Downton Abbey

by Julian Fellowes

  41 EXT. DRAKES’ FARMYARD. DAY.

  Drake is forking hay in a hay barn. He piles it into a trailer, hitched to the back of the tractor.

  DRAKE: Let’s have a rest. We’ve earned it.

  He walks over to a shelf and takes two bottles of ginger beer, then sits in the hay. Edith follows and takes a bottle.

  DRAKE (CONT’D): I should have gone in for a glass. I don’t suppose you can drink out of a bottle, can you, m’lady?

  EDITH: I wish you’d call me Edith. And of course I can drink from the bottle… Would you like me to teach you to drive?

  DRAKE: Not much. ’Cos then you wouldn’t come here no more. Although that wouldn’t matter to you.

  EDITH: Why do you say that?

  DRAKE: You’re pretty and clever and fine. You’re from a different world.

  MRS DRAKE (V.O.): Is something wrong?

  She is walking across the yard from the farmhouse.

  DRAKE: No. We’re just having a break.

  MRS DRAKE: ’Cos you want to get into town to fetch the bone meal, and be back in time to feed the cows before it’s dark.

  EDITH: They could always have a midnight feast.

  She laughs and so does Drake. Mrs Drake does not.

  42 EXT. HOSPITAL GROUNDS. DOWNTON VILLAGE. DAY.

  Courtenay is walking with the aid of a stick. Tapping the ground, he moves between Thomas and Sybil.

  THOMAS: That’s it. That’s right, sir. If you move the stick fast enough, you don’t have to slacken your pace.

  SYBIL: And check the width of the space as well as any possible obstruction.

  Clarkson is watching from the door. He steps forward.

  CLARKSON: Lieutenant Courtenay, well done. You’re making good progress —

  COURTENAY: Thanks to my saviours, sir.

  CLARKSON: So you’ll be pleased to hear that we’re all agreed that it’s time for you to continue your treatment elsewhere.

  COURTENAY: What?

  CLARKSON: At Farley Hall. You’re not ill any more. All you need is time to adjust to your condition, and the staff at Farley can help with that.

  COURTENAY: But sir, these two are helping me here.

  CLARKSON: Nurse Crawley and Corporal Barrow are not trained in specialist care —

  COURTENAY: Please, don’t send me away. Not yet.

  THOMAS: Sir, surely we —

  Clarkson silences him with a look. He’s not having this.

  CLARKSON: Lieutenant, you must know that every one of our beds is needed for the injured and dying from Arras.

  Courtenay is silent. Clarkson turns to Thomas.

  CLARKSON (CONT’D): Corporal, I’ll see you in my office.

  43 INT. CLARKSON’S OFFICE. HOSPITAL. DOWNTON VILLAGE. DAY.

  Thomas is in front of the desk, facing an irate Clarkson.

  CLARKSON: I cannot have my decisions challenged in that way!

  THOMAS: No, sir, but —

  CLARKSON: There are no ‘buts’, Corporal! You may have been transferred here on the wishes of Lady Grantham, but her protection is not limitless.

  THOMAS: Sir, I only meant to say that Lieutenant Courtenay is depressed —

  CLARKSON: I will not leave wounded soldiers freezing or sweating under a canvas because one junior officer is depressed.

  There is a knock at the door and it opens on Sybil.

  CLARKSON (CONT’D): Yes?

  SYBIL: I thought you may want to know what I think.

  CLARKSON: Why should I? Nurse Crawley, I may not be your social superior in a Mayfair ballroom, but in this hospital I have the deciding voice. Please help him prepare his belongings. He leaves first thing in the morning.*

  * By this stage, Thomas is essentially in love with Courtenay, and Clarkson, of course, is in a very difficult situation. You’ve got to see his point of view in this story, that you couldn’t accommodate every patient who didn’t want to move on. If you did, the whole system would clog up, and you’d have a log jam. It may have been hard for them, but how hard was it for the men at the front? I don’t think we should see any of these positions as being heartless. And here, again, we’re up against entitlement. I think Sybil feels – although she wouldn’t agree with me – that she’s not just a nurse; she’s also Lady Sybil Crawley of Downton Abbey. It may be subconscious, but she expects that when she has given her opinion on the matter it will be obeyed. Clarkson’s response, that in this hospital he is the deciding voice, is an important learning curve for her.

