Downton Abbey Script Book Season 1 (45 page)

BATES: Of course you will.

CARSON: I do not like to play the part of Pontius Pilate, but I'm afraid I must. Lord Grantham will decide what's to be done.

He goes to the door but then he stops.

CARSON (CONT'D): Mr Bates, I hope you don't feel I have treated you unjustly.

BATES: On the contrary, Mr Carson, I am astonished at your kindness.

Which, if anything, makes Carson feel even worse.

Lady Rosamund and Mary are walking down the stairs into the hall.

ROSAMUND: Of all of you, Sybil might find joy in a cottage. But not you.

MARY: We don't know it'll be a boy.

ROSAMUND: Exactly. So ask Matthew to wait until the child is born. If it's a girl then wed him happily, and all will be as it was before.

MARY: If I delay, won't he think I'm only after him for his position?

Rosamund is not interested in this line of argument.

MARY (CONT'D): Besides, I'm not sure I want to put him off, even without the title. We get on so well, you know. And he's terribly clever. He might end up Lord Chancellor.

ROSAMUND: And he might
not!
Come along, Mary, be sensible. Can you really see yourself dawdling your life away as the wife of a country solicitor?

The problem is Mary can't quite picture this, either.
*

Carson is astonished, which does not surprise Robert.

CARSON: But why would we ever want a telephone at Downton, m'lord?

ROBERT: Well, they have their uses. You could speak to the housekeeper in London. That'd be helpful surely?

CARSON: I hope I've not failed in my management of the recent move?

ROBERT: Not at all. But the telephone is here now, and the girls got used to it while we were in London. Besides, none of us know what the next few months will bring.

CARSON: Because of the Archduke's death?

ROBERT: The Austrians won't get what they want from Serbia. And now Russia's starting to rumble … Well, there's not much we can do about that … So, will you take care of the telephone man?

Carson is about to go, when he changes his mind.

CARSON: Hmm. Oh, about Mr Bates, m'lord. I expect you've had time to consider the contents of that letter?

ROBERT: Yes. Though I find it very odd. Regimental silver? I could more easily see Bates as an assassin than a petty pilferer.

CARSON: I agree. And while the letter is hard to argue with—

Robert looks up, waiting for him to complete his thought.

CARSON (CONT'D): I wouldn't put anything past Thomas or Miss O'Brien.

Cora is relieved they are just family.

SYBIL: So, what did we miss?

MARY: Nothing much. Although you'd have had more invitations than I did.

VIOLET: Have you thought about Matthew?

MARY: Of course, but Aunt Rosamund …

VIOLET: She's written to me. I should pay no attention.

EDITH: But, Granny, she has got a point. Mary can't be completely naive.

MARY: I don't need your help, thank you.

She says this with a malice that makes Edith recoil.

VIOLET: Mary, listen to me. If you take Matthew now when his whole future is at risk, he will love you to the end of his days.
*

SYBIL: Why, Granny! You're a romantic!

VIOLET: I've been called many things but never that.

EDITH: And what happens if the baby is a boy and Matthew loses everything?

VIOLET: Mary can always change her mind.

MARY: I couldn't do that to Matthew. It's not how we are together … I'm going upstairs to help Anna unpack.

Clearly, she doesn't want to continue this. She stands.

SYBIL: I'll come with you.

CORA: Edith? Why don't you go, too?

It's an order. Edith walks towards the door.

VIOLET: Sir Anthony Strallan was at Lady Wren's party. He asked after you.

Edith flushes with pride, and shuts the door. Violet sighs.

CORA: Is she really serious about him?

VIOLET: Any port in a storm … By the way, I was right about my maid. She's leaving to get married. How
can
she be so selfish?

CORA: I do sympathise. Robert's always wanting me to get rid of O'Brien, but I can't face it. And anyway, she's so fond of me.

VIOLET: Well, I thought Simmons was fond of
me
… What
am
I to do?

CORA: Why don't I put an advertisement in
The Lady
? It's always the best place to start.

VIOLET: Oh, that's so kind, thank you. Now, I really must be going.

But a new thought strikes her.

VIOLET (CONT'D): Don't let Mary wait for the baby before she gives Matthew her answer.

CORA: I'm sure it's another girl.

VIOLET: I know those men of the moral high ground. If she won't say yes when he
might
be poor, he won't want her, when he
will
be rich.

Thomas is reading the paper, during the servants' tea.

DAISY: Maybe we should knit something.

O'BRIEN: Oh yes, I'm sure they'd love a pair of bootees knitted by
you
.

WILLIAM: Or what about a christening mug?

THOMAS: They can buy their own silver.

GWEN: Anything in the paper, Thomas?

THOMAS: They've arrested this Princip fellow and his gang. All Serbian and members of the Black Hand.

O'BRIEN: ‘The Black Hand'? Ugh. I don't like the sound of that.

