The Wicked Lady Page #6

Save them for

a man who's worth it.

An honest, faithful man

(CROWD LAUGHING)

If you can find one! Right?

To the men, I give

a word of warning.

Never put your

faith in a woman.

For no matter how much

you may think she

loves you, like as not,

she'll betray you

in the end!

In my short and merry life,

I've loved many.

But only once have I ever,

ever made the fatal mistake

of trusting a woman.

That's why I'm here!

For believe me, friends,

only a woman's hand could

put a noose around the

neck of Jerry Jackson!

WOMAN:
Find her

and we'll hang her.

(GASPS)

(WHISPERING)

Well, there it is,

I've had my say.

May God bless

all my friends.

(CHEERING)

And may my enemies

be hanged as I am!

"The peace of God which

passeth all understanding

keep my heart and mind

"in the knowledge

and love of God..."

That unfortunate

highwayman has asked me

to give you this letter.

JACKSON:
Well, my bold,

bad Barbara. You're

afraid of me at last.

You needn't be.

Jerry Jackson's not the

man to whine now the

reckoning's to be paid.

But if you feel you

owe me a kindness,

give a share of our earnings

to the girl by the coffin.

She was with me

that night at the inn.

She was my doxy

before I ever met you,

and she stood by me.

Farewell then, lovely Barbara.

Until our next merry meeting.

It seems he thought

I looked kind.

He wanted me to help

that poor woman over there.

Give her this purse and tell

her I'm truly sorry for her.

'Tis true Christian

charity, ma'am.

May I read the letter?

You may not.

Be with me now and at

the hour of my death. Amen.

(ALL GROANING)

(CHOKING)

I don't want your money!

I don't want no charity from

no ladies in carriages!

Jackson's putting

up a game fight.

Must have a neck

like a bull.

Let go of me! Let go!

James!

You think you can buy me?

Do you think you can buy me?

(GROANS)

MAN:
Keep them back.

Let the girls fight it

out themselves.

Don't let them spoil our fun.

Please do something!

What's going on over there?

(CHATTERING)

One against one,

that's fair.

Anyone who tries to get

through to them, sees me!

(GROANING)

That's Caroline! Come on!

MAN:
Come on, there's

a fight over there.

(CLAMORING)

(SCREAMING)

MAN:
Whip her! Whip her!

Whip her! Whip her!

Whip her!

Whip her! Whip her!

(SCREAMS)

(ALL SHOUTING)

(SCREAMING)

(CONTINUES SCREAMING)

(PEOPLE SHOUTING)

(LAUGHS)

Follow me.

(SCREAMING)

(GRUNTING)

Barbara.

(SCREAMING)

Well, I'm most grateful to

you. You averted a very

unpleasant situation.

I saw Caroline at the coach.

(SCREAMING)

I don't know why you

went there, my dear.

I did warn you.

You must you must come back

with us to Maryiot Cells.

That's very kind of

you, sir, but...

Especially as you're now

to be one of the family.

One of the family?

Did you not know, Barbara?

Mr. Locksby and Caroline

are to be married.

No. I didn't know.

You'll come too, Caroline?

Caroline finds Maryiot

Cells very dull.

I don't think I'll find

it dull this time.

(DOOR OPENS)

Sir Ralph, the

highwayman Jackson.

What, what of him?

There was a riot around the

coaches. In the excitement

he was cut down.

He may not be dead.

They didn't name him lucky

Jerry Jackson for nothing!

(SCREAMS)

Will you not come closer?

They watch.

I love you, Kit.

I've kept it.

Too late.

Not if you love me.

Soon I return to London.

Tonight, I'll come to

you in your room,

while the others sleep.

We risk too much.

We risk nothing.

I saw you, Locksby.

Will you kill me?

If I must. Promise you'll

never see Barbara again.

You must love her very much.

You're engaged to Caroline,

or have you forgotten?

I've seen her robbed once of

the man she loved. Not again.

I will not see

your wife again.

(GASPS)

Good evening, Lady Skelton.

Jackson!

What do you want?

What a question to ask an old

friend back from the grave.

What do you think I want?

You think I betrayed you.

You're wrong. It wasn't...

Ah, this isn't worthy of you,

my darling. You always had

the courage of your iniquity,

didn't you?

Do you know what it feels

like to be strangled, my Lady

Barbara? Do you? Do you?

Do you feel the rope

choking your windpipe?

The world goes black

choking the life out of you!

With spots of vivid

color flashing against

the awful darkness.

Your head bursts open,

you kick and you struggle

and you squirm!

(PANTING)

You know, after my

friends cut me down

it took them two hours

to bring me round.

And do you know what

my first thought was?

At last I know who she is.

Isn't that strange?

Just a few seconds

after being saved

from the scaffold,

I thought of the crest

on the Skelton coach

and of you!

And now you've found me?

We pick up our life together

just, where we left off.

No. Things are

different now.

For the first time in

my life, I'm in love.

Am I so distasteful to you?

Then I'll take my revenge and

pleasure at the same time.

(GROANS)

No, you won't scream,

you won't invite anyone

in here with me.

(KNOCK AT DOOR)

Open the door.

It's me Barbara.

Kit!

He won't see you, Barbara.

He gave me his word.

He will marry Caroline.

Now go back to bed,

Lady Skelton.

You don't care for me.

Let me go to him, Ralph.

I beg of you.

You and I are married.

He and Caroline will

leave with me tomorrow.

I have business in London.

I'll be back the next night.

Now go to your room or

by God I swear I'll drag

you there by your hair

and lock you in myself!

Hurry up.

ALL:
Bye-bye. Bye-bye.

To you, Caroline and Kit.

May your marriage be blessed.

Ralph, it's no good.

What?

I love you, Ralph.

I'm fond of you, Kit, but I

can't help it, I love Ralph.

Did you order

three pheasant?

Or was it one pheasant, one

roast pork and one lamb chop?

Why, my Lady of Iniquity!

Keep out of my way, Jackson!

What words for your partner!

What job are we doing?

There'll be

a coach here soon.

Worthwhile?

To me.

After something special?

A man's life.

You never did like killing,

did you, Jackson?

You still have time to go.

What's this poor devil

ever done to you?

He stands between me

and everything I want.

Who is he?

My husband.

You cannot.

They'll think it was me

seeking revenge on the

man who captured me!

Would you warn him,

Captain Jackson?

Would you turn on

your old partner?

(GROANING)

Now we've both had revenge.

To our next merry

meeting in hell!

Go on.

It's probably a poacher

shooting rabbits.

Nothing to worry about.

I fear nothing now.

But won't Barbara be

surprised to see us back?

If only you two hadn't put up

such a convincing performance

of being in love.

Why should four people spend

their lives in misery

when they could be so happy?

It's like a fairy story.

I get the man I love

and Kit gets Barbara.

Everyone gets

what they want.

(LAUGHS)

Now, Fury!

Easy, easy.

Out!

Jackson?

I think I winged the fellow.

RALPH:
Let's be off.

Go on! Go on!

Where's her Ladyship?

Retired early to bed, sir.

One of her headaches.

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