VIOLET: Yes, yes, it’s all very admirable. And I give her full credit.
MATTHEW: And giving her that credit, do you think it would be right for me to throw her over because I can walk? To dismiss her, because I no longer have need of her services?
VIOLET: Spoken like a man of honour, and we will not fall out over this.
MATTHEW: But you don’t agree.
VIOLET: I would just say one thing: marriage is a long business. There’s no getting out of it for our kind of people. You may live forty, fifty years with one of these two women. Just make sure you have selected the right one.*
* The strangeness of Violet coming to Matthew’s bedroom was quite deliberate on my part. I wanted it to seem almost daring, an extreme measure – but it is also a sensible one. She could have cornered him in the drawing room for a chat, but that would have risked their being overheard, which she avoids by button-holing him in his room. For me, the point of this exchange is to show that Violet is good-hearted, but also practical. She would not encourage Mary’s love for Matthew if they were not both unmarried, nor while Matthew was unable to walk or to father a child. But all of that’s been solved, so her imperative now is to stop four youngish people making the wrong decision, and to help at least two of them to be happy. Of course, it’s true that Violet would rather see Mary as Countess of Grantham living at Downton than as Lady Mary Carlisle living in London, or even at Haxby. But there is more to it than that. She would like her granddaughter and Robert’s heir to live contented lives, and she has no patience with Matthew’s allowing principle to overturn their chance of this. For Violet, reality trumps theory every time. She doesn’t dislike him for defending his vows to Lavinia, quite the contrary, but she has the experience of the old to know that what we’re talking about is half a century of lost opportunity, and it won’t be worth it.
40 INT. HALL. DOWNTON. NIGHT.
Robert comes downstairs and almost walks into Jane coming out of the dining room. He is awkward as he nods and walks towards the drawing room. Jane looks after him before going through the baize door. All this is seen by Mrs Hughes, who emerges from the shadows, as Cora comes down into the hall.
MRS HUGHES: Your ladyship, I’m sorry about that… interruption at luncheon.
CORA: I assume it wasn’t exactly planned.
MRS HUGHES: No. Ethel was only here because I hoped there might be a chance for Mrs Bryant to see the baby…
CORA: I don’t think we knew quite what we’d be dealing with in Mr Bryant.
MRS HUGHES: I hope you weren’t too embarrassed.
CORA: If a little embarrassment could’ve helped to unite that baby with his family it would’ve been worth it.
MRS HUGHES: Well, that’s just what I said — I mean, thank you, m’lady.
CORA: I’m only sorry it didn’t work.
She walks towards the drawing-room door…
41 INT. DRAWING ROOM. DOWNTON. NIGHT.
Cora enters. The family is gathering before dinner.
EDITH: But of course we’ll all help. We’d love to.
LAVINIA: It won’t be a grand affair. Really not. Just local friends and family.
EDITH: Will it be April or May?
VIOLET: I should steer clear of May. ‘Marry in May, rue the day.’
LAVINIA: I think it’s April. Matthew should be walking normally by then.*
EDITH: Spring weddings are the prettiest of all…
On the other side of the room, Mary is with Carlisle.
CARLISLE: All this talk of weddings is making me impatient.
MARY: I don’t think we can go into competition with Matthew and Lavinia, do you?
CARLISLE: After, then. In the summer. Let’s settle it before I return to London. You must be looking forward to travelling again. I know I am.
MARY: Very well. The end of July. Then we can be out of England for August.
CARLISLE: You don’t sound very excited.
MARY: To quote you: ‘That’s not who we are.’
She looks at him for a moment. The door opens and Matthew wheels himself in.
MARY (CONT’D): Why did you try to bribe Anna?
CARLISLE: She told you, did she? I thought she’d give me away.
MARY: She didn’t. Not to me. But why did you do it? Next time, if you want to know anything, just ask me.
Matthew guides the chair to the chimneypiece, then stands, holding onto it.
ROBERT: Well done.
The others in the room applaud.
CARLISLE: All right, then. I will. Once and for all, are you still in love with Matthew Crawley?
MARY: Of course not. Would I ever admit to loving a man who preferred someone else over me?