BATES: I don't like the sound of any of it. War is on the way.

WILLIAM: Then we'll have to face it. As bravely as we can.

THOMAS: Thank you, Mr Cannon Fodder.

GWEN: Don't you think a war's coming?

THOMAS: Oh, there'll be a war, all right. And it's time to prepare for it.

ANNA: The country, do you mean?

THOMAS: No, me.

BATES: You never disappoint.

Before this can develop, Carson looks in.

CARSON: Daisy, run and find Mrs Patmore. His lordship wants to see her, in the library.

DAISY: His lordship wants Mrs Patmore to go up to the library?

CARSON: That's what I said. And Anna, you're to come, too.

The company is stunned. Daisy leaves the silent room.

O'BRIEN: And we thought the assassination of an Archduke was a surprise.

Robert's at his desk.

CARSON: Mrs Patmore, m'lord.

He stands as Carson brings the cook and maid in.

MRS PATMORE: Your lordship, I know things haven't been quite right for a while, but I can assure you—

ROBERT: Come in, Mrs Patmore.

MRS PATMORE: I
promise
you, m'lord, if I could just be allowed a bit more time—

ROBERT: Mrs Patmore, I have not asked you here to give you your notice.

MRS PATMORE: Haven't you?

ROBERT: No. Now, I understand you've had trouble with your sight—

MRS PATMORE: That's just it! I
know
I could manage better if only—

ROBERT:
Please
, Mrs Patmore!

ANNA: Let him speak! Beg pardon, m'lord.

ROBERT: Don't apologise. Now. On Doctor Clarkson's recommendation, I'm sending you up to London to see an eye specialist at Moorfields. Anna will go with you and you'll stay with my sister Lady Rosamund Painswick, in Eaton Square.
*

The news is like a thunderbolt. Mrs Patmore staggers.

MRS PATMORE: I'm afraid I'm going to have to sit in your presence, m'lord.

ROBERT: Of course.

Anna gets a chair under her in the nick of time.
†

MRS PATMORE: But how will you get on here?

ROBERT: Well, Mrs Crawley is lending us her cook, Mrs Bird. She's coming over tomorrow. You'll be good enough to show her how things work.

MRS PATMORE: And are the Crawleys to starve while I'm away?

ROBERT: They'll eat here every evening. Now, my sister's butler will look after you. He's very nice. Anna, you won't mind a visit to London?

ANNA: No m'lord. It'll be an adventure.

ROBERT: One with a happy ending, I hope.

Matthew is with Mary. He is angry.

MATTHEW: Let me get this clear! At Sybil's ball you said you'd give me your answer the day you got back, and now you say you will not!

MARY: Why do we have to rush into it? I need to be sure, that's all.

MATTHEW: But you
were
sure.

She will not answer this challenge, which angers him more.

MATTHEW (CONT'D): Shall I tell you what I think has altered you? My prospects! Because nothing else has changed!

MARY: No—

MATTHEW: Yes! If your mother's child is a boy, then he's the heir and I go back to living on my wits, and you'd rather not follow me there!

MARY: Oh, Matthew, you always make everything so black and white.

MATTHEW: I think this is black and white. Do you love me enough to spend your life with me? If you don't, then say no. If you do, then say yes.

MARY: I want to …

But she hesitates. Old habits die hard. She tries to joke.

MARY (CONT'D): Granny told me I should say yes now, and then withdraw if you lost everything.

MATTHEW: To make that work, you have to be a good liar. Are you a good liar?

MARY: Well, not good enough to try it, apparently.
*

Bates is dressing Robert for dinner.

ROBERT: How could you not have realised they'd discover the loss at once? And to keep them in your house … But you only served two years?

BATES: That's right, m'lord.

ROBERT: So clearly the judge thought there was some mitigating factor.

Bates has fetched the tail coat from the bed. He helps Robert into it and brushes the shoulders, without comment.

ROBERT: Bates, we've come a long way together. I owe you a great deal, some might say everything.

BATES: Please, your lordship. Whatever debt you think you owe me, is long since paid in full.

ROBERT: I just want to know the truth.

BATES: I cannot speak of it, m'lord. You must decide whether I stay or go on the basis of the evidence before you. I will respect that.

ANNA: I'm sorry. I don't believe it.

Bates and Anna are talking together, softly.

BATES: How can you say that? When I confessed to the crime?

ANNA: Well, his lordship obviously doesn't think that's all there is to it, and I don't either.

BATES: Suit yourself.

ANNA: I will suit myself.

Mrs Hughes arrives down the passage.

MRS HUGHES: Anna, are you set for the nine o'clock train tomorrow?

ANNA: All packed and ready.

MRS HUGHES: You'll be met at King's Cross by Lady Rosamund's chauffeur which I think is generous, but after that you're on your own … Right. I must get back. I'm acting referee for Mrs Patmore and Mrs Bird.
*