The Patriot Page #20

They follow Marion like soldiers.

EXT. CHERAW FALLS - DAY

Marion sits on a rock while Margaret cuts his hair. She

takes her time, touching him on the head and shoulders,

extending the process. Marion, sits back, enjoying it.

He notices Susan, nearby, watching silently. He smiles.

She turns away.

EXT. TOBACCO SHED - CHERAW FALLS - DAY

Dark. Shafts of light shine in through the holes in the

roof. Marion, standing in the shadows, senses someone

coming. He freezes.

A figure rounds the corner. It's... William. MARION

YELLS William SQUEALS IN DELIGHT, then chases his father

around the corner, tagging him. They laugh. Marion

covers his eyes and William dashes off to hide.

EXT. CHERAW FALLS - RIVERSIDE - DAY

Marion sits on the side of the river with Susan who avoids

looking at him. Using the knife we've seen him use in

battle he cuts slices off an apple and eats them.

MARION:

Good apple.

No response.

MARION:

Very good. Sweet.

He cuts a slice and offers it to her. She doesn't take

it. He puts the slice between them. After a long moment

she picks it up but as she's about to eat it, she stops,

seeing something on it. She puts it back.

Marion looks at the apple slice and sees a dark red

splotch on it. He looks at his knife and realizes that

it's dried blood.

Off-balance, he turns to Susan who stares straight ahead,

a thousand miles from Marion.

EXT. CHERAW FALLS RIVER - DAY

Marion washes the knife carefully, almost obsessively.

Anne steps up behind him.

ANNE:

May I ask you a question?

Marion finishes with the knife and puts it away without

explanation.

MARION:

Yes, of course.

She speaks with a sly, withheld smile.

ANNE:

Do you think Frances with an "e" is

too manly a name for a girl?

MARION:

No.

ANNE:

Do you think Francis with an "i" is

too womanly a name for a boy?

MARION:

No.

ANNE:

Good.

Anne smiles and walks away. Marion figures out what she

just told him.

MARION:

When?

ANNE:

Late summer.

MARION:

Congratulations.

ANNE:

Thank you.

Marion laughs at the thought.

EXT. CHERAW FALLS - DAY

Marion's children swim and play with the two Great Danes

in the pond at the base of the falls, along with Gabriel

and Anne. Marion and Charlotte sit on the bank, watching

them.

Charlotte turns and looks at Marion for a long moment.

He's unaware. As Charlotte looks at him, her smile

disappears, replaced by anger. She snaps at Marion.

CHARLOTTE:

I'm not my sister.

Startled, Marion turns to Charlotte.

MARION:

Excuse me?

CHARLOTTE:

I said, I'm not my sister.

MARION:

I know that.

CHARLOTTE:

Do you?

MARION:

Of course, I do.

CHARLOTTE:

(irritated)

Very well, then.

She turns from him. Marion, tries to figure out what just

happened. After a long moment he gets it. Stunned at

first, his gears turn. After a very thoughtful moment he

turns to Charlotte and offers a tentative smile. She

rolls her eyes.

EXT. CHERAW FALLS - NIGHT

Dark. A full moon shines.

INT. TOBACCO SHED - NIGHT

Marion wakes. He looks across his sleeping children and

sees that Charlotte isn't in her place on the other side

of them. He rises and walks out into the night.

EXT. GLEN - CHERAW FALLS - NIGHT

Marion walks into the glen. He tenses, sensing someone in

front of him. Then he sees CHARLOTTE AT THE EDGE OF THE

WOODS. Neither one speaks...

They walk silently to each other. They stop, looking at

each other closely, as if seeing one another for the first

time...

Only then do they kiss. The kiss grows more passionate...

then much more passionate...

EXT. CHERAW FALLS - DAY

Marion finishes tying his gear onto his horse. The

children are silent. He stands beside his horse. One

after another, the children walk to him and embrace him --

Nathan, Samuel, Margaret, William.

He sees Susan, standing next to Charlotte. He motions to

her but she doesn't move. Then he kneels down and gently

hugs her.

MARION:

Just a little goodbye? One word?

That's all I want to hear.

Susan remains silent, standing with her arms at her sides,

not responding to the embrace.

Finally, Marion lets go of her. She just stares at him.

Marion stands and turns to Charlotte.

MARION:

Goodbye, Charlotte.

CHARLOTTE:

Goodbye.

They embrace. Though the hug is chaste, their eyes tell a

different story. Only Anne and Margaret notice, but to

them it's as clear as a bell. They exchange a knowing

look.

Marion and Charlotte break apart, self-consciously.

Marion and Gabriel mount up and start to ride away. As

they're about to round a curve and disappear, SUSAN CRIES

OUT:

SUSAN:

Papa!

With halting steps, then faster and faster, she runs down

the path toward Marion.

SUSAN:

Papa, don't go, I'll say anything.

Marion stops, turning in his saddle to see Susan running

after him, her eyes filled with tears.

SUSAN:

Please, Papa, I'll say anything you

want!

Marion yanks his reins, turning his horse.

SUSAN:

Just tell me what to say! Tell me

what to say!

Marion spurs his horse straight toward her, GALLOPING

toward the running, crying child.

SUSAN:

Please, Papa, please don't go.

MARION RIDES TOWARD HER...

Charlotte, Anne and Marion's children watch as:

MARION LEANS OVER IN THE SADDLE without slowing down...

SWOOPING HER INTO HIS LAP...

She sits astride the saddle, facing him, her arms wrapped

around him, pleading, the words tumbling from her, as fast

as she can get them out...

SUSAN:

... I'll talk to you, I'll say

anything you want, just tell me what

you want me to say, I'll say

anything, I promise, please, Papa,

just stay...

Marion envelopes the sobbing wisp of a girl, holding her,

letting her cry, fighting his own tears...

He reins back the horse, stopping in front of the

others...

He pleadingly looks to Charlotte who steps up to the

horse... to take Susan...

Marion gives Susan a final embrace, and covers her face

with kisses...

MARION:

I'll come back... I promise...

Marion hands the still crying Susan down to Charlotte...

Marion, in agony, averts his eyes, yanks his reins, and

spurs his horse...

As he rides away the children take off after him, running.

Susan seeing the others running after Marion, struggles

out of Charlotte's arms, and runs after them as well...

Marion rides, now joined by Gabriel, faster and faster,

leaving a trail of dust...

The children slow, then stop, one after another, watching

as they ride away.

EXT. PATRIOT ENCAMPMENT - ACWORTH - EVENING

Grim. The most rudimentary of the encampments we've seen.

Rain pours. Some of Marion's men huddle under lean-to's

and quickly rigged tents that offer only partial

protection from the cold rain.

Abner and Scott do their best to keep a wet-wood fire

going. Rev. Oliver tries to cook.

Marion and Gabriel ride up and dismount. Marion joins

Rev. Oliver.

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