Dragonwyck Page #7

- That's enough of that.

This doesn't concern you. Now get!

What did you think of him, Ma?

I don't know.

We weren't even introduced.

That was just in the excitement

of the moment.

He's such a perfect gentleman.

He'd never be impolite to you.

I'm sure he has fne manners.

He's... He's come to ask Pa...

- He wants to marry me.

- I know.

How do you know?

Ever since you've been home,

you've never brought his name up once.

A woman's apt to be that quiet

about a man she loves.

Besides, you've ironed that dress

every week now for two months.

Oh.

- Miranda, child...

- Yes, Ma?

Do you love him very much?

Of course I do.

- Are you sure?

- Why do you ask that?

It's just...

Maybe I shouldn't have let you go.

Maybe Dragonwyck should have stayed

something to read about and dream about.

My dreams came true, Ma.

Can't you see?

Ever since I was a little girl

and built a castle in an apple tree.

But you can't marry a dream, Miranda.

What about him? Do you love him?

But it's all Nicholas.

Nicholas is all of it.

You're acting so strangely...

almost as if you were afraid.

(Ephraim)

Miranda.! Abigail.! Come on in here.

Says he wants to marry you.

- Says you know all about it.

- Yes, Pa.

Have you considered

that your mother and I might object?

I have already pointed out to your father

that there are no valid objections.

And I've already pointed out to you, sir,

that I'll make up my own mind!

What do you think, Abby?

I don't think thinking has anything

to do with it anymore, Ephraim.

It's something that is,

and we must make the best of it.

I want to apologize for my rudeness

when I entered your house.

My only excuse is that I saw nothing...

and wanted to see nothing

but Miranda at that moment.

I can understand that, Mr. Van Ryn.

You're forgiven.

Thank you.

You should know that I have already

called at your parsonage...

and engaged the Reverend Clark

to be here tomorrow afternoon at 3:00.

- Tomorrow?

- It's indecent! It's too soon!

I want my girl married

in a church like a good Christian.

- I'll have no hole-and-corner wedding here!

- She has no wedding gown.

For once we will let the ceremony

outshine the costume.

Whatever dress Miranda wears will be

forever cherished as her wedding gown.

Hmm. Got a lot of pretty words.

Too many for me.

Miranda, you've got plenty at stake here.

You'd better say something.

I'll do whatever Nicholas thinks best.

(Sighs)

So be it.

Amen, Mr. Wells.

Now I must return to Greenwich.

Miranda, will you walk with me to my carriage?

Until tomorrow then. Good-bye.

- MacNab, which carriage

have you sent to meet Mr. Van Ryn?

- The landau, madam.

- Have the grooms their new uniforms?

- Yes, madam.

- Here are the menus for the week.

- Thank you, madam.

And, Mrs. MacNab, I've just written

Miss Katrine that we've found her doll.

Please be sure that it's packed carefully.

I wouldn't want anything to happen to it.

- Certainly, madam.

- (Train Whistle Blowing)

We'll let the linen room go

until this afternoon.

Perhaps you should let it go

until tomorrow, madam...

what with Mr. Van Ryn

coming back... and everything.

I won't overdo it.

And remember, not a word

to Mr. Van Ryn about... everything.

- I want to be the one to tell him.

- Of course, madam.

Welcome back, sir.

How did you fiind New York?

Unbearable.

Thank you, Mrs. MacNab.

Nicholas!

How lovely you are.

I'd almost forgotten how lovely you are.

I'm not. When you're not with me,

I'm not anything.

Three long weeks...

Have you missed me? Have you been well?

I missed you terribly.

And everything has been just fne.

- As a matter of fact...

- I'm having our townhouse entirely redone.

A new music room... We must plan a series

of entertainments for the winter season.

Mrs. MacNab said I'd fnd you here.

Oh, I beg your pardon.

I didn't know.

That's all right, Peggy. This is Mr. Van Ryn.

Was it anything important?

Well, it was just to remind you that you ate

none of your breakfast this morning.

And all of your favorite dishes too.

We won't talk about food,

if you don't mind.

You'll eat every bite of your lunch,

or there'll be talk!

You carry on

as if you'd cooked it yourself.

Me? I couldn't cook the bottom of a pan.

But she managed to burn

my best Indian muslin negligee.

That I did.

Me ironin' is worse than me cookin'.

She ruined it completely when she

tried to sew it together again.

True. Me sewin' is even

more horrible than me ironin'.

What would I be wanting with

a greenhorn like you? Can you tell me?

That I can't.

But you'll eat your lunch just the same.

And what was that strange little creature?

That was Peggy, Peggy O'Malley.

- I assumed it had a name.

What was it doing here?

- I've engaged her as my maid.

Your maid, that untidy little cripple?

She's not untidy,

and her leg's no fault of hers.

- She's had a miserable life.

- That's the strangest

recommendation I've ever heard.

She's bright and willing and good to me,

and I want her as my maid.

I shall have MacNab give her

some extra money and a good character.

It's so little to ask. Please, Nicholas!

Deformed bodies depress me.

Perhaps I can divert

your attention with this.

I brought it for you

from Mr. Tiffany's new shop.

- How dare you say that.

- How dare I?

You speak as if a crippled leg

were a weakness on her part...

rather than merely God's will.

We'll agree, then, it is God's will.

Now perhaps we can discuss your plans for

the kermis ball. Are they progressing nicely?

Madame Duclos swore to me that your gown

will be fnished and delivered to you in time.

She needn't overwork herself.

- It's very likely I won't need it at all.

- What do you mean?

- The Van Bordens sent their regrets yesterday.

- Their regrets?

A previous engagement or some illness

in the family. I forget what excuse they used.

- I see.

- That makes the eighth refusal in four days.

It's only because of me...

because you married me.

Miranda...

you are Mrs. Nicholas Van Ryn.

You will be with me wherever I am, always.

(Knocking)

Luncheon is served.

Thank you, MacNab.

- Nicholas...

- Yes?

Sometimes I think that they...

that we...

That we what?

I think about that night...

the night she died.

- What about that night?

- It was so soon after...

Perhaps we should have

waited to decide.

In the hope that our gossip-mongering

neighbors would be more approving?

I don't care whether they know, Nicholas!

It's just that we do, and so does God.

I've never heard you speak

so childishly, Miranda.

You might well be

on your father's knee.

Do you believe there is a God who spends

eternity snooping on human behavior...

and punishing all violators

of the pastor's latest sermon?

- That's not what I mean at all!

- Then what do you mean?

Well... Well, I believe that...

God has put a sense of right and wrong

within all of us...

and that when we do wrong,

no matter if no one else knows, we do.

You've remembered that ever since

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