FOR THE LOVE OF A WOMAN.

 

There are just two more episodes of this drama left.  Here is the first of those two.

 

FADE IN

April 1935

INT. ROSEDALE HALL. SIR JAMES STUDY. EARLY AFTERNOON.

The study is a typical gentleman’s study. Filled with dark furniture including a large desk, behind which Sir James is sitting. Thomas is pacing the room.

 

SIR JAMES:

Elizabeth is a nice young woman, she has conducted herself very well but she is still not of the right breeding to be your wife.

THOMAS:

And if I choose to marry her anyway?

SIR JAMES:

If you insist on being so foolish then you’ll support yourself.

THOMAS:

You think that threatening to cut me off will change how I feel about her? I love her. I won’t spend my life without her.

SIR JAMES:

Thomas, see sense boy. Nothing good can come of you marrying below your station. Elizabeth knows nothing of our world. It will overwhelm her. I admire her spirit and her courage, but this can never be her world. You should finish this now and give her the chance to find someone else.

THOMAS:

I thought you liked her? Mother said you found her wonderful company?

SIR JAMES:

I do. She’s intelligent, polite. She understands the business world far better than you or your brothers. John Holte wishes he had more workers like her.

(beat)

And there’s the problem. She’s working class. Her roots are in the gutters of the town, not the lawns of the estate.

(pause)

No this could never work. She’ll be unhappy in your world, and you’ll be unhappy in hers. You’ll end up hating each other.

THOMAS:

How can you be so sure?

SIR JAMES:

I’ve seen it before. Your own Godparents came from different backgrounds. In the end their love died.

THOMAS:

That was a long time ago. Things were different then. Attitudes have changed since the war.

SIR JAMES:

That may be so, but it will still take many more years before we see any real benefit. Keep Elizabeth as your mistress if you must, but marriage is out of the question.

THOMAS:

My mistress. Never. Elizabeth is not the sort of girl one takes as a mistress. She’s not like most of the girls in town. She has respect for herself, and for her family. I won’t do that to her.

(beat)

No Father, I’ll marry her with or without your blessing.

SIR JAMES:

You’re not the young man I thought you to be. I was sure you’d give Elizabeth up at the first mention of being made to work for your own money.

(beat)

You’re sure you won’t just take Elizabeth as a mistress and choose a more suitable wife?

THOMAS:

Very sure. I would prefer to beg for work in town than give her up.

SIR JAMES:

Very well then. You have my blessing. If her father gives his permission, and Elizabeth agrees to be your wife, then you may marry her.

THOMAS:

One more thing Father.

(beat)

We’ll need somewhere to live.

SIR JAMES:

The farmhouse at Little Endsford has just become vacant. If you agree to oversee the farm labourers, you may have that to begin with. It will need a lot of work done before it’s fit to live in.

 

Thomas reaches the door and grabs the handle to open it. As he does so, Sir James calls to him.

 

(cont’d)

Just one more thing. I won’t pay for this wedding. If her parents can’t afford to pay then you must. I suggest you put some of that money you throw about the card table so easily to better use. Your grandmother left you a very generous stipend. It’s now time to use it for something other than fun and games.

THOMAS:

Thank you Father. Will you and Mother attend the wedding?

SIR JAMES:

But of course. Our son is getting married. That is a day for celebration.

(beat)

No matter whom he chooses to marry.

 

Thomas leaves the room. Sir James shakes his head sadly.

FADE OUT

FADE IN

The same afternoon.

INT. ELIZABETH’S HOME. MID AFTERNOON

Elizabeth and her father AMBERLINE are in the parlour of a small back-to-back yard house.  Everything is old and worn out, but clean and tidy.

 

ELIZABETH: (angrily)

That isn’t the point Dad. You had no right to give her my new shoes to wear. I hadn’t even worn them yet. I saved for weeks to get them. Just for once I wanted something that was mine.

 

Amberline and Elizabeth are now shouting at each other.

 

AMBERLINE:

Don’t you raise your voice to me girly. Unity needed them, I don’t have the money to go buying shoes, and there was a pair sitting there. You should be grateful your sister could go for a job, instead you gripe about ownership.

(beat)

You’re changing, and it’s not for the good. Soon we won’t be good enough for you. You’ll be ashamed of us. (shaking his head sadly)

I said no good would come of you mixing with them Toffs.

ELIZABETH:

You’d have enough to buy her a pair of shoes if you stayed out of the pub occasionally. It’s not as if you don’t have a good whack out of my money each week.

 

Elizabeth storms out of the parlour to the scullery.  As she does so there is a knock at the open door.  Thomas is standing there.

 

ELIZABETH:

Thomas. I thought you said tomorrow evening? Is something wrong?

THOMAS:

Tomorrow, - yes. No, nothing’s wrong; I just need to talk to your father…Alone.

 

Amberline has walked into the scullery.  He looks from Thomas to Elizabeth quizzically.  Elizabeth looks at him and shrugs her shoulders.

