Frenchman's Creek

---

You've got me all in a sweat.

Here. Charge.

Harry, you still haven't

answered my question.

Have you arranged with

Lord Rockingham to meet us tonight;

Well no.

What difference does that make;

Have you ever been so bored,

you'd do something you'd regret.

Stop jumping from one thing

to another.

What does it matter

if we do meet Rockingham;

l shan't have anything more

to do with him.

lf you ever invite him to

this house again l shall leave it.

Dona!

So you'll leave the house,

will you;

-Yes and take the children.

-Oh, you will;

-Where do you think you'll go;

-l don't know but go l will.

You're in one of your moods again.

That's it, isn't it;

What the devil have you

got against Rock;

l will not enjoy

his familiarity any longer.

Why shouldn't he be familiar;

He's my best friend.

Why must you persist

in being so blind.

Your insistence in our

being seen everywhere with him

is making me one of the most

notorious women in London.

Fiddle de Dee Dona.

''Notorious!''

Yes. l did promise Rock again.

Not don't make a scene.

What have you been doing to Dona;

What's it all about;

Another mood, another impulse.

That's Dona.

But she's angry as sin. You better

go see what's the matter.

Confound the woman that can't

get along with a man's friends;

Come here.

l won't let you get away!

Dona.

When are you going

to stop this fencing;

There's only one way it can end.

No sense in making Harry think

you're angry with me.

He's too easy going to care.

You never laugh except when you

imply no woman can resist you.

lt amuses me to find

l am invariably right.

-lt is one time you are mistaken.

-Oh but l'm not.

You let Harry bring you

to a place like this to sit

cheek by jowl with these ladies,

the only wife among them.

-Take your hand away.

-No.

You think more of your kisses and

have less reason to than anyone.

Show in the ball.

-Harry, please take me home.

-No, l won't.

Rock won a great deal of money

and l want to get it back.

Fool!

6:
00 of a clear morning!

What's this;

What's going on here;

Hey! Dona!

Dona.

What is this;

Dona!

Dona!

There you are.

Rock is here, wants to apologize.

He says he lost his head.

-Where are you going;

-l'm going to Navron.

We haven't been there in years.

Damp, moldy and full of ghosts.

lt is full of ghosts,

ghosts of a happiness

that is lost.

-l'll try to get it back.

-You've lost your wits.

Perhaps l've just recovered them.

l've been planning a part for you

because you insisted on it.

But l won't play it anymore.

l'm done with this stupid,

futile life we lead here.

And the company you choose to keep.

lf you think l'm going chasing

after you, you're wrong.

-How far have you come;

-From London in five days.

Where be you going;

Navron House, near Elford.

l shouldn't if l were you. They say

pirates come into the river there.

-Pirates;

-Cutthroats from here to here.

Come on there!

Navron, my lady.

Hello the house!

l hate old houses my lady.

Tom, you sent a messenger ahead

didn't you;

Yes my lady.

Call out again.

Hello the house!

Ghost and ghouls and things that

go bump in the night. Deliver us.

Welcome to Navron, my lady.

-Who are you;

-William, my lady.

lt smells like a tomb.

l don't remember you. You were

not here when we came last.

No, my lady.

There was an old man here.

l can't remember his name.

l heard he could barely walk.

Where is he now;.

ln his grave my lady.

-And you've replaced him then;

-Yes my lady.

Your accent is foreign.

l'd forgotten Cornish people

speak strangely.

lt is Cornish, isn't it;

A most curious accent my lady.

lt's been closed much too long.

There's dust everywhere.

-You haven't noticed it;

-l had noticed it.

But as your ladyship never

comes to Navron

it seems scarcely worthwhile

to see the rooms are clean.

lt is difficult to take pride

in work that is never seen.

The idleness just makes

the idle servant.

Naturally my lady.

Please see that every room is

swept and dusted,

that all the silver is cleaned,

that there are flowers...

That everything takes place as though

the mistress had not been idle

but had lived here.

lndeed, had never

gone away at all.

lt will be my personal pleasure.

Did l ever really look like that;

Tobacco;

P. RONSARD'S BOOKS,

GENTLEMAN OF VENDOMOlS

Off we go.

White flowers in my room.

-Good morning William.

-Good morning my lady.

The children and l have decided

to have a picnic.

l felt confident you would.

l asked cook to prepare

a suitable basket.

Thank you William.

We shall be near the chapel.

You can bring the basket at noon.

Yes my lady.

My lady.

My lady.

Lord Godolphin.

-Madame.

-Lord Godolphin.

l'm enchanted to see you.

Won't you sit down;

l just heard this morning that

you were at Navron.

l came over to pay my respects.

Oh, your two;

-l knew Harry as a boy.

-lndeed;

My wife would have come but

she's not well at the moment.

-l understand.

-We hope for an heir.

Harry is not here.

l came alone with the children.

That's a great pity.

Harry might have given us some help.

You've heard of our troubles

of course;

-l've heard nothing.

-Really;

Too remote here, l suppose.

We've been vexed by pirates.

At our wits end.

My neighbor's estate

was sacked only a week ago.

-How distressing.

-lt's an outrage!

We complain to London and

we get a few soldiers.

The squires of the county

must stand together.

-ls there anything l can do;

-Nothing my dear young lady.

Except to ask Harry to come and

help us fight this Frenchman.

Frenchman;

The French have made a habit of

coming call ever since...

Since the Cornish pirates have

gone over into France.

lf you like to put it that way.

l don't think you realize

how serious this matter is.

We're constantly robbed. Our women

sleep in terror of their lives.

-And not only their lives...

-That kind of a pirate;

What;

Well really madam.

l must be getting home

before dark.

-Good day madam.

-Give my duty to your wife.

Madame l will.

-William.

-My lady.

-l came here to be alone.

-Yes. l understand.

lt will not occur again.

You shall make good your escape.

Escape;

You have uncanny intuition.

-Where did you get it;

-From my late master.

Much of my philosophy

is borrowed from him.

l think he'd term your arrival

here an escape.

Why did you leave your master;

His life is such that my services

would be of little use to him.

He...

-He travels my lady.

-He's a fugitive too;

People who travel

are always fugitives.

Yes, my master has often

made the same observation.

His life, if l may say so,

is just one continual escape.

How l envy him.

The rest of us can only run away

from time to time.

However much we pretend to be free,

we know it's only for a while.

Yes.

l think you and my master

would have much in common.

Come Henrietta.

lt's time for naps.

-You may go. l'll bring the children.

-Yes my lady.

Come on Jamie. Come get dressed.

Come on.

Come on my boy.

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