Belle Page #6

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EXT. HAMPSTEAD. HEATH. DAY. 63333*

New day. LORD MANSFIELD and JOHN ride through Kenwood’s

lands on horseback, slowing under the shade of trees.

JOHN(he pats his animal)

There is much speculation on your

decision. Anticipation seems to

be turning to panic, m’lord.

LORD MANSFIELDI cannot disagree.

JOHNOne hundred and thirty two drowned

on route from Africa to the West

Indies. Your ruling could bring

the slave trade to its knees -

entirely destroy an economic

foundation of these lands.

(off Mansfield)

Is that pressure not maddening,

m’lord?

LORD MANSFIELD reigns in his horse. He quotes in Latin.

LORD MANSFIELDJustitia fiat, ruat coelum, Mr

Davinier - Let justice be done,

though the heavens may fall.

JOHNThe insurance claim states, the

slaves were thrown overboard forthe safety of the ship - thatthere wasn't sufficient water forthe cargo and crew to survive the

rest of the voyage.

LORD MANSFIELDIt does.

JOHNThen, if I am correct, the case

hangs on...

LORD MANSFIELD...IT HANGS on ‘Absolute

necessity’. If the cargo was

spoiled...

JOHNCargo?

LORD MANSFIELD adjusts his language.

30.

LORD MANSFIELDIf the killing of the..'negros' was

truly ‘necessary’ in order to save

the ship - as the captain contends.

A difficult silence. JOHN is careful, but sceptical.

JOHNBut...is that where it hinges?

LORD MANSFIELD does not welcome the challenge.

LORD MANSFIELDThe ship's journey was thwarted

by impossible weather conditions -

what should have been weeks

became months! What once appeared

enough water, may not have been!

JOHNI am sensible of this, m'lord…

LORD MANSFIELDThen do you know what a hundred

thirsty slaves are capable of? I

can tell you no man happily

disposes of his cargo, even in

the face of rebellion!

(Off John's silence)

So now tell me - were you to

dock at port with barely a piece

of merchandise left to trade -

what would you do? Swallow

financial ruin - or claim your

due from the insurers.

John is conflicted - to speak up, or not?

JOHN:

With due respect... I should

question, whether 'human' life

should have been insurable as

cargo - at all.

The air turns cold.

EXT. KENWOOD GARDENS. DAY. 63434*

LADY MARY clips flowers from a bush of sunset pink Dahlias.

DIDO holds a basket, collecting them. LADY MANSFIELD and

ELIZABETH stroll beneath parasols.

LORD MANSFIELD and JOHN can be seen approaching the stables

on horseback - JOHN trailing.

31.

LADY MARYA gentleman rather like him once

paid me much interest.

ELIZABETHMr Davinier?

LADY MANSFIELD(matter of fact.)

Really, Mary?

DIDO lays each Dahlia carefully.

LADY MARYDo not look at me like that! It was

my Mamaa who intervened. I thought

he had a very great sense of duty.

Overly kind at times but...

LADY MANSFIELD watches as though she knows the rest.

DIDO(gently)

But...what, Aunt Mary?

LADY MARY hesitates and LADY MANSFIELD cuts in, saving her.

LADY MANSFIELD:

HE is engaged, you know?

DIDO follows her gaze to JOHN, as he climbs from the horse,

hands it to a STABLEMAN.

LADY MARYEngaged!

ELIZABETHIs he?

LADY MANSFIELDMr Beresford’s daughter.

ELIZABETHThe carriage-maker! He might have

set his sights a little higher!

AS JOHN marches toward the back entrance of the house. He

nods to the ladies. A self-conscious beat between he and

DIDO, her back to him - as he disappears inside.

OFF her reaction.

INT. KENWOOD STUDIO. DAY. 73535*

CLOSE ON:
the soft curls around DIDO’S hairline, a single

eye, her nose, cheek. HOLD on her lips.

32.

ON the painter’s canvas...a sketch emerging - he brings

DIDO’S mouth to life. We see an outline of ELIZABETH with

some detail, already been created.

REVEAL ELIZABETH beside DIDO. As her hand slides over to

DIDO’S and she squeezes it tight.

ON their clasped hands.

