The Iron Lady Page #9

MRS TERNAN:

You were very good, Nelly, dearest.

MRS TERNAN, kisses her. FANNY close by.

NELLY:

Really?

FANNY:

There is such clarity in your

performance, Nelly.

NELLY sinks a little, FANNY squeezes her hand, relenting.

MARIA:

You looked so beautiful.

NELLY squeezes MARIA, spying DICKENS, the sense of impromptu

party all around, strung between dressing room and corridor.

MRS TERNAN:

Mr Dickens, why did you not warn us

you were coming?

DICKENS:

A last minute impulse.

BUCKSTONE:

Mr Dickens-

MRS TERNAN goes off, lost in conversation with the manager MR

BUCKSTONE, he shakes DICKENS hand with a flourish in passing.

DICKENS:

My dear Buckstone-

MR BUCKSTONE:

Always a pleasure to have you grace

our theatre.

DICKENS:

Thank you..Thank you..A wonderful

night.

The HANDSOME ACTOR passes-

HANDSOME ACTOR:

Miss Ellen, you were marvellous.

NELLY smiles, face aglow, squeezing the HANDSOME ACTOR’s

hand. DICKENS seeing this.

Blue Revisions dated 11th June 2012 45.

NELLY:

Thank you, Mr Arnott.

DICKENS oddly nervous, smiles, hovering between staying and

going, unsettling NELLY, the HANDSOME ACTOR moves away. All

around the party in full swing, NELLY and DICKENS stand close

by, wedged between dressing room door and corridor-

MRS TERNAN:

And how is your writing Mr Dickens?

DICKENS:

Ferocious. Up at seven; a cold bath

before breakfast, and blaze away,

until three o’clock. I fight not to

be distracted.

DICKENS suddenly loses himself watching NELLY in conversation

with the HANDSOME YOUNG ACTOR. She turns, seeing DICKENS

NELLY:

Won’t you sit?

NELLY gestures to a chair close by-

DICKENS:

No..I don’t think..

NELLY’s face falls, hurrying to shroud her disappointment.

NELLY:

Of course...Yes..Yes..It is very

late I am sure you must be tired.

DICKENS:

So much to do I don’t know whether

my head is on or off-

DICKENS flushed blusters, watching as NELLY is effortlessly

drawn away by the HANDSOME ACTOR along a corridor to a

cluster of WAITING FRIENDS

HANDSOME ACTOR:

Nelly, you must meet my very good

friends...

NELLY:

Yes..Yes..I would be delighted to

meet them.

DICKENS sips his drink, desperately trying not to follow

NELLY as she smiles and laughs. MRS TERNAN hovers, eyes

holding DICKENS’

MRS TERNAN:

She is much in demand.

Blue Revisions dated 11th June 2012 46.

34 INT. SITTING ROOM. PARK COTTAGE. 1857. NIGHT. 34

The STILL of a pretty if peeling sitting room-

SUDDENLY the SOUND of a door opening, LAUGHTER

MRS TERNAN OOV:

Come through..come through-

A lamp is lit, casting its warm glow across the frivolous,

makeshift sitting room, adorned with the artefacts of past

performances, pieces of stage set, clearly now in use as

furniture. MRS TERNAN smiles, greeting DICKENS caught in the

flurry of FANNY, MARIA and NELLY as they unpeel coats and

discard hats and rogue door hooks.

MRS TERNAN:

Fanny, Maria, we must feed our

guest. There is some cold meat in

the larder. And a little bread and

fruit.

DICKENS:

Please.. Please do not trouble

yourself.

MRS TERNAN:

Nelly, a drink for Mr Dickens.

NELLY hurries off in search of wine and food.

MRS TERNAN (CONT’D)

Sit here. It is the only seat in

the house that does not sag if you

shift in search of comfort.

