Episode Five: The Winter Ball (part four)

28. INT. BURSARY DAY

ROBIN, THE BURSAR, SITS BEHIND HIS DESK. ROSIE AND MAGGIE SIT IN A CHAIR EACH OPPOSITE.

BURSAR
This is a serious breach of confidentiality.

MAGGIE
It shouldn’t happen Mr Bragg.

BURSAR
Indeed not.

ROSIE
The girls are horrible to us.

BURSAR
Right. Leave this with me.

ROBIN RISES AND SHOWS THEM TO THE DOOR. ROSIE AND MAGGIE WALK TO THE DOOR. ROSIE SUDDENLY STOPS.

ROSIE
One more thing, Mr Bragg.

BURSAR
And that is?

ROSIE
She was the one who blabbed about the extra ten thousand pounds!

BURSAR
What are you saying?

MAGGIE
Mrs Pitt spread the rumour.

BURSAR
Are you absolutely sure?

MAGGIE AND ROSIE LOOK AT EACH OTHER AND THEN NOD.

BURSAR
Have you any proof?

ROSIE
We heard her on the telephone.

BURSAR
Hearsay is not enough. You must provide me with solid proof or my hands are tied.

ANTOINETTE BURSTS INTO THE ROOM.

ANTOINETTE
I am their proof!

MAGGIE AND ROSIE ARE STARTLED BY ANTOINETTE’S SUDDEN APPEARANCE.

BURSAR
Miss Vanderbeek!!

ANTOINETTE
I heard Mrs Pitt and I heard Maggie and Rosie discussing the problem!

BURSAR
It is still hearsay! Where is the proof!!

ANTOINETTE
Why should I lie!

BURSAR
In that case, why didn’t you do anything about it!

MO BURSTS INTO THE ROOM.

MO
She did something alright! She tried to blackmail me!! Have her expelled!

ANTOINETTE
You cow!

MO
Try to get out of that one!

BURSAR
Ladies!!

MO
She cot scared and blamed Matt!!

ANTOINETTE
I so did not!

ANTOINETTE TURNS TO THE BURSAR.

ANTOINETTE
She blamed Mr Baker! Rotten cow!!

MO
Bitch!

MO ATTACKS ANTOINETTE AND THEY BEGIN TO FIGHT.

BURSAR
Ladies! Ladies!

MAGGIE
Mo!!

MAGGIE AND ROSIE INTERVENE WITH THE FIGHTING AND GET INVOLVED. ENTER AMY.

AMY
What is going on!!

MO PULLS ANTOINETTE’S HAIR … MAGGIE TACKLES MO … MO GRABS ROSIE … ROSIE KICKS ANTOINETTE … ANTOINETTE HOLDS MO IN A STRANGLE HOLD … THE WOMEN ARE ROLLING AROUND … ANTOINETTE SCREAMS AS MO BITES HER.

THE BURSAR TURNS TO A FLABBERGASTED AMY.

BURSAR
Is this the way you run your house!!

29. INT. UNDER THE DOME DUSK

CLARE STRUGGLES TO ENTER THROUGH THE DOOR WITH HER FLOWER ARRANGEMENTS. ADAM IS SAMPLING THE WINE COLLECTION. HE PICKS UP HIS PIPE AND LIGHTS IT.

ADAM
Ah, Frump!

CLARE GIVES HIM A DIRTY LOOK.

CLARE
Don’t just stand there! Give me a hand!

ADAM TAKES SOME TRAYS AND PUTS THEM ON A TABLE. HE LOOKS IN DISMAY AT THE ARRANGEMENTS.

ADAM
Have you robbed a graveyard of its flowers?

CLARE
Don’t you start! I have had enough trouble as it is!

ADAM LOOKS AROUND THE AREA. HE WAVES HIS PIPE AROUND.

ADAM
Good show, what?

CLARE
It’s an embarrassment!

ADAM
What is my dear?

CLARE
This is!

GLEN ENTERS AND LOOKS IN AMAZEMENT AT THE FLOWER ARRANGEMENTS.

GLEN
Who died!

CLARE
Right!! That’s it!!

CLARE STORMS OFF.

CLARE
I shall leave the two of you with that problem!!

EXIT CLARE.

ADAM
What’s got into Frump?

GLEN SEES FLEAS.

GLEN
Oh no! Not here too!!

ADAM
What is the matter dear boy?

LUCY ENTERS.

LUCY
Adam!

ADAM TURNS.

ADAM
Oh, it’s you,

LUCY
Don’t be like that. I need to speak to you.

ADAM
We have said all that is necessary. Thank you!

ADAM TURNS HIS BACK TO HER AND PUFFS DISDAINFULLY ON HIS PIPE.

LUCY
I really, really need to speak to you.

ADAM IS DISTRACTED BY GLEN’S PECULIAR BEHAVIOUR. LUCY TAKES HIM BY THE ARM AND STEERS HIM TOWARDS THE HALIFAX ROOM. ADAM POINTS HIS PIPE AT GLEN.

ADAM
That man is seriously disturbed.

