Act 3
STREET IN LONDON. DAY.
Edith exits a taxi and goes in the front door of her building. She climbs the stairs, smiling a bit to herself, and opens the door to her flat.
Edith enters her parlour and stops.
Mary and Cora stand in the parlour with the maid and the nanny; Cora holds the baby and coos over her; Mary is gently caressing her. They stop and look up.
EDITH
(Sharply) Mrs. Dunham. I thought I was quite clear-
CORA
Don't blame her, Edith.
MARY
I'm afraid we bullied our way in. She had no choice.
Cora shoots the nanny an apologetic smile. Mrs. Dunham merely looks embarrassed.
EDITH
And I suppose I have none, either? (Sarcastically) Well, by all means come in. Sit down. But I will have my child, please.
STREET IN LONDON. AFTERNOON.
Anna is walking carefully up the street a block or so behind Bates, stepping behind people periodically. Bates makes a sudden turn into an alley and Anna ducks into the alley nearest her. She peeks out to see Thomas sauntering into the alley after Bates. She begins to pull back out of sight but Thomas has seen her.
He leans out just enough to make eye contact with her. Anna scowls and puts her finger to her lips. Thomas laughs silently. He disappears into the alley.
EDITH'S FLAT.
Edith is handing the baby to the nanny. In the transaction the baby blanket is left in Edith's hand. The nanny exits with the child. Edith nods to the maid.
EDITH
Tea, please.
MARY
She's a beautiful child.
CORA
What's her name?
EDITH
Corinne.
CORA
Corinne?
Cora's eyes fill with tears.
EDITH
Of course her last name is Crawley, since she is a bastard.
CORA
You will not speak of my grandchild that way. I don't care how accurate that-term was in the past, she will never be a bastard to her family and I will never allow her to be spoken of that way. She's my granddaughter.
MARY
And she's my niece, Edith.
STREET IN LONDON.
Anna sees Bates emerge from the alley and walk to the back door of a nearby building. He waits.
Now Thomas exits the alley and strolls toward the front door of the same building. Monaghan comes out of the front door. Monaghan and Thomas head away down the street.
Bates, who's been watching around the corner, now picks the lock and enters the back door of the building.
Anna watches as Bates passes by a window inside the upstairs flat. She looks up and down the street and behind her in the alley, where women are scrubbing and hanging up clothes. She looks back down the street to watch Monaghan and Thomas walking away.
EDITH'S FLAT.
EDITH
What do you want?
MARY
We want you to come home.
EDITH
No, it's out of the question.
CORA
One of your own reporters is spying on you, and taking pictures. He's taken pictures of you with Corinne. You must leave London -
EDITH
Ah. To avoid bringing a scandal on the family.
CORA
No, to keep you safe! Bates thinks this might be organized crime, Edith! Extortion is very lucrative now, but so is abduction!
The maid has entered with the tea tray and set it on a table. She reacts with alarm to Cora's remarks and leaves the room.
EDITH
I will not be bullied into moving. We're happy here and I have my own staff of reporters. I can fight back. I will fight back. Michael would want me to.
MARY
I didn't know him well-
EDITH
You didn't know him at all.
MARY
But Papa had quite an impression of him, as I understand.
CORA
Yes. He gave your father quite the turnaround. Which does not happen easily.
MARY
If only from that, he didn't seem to me the sort of man who would want his family in danger. He seemed quite the other sort.
STREET IN LONDON.
Anna is watching Monaghan and Thomas go almost out of sight down the street.
Monaghan stops. A discussion begins. The discussion becomes an argument. Thomas seems to relent. They both head back toward Monaghan's flat.
EDITH'S FLAT.
CORA
What about the baby, then? Can't we take her back with us, keep her safe?
MARY
Please, think about this.
EDITH
You aren't claiming my child.
CORA
Do you think we would-
EDITH
Why the sudden interest in me, then?
MARY
We've had to sell off properties on the estate. Many of them.
EDITH
Well, it's happening all over. That's sad.
MARY
It is, but-it has made me realize that losing the property wasn't what I thought it would be. The thing that has always mattered is the family. We need the family together. No matter the-situation.
Edith walks to the window. Mary follows, but not too closely.
