All I Desire Page #5

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did you count on me taking you with me?

I always wanted to be with you,

darling, always.

- LENA:
Lily?

- Yes?

You have to go to Miss McIntyre.

For Caesar's sake!

My graduation dress, I forgot.

- Hi, Ted.

- Hi.

Grab these, will you?

- Is Joyce up?

- Sure.

- Hey, Joyce!

- Russ!

I'm gonna be an actress in New York.

Mother's taking me with her.

Well, I sure feel sorry for Sarah Bernhardt.

Joyce!

Hello, handsome! What are you doing here?

Aren't you ready?

I came to take the Murdoch girls riding.

You really meant it. Which one is mine?

She's a beauty. I wish I could go.

- You're not gonna back out?

- I didn't pack any riding clothes.

How did I know I was going to meet

a dashing young horseman?

Some clothes of yours are in the attic.

I think there's a riding habit.

No, it can't be true!

We're saved, handsome.

Ask Lena for a cup of coffee.

We'll be down in a couple of shakes.

I hope it doesn't smell too much

of mothballs.

- If it does, you can wear mine.

- But you're going with us.

No. It's no fun for Russ to ride with me.

I'm a dub on a horse.

Well, he asked you, didn't he?

Maybe he wanted a chaperone

while he rode with my glamorous mother.

- Wait a minute, Joyce.

- I know it's not serious.

But you just can't help amusing yourself

with every attractive man in sight, can you?

Suppose that were true,

what are you going to do about it?

- Nothing. What can I do?

- I thought you liked Russ.

- I love him, I guess.

- But you wouldn't put up a fight for him?

- Afraid of my competition?

- Afraid?

We're a big disappointment to each other,

aren't we?

You've got a mother with no principles.

I've got a daughter with no guts.

Don't be a fool, Joyce.

Put on your riding habit.

Mum?

I was just wondering.

If you're gonna be here for a little while,

- maybe I could show you where I go fishing.

- That would be fun!

There's a wonderful spot down by the falls.

Look at the bass I caught last year.

Dutch Heinemann, that's him there.

He helped me a little.

We'll go when we can find the time.

- If you really like fishing...

- I love it.

I knew you would. Ill get everything ready!

Try and make it tomorrow.

Come on, Joyce, swat her a couple of times.

You can't fall off old Polly.

She's the safest plug in the stable.

You'd be a good rider if you'd learn to relax.

It's beautiful here, isn't it?

I've never seen this spot.

- You ever been here before, Mrs Murdoch?

- Yes.

I used to come here once in a while.

It would be a wonderful spot for canoeing,

wouldn't it, Russ?

- It's so lovely.

- Run along, you two. Ill sit this one out.

- No, Mrs Murdoch...

- All right, let's go, Russ.

Mind if I try your horse?

I'm getting a little tired of safe old Polly.

Well, I don't know, Joyce. He's pretty frisky.

You mean it takes guts to ride him?

- No, I...

- Help me up, Russ.

All right.

Come on, Russ.

I was beginning to think

you'd never show up.

I was riding with Joyce and her beau.

You must have seen them.

You knew I'd be here.

Still as conceited as ever, aren't you, Dutch?

Still as crazy about you.

You know how I wanted to see you

ever since I heard you were back?

Last night, I even waited outside the house.

Figured you'd go back to the hotel.

No fooling.

Old friends like us

have a lot to remember together.

Old friends?

I was back at the house this morning.

Up on the hill.

Almost gave the old signal. Remember?

- Two shots, and then one.

- Two shots, and then one.

- I used to hear them in my sleep.

- You've never forgotten it, not for a minute.

Honey, where have you been?

Don't you know what you did to me?

Why did you leave me?

If I had stayed, the way it was going,

how much longer

could we just have moments,

just see each other out here?

I was afraid I'd want more.

And in this town,

I wasn't gonna do that to my family.

Who's more important, them or me?

- I should've figured that out.

- Who cares?

You're back and we're together,

the two of us.

- I'm leaving tomorrow night.

- Ill be here tomorrow afternoon, then.

We can't go...

We can't go back.

Who says we can't?

You wanna go right back to the old days

and so do I, Naomi.

- So do I.

- Goodbye, Dutch.

Ill be here.

Two shots and then one. And Ill be here.

Erm...

- Sara.

- Hello, Mrs Murdoch. Naomi.

- How nice of you to come and see me.

- Well, I'm afraid, I came to ask a favour.

- Oh?

- About the graduation tomorrow night.

We always have a little entertainment

and I thought that perhaps you might...

That I might appear.

It would be such a favour to me

and you do recite so beautifully.

That's very flattering,

but why do you need me?

You must have plenty of

corn-fed talent to fill the bill,

someone the good people

of this town wouldn't mind applauding.

But that's just why, I mean...

- It would be such a good opportunity.

- Opportunity?

If the nicer people of this town

could see you as the children did last night.

I know they'd be impressed.

They couldn't help but be, and...

- And maybe they might accept me.

- I didn't mean...

Why should you want me to endear myself

to the citizens of this town?

You of all people?

- I'm very fond of your husband.

- That's what I meant.

- And I want him to be happy.

- Isn't he going to be?

- You're the woman he needs.

- But you're the woman he wants.

I'm a realist, Naomi.

Henry and I, it wasn't love.

Not on his part, anyway.

We had things in common

and we drifted together.

Perhaps if you hadn't come back.

- I'm leaving, remember?

- That wouldn't make any difference now.

I lost him the minute he saw you again.

And then there are the children.

Ted's taken to you without question.

He's such a fine, open-hearted boy.

- And Lily loves you.

- And Joyce doesn't and...

There are lots of things

you don't know about.

- You mean well, but forget it.

- Are you afraid, Naomi?

- Oh, Sara!

- Hello, Joyce.

Your mother and I have been having

the nicest talk.

You look like you've been having

a good time.

I have!

I took the liberty of glancing

through your Shakespeare.

I marked some of the passages

that I thought might do.

- If you change your mind...

- Ill let you know.

- Goodbye, Naomi. Bye, Joyce.

- Goodbye.

You were gone for such a long time, I was

afraid something might have happened.

No, we were having a wonderful time.

- Your hair looks nice that way, Joyce.

- Thank you.

Russ thinks so, too. But Ill have to fix it

before he picks me up...

- Could I help? I'm good at that sort of thing.

- I can manage.

I thought perhaps we might have a little talk.

I frankly don't want to have

a sweet mother-daughter chat with you

while you comb me out.

I guess that's telling me.

I'm sorry. I don't mean to be harsh, but...

- Look, I'm not thinking of myself.

- I'm not even thinking of Lily

when she tells me a lot of silly plans

about going on the stage with you.

But I am thinking of Daddy. He's unhappy.

I know he is, ever since you came back.

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