Belle Page #4

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INT. KENWOOD HOUSE. DRAWING ROOM. CONTINUOUS - NIGHT. 4.2525*

A single figure - at the farthest end of the crimson

drawing room...DIDO’S heart skips a beat at the SOUND of

the approaching dinner party...Suddenly the doors open

...DIDO stands quickly - nervous.

LORD MANSFIELDDido...my dear.

LADY ASHFORD(whispers to her sons)

Good Lord - the negro! She really is...

JAMES ASHFORD(quietly disturbed)

...a lady.

OLIVERCapital!

LADY ASHFORDI hadn’t expected her to look

so...black.

OLIVERMamaa, did you not listen to the

rumours when you were spreading

them?

DIDO curtseys respectfully to LORD MANSFIELD.

LORD MANSFIELDMay I present to you the second

of my nieces - Miss Dido Lindsay.

DIDO curtseys. LADY ASHFORD nods graciously. OLIVER bows -

has to nudge his troubled brother do the same.

OLIVER:

A pleasure, Miss Lindsay.

She curtseys once again, then moves to sit with ELIZABETH.

ELIZABETH(sotto - re. James)

He is the eldest - to inherit the

entire Ashford fortune. He is

also to inherit from his uncle -

a healthy man, who shows little

sign of departure.

DIDOHow do you know?

18.

ELIZABETHLady Ashford herself. She seems

rather despondent at her

brother’s robust constitution.

JAMES catches DIDO’S soft brown eyes resting on him.

DIDOHe has much to recommend him. And

a second fortune in life should

please any wife.

ELIZABETH clocks the gaze between DIDO and JAMES.

ELIZABETHDido! You are not to be a

coquette with him! You already

have your fortune!

DIDOAre you suggesting I now

condescend to a gentleman without

means, Bette?! What should good

society think of us!

OLIVER moves to his brother, follows his gaze to DIDO.

OLIVERShe is intriguing, is she not?

JAMESI find her repulsive.

OLIVERI suppose she is...if you find a

most rare and exotic flower so.

She is quite something to behold.

ON DIDO as she falters under the brothers’ stares.

ELIZABETH(flustered, to DIDO)

Good Lord! They are appraising me!

ELIZABETH composes herself. JAMES’ eyes remain on DIDO,

swallowing hard at her undeniable beauty.

JAMESOne does not make a wife of the

rare and exotic, Oliver. One

samples it on the cotton fields

of the Indies...

OLIVERSo far, when it is right at my door?

19.

JAMES...Then finds a pure ENGLISH rose

to decorate one’s home.

OLIVER smiles. OFF both men - trained on DIDO.

INT. KENWOOD HOUSE. DRAWING ROOM - NIGHT 4.2626*

ELIZABETH is at the pianoforte. She sings, plays hard, for

JAMES’ attention, gazing up at him as he stands beside her.

LADY ASHFORDIs she ‘OUT’??

LADY MANSFIELD(embarrassed)

Not quite.

LADY MARY(awkward)

Any day now.

LADY ASHFORD raises an amused eyebrow - precocious creature!

OLIVER offers DIDO a discreet smile, as she sits beside

LORD MANSFIELD. His mother quietly moves across to him.

LADY ASHFORDYou will refrain from any

intercourse with the negress.

(beat)

Lord and Lady Mansfield may find

it fascinating to have a Lady

Mulatto running around their

household, but I will not have

one running around mine!

OLIVERShe is an heiress.

A seamless change of heart for LADY ASHFORD.

LADY ASHFORDAlthough exceptions can be made.

OLIVERIt is said that her father left

her a rather vast fortune.

LADY ASHFORDI mean to say, if that is your

inclination.

OLIVERShe is rather soft on the eye - I

have thought no further Mamaa.

20.

LADY ASHFORD stares across at DIDO.

LADY ASHFORDFrom where did you receive your

information?

OLIVERHer sister-cousin has a rather

fast tongue.

ON LADY ASHFORD as she studies DIDO. ELIZABETH finishes,

amid a smattering of polite applause led by JAMES.

