Mrs Brown Page #4

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Half an hour later, PONSONBY stands at his desk facing

BROWN.

PONSONBY:

What on earth did you think you were

doing?

BROWN stares straight back.

BROWN:

Awaiting my orders.

PONSONBY:

You do not report for duty unless the

Queen requests it. You know that very

well.

BROWN:

I didn't come all this way to sit on

my arse.

PONSONBY:

You will await your orders like

everyone else. Unless you prefer a

repeat of yesterday's little

excitement.

BROWN:

No.

PONSONBY:

I beg your pardon?

INT. OSBORNE HOUSE, UPPER CORRIDOR - DAY

The next day. From a high window, we see PONSONBY

scuttling madly across the courtyard towards the figure of

JOHN BROWN, who is standing exactly as he was the day

before.

VICTORIA watches impassively.

EXT. OSBORNE HOUSE, COURTYARD - DAY

PONSONBY stands close to BROWN, shouting in his face.

PONSONBY:

I thought I made myself perfectly

clear. You do not leave your room

until Her Majesty requests it.

BROWN:

(eyes straight ahead,

shouting back)

Well, you tell Her Majesty from me, if

her husband was here now, he'd have

had her out of that house and getting

some air in her. What the hell's the

point in me being here otherwise?!

From the window above, VICTORIA takes in his words. A

beat. PONSONBY collects himself.

PONSONBY:

Go inside at once.

BROWN:

Is that the Queen's request?

PONSONBY:

Yes, it most certainly is!

BROWN turns, grabs the lead rein and leads his horse back

to the stables.

INT. OSBORNE HOUSE, STABLES - DAY

A few minutes later, BROWN is in the process of stabling

his horse. Suddenly he turns.

VICTORIA is standing at the far end of the stable with her

entourage.

VICTORIA:

Mr Brown.

BROWN:

Yes, ma'am.

VICTORIA:

You have been told repeatedly not to

stand in the courtyard unless

requested to do so.

BROWN:

Yes, ma'am.

VICTORIA:

Then why do you persist in doing it?

BROWN:

Because I think Her Majesty is wrong.

If ever there was a poor soul who

needed fresh air, it is her.

A beat.

VICTORIA:

The Queen will ride out if and when

she chooses.

BROWN:

And I intend to be there when she's

ready.

Silence. The two of them stare at each other.

EXT. OSBORNE HOUSE, THE GROUNDS - DAY

The next day, high and wide over the stunningly manicured

landscape. Long lawns, wind-cropped copses and in the

distance, the glittering sea.

EXT. OSBORNE HOUSE, THE GROUNDS - DAY

VICTORIA sits side-saddle on a horse. BROWN leads her in

silence.

EXT. CLIFFTOP - DAY

VICTORIA looks up.

VICTORIA:

Prince Albert was going to build a

bench here. He thought it one of the

best views in Osborne.

BROWN:

It's a fine spot, ma'am.

VICTORIA:

He thought so, yes.

She stares ahead.

VICTORIA (CONT'D)

In everything I do and everything I

say, I try to think, as much as

possible, what he would do, or say, if

he were here now. My Private

Secretary wishes me to return to

public duties--

She stops abruptly, but BROWN cuts in.

BROWN:

If Prince Albert were here today, he'd

tell him a thing or two.

VICTORIA:

Sir Henry is not alone. They all wish

it.

(beat)

The same people who refused to grant

my husband the title of King because

he was deemed of insufficient rank--

She stops again, cutting quickly back to small-talk.

VICTORIA (CONT'D)

It is a fine spot for a bench, is it

not?

BROWN:

Aye, ma'am.

VICTORIA:

Yes.

A pause.

VICTORIA (CONT'D)

I have some letters in the saddle bag.

I wish to read them.

BROWN walks up to her side, opens the saddle bag and hands

her a bundle of letters held together with ribbon.

VICTORIA (CONT'D)

I cannot read them like that.

BROWN undoes the ribbon and tries again. VICTORIA cuts in.

VICTORIA (CONT'D)

You will hand them to me as I require.

BROWN takes off the top letter and hands it to her.

INT. OSBORNE HOUSE, UPPER SERVANT'S TABLE - NIGHT

The clatter and crush of the Upper Servant's table as UPPER

SERVANTS sit themselves down to dinner while UNDER SERVANTS

prepare to serve soup.

ARCHIE comes in and sits himself somewhere in the middle

next to an empty seat. A moment later, BROWN strides in.

But instead of sitting at the place beside his brother, he

goes straight to the head of the table and plonks himself

down. Slowly, the clatter dies away as the whole room

stops and stares at him in silence. BROWN fixes them with

a look.

An elderly butler steps into the room and stares in

amazement at BROWN. A smooth young man, BERTIE'S VALET,

hurries up to intercede.

BERTIE'S VALET

Mr. Carter, the Head Butler, sits

there.

BROWN:

Not now he doesn't. This is my place.

BERTIE'S VALET

By whose authority?

BROWN:

My own.

A little frisson of oh-my-gawdness. BERTIE'S VALET stares

icily at him.

BERTIE'S VALET

The order of seating at the Upper

Servant's table is arranged personally

by the Queen herself.

BROWN:

That's a tautology lad.

(unable to stop himself

seriously explaining it)

If you say the Queen arranges

something, you've no need to say she's

done it personally. That's

understood.

But as far as BERTIE'S VALET is concerned, it isn't. He

stares down in mute fury, then snaps his fingers at one of

the under servants, who rushes over. There is a hurried

exchange of whispers before the under servant rushes out.

Unperturbed, BROWN brings out his flask and pours himself a

substantial draft of whiskey. He turns to the pretty

assistant dresser, sitting to his right.

BROWN (CONT'D)

Are you dresser to Her Majesty?

She blinks nervously at him.

ASSISTANT DRESSER

Assistant, sir, yes.

BROWN tucks into his soup. Everyone watches and waits.

BROWN:

What's your name?

ASSISTANT DRESSER

Mary Taylor, sir.

BROWN:

Have I seen you up in Balmoral, Mary?

ASSISTANT DRESSER

I hope to go up next year.

BROWN:

You wouldn't happen to know what the

Queen's reading for recreation, would

you, Mary?

The assistant dresser thinks for a moment.

ASSISTANT DRESSER

Lord Tennyson, sir?

BROWN nods. All conversation stops as the under servant

bursts back in. She halts at the door, looking blankly

from Bertie's valet to the elderly butler. A beat. The

old man stiffens and makes his way to the middle of the

table.

BROWN looks up from his soup.

BROWN:

Am I the only one eating?

With a clatter of spoons, everyone obediently eats.

INT. OSBORNE HOUSE, DRAWING ROOM - DAY

A few days later. A morning "drawing room." Standing

round the unlit fireplace are DOCTOR JENNER, LADY ELY, LADY

CHURCHILL, the two LADIES IN WAITING and PRINCESS

ALEXANDRA. All are dressed against the icy wind that

whistles through the open window where VICTORIA sits

knitting busily while BERTIE stands beside her, coat

buttoned up to the collar. PONSONBY has stationed himself

opposite, beside a desk piled high with red dispatch boxes.

He runs through the daily itinerary.

PONSONBY:

Lord Clarendon arrives, by invitation,

at eleven o'clock, followed at twelve

by a picnic in the grounds to

celebrate Princess Alice's birthday.

Dispatches, as usual, at two.

(finishes, then coughs)

The Chancellor writes to say that, by

happy coincidence, he will be in Cowes

for the weekend. He asks if Your

Majesty might grant him an audience.

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