House of Whipcord

(Wind howling)

(Thunder)

(Thunder crashing)

(Girl panting)

- (Splash)

- (Girl gasps)

(Girl whimpering)

- Monsieur...

- Huh?

(Whimpering)

- (Muttering) Aidez-moi.

- (Thunder crashing)

Aidez-moi.

Christ. Hang on, love.

(Girl whimpering)

All right, darling, me on. I've got you.

Come on, round the other side.

We can't stand about in this.

Soon have you in the dry.

(Thunder)

Hang on. (Grunts) Here we go.

Ah, that's it.

There you are.

Phwoar, phew. Cor.

What happened, then, love?

Some bloke, was it?

Hmm? Come on, you n tell me.

Back there, he give you a lift

or something, did he?

Shouldn't do it, you know, love.

Not out here in the wilds.

Please...I'm Id.

I'm not surprised.

Look at that dress you're wearing, eh?

What is it you've got on? Looks like

a bloody bit of sacking or something.

You been to a fancy dress ball?

(Thunder)

Bloody 'ell.

Who did that to you, love?

He deserves to swing for that,

whoever he was.

Don't you worry. He won't gel away with it.

I'm gonna drive you to London.

Don't you worry,

you're going straight to the law.

Some of these blokes, you wonder how

their minds work. Gives you the creeps.

- Where...where is he?

- What, love?

He will me. So funny...

M...E...D.

(Gasps)

I will not...l will not run away.

Why don't you take it easy, love?

You're all right with me.

Why not try and have a sleep, eh?

(Meaning)

(Girl giggling)

(Lively music playing)

Mmm! Oh, no, it goes to my head!

- (Man) Ann-Marie, me and look.

What is it?

- What are they doing?

- We're about to unveil you.

Let's have a look.

- The action still of the year.

- What have they cooked up?

(Laughter and chatter)

(Laughter continues)

- (Woman) Where did you get it?

- Jo got it from the Evening Standard.

(Woman) I love that expression.

Priceless, isn't it?

Priceless.

And look at these two old dears.

- (Man) Isn't that you behind the car?

- Yeah. We'd just finished the session.

Didn't you see it in the papers?

None of them mentioned the product.

(Woman) They're getting smart.

Sony, they fined us.

Me and Ann-Marie, 10 each.

(Man) What for?

Behaviour likely to use

a breach of the pea. What a charade.

The clients liked the pictures, though.

Yeah, but she was great,

she really looked fantastic.

- Where's she gone?

- I don't know.

Ann-Mariel Have a drink - your atmate's

drinking you under the table.

Leave her, Ted,

I think she's embarrassed.

What about? Not this, surely.

She's a bit touchy about her parents

finding out. We ought to stop teasing her.

(Laughter, chatter, music playing)

- I don't blame you.

- I'm sorry?

Oh. It's all right if they are amused.

It all seems a bit childish to me.

And rather tasteless.

Though I wouldn't say that to anyone else.

- May l get you a drink?

- No, thank you. I have enough.

Come and sit down. Tell me who you are.

- Ted.

- Yeah?

- Who's that?

- Who's what, my love?

I'm getting a bit bleary-eyed.

That dish chatting up Ann-Marie.

God knows. Something Jo picked up.

What?

- He walked in the office just before it closed

and offered our lovely lady

an idea for a feature.

She took a fancy to him and invited him

to slay. Not like her, is ii?

- Hmm. He must have a fatal charm.

- Or something.

Yes, well, we'd better find you

a little friend of your own, my darling.

Come and meet some of my eligible fellow

slaves. See if we casn sober'em up.

Gentlemen, let me introduce you

to the lovely Julia King.

There's an article on 12th-century ceramics

and an Ezra Pound poem between a huge

Negress in chains and Warhol on the loo.

- What are you reading?

- Escort.

Ted thrust it into my hands

when I left the party,

said I ought to gen up on men's tastes.

I don't think they know

about the men's tastes.

That's the secret - they don't.

They just tell them what they think

they ought to have a taste for.

- And when's your rt arriving?

- I am to meet him. I must hurry.

- The one that chatted you up at the party?

- Chatted me up? Yes.

- He's a fast worker.

- Mmm... (Giggles)

- He is charming. He is different. You know.

- I see.

- May I borrow your minor? Mine's broken.

- Go ahead.

- Hey, you're still wet.

- Am I?

He's a writer, isn't he?

- Is he?

- Didn't he say?

He said so little. We talked about me.

- What's his name?

- Mark. Er, Mark Desade.

And when am I going to meet him?

Julia! You have Tony.

Yes, I have Tony. He'd better remember

to bring wine.

He will not take you out tonight?

We thought we'd eat in for a change.

You should get him to take you

somewhere nice to eat.

- What, with the whole place to ourselves?

- Oh, I see.

(Giggles)

(Quiet chatter, music playing)

Madame asked me to me down

and show a dress to a client.

I think I look nice in the dress

and madame let me model a little.

Then I go to Panama for a few months,

then I meet Julia, who say I should go

to work for her boss in London.

So I go to London where I do

much photographic work.

And that is my life.

- Why are you so nervous?

- Nervous?

I? What do you mean?

Something in your voice, your eyes

I think you're afraid of me.

(Giggles)

Oh, but no. I am a little...excited,

that is all.

Why should I be afraid?

Why not? You are alone

with a man who you don't know.

And we all fear the unknown. It's natural.

But I do know you. And I like you.

Why, even at the pally,

you were the only one

who really understand. This is true, Mark.

Let me show you something.

- Comment?

- A little experiment to prove what I say.

You'll find it interesting.

Just close your eyes.

- Ohhh...

- No, me on, close your eyes.

But promise to keep them closed

all the time.

OK.

- Are they closed?

- Oui, monsieur.

Good. Now I want you

to imagine something.

Can you remember the way

the table is laid out?

Do you remember the knives by the plates?

The steak knives with the serrated edges?

Do you know serrated?

A dozen razor-sharp little notches

on each blade.

What sharpness.

They go through steak just like...

(snaps fingers) ..that.

Now I'm picking one up...

and I'm looking at it.

I daren't even touch it with my finger...

because the slightest pressure...

would make a cut.

I'm going to bring the knife closer to you.

I'm reaching out across the table

and I'm holding the knife

very close to your fa.

The blade has the finest, thinnest...

cutting edge imaginable.

It's almost touching your fa.

If you were to move your fa

just one eighth of an inch,

it would slice through your cheek just like...

(Gasps)

Only an ice cube.

- But I felt...l felt...

- What?

- The blood.

- You thought I would cut your fa.

But anybody would, mm. (Sobs)

I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done it.

It was only a joke.

- Will you forgive me?

- I was so frightened.

It's only a joke.

- Where do these go?

- In that drawer.

There's all these saucepans yet. Leave it.

- No.

- Let's leave it.

- Why?

- Because I want to...

(Mocking) "To get back to my wife".

Oh, that mas nasty. I'm sorry.

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