But this doesn’t quite answer the question for Matthew.
CORA: There you are. We were wondering what had happened to you.
She is standing in the doorway. They go to join her.
18 INT. LIBRARY. DOWNTON. NIGHT.
Robert is with Anna. He is amazed.
ROBERT: This is extraordinary. Why did the police miss it so completely?
ANNA: Mrs Bartlett never spoke to them. She never spoke to anyone.
ROBERT: Except to you.
ANNA: She didn’t think the truth would make any difference now. She thought it was only further proof of his guilt.
ROBERT: The difficulty is she may not want to accept Bates’s innocence.
ANNA: Doesn’t she have to?
ROBERT: Not necessarily. She may think he drove his wife to suicide and deserves to rot in prison. In short, she may not wish to tell the truth to set him free.
They stare at each other. It makes a kind of horrible sense.
ANNA: Then we need to get a statement from her before she finds out it could overturn the case.
ROBERT: I’ll telephone Murray tonight. He can come up here, and talk to you and see Bates. It might mean using one of your visiting times.
ANNA: Whatever we must do.
ROBERT: You were right, though. The proof was out there and you’ve found it.
That settled, Robert allows himself a small smile.
19 INT. KITCHENS. DOWNTON. NIGHT.
Ivy is scrubbing the central table. Alfred arrives.
ALFRED: Why aren’t you in bed?
IVY: I’ve still got this to do, and I’m not tired.
ALFRED: You’ll be tired enough in the morning. That I can promise. Where were you before you came here?
IVY: I was a maid of all work for a shop-keeper’s wife in Malton, but my mum wanted me to better misself, so she put me up for the job here.
ALFRED: And is it better?
IVY: Not as you’d notice. Mrs Mawle was quite nice. But here I’m bossed by Mrs Patmore and bullied by Daisy, and everyone seems to mistake me for a rag to wipe their shoes. What about you?
ALFRED: Hotel trade. But it’s harder than service and the pay’s no better.
MRS PATMORE: What are you doing down here, chatting? You should be in bed.
She is in the doorway, watching. Alfred nods and goes.
MRS PATMORE (CONT’D): He’s a nice boy. Alfred.
IVY: Is he? Yes, I s’pose he is.
Which interests Mrs Patmore.
20 INT. DINING ROOM. DOWNTON. DAY.
Robert, Edith and Matthew are at breakfast. Edith is reading a letter. She gasps and the others look up.
EDITH: The editor of The Sketch wants me to write for him. He saw my letter to The Times and he wants to give me a regular column.
MATTHEW: How regular? And what about?
EDITH: Once a week. And I can write about whatever I like. It would be the problems faced by a modern woman, rather than the fall of the Ottoman Empire. But even so.
MATTHEW: Will you write under your own name?
EDITH: I hadn’t thought.
ROBERT: You won’t have an option. That’s what he’s buying, that’s what he wants: your name and your title.
This has put a dampener on the moment.
MATTHEW: Oh, I don’t know. I thought Edith’s letter to The Times was very interesting —
EDITH: Don’t bother, Matthew. I’m always a failure in this family.
She stands and leaves. Matthew glances at Robert.
ROBERT: What?
MATTHEW: Lots of people write for the papers and magazines now. The sons and even daughters of people you know.
ROBERT: Mostly drug fiends and sewers.16
MATTHEW: Edith must do something, Robert.
ROBERT: They want to make a fool of her. I can’t allow that. When you’re a father, you’ll understand.
21 INT. DRAWING ROOM. CRAWLEY HOUSE. DAY.
Isobel is with Mrs Bird.
ISOBEL: I’m sad to hear this, Mrs Bird.
MRS BIRD: And I’m sad to say it, madam. But it’s kept me awake all night, and I know I cannot work alongside a woman of the — a woman who has chosen… that way of life.
ISOBEL: But Miss Parks has changed —
MRS BIRD: Maybe she has and maybe she hasn’t, but if I tolerate her, I will be tarnished by her. Suppose people come to think that I’d followed the same profession as what she has?
ISOBEL: Nobody could look at you and think that, Mrs Bird.
MRS BIRD: Well, I hope not. Because I’m a respectable woman. I may not have much but I have my good name, and I must protect it.
ISOBEL: You shall have a month’s wages in lieu of notice. Where will you go?
