FADE IN:
INT. TAILOR SHOP - EARLY MORNING - 1934
The needle of a sewing machine punches in and out of a piece
of rough-textured cloth. A young man, TOM BARROWS, is
working intently away at a treadle sewing machine on a
muslin of a suit jacket. He holds it up for inspection,
dresses a body form with it, and chalks off alterations on
it. He stands back to survey his work, then nods.
He glances over at a clock on the wall. Six AM. Time to get
going. He grabs a tweed jacket and a newsboy cap off pegs on
the wall, then picks up a large piece of burlap that he
drapes over his shoulder.
EXT. RIDDLING WAY - CONTINUOUS
Tom exits his shop, locking the door behind him. The picture
window shows body forms wearing suits and gowns, while a
plain but professional-looking sign over the door reads TOM
BARROWS, FINE TAILORING AND DRESSMAKING.
He makes his way down the street of his red-brick
working-class neighborhood, passing a sign that reads
RIDDLING WAY. Other people are out and about as well, boys
selling newspapers, shopkeepers opening up, sweeping their
doorsteps and doing chores.
SUPER: Fairfield, Connecticut, 1934
Tom exchanges greetings with many of them as he passes,
sometimes pausing briefly to lend a hand with a heavy load
or a cumbersome burden of his neighbors’.
EXT. DOWNTOWN - DAY
Tom arrives at his destination, a draper’s shop downtown.
Other people are arriving as well, some housewives, some
fancy professional tailors and dressmakers, some apprentices
to the same. He straightens himself up to look as
respectable as possible.
INT. DRAPER’S - CONTINUOUS
Tom removes his hat as he enters the crowded shop and tucks
it under his arm. It is filled with bolts of cloth of every
variety, stacked up in piles or displayed on rollers on
racks. Drapers assist customers selecting whole bolts or cut
yardage laid out on tables.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 2.
TOM
Morning!
DRAPER
Tom! Good morning! What can I get
you today?
TOM
Wool suiting. Weft weight if you’ve
got it.
DRAPER
That all? I got some silk georgette
in just the other day. Beautiful
stuff, good price too!
He pulls down a brightly colored bolt of shiny fabric to
show Tom.
TOM
Afraid not today.
DRAPER
Sure I can’t tempt you? It’s got a
hand like water!
TOM
Just the wool. Not making dresses
like I used to.
The draper lays out suiting for Tom, but is called away when
a well-dressed older gentleman followed by several
apprentices comes over. Tom is pushed out of the way as the
apprentices swarm in, collecting the bolts ordered by their
master. One girl following after the man recognizes Tom and
waves and calls out to him.
GIRL
Tom, how have you been?
TOM
Not bad at all! And yourself?
But the man snaps for the girl to follow him and she must
run off before she can answer. Tom shakes his head, smiling
ruefully, and goes to collect his cloth for himself.
Tom pays a draper for his order, then wraps the bolts in his
piece of burlap to protect them. With effort he hefts the
whole bundle over his shoulder. Shaking the draper’s hand,
he carefully turns with his load and goes back down the
street. He walks past the apprentices loading their master’s
order into the back of a wagon as he leaves.
3.
INT. DELLA’S PUB - CONTINUOUS
Tom enters a pub that is already bustling with patrons,
carefully managing his big bundle, trying not to hit anyone
as he passes.
DELLA CARRUTHERS the pub’s owner, a pretty, full-figured
woman about ten years older than Tom, is waiting on tables.
She notices Tom with a smile.
DELLA
Tom!
She beckons him over and goes to stand behind the bar. Tom
makes his way over to her, picking his way through people
and tables. Carefully he lays down his bundle and sits in
one of the high chairs.
TOM
Good morning, Della.
Della splashes some coffee into a mug. Tom shields his
fabric from the droplets.
TOM
Careful there! I just picked this
up.
DELLA
Of course you’re already going.
Nice of you to spare a moment to
stop by. Eggs and bacon?
TOM
Just the cup of coffee. And a bun
if you’ve got it.
DELLA
That’s not a breakfast.
TOM
It’s all I have time for.
DELLA
I swear, you’re going to run
yourself ragged.
She gets a bun out of a basket of them and puts it on a
plate.
DELLA
I don’t see why you left a fine
position just so you could kill
yourself running your own place.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 4.
Beat.
DELLA
Are you making any money yet?
TOM
It’s not about that.
DELLA
So you aren’t.
TOM
I wasn’t doing my best work there,
Del.
DELLA
It was the fanciest dress shop in
town!
TOM
It wasn’t what I wanted to do with
myself.
DELLA
So what do you want to do then?
TOM
My own work. Without somebody
else’s name selling it, or telling
me how I should get it done.
DELLA
Still, Tom. A man ought to know
what he’s worth.
TOM
And there’s more to mine than just
money. Now I should be going, dear.
How much?
DELLA
Save your money, love.
TOM
Aw, Della--
DELLA
You’re going to need it.
Tom grins. They kiss each others’ cheeks, then Tom collects
his fabric bundle and turns to go.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 5.
DELLA
Hey, Tom?
He stops and turns back.
DELLA
Is it worth it?
TOM
We’ll see, I guess.
Tom exits and Della returns to her work.
INT. TAILOR SHOP - DAY
Tom returns to his shop and his work day really gets
underway.
MONTAGE:
A gentleman client arrives for a jacket fitting. Tom helps
the gentleman into a suit coat muslin. The man regards
himself in a full-length mirror, tentatively pleased, then
glances back to Tom for confirmation. Tom gives him the
thumbs up.
Tom lays out muslin pattern pieces on some of his new wool
suiting and cuts them out.
The bell RINGS as another gentleman customer comes in
through the door. Tom has to stop mid-cut to attend to the
customer. In a moment Tom has the man in a smartly creased
pair of suit pants and is taking up the hems.
He dresses yet another a male body form in a shirt and tie,
he glances over to his unused female forms and sighs.
He eats a sandwich as he goes over his books. He looks
distressed as he circles numbers with a red ink pen. He
looks up at the clock and realizes he is behind, so he leaps
up, sandwich forgotten.
Hastily he collects a suit off a body form and tries to pack
it up in a box. A customer arrives to pick it up before he
is quite finished, and glares at him impatiently. The man
irately writes him a check and stalks out. Once he is gone,
Tom heaves a sigh of frustration and snags his sandwich as
he continues on.
He puts on a pair of loupes to do some delicate hand sewing.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 6.
INSERT: Through the lens he is carefully stitching his mark
inside the cuff of the jacket, an embroidery of his
initials, TJB.
He lays it down, then stretches his stiff neck and back. He
looks out the window to see the darkened sky, and breathes a
sigh of relief.
END OF MONTAGE
INT. TAILOR SHOP - EARLY EVENING
Tom is finishing clearing up his work space for the day. He
looks up suddenly as the the bell on the door rings. In
steps MISS EMMA LORING, a middle-aged woman with a stern
face, simply but nicely dressed and impeccably well-carried.
EMMA
Excuse me? Is the tailor in?
Tom pulls himself together into business mode.
TOM
Indeed he is, ma’am.
EMMA
Are you Mr. Tom Barrows?
TOM
Yes, ma’am. Welcome to my shop. Who
might you be?
He holds out his hand to shake, but she does not take it;
she is looking around the shop.
EMMA
I am Miss Emma Loring, of Loring’s
End. Perhaps you’ve heard of it?
TOM
I think everybody has around here.
It’s a pleasure to make your
acquaintance. What can I do for
you?
Emma walks around the shop a little, sizing it up
critically.
EMMA
I hadn’t been aware you were in
business.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 7.
TOM
I’ve only just opened my own
establishment. I suppose I’m not
well known yet.
EMMA
Perhaps. I am not much about town
these days.
TOM
How can I be of service?
EMMA
I am looking for someone who is
able to make a very particular sort
of gown.
TOM
I’d be happy to lend my skills.
Tom goes behind his worktable and gets a sketchpad and a
pencil.
TOM
You know, in my time here I’ve yet
to have a commission for a gown. I
see mostly orders for gentlemen’s
suits these days.
EMMA
Are you not equal to the task?
TOM
Oh, not at all, ma’am! I mean, most
of my experience is in dressmaking.
EMMA
Really.
TOM
Yes! Learned at my mother’s knee.
You couldn’t find a finer
seamstress.
EMMA
Your mother, you say.
TOM
Oh, yes. I’m afraid I have no
samples of my work on the premises,
but I can give the names of a
number of satisfied customers—-
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 8.
EMMA
Not at all, Mr. Barrows. In fact, I
am convinced you are the man for
the job. I have a rather delicate
thing to ask of you. I require a
dress made to very exact
specifications.
TOM
Naturally. What sort of thing did
you have in mind?
EMMA
I may better show than tell you.
She opens her handbag and looks through it.
EMMA
You must forgive the quality of the
picture. It is quite old.
She hands him a picture cut from a newspaper, wrinkled and
yellowed with age.
INSERT: Picture of a pretty, dark-haired girl in a long gown
with a lily pattern in beading on the bodice.
TOM
It’s a lovely dress. Silk satin,
bias cut?
EMMA
Imported from China. You have a
good eye. You can’t see in the
newsprint, but it was the most
vibrant shade of cornflower blue.
TOM
And the beading... it was an artist
made this.
EMMA
Indeed. I would like this dress to
be remade.
TOM
Copied, you mean?
EMMA
And here we come to my particular
need. The copy must be precise.
Identical.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 9.
TOM
Identical? With all respect, madam,
with just a clipping from a
newspaper... that’s a lot of
missing detail, and I don’t know
how I’d match the color.
EMMA
I shall have a bolt of the proper
material sent over. You’ll find the
measurements written on the
reverse.
TOM
But the fitting--
EMMA
There will be no need for that.
TOM
Ah-- all right, then.
EMMA
I know this is an unusual request,
Mr. Barrows. But I am certain
you’ll manage.
TOM
I must tell you now that this will
come to considerable expense.
EMMA
Cost is no object.
Emma takes out her checkbook and writes Tom a check.
EMMA
I trust this is a sufficient down
payment?
Tom looks at the check and his eyes widen.
TOM
More than sufficient, ma’am. Thank
you.
EMMA
I am counting on you, young man.
TOM
I’ll do my very best.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 10.
EMMA
I am confident that you will.
She hands him her calling card, then turns to exit the shop.
Tom looks up from her card to watch her climb back into her
carriage and drive off, an uncertain expression on his face.
