5
Ianto is looking at the high wall which is the horizon of his world at Torchwood One. His eyes come to rest on the main door. Two men are carrying a small coffin out of the school. Brocklehurst follows it with a menthol-soaked cloth over his mouth and nose. He becomes aware of Ianto's eyes on him. He looks away.
TORCHWOOD ONE - THE DORMITORY that night.
Ianto is creeping down a corridor in his night shirt. He peers in through the dormitory door. It has been turned into a sanatorium. Camphor and vinegar are being burnt. Ianto can hardly look at the sick children.
Miss Temple, pale with exhaustion, is speaking intimately to Madame Pierrot, the French mistress. Ianto overhears. "This is the result of semi-starvation and neglected colds; Brockelhurst's idea of mortifying"
Miss Temple can't say more.
"Write to the governors. You must."
Ianto creeps on.
INT. NIGHT. TORCHWOOD ONE - MISS TEMPLE'S ROOM.
Ianto opens the door. A small bed has been set up at the foot of Miss Temple's. In it lies Kai Burns. A candle is set on a table at her side. Ianto takes her hand.
"Kai."
"Is it you, Ianto? Have you come to say goodbye?" Kai rasps.
"You're cold."
"I'm very happy. I am going home."Kai tries to comfort.
"Back to your father?"
"My father has a new wife. He'll not miss me much." Kai coughs out.
"Then where?" Ianto whispers with surprise, looking around for some indicator of what is happening.
"To my future home, where all is light. I am going to God." Kai sighs softly, done talking.
"No..." Ianto is devastated. He climbs into bed next to Kai. For a moment, they hold each other. Ianto's tears silently fall.
"Don't be sad. I will escape great suffering by dying young." Kai believes this to be true and Ianto tries but cannot find comfort from that.
"No..."
"I don't have any talent to make my way in life. I should be always at fault. But God is my friend. He loves me"
"Then he must save you." Ianto argues.
"He is saving me."
Ianto cannot articulate his distress at Kai's words.
"I feel like I could sleep now." Kai is faltering "I like to have you near …"
"I won't leave you." Ianto promises.
"You're so warm and alive. Ianto, you have a passion for living."
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We see Miss Temple looking down at the bed in the dazzling, morning light. Ianto, waking, has his small arms around Kai, as if fiercely protecting her. Kai is ashen, her eyes open, staring at some unseen thing. She is dead. Miss Temple lifts Ianto away.
"Ianto..."
Ianto realises what has happened. We hear the sound of his distress begin. He is inconsolable. "No, no, no …"
"Ianto?" Mary's vice cuts into the scene.
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Ianto is staring out at the autumn rain. He surreptitiously wipes his tears away and smiles up at Mary. "Have you something for me to do?"
"You are doing something already. May I see?"
Ianto hands her a book. He has drawn a bride. "That's Miss Temple on her wedding day. She was my teacher; a great influence on me. Under her guidance I became a teacher too."
Mary turns the page. It shows a sketch of Stan-Lee Rivers. Mary gasps in delight. She takes the book straight to St John, who is diligently working at his desk.
Stan-Lee"
"No, Mary, please" Ianto begs.
"See how skilled Ianto is." Mary gushes.
Stan-Lee looks at the sketch of himself. He is quite taken aback. He looks over at Ianto, who is quite embarrassed.
"She is better than any drawing master we have ever had." Mary points out.
For a moment, Stan-Lee seems to be weighing up whether to be insulted or not. "How fierce I am, Mister Elliott."
"Mr Rivers, I wondered if you had yet heard of any work that I could do." Ianto said instead of answering.
"I found you a situation some days ago but I've delayed telling you because the work is lowly and I fear you'll scorn it." He admits and Ianto cants his head.
"I shan't mind what I do." Ianto assures him.
He warns Ianto gently "As I am poor and obscure, the help I can offer is of the meanest sort."
"Stan-Lee, what are you going to offer him? Not washerman, I hope?" Diana asks with concern.
"When I took over the parish two years ago it had no school. I opened one for boys; I now intend to open one for girls and boys. The school mistress or Master will have a two-roomed cottage paid for by local benefactors and will receive fifteen pounds a year. You can see how humble, how ignoble it is."
On the contrary, Ianto is deeply gratified. "Mr Rivers, I thank you heartily and I accept with all my heart."
"But you comprehend me? It's a village school – cottagers children. What will you do with all your fine accomplishments?" he gapes.
"I will save them until they are wanted. They will keep." Ianto smiles at him. Stan-Lee is impressed.
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Ianto is at the blackboard in a freshly painted school room. In front of him are about twenty village children, aged from six to sixteen. They are hanging on his every word.
Ianto is writing a neat line of 'a's.
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Ianto's first home is like a doll's house. He walks through it from the whitewashed bedroom with its little single bed, through the parlour with its tiny fireplace into the scullery kitchen. he retraces his steps back into the parlour. he turns round and surveys it.
Silence but for the crackling of the fire and the blowing of the wind. He feels glad, grateful, but very, very alone.
He hears Brocklehurst's voice.
"I hear you are to leave us, Mister Jones."
He spins around as if he is there.
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Brocklehurst is at the church door; Ianto looking at him coldly. Ianto holds a bunch of wild flowers. "Yes. Excuse me."
He walks into the graveyard. There are over forty small graves marked with wooden crosses, each bearing a child's name. One of them says Kai Burns. Ianto lays down his flowers.
He looks up at Brocklehurst. He cannot meet Ianto's eye.
We hear the voice of Mrs Harkness. "If Ianto Jones of Torchwood One School..."
Ianto tries to quell his great unhappiness. he springs into action, straightening his furniture, stoking his fire as the ghostly voice haunts him.
"...Who advertised in the Yorkshire Herald, possesses the acquirements mentioned..."
Ianto, looking younger and more hopeful, with his belongings in a small trunk, awaits an approaching public coach.
"...And if he is in a position to give satisfactory references, a situation can be offered where there is but one pupil, a little girl under ten years of age and where the salary is thirty pounds a year."
Ianto is in his scullery putting all his energy into scrubbing dishes still ignoring the voice.
"Ianto Jones is requested to send references and all particulars to Mrs Harkness at Torchwood Hall."
Ianto closes his eyes, trying to banish his thoughts. It is no good.
The memories crowd in.