin round. The guests do not see, but Mrs Hughes does.

MRS HUGHES: Something to celebrate?

GWEN: I've got the job, Mrs Hughes! I'm a secretary! I've begun!

MRS HUGHES: I'm very happy for you, Gwen. And we'll celebrate.
After
we've finished today's work.

GWEN: Of course, Mrs Hughes.

She hurries back into the throng, as Mrs Hughes turns away. Sybil and Branson are left holding hands. For a moment, they stare at each other. Then Branson speaks quite softly.

BRANSON: I don't suppose—

MRS HUGHES (V.O.): Lady Sybil!

The young couple look round. The housekeeper has come back.

MRS HUGHES (CONT'D): Her ladyship was asking after you.

Sybil drops Branson's hand and hurries away.

MRS HUGHES (CONT'D): Be careful, my lad. Or you'll end up with no job
and
a broken heart.

BRANSON: What do you mean?

But Mrs Hughes knows what she means. And so does he. Meanwhile Mary strolls with Sir Anthony Strallan.

STRALLAN: I don't seem to be able to find your sister.

MARY: I wonder where she is. Of course, she may have been cornered. I know there was some old bore she was trying to dodge.

This is disturbing to Strallan.

STRALLAN: Who was that?

MARY: I'm not sure. He's simply ghastly apparently, but he'd promised to propose today. I can't tell you how funny she was when she acted it out. She ought to go on the stage.

STRALLAN: Really? Ah, how amusing …

Carson has joined Mrs Hughes by the side of the house.

CARSON: Well done, Mrs Hughes. Beautifully executed as always.

MRS HUGHES: The key is in the planning.

They are interrupted by Thomas.

THOMAS: Mr Carson, this probably isn't the moment, but I've just heard from Doctor Clarkson I've been accepted for a training scheme for the army medical corps.

CARSON: Have you, indeed?

THOMAS: Yes. And I want to do it. So I'll be handing in my notice. I'll serve out the month, of course.

CARSON: Thank you, Thomas. We can talk about it, later.

Thomas goes and Mrs Hughes leans in.

MRS HUGHES: And you couldn't have planned that any better, either.

Edith's with Strallan but he does not seem anxious to talk.

EDITH: You can't be leaving yet!

STRALLAN: I'm afraid I must. Please make my excuses to your mother.

EDITH: But—

It's no good. He hurries away. As Edith follows the wretched man with her eyes, she sees Mary smirking at her. Cora lies on a chaise longue. O'Brien arranges the shawls.

O'BRIEN: I wish you'd come inside, m'lady.

CORA: No. People mustn't think I'm really ill. I don't want to cast a dampener on the party.

O'BRIEN: Very well. But are you sure you have everything you need, m'lady?

CORA: Dear O'Brien. How sweet you are.

As O'Brien walks away, Violet leaves Rosamund to catch her.

VIOLET: O'Brien. Can I have a word? I need a favour and I don't want to bother Lady Grantham with it.

O'BRIEN: Certainly, m'lady.

VIOLET: She's been helping me find a new maid and we've had quite a few answers to her advertisement, Can you find where she's put them, and get Branson to bring them to the Dower House?

O'BRIEN: Her ladyship was helping you find a new lady's maid?

VIOLET: Yes. We should have asked you, really. You might take a look at the letters if you've a minute. There was one we liked the sound of who'd been trained in Paris.

O'Brien is almost in a trance. Violet is a little puzzled.

VIOLET (CONT'D): Do you know where she might have put them? The answers?

O'BRIEN: Oh, yes, m'lady. There are only two or three places they could be.

VIOLET: Dear O'Brien. You're a treasure. Thank you.

Anna is carrying a tray for the kitchens, when she sees Bates.

ANNA: I didn't know a garden party was a spectator sport.

BATES: Pretty, though, isn't it? Hard to believe the clouds are gathering on a summer's day like this.

ANNA: Mr Bates, I know you think I was wrong, to call on your mother …

BATES: I don't think that. She likes you, by the way.

ANNA: I had to find out the truth.

BATES: But, you see, you don't know the whole truth, even now. You know my mother's truth.

ANNA: But not your wife's … Where is she, now?

BATES: Couldn't tell you. So, for all your efforts, everything remains quite unresolved.

But there is a smile on his lips that belies his words.

ANNA: I'd better get back.

As she hurries away, Molesley walks up to Bates.

BATES: You're here, Mr Molesley? I didn't know that.

MOLESLEY: Just helping out.

Together they watch as Anna walks towards the tent.

MOLESLEY (CONT'D): Nice girl, that Anna. Do you know if she's got anyone special in her life?

BATES: I'd like to say she hasn't. I would, truly. But I'm afraid there is someone.

MOLESLEY: And do you think he's keen on her? Or is it worth a go?

BATES: Well, he keeps himself to himself and he's very hard to read at times. But I'd say he's keen. I'd say he was very keen, indeed.

Mrs Patmore passes him, puffing along with a full tray of ice cream set out in little dishes, speaking as she goes. She hurries up to Daisy in the serving tent, who is arranging another tray of cakes.

MRS PATMORE: Daisy! I said ices, not iced cakes! Now, unclog your ears and get these to William before they turn into soup!

Meanwhile, Mary and Matthew are on the edge of the lawn.

MARY: But I don't understand. Nothing's changed.

MATTHEW: Everything's changed.

MARY: You can't be sure I was going to refuse you, even if it had been a boy. Because I'm not.

MATTHEW: That's the point. I can't be sure. Of you. Or of anything, it seems. The last few weeks have taught me that.

MARY: But you can't leave Downton.

MATTHEW: I can't stay. Not now.

MARY: What will you say to Papa?

MATTHEW: That I'm grateful for what he's trying to do, but the experiment is at an end. I'm not a puppet. I must take charge of my own life again.

MARY: Until you inherit.

MATTHEW: If indeed I ever do.

MARY: Would you have stayed, if I'd accepted you?

MATTHEW: Of course.

MARY: So I've ruined everything.

MATTHEW: You have shown me I've been living in a dream, and it's time to return to real life. Wish me luck with it, Mary. God knows I wish the best for you.

As he walks away, Violet is watching with Rosamund.

VIOLET: Well, Rosamund. I'm afraid your meddling has cost Mary the only decent offer she'll ever get.

ROSAMUND: I'm sorry, Mama, but you know me. I have to say what I think.

VIOLET: Why? Nobody else does.

Mary is weeping in the shadows, when Carson approaches.

CARSON: Are you quite well, m'lady?

She answers defiantly but the tears course down her cheeks.

MARY: Of course! You know me, Carson. I'm never down for long.

But she can't stop crying, and so Carson takes her in his arms, patting her back gently as she cries on his shoulder.

CARSON: I know you have spirit, m'lady. And that's what counts. It's
all
that counts, in the end.

Isobel has found Violet. They look across at Matthew.

ISOBEL: So Mary is to be denied her countess's coronet, after all?

VIOLET: Don't crow at me. I think she was very foolish not to take him when she could. And I told her so.

ISOBEL: Well, if I'm perfectly honest, I wonder if Matthew isn't making the same mistake, right now.

This is a kind of truce, as they stroll on. Robert is standing by Cora, with her hand in his.

ROBERT: Are you warm enough?

CORA: I am when you're holding my hand.

Carson approaches. He carries a telegram.

CARSON: Your lordship? This has just arrived for you.

ROBERT: Thank you.

He takes it and would open it, but …

CARSON: I'm happy to tell you that Thomas has just handed in his notice. So we'll be spared any unpleasantness on that score.

ROBERT: What a relief.

He opens the envelope and his face falls. He turns to the company and makes a sign to silence the band.

ROBERT (CONT'D): My lords, ladies and gentlemen, can I ask for silence?

As the band ceases to play, the curious crowd does indeed fall silent. The members of the family, Violet, Cora, the three sisters, plus Isobel, Matthew and Clarkson, look towards him. And so do the servants we know, Carson, the footmen, Bates, Molesley, Anna and Gwen, and, in the serving area at the back, the kitchen maids, the hall boys, Daisy and Mrs Patmore crane for a view of him.

ROBERT: Because I very much regret to announce … that we are at war with Germany.
*

Which is a terrifying and sobering thought.