END OF ACT FOUR
ACT FIVE
60 EXT. DOWNTON. DAY.
Matthew walks into the house. He has a black band on his arm.
61 INT. HALL. DOWNTON. DAY.
When he enters, he finds Thomas, Jane and Anna taking down the greenery and silver bows hung round the gallery.
MATTHEW: What are you doing?
THOMAS: They were put up for the wedding, Mr Crawley.
There is a nervous silence. Robert comes out of the library.
ROBERT: My dear chap, I cannot find the words to say how sorry I am.
MATTHEW: How is Cousin Cora?
ROBERT: Much better. Thank you.
MATTHEW: I’m glad to hear it. I came up to see if there’s anything I need to do…
ROBERT: We’ve taken care of all that. As you know, we always use Grassby’s.
MATTHEW: Of course.
ROBERT: Travis has suggested Monday for the funeral. To give people time to get here. It’ll be in tomorrow’s paper.
MATTHEW: That’s very kind of you.
ROBERT: I know Mary wanted to see you —
MATTHEW: No.
The suddenness of his reply is a shock to them both.
MATTHEW (CONT’D): I mean, I don’t really want to see anyone. Not yet. Now I know everything’s settled, I’ll go back.
ROBERT: You must decide where she’s to be buried. When you speak to her father, do ask him to stay here.
MATTHEW: Thank you. He’ll be very grateful.
ROBERT: Just tell me what you want me to do and I’ll do it.*
* Matthew is once more in what I call a Downton emotional quandary, because in one way Lavinia’s death is a release, and in another way it makes him feel more guilty than ever. As for the great question of which member of the cast was going to die, I think even the most pessimistic members of the audience will have worked out that we were not going to kill two of them. So we’ve now told them who’s dead, and that’s it. Cora will ride again.
62 INT. SERVANTS’ HALL/PASSAGE. DOWNTON. DAY.
Bates and Anna are at the end of the table. They talk softly.
ANNA: I still can’t believe it. I mean, there she was, young and pretty and packing her trousseau, and now we’re laying out black for her funeral.
BATES: Are you saying you want to delay? It doesn’t have to be tomorrow.
ANNA: No. No, I don’t want to delay. Who knows? It might be me next, and I’m having Mrs Bates on my tombstone or I won’t lie still in my grave.
Which makes him smile.
63 INT. CARSON’S ROOM. DOWNTON. DAY.
Mrs Hughes has just given Carson his medicine.
MRS HUGHES: Are you feeling more yourself?
CARSON: A bit… I still can’t get over it.
MRS HUGHES: I hope you’ll not pretend you liked her now.
CARSON: I didn’t want her here, Mrs Hughes, I’ll admit. But I had no objection to her being happy somewhere else.
64 INT. CORA’S BEDROOM. DOWNTON. EVE.
Cora is alone, sitting up in bed. Robert is with her.
ROBERT: A sight to gladden my heart.
CORA: Is it? I hope it is.
ROBERT: You gave us quite a fright.
CORA: They told me about Lavinia.
ROBERT: The funeral is on Monday.
CORA: I’d like to go if I can.
She holds out her hand and takes his. She looks at him.
CORA (CONT’D): We’re all right, aren’t we, Robert?
ROBERT: Of course we are.
CORA: Only I know I got so caught up in everything… I think I neglected you. And if I did, I’m sorry.
ROBERT: Don’t apologise to me.*
Luckily for him, O’Brien comes in with a tray.
CORA: His lordship was saying how wonderful you were while I was ill.
O’BRIEN: No more than you’re entitled to, m’lady.
CORA: I’m entitled to your work, O’Brien. No one is entitled to devotion.
O’BRIEN: That’s as may be.
She glances at Robert as she picks up a rug to fold it.
