The Wicked Lady Page #2

led to the alter,

to another man.

Your jesting is

in bad taste.

It is no jest.

I do believe

you mean what you say.

Young man, find

yourself another partner.

Look at Barbara,

it's high time

she was prepared

for the bridal bed.

But it is early yet.

Find the bridesmaids

and take her upstairs.

Couldn't they manage

without me?

No, child.

You are the maid of honor.

Don't let them guess now.

Very well.

ALL:
Kiss the bride!

Kiss the bride!

WOMAN 1:
And she's only

just got married.

WOMAN 2:
Oh, I think

that's disgraceful.

I think that's disgraceful.

She goes too far.

Barbara, it's time

to go upstairs.

Keep your kisses,

you'll need them later.

(ALL LAUGH)

Lady Skelton dropped this.

Take it to her, please.

(PEOPLE APPLAUDING)

WOMAN 1:
Who is he, Barbara?

WOMAN 2:
He is good-looking.

Come along, Barbara,

you'll be late.

Come along, Barbara,

you mustn't keep

your husband waiting.

He asked me to

give you this.

That man there.

Well, he'd make

a good lover.

Barbara can't have

a lover yet.

Let's go, Barbara.

BARBARA:
I don't want

to go to bed.

I want to dance

and enjoy myself.

You don't have to dance

to enjoy yourself.

(ALL LAUGHING)

(WOMAN EXCLAIMS)

WOMAN:
Look!

The blankets

edged with satin.

Oh, they don't look very warm.

Barbara, you won't

feel cold tonight.

Courage! Our thoughts

will be with you.

They'll be ahead of you.

(CHUCKLES)

WOMEN:
Come in!

Go on, say it, Caroline.

Your...

Your bride awaits you.

(ALL GIGGLING)

Do you think he'll manage?

Caroline, you've forgotten

the blessing.

I wish you the joy

of one another.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(CHATTERING)

Goodbye.

Goodbye.

Come along, Henrietta,

we'll miss the play.

HENRIETTA:
Of course,

we won't, Barbara.

(CHATTERING)

WOMAN:
It is, it is.

It is her, oh, yes.

Look, Barbara, the King.

Who is he with?

Oh, it's the Villiers whore.

BARBARA:
Didn't he just

make her a Duchess?

HENRIETTA:

Duchess of Cleveland.

The quickest titles go to

those who bed with the King.

Still, Barbara, you have

your title, don't you?

(ALL EXCLAIM)

He takes more than oranges

from Nell Gwynne, they say.

Come, Barbara, we shall

be late for the play.

The play can wait.

Find out who she is.

His Majesty seeks

your name, my Lady.

Lady Skelton is my wife.

Tell the King

she is not for the taking.

Ralph, darling, Henrietta

and I looked at the loveliest

house in St. James's.

Don't you think

we ought to take

a London residence?

I do not.

But, Ralph, we can't live

in the country all the time.

Of course you can, Barbara.

You have your duty.

A very handsome man

was Lord Rashleigh.

Buried in the West Indies.

He married...

(SNIFFING)

He married a cousin

on my father's side.

(COUGHING)

It's the east wind.

It always brings on

the Skelton cough.

Well, she wasn't

exactly my cousin,

but my father and

her stepmother were

cousins once removed.

Leave us.

Oh, those stupid old hens!

Well, if you looked

to the housekeeping...

Caro, dear Caro,

not that again.

Well, you've got

to run the house

sooner or later.

I can't stay forever.

(GASPS)

Yes, Hogarth?

I came, my Lady,

to fetch a coat

for the footman.

"I will clothe thee

with a change of raiment."

Zechariah,

Chapter 3, Verse 4.

Hogarth...

Yes, my Lady?

That room at the top

of the stairs, the one

that's always locked...

Ralph's great uncle

was murdered there.

Someone came up

the hidden stairway.

I want the key.

It is an evil place.

The key, if you please,

Hogarth.

It is wrong.

Not you as well.

Oh! It's so cold.

It'll be all right

when it's aired.

Ralph won't like it.

It's quite fashionable

nowadays

for husbands and wives

to have separate rooms.

Ralph is not a

fashionable person.

More is the pity, or he might

have taken a house in London

when I asked him.

Where's the secret door?

Up a bit, on the left.

(SQUEAKING)

Let's explore. Wouldn't it

be useful if I had a lover?

I was only teasing.

Ralph's sister Lady Kingsclere

and her husband are coming.

I must see their room's ready.

Henrietta, darling.

I'm so glad you've come.

Thank you, my dear.

But you've taken away

her sparkle, Ralph.

And it's only

been six weeks.

You know, I was quite

jealous of you, my dear.

You looked

so young and lovely.

Is it only six weeks?

Then it must be the journey

that's tired you, Henrietta.

Traveling does make

one look so bedraggled.

Caroline.

How are things

in London, Henrietta?

It's been a brilliant season.

Quite a brilliant season.

Hardly an evening at home.

Poor Henrietta, no wonder

you look so worn.

I'd rather look

worn than dull.

There's a new card

game called ombre

sweeping the town.

The King's taken it up.

I suppose you haven't even

heard of it down here.

On the contrary,

I play it regularly.

In that case we must test

your skill, Barbara.

For a regular player,

you play a very

irregular game.

(LAUGHING)

Fortune hasn't smiled

on me, yet.

Is that what it is?

Why don't you stop, Barbara?

Your luck may change tomorrow.

Tomorrow you leave.

Give me a chance to recover.

Certainly, darling.

It's only midnight. In London,

that's when we wake up.

Well, I'm no Londoner.

I'm off to bed.

Well, there's no need

to wait up for me tonight.

Well, I hadn't forgotten.

Good night.

Good night, Ralph.

Tell me, my dear

why is it you two sleep apart?

Because, Henrietta darling,

in one's own room it is easier

to mind one's own business.

It is you to play.

Oh, Ralph, these things

of Barbara's, I was

taking them to her room.

Well, that's kind of you.

I believe it's quite

fashionable nowadays

for husbands and wives

to have separate rooms.

Indeed.

Ralph, wouldn't it be

a good idea if you took

a place in London?

Did some entertaining?

Good idea for whom?

For Barbara?

I should have got more

money from Ralph

before he went to bed.

Don't look so guilty,

Kingsclere.

Barbara knew we were

experienced players.

Old Ralph won't like it.

We do him a favor.

It'll teach Barbara to stick

to more wifely pursuits.

I'll play you for this.

All on a single

turn of the cards.

Not fair, Henrietta,

not fair.

All the money on the table,

against this brooch.

Cut, then.

Queen.

It's pretty.

I shall wear it

when I'm next at court.

Your mother's, was it?

Thank heavens I can lie

abed tomorrow when you leave

for London, Kingsclere.

You should come

with me, Henrietta.

I don't like you

traveling alone

and at evening.

I promised Ralph

I'd attend the local food...

Whatever it is, some awful

sort of dance they do.

He's so democratic.

Look out some highwayman

fellow doesn't steal that.

They say Captain Jackson

rides in these parts.

It might be worth the loss

of a trinket to meet so bold

and handsome a robber.

Particularly a trinket

so easily won.

Good night.

Good night, Barbara.

MARTIN:
This was

your mother's brooch.

BARBARA:
I shall

never part with it.

KINGSCLERE:
Look out

some highwayman

fellow doesn't steal it.

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