INT. TAILOR’S SHOP - NEXT DAY
Tom sits at his table, surrounded by paper, colored
charcoal, trying to sketch the dress for Emma. A bolt of
cornflower blue silk sits on the table beside him.
He puts down his pencil, crumbles up the current paper, and
throws it into a wastebasket. He leans back and sighs in
frustration.
TOM
All right... let’s try this again.
He takes the newspaper clipping of the girl in the dress and
slides it beneath a desk magnifying glass to regard it more
closely. He begins a new sketch.
TOM
Floor-length evening gown in
cornflower-blue silk satin. Flowing
bias-cut bodice, slight cowl from a
square neckline, over intricate
bead detail. Appears to be of a
lily design.
He jumps up from the worktable and goes to a female body
form that is partially draped with some flowy fabric. He
manipulates the fabric over the form to emulate the shape of
the dress in the clipping.
TOM
Loose over the bust, fitted through
the waist, with a wide waistband
and... is that a hip swag? Yes,
knotted in the front and left to
hang. God, lovely detail.
He grabs a loose scrap and wraps it around the form’s hips
as a makeshift swag.
TOM
Now how does that attach? Does the
band... wrap? Is there gathering?
Can’t tell. The skirt is
straight-cut, most likely... but is
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 11.
TOM (cont’d)
that a rear train? With the swag
over it? Who knows, I can’t see the
back at all.
He slumps back down against the worktable, defeated. He
picks up the clipping to look at, then glances back over the
table, strewn with sketches. Then he comes upon Emma’s
check. Tom looks pained.
EXT. RIDDLING WAY - CONTINUOUS
Tom is in a phone booth. He puts in a nickel and holds up
the earpiece to his ear.
OPERATOR (V.O)
Operator. How may I connect you?
TOM
(over the phone)
Loring’s End, please.
OPERATOR (V.O)
One moment, please.
The phone rings. In a moment an older woman, the housekeeper
MRS. SUSAN WARREN, answers.
MRS. WARREN (V.O.)
Residence at Loring’s End. Who’s
calling, please?
TOM
It’s Tom Barrows the tailor. I’m
calling after a gown Miss Emma
Loring ordered from me.
MRS. WARREN (V.O.)
Right, sir. What shall I tell Miss
Loring?
TOM
I’m having some trouble with her
commission and I’d very much like
to speak to her about it.
MRS. WARREN
I see, sir. I’ll pass on your
message-- what’s that, madam? Beg
pardon, Mr. Barrows, she’ll speak
with you now.
Tom hears rustling as the phone is handed off.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 12.
EMMA (V.O.)
This is Emma Loring. Did the bolt I
sent over arrive?
TOM
Yes, and it’s as fine as can be.
EMMA (V.O.)
Then what seems to be the trouble?
TOM
It’s like this, ma’am. I’ve been
coming at it from every angle, and
I just don’t know if I can copy
that gown as close as you asked
for. There’s too much I can’t make
out in the newspaper clipping.
EMMA (V.O.)
I see.
TOM
Please don’t be let down. I’ve got
some sense of it, and I think I
could do it if I just knew... a
little more. Is there any way you
could give me something more to go
on?
There is a silence over the line.
TOM
Madam?
EMMA (V.O.)
There’s nothing for it, I suppose.
Do you know where Loring’s End is
located?
TOM
I do.
EMMA (V.O.)
Then you’ll have to come by the
estate tomorrow morning. I believe
I have something I can show you.
TOM
Thanks very much, madam. I’m sure I
won’t disappoint.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 13.
EMMA (V.O.)
Ten o’clock sharp.
TOM
I won’t be late.
There is a click as Emma hangs up. Tom replaces the
earpiece.
EXT. LORING’S END - MORNING
Tom consults his pocket watch and sees it is a few minutes
to ten.
CRIER
You there, boy!
A young policeman, OFFICER JOHN CRIER, strides up. He has
the air of someone who is still green but wants very badly
to be taken seriously.
TOM
Beg your pardon?
CRIER
Yes, you!
TOM
Good morning, officer.
CRIER
What are you skulking around for?
TOM
I’m not skulking.
CRIER
Then state your name and business.
He takes out a steno pad.
TOM
I’m Tom Barrows. I’m a tailor, I
was engaged to make—
CRIER
And when did you arrive on the
premises?
TOM
Why, just now! I have an
appointment with the lady of the
house.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 14.
CRIER
Which lady?
TOM
Miss Emma Loring.
CRIER
Jesus Christ. What were you doing?
TOM
Nothing, I’ve just arrived! Ask
Miss Loring and she’ll tell you
she’s expecting me.
CRIER
Can’t ask her anything, boy. The
lady’s dead.
TOM
Dead?
CRIER
Found just this morning, God rest
her soul. So what you know about
that?
TOM
Nothing! What’s happened to her?
CRIER
That’s what we’re all trying to
discover. Now, where were you--
ALICE
Officer Crier! Leave that man
alone!
A young girl rushes up the front walk out of the house. She
is pretty and nicely dressed, but her eyes are red from
crying.
CRIER
I am conducting an investigation
here, miss.
ALICE
Yes, and all you’ve accomplished is
to terrify the servants and harass
the passers-by. You won’t even tell
me how my aunt died.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 15.
CRIER
That is still a fact to be
determined. I understand you’re
distraught, miss, but you’ll have
to leave us to our work if you
expect us to learn anything.
ALICE
I don’t see how accosting our
visitors is going to help. This
gentleman is supposed to be here,
he had an appointment with my aunt.
CRIER
You can vouch for that?
ALICE
Yes, I can.
CRIER
And you don’t have any information
about Miss Loring other than just
the business you’ve had with her?
TOM
I don’t know anything about it.
I’ll swear it on a stack of Bibles.
CRIER
Hmm. Duly noted, young man. But
mark my words, if I find you’re—
He is cut off by the sound of wailing and crashing from
inside the house.
ALICE
What was that!?
She turns and runs back into the house. Tom and Crier
follow.
INT. LORING’S END FOYER - CONTINUOUS
CRIER
Is everything all right?
Stumbling in from another room is a plain middle-aged
woman, Emma’s sister and Alice’s other aunt CONSTANCE
DANBURY. She careens around the room in hysterical upset.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 16.
ALICE
Aunt Constance!
CONSTANCE
Where is she? What’s happened to
her?
Chasing after her is her stuffy-looking husband, EDMUND
DANBURY, and Mrs. Warren the housekeeper trying to calm her
down.
EDMUND
Constance, stop this at once!
CONSTANCE
It can’t be, it can’t be!
She breaks into sobs.
ALICE
Uncle Edmund! What’s going on?
EDMUND
She’s only just heard about Emma
and she’s lost her head. Mrs.
Warren!
Mrs. Warren tries to take hold of the struggling Constance.
CRIER
Mr. Danbury, does your wife require
any assistance?
EDMUND
Thank you, sir, but this is a
family matter. Mrs. Warren, help me
get her back to her room. Then
fetch her medicine and see that she
takes it!
MRS. WARREN
She’s run out, Mr. Danbury. She’s
going through it faster and
faster--
EDMUND
Then send the boy to the druggist
for more! Come now, Constance,
enough of this nonsense!
He takes her firmly by the shoulders and pulls her to her
feet.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 17.
MRS. WARREN
Come now, madam, let’s get you to
bed.
She takes hold of Constance’s arm and starts steering her
out.
ALICE
Oh, my goodness. Uncle Edmund,
perhaps I should--
EDMUND
Not now, Alice! Don’t worry, my
dear, the situation is well in
hand.
She takes a few steps after her aunt, then stops helplessly,
look bereft. Edmund irately collects himself.
EDMUND
My apologies for this outburst,
Officer Crier. You may return to
your work.
CRIER
Right then. My condolences to your
family, sir.
EDMUND
Thank you, young man.
He strides briskly from the room.
CRIER
Poor old thing. Well, Miss Alice,
if you can vouch for his being
here, for now I’ll take your word.
Don’t you go far, Mr. Barrows. You
can expect further inquiry later.
TOM
I’ve got nothing to hide, sir.
CRIER
See that you don’t. Now, good day
to you.
Frustrated, he goes back outside.
ALICE
But, Officer...
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 18.
But he keeps going. Alice covers her face with her hands.
Tom looks around and sees there is no one but the two of
them.
Tentatively he moves toward her, and after a moment’s
hesitation, touches her shoulder.
TOM
Are... are you all right, miss?
She looks at him as if shocked that he would ask.
ALICE
No! My poor Aunt Emma...
TOM
If you don’t mind my asking, what
happened to her?
ALICE
I don’t know! There are policemen
like that Officer Crier everywhere
and the whole house is in a dither
and no one’s told me anything!
As if feeling suddenly claustrophobic, she throws the door
open and rushes outside. Tom follows after her.
EXT. LORING’S END - FRONT GATE
Alice stands on the front path, sniffling into a
handkercheif.
TOM
That’s awful, miss. Listen, thank
you. For speaking up for me.
ALICE
It was nothing, nothing at all.
TOM
It was good of you all the same. So
Miss Loring was your aunt?
Alice is distracted but struggles to compose herself.
ALICE
Yes. Pardon my manners, my name is
Alice.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 19.
TOM
Tom Barrows. It’s a pleasure to
meet you. Ah, despite the
circumstances.
She dabs at her eyes.
ALICE
Of course. So you’re the tailor?
TOM
Yes, I’m so glad Miss Emma told you
I was coming.
ALICE
She didn’t, exactly. I just heard
her make your appointment on the
telephone. What did she want?
TOM
A commission, miss. I was to make
her a ball gown.
ALICE
A ball gown? It... wasn’t meant for
me, was it? I’m to have a coming
out party soon.
TOM
I’m afraid I don’t know.
ALICE
She... didn’t always tell me things
like that. But it’s strange... Aunt
Emma hated parties, and never cared
much about fancy clothes. She
didn’t go out much these days. Not
since Marjorie Hancock’s wedding
last spring, and she grew so tired
of hearing about the bride’s
beautiful dress.
TOM
Thank you, miss. That’s kind of you
to say.
ALICE
What do you mean?
TOM
I made that dress.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 20.
ALICE
You? You made it? But it came from
Madame Vayon’s!
TOM
I sewed in Madame Vayon’s dress
shop for years.
ALICE
You’re very talented, Mr. Barrows.
Are you making anything now?