* We have Robert caught in a very difficult conundrum when Cora apologises for not paying him enough attention, because he can’t apologise for his own offence without making it even worse for her. That position really comes from my mother. When she gave her four sons any marital advice – which was not very often – she was quite clear about this. I remember she told me once that when we were married, if we were ever so weak and foolish as to stray, we must not try to lighten the burden of our guilt by sharing it. So we had this tough instruction to keep silent. Normally, when people confess to being unfaithful, they will tell you how they had to restore the truth in their relationship, because they wanted to be honest, but according to my mother that’s not the real reason. The burden of guilt oppresses them, and so they have to share it with their luckless wife or husband, so that they can be forgiven. It is rather an Edwardian instruction, to keep silent when guilty, but it was part of my own training.
65 INT. MRS HUGHES’S SITTING ROOM. DOWNTON. NIGHT.
Ethel appears at the door.
MRS HUGHES: Ethel? Whatever are you doing here at this time of night?
ETHEL: I said I’d be back with my answer and here I am.
MRS HUGHES: You know we’re a house in mourning?
ETHEL: Yes, and I’m sorry, but if anything it’s made my mind up for me. Life is short, and what’s my life without Charlie? They’re not having him.
MRS HUGHES: As long as you’re sure.
ETHEL: They say they can do better for him, but what’s better than his mother’s love? Answer me that.
MRS HUGHES: I’ll write and tell them.
ETHEL: You agree with me, though, don’t you?
MRS HUGHES: My opinion has no place in this.*
* Mrs Hughes is in a difficult predicament. She thinks Ethel’s making a mistake – not an unloving mistake, but a mistake from the boy’s point of view – because, for Mrs Hughes, the world is the world, and there is no doubt that the Bryants could give this child a start in life that would mean no activity, no dream of achievement, would be beyond him, whereas the start in life that Ethel can give him, as the bastard son of a sacked housemaid, is nothing. I like Mrs Hughes, and I like her here, when she won’t comfort Ethel by agreeing with her, but she won’t upset her by disagreeing.
66 EXT. REGISTER OFFICE. RIPON. DAY.
The sun shines down on the building. Bates and Anna go in.
67 INT. REGISTER OFFICE. RIPON. DAY.
They stand before the desk as the registrar conducts them through the service. Two strangers sit behind them.
REGISTRAR: I, John Bates…
BATES: I, John Bates…
REGISTRAR: …take thee, Anna May Smith…
BATES: …take thee, Anna May Smith…
REGISTRAR: …to be my wedded wife.
BATES: …to be my wedded wife.
The Registrar nods to Anna.
REGISTRAR: I, Anna May Smith…
ANNA: I, Anna May Smith…
REGISTRAR: …take thee, John Bates…
ANNA: …take thee, John Bates…
REGISTRAR: …to be my wedded husband.
ANNA: …to be my wedded husband.
REGISTRAR: And now the ring. With this ring, I plight thee my troth…
BATES: With this ring, I plight thee my troth…
REGISTRAR: …as a symbol of all we have promised…
BATES: …as a symbol of all we have promised…
REGISTRAR: …and all that we share.
BATES: …and all that we share.
He slips a gold ring onto Anna’s finger.
REGISTRAR: It therefore gives me great pleasure to say you are now husband and wife together.
The camera retreats from these two, husband and wife at last.*
* We put the audience through the wringer with Lavinia’s death, and so now they have an event that they have hopefully looked forward to for a l
ong time: the marriage of Bates and Anna. And it was very charming. I thought it was really nicely done.
68 INT. HALL. DOWNTON. DAY.
Edith is coming downstairs when Mary appears.
EDITH: I can’t find Anna. I want her to sort out my black for Monday.
MARY: I sent her into Ripon for something. I’m sorry.
EDITH: It’ll keep. Mary…
She hesitates.
EDITH (CONT’D): Are you going to try again now?
CARLISLE (V.O.): Try again for what?
He has come out of the library. He stands there, smiling.
MARY: To get into last year’s funeral kit. But to be honest… I doubt it would still fit.
69 INT. LIBRARY. DOWNTON. EVE.
Jane comes through the door, which unsettles Robert.
JANE: You rang, m’lord.
ROBERT: I keep forgetting Carson’s ill.
JANE: Mrs Hughes says he’s much better.
ROBERT: I really want Bates. He’d gone out earlier.
JANE: He’s in the dressing room. He went up with your evening shirt.
ROBERT: Golly, is that the time?
