The Possession Page #17

Maud takes the towel, rubs Roland's hair dry.

(CONTINUED)

95.

CONTINUED:

ROLAND:

I wish nobody knew where I was.

MAUD:

Me too. I've lied shamelessly to

Leonora. I even stole Dr. Le

Minier's address.

ROLAND:

All scholars are a bit crazy.

Roland sneezes, blows his nose. He's in a bad way, his

towel like a turban, balanced on his head.

MAUD:

Roland, you said Ash came to France.

When exactly -- ?

ROLAND:

Spring, 1860...

MAUD:

Exactly?

ROLAND:

Around... March.

MAUD:

So think about it, Roland.

(Roland is blank)

How long is that after Ash and

Christabel were in Whitby?

Under his turban, Roland does his sums. Maud knows the

answer.

ROLAND:

About... eight... no... Nine months.

MAUD:

Nine months.

Maud stares at Roland. Who gasps with surprise. As he

dries his hair, he freezes. A sudden realization -

ROLAND:

A... child.

EXT. BRITTANY - INTERCUT VARIOUS SHOTS - DAY/NIGHT

Out walking -- two figures, Christabel with her young

cousin, SABINE. Christabel's pale face, unwell, under

strain.

(CONTINUED)

96.

CONTINUED:

CHRISTABEL:

And how do you think things are with

me, cousin Sabine?

Christabel turns her face away. Sabine sees she is weeping.

CONVENT:

Christabel knocking on the door. Then INSIDE the courtyard.

A cloak conceals her figure. INSIDE an office, a nun pulls

aside the cloak. Pregnant. Then -

CUT BACK TO:

ROLAND:

ROLAND:

If there was a baby, did it survive?

MAUD:

I don't know.

ROLAND:

Though if it survived -

MAUD:

Ash could have believed she was

trying to speak to her child in the

seance.

ROLAND:

Her dead child. But if Ash ever

knew -

MAUD:

In the records of the Convent, they

record a visit by a gentleman who

answers Ash's description. He was

turned away. They never spoke

again...

INT. HOTEL (LE CAP COZ, BRITTANY) - DAY

Maud and Roland go downstairs, peering over the bannister.

Suddenly, they freeze. In the lobby of the hotel, they see

Leonora Stern with Blackadder, canoodling fondly.

MAUD:

Oh, no...

97.

IN LOBBY:

Roland and Maud overhear Leonora with Blackadder.

LEONORA:

I don't understand why Maud dashed

off without a word. That letter

from Le Minier was mine, after all.

We were good friends...

(beat)

Perhaps your Roland Michell is some

kind of macho boss-man.

BLACKADDER:

He's not forceful. It's his major

failing.

LEONORA:

Then it must be love.

BACK ON STAIRS:

Maud and Roland sneak back to their room.

MAUD:

Should we go and confront them?

Maud puts out both her hands. Roland takes them.

ROLAND:

I think we should. And I think we

can't.

INT./EXT. HOTEL (LE CAP COZ, BRITTANY) - DAY

As Leonora and Blackadder, in bright leisurewear and

sunglasses, stride out from the hotel. Roland and Maud

sneak out of the entrance into -- a taxi CAB.

Which ZOOMS off at high speed, passing them on the

esplanade.

EXT. PORT (CAEN, BRITTANY) - EVE

At a cross-channel port, an overnight ferry in dock. Roland

and Maud walk up the gangway, into the passenger sections.

INT. FERRY BOAT CABIN - EVE

Inside the tiny cabin, Roland and Maud put down their bags

and investigate. A white room. Twin bunks.

(CONTINUED)

98.

CONTINUED:

Shower. They seem light-headed and giddy. Roland takes

stock.

ROLAND:

These are clean narrow white beds.

Just like we always wanted.

MAUD:

So they are. Do you prefer top or

bottom?

ROLAND:

I don't see that it matters. And

you?

MAUD:

I'll take the top.

Suddenly, perfectly aware of the absurdity and sexual

ambiguity of it all, they laugh out loud.

EXT. FERRY BOAT - NIGHT

Night time. Outside, the WATER HISSES and PRICKLES. Dark

waves carved by the huge boat... as down below -

INT. FERRY BOAT - CABIN - NIGHT

On a low light, Roland and Maud lie together, back to back

on the bottom bunk, ankles overlapping. Maud is reflective,

muted. Neither can sleep.

MAUD:

I feel sad about Christabel's

baby...

ROLAND:

We don't know it was dead.

MAUD:

I can't help thinking... if it

wasn't destined to die, why did she

run away? Why didn't she stay where

she was safe?

ROLAND:

Maybe she meant no one to know what

happened. Not even us...

Roland turns toward Maud. Who is still turned away.

(CONTINUED)

99.

CONTINUED:

ROLAND:

I think I've lost everything I've

ever had or cared about. Ash. My

job. Even Val now...

MAUD:

Oh...?

ROLAND:

She walked out. I should feel

frightful. But if I had to tell the

truth...

(beat)

I want... that life, Maud. Ash and

Christabel's. I'm not afraid to

admit it.

Roland puts his hand on Maud's, looks directly at her. His

face next to hers, a moment of truth.

ROLAND:

I know it sounds crazy -

MAUD:

I thought you were like me. You

wanted the empty room.

ROLAND:

I did. Now I'm not so sure.

MAUD:

No, please -- I can't -- I don't

want to lose myself. Do you

understand how important that is?

ROLAND:

Yes -- but -- to live life so

powerfully. Does anyone do that

anymore?

MAUD:

Not me -- too romantic. Life isn't

like that.

ROLAND:

Maybe that's why we read books, you

and me.

Silence overtakes them. Comfortable and safe, the swell of

the SEA hushes them. The WIND outside CARRIES OVER INTO -

100.

FLASHBACK - INT. ASH'S HOUSE (RUSSELL SQUARE) - LIBRARY

-NIGHT (1859)

At the open window, a lace curtain billows in the breeze.

Ellen closes the window. She walks into the library, a FIRE

ROARS.

At a desk, Ash looks through a microscope: At a dead

butterfly. Its intricate patterns. A pin is poised over

the sample. Yet his mind is on something else. He gets up,

moves behind her. Ellen stops.

ASH:

Ellen, I have something I must tell

you.

Ellen turns to him. Ash pauses, then words tumble out.

ASH:

For the last year, I have been in

love with another woman. I could

say it was a sort of madness. A

possession, as by demons. A kind of

blinding. At first it was only

letters -- and then -- in Yorkshire

-- I was not alone -

ELLEN:

I know.

Ellen looks up at Ash, his proud crest fallen.

ASH:

How long?

ELLEN:

I was told. I had a visitor.

Ellen unlocks a drawer. Brings out the original copy of

Ash's poem, in an envelope addressed to "Miss La Motte,

Bethany..."

ELLEN:

The original version of your poem.

Certain passages are superior, I

think, to what you now have here.

(beat)

I sensed a new inspiration. A muse.

As I would care to inspire you, were

I a poet.

Silence. Ash is speechless, deep in thought.

(CONTINUED)

101.

CONTINUED:

ASH:

If I had not told you about this -about

Miss La Motte -- would you

have restored this to me?

ELLEN:

I think not. How could I? But you

have told me.

ASH:

Miss Blanche Glover gave you this?

CLOSEUP - ELLEN

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT./INT. ASH'S HOUSE (RUSSELL SQUARE) - DAY (1859)

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