30. INT. HOUSE ANTOINETTE’S ROOM DUSK

ANTOINETTE IS PACKING HER BELONGINS INTO A TRUNK. THERE IS A KNOCK AT THE DOOR.

ANTOINETTE
Go away Mrs Pitt cow!!

CHRISTINE, DRESSED FOR THE WINTER BALL, ENTERS.

CHRISTINE
What are you doing!

ANTOINETTE
Expelled.

CHRISTINE
Expelled! Why!

ANTOINETTE
I write on your wall on facebook why.

CHRISTINE
Tell me now.

ANTOINETTE
I have to go. My taxi is waiting.

CHRISTINE
What about the Ball!

ANTOINETTE
Stuff the Ball. I’m going home and will never return to this hellhole.

31. INT. HOUSE OFFICE DUSK

MO IS PACKING HER BELONGINGS IN A BLACK BINLINER. THERE IS A KNOCK AT THE DOOR.

MO
Go away, whoever you are!!

ENTER AMY.

AMY
I am so sorry Mo.

MO
No you’re not!

AMY
I never meant to …

MO
Yes you did!!

AMY
You are, of course, always welcome to see the girls.

MO
I’m only on leave. I will be back soon.

AMY
Quite.

MO
Well I think that’s it.

MO LOOKS AROUND.

MO
And I wont be babysitting for you.

AMY
Pardon?

MO
Beatrice and Josephine. Remember?

EXIT MO, LEAVING AMY SHAKING HER HEAD IN DISDAIN.

32. INT. HOUSE MAIN AREA DUSK

MO WALKS OUT OF HER OFFICE CARRYING A BINLINER AS ANTOINETTE COMES DOWN THE STAIRS FOLLOWED BY THE TAXI DRIVER AND CHRISTINE CARRYING HER TRUNK. THE TWO WOMEN LOOK AT EACH OTHER SPITEFULLY.

ANTOINETTE
Make way please for my trunk.

MO
Get out of my way you spoiled brat.

MO STEPS FORWARD AS AT THE SAME TIME ANTOINETTE STEPS FORWARD. THEY ARE IN EACH OTHER’S WAY AND THERE IS A STRUGGLE FOR SPACE. FOLLOWING SOME ABRUPT MOVEMENTS ANTOINETTE TRIUMPHS. SHE EXITS, LEAVING A SEETHING MO IN HER WAKE.

33. INT. HALIFAX ROOM DUSK

ADAM, PIPE IN HAND, STROLLS AROUND THE ROOM. LUCY SITS ON A CHAIR.

ADAM
You know, I have always wondered why this house is under-used. Its possibilities are endless.

LUCY
You have to stop avoiding me.

ADAM
There are so many rooms.

LUCY
Adam, sit down.

ADAM
This room would make a perfect dining room.

LUCY
It used to be one.

ADAM
Really?

LUCY
I studied the house, as you well know.

ADAM
So you did.

LUCY RISES FROM HER CHAIR, WALKS TOWARDS ADAM, TAKES HIS ARM AND LEADS HIM TO A CHAIR.

LUCY
Sit down. We need to talk.

ADAM
I have nothing more to say.

LUCY
I do. Sit down.

RELUCTANTLY ADAM SITS DOWN.

LUCY
I’m sorry. I did not know that you had such feelings for me. If I had known I would never have behaved as I did.

ADAM
Good! That’s taken care of.

ADAM RISES FROM HIS CHAIR. LUCY PULLS HIM BACK DOWN.

LUCY
Why didn’t you tell me?

ADAM
A gentleman does not talk about such things.

LUCY
What nonsense!

ADAM
My dear girl. If I had been born around the same time as you, things would have been entirely different. I am a fifty-year-old man. What could you possibly see in me?

LUCY
I see a good friend.

ADAM RISES AND PACES THE ROOM, WAVING HIS PIPE AROUND.

ADAM
That’s exactly it. A good friend. No more. I shall tell you something Miss Brown. Over the years I have desired many women. Many. However, when I met you, somehow things were different. Feelings developed.

ADAM LOOKS ACCUSINGLY AT LUCY.

ADAM
I fought them … I fought them hard … I have never thought highly of the female species. I thought they were for sex only.

INDIGNANT LUCY RISES.

ADAM
Sit! And listen!

ADAM TAKES A LONG PULL ON HIS PIPE.

ADAM
When I asked you to marry me, I surprised myself.

LUCY
I don’t know what to say. I thought that your feelings were of a fatherly nature.

ADAM
Fatherly. Fatherly, indeed.

LUCY RISES.

LUCY
Please Adam …

ADAM
I have said enough.

ADAM TAKES LUCY IN HIS ARMS, KISSES HER PASSIONATELY AND PUSHES HER AWAY.

ADAM
Goodbye my dear.

ADAM MARCHES AWAY.

LUCY
Not so fast Mister!

LUCY PULLS HIM BACK, LOOKS DEEPLY INTO HIS EYES AND KISSES HIM. SHE STEPS AWAY. ADAM LOOKS INTO HER EYES AND SIGHS DEEPLY.

ADAM
My New Years wish seems to have come through.

LUCY
I didn’t have one …

THEY SMILE AT EACH OTHER.