MRS BIRD: Back to Manchester and stay with my sister. She says there’s plenty of work for a plain cook these days.
ISOBEL: And they will find one in you. Goodbye Mrs Bird, and good luck.
22 INT. KITCHENS. DOWNTON. DAY.
Ivy is cleaning a saucepan. Jimmy and Alfred are with her.
JIMMY: Is there anything else you need to know about having babies, Ivy?
IVY: Honestly, if I told Mrs Patmore the things you two say to me, you’d be up before Mr Carson.
ALFRED: So, what are you doing with your afternoon off?
IVY: None of your business.
ALFRED: I’d like to make it my business.
As Jimmy laughs, we see Daisy watching her and the two men.
DAISY: Have you greased the cake tins?
IVY: Yes.
DAISY: What about the pastry?
IVY: It’s in the larder.
DAISY: Then get started on the vegetables for tonight.
She stalks out. Jimmy whistles.17
JIMMY: She doesn’t want much, does she?
IVY: She doesn’t like me.
JIMMY: Why not?
IVY: I don’t know. She just doesn’t.
ALFRED: Well, anyone who doesn’t like you needs their head examining.
IVY: I hope you agree with him, Jimmy.
JIMMY: That’d be telling.
With a laugh he goes. Mrs Patmore listens in the doorway.
23 INT. KITCHEN. CRAWLEY HOUSE. DAY.
Isobel is with Ethel.
ISOBEL: I’ll put an advertisement in the local paper —
ETHEL: No, ma’am. Don’t advertise for a cook to come and work with me. Because they won’t stay. Not when they find out.
ISOBEL: They aren’t all like Mrs Bird.
ETHEL: Don’t be angry with her. She had to look after her good name.
ISOBEL: But it’s so small-minded —
ETHEL: Beg your pardon, ma’am, but we’re not like you. If Mrs Bird lost her reputation, she’d have nothing to bargain with. She did what she had to do. Good luck to her.
ISOBEL: Well, what do you suggest?
ETHEL: That I become your cook-housekeeper, ma’am. You say there’s a girl from the village?
ISOBEL: Yes. Meg. She’s rather dozy and she hasn’t been with us long, but I don’t think she’ll cause trouble. She’s here for the morning and then she comes back later to help with dinner and to turn down my bed.
ETHEL: Well, I should say we’re in good shape and all Sir Garnet.18
ISOBEL: But can you cook, Ethel?
ETHEL: I’ve been in kitchens all my life.19
24 INT. HALL. DOWNTON. EVE.
Mary comes in with Edith, both changed, to find Branson alone.
MARY: Are we first down? How is Sybil?
BRANSON: Sleeping, thank God. She’s been restless all afternoon. I don’t think it’ll be long now.
MARY: I’m sorry it couldn’t have been in Dublin.
EDITH: We know how much it meant.
BRANSON: Nothing means more than she does.20
24A INT. DRAWING ROOM. DOWNTON. NIGHT.
The door opens. Matthew walks in. He goes over to Mary, as Cora and Robert arrive with Edith.
MARY: I’ve hardly seen you all d
ay.
MATTHEW: I’ve had another session with the books. It gets worse every time.
MARY: Well, for God’s sake don’t say anything now.
Sir Philip and Violet arrive.
ROBERT: And you’re sure you have everything you need?
SIR PHILIP TAPSELL: Quite sure.
EDITH: Hello, Granny. Are you here? How nice.
CORA: Your grandmother will be with us every night until the baby’s born.
VIOLET: I hate to get news second-hand.
SIR PHILIP TAPSELL: Well, you won’t have long to wait.
CORA: I thought I’d ring up Doctor Clarkson after we’ve eaten.
SIR PHILIP TAPSELL: Yes, I’ve been talking to Lord Grantham about the good doctor.
ROBERT: Sir Philip feels the room would be too crowded, what with the midwife and the nurses… It might be better to leave old Clarkson out of it, for the time being.
CORA: But I said I’d telephone.
SIR PHILIP TAPSELL: Well, it really isn’t necessary.
CORA: I’ve given him my word.
Her tone silences the company. Edith takes charge.
EDITH: Why don’t I run down in the car after dinner and fetch him?
The matter is settled as Carson comes in.
25 INT. KITCHENS. DOWNTON. NIGHT.
Ivy is slaving away, when Daisy pulls a saucepan off the stove and dumps it on the table. Alfred is waiting.
