A character I enjoy every time I watch this storyline is Mrs Bryant, played by Christine Mackie, who gives a wonderfully layered performance as a decent woman torn in different directions. Here, she is in agony, because she doesn’t want to deprive Ethel of the child, but at the same time she knows they can give Charlie an extraordinary start in life, and raise him as their future heir. A Downton dilemma is when you see both sides.
51 INT. CORA’S BEDROOM. DOWNTON. DAY.
O’Brien sponges Cora’s brow. Thomas looks round the door.
THOMAS: They’ve rung for the doctor. He’ll be here any moment.
O’BRIEN: Can you get some more ice if there is any? Clean towels, new sheets. Anna can help me change them.
THOMAS: What about you? Are you all right?
O’BRIEN: Just fetch those things. Please.
Thomas nods and goes out. Cora stirs.
CORA: O’Brien? Is that you, O’Brien?
O’BRIEN: Yes, m’lady. It’s me, m’lady.
CORA: You’re so good to me. You’ve always been so good to me.
O’BRIEN: Not always, m’lady.
CORA: So good.
O’BRIEN: No. And the fact is, I want to ask so much for your forgiveness, because I did something once which I bitterly regret. Bitterly. And if you could only know how much —
CORA: So very good.
O’Brien is weeping, but Cora knows nothing. Robert comes in.
ROBERT: How is she?
O’BRIEN: She slept and she seemed better, then suddenly the fever came back —
ROBERT: O’Brien, thank you for the way you’ve looked after her. I mean it. I’m very grateful. Whatever comes.
This is a moment of reconciliation. Sybil arrives with ice.
SYBIL: I can manage here, O’Brien. You must have a rest. I insist.
O’BRIEN: There’ll be plenty of time for that when we know what’s happening.
Robert watches the two women. He is thinking.
52 INT. LAVINIA’S BEDROOM. DOWNTON. DAY.
Matthew enters gingerly. Lavinia sits up, with Isobel.
MATTHEW: What a marathon, but I think I got them all. Everyone sends love. I’ve told your father I’ll telegraph him as soon as it’s safe for him to come.
LAVINIA: But not before…
They look at Isobel, who stands.
ISOBEL: Well, I don’t think I should leave you alone. But if you don’t tell…
With a smile, she goes, and Matthew pulls up a chair.
MATTHEW: I’ve been thinking about the date for the rematch and — What is it?
LAVINIA: If I say something, will you promise not to be cross?
MATTHEW: How can I promise anything, when I don’t know what it is?
LAVINIA: I wonder if we haven’t been rather lucky.
MATTHEW: I think we’ve both been very lucky.
LAVINIA: That we’ve been given a second chance.
MATTHEW: A second chance at what?
LAVINIA: To be quite, quite sure about what we’re doing.
The mood has suddenly changed.
MATTHEW: Darling, what can you mean?
LAVINIA: The thing is… I might as well say it… When I came downstairs and you and Mary were dancing, I heard what you said and I saw what you did.
MATTHEW: Oh, but that was —
LAVINIA: No. It’s not that I’m in a rage and a fury. In fact, I think it’s noble of you to want to keep your word when things have changed. But I’m not sure it would be right for me to hold you to it.
MATTHEW: Lavinia, I can explain —
LAVINIA: No, listen. I’ve had lots of time to think about it. I love you very, very much, and I’ve wanted to marry you from the first moment I saw you. All that is true. But I didn’t really know what I was taking on. It’s not in me to be queen of the county. I’m a little person, an ordinary person, and when I saw you and Mary together, I thought how fine, how right you looked together.
She is crying, but she is determined to get it said.
MATTHEW: I don’t want to hear this.
LAVINIA: Well, you must. Because it isn’t a sudden thing. I was starting to worry, and when you were wounded I thought it was my calling to look after you and care for you. And I don’t think Mary would have done that quite as well as me, really.
He is almost crying, too, by this stage. He shakes his head.
MATTHEW: No. No, not nearly as well.
LAVINIA: I do have some self-worth. Just not enough to make you marry the wrong person.
MATTHEW: What you’re saying is pointless. Mary’s marrying someone else.
LAVINIA: Is she? We’ll see.
MATTHEW: I won’t let you do this.
LAVINIA: You will, but we won’t fight about it now. In fact, I’m tired. Can I rest for a bit? We’ll talk later.
MATTHEW: Of course.*
* Lavinia, seemingly better, now realises that Matthew shouldn’t marry her, because he’s in love with someone else. These crushing disappointments do happen, and I think it is very tough to have to make the decision, but people who can face the truth in this, as in so many areas, benefit from it, quite as much as the person they are setting free. Actually, to insist on marrying someone who’s not in love with you is a terrible template for a life, so I didn’t feel Lavinia was doing the wrong thing where her happiness was concerned. To go further, I would say she was doing absolutely the right thing, for her own future as much as for his, and if things had been different she would have profited from it.
53 INT. DRAWING ROOM. DOWNTON. DAY.
Mary is with Carlisle.
MARY: It’s good of you to come, but I don’t really see what you can do.
CARLISLE: I just thought I’d better do my bit. You say the chauffeur’s gone, so I could always drive the car —
MARY: Preferably over the chauffeur.
She gives a little angry laugh.
CARLISLE: Your father’s not having an easy time of it. How’s Lady Grantham?
MARY: Not well. Clarkson’s with her now.
CARLISLE: And Miss Swire?
MARY: Oh, she’s —
She breaks off, suddenly enlightened.
MARY (CONT’D): Is that why you’ve come? Because I said Lavinia had been taken ill?
CARLISLE: I was coming up anyway, in a day or two. For the wedding.
MARY: Well, she won’t be getting married on Saturday, which I suppose is what you’d like best.
CARLISLE: But she’s not seriously ill?
She studies him, appraisingly.
MARY: I see what was worrying you. If Lavinia had been carried off, you wanted to be here to stop Matthew from falling into my arms on a tidal wave of grief.
CARLISLE: It’s a tricky disease. I’ve already known two people who died.*
MARY: A neighbour here died in February. Did you know Sir Mark Sykes?
The door opens. Thomas comes in.
THOMAS: His lordship’s asking for you, m’lady. Now, sir, what can I get you in the way of tea?
* Carlisle is absolutely right about Spanish ’flu being a tricky disease. The horrible deception was that you seemed to be recovering, and then you suddenly fell back. You weren’t out of danger until your temperature had come right down. That was the big imperative.
54 INT. KITCHEN. DOWNTON. DAY.
Mrs Patmore and Daisy are with Mrs Hughes.
MRS HUGHES: I think we should aim at a sort of buffet dinner. Then they can run in and out as it suits them. I’m sorry to make extra work —
MRS PATMORE: Never mind that. At times like these, we must all pull together.†
Mrs Hughes gives a letter to Daisy.
MRS HUGHES: Oh, this arrived in the afternoon post, Daisy.
Thomas comes in.
THOMAS: Tea for Sir Richard in the drawing room.
MRS HUGHES: Well, I’m glad to know he’s here to help.
THOMAS: I can do it.
MRS HUGHES: You’re very obliging, Thomas.
THOMAS: I
can take some up to Mr Carson, if you’d like.
He winks and goes.
MRS PATMORE: Is that from your Mr Mason?
DAISY: He’s not ‘mine’.
MRS HUGHES: What does he say?
DAISY: He just says again we should talk about William. He wants me to go to his farm.
MRS PATMORE: Oh, poor man. Will you not visit him?
DAISY: I’m not going to any farm.
MRS HUGHES: You’re all he’s got, Daisy.
DAISY: Well, then he’s got nobody, ’cos he hasn’t got me.
† Mrs Hughes’s goal is always to run the house properly. Everyone is ill, indeed Lady Grantham may be dying, but it doesn’t alter the fact that, somehow, she and Mrs Patmore have got to feed the people who are still in the house. And the only realistic way of doing that is to have a buffet where people can come in, help themselves and go, as and when they need to. So, part of her brain is always thinking like a professional. The marker of how ill everyone is, absurd as it may sound, must be the fact that nobody will change their clothes for the evening.
55 INT. MARY’S BEDROOM. DOWNTON. EVE.
Mary comes in. Anna is turning down the bed.
ANNA: Oh, I’m sorry, m’lady. I didn’t think you’d want to change tonight.
MARY: I don’t. I just need a handkerchief.