He stands as if to leave. She would go, but…
ROBERT (CONT’D): Actually, can you stay a moment? I was trying to think how to contrive a meeting, and here you are… You see, Lady Grantham’s illness has reminded me what I owe her…
JANE: I’m glad Lady Grantham’s better. Truly. And don’t worry. There’s no harm done.
ROBERT: No harm done yet. We’ve resisted temptation once. But I wouldn’t care to test myself again.
JANE: There’s a compliment in there, somewhere. I’m almost packed. And I’ve given in my notice.
This is both a surprise and not a surprise. To them both. She smiles, as he takes an envelope out of his pocket.
ROBERT: This is the name and address of my man of business —
JANE: Why? You don’t owe me anything.
ROBERT: It’s not for you. It’s for Freddie. Let me give him a start in life.
JANE: I’m not sure…
ROBERT: It would make me very happy.
JANE: If I thought that, then I’d take it gladly. Will you be happy? Really?
ROBERT: I have no right to be unhappy, which is almost the same.
JANE: Almost. Not quite… Can I kiss you before I go? Can I tempt you for one last time?
He hesitates. He might say no… But then he does.
ROBERT: You do tempt me. You know you do. I dare not say how much.
She raises her hand to stroke his cheek, and slips away.*
* I had some opposition to Robert’s insistence on giving Jane enough money for Freddie to have a decent start in life. But Robert Grantham is a rich man, while Jane is the widow of a private soldier and has little put by. He is very fond of her, and he knows that, for both their sakes, their relationship can’t go any further. For him to give her a bit of capital – we don’t specify the amount, but it’s enough to make a difference – so that she can bring up her boy with some spare money, seems to me to be a perfectly decent thing to do. So, when I was criticised, I fought back for Jane’s widow’s mite, or whatever you might call it. But I don’t think Robert would want to go on seeing her. Particularly after Cora’s recovery. That was fate speaking to him, and he listened.
70 INT. MARY’S BEDROOM. DOWNTON. NIGHT.
Mary is in her nightdress. Anna is brushing her hair.
MARY: The secret Mrs Bates.
ANNA: We will tell everyone, but I thought we should leave it for a while. At least until after the funeral, anyway.
MARY: You’ll have to control yourselves.
ANNA: Well, we’ve had enough practice.
But Mary stands and walks to the door.
MARY: Come with me.
71 INT. BEDROOM PASSAGE. DOWNTON. NIGHT.
The two walk round a corner and in through another door.
72 INT. BEDROOM. DOWNTON. NIGHT.
A four-poster bed has been turned down. The lamps are on. A fire is burning. Anna turns to Mary, amazed.
MARY: Smuggle Bates in here when everyone has gone to bed. And for heaven’s sake, make sure he gets the right room.
They giggle. Then…
ANNA: I don’t know what to say, m’lady. Who did all this?
MARY: Jane. I told her. She said it would be her leaving present. You can stay all night. She won’t tell.
ANNA: M’lady. Thank you very, very much.*
* In a sense, this incident is a piece of charming wish fulfilment. I am often accused of this, usually wrongly, but here there may be some substance to the accusation. Some special treats were arranged, though, for well-loved employees, which I know first-hand. Of course, this would have been a very big treat, but that said, why not?
73 INT. CARSON’S PANTRY. DOWNTON. NIGHT.
Thomas is returning silver to the cupboard. There is a cough behind him. He turns. It is Carson, in a dressing gown.
THOMAS: Are you sure you should be up, Mr Carson?
CARSON: I wanted to check the silver before tomorrow.
THOMAS: I think I’ve cleaned all the pieces we might need. We’ll get everything ready the moment breakfast is over.
CARSON: Thank you for the way you’ve kept it all going, Thomas. I wish I knew how to express my gratitude.
THOMAS: You’ll find a way, Mr Carson.
Carson gestures to take the keys off Thomas. Thomas hands them over. Carson grunts and goes. Thomas then hears:
O’BRIEN: Why are you Goody Two-Shoes all of a sudden? What’s the idea? And don’t say there isn’t one, because I know better.
He hesitates, then he smiles.