DAISY: The hollandaise for the fish. Put it in the sauce boats for Alfred. I’m doing the soufflés.
IVY: As soon as I —
DAISY: Will you just do it!
She hurries away. Alfred steps in and takes up the pot.
ALFRED: Out of my way. Quick!
IVY: What you doing?
He puts the sauce on the stove, waits for a while, then takes it off and puts it back on the table. Daisy comes back in.
DAISY: Haven’t you done it? Oh, my God!
ALFRED: What’s happened?
DAISY: It’s curdled, and it’s got to go up in a minute! Oh, my Lord!
ALFRED: Ivy can manage it. Don’t worry. Go on with what you’re doing.
DAISY: Can you really?
Behind her head, Alfred nods.
IVY: I can.
Daisy hurries out. Ivy turns, terrified, to Alfred.
IVY (CONT’D): Now what?
ALFRED: Give me an egg. Quickly.
He takes it and breaks the yolk into a saucepan. Only now do we see Mrs Patmore watching this scene from the shadows.
ALFRED (CONT’D): Dribble it in.
IVY: But it’s ruined.
ALFRED: Do what I say.
She does, amazed by what is happening.
IVY: How does that work? It’s magic.
ALFRED: One of the tricks of the trade.
Ivy puts the sauce into the sauce boats as Daisy comes back.
DAISY: How’ve you done that?
IVY: Just… one of the tricks of the trade.
DAISY: Well, go on. Take it up.
Alfred winks at Ivy and goes. Mrs Patmore steps out.
MRS PATMORE: Well done, Ivy. You played a good one, there. Thank her, Daisy.
DAISY: Yes. Thank you.21
Ivy nods and carries some dirty pots away to the scullery.
MRS PATMORE: That didn’t hurt at all, did it? I’ll tell you what, Daisy. Alfred won’t like you any better for being rough on her.
She goes before Daisy can reply.
26 INT. DINING ROOM. DOWNTON. NIGHT.
Jimmy carries in a plate of fish. Alfred has the sauce.
ALFRED: I should have the fish.
JIMMY: I’ll do it.
ROBERT: By the way, Murray will be here in the morning. There’s been a development in Bates’s case.
MARY: A good development?
ROBERT: I think so. But that’s all I want to say at this stage.
Conversation is obviously limping at the table. Cora speaks for them all.
CORA: There’s nothing more tiring than waiting for something to happen.22
MATTHEW: Edith, have you written back to your editor, yet?
VIOLET: What’s this?
MATTHEW: Edith has had an invitation to write a newspaper column.
VIOLET: And when may she expect an offer to appear on the London stage?
EDITH: See?
She shrugs at Matthew as the door opens and a nurse comes in. Branson jumps up.
BRANSON: Oh, God. Is it beginning?
27 INT. KITCHENS AND PASSAGE. DOWNTON. NIGHT.
Jimmy walks in while Mrs Patmore and the rest of the kitchen staff are hard at work.
JIMMY: Dinner’s suspended, so to speak.
MRS PATMORE: Yes, but suspended, cancelled, or suspended, keeping it hot? And what should I do about dinner down here?23
JIMMY: I couldn’t tell you.
He walks away towards the servants’ hall when Thomas appears.
JIMMY (CONT’D): Looks as if the baby’s coming. So I suppose it’s all hands to the pump.
THOMAS: An unfortunate choice of phrase.
He laughs and rests his hand on Jimmy’s shoulder, lightly stroking his cheek. Mrs Hughes comes round the corner. Thomas withdraws his hand and goes. Jimmy speaks nervously.
JIMMY: Mrs Hughes…
MRS HUGHES: What is it? Because I’m very busy.
JIMMY: It can wait.24
He moves off and Mrs Hughes continues to the kitchen.
28 INT. LIBRARY. DOWNTON. NIGHT.
Clarkson is with Violet, Robert, Cora, Sir Philip, Matthew and Mary.
ROBERT: What do you mean, ‘concerned’?
CLARKSON: Lady Sybil’s ankles are swollen and she seems… muddled.
CORA: What sort of muddled?
CLARKSON: Not quite there. Not quite in the present moment.
MARY: And what do you think it means?
SIR PHILIP TAPSELL: It means she’s having a baby…
Robert lets out a wry laugh.