ANNA: How’s her ladyship?
MARY: Not good, I’m afraid… What is it?
ANNA: I don’t mean to bother you, m’lady.
MARY: Go on.
ANNA: Can you keep a secret? Well, I know you can… You see, Mr Bates and I had a plan… to get married this coming Friday.
MARY: What?
ANNA: He’s worried the police haven’t finished with him… And if he’s right then I’m not going through it with no proper place in his life.
MARY: Well, that’s a very brave decision.
ANNA: Or a very stupid one. But, anyway, with her ladyship ill now and half the servants on their backs, and everybody working flat out —
MARY: Where is the marriage to be?
ANNA: Just in the register office in Ripon. It wouldn’t take long, but —
MARY: Go. I’ll cover for you. We’re all here, and you won’t help Mama by changing your plans.*
The door opens and Edith appears.
EDITH: You’d better come. She’s worse.
* Mary’s not offended by this proposal, because for Bates and Anna to marry is quite suitable, except that Bates is in trouble. In fact, she thinks it’s a brave decision, and even if it is a stupid one, as Anna says, either way it’s going to happen. It’s all part of Mary’s universe. I suppose that’s what a lot of the show is about – whether or not people are being allowed to exist within their own universe, and here, nothing is disrupting that.
56 INT. CORA’S BEDROOM. DOWNTON. EVE.
Clarkson is with Robert, Isobel, Mary, Edith and Sybil. Cora is still being tended by the faithful O’Brien.
ISOBEL: We’ve given her quinine.
CLARKSON: Good. I’ve given her the epinephrin —
O’BRIEN: Doctor! Come quickly!
Cora is bleeding from the nose.
EDITH: Oh, no! What does that mean?
CLARKSON: It’s a haemorrhage of the mucous membranes. It’s not unusual —
Cora is seized by a fit of vomiting. Sybil snatches up a bowl but O’Brien takes it from her, holding Cora’s head gently.
O’BRIEN: It’s all right, m’lady, don’t worry, don’t worry a bit. Everything’s going to be all right.
Robert is with Clarkson in the corner of the room.
ROBERT: Everything is clearly not all right. How bad is it?†
CLARKSON: If she lasts through the night, she’ll live. What about the others?
MARY: Come with me.
CLARKSON: I’ll be back shortly.
† Like Martin Clunes’s wonderful creation, Doc Martin, I always think blood is frightening. The moment blood appears, you think (or I do), God, what’s happening? And that’s exactly Robert’s reaction here; he is getting more and more frightened. I was a little bit nervous about the line, ‘I’ve given some medicine to Mrs Hughes, she’ll bring it up later,’ in the following scene, in case it sounded as if Mrs Hughes had taken the medicine and was about to be sick, but we seemed to get away with it.
57 INT. CARSON’S BEDROOM. DOWNTON. EVE.
Carson looks dishevelled as the other two come in.
CLARKSON: I’ve given some medicine to Mrs Hughes. She’ll bring it up later.
CARSON: I gather her ladyship is not improving.
CLARKSON: Well, we’ll… we’ll know more tomorrow.
CARSON: And Miss Swire?
CLARKSON: Not too bad, I think. I’ll go to her when I’ve seen the rest of the servants.
They are interrupted by Thomas arriving with a tray of tea.
CLARKSON: Ah.
THOMAS: Thank you, sir. Here we are, Mr Carson. Now, have you got everything you need? M’lady.
The butler nods and Thomas and Clarkson go. Carson looks at Mary.
CARSON: I want to thank you for coming up, m’lady.
MARY: Not at all.
CARSON: I mean it… I know I’ve been a disappointment to you.
MARY: Maybe. But I’ve relied on your support for too long to do without it entirely.
CARSON: You’ll always have my support, m’lady.
MARY: And you mine. On which subject, I should be careful of Thomas.
CARSON: Oh, I don’t know how we’re to get rid of him, after all this.
MARY: But I doubt he’ll want to stay a footman forever. So watch out.