She laughs and strolls over to Edith and Lavinia.
MARY (CONT’D): Where’s Sybil?
EDITH: She’s not feeling well. She told Anna she wouldn’t be down for dinner.
Robert has joined Carlisle. He raises his brows.
ROBERT: I suppose your wedding will follow hard behind.
CARLISLE: Don’t worry. I can always help you out, if things are tight.
Robert had been quite polite. Now he becomes glacial.
ROBERT: How kind. But it won’t be necessary.*
* As in all her story, we’re very careful to make Lavinia sweet and warm as she discusses the nuptials. Hopefully, the nicer she is, the more the audience thinks, poor girl. That’s the idea, anyway.
* I was sorry we lost Carlisle offering Robert money to help him out. If he’d understood Robert better, he would have realised that all this offer would do would be to confirm his dislike. But the gulf between Robert and Carlisle is too wide for any bridge to span. Then again, I suspect we have already made the differences between them clear by this stage.
42 INT. KITCHEN PASSAGE. DOWNTON. NIGHT.
Bates is with Anna.
ANNA: What is it?
BATES: I heard from my lawyer today. Apparently, Vera wrote to a friend just before my last visit.
ANNA: Why are they telling you now?
BATES: It was lost in the post. It was only delivered a few days ago.
ANNA: Do you know what the letter says?
BATES: They’ve sent me a copy.
He takes out a letter and hands it to her.
ANNA: ‘John has written and he’s coming here tonight. His words sound as angry as I’ve ever heard him, and you know how angry that is. I never thought I’d say this, but I’m afraid for my life —’
She looks up, bewildered.
ANNA (CONT’D): But what did you write to her?
BATES: Nothing like that. At least, that I can remember. I said I was coming that evening and I meant to have it out with her. I may have said she was being unreasonable, but so she was.
ANNA: Will it change anything?
BATES: Well, think about it. Before Vera’s death she had taken all my money and she had wrecked the divorce. Now, as her widower, I inherit everything and we can marry whenever we like.
His words strike her with the situation afresh.
ANNA: So what are you saying? You had a motive to kill her?
BATES: Of course I had a motive. And I had the opportunity…
MRS HUGHES (V.O.): Anna, they’re going in.
She is watching them. Anna nods and leaves.
MRS HUGHES: You look as if you’ve got the cares of the world on your shoulders.
BATES: Not the whole world, Mrs Hughes, but quite enough of it.
43 INT. BEDROOM PASSAGE. DOWNTON. NIGHT.
Mary is outside Sybil’s door. She knocks and turns the handle, but, to her surprise, it is locked. She knocks again.
MARY: Sybil? Sybil, I just want to say goodnight.
But there is no response. She tries the door again.
44 INT. KITCHEN PASSAGE. DOWNTON. NIGHT.
Anna stops outside Mrs Hughes’s door and opens it.
ANNA: Mrs Hughes, can I borrow the duplicate keys for upstairs?
MRS HUGHES: Why?
ANNA: Lady Mary says one of the bathroom keys isn’t working. She thinks it must have got swapped.
MRS HUGHES: Oh, I’ll come.
ANNA: No, no, there’s no need. I’ll bring them back in a jiffy. You’ve done enough for one day.
MRS HUGHES: Well, that’s true.
She gives the ring of labelled keys into Anna’s hands.
45 INT. SYBIL’S BEDROOM. DOWNTON. NIGHT.
The door opens and Mary and Anna appear. The room is empty, the bed made. Mary seizes the note on the dressing table.
MARY: Oh, my God. She’s eloped. She’s on her way to Gretna Green…*
* The elopement came from a real story I heard at a dinner party in Derbyshire. An earl’s daughter, the great-aunt of my table companion, eloped with the groom one night in the early 1900s and left a note for her parents. In the event, the father took off after them and brought her back, and what happened subsequently I could not tell you. Anyway, as I listened, I thought, yes, that’s rather good.
46 INT. EDITH’S BEDROOM. DOWNTON. NIGHT.
Edith is hurriedly fastening a day skirt.
