The Iron Lady Page #12

FANNY:

But what future would that be,

mother?

MRS TERNAN:

Our profession is hard enough. You

do not give it up. It gives you up.

MRS TERNAN suddenly stops mid sentence, seeing NELLY,

standing in the doorway, hearing all.

Blue Revisions dated 11th June 2012 62.

48 INT. OUTSIDE TOILET. YARD. PARK COTTAGE. 1857. DAWN. 48

NELLY sits on the toilet, head sunk in her hand. Blotting her

tears with a piece of ripped up news paper-

Footsteps-

NELLY furiously scrunches up the paper, wiping away her

tears, ignoring the tap at the door.

NELLY:

Go away Fanny.

49 EXT. YARD. PARK COTTAGE. LONDON. 1857. DAWN. 49

FANNY sinks down on a flower pot, outside the toilet door.

FANNY:

I will stay here all day if I have

to.

(beat)

Nelly

50 INT. TOILET. YARD. PARK COTTAGE. 1857. DAWN. 50

NELLY, devastated-

NELLY:

I am a terrible actress. It is

true. Please do not lie.

NELLY stands, her forehead against the cool of the door.

FANNY OOV:

Nelly, you are the truest person I

know in life. But you are not an

actress.

NELLY closes her eyes stung, but oddly resigned.

NELLY:

Did no one think of telling me?

FANNY OOV:

Nelly-

NELLY:

You have clearly discussed it. What

other arrangements have been made

which I do not know about?

FANNY OOV:

It is only because we care so.

Blue Revisions dated 11th June 2012 63.

NELLY:

I will not be bought or sold,

Fanny. Whatever it is...it is not

that.

NELLY fights back the last furious tears-

FANNY OOV:

Do you love him?

NELLY’s eyes open, her face betraying all-

NELLY:

He is married

51 EXT. YARD. PARK COTTAGE. LONDON. 1857. DAWN. 51

FANNY, hands pressed to the door, hesitating-

FANNY:

That has not stopped him falling in

love with you.

SILENCE UNTIL-

The door slowly opens, NELLY, face stained with tears, peers

around. FANNY smiles, rubbing a blot of ink on NELLY’s nose

with her thumb.

FANNY (CONT’D)

(eyeing inky nose)

You have the prime minster all over

your nose.

CLOSE UP ON NELLY, the pain of hearing this truth, yet

smiling with affection for her FANNY-

52 EXT. BEACH. MARGATE. KENT. 1885. DAY. 52

CLOSE UP ON NELLY the same look of pain- with BENHAM once

more on the beach, looking out at a YOUNG MAN and his SON

flying a kite far off-

NELLY:

I was an actress.

BENHAM:

An actress.

NELLY:

Not a very good one.

(beat)

My husband has indulged my interest

in the theatre but he is ignorant

of my past.

Blue Revisions dated 11th June 2012 64.

NELLY looks to BENHAM, hovering on telling him.

NELLY (CONT’D)

It is hard to reconcile this with

life as the wife of a headmaster.

So I have hidden it.

A BOY far off with his FATHER in the rock pools.

NELLY (CONT’D)

I was not a child when I met Mr

Dickens. I was eighteen. George

believes I am considerably younger

than I am.

BENHAM stares, with sudden comprehension.NELLY stops. The

cliffs fierce and towering behind them. The ocean in front.

NELLY (CONT’D)

He knows nothing of the depth of my

affection..

(beat)

My former affection for Mr Dickens.

BENHAM:

I see.

BENHAM hesitates, a seeping realisation evident in his eyes.

BENHAM (CONT’D)

You will never tell your husband.

She looks out at the grey churning sea.

NELLY:

He must never know. Never.

BENHAM, listening intently, yet giving nothing away. She

turns, looks at him.

NELLY (CONT'D)

Mr Benham, I have such remorse.

53 EXT. GARDEN. AMPTHILL SQUARE. CAMDEN. 1858. DAY. 53

Spring-

NELLY, eyes closed, surrounded by flowers, a birthday

cake held in front of her-

MARIA:

Open your eyes.

MARIA, FANNY, MRS TERNAN, the FLIGHTY ACTRESS and

OTHERS Cheers as NELLY blows out the candles. A

beautiful house just visible beyond

Blue Revisions dated 11th June 2012 65.

MRS TERNAN:

Happy Birthday, darling.

ALL:

Happy birthday..Happy Birthday.

NELLY:

Maria, is it raisin?

MARIA smiles, NELLY smothers her in kisses, excited

and excitable, twirling across the grass.

A distant rap at the door-

NELLY absorbed, opening presents. A few moments later a

MAID appears.

MAID:

(to NELLY)

Miss Ellen, Mrs Dickens to see

you.

NELLY’s face falls, the noise of the party hushes to a

still-

FANNY and MARIA look to one another. MRS TERNAN goes to

greet her, NELLY gently stops her. NELLY heads inside

leaving behind the chaotic party, lazy on the grass

54 INT. PARLOUR. AMPTHILL SQUARE. 1858. DAY. 54

CATHERINE DICKENS standing in the parlour, oddly

fragile, rouge dotting her pale cheeks. She turns on

seeing NELLY standing in the doorway.

CATHERINE:

I thought this was the right

house...

NELLY enters, plumping a cushion on a seat, and offering

it in gesture.

NELLY:

Please. Won’t you sit down?

CATHERINE, eyes silently tracing over the pretty

sitting room, eyes alighting on a series of tiny

prints of costumes hung on the wall.

CATHERINE:

I had heard he had found you

somewhere close on the square-

CATHERINE peers closer.

Blue Revisions dated 11th June 2012 66.

CATHERINE (CONT’D)

(peering closer)

Such attention to detail.

NELLY follows CATHERINE’s gaze-

NELLY:

It is all just paste and

glass.

Outside, distant whoops and laughter-

NELLY (CONT’D)

You find us in disarray.

NELLY nods towards half packed cases.

NELLY (CONT’D)

My mother and sister Frances

are to go to Italy. My sister

is to be a governess to the

Trollope family.

CATHERINE:

Really?

NELLY:

Mr Dickens has kindly made the

introduction. He has been more

than charitable to my family.

CATHERINE nods, considering NELLY, with cool

resignation.

CATHERINE:

My husband has always been very

generous.

CATHERINE holds out a small velvet box to NELLY

CATHERINE (CONT’D)

Happy Birthday Miss Ternan.

NELLY takes it, with surprise, flushing.

A game of musical chairs or the like just visible

playing out in the garden-

CATHERINE (CONT’D)

Won’t you open it?

NELLY hesitates, looking down at the box in her hand,

tentatively fingering the paper.

CATHERINE (CONT’D)

It is a gift from Charles.

It was mistakenly delivered

to me.

Blue Revisions dated 11th June 2012 67.

NELLY, inwardly reeling, carefully unpeels the paper,

tearing it a little-

CATHERINE (CONT’D)

The jewellers naturally

believing-

Opening it, her breath catches on seeing-

A beautiful bracelet, embedded with deep red Rubies-

CATHERINE (CONT’D)

Charles was eager that I ensure

it found its way to its

rightful recipient.

NELLY, catches on this, embarrassed by such obvious

cruelty from DICKENS

CATHERINE (CONT’D)

He is fond of you.

NELLY flushes-

CATHERINE (CONT’D)

And you of him?

NELLY hesitates-

CATHERINE (CONT’D)

That is a silly question. He

is Mr Charles Dickens..Even

in those early years

together even I could not

fail to be impressed. But

you will find, you must

share him with his public.

They will be the constant

and in truth you will never

absolutely know which one he

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