ZOFFANYTo the window, Miss LindsayDIDO favours the window a little more...Soft sunlight pours

onto her skin.

INT. KENWOOD HOUSE. CORRIDORS/STUDIO. DAY. 73636*

JOHN moves through corridors - hat under his arm. ELIZABETH

emerges from the studio, drawing his attention to...

Through a half open doorway, his POV: DIDO sits on stool

before ZOFFANY. The sight draws JOHN to a halt.

He attempts to move off - but cant! He observes DIDO

quietly. She is somehow tranquil under Zoffany’s gaze.

A beat before her eyes fall on JOHN’S outline in the

doorway - his stare, penetrating and compelling.

ON ZOFFANY - he follows DIDO’S gaze to JOHN. Then he

sketches madly, filling in DIDO’S eyes in great detail.

ON JOHN, embarrassed - he moves away quickly. DIDO is

affected. She jumps up! Goes after him!

As ELIZABETH’S eyes follow, uncertain.

DIDOWait...

She is upon him in the CORRIDOR! They stand silent, awkward.

JOHNI...I was curious...

DIDOQuite a task - to sit for so many *

hours...(beat)...

Congratulations! I learned of

your..your match..yesterday. *

JOHNThank you.

He falters slightly, swallows hard - not all is well.

33.

Her eyes hone in on a pamphlet under his arm. JOHN shifts

uneasy at what it shows - the last few letters of THE ZONG

can be seen, and LORD MANSFIELD depicted with large butt.

DIDOI appear the only one to have

just learned of this affair?

JOHNPerhaps yours is a life less

concerned with such matters.

DIDOWhy do you judge me so?

He studies her. She is tentative.

DIDO (CONT’D)

It is a fact that I have

contemplated on the matter for

many hours, and I...I do not

think the slaves could have been

drowned in the way you say.

ON his disbelief - irritation slowly turns to dawning.

JOHNAre you at utter disconnect from

everything?!

He searches her, making her feel very small and ashamed. As

he moves off, she stares after him, distressed.

DIDOMr Davinier...please. Tell me.

Tell me what you know!

He stops, stares back at her. What to do?

DIDO (CONT’D)

(earnest)

Do not render me your amusement.

He traces her vulnerability. It roots him.

JOHNI can only tell you what I believe.

DIDO(trying to understand)

And what...what is that?

JOHNThe slaves were intentionally

drowned, that is not in question.

Chained! Thrown into the waters -

chained together as one.

34.

(MORE)

They were diseased - worth more as

dead insured merchandise, than as

alive spoiled goods.

(stark)

The captain hoped it would ‘pay’

to kill them.

ON DIDO as colour drains from her face. Nausea rises...

His eyes try to read hers, becoming sensitive. As he moves

back towards her. She struggles to take it in.

JOHN (CONT’D)

Miss Lindsay....?

DIDOBut the insurers are appealing.

JOHNYes. They are challenging the

decision of the lower court -

refusing to pay for murdered

slaves.

Her eyes sting. JOHN can see she is having difficulty - he

touches her hand absentmindedly, startling her, but their

eyes remain locked. She attempts, weakly, to return self-

possession. Then almost a whisper...

DIDOThank you.

That is, thank you for telling me what nobody else has!

She turns, walks away. ON DIDO, as her pace quickens.

INT. KENWOOD HOUSE. LORD MANSFIELD’S STUDY. DAY. 73737*

ON DIDO, urgently rifling through files, shelves - chaotic.

She moves to a desk, pulls open drawers - REVEAL volumes

and volumes of news pamphlets. A set of them bound, LORD

MANSFIELD’S wax seal hanging from the cord. She unties the

cord, wax seal all over her hands. She fingers her way

through the pile - legal headlines...all referring to Lord

Mansfield. She stops dead...

POV - pamphlet cover...image of LORD MANSFIELD, drooping

bottom lip touching the ground - foolish and dithering,

whilst beside him a ‘Negro’ slave wields a judge’s’ gavel.

A headline - ‘Slave Cargo Deliberately Drowned to save ship

- Mansfield Dithers on Zong Insurance’. DIDO stares hard...

DIDO(whispers)

Papaa.

35.

JOHN (CONT'D)

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