  44 INT. CARSON’S BEDROOM. DOWNTON. NIGHT.

  Carson is propped up in bed. Mrs Hughes sits on a chair.

  MRS HUGHES: Anna and Ethel will wait at the table and I will supervise. What’s wrong with that?

  CARSON: Nothing. Except that it’s how a chartered accountant would have his dinner served.

  MRS HUGHES: I can think of worse insults.

  CARSON: If you say so… But I don’t want Lang allowed anywhere near it.*

  He looks to the sky imploringly.

  CARSON (CONT’D): Oh, Mr Bates, where are you when we need you? Can you bring me the wine ledgers and I’ll make a selection?

  MRS HUGHES: His lordship’s already done that. Just try to rest.

  CARSON: To rest or to feel redundant?

  MRS HUGHES: Both, if it’ll slow you down for a minute and a half. The world does not turn on the style of a dinner.

  CARSON: My world does.

  * The great distinction in assessing a household in modern times was whether or not there were menservants. At the turn of the last century, any moderately prosperous middle-class clerk would probably have a woman helping his wife with the cooking, and a maid serving. I remember a very old cousin of mine telling me that before coming to their rather dilapidated house their nanny, who’d been in a frightfully grand house before then, came down the drive for the interview and said to herself, ‘If a butler or a footman opens the door I’ll take the job, but if it’s opened by a maid I’ll go home.’ Mercifully for the family, they had this ancient butler, who could hardly stand, and he just used to open the door and more or less nothing else, so she stayed. But that was the great marker. As usual, Carson feels all this more than his employers. For him, to see Lord Grantham being served by two maids would be an atrocity. Naturally, Robert couldn’t care less. There’s a war on.

  45 INT. MARY’S BEDROOM. DOWNTON. NIGHT.

  Mary and Rosamund are alone together.

  ROSAMUND: How does he know Miss Swire?

  MARY: What?

  ROSAMUND: Miss Swire. They were in the garden when I came back from Mama’s.

  MARY: I suppose they met in London.

  There is a knock and Anna looks round the door.

  ANNA: Would you like me to come back later, m’lady?

  ROSAMUND: No. Come in. I was just leaving.

  She leaves. Mary stands for Anna to start undoing her dress.

  MARY: How’s Carson getting on?

  ANNA: Oh, much better, m’lady. Mrs Hughes is having a job keeping him in bed.

  MARY: He gave me some advice last night.

  ANNA: Oh yes? Was it good advice?

  MARY: It was about honesty. He thinks I should say what I really feel.

  ANNA: Sounds a bit wild for Mr Carson.

  MARY: But do you think he’s right?

  ANNA: Well, they do say honesty’s the best policy. And I think you regret being honest less often than you regret telling lies.

  Mary looks at her maid. This, of course, is true.

  46 INT. HOSPITAL. DOWNTON VILLAGE. DAY.

  It is early morning. A young nurse draws the curtains as the patients are waking. She is walking past Courtenay’s bed when something catches her attention. She walks over to him and touches his cheek. She looks down. There is a pool of blood on the floor. She gasps and pulls back the bedclothes. In one hand the dead man holds a cut-throat razor; both wrists have stained the sheets with blood.

  47 INT. PASSAGE. HOSPITAL. DOWNTON VILLAGE. DAY.

  Sybi
l walks away. She does not notice Thomas standing alone, in the shadows. He is weeping.

  48 INT. CLARKSON’S OFFICE. HOSPITAL. DOWNTON VILLAGE. DAY.

  Sybil is with Isobel and Clarkson. She is profoundly shocked.

  CLARKSON: He must have smuggled a razor into his bed. There was nothing to be done.

  SYBIL: It’s because we ordered him to go.

  ISOBEL: We don’t know that.

  CLARKSON: This is a tragedy. I don’t deny it. But I cannot see what other course was open to me. We have no room for men to convalesce here, and Farley is the nearest house I can send them to.

  ISOBEL: There is a solution. And it’s staring us in the face. Downton Abbey.

  The words electrify and inspire the other two.

  CLARKSON: Would they ever allow it? Or even consider it?

  SYBIL: I think they would. After this, I think they can be made to.

  49 EXT. RAILWAY STATION. DOWNTON VILLAGE. DAY.

  Branson is carrying some cases down the platform with Carlisle’s valet, while Carlisle and Mary stand nearby.

  MARY: I seem to spend my life waving goodbye from this platform.

  CARLISLE: I suppose you know why I wanted you to come and see me off today?

  MARY: To buy you some humbugs to eat on the journey?

  CARLISLE: That. And other things.

  MARY: But Sir Richard, you don’t have to —

  CARLISLE: Richard, please.

  Mary is not quite sure she feels like playing this scene.

  CARLISLE (CONT’D): You see, I want you to marry me.

  MARY: Why?

  CARLISLE: Because I think very highly of you.

  MARY: Very highly? Goodness.

  CARLISLE: I mean it. I think we’d do well together. We could be a good team.

  MARY: Now, that sounds better. But I can’t help thinking that tradition demands a little mention of love.

  A train is pulling in. People climb in and out of it.

  CARLISLE: Oh, I can talk about love and moon and June and all the rest of it, if you wish. But we’re more than that. We’re strong and sharp, and we could build something worth having, you and I, if you’ll let us.

  MARY: Your proposal is improving by leaps and bounds.

  The whistle blows, but Carlisle won’t be hurried. Mary smiles.

  MARY (CONT’D): You must give me some time, but I promise to think about it. Properly.

  CARLISLE: I’m counting on it.

  He walks to the door where his valet waits with the guard.*

  MARY: Branson, you can deliver Mama’s mercy package and go back. I have an errand in the village.

  * Quite deliberately we play the railway scene between Mary and Carlisle as a direct parallel to the scene between Mary and Matthew in Episode One.

  50 EXT. HOSPITAL. DOWNTON VILLAGE. DAY.

  Branson walks up to the hospital with a basket on his arm, as a number of wounded men are being carried in on stretchers.

  51 INT. HOSPITAL. DOWNTON VILLAGE. DAY.

  The scene is chaotic. Clarkson and Isobel are directing the stretcher bearers.

  ISOBEL: Right to the other end, off you go.

  Nurses, including Sybil, try to get the men into beds. Screens are wheeled round to protect their modesty, but it’s still a muddle. Branson approaches Sybil with his basket.

  BRANSON: Her ladyship had Mrs Patmore make this up for you. So you could eat something during the day.

  SYBIL: Oh, I won’t have time, but thank you.

  BRANSON: Are they from Arras?

  SYBIL: We’ll be full after the first week of fighting…

  She has been crying, and this speech takes her to the edge.

  BRANSON: What’s the matter?

  SYBIL: This morning, they… Oh, it’s just that it’s all such a waste.

  She is thinking of Courtenay, but she has no time for that now. She walks off briskly to get beds ready. Branson follows as Matthew comes in with Davis, and walks over to his mother.

  ISOBEL: No, bring them to the other side. Oh, Matthew, I’m afraid I’m very busy. As you can see.

  MATTHEW: Yes, I just want to help. I can’t be in the village and not help.

  ISOBEL: Feel free. But don’t get in anyone’s way.

  As Matthew and Davis start to carry, Branson is with Sybil.

  BRANSON: Is it what you thought it would be?

  She hesitates for a moment, thinking over his words.

  SYBIL: No. No, it’s more savage and more cruel than I could have imagined… But I feel useful for the first time in my life. And that must be a good thing. Matthew? Are you busy?

  MATTHEW: No, of course not.

  He lifts a man onto a bed. The invalid tries to salute him.

  MATTHEW (CONT’D): Never mind that, now. And remember, you are quite safe here.

  He strides off to join Davis in lifting another wounded man, while Branson helps Sybil at another bed.

  SYBIL: Please try to rest. You’ll be attended to in a moment.

  BRANSON: So you wouldn’t go back to your life before the war?

  SYBIL: Oh, no. No, I can never go back to that again.

  And she vanishes into the mass of soldiers, as Branson looks on. He has heard what he wanted to hear.*

  * In a workplace drama like this, you need certain areas where people can talk informally; the easiest one concerns the lady’s maid and the employer’s wife, the valet and the employer, because you’re alone with them in a bedroom or a dressing room getting dressed. Of course they’d chat, everyone did. But apart from these obvious moments, you need to find other common ground. The hospital was useful dramatically for that. And here, Sybil makes this very telling comment to Branson, that she doesn’t want to go back to the life she was leading before the war, which inevitably gives him hope, because the sacrifice he was asking her to make, of her grand life, she has already made in her heart, without its being connected to his proposal. This scene is taking them onto a level playing field. Now Branson has to win her hand, and make her fall in love with him, but he doesn’t any more have to factor in that she’s used to living as the daughter of a rich nobleman. She won’t worry about that any more, and so he doesn’t have to.