STREET IN LONDON.
Anna scouts her surroundings, thinking. She looks behind again at a woman in the alley hanging washing and another who sets down a bucket.
Anna goes to them, offering money.
Anna creeps from the alley with a dirty apron thrown over her clothes and a bucket full of soapy water.
EDITH'S FLAT.
MARY
I didn't know what happened to you. I wasn't there to help you.
EDITH
I wouldn't want your help.
MARY
I deserve this. I deserve all of this. And more. But I want the family together, now. I want all the children to grow up together. I want you home, Edith. I will do whatever you ask.
Edith turns.
MARY (CONT'D)
I need you. You're my only sister.
STREET IN LONDON.
Anna runs out of the alley, just catching Monaghan and Thomas at the front door of the building.
THOMAS
I'll wait here but I'm even thirstier now.
Anna follows Monaghan in and up, talking loudly in a bad cockney accent.
ANNA
Here, sir, the manager says I'm to clean your flat.
MONAGHAN
I've heard nothing of this. Go away.
ANNA
(Nearly shouting) He was very insistent, sir. Says there's some funny smell coming from yours.
Anna bangs her bucket on the wall and it spills a bit of the soapy water.
MONAGHAN
Watch it now! (Wrinkles his nose) What have you got in there?
INT. MONAGHAN'S FLAT.
Bates, who is rifling through a makeshift dark room in Monaghan's flat and stuffing negatives and film in a bag looks up, hearing the commotion.
EDITH'S FLAT.
EDITH
What makes you think-after everything between us-that I would consider exposing my child to so much rancor?
CORA
Edith, can't you see what Mary is trying to-
MARY
Name your terms.
EDITH
What?
MARY
We're both businesswomen. Let us forge an agreement. I want Corinne to grow up at the house with all of us. I want you to live at home, even if you travel to London to run the Sketch. If in return you want, say, a formal apology witnessed before family and servants three times a day for ten years. A secure house here in London to stay in. Whatever it is. Name your terms and I will meet them.
There is a long pause.
Edith walks across the room. She stands by the window, thinking, growing softer, fondling the blanket in her hands. Tears begin to run down her cheeks.
EDITH
I want you to love me.
INT. MONAGHAN'S DARK ROOM.
Bates is finishing stuffing everything in his bag as Anna and Monaghan argue on the stairway. Bates steps out of the dark room, against the wall and behind the back of the dark room door, hidden.
INT. MONAGHAN'S FLAT:
Monaghan enters with Anna on his heels.
MONAGHAN
I have told you to go away. Now-
Bates is about to slip out of the flat behind them but sees Anna, and instead of leaving slams the dark room door.
Monaghan turns and stares, then starts for Bates. Bates is already coming at Monaghan.
Anna shrieks. They both turn to look at her.
Anna chucks the soapy water into Monaghan's face. Monaghan bellows in shock and pain.
Bates grabs Anna's hand and pulls her into the hallway. Monaghan is crying out and holding his face.
Anna jabs her finger toward the back stair and pulls away from Bates to start out the front. Bates mouths, "No!"
Anna glares at him and runs down the front stair, banging her bucket on the wall. Bates sees Thomas starting up the front stairway, calling for Monaghan.
THOMAS
Here, how long does it take to fetch a few papers?
Bates, now with only one option, goes down the back stair instead of following Anna.
FRONT STAIRWAY, MONAGHAN'S BUILDING:
Thomas is coming up the front stairs, calling to Monaghan.
THOMAS
You're not changing clothes again, are you?
He steps aside silently for Anna; they make eye contact. He grins at her.
THOMAS (CONT'D)
I'll be expiring soon for lack of a pint.
Thomas reaches the top of the stairs and goes into the flat.
Anna slows to a walk out the front door, untying the apron as she goes.
OFF-CAMERA:
THOMAS
Did you decide on a bath?
MONAGHAN:
Bloody hell! My eyes! Bloody hell!
EXT EDITH'S FLAT.
Edith stands in the window, holding the baby blanket in one hand and wiping away tears with the other. Cora comes to her side, slipping an arm around her shoulders. Mary stands on the other side of Edith. Edith turns away from the window and the three women slowly walk away from the window together.