TOM
I’ve not done so many dresses since
I left Madame’s employ last year.
ALICE
Why did you leave?
TOM
Ah... I wanted to do a different
sort of work, after a while.
Everyone just wanted whatever
they’d heard was fashionable, or
saw on some rich important lady. So
I struck out on my own instead, so
I could do my own kind of work. My
best work. It only seems right,
don’t you think? Dresses are meant
for making ladies look lovely.
ALICE
I can see why Aunt Emma came to
you.
TOM
I suppose. I had a good teacher.
ALICE
Madam Vayon?
TOM
My mother. It’s thanks to her I
know something of embroidery. It
was her specialty.
ALICE
Where does she sew?
TOM
She passed a few years back. And
her eyes went on her early, so I’m
afraid her dressmaking days were
already behind her.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 21.
ALICE
Oh, I’m sorry.
TOM
It consoled her that she could pass
what she knew on to me. I do my
best with it for her sake.
ALICE
I think you sound like a very
decent fellow, Tom Barrows. And a
very fine tailor as well.
TOM
That’s very kind of you, miss.
ALICE
I’m sorry my aunt never got to see
your work. Have you done much
already?
TOM
I’ve hardly started. In fact...
He unhappily draws Emma’s check out of his pocket and hands
it to Alice.
TOM
I suppose I’d best give you your
aunt’s money back.
ALICE
Oh, my. Are you certain--
TOM
Very certain. Please, I can’t keep
it now. And I should return the
bolt of cloth she sent over as
well.
ALICE
You keep that. Perhaps I’ll call on
you to make something beautiful for
me sometime.
TOM
Anytime, miss. It would be my
pleasure.
They stand at the edge of the path for a moment, then Alice
seems to grow flustered and attempts to collect herself.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 22.
ALICE
Now... I suppose I should go.
Perhaps one of the officers will
take pity on me enough to tell
me... something. Anything at all.
And I ought to look in on my Aunt
Constance.
TOM
Of course, miss. I’ll be on my way.
I... I’m glad to have met you,
miss.
ALICE
You as well.
Tom turns to go, but hesitates.
TOM
I am very sorry about Miss Emma.
If... if there’s anything I can
do...
ALICE
Oh, I’m sure you’ve had far too
much to do with our troubles
already.
TOM
Of course.
ALICE
Thank you, Tom.
TOM
For what?
ALICE
For talking to me.
She turns back and goes into the house. Tom goes the
opposite way.
INT. DELLA’S PUB - DAY
It’s lunchtime and crowded. Tom’s at the counter and Della
puts a plate in front of him. He looks around at the
murmuring patrons.
TOM
Is everyone talking about that
business up at Loring’s End?
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 23.
DELLA
Yeah, news spread fast. Every Tom,
Dick, and Harry’s buzzing on about
what happened.
TOM
I was just over there.
KENNETH GARNER, a grizzled middle-aged man with a worn face
that makes him look older than he is, also sits at the bar
with a mug of beer. Tom’s words immediately catch his
attention, but Tom doesn’t notice him noticing.
DELLA
Were you? What were you doing up
there?
TOM
I was called up—
KENNETH
You were there?
TOM
I beg your pardon?
KENNETH
Why would they call up some townie
to the palace?
DELLA
Mind your manners, Ken.
TOM
I had an appointment to see Miss
Emma Loring.
KENNETH
What would she want with you?
TOM
I’m a tailor, she commissioned me.
KENNETH
Of course, they don’t have much
social use for tradesman. D’you
know what happened to her?
TOM
No idea.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 24.
KENNETH
Did she say anything to you?
TOM
Like what?
KENNETH
Ah, of course not. Closed up
tighter than a drum, that old bag!
DELLA
Show some respect, Ken, the woman’s
died.
KENNETH
Couldn’t have happened to a nicer
lady.
DELLA
Shame on you! How can you say a
thing like that?
KENNETH
There’s some new trouble brewing up
there, make no mistake. There’s
always been a cloud over that
family.
TOM
What do you mean?
KENNETH
It was the old man that put it
there. Darkening all the doorsteps!
DELLA
What are you going on about, Ken?
KENNETH
Knew it would get her too sooner or
later.
Kenneth leans into Tom and grabs ahold of his jacket.
KENNETH
And she never said nothing to you
about what might be going on?
TOM
Here now, let go of me!
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 25.
DELLA
Hey, have off there! Leave the boy
alone.
Tom shoves Kenneth off. He stumbles back, shoving aside bar
stools, until he collapsed against the bar and clings to it.
Della smacks him with her dishtowel.
DELLA
Now get going! Or I won’t be
letting you back in here anytime
soon!
Kenneth stumbles away. Tom watches him go.
TOM
What was that all about?
DELLA
Pay him no mind, Tom.
TOM
Who is he?
DELLA
Ah, that’s just old Kenny. Some
ne’er-do-well who drinks too much
and hangs around.
TOM
I don’t think I’ve seen him here
before.
DELLA
He’s just gotten out of the lockup
again. He gets himself in trouble,
but I feel sorry for the old drunk.
I feed him every now and again, so
he keeps coming back. Like a stray
cat.
TOM
Why was he so hot about what
happened to poor old Miss Loring?
DELLA
Couldn’t tell you. He’s a strange
one for sure.
TOM
Guess so.
Tom gives one last look in the direction Kenneth went off.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 26.
DELLA
Now you’ll never want to come back
and see me here. So drink up and
forget about the lowlifes that
haunt my establishment.
TOM
Sure thing, Del.
INT. TAILOR’S SHOP - EVENING
Tom is finishing another long day of work. He sits down
tiredly. He notices the bolt of blue satin Emma gave him
still leaning up against the worktable.
In a sudden burst of creative energy he unrolls a length of
satin from the bolt and wraps it around the female body
form. He pulls it around to the form’s rear as if trying to
figure out how the unseen back of the dress might have been
formed. Before he makes much progress, he forces himself to
stop.
He collapses into the chair and sighs. He takes out the the
clipping of the dress and places it under the magnifying
glass again. After a long look at it, he moves away. He
tries to busy himself with other things, but soon drops them
to start pacing.
Tom runs to a bookshelf in the back corner of the shop. He
pulls down a small journal. He lays it out on the work table
and opens the front page. It says "Journal of Abigail
Barrows" inside the front cover. Tom turns a page.
ABIGAIL (V.O)
To my dear son Tom— in these pages
I’ve tried to take down everything
about the craft of needlework that
I’ve learned over the course of my
career. I hope that as you grow in
skill with your own work, you can
look back on this in reference of
everything I wanted to pass on to
you. I know that with your talents,
before long you will far surpass
what I could do, and I am only glad
that I had the chance to help you
grow. This is my best legacy to
you. I have spent my life making
beautiful things, but you are the
most beautiful that I have ever
made. From your loving mother,
Abigail Barrows.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 27.
Tom smiles, and turns onward.
INSERT: pages of hand-drawn illustrations instructing how to
apply beadwork and embroidery, along with images for designs
on dresses.
Tom turns past designs for cascading whorls and climbing
vines before he pauses in surprise.
Tom reaches for the clipping under the magnifying glass and
pulls it close for comparison, then looks intently at the
pages. Tom’s eyes widen in shock, then with determination he
slams the book closed.
EXT. LORING’S END - FRONT DOOR - DAY
The next morning Tom knocks away on the front door to
Loring’s End, his mother’s journal tucked under arm. After a
moment Mrs. Warren opens it and pokes her head out.
MRS. WARREN
Excuse me, sir!
TOM
Mrs. Warren, is it?
MRS. WARREN
Yes. I remember you. You’re Mr.
Barrows, that young man with Miss
Alice yesterday.
TOM
That was me-- Tom.
MRS. WARREN
Well, what a racket you’re making!
Is something the matter?
TOM
Apologies, ma’am, but I have to
talk to Miss Alice. Is she in?
MRS. WARREN
Hold your horses a minute and I’ll
see if she’s fit for callers. Come
in and wait here in the lobby.
28.
EXT. LORING’S END - FOYER - CONTINUOUS
She lets Tom into the entryway, then walks off. Tom waits
awkwardly, looking uncomfortably around the fancy room. His
mother’s notebook is held under his arm. Before long Mrs.
Warren returns with Alice, looking stressed but trying to
maintain good manners.
MRS. WARREN
Here he is, Miss Alice.
ALICE
Tom! What brings you back here so
soon?
TOM
I’m sorry for barging in here
unannounced, but there’s something
I got to ask-- Alice, did Miss Emma
ever mention knowing a seamstress
by the name of Abigail Barrows?
ALICE
Not that I ever heard. Who is she?
TOM
My mother, who taught me to sew.
See, she left me journals with all
of her embroidery methods in them,
and they’re full of the designs she
made.
He shows her in the book.
ALICE
They’re lovely, but what about
them?
TOM
You see, your aunt asked me to make
an exact copy of the gown in his
picture she gave me. Do you see the
beadwork on the bodice?
Tom flips to the pages where the the newspaper clipping is
sandwiched. The clipping lays beside a page with a
collection of sketches of gowns embroidered with the very
same lily bead design as on the gown in the picture.
ALICE
It’s the same design! What does
that mean?
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 29.
TOM
I think it means that my mother
made this dress.
ALICE
Your mother made the original? Did
Aunt Emma realize?
TOM
She knew my name was Barrows, and I
mentioned learning from my mother.
ALICE
Perhaps she thought you’d be the
best person to recreate it?
TOM
Perhaps so.
ALICE
It’s a beautiful gown, Tom. May I
see that picture?
Tom hands her the newspaper clipping.
ALICE
Hmmm. What is this from?
TOM
Your aunt never said. The girl in
it looks... rather like you, now
that I think of it.
ALICE
Oh, my. She does look like me. And
she looks... familiar too, somehow.
Mrs. Warren? Do you recognize this
girl?
Mrs. Warren, a little surprised to be addressed, comes over
to look. Her face becomes sad.
MRS. WARREN
I certainly do. That was Miss
Bethany.
ALICE
Oh, it is! This is my aunt, Tom, my
father’s youngest sister. But where
did this come from?
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 30.
MRS. WARREN
I could never forget that gown
she’s wearing. It’s from the night
of her debutante ball.
TOM
Of course. That’s a gown for a
special occasion. Tell me, does she
live here still? Could I speak with
her?
MRS. WARREN
Goodness, Mr. Barrows, don’t you
know?
ALICE
Tom, Bethany’s been dead for years.
She died that night.
TOM
At her ball?
MRS. WARREN
It was terrible, sir. She
disappeared from her party at the
end of the evening. Until they came
upon her under the beech tree, with
her neck... oh, the poor dear girl.
TOM
My God. I’m so sorry. What happened
to her?
ALICE
I really don’t know. It happened
when I was just a baby. No one’s
ever told me.
MRS. WARREN
No one really knows to tell you,
miss. Even the police never figured
it out.
ALICE
Well, Grandfather never liked
anyone to talk about it.
MRS. WARREN
You must understand, it was a
trying time for the family. First
Miss Bethany... then Miss Constance
taking ill and having to leave
university. Miss Emma becoming
so... withdrawn. And your father...
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 31.
TOM
Your father?
ALICE
He went away to the Great War and
never came back.
MRS. WARREN
All in just that year.
TOM
A hard year. I never knew.
ALICE
No one does.
MRS. WARREN
Miss Alice, the family was very
happy for a very long time. I can’t
say I blame Mr. Loring for wanting
to think about that, rather than
dwell on all that sadness.
ALICE
I suppose.
From the next room, Constance totters in looking a mess.
CONSTANCE
Mrs. Warren?
MRS. WARREN
Right here, Mrs. Danbury.
CONSTANCE
I’ll take my tea in the sun room
now.
MRS. WARREN
Are you quite sure you wouldn’t
like something to eat? You’ve had
nothing since—
CONSTANCE
Just the tea, Mrs. Warren.
ALICE
Good morning, Aunt Constance. How
are you feeling?
Constance makes her way to a window and peers through the
curtains, wincing as if the sun hurts her eyes.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 32.
CONSTANCE
I can’t abide these police officers
haunting the place.
ALICE
I know, Auntie, I’m sorry.
CONSTANCE
Can’t get a moment’s peace with
them poking around everywhere. God
knows what damage they’ve done
already.
She gestures vaguely at Tom.
CONSTANCE
Tell that gardener to keep them out
of the flowerbeds.
ALICE
Gardener? Oh, please, Aunt
Constance. This is Mr. Tom Barrows,
the tailor Aunt Emma spoke to.
CONSTANCE
I don’t know any tailor.
ALICE
I know, I don’t think Aunt Emma
told many people. I was
wondering— about the funeral—
CONSTANCE
Oh, heavens, not now.
Constance goes unsteadily to exit.
ALICE
I know it’s terrible, but—
CONSTANCE
Please, dear... don’t make me speak
of it.
She leaves. Alice sighs in frustration. She turns around to
look at Tom standing there uncomfortably.
ALICE
Please forgive her, Tom.
MRS. WARREN
You mustn’t think too harshly of
Mrs. Danbury. She... hasn’t been
well for some time.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 33.
ALICE
The laudanum sees to that.
MRS. WARREN
Oh, Miss Alice.
TOM
I understand. Think nothing of it.
MRS. WARREN
Well. I suppose I’d best be getting
that tea made. Good to make your
acquaintance, Mr. Barrows.
TOM
You as well, Mrs. Warren.
Mrs. Warren dips her head and exits after Constance. Alice
trembles silently for a moment, then with a soft sob buries
her face in her hands.
ALICE
Oh, Tom... why did my aunt want you
to copy this dress?
TOM
I don’t know, miss.
ALICE
I don’t either. I don’t know why
she did anything... The police are
thinking she... did it to herself.
TOM
You mean... oh, God.
ALICE
With laudanum. She had headaches,
she might have had a bad one, and
then she took too much. Wouldn’t
surprise me, the whole family does.
Or else... she might have done it
on purpose, they say. She might
have meant to take her own life...
I don’t think I knew her at all.
TOM
I... I’m sure that’s not so.
ALICE
It is! Not Aunt Emma, not
Constance, not my grandfather or
even my own father. It’s all so
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 34.
ALICE (cont’d)
closed off. If any of my family
knew I’d told you what Emma might
have done...
TOM
I’m so sorry.
ALICE
I feel like I don’t know a thing
about my own family.
Alice collapses in on herself again, and Tom watches her in
helpless distress. Then he screws up his courage and takes a
step toward her.
TOM
Then... perhaps we should find out.
ALICE
What?
Tom is unsure, but presses on.
TOM
We’ll do our own investigating.
ALICE
You and I?
TOM
Yes. Why not? There’s so much going
on here that we can’t see, but it’s
working on us all the same. I think
we should find out about it.
ALICE
Oh, Tom. I’m sure you have enough
to keep you busy without taking on
my troubles too.
TOM
It isn’t that, Alice. You want to
know about your family— well, my
mother was tangled up in this
somehow too. This dress is her
work, before she lost her sight.
You don’t know how she hurt when
she couldn’t do that work anymore,
and what I have left of her is what
she taught me to do. There’s a
piece of what she was in this, and
I’d like to get that piece back.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 35.
ALICE
Where would we even start?
TOM
I don’t know. But it can’t hurt to
try, can it? Otherwise, you might
never know.
Alice considers for a moment, then slowly nods.
ALICE
All right. All right.
They look at each other for a long moment, then Tom becomes
self-conscious.
TOM
I’m sure you have enough to worry
about tonight, but we’ll meet soon
and talk. Figure out what we’re
about on this. Is... is that all
right?
ALICE
That sounds fine, Tom.
TOM
Glad to be of service.
Tom puts his hat back on. Alice opens the door to let him
out.
TOM
Until then, miss.
He tips his hat and goes. As he goes down the front path,
his expression is apprehensive but hopeful.
Back with Alice still inside, she collects herself with a
deep breath. She walks over to a sepia-toned picture on the
wall of the previous generation of her family-- young
versions of Emma, Constance, Bethany, and her father Rowan
with Reginald Loring, her grandfather.
ALICE
"We were very happy for a very long
time."
36.
EXT. LORING’S END - EVENING - 1917
BEGIN FLASHBACK
SUPER: LORING’S END, 1917
A huge festive outdoor party is going on the grounds of
Loring’s End. There are long buffet tables beautifully laid
and upper class people mill around in fancy clothes. There
is one table that contains the family members in the
photograph, Rowan, Emma, Constance, and Bethany. REGINALD
LORING, a good-looking, polished older gentleman, stands
before everyone and taps a fork against his glass to get
everyone’s attention.
REGINALD
If I may speak for a moment... I’d
like to thank you all for coming to
our home, and I hope you’ll all
join me in wishing my daughter
Constance a very happy twenty-first
birthday.
He indicates the young Constance besides him, prettily
dressed but a plain girl with only a tentative smile.
CROWD
Here, here!
The party guests clap politely.
REGINALD
I also have an important
announcement to make. As we all
know, a lot of good men are signing
up with Uncle Sam to go defend our
nation these days. And I am honored
to say that my own son is now among
them. Our brave boy Rowan has
stepped up to protect the country
by enlisting in the United States
army. Within the next month he’ll
be shipping off for Europe to give
the Gerries what for!
ROWAN LORING, a soft-spoken and handsome thirty-year-old,
smiles tightly from his place at the table.
ROWAN
Please, Father. It’s no more than
my duty.
Littlest sister BETHANY LORING, sixteen and pretty, sits
near him. She touches his arm encouragingly.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 37.
REGINALD
It is a fortunate man indeed who is
blessed with such fine children as
I have. Now, everyone, please enjoy
the festivities and we’ll see Rowan
off right.
The crowd applauds again. Reginald goes among the guests,
shaking hands and greeting friends. Constance trails
silently after him. Mr. FREDERICK DONNER, a severe-looking
blond man in pince nez, approaches him.
DONNER
Quite a party you’ve thrown,
Reginald.
REGINALD
Ah, Mr. Donner, so glad to see you
could come! It’s high time we began
seeing one another on a social
level.
DONNER
Just so. Are these your lovely
daughters?
REGINALD
These are my girls! Come now, I
must introduce you to my family. Of
course this is the lady of the
hour.
He puts a hand behind Constance and pushes her forward. She
immediately brightens at the attention.
CONSTANCE
Good evening, sir. I’m Constance.
Thank you so much for coming.
REGINALD
Constance is a student at
university; Barnard, you know, a
very fine school for women.
Constance, tell us how your studies
are going.
CONSTANCE
Well, I’ve begun some very
interesting translations of
Aristophanes--
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 38.
REGINALD
Wonderful, that’s wonderful. And
you’ve been meeting interesting
people, I trust?
CONSTANCE
Yes, Father.
REGINALD
Good, good. Your classmates there
are from important families, must
be certain you’re meeting the right
people.
He moves away from Constance and goes to touch Emma on the
shoulder. She turns, then stands to greet them.
REGINALD
And this is my eldest girl, Emma.
DONNER
Ah, I recognize your name, miss. I
believe we’ve corresponded over
business matters?
Emma suddenly regards him much more coolly.
EMMA
Yes, I recognize your name, sir.
REGINALD
Mr. Donner, this young lady has
made herself indispensable to the
running of my operations. She makes
my appointments, keeps my books,
takes care of every little detail I
must remember... she has quite a
head for the business.
DONNER
That’s very remarkable.
EMMA
How did you come to work with our
company, sir?
DONNER
Your father is in a very useful
trade, miss. Everyone very much
needs cloth.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 39.
REGINALD
Clever girl, I don’t know how I’d
get anything done without her. Of
course, it’s all just until my son
takes the burden off my shoulders.
Reginald looks around for Rowan, who is now talking to some
people in a group.
REGINALD
Mr. Frederick Donner, my only son—
Rowan, come meet this gentleman.
Rowan puts his arm around his wife Elizabeth.
ROWAN
Forgive me, sir, but I’ve been
called away by my wife! I do hope
you enjoy the party.
Rowan turns her and the two of them move away.
REGINALD
Ha, ha, you are too popular, my
boy. But there are worse troubles
to have!
DONNER
(noticing Bethany)
And who is this enchanting
creature?
Reginald brings Bethany over to Donner, who is smiling
ingratiatingly. She returns it politely but seems slightly
uncomfortable.
REGINALD
Ah, this is my baby, our little
miracle... my Bethany. You know,
the girl is mad for horses. Mr.
Donner, you have an interest in
horseflesh, if I recall?
DONNER
Yes, it’s a great hobby of mine.
REGINALD
Bethany, darling, how is that bay
colt coming along?
BETHANY
He’s doing well, Papa. He goes
beautifully with a good rider.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 40.
REGINALD
How splendid! Say, Frederick, would
you care to give him a go?
DONNER
Why, I’d love to.
REGINALD
Then, Bethany, you must take Mr.
Donner on a ride. Boy! Boy, come
here a moment.
He calls over one of the stableboys in his employ, a young
Kenneth Garner.
KENNETH
Yes, sir.
REGINALD
Go and saddle Bethany’s pony, and
the bay colt for the gentleman.
KENNETH
The pony’s come up lame, sir.
REGINALD
Lame? What have you done to the
poor creature, Beth? No matter,
boy, find her something else.
Donner, my friend, perhaps you can
teach the girl a thing or two about
how to handle a horse.
DONNER
I’m sure she knows her own way.
REGINALD
All my girls do! Ah, I am a lucky
man indeed, to have such a family.
Now, off to the stables with you
two. Best get that ride in before
we lose the light!
DONNER
If you’ll just lead the way, Miss
Bethany.
Bethany leads Donner after Kenneth off to the stables.
REGINALD
Enjoy yourselves! Ah, what a party,
what an evening.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 41.
Reginald wanders back over to the picnic tables and finds an
empty glass. As he reaches for a bottle of wine across the
table, he accidentally jostles Constance, who he did not
notice was sitting there.
REGINALD
Oh, Constance!
He sits beside her.
REGINALD
Constance, it’s so good to have a
reason to get everyone together
again. Happy birthday, my dear.
CONSTANCE
Thank you, Papa.
INT. LORING’S END - GROUNDS - EVENING
Tom waits outside the wrought-iron front gate at Loring’s
End. After a moment Alice appears to unlock the gate and let
him in.
ALICE
Thank you for coming tonight, Tom.
TOM
No trouble. How are things here?
ALICE
Much the same. I hardly know where
we’re going to start. Even after my
grandfather died, nobody ever
talked about anything in this
house.
They walk up the path towards the house and go inside.
TOM
That was his doing?
ALICE
He was the head of the family
without my father. Even now, what
he said goes. He became a city
councilman after the war, but even
before then he made a fortune
shipping textiles all over the
world. All through the rationing,
even during the slump. My uncle
Edmund runs things now, but
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 42.
ALICE (cont’d)
Grandfather worked right up until
he passed a few months ago. I heard
Aunt Emma used to do quite a lot to
help him, but... that all ended
when everything else happened.
Mrs. Warren approaches, looking askance at Tom.
MRS. WARREN
Mr. Barrows? Back again?
ALICE
Yes, Mrs. Warren, I invited him.
MRS. WARREN
To the house? In the evening?
TOM
This is the earliest I could come,
ma’am.
MRS. WARREN
Miss Alice, you can’t just have
strange young men coming over.
Begging your pardon, Tom.
ALICE
He’s helping me!
MRS. WARREN
It’s not done.
TOM
I assure you, Mrs. Warren, you
don’t need to worry over me.
ALICE
How could you think such a thing?
MRS. WARREN
It’s not what I think, miss! What
will your aunt and uncle say?
EDMUND (O.S.)
Oh, for God’s sake! Mrs. Warren!
Alice’s uncle Edmund strides in, annoyed.
MRS. WARREN
Oh, my...
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 43.
EDMUND
Mrs. Warren, where the devil are my
reading glasses?
MRS. WARREN
I’ll go and fetch them.
She bustles off, and Edmund notices Tom with narrowed eyes.
EDMUND
Alice? Who’s this?
ALICE
Uncle! This is Mr. Barrows, don’t
you remember?
TOM
I’m, ah, I’m here about the ball
gowns, sir.
EDMUND
Ball gowns? I beg your pardon?
TOM
I understand Miss Loring here will
be having her coming out party
soon?
EDMUND
Yes, I believe so.
TOM
Miss Emma engaged me. Before she
passed. To make a party dress for
the ladies of the house. Mrs.
Danbury, Miss Alice...
EDMUND
Hmm. I see. For the coming out
party, of course.
CONSTANCE (O.S.)
Edmund?
EDMUND
(annoyed)
What is it, dear?
She comes in in a quiet panic.
CONSTANCE
I hear someone.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 44.
EDMUND
It’s just the dressmaker Emma
hired.
CONSTANCE
No! Not that. In the guest bedroom.
Or the study.
EDMUND
Constance, there’s no one in there.
CONSTANCE
I heard something!
EDMUND
Mr. Barrows, you will have to
consult with my wife another time,
she is indisposed at the moment.
Faint noises can be heard coming from another room.
CONSTANCE
What was that!?
EDMUND
What was what?
The noises continue.
CONSTANCE
There is someone there!
EDMUND
For God’s sake, try and calm
yourself--
Mrs. Warren rushes breathless back into the room.
MRS. WARREN
Mr. Danbury! Mr. Danbury, there’s a
strange man in the house!
CONSTANCE
Oh, God!
EDMUND
Call for a watchman!
There is a crashing sound.
TOM
Where is he?
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 45.
MRS. WARREN
In the study!
Edmund and Mrs. Warren run off to find help, but Tom races
toward the noise.
INT. LORING’S END - STUDY - CONTINUOUS
He barrels into the study. It is dark and hard to see, but
there is a man, his features hidden, rattling the lid on a
locked rolltop desk. When Tom enters he whirls around and
knocks over a chair. He cries out in shock and pain and
grabs hold of his right arm.
TOM
Stop right there! Stop!
The man throws open a window with his good arm and climbs
out of it. Tom goes after him.
EXT. LORING’S END - GROUNDS - CONTINUOUS
Tom lands on the ground, looks around to see where the man
went, and runs across the lawn after him. The man’s breath
comes heavily. He clambers up the wrought iron gate with Tom
on his heels.
TOM
Stop! Come back here!
TOM grabs onto him, but the man kicks him. TOM stumbles back
down onto the ground and the man gets over the fence, jumps
down the ground, and stumbles away.
CRIER
Stop, thief!
Tom is tackled by Officer Crier and knocked to the ground.
TOM
Officer Crier!?
CRIER
You again!
TOM
Get off me, you ass! You missed
him, he’s already gone!
Tom shoves the policeman off and they get to their feet.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 46.
CRIER
I would have nabbed him if you
hadn’t gotten in my way! What are
you doing here, Barrows?
TOM
I had come to by to speak to Alice!
I heard the burglar and went after
him, same as you!
CRIER
Well, fat lot of good that did.
TOM
What about you, where did you come
from?
CRIER
I was examining the perimeter of
the property for anything out of
the ordinary!
TOM
Well, seems you did a bang-up job,
you missed the man breaking into
the house!
CRIER
You shut your mouth, boy!
TOM
Boy yourself! Wait a minute— what
are you still looking for? I
thought you fellows decided Miss
Emma did herself in.
CRIER
That’s what a lot of the boys are
thinking.
TOM
Don’t you?
Crier seems surprised to be asked, but is intrigued that
someone might listen.
CRIER
Well... I’m not so sure we’ve got
the whole story.
TOM
That so? Do you think there might
have been some passers-by you
didn’t harangue that day?
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 47.
CRIER
Hear me out a minute! Sure, it
could have been an accident.
Wouldn’t be the first lady to
overdo it with the tincture if the
pain won’t go.
TOM
They sure had their fair share of
hard times.
CRIER
Sure they did. But here’s the
trouble— why now? After all that,
what could have pushed her to it
now?
TOM
Then... what? You think somebody
killed her?
CRIER
Might be I do.
TOM
What makes you so sure?
CRIER
Just this— for a distraught lady
who was half a shut-in, it seems
she was awful busy.
TOM
Busy with what?
CRIER
You aren’t the only one saying Miss
Loring was going about some odd
business just before she died. She
was seen more in town in the last
few weeks than she had been in
years. She was gathering up old
papers nobody had looked at in
years. She was up to something,
damn it. That’s not a woman with no
reason to go on.
TOM
No, I wouldn’t think so.
CRIER
So you see what I mean?
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 48.
TOM
You might be on to something there,
Crier.
CRIER
Just trying to do my job. Tell me
something, Barrows— what’s got you
so tied up in this? Beg your pardon
for saying, but doesn’t seem like
you’d be their kind of people.
TOM
Miss Alice isn’t like that.
CRIER
Hm. That’d make her a rare sort of
girl.
TOM
I want to help that girl. And I
think Miss Emma came to me because
I’m tangled up in this somehow too.
I mean to find out how.
CRIER
I hear you. Still. This is police
business, understand? Try not to
get in the way.
TOM
I’ll do my best.
CRIER
Right then. Well. I suppose I have
statements to collect from the
members of the household.
He considers Tom a moment, then reaches out his hand to
shake. Tom slowly takes it.
CRIER
Carry on, Barrows.
TOM
Carry on, Crier.
Crier walks back towards the house. Tom looks out through
the fence where the burglar escaped, then follows.
49.
INT. LORING’S END - STUDY - CONTINUOUS
Tom reenters the study. The lamps have been lit, and Alice
and Mrs. Warren are trying to straighten up the mess of the
break-in. Furniture is overturned and things have been
pulled out and thrown around the room. When Alice sees Tom,
she runs to him.
ALICE
Tom! Are you all right? I wanted to
go after you, but my uncle said it
wasn’t safe to let me go outside.
TOM
Well, that was a bust.
ALICE
What happened? Who was that?
TOM
I didn’t get a good look at him. He
shook off me and Officer Crier
both.
MRS. WARREN
That was very brave of you, Tom.
TOM
Thank you. For all the good it did.
MRS. WARREN
Well, you chased him away at least.
Who knows what he might have done
if you hadn’t?
TOM
What was he doing here?
MRS. WARREN
He just tore everything apart! I
don’t think anything was stolen...
ALICE
Look at this. First Aunt Emma, then
strange men start breaking into the
house. How can anyone think there’s
nothing going on here?
TOM
For what it’s worth, it seems
Officer Crier agrees with you. He
thinks Emma was up to something.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 50.
ALICE
He does? Perhaps he’s cleverer than
he seems. Nobody else will see it.
TOM
We’ll figure this out somehow.
ALICE
How? This house has always been
full of secrets.
MRS. WARREN
Oh, Miss Alice.
ALICE
But you know! You’ve been with the
family for years now!
MRS. WARREN
I’m sure that’s no business of
mine.
ALICE
You’ve seen how it is!
MRS. WARREN
Please, Miss Alice, how you talk!
She rushes out of the room in discomfort.
ALICE
But Mrs. Warren, I just-- please--
ugh!
She claps her hands to her temples in frustration. Tom moves
closer.
TOM
It’s all right. There has to be
something we can find.
ALICE
Like what?
TOM
Well... there was something that
Crier mentioned. Something about
Emma... gathering up old papers. He
mentioned that it made him think
she was up to something.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 51.
ALICE
Old papers? All her papers were
kept in this study.
TOM
Have you found any yet?
ALICE
Nothing out of the ordinary... oh,
Tom. Look at the roll top. The
lock’s been sprung.
They go over to the desk and examine the broken top.
ALICE
Will it open?
Tom forces the cover to roll back to reveal a carefully laid
out collection of papers.
TOM
What is all this? Is all this
Emma’s?
ALICE
It must be. Newspaper clippings,
letters, envelopes...
They look through the papers until they come to a piece of
newsprint with a rectangle cut out of it. After a moment,
Tom produces the newspaper clipping of Bethany in her gown
and places it inside the cutout.
ALICE
oh, Tom. These are all about Aunt
Bethany. Look! About the night of
her death... about the
investigation after...
TOM
This is what Emma was up to. This
must have been why the burglar
broke in, to find these things!
ALICE
And look what’s written here. This
is my aunt’s writing.
She points to notes in the margins of the documents.
ALICE
"Never met with K all night..."
"Last saw her at the bonfire,
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 52.
ALICE (cont’d)
around nine-forty-five..." "Who
could have been with her?"
TOM
What do they mean?
ALICE
I don’t know. What else is here?
They rifle through the slats and drawers on the desk and
find some file folders. Alice opens one and looks.
ALICE
These are just a lot of old
business papers of my
Grandfather’s.
TOM
That seal’s freshly broken. They
must not have been touched in
years.
Tom opens another.
TOM
This one came by messenger from the
police station. It’s the police
report from the night Bethany died!
Alice, do you see what all this is?
ALICE
She was looking into Bethany’s
death. What does the report say?
TOM
There’s not much here... the party
had already gone into the night
when she disappeared. They looked
for her for an hour, until some of
the guests found her lying in the
garden. Her head was caved in.
ALICE
Oh, God.
TOM
They spoke to all the guests but
nobody knew how she got there. It
looked like she fell and hit her
head, but they never figured out
what really happened.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 53.
ALICE
Emma thought Bethany was murdered.
Alice fans the papers in her hands, looking at them in
shock, when an old piece of stationary flutters out of it to
the ground. She bends and picks it up.
TOM
What’s that? Another report?
ALICE
It’s a letter. To Emma from my
father. "May 15th, 1917. To my dear
sister Emma..."
INT. LORING’S END - EVENING, 1917
Rowan Loring is writing the letter at his desk. An open
suitcase, half-packed, sits on a nearby chair.
ROWAN (V.O.)
In this, the last letter I may
write before I ship out to meet my
fortune in the war, a brother ought
to send a fond and affectionate
farewell to his closest and most
stalwart sister. But I fear I must
instead speak to you of our
father’s current course. He meant
to keep it secret until the deed
was done, but I trust him with
nothing anymore, so with some
careful digging I have unearthed
it. He laid into me just last week
for it, and his rage at my reaction
was terrible.
Now Rowan is striding through the house with his father
chasing after him in a fury.
REGINALD
You will not, sir! I forbid it!
ROWAN
I am a grown man, Father, you can
forbid me nothing. Besides, it’s
already done. I am an enlisted man.
I ship out for France by the end of
the month.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 54.
REGINALD
Have you lost your mind?
ROWAN
Have you lost yours? Do you know
what it is you’ve done? You have
made a deal with the devil!
REGINALD
You are being a naïve fool, Rowan.
This is for the best interests of
the family. Would you see us in
ruins?
ROWAN
Some things are worth more than
that, Father.
REGINALD
So you’ll throw your life away in
some godforsaken trench, for what?
For principle? To teach me a Sunday
school lesson?
ROWAN
Someone must do the right thing. If
it will not be you, then it will be
me.
REGINALD
This is madness! You are not some
unoccupied gutter trash, you have
responsibilities here! You have a
newborn child!
ROWAN
I will not have that child growing
up ashamed of the family it came
from! There will be one Loring man
that will not disgrace the name.
REGINALD
Come off this nonsense. You have no
idea what you’re talking about.
Everything is well in hand.
ROWAN
Don’t be so certain. You’ll have to
make good on your devil’s bargain
soon enough.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 55.
REGINALD
What do you mean?
ROWAN
Just that we reap what we sow, dear
Father.
REGINALD
If you think for a moment that you
are going to—
ROWAN
And when that time comes, I will
not be paying along with you. And
now— goodnight, Father.
REGINALD
This is not over, boy—
ROWAN
I said, goodnight.
Rowan turns on his heel and walks out, leaving Reginald to
fume.
BEGIN MONTAGE:
Rowan is now preparing to leave for the front. He shaves in
his bathroom mirror, careful not to miss a hair.
ROWAN (V.O.)
Emma, things are worse than I
feared. I told him he would have to
pay the piper he’s been dancing to,
but even I didn’t dream it would
happen like this.
In his bedroom he dresses in his soldier’s uniform. With the
utmost care and precision, he buttons his tan shirt and
neatly ties the matching tie. He combs his hair to perfect
neatness, then unfolds his hat and sets it on his head.
ROWAN (V.O.)
The payment he offers is Bethany,
to sell her to that wretched man
like a cow at market. He intends to
marry her off and see her shipped
halfway across the world whether
she will or no to protect his vile
scheme. His own daughter, and a
child at that.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 56.
Rowan is outside the house with the family, saying his
goodbyes. A car waits to take him, while some family valets
load his bags into the trunk. He kisses his wife Elizabeth,
who holds baby Alice in her arms, and holds them close. He
embraces Constance and Emma in turn, then picks up Bethany
in a bear hug that lifts her off her feet. Over her shoulder
he looks meaningfully at Emma, who solemnly nods.
ROWAN (V.O.)
Something must be done, but I shall
be leaving for the front too soon
to handle this alone... which is
why I must write to you, dear
sister. It is you that must act
where I cannot. You must get her
away somehow, out of Father’s
grasp, and safe from the man he
wants to sell her to.
Finally Rowan turns to Reginald, who stands a bit off from
the rest, and salutes him. Reginald smiles tightly at him.
Then he gets into the car and watches his family as it
drives away.
ROWAN (V.O.)
I know I can trust you with this
above any other, as I would trust
you with my own daughter. Farewell,
and Godspeed to you both.
END OF MONTAGE
INT. LORING’S END - STUDY - PRESENT DAY - EVENING
Alice looks up from the letter she’s been reading with a
distressed, almost horrified expression.
ALICE
"Signed, your loving brother,
Rowan."
TOM
My God.
ALICE
Grandfather was doing something
terrible.
TOM
And Emma knew about it.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 57.
ALICE
And it had something to do with
Bethany! He was marrying her to
somebody awful... They all said he
was a good man. But Papa hated him.
How long has she been doing this!?
Tom gets a pained look as he realizes the significance.
TOM
Crier said she started gathering
these up in the last few months.
ALICE
But I don’t understand. Why now,
after all this time? What happened
to make Emma look back at all this
after seventeen years?
TOM
Alice...
ALICE
What?
TOM
She was waiting. She had to.
ALICE
Waiting? Why?
TOM
She had to wait until your
grandfather died.
Alice covers her mouth with her hands.
ALICE
Oh, Tom... what happened to
Bethany?
EXT. LORING’S END - EVENING - 1917
BEGIN FLASHBACK.
It is the night of Bethany’s coming out party. Off in the
yard there are colored lanterns and the sound of music and
voices, but Bethany walks alone through the dark garden. Her
hair is done up elegantly and she wears delicate jewelry and
the beautiful blue gown. She looks around her nervously.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 58.
BETHANY
Hello? It’s me. It’s Bethany. Who’s
there?
She starts and shrinks away from something we can’t see.
BETHANY
Oh, no. Please, you don’t
understand, just let me go!
Her head jerks to one side as if she has been struck, but we
cannot discern the source of the blow. She gasps in pain.
BETHANY
Oh, God, no. Please! Please, no!
Her heels clatter on the walkway as she skitters backward.
She falls with a thump, followed by a crunch as the back of
her skulls his the ground. Her head rolls to one side as the
light goes out of her still-open eyes.
END FLASHBACK.
EXT. ROAD - NIGHT
Back in the present day, Tom walks down the road from
Loring’s End back home.
KENNETH
(slurred)
You’re out late, aren’t you?
TOM
Hello? Who’s there?
The shadowed outline of a man drinks out of a bottle of
whiskey. He sways a little as he moves.
KENNETH
I remember you. You’re that tailor
fellow.
TOM
Who is that?
KENNETH
Nobody. Just me.
Tom moves closer until he can get a clear look at him.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 59.
TOM
Kenneth? From Della’s pub?
KENNETH
Ah, good memory on you. So where
you headed?
TOM
Just on my way home.
KENNETH
I thought only reprobates like
myself were out at this hour. What
brings you out of your cozy little
place?
TOM
Had to pay a visit to a friend.
Tom’s eyes narrow as he notices that Kenneth has got his
right arm tucked up strangely against his body.
KENNETH
Ah, sounds nice.
TOM
What are you doing out—?
KENNETH
Good thing to have somebody to keep
you from drinking alone.
He takes a slug from his bottle.
TOM
Maybe you should ease up on that.
KENNETH
It steadies the nerves.
Kenneth tries to push past him, but Tom catches him by the
shoulder and turns him so that he can see his cradled arm.
He’s got a rag tied around it that is starting to soak
through with blood.
TOM
What happened to your arm?
KENNETH
Got in a fight. Want to make it
two?
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 60.
TOM
Easy! I don’t mean anything by it.
KENNETH
Never know what might be out there
in the dark. Not too many nice
fellows like you. Don’t know what
would take you out of town— why,
you were up the Lorings’ way,
weren’t you?
TOM
What business is that of yours?
Kenneth gets up in Tom’s face.
KENNETH
If you had any sense, you’d get
yourself well away and not wrap
yourself up in any of their
trouble.
TOM
What do you know about that?
KENNETH
What does anybody know about what
goes on up there? Hidden away in
their big house where they all
behave just right.
TOM
I beg your pardon?
KENNETH
What are they going to do with you
anyway? Ahhhhh, it’s that girl,
isn’t it? Pretty little thing.
TOM
I’m just trying to help.
KENNETH
Ah, yeah. Pretty little things from
up there can use all the help they
can get.
TOM
Do you... do you know something?
KENNETH
Just that you’re going to regret
digging yourself into that mess.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 61.
He turns to go, but Tom tries to stop him.
TOM
But what do you--
Kenneth whirls around and hurls down his bottle. It smashes
apart between them, stopping Tom in his tracks.
KENNETH
So stay safe, little tailor.
He turns around again and walks unsteadily down the road.
INT. TAILOR SHOP - DAY
Tom is sewing away at the machine in his shop. The bell
jingles when Della opens the door and pokes in her head.
DELLA
Knock, knock. I need to see the
tailor quite urgently. I’ve got a
button emergency.
Tom looks up from his work, pleased. Della comes inside with
a bundle of clothes in one hand and a brown paper lunch
hamper in the other.
TOM
Della! To what do I owe the
pleasure?
She holds up the lunch hamper.
DELLA
My buttons, boy! And I packed up a
little something from the kitchen
for you.
TOM
Ah, you shouldn’t have.
He leaves his sewing machine to sit down at a clear spot on
his work table. Della lays down her bundles and starts
unpacking the lunch for Tom.
DELLA
Nothing fancy. Cold chicken, roast
carrots and parsnips.
TOM
Sounds lovely, thank you. You know,
you don’t have to keep bringing me
dinner. I promise I won’t starve.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 62.
DELLA
Don’t kid yourself, Tom, I know how
you are when you’re caught up in
your work. Besides, you’ll fix my
husband’s suits in trade. Nobody
sews like you do.
She starts pulling clothes of her bundle while Tom starts
eating.
TOM
Well, it’s a fair trade, then. I
sure can’t cook like you.
DELLA
Good thing, then. We make one
decent housewife between us!
They laugh.
DELLA
Don’t you mind me, Tom. You know I
love to feed you, trade or no
trade. You can use someone to take
care of you.
TOM
Might be. Now, Della, I wanted to
ask you... what do you know about
that fellow that hangs around your
pub sometimes? The one that was
acting so strange the other day?
DELLA
You mean Kenny the ne’er-do-well?
Little enough, I suppose. I spend
more time chasing him off than
getting acquainted with him.
TOM
Still. Anything at all?
DELLA
Well... I know he’s been around for
a pretty long while. Takes work
once in a while minding rich folks’
horses. Though I wouldn’t think he
works much at all. And he’s been in
and out of the county jail more
than his fair share.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 63.
TOM
What’s he done?
DELLA
Got drunk and acted like an ass,
I’d guess. That seems to be his
way.
TOM
Is he from around here?
DELLA
Think so. Would explain why he
always comes back.
TOM
Hmmmm.
DELLA
What makes you ask about him?
TOM
I think he’s got something to do
with that bad business up at
Loring’s End.
DELLA
Because of what he said at the pub
the other day?
TOM
Yeah. He seemed awful interested in
what I saw up there. And he sure
had something against Miss Emma.
DELLA
I see what you mean.
TOM
There’s something odd going on up
there, Del. It goes deep, and it
started a long time before this.
They try not to let on about it,
but they’ve had it rough for quite
a while.
DELLA
Just goes to show, money can’t buy
happiness.
TOM
That’s for sure. And you know, on
my way home from the estate the
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 64.
TOM (cont’d)
other night, I ran into Kenneth on
the road, drunk and muttering about
the place. I want to know what he’s
up to.
DELLA
You went back to Loring’s End?
TOM
Of course I did. There’s a lot
going on around that house that
nobody knows, and I’ve promised
Miss Alice to help her find out
what.
DELLA
You’re helping little Miss Loring.
TOM
Yeah.
DELLA
To go digging around in their
family things.
TOM
She needs the help, and there’s
nobody else who will.
DELLA
That’s real good of you, Tom. It’s
just...
TOM
Just what?
DELLA
People like that, big fancy rich
people... they don’t like it when
you stick your nose into their
private affairs.
TOM
I’m not afraid of that. They’ve
been hiding all this for far too
long. Especially from Miss Alice.
DELLA
Maybe so, Tom. But once you do them
what they want, they don’t always
take to making friends with regular
folks like us.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 65.
TOM
Oh, go on.
DELLA
Sure, they’re glad to use you if
they need it, but once they’re
through they aren’t going to be
having you to tea on Sunday.
TOM
Alice isn’t like that.
DELLA
Oh?
TOM
She isn’t. She’s kind, and she
needs help.
DELLA
I see... are you getting sweet on
her, Tom?
TOM
Della.
DELLA
Well, that’s what it sounds like.
Can’t blame me for asking.
TOM
That’s... that’s not the reason.
DELLA
I have to tell you, Tom, that can’t
end well. That rich family of
hers... they’re not going to stand
for it.
TOM
That doesn’t matter.
DELLA
Is that girl even going to look at
you that way?
TOM
It’s the right thing to do.
DELLA
Tom, I just worry for—
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 66.
TOM
Della. That’s enough.
DELLA
All right, dear, all right. I hope
you know what you’re doing.
She pats him on the cheek, then moves to the door.
DELLA
Enjoy your lunch, love.
She exits.
INT. LORING’S END - PARLOR
Tom is measuring Constance with a tailor’s tape while Alice
looks on.
CONSTANCE
Are you quite finished yet?
TOM
Just about, ma’am.
CONSTANCE
Any color but yellow. It battles
with my complexion.
TOM
Yes, I have that down.
CONSTANCE
Or blue, I will not have blue. And
I can’t abide blackwork, it’s very
provincial.
TOM
Not to worry, ma’am.
Tom writes down the numbers in his notebook while Constance
scrawls out a check for him.
ALICE
Mr. Barrows knows all this, Auntie.
He’s going to make lovely dresses
for us, don’t you worry.
CONSTANCE
I should hope so. He is being
paid well enough for it.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 67.
Constance hands over the check and flounces out. Alice sighs
but smiles.
ALICE
Sorry about that, Tom. Aunt
Constance can be very...
particular, when she cares to be.
TOM
Oh, not at all. That’s little
enough, believe me. Nothing at all
compared to exactly recreating a
twenty-year-old ball gown from a
newspaper picture.
ALICE
I can’t imagine why Emma would care
so much.
TOM
It had to be exact, she was very
clear about that. But the picture
was all she had to give me.
Alice’s face becomes pensive.
ALICE
Then... why did she ask you to come
here?
TOM
I... told her I didn’t think I had
enough to go on. That was when she
asked me to come, she said she had
something that might... help.
ALICE
What might help?
TOM
She never said.
ALICE
Tom... what if she wanted to show
you the original dress?
INT. LORING’S END - MASTER BEDROOM
TOM
Alice, why are we here? We
shouldn’t be doing this.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 68.
ALICE
I’ve been in the attic and the
basement, and I’ve never seen it
there. If we do have the dress,
it’s got to be in here.
Tom looks around the grand room. He notices a dresser
covered in bottles of pharmaceuticals, and a packed
bookshelf. It is full of tomes in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew,
covered with dust as if it hasn’t been touched in years.
ALICE
Tom, this way!
Alice leads Tom into the walk-in closet.
INT. LORING’S END - CONSTANCE’S CLOSET
ALICE
I saw something in here once... I
never thought much of it then, but
now...
She gestures to a dark purple velvet curtain at the very
back. The feet of a wrought iron stand peek out beneath the
hem.
They look at each other for a moment, then Tom shoves the
curtain aside. There is a layer of dust over everything
behind it, including a sheer white sheet that is draped over
a dress form. A garment in cornflower blue can be glimpsed
through the sheet. Tom and Alice take hold of it together
and carefully remove it in a cloud of dust to reveal the
beautiful blue ball gown on the form.
ALICE
Ohhhhhh! Tom...
Tom circles around the dress, taking it in from all angles.
Alice looks at it in wonder, but Tom looks bothered, even
upset.
ALICE
It’s beautiful. It’s...
Tom crouches down to inspect the gown more closely. Its hem
is slightly dirty, and there is a muddy stain low on the
skirt. Alice notices his expression.
ALICE
Tom? What is it?
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 69.
TOM
It’s wrong.
ALICE
What’s wrong?
TOM
The gown. It’s... made all wrong.
ALICE
What do you mean?
TOM
Look at it! Look at the pulls in
the weave!
He brushes his fingers over small patches of loose threads
in the shiny silk skirt.
ALICE
It’s seen some rough handling, Tom,
Bethany was murdered in it.
TOM
You don’t understand. It’s not
draped properly. My mother was an
artist, she never would have handed
off something so flawed.
ALICE
I’m sure she never--
TOM
Alice, look at this!
Tom takes hold of the fabric of the dress and pulls it close
to examine it.
ALICE
Tom, be careful with that!
TOM
Satin should flow like water, but
this hangs so heavy it left pulls
in that perfect Chinese weave.
He gathers the skirt over one arm to inspect the line of the
waist. Alice leans in and tries to stop his rough handling.
ALICE
If my aunt sees--
He shakes her off and runs his hands over the waist to show
her.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 70.
TOM
And look at the bulk in the seams!
My mother’s seams were crisp, not
thick like these!
Tom compresses the fat seam with his fingers. There is a
papery crackling sound. Tom’s eyes narrow.
Alice and Tom look at each other. He squeezes the seam
again, and again they hear the papery sound.
ALICE
What is that?
TOM
I don’t...
He feels along the length of the seam, then suddenly pulls
out a pen knife and flicks it open.
ALICE
What are you doing? If my aunt sees
this--
He slips the tip of the blade between where the fabric of
the skirt and the bodice joins.
ALICE
Tom!
He pulls the knife and delicately rips through the
stitching. The material of the skirt falls away to reveal
several folded pieces of paper painstakingly laid inside the
inner lining.
Alice looks to Tom in confusion, and he shakes his head.
They begin to carefully remove the pieces and examine them.
Mindful of the fragility of the aged paper, Alice unfolds
one with her fingertips. Once opened, she reads it.
ALICE
"...this agreement does hereby
affirm that Loring Incorporated
Textiles shall provide material
supplies in the amount of twenty
thousand bolts of uniform-rated
twill to the... Gesellschaft
Donner... until such time as the
martial requirements are
fulfilled." There’s more written
here, but I think it’s in German.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 71.