OLIVER (CONT’D)

And what of you Miss Lindsay?

Are we to hear you play tonight?

DIDO looks up to find OLIVER smiling across at her.

DIDOWell...

(deferring to her father)

Papaa...?

LORD MANSFIELD hesitates. DIDO is embarrassed.

OLIVEROh do not be selfish with your

good fortune, m’lord!

A beat...then put on the spot, LORD MANSFIELD caves,

throwing up his hands, helplessly.

DIDO is tentative, ELIZABETH less pleased.

LADY ASHFORDThis will be most interesting!

DIDO moves to the pianoforte settles her fingers on the

keys. A beat, then Handel’s Suite No.9 fills the room.

LORD MANSFIELD closes his eyes, irritated with himself.

LADY MARY whispers to LADY MANSFIELD.

LADY MARYShe has never played in company!

LADY MANSFIELD is silent - stiff with anxiety.

DIDO is raising a beautiful and fluent sound - as skillful

as the most gifted of Georgian young ladies.

LORD MANSFIELD’S eyes spring open - sees all held hostage.

OLIVER moves forward, utterly fascinated.

Relief floods LADY MANSFIELD - she sighs with pride as LADY

MARY lends LADY ASHFORD a smug look.

21.

LADY ASHFORD(conceding)

She is...most accomplished.

LADY MANSFIELD(with deep satisfaction)

Hers was a most diligent governess.

INT. KENWOOD HOUSE. UPSTAIRS CORRIDORS - NIGHT. 42727*

Echoing footsteps. LORD and LADY MANSFIELD move toward

their rooms, each with a lamp to light their way.

LADY MANSFIELDThe liberty of asking her to

play! And when he can have no

better intentions towards her.

She stops in her tracks briefly, suddenly unsure...

LADY MANSFIELD (CONT’D)

Can he??

They round a corner.

LADY MANSFIELD (CONT’D)

...His family name will, no doubt,

entice her to take him seriously.

LORD MANSFIELDShe must not delude herself. Such

decisions are not hers to make.

LADY MANSFIELDThen spell it out to her! Before

she renders herself...sport to

some ‘gent’ of cruel promises!!!

LORD MANSFIELDShe has no reason. Hers is an

inheritance that renders her free

of the usual inducements to marry.

LADY MANSFIELDWell, that, at least, is true,

(burdened, grave)

Indeed, it is Elizabeth who needs

to secure her bread and butter.

INT. KENWOOD HOUSE. GROUND FLOOR CORRIDORS/STUDIO. DAY. 52828*

Feminine feet move along the corridor. REVEAL DIDO making

her way to LORD MANSFIELD’S study.

Her POV:
through the doorway to the studio.

22.

An UNFAMILIAR FACE mixing paints, engrossed. His weather-

worn hands are recognisable from the opening credits. His

stare meets DIDO’s, calmly moved by her beauty as she

stands, frozen - her full lips parted in astonishment.

INT. KENWOOD HOUSE. DIDO AND ELIZABETH’S BEDROOM - DAY. 52929*

ELIZABETH stands at the mirror - a maid dressing her.

ELIZABETHA portrait? Are you sure?

DIDOYes...Aunt Mary has confirmed it.

DIDO sits, light headed, anxiety running through her.

ELIZABETHGood Lord. How...truly wonderful.

DIDOBut...but...

ELIZABETH(becoming exasperated)

But what, Dido?

INT. KENWOOD HOUSE. LORD MANSFIELD’S STUDY. DAY. 53030*

DIDO hurls herself into the room, utterly panicked.

DIDOPapaa...should he not have wished

to SEE me before deciding?

She throws her hands up woefully, and finds another face

staring back at her - It is JOHN DAVINIER. He regards her

from a huge law book. She stands mortified.

DIDO (CONT’D)

(to Lord M)

I am sorry...I did not know you...

LORD MANSFIELD(dry)

Mr Davinier, I believe you have

already had the pleasure.

JOHN(ironic)

In...some way - yes.

(to DIDO)

Miss Lindsay.

She curtseys, brief and stiff - a smile to match.

23.

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