SIR PHILIP TAPSELL: A word, Doctor Clarkson?
CLARKSON: Excuse me.
The two men leave the room. The others look at each other.
CORA: Sir Philip mustn’t bully him into silence.
ROBERT: My dear, this is just Clarkson’s professional pride. Like barbers asking, ‘Who last cut your hair?’ They always want to be better than any other practitioner.
MATTHEW: But we must listen to what he has to say.
VIOLET: I quite agree.
ROBERT: I don’t want to hurt Sir Philip’s feelings.
VIOLET: If there’s one thing that I am quite indifferent to, it’s Sir Philip Tapsell’s feelings.25
29 INT. HALL. DOWNTON. NIGHT.
The two doctors are hissing at each other.
SIR PHILIP TAPSELL: You are upsetting these people for no reason at all —
CLARKSON: I am not. I think she may be toxaemic, with a danger of eclampsia, in which case we must act fast.
SIR PHILIP TAPSELL: There is no danger, whatsoever. Judging by my experience, Lady Sybil is behaving perfectly normally.
CLARKSON: Do you not find the baby small?
SIR PHILIP TAPSELL: Not unusually so.
CLARKSON: And the ankles?
SIR PHILIP TAPSELL: Maybe she has thick ankles. Lots of women do.
CLARKSON: But she does not.
SIR PHILIP TAPSELL: I warn you, Doctor. If you wish to remain, you must be silent. I cannot allow you to interfere.
END OF ACT TWO
ACT THREE
30 INT. KITCHEN. CRAWLEY HOUSE. NIGHT.
Ethel stirs a mixture in a bowl, when she has a thought…
ETHEL: Oh, Christmas!
She runs to the oven, opens it and takes out a smoking dish.
ETHEL (CONT’D): Oh, don’t be burned! Don’t be burned!
But the cloth is too thin and with a scream she drops it. She runs to find an implement and with the cloth scrapes the mixture of burned offerings off the floor back into the dish. She mixes the dirty bits i
nto the bowl when the door opens.
ISOBEL: Are you all right, Ethel? Only I heard a shout —?
ETHEL: Fine, ma’am. Everything’s fine.
Isobel looks into the mixing bowl. She looks at Ethel.
ETHEL (CONT’D): It’s a kidney soufflé, ma’am.
ISOBEL: A kidney soufflé? Isn’t that a bit adventurous?
ETHEL: I’ve seen Mrs Patmore do it a hundred times.
ISOBEL: Yes, but she can’t have begun her career as a cook by making a… kidney soufflé.
ETHEL: Shall I try something else, ma’am?
ISOBEL: No. If we’re to avoid a midnight feast, it’s too late to turn back.
She starts for the door.
ETHEL: Is there any news from the house?
ISOBEL: Not yet. But it can’t be long now.
She leaves. Ethel sniffs the mixture. It clearly does not smell as she had expected.26
31 INT. DINING ROOM. CRAWLEY HOUSE. NIGHT.
Isobel, with a book propped open, looks at the food Ethel has just put down in front of her.
ETHEL: I’m sorry it’s a bit late. I’ve not quite got used to that stove yet.
ISOBEL: No.
ETHEL: It will get better. If I could have a bit of time before you entertain.
ISOBEL: Yes.
ETHEL: Now, I’ve had a go at an apple pie for afters…
ISOBEL: Let’s keep it simple, Ethel. I’d be quite happy with some cheese.
ETHEL: Very good, ma’am. I take it Mr Matthew hasn’t telephoned?
ISOBEL: No. And I worry. But I’m sure there’s nothing to worry about.
She goes, leaving Isobel poking at the thing on her plate.
32 INT. PASSAGE/SERVANTS’ HALL. DOWNTON. NIGHT.
Anna has just come downstairs, to find Carson.
CARSON: Is everything all right?
ANNA: I’m not sure. I think so. I’ve just come to fetch some warm milk in case she fancies it.
She walks off, passing Molesley, who carries a letter.
MOLESLEY: Mr Carson. I’m glad I’ve caught you. I’ve had a letter from Mrs Bird, who used to work for Mrs Crawley.
CARSON: I didn’t know she’d gone.
MOLESLEY: Well, that’s the point.
33 INT. HALL. DOWNTON. NIGHT.
Downton Abbey, Series 3 Scripts (Official) Page 28