Love, Once and Always Page #4

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lived, who they loved.

I forgot how much I loved

this festival.

The antiques and the costumes.

It's all so unique.

Shame it's only once a year.

It's too bad it can't last

all ye-

What?

Nothing.

Can we go back

to the estate now?

Yeah.

(Josephine):
So how's the life

of leisure?

A lot more work than I expected.

And Duncan?

He's still got a

Napoleon complex

mixed with a dash

of Genghis Khan.

But in spite of Duncan's plans

I have an idea to save

this place.

Uh-oh, I can hear the wheels

turning from here.

What's your plan?

Well, it's just that there's

so much history in this town

and I realized the estate

doesn't have to be

just a historical landmark.

Visitors can step back in time.

Like that colonial Williamsburg

my nephew visited.

Exactly.

The town is the perfect stop

on the mansion tourist circuit

and our little Newton doesn't

even have one museum.

The challenge is going to be

how to make it happen.

Well, if anyone can make

it happen it's you.

Oh, and Lucy, don't forget

your conference call

with the trustees is

in four days.

I'll be ready.

Thank you, Josephine.

Bye.

Bye.

You seriously think

that plan's gonna work?

Were you eavesdropping?

I can't help it.

Echo-y halls.

Oh.

You're not afraid of a little

competition, are you?

Afraid? Not a chance.

So as co-owners of the estate

you don't mind if I present

an alternative proposal

to your potential buyer?

Mr. Niven?

Mmmhmm.

Of course not.

It'll keep you out of my hair

while I work on my proposal.

Please, have at it.

Ok.

And whichever idea

Niven supports

we both agree to approve.

Sure. I'm game.

Have fun.

I'm gonna save your house,

Aunt Grace.

[classical music plays]

You mind turning down

your music?

Really?

Come on, Duncan.

It helps me think.

It literally prevents me

from thinking.

Fine.

[starts humming]

Ok, now you're humming.

Lucy, there are literally 39

other rooms in this place.

You sure you don't wanna work

in one of them?

Since the estate's half mine I

believe this table is half mine

and this room inspires me.

How's that presentation

coming along?

Great.

Did I tell you about

my idea to turn the solarium

into a botanical exhibit?

Did I tell you about my plan

to turn the solarium

into a pro shop?

Huh. According to my web search

there are already four other

golf courses within 30 miles.

Does this area

really need another?

According to my research

it could take years

to get a site declared

a historical landmark.

Tsk tsk.

Ah.

So you've been researching

my idea.

Guess my plan's got you

a little intrigued.

Yeah, guilty. Intrigued.

At how completely impractical

you still are.

But just for argument's sake,

how would you possibly

fund this?

I'm going to devote part

of the house

to showcase antique vendors

and local craftspeople

from town and we could

sell their goods here.

It's called revenue.

Revenue.

Mmmhmm.

And that revenue would be

enough to keep

this entire place running?

I think it's worth a try.

I think you still got

your head up in the clouds.

[turns music back on]

Alright, you know what?

If we're going to share

this estate

then maybe we should set

some house rules.

Great idea.

For starters how about

no drying your laundry

on the priceless antiques?

Fine.

If you agree to no more than

one hour of your music a day.

Fine.

Now, if that's all,

we are due at the pub

for dinner tonight.

We?

Look, I said yes

for both of us.

I couldn't help it.

Yeah, that's great.

I'm starving.

I'll see you downstairs

in five minutes.

Well, look who's here.

Our guests of honor.

What's all this?

It's nothing.

Just a little dinner to welcome

you back home to Newton.

You didn't have to do this.

Nonsense.

You two are officially

our guests of honor.

Thank you.

I sense a trap.

So I hope these rumors aren't

true of selling the estate

and high-tailing it out of town.

You wanna take this one?

We're still trying to figure

things out,

but I am working on a plan

to save the old place.

Well, Wycliffe House

is this town's heritage

and I can't think of anyone

better than you two

to watch over it.

To Wycliffe House.

[together] To Wycliffe House.

You know, Lucy,

I remember all

those summers you visited Grace.

You always seemed

so at home here.

Name one thing that London

has that we don't have here.

Ok, uh...

the museums.

[laughs]

I'd say this whole town

is a museum.

[laughter]

Can't argue that.

Look, all joking aside,

I love it here.

But my dream job is

waiting for me back in England.

Dream job, huh?

Well, I'll admit a dream job's

pretty serious.

But desserts like this

only come once in a lifetime.

Desserts?

(Group):
Oooh.

Truly, you didn't have

to do all this.

Oh, but we did.

See, your Aunt Grace has helped

every single person in this town

in one way or another and Marcus

and I got engaged at the ball

that your aunt used to throw

every year

and Randall learned to ride

at your stables

and it's high time

that we repaid the favor.

Welcome back.

Welcome back.

Welcome back, Lucy.

I love this part of the estate.

I had forgotten how hospitable

everyone is in this town.

Yeah, some things

never change.

I'm starting to get the feeling

that they're trying to convince

us to stay.

Well, I could think of worse

things than staying.

You hear that?

What?

The sound of the crickets

instead of us squabbling.

It's pretty nice.

Hey, tell me something.

What happened that last summer

we were here together?

You were headed off

to grad school.

You were gonna be thousands

of miles away.

How could it have worked?

So you just cut and ran?

It was the practical

thing to do.

Mmm.

Practical. Again.

Someone had to be.

You were always the dreamer.

Ok, look. I... I know my idea

is just a pipe dream

and you're right.

It does take forever to get

a historical designation

but I can't just sit by

and watch all of this go away.

This estate is home to way too

many happy memories for me and-

and Aunt Grace-

I miss Grace, too.

You forget, I lived here

year round.

I know every inch

of this place.

I grew up here.

I went to Boston

to start over

but Grace needed my help

and this estate

and all of its needs kept

calling me back

over and over and over.

I need to be done with it.

This firm is the most important

thing to me.

I've always been focused

on the past

and you've always been focused

on the future.

Who says history

has to repeat itself?

What do you mean?

Ok, well let's face it.

A house divided

cannot stand.

Go on.

I want a historical site,

you want a golf course.

Why can't we have both?

I am not following you.

How about a resort

that showcases history?

It's the best of both worlds.

Interesting.

But Niven is expecting a golf

course, plain and simple.

But he's a business man,

and we'd be doubling the

potential revenue stream

and preserving history.

More tourists flock

to this town every year.

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