  END OF ACT THREE

  ACT FOUR

  52 EXT. CRAWLEY HOUSE. DOWNTON VILLAGE. DAY.

  Mary walks in through the gates. As she approaches the front door, she sees Lavinia sitting on a bench, crying.

  MARY: Lavinia? What’s the matter?

  Lavinia just shakes her head and wipes her eyes quickly.

  LAVINIA: Are you looking for Matthew?

  MARY: I was. But it’s not important.*

  Lavinia starts to cry again and Mary sits next to her.

  MARY (CONT’D): Tell me what it is. Please.

  LAVINIA: He has to go a day early. Tomorrow morning, in fact.

  MARY: Only to meet his General, surely? Not back to France.

  LAVINIA: But he must go back one day, and I can’t stop thinking about what I’d do if anything happened to him.

  MARY: I know he’ll be all right.

  LAVINIA: No, you don’t. None of us do. We say that sort of thing, but we don’t know… If he died, I don’t think I could go on living.

  MATTHEW (V.O.): What’s doing?

  There he is, as handsome as ever.

  LAVINIA: Excuse me.

  Lavinia shakes her head in an apology and runs inside.

  MARY: Lavinia’s a bit upset.

  MATTHEW: She’s awfully cut up that I have to go early. But it’s only to Coventry, which doesn’t sound too dangerous. If you’re looking for Mother, she’s at the hospital. I’ve just come from there. I can’t tell you what it’s like…

  He is lost in it, then he remembers himself, shaking his head.

  MATTHEW (CONT’D): Forgive me. That’s not very useful to anyone.

  MARY: Actually, it’s you I came to see.

  MATTHEW: Oh? How can I help?

  LAVINIA: Mary! Can you stay for luncheon?

/>   She is in the doorway, eager and young and lovely and very touching. Mary looks at her and makes a decision.

  MARY: I can’t. But thank you.

  Lavinia goes back inside and Mary turns once more to Matthew.

  MATTHEW: So, what was your mission?

  MARY: Just to say… we hope you’re still coming for dinner tonight?

  MATTHEW: Certainly we are. Why wouldn’t we?

  MARY: Sure? It’ll be your last evening.

  MATTHEW: Why? Don’t you want me?

  MARY: Of course I want you. Very much.

  MATTHEW: I’m sorry you’ve had a wasted journey.

  MARY: Not at all. I needed an excuse for a walk. I’ll see you at eight.

  She turns and strides away from the love of her life.

  * Mary had made up her mind to tell Matthew that she was in love with him, and then she finds Lavinia crying, because she loves Matthew so much. It is a key Downton moment, really, because Mary, who is comparatively selfish, is not sufficiently selfish to ignore Lavinia’s suffering and speak the words that she had intended. She looks at this weeping young girl and she feels sorry for her. This was why it was very important that Lavinia should not be an unpleasant person, but would instead be sweet and innocent and blameless. The point is that the audience, in one way, is dying for Mary to say it, and in another, they feel sorry for Lavinia, which is exactly what we want. ‘You’ve had a wasted journey,’ he says. ‘Not at all,’ Mary counters. ‘I needed an excuse for a walk.’ So, she has decided not to say it after all.

  53 INT. KITCHEN PASSAGE. DOWNTON. NIGHT.

  Anna comes along to find Molesley waiting there.

  ANNA: Ethel said you wanted me.

  MOLESLEY: No, no, I just need a word with you.

  ANNA: If it’s about that book, I’m afraid —

  MOLESLEY: No. No, it’s not about the book.

  ANNA: What is it, then?

  MOLESLEY: I understand that Mr Bates has gone for good.

  ANNA: Yes. I believe that’s true.

  MOLESLEY: So I was hoping we might be able to see a little more of each other.

  She realises that, this time, she can’t get out of it.

  ANNA: Mr Molesley, I take this as a real compliment.

  MOLESLEY: But it’s not going to happen.

  ANNA: No… You see, if you had a child and that child was taken from you, if the child was sent to the moon, there’d never be one day when they were out of your thoughts, nor one moment when you weren’t praying for their welfare. Even if you knew you’d never see them again.