NELLY, flushes, thrusting a glass of wine in DICKENS’ hand,

aware of his gaze travelling over the garish and rather

threadbare fixtures and fittings-

DICKENS:

Thank you. This is warm and

charming-

NELLY:

Do not lean too far back, Mr

Dickens.

DICKENS lurches back, clutching the arm of the chair.

NELLY (CONT’D)

The arm has a habit of coming

unattached.

LAUGHTER:

Blue Revisions dated 11th June 2012 47.

FANNY:

(entering)

Ham and plums and some biscuits.

MARIA:

And cheese..We have cheese.

MARIA smiles with delight, placing the cheese next to FANNY’s

board of food on the side.

DICKENS:

Then I will never leave.

LAUGHTER:

DICKENS smiles, eyes holding on NELLY’s as they fall on the

food.

35 INT. SITTING ROOM. PARK COTTAGE. 1857. NIGHT. 35

LATER:

DICKENS, talking to a tired and lazy audience, on the edge of

sleep-

MARIA:

And then what did you say?

DICKENS:

What I should have said was “Mr

Anderson though your Ugly Duckling

has delighted, you have slept in

this room for five weeks now. You

must go home. “

FANNY:

But you did not?

DICKENS:

I did not.

NELLY:

Why didn’t you?

DICKENS:

It would have broken his heart. So

instead I inscribed a volume of my

latest work From his friend and

admirer Charles Dickens. Though I

should have added..May you never

outstay your welcome so long

again.”

LAUGHTER:

DICKENS looks across at MARIA stifling a yawn. NELLY and

FANNY following his gaze, lost in listening to him.

Blue Revisions dated 11th June 2012 48.

DICKENS (CONT’D)

And now it seems I have done the

same.

MARIA stirs.

ALL:

No..No..

They all make to stand-

DICKENS:

I will thank you, ladies, for such

a pleasurable night. Life is

nothing without good company.

NELLY smiles, DICKENS smiles-

MRS TERNAN:

Let me show you out.

36 INT. HALLWAY. PARK COTTAGE. ISLINGTON. 1857. NIGHT. 36

The soft glow of the lamp illuminating MRS TERNAN and DICKENS

as she helps him on with his coat.

DICKENS:

It is a very pretty cottage.

MRS TERNAN:

If lacking in space.

MRS TERNAN hands DICKENS her coat.

MRS TERNAN (CONT’D)

The rewards of our profession are

rarely monetary. But I would have

it no other way.

DICKENS:

No one is useless in this world if

they may lighten the burden. If I

may be of assistance...

MRS TERNAN holds DICKENS look with direct gaze.

MRS TERNAN:

(hushed)

My daughters are fine young women

but I am anxious sometimes for

their future.

(beat)

I cannot risk Nelly’s reputation.

DICKEN hesitates, MRS TERNAN unwavering.

Blue Revisions dated 11th June 2012 49.

DICKENS:

I hope nothing I could offer would

compromise her.

MRS TERNAN hesitates, looking up, just seeing NELLY, standing

in the doorway.

DICKENS (CONT’D)

So, good night.

37 EXT. STREET. NEAR GARRICK CLUB. LONDON. 1857. NIGHT. 37

A dimly lit street-

A YOUNG BOY pulling a cart, wheels turning on the cobbles.

DICKENS sidestepping him, quickening his pace, passing the

shadowy figures of LATE NIGHT REVELLERS, sensing footsteps

behind him-

YOUNG PROSTITUTE

Shilling a blow, Sir.

DICKENS hesitates, turns, a YOUNG PROSTITUTE[12 yrs]

loitering in the shadows-

DICKENS:

I will give you five-

DICKENS fishes a shilling out of his coin-

DICKENS (CONT’D)

...if you go home safely tonight.

The YOUNG PROSTITUTE hesitates, reaching out, taking the

coins from him.

YOUNG PROSTITUTE

I can play house, Sir. Want me as

your wife, sir?

DICKENS hesitates, one hand reaching out, touching her face,

seeing she is no older than twelve.

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