Love & Friendship Page #5

Uh, no, no documents.

Uh, no note necessary.

All in the family,

or hoping to be soon.

And, uh...

and the carriage?

Oh, yes. The carriage.

Definitely. Certainly.

My pleasure.

Honored.

[clapping]

- Good day, Charles.

- Good day.

Oh, hello.

- Good day.

- Good day.

Do you know where

I might find your mother?

I believe she has gone out.

Gone out?

- Are you all right?

- Mm-hm.

What is it?

Tell me what's wrong.

Please say.

Sir, I...

I do not know to whom I can apply.

What is it?

Please tell me.

I'm sorry, I shouldn't

have said anything.

It's just that...

You're the only one I think

Mother might listen to.

Why would you say that?

Well, she pays no one such regard as

she does you, except Lord Manwaring.

- What do you mean, Manwaring?

- No.

I'm sorry.

It... It's just that

of all the people, I thought

Mother would listen most to you.

Let me understand this.

It's that you find

Sir James's presence,

and courtship of you unwelcome.

If his presence here disturbs you, it's

to Charles and my sister you should apply.

I promised Mother I would not.

I don't understand.

Why would you promise that?

She required it.

What does she require?

What?

These silences are vexing.

- Mama forbade it.

- I don't understand.

I promised not to speak to my

aunt and uncle on this subject.

- For what possible reason?

- It's wrong of me to speak now,

and I'd not have

if I weren't at my wit's end.

But I can't marry Sir James.

To what do you object?

You must have noticed.

He's very silly.

But besides that.

Besides that?

Yes, I confess the first impression

he made on me was also...

indifferent,

but don't those

knowledgeable of such matters

consider Sir James a good catch,

or match or whatever it is they say?

A man of cheerful temperament,

happy to devote a large

income to a wife's comfort.

I would rather work for my bread.

But what could you do?

I could teach.

- Teach.

- I could...

Yes.

You must have been very little

in school to think that.

Tell me, how did this happen?

Your mother is a woman

of excellent understanding.

Her concern for you is great,

though wise and clear-eyed.

How could she be as mistaken as you

suggest, if you truly despise Sir James?

I don't despise Sir James.

I'm sure he's a kind man.

And he has a...

charm of a kind.

And certainly he is likable,

and I'm sure I could like him if he

were a cousin or a cousin's cousin,

or a friend or a friend's friend,

or an in-law or a step something.

I just don't want to marry him.

Come.

Tell me the particulars.

If they are as you say,

I can't for the world imagine your

mother would remain deaf to your wishes.

Thank you.

Catherine.

I'd like to thank you for this visit.

- You're leaving?

- Yes, I must.

Why?

As you've said, it's important that this

season one of us be with our parents.

You've just decided this now?

Yes, but before going

I must ask one thing.

I'd be grateful if you could see

justice is done Frederica.

She's a sweet girl

who deserves a better fate.

I'm glad you now see her worth.

Yes. My eyes have opened

to many things.

- Aunt, I did something very wrong.

- I'm sure not.

No, I... I did. And now

he and my mother have quarreled.

He's to leave and it is my fault.

- Mama will never forgive me.

- Don't worry.

If any of what you fear comes to pass,

I'll happily intercede.

Good afternoon, Catherine.

That cough of young

Frederick's worries me.

I have from London some of Dr.

Preston's excellent lozenges.

- Would you like them for the dear boy?

- Yes. Thank you.

Also, is it true that we're losing Mr.

DeCourcy today?

Yes, it seems that we will.

How remarkable.

When he and I spoke barely an hour ago,

he made no mention of it.

But perhaps he did not

then know himself.

Young men are so impetuous

in their resolutions.

Why, I wouldn't say

Reginald's impetuous.

Oh, yes, he is.

He's like other young men that way.

Hasty in making resolutions,

and then just as quick to unmake them.

I would not be surprised if he were to

change his mind and stay.

He seemed quite decided.

Well, we'll see.

Some strangeness also seems

to be affecting Frederica.

I believe the girl's actually fallen

in love. With your brother the object.

Sir, Lady Susan asked if she

might have a word with you.

She asked if you would be so kind

as to visit her in her dressing room.

[knocking]

Lady Susan:

Come in.

I beg your pardon

for calling you here, sir,

but I've just learned of

your intention to leave today.

- Is that true?

- Yes, it is.

May we close the door?

I entreat you not, on my account,

to shorten your visit by even an hour.

Well...

I'm perfectly aware that after

what has passed between us,

it will ill suit either of us

to remain in the same house.

It is I who should go.

No. Why?

My visit has already been

inconvenient for your family.

For me to stay risks dividing a clan

affectionately attached to one another.

Where I go is of little consequence.

Whereas your presence is important to all.

Lady Susan:
It's terrifying how

close I came to destruction.

It all started with Frederica,

in a grip of a madness of some kind,

entreating Reginald

to intercede on her behalf

as if I were some kind of unkind mother

not wanting the best for her child.

Next, Reginald paid a visit to my rooms

with an expression of the utmost solemnity

to inform me of the impropriety

of allowing Sir James

Martin to court Frederica.

I tried to joke him out of it,

but he refused to be.

Heavens, is he really so pompous?

The pomposity, I assume.

It was his disloyalty, which outraged me.

If he held me in true regard, he would not

believe such insinuations in my disfavor.

A worthy lover should assume one has

unanswerable motives for all one does.

Certainly.

Scarcely an hour had gone by

when I learned that Reginald

was leaving Churchill.

Well, something had to be done.

Condescension was necessary,

though I abhor it.

I sent for Reginald. When he appeared,

he seemed astonished at the silence,

and he seemed as though he

were half-fearing, half-wishing

to be softened by what I might say.

The outcome justifies some

portion of vanity, my dear,

for the effect was no less

favorable than immediate.

- You brilliant creature.

- So now I have many tasks.

I must punish Frederica for

her application to Reginald,

and punish him for

receiving it so favorably.

And I must make myself serious amends

for the humiliations

I've been obliged to undergo.

Manwaring's in town.

Manwaring.

How is he, the divine man?

Absolutely miserable about you.

And jealous of DeCourcy.

To such a degree I can't answer for his

not committing some great imprudence

- such as following you to Churchill.

- Heavens.

[chuckles] I think I've

dissuaded him from it.

If you do follow my advice

and marry DeCourcy,

it will be indispensable for you

to get Manwaring out of the way.

Only you have the influence

to send him home.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes