INT. BREAKFAST ROOM - LONGBOURN - DAY.
Mrs Clow presides over breakfast with an endless description of the ball. Mokona is doing some needle work, whilst Fai, Yuui and Lelouch blearily eat.
MRS CLOW
And then he danced the third with Miss Chii. Poor things, it is a shame she is not more handsome. The fourth with Miss King of little standing. And then the fifth again with Lelouch.
MR CLOW
If he'd had any compassion for me he would have sprained his ankle in the first dance.
MRS CLOW
Oh, Mr Clow! Anybody would think the boys looked forward to a grand inheritance.
Kimihiro rolls his eyes at Mr Clow, they've heard this speech many times before.
MR CLOW
(not listening)
Yuui, be so kind as to pass the butter.
MRS CLOW
As you well know, Mr Clow, when you die, which may in fact be very soon, our boys will be left without a roof over their head nor a penny to their name.
KIMIHIRO
Oh Mother, please! It's ten in the morning.
Miss Maru enters the room and interrupts Mrs Clow's babbling.
MISS MARU
A letter addressed to Lelouch Clow, Ma'am. From Netherfield Hall.
MRS CLOW
Praise the Lord! We are saved.
Mrs Clow gives the letter to Lelouch
MRS CLOW (CONT'D)
Make haste, Lelouch, make haste. O happy day!
LELOUCH
It is from Miss Kururugi.
Mrs Clow is stopped in her tracks.
LELOUCH (CONT'D)
She has invited me to dine with her.
(pause)
Her brother will be dining out.
MRS CLOW
This is most unfortunate.
FAI
I didn't think he was so good looking anyway.
LELOUCH
Can I take the carriage?
MRS CLOW
Certainly not my dear, you will go to Netherfield on horse back.
LELOUCH
Horseback?!
Mrs Clow leaves with a secret smile on her lips.
EXT. COUNTRYSIDE - DAY.
Lelouch rides through the countryside. A distant rumble of thunder. He looks up...
EXT. FIELD - DAY.
An open book. Plop plop! Raindrops fall on it. Drawing back, we see Kimmy walking through a field, reading. He looks up to the sky...
EXT. LONGBOURN - DAY.
Mrs Clow stands at the kitchen door. A boy is delivering meat. It starts to rain. She puts out her hand, to check.
MRS CLOW
(smiles, satisfied)
Ah, good...
The housekeeper, Miss Maru, who is with her, looks bemused at her mistress's reaction.
EXT. GARDEN - DAY.
A louder rumble of thunder. A washerwoman, Miss Moro, hastily pulls clothes from a line...it's bucketing down heavily now...
EXT. MERYTON VILLAGE - DAY.
In the local village people run for cover; shopkeepers cover up their wares...
EXT. LONGBOURN - DAY.
Mr and Mrs Clow look out at the pouring rain.
MRS CLOW
Excellent. Now he will have to stay the night. Exactly as I predicted.
MR CLOW
Good grief, woman. Your skills in the art of match-making are without question.
KIMIHIRO
Though I don't think, Mama, you can reasonably take credit for making it rain. Let's hope he hasn't caught his death before he gets there.
INT. NETHERFIELD - DAY.
A footman opens the great doors to find Lelouch standing there soaked. He sneezes.
INT. DRAWING ROOM - LONGBOURN - DAY.
Kimihiro reads a letter.
KIMIHIRO
"And my kind friends will not hear of me returning home until I am better - but do not be alarmed excepting a sore throat, a fever, and a headache there is nothing wrong with me." This is ridiculous.
MRS CLOW
People do not die of colds.
KIMIHIRO
Though he might well perish with the shame of having such a mother.
Mr Clow laughs.
KIMIHIRO
I am going to Netherfield at once.
MRS CLOW
Nonsense, the horse is with Lelouch. Fai and Yuui took the carriage to town.
KIMIHIRO
Then I will walk there. We should not leave Lelouch alone in his condition.
MRS CLOW
Walk! You will not be fit to be seen by the time you get there.
MR CLOW
Why the devil not. We could have them all laid up at Netherfield Hall.
KIMIHIRO
I will be fit for Lelouch which is all I care about.
EXT. COUNTRYSIDE - DAY.
Kimihiro strides across vast muddy fields, slipping as he goes. Netherfield is in view on the horizon. He stops to take it in, then carries on down an even more muddy track.
INT. NETHERFIELD - BREAKFAST ROOM - DAY.
In the large grand dining room Anya Kururugi and Doumeki are eating breakfast. It's very formal, in fact frigid, compared to the volatile Clow household. Doumeki is reading the newspaper; Anya Kururugi is reading a letter.
ANYA KURURUGI
(puts down the letter)
Apparently, Lady Bathurst is redecorating her ballroom in the French style. A little unpatriotic, don't you think?
Mr Doumeki is about to answer when the door opens. A footman appears, his face rigid with disapproval.
FOOTMAN
Kimihiro Clow
Kimmy comes in, his face flushed, his skirt covered in mud. He looks ravishing. Doumeki stares at him, then quickly rises to his own feet. Anya Kururugi, astonished looks Kimihiro up and down.
ANYA KURURUGI
Good Lord, Mr Kimihiro. Have you walked here?
KIMIHIRO
I'm so sorry. How is my brother?
DOUMEKI
(more kindly)
He's upstairs.
(to footman)
Show him the way.
Kimmy leaves. A beat.
ANYA
Goodness, did you see his petticoat? Six inches deep in mud!
No response.
ANYA
And his hair, so blowsy and untidy!
DOUMEKI
I think his concern for his brother does him credit.
A little pause, Anya recovers.
ANYA
Oh yes, it's shocking to have a bad cold. I dislike excessively being ill myself.
INT. NETHERFIELD LANDING - DAY.
Kimihiro is taken upstairs. Suzaku, looking tense, waits outside Lelouch's room. His face lights up when he sees Kimihiro.
SUZAKU
Kimihiro! Oh I'm so glad to see you.
A doctor comes out of Lelouch's room.
KIMIHIRO AND SUZAKU
(together)
How is he?
DOCTOR
A violent cold, but we shall get the better of it.
INT. NETHERFIELD - LELOUCH'S BEDROOM - DAY.
Kimihiro goes into the bedroom where Lelouch lies in bed, feverish and ill.
KIMIHIRO
Lelouch!
Lelouch's face lights up. Kimihiro kisses him.
LELOUCH
Kimmy! Oh, your face is so cold. They're being so kind to me, I feel such a terrible imposition.
KIMIHIRO
Don't worry. I don't know who is more pleased at you being here, Mama or Mr Kururugi.
Suzaku comes in having attended to the doctor.
KIMIHIRO (CONT'D)
Thank you for tending to my brother so diligently, it seems he is in better comfort here then he would be at home.
SUZAKU
It is a pleasure, I mean not to see him so sick, of course, that's terrible. I will have a room made up for you. You must be our guest here until Lelouch recovers.
INT. DRAWING ROOM - NETHERFIELD - DAY.
Doumeki is quietly reading as Suzaku paces about anxiously. Anya berates him from the sofa.
ANYA KURURUGI
Stay!? He is a perfectly sweet boy, but save being an excellent walker, there is very little to recommend him.
SUZAKU
I thought he showed remarkable spirit coming all this way.
ANYA KURURUGI
The eldest Clow, as you know, I hold in excessive regard and I wish him well settled. Though I do fear with his families low connections there is little chance of it. Their uncle is in trade, you know, in Cheapside.
SUZAKU
If they had uncles enough to fill all Cheapside it would not make them one jot less agreeable.
EXT. GARDEN - LONGBOURN - DAY.
Mr Clow is overseeing the gardener who is pruning the hedge. Mrs Clow bustle up. She looks very pleased with herself.
MRS CLOW
Well, my dear, it's all going according to plan. He's half in love with him already!
MR CLOW
(a touch disingenuously)
Who, my sweetest?
MRS CLOW
Mr Kururugi! And he doesn't mind that Lelouch hasn't a penny, for he has enough for the two of them.
Suddenly a distant trumpet sounds, dogs bark. The militia are arriving. Fai and Yuui rush past. They are dressed up to the nines to greet the officers. Mrs Clow's face lights up.
MRS CLOW
Wait for me!
And she's gone. Mr Clow gazes at their departing figures.