Hope and Glory Page #24

GRACE:

We did all the proper things, and

we lost love. That's sad, Mac.

Their eyes meet and acknowledge what might have been, of

happiness accidentally missed.

GRACE:

If I saw this at the pictures, I'd

be crying my eyes out, but I can't

shed a tear for myself.

In the pale half-light, they seem young and innocent. He

takes her hand. They almost kiss. But for children, they

would. Finally, MAC turns away and looks out at the dark,

heavy shapes of the approaching city.

EXT. ROSEHILL AVENUE - NIGHT

As GRACE, MAC, BILL and SUE turn into the avenue, they see a

house burning. It is theirs. When they get closer, they see

it is gutted and the roof has collapsed. The firemen have

hoses trained on it, but it is too hot to get into the front

door. GRACE'S first thought is for her Daughter.

GRACE:

Dawn! Dawn!

DAWN is with a knot of neighbours, watching the blaze. GRACE

is so relieved to see her that she smiles and becomes quite

tranquil.

GRACE:

Thank God you're safe.

The FIRECHIEF approaches her.

FIRECHIEF:

Was this your house, madam?

GRACE:

I didn't know there was a raid.

FIRECHIEF:

It wasn't a bomb, just afire.

GRACE:

What do you mean, a fire?

FIRECHIEF:

It happens in wartime as well, you

know.

MAC is shattered. He puts an arm round GRACE. She throws him

a look, haunted with guilt, and she moves away to console her

children, who watch the blaze impassively.

DAWN:

I just wished I'd worn my nylons.

GRACE suddenly seized by a dread thought. She runs to the

FIRECHIEF.

GRACE:

My ration books are in there.

She makes a wild dash at the house, but MAC and the

neighbours restain her. BILL remains next to the FIRECHIEF.

BILL:

My shrapnel collection should be

all right.

FIRECHIEF:

Oh yes, I should think so.

EXT. ROHAN HOUSE - DAY

Mac's car drives up to the charred ruins of the house. GRACE

and the children get out. ROGER and his gang are already

looting. BILL charges ROGER and punches him in the face. They

fall and roll in the wet ashes. The bigger boy is so taken

aback by BILL'S ferocity that he cannot gain an advantage.

MAC stops GRACE from interfering, understanding the boy's

need.

PAULINE has appeared and smiles knowingly as she watches.

Other children gather. ROGER picks himself up and the gang

beats a retreat.

INT. ROHAN HOUSE - DAY

GRACE, MAC, DAWN and SUE join BILL in the house and scratch

among the debris to see what can be salvaged.

EXT. ROSEHILL AVENUE - DAY

They ferry bit and pieces to the car. GRACE discovers the

charred remnants of a photo album. There are pictures with un

burnt fragments and she carries it carefully to the car.

GRACE:

Mac, look! Some of the snaps are

saved.

It is open at the picture of the two families at the very

beach they visited yesterday. It is burned around the edges,

only MOLLY and CLIVE are unscathed and they smile happily.

GRACE and MAC look at it then at each other. It feeds their

guilt. The neighbours gather and awkwardly try to express

their sympathy. MRS. EVANS arrives with some clothes.

MRS. EVANS

This coat should fit you Grace. And

here are some things for Dawn. And

a few bits for the kitchen.

GRACE:

Thank you, Evelyne.

BILL is acutely embarrassed. He catches PAULINE'S smirking

look. He fights to hold back the tears, but finally fails.

GRACE:

It's only a house. We still have

each other.

BILL:

I don't care about the house, I

just hate all these people watching

us and being nice.

EXT. THE THAMES RIVERSIDE - DAY

Carrying GRACE and the three children, MAC's car draws up on

the towpath facing an island on which is a number of wooden

bungalows with verandas decorated in fretted scroll work.

Neat lawns slope down to the river's edge where varnished

punts and skiffs like sleekly tethered. GRANDFATHER GEORGE

has spotted them and he rear-sculls his dinghy across the

water to fetch them.

GRANDFATHER GEORGE

Coming. Coming. Deliverance is at

hand. All will be well.

GRANDMOTHER comes down from the bungalow to the edge of the

river and waves encouragingly. BILL is captivated by the

river. Moorhens thread through the tendrils of weeping

willow. As electric slip launch is moored where they wait. He

strokes its glassy varnish. MAC unloads the boot of the car.

MAC:

Another world, eh Billy? And not

twenty miles from Picadilly.

GRACE comes alongside DAWN and waves her mother on the far

bank, only forty yards away. DAWN glances nervously at GRACE.

DAWN:

Are you strong enough for another

shock? You're going to be a

grandma.

(waves across the river

at her own

Grandmother.)

Hello, Grandma.

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