 

AMBERLINE:

You’d best come through to the parlour lad. Bess your Mam’ll be home soon, best put the pot on to boil.

 

Thomas follows Amberline through the scullery to the parlour and closes the door behind himself.  Amberline stands with his elbows on the fireside shelf.  Thomas faces him.

 

THOMAS:

You must be wondering why I’ve come to see you Sir?

AMBERLINE:

Suppose it’s cause you’ve gotten Bess in trouble?

THOMAS:

No Sir. I’ve come to ask for your permission to marry Elizabeth.

AMBERLINE: (surprised)

And she aint pregnant?

THOMAS:

No Sir. Why would you think she was?

AMBERLINE:

Well, I know all about your reputation with the young girls.

THOMAS:

I’ve enjoyed my fair share of the girls in town, I agree, but Elizabeth is different. I love her.

AMBERLINE:

And you’ve told your father of this? What does he have to say? Not best pleased with a peasant’s daughter joining your ranks I’ll wager.

THOMAS:

He has his doubts about it, I admit, but he’s given his blessing.

AMBERLINE:

I see… She won’t be expected to skivvy for no one?

THOMAS:

I have a job overseeing my father’s farms in Little Endsford. We’ll have a home there. Elizabeth won’t need to work for anyone. If she chooses to occupy her time with something, then that’s something we can discuss.

(pause)

So Sir, do I have your permission to ask Elizabeth to marry me?

AMBERLINE:

It’s not my permission you need lad, it’s hers.

 

Amberline walks to the door and opens it, calling out as he does so.

 

AMBERLINE: (cont’d)

Bess, a word girly.

 

Elizabeth is heard putting something down on the table, and then walking towards the parlour.  Amberline waits for her to appear before leaving the room and closing the door.

 

ELIZABETH:

Thomas. What’s going on?

 

Thomas takes Elizabeth by the hand.

 

THOMAS:

Elizabeth, I’ve asked your father, and now I’m asking you. Will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?

ELIZABETH:

Don’t be daft. As if Sir James is going to let you marry the likes of me. (laughs) There you go being a twit again.

THOMAS:

On the contrary. He’s given his blessing. Your father says that it’s up to you.

ELIZABETH:

Just like that? Where will we live? There isn’t room here.

 

Elizabeth pulls her hand from Thomas’ and walks over to the chair by the window.  She sits down heavily into it.  A mouse runs along the edge of the wall under the window, disturbed by the sudden movement in the chair.

 

THOMAS:

We’ll have a farmhouse in Little Endsford. I’ll oversee the farm labourers. You can make a home for us.

ELIZABETH:

What about the people who live there now? What will they do?

THOMAS:

The farm is newly vacant. Father had to let the farm manager go. He had an interesting accounting system it seems.

(beat)

So. You still haven’t answered my question yet Bess?

ELIZABETH:

No. I haven’t, have I?

(pause)

I don’t know Thomas. Can this really work?

THOMAS:

I love you. And I believe you love me?

ELIZABETH:

Yes, but you know that already.

THOMAS:

It’s as David once said. ‘Love is the only reason to marry’. More importantly, it’s the best reason to marry.

ELIZABETH:

There are many who would disagree with you. Wallis once believed that security in the form of wealth and position were just as important, and lasted longer. I think she may have changed her mind recently.

THOMAS:

David will marry her as soon as he’s able. Her divorce is under discussion. Let’s hope that all goes well for them. David is used to getting everything he wants, and he wants Wallis.

ELIZABETH:

He’s been spoiled, just like you. No wonder you two are friends, you both have an eye for the ladies and you love gambling. That will have to change, you know?

(beat)

I won’t have you spending all your money on card games and loose women. If you marry me, you will have no other women.

(pause)

Is that possible Thomas? Can you be satisfied with just me?

THOMAS:

From the day you agreed to go out with me there’s been no one else, Elizabeth. You stole my heart. I need only you.

ELIZABETH:

Pretty words.

(beat)

And the gambling?

THOMAS:

I can only promise to try. It will be difficult. Card games are a part of my social life.

ELIZABETH:

Promise me Thomas. I won’t agree to marry you without your word on this.

THOMAS:

I promise you that I’ll love only you.

(beat) (cheekily)

And my mother of course.

ELIZABETH: (serious)

And the gambling?

THOMAS:

Oh dear. You really mean it.

(pause)

Very well. I promise that I’ll do my best to avoid gambling. I can’t make any other promise than that.

 

Elizabeth rises from the chair and stands before Thomas.   She smiles at him and takes his hand in hers.

 

ELIZABETH:

Then Thomas. My answer is yes.

(beat)

Yes, I’ll marry you.

 

FADE OUT.

 

© L J Horne. 2014.

 

I hope you are enjoying reading this piece.  It took a long time to get round to finally writing this piece, nearly twenty years in fact.  Many things kept me from writing it before now, and I will tell you about those things once the last episode has been posted, and you have had time to wonder what happened next.  Perhaps one day I will write that up too.