THOMAS: You know me too well, Miss O’Brien. All right. If I’ve got to be a servant again, I’m not going to be a bloody footman for long. You watch while I make myself indispensable.
O’BRIEN: And Mr Carson’s getting on…?
THOMAS: Exactly.*
* This was a cut we all agreed on very easily, because Rob James-Collier’s performance is so well judged that he had made Thomas’s intentions completely clear without the need for this dialogue.
74 INT. MRS HUGHES’S SITTING ROOM. DOWNTON. NIGHT.
Mrs Hughes is giving an envelope to Jane.
MRS HUGHES: I think that’s everything we owe.
JANE: Thank you, Mrs Hughes.
MRS HUGHES: I’m sorry you’re going, Jane. You’re a good worker. I wish you well.
JANE: I’m sorry, too, Mrs Hughes. But in the end, I think it’s for the best. For everyone.
Mrs Hughes gives her a long, hard look. She knows.
MRS HUGHES: When all is said and done, my dear, you may be right.†
† In this last line, we understand that Mrs Hughes knows, not precisely what is going on, but what might go on if Jane stays much longer. She has presumably seen a certain amount of this sort of thing, after a life in service.
75 INT. BEDROOM. DOWNTON. NIGHT.
It is late now. The lights are out, and the naked couple in the bed are lit by the flickering flames of the fire.
BATES: Well, Mrs Bates, you’ve had your way with me. I just hope you don’t live to regret it.
ANNA: I couldn’t regret it, no matter what comes. I know only that I am now who I was meant to be.
BATES: I’m not worthy of you, that’s all I know, and they’ll call me names for pulling you into my troubles.
ANNA: Maybe there won’t be any trouble.
BATES: There’s trouble. Or there will be if the police find out I bought the arsenic. I know it.
But Anna is not fazed by this. Not at all.
ANNA: Mr Bates, we’ve waited long enough to be together, you and I, and now that we’re man and wife, can we let that be enough, just for this one night?*
* Some people were rather critical about this, a bed scene in Downton Abbey, but I think we can be allowed it. The Downton rule is, basically, when you’re not married you may lie on top of the bed with your admirer, but you won�
��t get under the covers without a ring on her finger. Whereas when you are married you can be seen in bed and smiling. Actually, and perhaps unusually, we needed special effects in this scene, because we had to take out Brendan Coyle’s inoculation scar on his arm; obviously the sight of it put him into a different generation. You wouldn’t think special effects had a role to play in a bed scene, but they did. And so we have the Bateses’ moment of happiness. That was quite conscious on our part. We wanted them happy and fulfilled before we then flung them back into the fire. I always think Anna senses what’s coming when she stops him talking about his troubles. In moments like that, I never know if it’s something I intended or the strength and subtlety of the actor’s performance.
END OF ACT FIVE
ACT SIX
76 EXT. DOWNTON CEMETERY. DAY.
The earth falls onto the coffin of Lavinia Catherine Swire. The mourners (the regulars, including Clarkson, except for Mrs Patmore and Thomas) are in black.
THE REVEREND MR TRAVIS: …Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, in sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body that it may be like unto His glorious body, according to the mighty working whereby He is able to subdue all things to Himself. Amen.
ALL: Amen.
They break up. Matthew and Isobel stand with an older, grief-stricken man. Robert, Edith and Violet are together.
EDITH: Why did he want her buried here?
ROBERT: He has no relatives. He feels that when he’s gone…
Matthew is the only one left to look after her grave.
VIOLET: A business-like solution to what could have been a problem.
ROBERT: Be kind, Mama.
VIOLET: Since when was it an insult to call a man business-like?
The servants are walking towards the gate.
MRS HUGHES: Ah, we’d better get moving, if we’re to be back there before they arrive.
ANNA: Mrs Patmore and Thomas will go ahead in the trap. They’ll sort it out between them.
MRS HUGHES: Hm, I’ve no doubt Thomas will have everything sorted out.
CARSON: I’m sorry, Mrs Hughes, but it’s no good thinking that we’ll get shot of him now.
MRS HUGHES: Why doesn’t that come as a surprise?
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