I Know What I'm Doing Page #2

---

Where there's muck

there's brass, Mrs. Watts.

Good of you to come and

see me after all this time.

Stay for lunch, won't you?

You never turn down a free meal.

This is Ms. Bennett.

Our missing guest?

Stanley didn't tell me

you pirated her from us.

Welcome to Caldwell.

Lovely to meet you.

I hope you don't mind

me being in your home.

The Major very kindly

offered me a cup of tea.

In New York we do nothing but

drink coffee all day long.

It's just not as charming.

Not at all.

I haven't had a sensible conversation

with a woman in months.

Sorry about the mess.

I should really do the place up

but Mr. Watts doesn't

want to spend a penny.

It's Howden vs. Watts every

time we talk about it.

Who's going to win?

[Briley] Howden, of course.

Now, Ms. Bennett.

What's your first name?

I'm June.

Grand name.

Your name has honesty.

Doesn't it have honesty, Geoffrey?

Absolutely.

Briley is waiting for someone

to make an honest man of Geoffrey.

Some girl with the pedigree

of an over bred dog.

When I was a young

lieutenant in the Falklands

there was a splendid beast of a dog

that he reminds me of.

Thank you, Major.

Is it all right if I bed down

here for a few nights, Bri?

Aren't you ever the wanderer?

It'll have to be the floor.

He never calls.

Turns up homeless.

Husband's the same.

In the Navy.

No sooner are his feet under the table

he's dreaming of sailing off again.

That must get very lonely.

In this place?

With the Major here?

One thing marriage teaches you.

Enjoy the moments you have

time to think for yourself.

Briley's a poet.

Oh.

Much better than that Ted Hughes.

The Poet Laureate, who lived up the road.

Rabbits.

You amaze me, Bri.

You never were that good a shot.

Geoffrey.

When you're hungry, it's easy

to take aim and hit the target

or you don't eat.

What do you think, June?

Can you skin a rabbit?

I can try.

T.S. Eliot said,

"We have experience,

but miss the meaning."

Here, I've plenty of time

to contemplate what he meant by that.

I hope I'm not keeping you

from catching up with Mr. Howden.

We've known each other

since we were children.

Geoffrey runs off all over the world

to photograph conflict and suffering

at the expense of his own peace.

(Geoffrey laughing)

Gets himself into all sorts of scrapes.

Thinks of himself as an artist.

Honestly, he's just an adventurer.

That Ms. Bennett's an odd bird.

Placid on the outside,

but I'll bet you she's

completely wild on the inside.

Taming a woman

is more difficult than

taming any another animal.

Wouldn't you agree?

Can't be done.

That Ms. Bennett needs

oodles of fresh air.

Pennington will just spoil her.

He'll bottle up her passion.

The malt.

In your honour, old chap.

Might you find a lass that loves you,

deserves your kind heart.

I should wait for the sun

to go over the horizon first.

You've spent too much

time in the tropics

with that camera of yours.

Sun's gone to your head.

What about you?

You're American.

Half English.

My mum was American, I was

born here but when she died

her family sent me to

boarding school in Vermont.

My dad was running the family butcher's.

So he didn't really have time

to take care of me by himself.

Did you stay in America?

I went to Cambridge for a year,

then moved to New York, got my MBA.

Worked for a gallery.

My mum was a painter, she

taught me how to paint and draw.

So, how did you meet Sir Alan?

Well, I got a job at

Pennington Industries.

Worked my way up.

We ended up spending

so much time together,

we just fell in love.

We've moved back here so

I can be closer to my dad.

And do you still paint?

No.

No, I don't really anymore.

I'm too busy since working

at Pennington, I suppose.

What a shame.

Right.

So.

How was Libya?

Hot.

[Major] How long are you back for?

A week.

Not much for a rest, old chap.

Ah, Major, you're needed.

It turns out there is only

one way to skin a rabbit.

Right-ho.

Is that Caldwell?

[Geoffrey] Yes.

Do you know it well?

[Geoffrey] Enough.

Do you know Sir Alan Pennington?

Yes, but I've never met him.

Oh.

I thought with such a

small estate as Caldwell,

you'd be bound to know him.

Oh, Caldwell is not so small.

It's easy to lose yourself round here.

I've heard you can walk the

entire grounds in two hours.

Who wants to?

I've got better things to do.

Such as?

Fish for trout.

Shoot partridge.

Swim in Caldwell Bay.

Do you have a licence for all that?

It's not illegal to bathe in the sea.

No.

I suppose not.

Yes, thank you.

Are you to be married?

Yes, to Sir Alan.

Soon?

Tomorrow, in Caldwell House.

Not in the church?

No.

Neither of us are religious.

Neither of us wants any fuss.

Just...

Alan...

Myself.

The servants as witnesses.

The Vicar, and a small band

to dance to afterwards.

Surely if there's just

to be the two of you

you could just put some music

on and save all that trouble.

A-haha.

No doubt you have never been married,

Mr. Howden.

A girl wants a little romance in her life.

She wants it to go on as long as possible.

So she can enjoy every moment

and make every second last.

That's how it is with Sir Alan.

You make every second last.

Forgive me, that's rather

personal information.

"By sycamore and nettle path,

"with wine and female friendship.

"A troubled sky easing past,

"we climbed from Caldwell's pasture,

"proceeded by a wing-borne host

"bent on summer madness."

Briley wrote that.

It is a magnificent house.

Yes.

It is rather splendid.

It's a long time since

I've been inside it.

Would you like to come in now?

Thank you.

I need to share some personal

information with you.

I hold the Lordship of Caldwell.

You?

The Lord of Caldwell?

But that's Sir Alan's title.

It's hereditary.

It can't be bought.

I don't understand.

Sir Alan rents Caldwell from me.

You...

Own the estate?

Yes.

However I can no more afford

the rent on a two-bedroom house

in Hull than I can afford a

life at Caldwell at this time.

I could sell the estate

but with all the debts

I wouldn't be rich.

Sir Alan pays me a handsome yearly sum.

Three times more than I could make

if I were to run the estate myself.

Money pays for the house

staff and the estate servants

but little else.

I have a duty to my ancestors.

It was their land, as it is mine now.

These are difficult times.

There are few in the village

who are not affected.

I wish I could do more.

But it's Yorkshire economics.

It's a convenient arrangement.

Fine thing for you as the

future Lady Pennington.

This is as far as I go.

Rather cross a minefield

in the dark in Libya

than step inside there.

Shelley and Robert will look after you.

Thank you.

Good luck.

Ms. Bennett.

Afternoon, ma'am.

I'm Shelley Fenton, the housekeeper.

I'm Robert Selby, the under manager.

I've prepared your room.

Thank you.

Lovely to meet you both.

I've laid out all your

things for you, ma'am.

I hope all is in order.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes