Testament of Youth Page #7

ON Roland and Vera, walking fast.

ROLAND:

Can we shake her off?

VERA:

Mother’s expecting a full report

back, no details spared.

They smile like conspirators. Roland sees a theatre up ahead,

pulls Vera towards it. Aunt Belle appears round the corner,

sees them and follows.

44 INT. THEATRE - MINUTES LATER 44

A show is taking place on stage, the theatre is almost empty.

Roland pulls Vera along an empty row of seats, they sit next

to one another, and he drapes one arm across the back of her

seat. Aunt Belle follows, squeezing along the row past Vera,

then stops.

AUNT BELLE:

(to Roland)

Move along, dear.

Reluctantly, Roland moves up a place. Aunt Belle sits herself

firmly down between them with a smug expression. Vera smiles.

Roland carefully reaches an arm behind Aunt Belle, finds

Vera’s neck, and caresses it gently. Aunt Belle realises and,

with an abrupt push of her shoulders, knocks his arm off.

Vera and Roland suppress their laughter.

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45 EXT. LONDON STREET - A LITTLE LATER 45

Roland and Vera hurry together, ahead of Aunt Belle.

ROLAND:

I know where we can go!

45A INT. ART GALLERY - MINUTES LATER 45A

Roland and Vera are in a silent gallery, gazing at paintings

on the walls - Aunt Belle is nearby. ON Roland’s expression -

irritated that they still haven’t lost her.

But he sees she’s before a painting, absorbed in it. He

guides Vera carefully towards an exit, right behind an

oblivious Aunt Belle...

46 INT. STAIRWELL, ART GALLERY - CONTINUOUS 46

They burst like truants into a secluded stairwell, laughing.

ROLAND:

I thought we’d lost her at the

impressionists!

Vera laughs.

VERA:

Aunt Belle’s got eyes in the back

of her head!

ROLAND:

We’re being very bad, you know,

we’re going to get a terrible

report.

VERA:

Mother won’t be surprised. She

finds me constantly exasperating.

She thinks she has a very odd

daughter.

ROLAND:

Not odd, just different.

They stop, Roland turns to her - both suddenly aware they’re

alone. Roland is close now - he wants to kiss her.

VERA:

I’ve never known where I fit.

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Roland takes her by the upper arms, pulls her a little closer

to him -

ROLAND:

Does it need to be a place?

He leans in to kiss her, he’s just about to - when Aunt Belle

appears on the very periphery of their vision.

AUNT BELLE:

Well!

They both see her. Roland keeps looking at Vera, tightens his

grip in frustration - as Aunt Belle hurries towards them -

AUNT BELLE:

I don’t know what to say to the

pair of you, really I don’t!

47 INT. TRAIN STATION - LATER 47

The three of them are walking through the station, Aunt Belle

between them now.

AUNT BELLE:

My feet are hurting, we better call

it a day.

She sees a newspaper stand.

AUNT BELLE:

A newspaper, and a cup of tea,

that’s what I need. I’ll be back in

a minute.

She hurries off towards the newspaper stand, which is

surrounded by a small crowd. Vera turns to Roland with a

smile.

VERA:

We’ll see each other again soon...

ON - Aunt Belle reading her paper at the stand, on the

billboard, is written: “GERMANY - ULTIMATUM TO WAR!” The

people around her are buzzing - mutterings such as:

“They’ve got until morning” “I said it would come to this!”

“They’re not to be trusted!”

She looks across - at Vera and Roland, lost in one another,

oblivious.

48 INT. TRAIN COMPARTMENT - LATER 48

Vera is sitting opposite Aunt Belle, travelling home in a

reverie. Aunt Belle is talking to some other passengers.

Gradually, Vera tunes in -

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PASSENGER 1

...My boys will be at the head of

the queue, and it’ll be a long one!

There isn’t a lad in the country

doesn’t want to go and thrash that

bloody Kaiser!

They all nod. Vera picks up a newspaper and starts reading,

her expression suddenly troubled.

49 INT. VERA’S BEDROOM, MELROSE - NEXT EVENING 49

Vera is finishing changing into her night dress. As she

turns, she catches a glimpse of herself in the mirror, and

spots a faint purple bruise and a red mark on her upper arm,

where Roland gripped her. She smiles in soft delight, as the

memory of that moment floods back to her...touches the marks

with her fingertips, then turns with a start, as Edward

knocks at the door then walks in.

EDWARD:

I’ve been talking to father about

signing up.

Vera is taken aback.

VERA:

Already...?

EDWARD:

I’m an officer cadet. This is what

we trained for.

ON Vera - as she realises he’s right.

EDWARD:

Father was his usual calm self,

said he’d rather put a gun to his

head than let me go!

Vera’s mind is whirring.

VERA:

It’s all happening so fast -

EDWARD:

There are boys from town who’ve

signed up already. How will it look

if I’m not among them?

VERA:

I’ll talk to him. (Off his look)

Calmly, I promise!

Edward gets to his feet.

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EDWARD:

I should let you sleep. (Sees the

marks on her arm) What happened to

you?

VERA:

(hastily covering up)

Nothing.

As Edward heads for the door

VERA:

I don’t think Roland will go. He’s

really not the military type.

Edward looks at her.

EDWARD:

Don’t go losing your head over him.

VERA:

Why not?

A beat - then Vera grabs a cushion and playfully chucks it at

him. He grins, ducks out.

50 INT. HALLWAY, MELROSE - THE NEXT DAY 50

A furious Mr. Brittain storms into the hallway, Vera

following him -

MR. BRITTAIN

No, no, no, no, NO!

He marches into the living room -

51 INT. LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS 51

Her father is pacing, he turns when he sees her, is about to

say something

VERA:

Let me speak!

He concedes.

VERA (CONT’D)

All the papers are saying it’ll be

short and fast

MR.BRITTAIN

I know a little more of war than

you, young lady, and believe me,

it’s never short and never fast!

Vera takes a deep breath, contains herself.

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VERA:

If we believe that from the outset

it becomes a self-fulfilling

prophecy, doesn’t it?! Maybe this

time, this generation, if everyone

plays their part, it might just be

over quickly like they’re saying.

He might not even see any fighting!

He looks at her - his expression haunted.

MR. BRITTAIN

You’re so young

VERA:

What’s Edward going to say when

everyone around him is signing up

and he isn’t?

A pause -

VERA (CONT’D)

Let him be a man. He won’t forgive

you if you don’t.

ON Mr. Brittain - the beginnings of self-doubt.

51A EXT. WHITE ROAD/LAKE - DAY 51A

SHOTS of the winding white road...the tranquil lake...

52 INT. VERA’S BEDROOM/ MELROSE - NIGHT (AUTUMN) 52

Several weeks later. Vera, in her night gown, is packing her

things for Oxford, when she hears the phone ring. She hurries

out...

53 INT. HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS 53

...Over to the phone, and picks it up. A crackly line. Mrs.

Brittain, in her dressing gown, appears.

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