EDITH: But if they’ve taken the car —
MARY: They’ve taken the old car. You’ll have to drive the Daimler.
Edith looks at her sister, still in evening dress.
EDITH: You’d better get changed, too.
Mary looks at Anna in her maid’s outfit.
MARY: And you, if you’re coming with us. Get the keys back to Mrs Hughes and meet us in the stableyard. And for God’s sake, don’t tell anyone.
Anna nods and hurries away.
47 INT. CORA’S BEDROOM. DOWNTON. NIGHT.
Robert is in bed while Cora is sitting at her glass.
ROBERT: What a Boer that fellow Carlisle is. Will we be able to stand him on a regular basis? I can’t help wishing she’d throw him over.
CORA: It’s pointless to think like that.
ROBERT: I don’t see why. He could probably sell Haxby at a profit. I’m sure there’s some ghastly tycoon who’d love what he’s done with it.
CORA: Mary is in Richard’s debt. She owes him a great deal.
ROBERT: What do you mean?
Cora had been talking absent-mindedly, as she was absorbed in her appearance. Now she realises what she has said.
CORA: I don’t mean anything.
ROBERT: Why is Mary in Carlisle’s debt?
CORA: Robert, the point is, it’s too late to relaunch Matthew and Mary, if that’s your plan.
ROBERT: It was too late for that the moment you decided to bring Lavinia back into his life.
CORA: I’m too tired to argue. Can we go to sleep?
48 INT. MOTOR CAR. GREAT NORTH ROAD. NIGHT.
Edith is at the wheel. Mary is next to her, with Anna behind.
MARY: They must stop at some point. It won’t be open before the morning.
EDITH: They won’t expect us to be in pursuit until tomorrow, so they’ll stay somewhere on the road.
ANNA: We hope.
This is not very helpful.
EDITH: Everyone keep an eye out for the motor.
They race on.
49 INT. KITCHEN/LARDER. DOWNTON. NIGHT.
The kitchen is empty. Daisy comes in and turns on the light, and goes into the larder. There are three cakes, the layers of a wedding cake, on a wire tray, with a little one next to them. She smiles. Then Mrs Patmore arrives.
MRS PATMORE: Daisy? What in God’s name are you doing down here at this hour?
DAISY: I just wanted to check it were all right. That it hadn’t, you know, caved in or anything.
MRS PATMORE: Caved in? It’s a cake, not a soufflé.
DAISY: I know. But I’ve never made a wedding cake before.
MRS PATMORE: Is that the one for tasting?
DAISY: Yes, Mrs Patmore.
MRS PATMORE: Well, bring it out. We’ll give it a try.
Daisy emerges with the little cake. They sit and Mrs Patmore cuts two slices. They each take a mouthful. And spit it out.
MRS PATMORE (CONT’D): Ugh! What in God’s name do you call this?
DAISY: I don’t know… I did everything that you said. I promise.
MRS PATMORE: But didn’t you taste the mixture?
Daisy shakes her head in misery.
MRS PATMORE (CONT’D): Oh, well, then I’m afraid it’s time to look at Thomas’s ingredients.
She storms into the larder again, reaching for a jar labelled ‘Flour’. She sticks in her finger and licks it.
MRS PATMORE (CONT’D): Pah! It’s two-thirds plaster dust. Where’s the peel?
Daisy brings down a pot. Mrs Patmore tastes and spits it out.
MRS PATMORE (CONT’D): Ugh! Well, this were old when Adam were a boy.
She turns to the weeping Daisy.
MRS PATMORE (CONT’D): So, Thomas was happy to ‘let it go’, was he? Well, it won’t go anywhere near me in future! Chuck the whole bally lot out and we’ll have to think again…
50 INT. MOTOR CAR. GREAT NORTH ROAD. NIGHT.
The three are still watching, when…
ANNA: Isn’t that the car?
Edith slows down.
51 INT. PUBLIC HOUSE. GREAT NORTH ROAD. NIGHT.
The three young women face a tired man in a dressing gown.
INNKEEPER: It’s too late. We’re not open.
MARY: We don’t want a room. We’ve an urgent message for two of your guests. It’s a matter of life and death. Literally.
INNKEEPER: Which guests?
52 INT. SYBIL’S ROOM. PUBLIC HOUSE. NIGHT.
The door bursts open and they run in. Sybil turns on the light. She is on the bed, fully dressed, and Branson, also dressed, is sitting in a chair. He jumps up.
BRANSON: How did you find us? How did you know?
MARY: Never mind that. At least nothing’s happened, thank God.
By now Sybil is standing.
SYBIL: What do you mean, nothing’s happened? I’ve decided to marry Tom and your coming after me won’t change that.
EDITH: This isn’t the way.
MARY: She’s right. Of course Mama and Papa will hate it —
BRANSON: Why should they?
MARY: Oh, pipe down. Sybil, can’t you let them get used to the idea? Take your stand and refuse to budge, but allow them time. That way, you won’t have to break up the family.
SYBIL: They would never give permission.
MARY: You don’t need permission. You’re twenty-one. But you do need their forgiveness, if you’re not to start your new life under a black shadow.
Sybil is weakening. She sees the logic of what Mary’s saying.
BRANSON: Don’t listen. She’s pretending to be reasonable to get you home again.
MARY: Even if I am, even if I think this is mad, I know it would be better to do it in broad daylight than to sneak off like a thief in the night.
Sybil turns to Branson. She does need his permission.
BRANSON: Go back with them, then. If you think they can make you happier than I will.
SYBIL: Am I so weak you believe I can be talked out of giving my heart in five minutes flat? But Mary’s right. I don’t like deceit, and our parents don’t deserve it. So I’ll go back with them. But, believe it or not, I will stay true to you.
She picks up her case, which Anna takes off her. They go. Edith follows and Branson and Mary are alone.
BRANSON: I’ll return the car in the morning.
Mary nods and starts for the door.
BRANSON (CONT’D): You’re confident you can bring her round, aren’t you?
MARY: Fairly. I’ll certainly try. Do you want some money? For the room?
Branson stares at her, the class enemy who has defeated him.
BRANSON: No, thank you, m’lady. I can pay my own way.*
* Mary’s behaviour to Branson is not unreasonable, certainly not in the context of the world as it was then. Initially, she thinks the relationship is an absurd idea, and it doesn’t occur to her to consider i
t in any light other than as a mad scheme that they have to rescue Sybil from. But later, once it’s happened, she is not prepared to quarrel with her sister, so she thinks the only sensible course is for them all to get used to the idea and make friends with the chauffeur/suitor. In my experience, this is true of most sensible people when dealing with the prospect of a marriage within their family that they consider to be mad. They will fight against it, almost to the death, but once it’s happened they will try to put all that behind them and get on with it. The problem comes when the bride or groom whom no one wanted cannot forgive the initial lack of welcome.
END OF ACT FOUR
ACT FIVE
53 INT. SERVANTS’ STAIRCASE. DOWNTON. THE DARK BEFORE DAWN.
They are by the servants’ stairs. Sybil takes her case.
SYBIL: Go to bed.
ANNA: I’m supposed to be up in an hour.
SYBIL: Get Jane to say you’re ill.
Mary turns to Sybil.
MARY: You’re all right. You can just go on pretending to be ill and have a day in bed.
ANNA: You’d better go up the main stair, in case you meet Daisy coming down.
They part. Anna hurries upstairs.
SYBIL: I suppose I should thank you, and I do in a way, but you won’t persuade me to give him up.
EDITH: I can’t talk about it any more tonight.
MARY: At least that’s something we can all agree on.
Silently, they push through the door into the main hall.*
* This scene had to go, but it was rather a charming moment when they all peeled off to go to their different rooms. The four of them have come in by the servants’ entrance and therefore climbed the servants’ stairs, because they have all been in this adventure together. It would have been the only time we ever saw Mary on the service staircase. But we always have too much, and it just wasn’t important enough to survive the cut.
54 INT. DINING ROOM. DOWNTON. DAY.
Robert is at breakfast, with Carson, when Cora looks in.
CORA: Where are the girls?
ROBERT: I suppose Sybil’s still ill, and the others just haven’t appeared.
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