She shares this with Carson, who is worried.*
* Mary breaks the rules to a certain extent by visiting Carson in his bedroom. True, she goes at other times to his sitting room; however, this is different. But I think we can accept it, because we know they have a relationship that means she can break the rules without being afraid she’ll somehow put a spoke in the wheel and ruin Carson’s working relationship with the family. She is completely secure in his affection, which, of course, is a great part of his appeal for her. Carlisle is the opposite. He has said he’s come to help, but really he’s come to make sure of Mary if Lavinia dies, and to control her, which is just what Carson never even tries. Really, Carlisle is trying to manage things that actually cannot be managed.
58 INT. DINING ROOM. DOWNTON. EVE.
Cold food is laid out. Thomas supervises. He has changed into his old footman’s uniform. Edith, Matthew and Carlisle sit at the table, picking at some food. Mary enters.
MARY: You look very smart, Thomas.
THOMAS: Well, I still had the shirt, m’lady, and I found my livery in the cupboard. So I thought, why not?
Mary is helping herself. She would sit next to Matthew but…
CARLISLE: I have a place for you, here.
She goes to him. Isobel arrives and starts to help herself.
ISOBEL: How is Lavinia?
MATTHEW: All right, I think. The illness has made her rather confused…
MARY: What do you mean?
MATTHEW: Not now.
There is the sound of someone running on the stairs.
SYBIL (V.O.): Matthew! Mary!
She runs in through the door. Mary and Edith jump up.
MARY: Oh, my God! Is it Mama?
SYBIL: That’s what’s so… It’s Lavinia!
Matthew, Edith and Isobel run out. Carlisle catches Mary.
CARLISLE: Let him go to her! Let him be with her! Surely you owe her that!
Mary stares at him, then throws his hand off and runs out.
59 INT. LAVINIA’S BEDROOM. DOWNTON. EVE.
Lavinia tosses, murmuring, hot and sweating, in a fever. Clarkson is with her, and Mrs Hughes, as they all arrive.
ISOBEL: What happened?
CLARKSON: This is how I found her. It’s bad, I’m afraid. Very bad. The worst.
MATTHEW: I don’t understand. When I was with her, she
was talking. She was fine.
CLARKSON: It’s… It’s a strange disease with sudden, savage changes. I’m terribly sorry.
Clarkson is speaking as he takes her pulse. Sybil has removed all but the sheet, and she is sponging Lavinia’s brow.
MATTHEW: Well, what can I do? Can I talk to her?
CLARKSON: Yes, of course. Why don’t you talk to her now? It can’t do any harm.
But he puts his hand on Sybil’s shoulder and shakes his head. She drops back and joins Isobel. They both know what is happening. Matthew kneels down and takes Lavinia’s hand.
MATTHEW: My darling, can you hear me?
This draws the sweating face towards him. She stares at him. Now Robert has come in. Mary holds a finger to her lips.
MATTHEW (CONT’D): It’s me. It’s Matthew.
LAVINIA: Matthew? I’m so glad you’re here.
MATTHEW: Of course I’m here, my darling. Where else would I be?
LAVINIA: But you mustn’t be sad, you see. You absolutely mustn’t be sad.
MATTHEW: Why would I be sad? I’m not sad. You’re going to be well again.
LAVINIA: I don’t think so, my dearest one. But please no tears. Now or ever. Isn’t this better? Really?
MATTHEW: I don’t understand you.
LAVINIA: You won’t have to make a horrid decision… Be happy, for my sake. Promise me. It’s all I want for you. Remember that. That’s all I want…
None of the others can follow this at all.
MATTHEW: But I can’t be happy. Not without you. How could I be happy?
But, to the horror of everyone present, Lavinia is dead.*
* This was a good top shot. Having built the kitchens and the attics at Ealing, which works well, we also, in order to avoid ever getting really stuck by the programme of events at Highclere, have a bedroom that we can redecorate to fit the bill. It is copied from the Highclere bedrooms, and it is normally Mary’s room, but we can redecorate and rearrange it as we see fit. If there’s only one little scene, we’ll probably do it in a real bedroom at Highclere, and there are a couple that we’re allowed to use, but every now and then we have a strong enough reason to alter and use the Ealing bedroom. In the first series we redecorated it for the Turk. Here, it became Lavinia’s room. The advantage is that, by having a room constructed in a studio, you have no ceiling and you can move the walls to suit whatever camera angle you want. You can also make certain shots that are not possible in an architecturally real room, and we took advantage of that here, for the top shot of Lavinia dead.
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