Third episode of ‘For the love of a woman’

 

 

April 1934

INTERIOR OF A CAR. EARLY EVENING.

Sir James, Lady Marjorie and Thomas are being driven into Feltstone on their way to Feltstone Hall. Thomas and Sir James are having a heated discussion, Lady Marjorie looks on quietly.

 

SIR JAMES:

Why do you persist in this folly boy? Can’t you see how you’re embarrassing your family? Doesn't it concern you how the town is gossiping about Elizabeth? You’re hurting Elizabeth and she won’t forgive you for it.

THOMAS: (voice raised)

Why would I hurt her? Bess is not some passing fling father. She’s intelligent, caring and funny. Please, just give her a chance.

SIR JAMES:

She may well be all of those things, but you can never change the fact that she’s a commoner. Look at her parents for God’s sake.

(beat)

Not exactly our sort. No Thomas, this just cannot be allowed.

 

Thomas turns to his mother.

 

LADY MARJORIE:

Oh Thomas. Listen to your father. Try to consider how it looks. Finish this silliness before it’s too late and you break her heart.

(beat)

Or worse.

THOMAS:

It was too late weeks ago mother. I think I love her.

SIR JAMES:

Love, you are too young to know love. Love is something you get from respecting someone, from sharing with them. Not something you feel in your loins boy. Stop this now before she tries to trap you.

(pause)

I will not pay off another young woman who finds herself with child. One illegitimate brat out there is more than enough.

THOMAS:

Elizabeth has more respect for herself than to do that. She’s more lady than any you have paraded before me.

(silence)

Why do you persist in comparing me with John?

(pause)

Do you ever wonder what became of his child?

SIR JAMES:

No. Why would we. She was quick enough to take the money and leave. John was very lucky.

 

Sir James looks away from Thomas, staring out of the window. Lady Marjorie stares into space, a sad look on her face.

 

THOMAS:

I invited her to join us tonight for dinner. Mrs Holte said I could bring someone to make up the numbers.

(beat)

Please… I won’t have her made unwelcome. Everyone there will look to see how you treat her.

LADY MARJORIE:

We would never cause anyone embarrassment.

(beat)

Our hostess, unfortunately, may be a different matter.

 

Thomas turned to Sir James, who is still looking out of the window. He touches his shoulder.

 

THOMAS:

Father?

SIR JAMES:

I will show Elizabeth the same respect I show any guest at these things. I can’t imagine I’ll have a lot to say to her. Will she know to stay with the ladies after dinner?

 

Thomas taps the chauffeur on the shoulder.

 

THOMAS:

Pull over here; I can walk the rest of the way.

 

When the car stops, Thomas gets out. Before closing the door he turns back to his parents.

 

THOMAS: (cont’d)

We will be at Feltstone before you go into dinner.

 

FADE OUT.

© L J Horne. 2014

 

I hope you are enjoying reading this period drama.  For the next episode come back tomorrow. 

 

An eventful few days.

On Thursday we had some storms pass over, one of which caused a power failure.  I wasn’t home at the time, but my son tells me that the power was gone for quite a while to the whole village.  This meant that my broadband Wi-Fi router was off.  Friday when I came home I set up my craft room, and took out my computer to catch up on the previous nights events.  All seemed well for a while, until my router dropped out.  I reset it, as I have done many times before, but this time it only lasted a few minutes.  That set the pattern for the rest of the day, ten minutes online then hours offline.  By seven in the evening I had come close to throwing the router out into the fields with the wheat.  I didn’t though.  I had a program to watch on TV, so that’s what I did. 

Being in a lot of pain from the arthritis in my shoulders back knees and ankles to name just a few places, I went to bed around ten.  It was not a good nights sleep – too hot and sticky.  Saturday dawned nice and early, along with my son who was upgrading his mobile phone in the morning in town, so we had breakfast and were in town by 9.30am. 

I thought that the broadband would be back on by the time we got back, but no such luck, and now my mobile couldn’t get a data signal because of all the other people using their mobiles in the area. 

I rang BT to be told that the exchange had suffered a direct hit with the lightening on Thursday morning which had caused thousands of cascade failures since.  My phone line is almost unusable and my broadband none existent until they can get it sorted.  Making it worse is the fact that everyone in the area who has a telephone uses that exchange, and they are all in the same position. 

A phone call to my mobile carrier gave me more bad news.  because of BT’s problems, everyone has turned to their mobile data plans to access the internet, which has meant that the signal strength each of us is getting is less, and I am one of the unlucky ones who will be effected because all those lovely teenagers are now off school for the summer, so they want their entertainment, streaming music and games over the internet.

Today I managed half an hour online via my mobile data plan.  I chose a time when everyone was either just sitting down to Sunday lunch or nodding off after eating.

ON THE UP SIDE

I am making more cards, and loom bracelets because I have nothing else to do.  My most recent finished project is also my first attempt at decoupage. 

 

 

Please leave a comment.  It lets me know that someone is actually visiting my little blog. 

Have a great day and don’t forget to come back tomorrow for the next episode of For the love of a woman.