TOM
German? Uniform-rated twill... does
it have a date on it?
Alice inspects it.
ALICE
It was signed on May 14th, 1915...
by Herr Friedrich Donner and Mr.
Reginald Loring.
She looks up from the paper in shock.
ALICE
A deal with a German, in 1915...
selling them cloth...
TOM
He was outfitting the army.
ALICE
He was a collaborator!
TOM
How can that be?
ALICE
This is what he was doing! This is
what Emma found, what my father
hated him for!
TOM
Stay calm, Alice.
ALICE
Remember what my father said in his
letter-- Bethany was being married
off to secure his devil’s bargain!
This was the bargain, and
Grandfather was selling Aunt
Bethany to that devil!
TOM
Alice, please--
Tom looks nervously over his shoulder to make sure they’re
still alone.
ALICE
He made everyone think he was such
a pillar of the town, a patriot and
a-- a decent man!
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 72.
TOM
Keep your voice down!
ALICE
This is treason! He was a traitor!
And here’s the proof, hidden in
Bethany’s dress! Why? Why is it
here?
TOM
I don’t know. But... Emma must
have.
INT. LORING’S END - PARLOR - 1917
BEGIN FLASHBACK:
Emma and Bethany wait in the parlor; Emma is tense and
Bethany is uncertain.
Mrs. Warren enters leading a nice-looking woman, smartly but
simply dressed. This is Abigail Barrows, Tom’s mother,
carrying a bag of dressmaking supplies.
MRS. WARREN
Miss Emma, the dressmaker has
arrived.
Mrs. Warren shows her in and leaves. Bethany stands and goes
to greet her.
BETHANY
Hello. I’m Bethany Loring. This is
my sister.
Abigail curtsies.
ABIGAIL
My name is Abigail Barrows. I hope
you’ll find my work to your liking.
EMMA
Pleasure to make your acquaintance,
Mrs. Barrows. My sister will be
needing something for her coming
out ball.
Abigail produces a tailor’s tape.
ABIGAIL
I quite understand. I’ll just take
your measurements, then, miss. Lift
your arms, please.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 73.
BETHANY
Like this?
Bethany does so as Abigail measures her in the relevant
dimensions.
ABIGAIL
Thank you. I know just the thing. A
straight skirt to lengthen the leg,
a close-fitting bodice to flatter a
delicate figure. The material will
come dear, though, with the
rationing...
EMMA
Not to worry. We have secured it
already.
She gestures to a bolt of familiar cornflower blue silk with
a mellow sheen. Abigail is shocked at the sight.
ABIGAIL
Oh, my! I haven’t seen so much fine
silk since before the war!
Bethany makes a face.
BETHANY
Most decent people haven’t.
Abigail goes to it and takes the material in her hands.
ABIGAIL
If I may ask, however did you get
it?
Emma’s expression hardens.
EMMA
Our family deals in textiles. Such
are our spoils.
Abigail looks uncomfortable at the tension, but tries to
continue as normal.
ABIGAIL
You have lovely taste. It will suit
you well, Miss Bethany. I would
suggest beading it in dark blue and
ivory, to best set off the color.
Beadwork is my specialty, you see.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 74.
BETHANY
That does sounds beautiful.
ABIGAIL
I’m very glad you think so. I will
make sketches of the design for you
and send them over.
Abigail stands up from where she was examining the silk.
ABIGAIL
Did you want to talk about your
wedding gown now as well?
BETHANY
My what?
EMMA
I beg your pardon, Mrs. Barrows?
ABIGAIL
I’m sorry, it was something Mr.
Loring said...
Emma gets very still and serious.
EMMA
What did our father say, Mrs.
Barrows?
ABIGAIL
He said he wanted to engage me for
more than just the ball gown. He
wanted me to make Miss Bethany’s
wedding dress as well.
BETHANY
Why would he tell you that? Emma,
why would I need a wedding dress?
ABIGAIL
Perhaps I misunderstood?
EMMA
No, I don’t think you did. Bethany,
dear, I believe Father’s plans for
you have become entirely clear.
BETHANY
Oh... oh, no. It’s that man, isn’t
it? That man Frederick Donner...
Father is going to make me... oh,
no.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 75.
Bethany breaks down into tears.
EMMA
Heaven help us.
Abigail becomes upset at Bethany’s tears, but is held back
by the pull of propriety.
ABIGAIL
Oh, my... miss, whatever is the
matter?
BETHANY
So it is true! He is selling me
like a sheep.
Abigail cannot help but go to her to try to comfort her.
ABIGAIL
Oh, miss, I... I don’t know what
to—
BETHANY
What am I going to do?
EMMA
Rowan warned me of this, but--
BETHANY
Rowan knew!? Why didn’t he tell me?
Why didn’t you tell me?
EMMA
Please, Bethany, it doesn’t matter
now.
BETHANY
How could you keep this from me?
EMMA
I was waiting until the time was
right! I was going to help you!
BETHANY
How?
EMMA
I-- I don’t know yet.
She glances at Abigail, as if just remembering that she was
there.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 76.
EMMA
But not now, Bethany, this is a
family matter.
BETHANY
Bother family matters, Emma! You
all say family matters when you
mean lies and secrets! I won’t have
any more of it!
She turns to Abigail and collapses in on herself.
BETHANY
I... I’m sorry, Mrs. Barrows. But I
don’t know what to do.
ABIGAIL
Oh, not at all, child.
Abigail looks at her with pity. Briefly she struggles with
herself, then tosses propriety to the wind.
ABIGAIL
If you’d like, you can tell me your
troubles. There may be something I
can do.
EMMA
Mrs. Barrows...
BETHANY
We must have help from somewhere,
Emma.
Emma considers uncomfortably a moment, then looks at
Bethany’s tear-stained face. At last she relents.
EMMA
(sighing)
Yes. Yes, we must.
ABIGAIL
Please, tell me. Perhaps... perhaps
I can help.
They all sit down in the parlor to talk.
77.
INT. LORING’S END - STUDY - 1917
Reginald finishes up his day’s work. He stretches and rises
from his chair. He gathers up the papers he was working on
and goes over to Emma’s desk to hand them to her. He kisses
her cheek and exits.
Emma gets up to file the folder. She opens a cabinet against
one wall and slips it in, watching her father out of the
corner of her eye. When he is gone, she digs through the
entire archive. She searches quickly, almost frantically,
casting nervous glances over her shoulder.
Finally she pulls out several documents, looking over them
intensely. It is the contract, the words "Gesellschaft
Donner" clearly visible. She tucks the documents into her
jacket. Then she goes to the gas lamp in the corner and
turns it out.
INT. LORING’S END - FOYER - 1917
Bethany is dressing to go out, putting on a shawl and bonnet
over her dress. Emma enters, looks around, and pulls her
sister into the dark parlor.
INT. LORING’S END - PARLOR - 1917
Leaning in close, Emma presses the stolen documents into
Bethany’s hands and explains, very intensely, what they are
and what she is to do with them. Bethany attends wide-eyed,
and nods.
INT. DRESSMAKER’S SHOP - 1917
Bethany enters a dressmaker’s shop. Several seamstresses are
at work, sewing dresses and working with their clients.
Bethany looks around uncertainly, then speaks to one of the
women. The seamstress calls over Abigail, who greets her and
ushers her into a back room.
INT. DRESSMAKER’S SHOP - BACK ROOM - 1917
Bethany wears her half-finished blue gown as Abigail fusses
over her fitting it to her body with pins.
Once Abigail is satisfied, she removes the basting stitches
attaching the front of the bodice to the skirt. Very
carefully, she folds the documents and slides them into the
lining against Bethany’s midriff, repinning the outer
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 78.
material beneath each one. Finally Abigail drapes the
dress’s hip swag in place to obscure the waist seam.
END FLASHBACK.
INT. LORING’S END - CONSTANCE’S CLOSET
TOM
They put these here to steal away
the evidence against Reginald.
Emma... and my mother.
ALICE
Did Emma know this was still here?
TOM
She must have.
ALICE
But she wanted to you make her
another one!
TOM
Yes, a perfect copy-- not something
close, but a perfect copy! Because
only a perfect copy could replace
the original.
ALICE
She was going to swap them?
(realizing) So she could get the
documents without anyone knowing
they were gone. My God. It was
Grandfather, wasn’t it? He must
have found her out and tried to
stop her! The monster killed her to
keep his secret! His own daughter!
Tom tries to calm her, but she won’t be quieted.
CONSTANCE (O.S.)
Alice? Is that you?
Suddenly they hear the sound of footsteps approaching. Tom
and Alice look at each other, startled. Constance’s muffled
voice can be heard from the bedroom.
ALICE
Oh, no. Aunt Constance! She’s
coming in! Tom, you have to hide,
she can’t see you in here!
She looks around the closet frantically.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 79.
ALICE
We have to--
She pushes Tom into the hanging clothes. He crouches down
and she pulls the dress in close around him to conceal him.
Then Alice turns to Bethany’s gown. She is drawing the sheet
back over the dress form when Constance comes into the
closet.
Alice drops the sheet and spins around guiltily. Constance
looks at her blearily, still not completely lucid.
CONSTANCE
Alice? What are you doing in my
wardrobe?
ALICE
I-- I was looking for you, Aunt. I
wanted to ask you-- about my dress.
For the coming out ball.
Constance nods absently, looking over Alice’s shoulder.
Alice turns back to follow her gaze and sees the
half-covered blue gown.
ALICE
Then I... I found this.
CONSTANCE
I see.
Constance moves past her and goes to the dress. She pushes
the sheet off, allowing it to puddle on the ground. She runs
the tips of her fingers over it, including skimming over the
hip swag. Alice tenses at this, but Constance doesn’t seem
to notice any difference.
ALICE
It’s beautiful.
CONSTANCE
As beautiful as she was. That
clipping didn’t do her justice. I
thought they would bury her in it,
but Father saved it.
ALICE
He did?
Constance doesn’t answer.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 80.
ALICE
Aunt Constance, I want to ask you
something.
CONSTANCE
She would only have ruined it if
she’d gone out into the garden.
ALICE
Aunt Constance. Did you know...
anything about what Grandfather was
doing?
CONSTANCE
Of course, dear.
ALICE
You... you did?
CONSTANCE
He arranged marriages for all of
us. For Bethany... then for me...
you mustn’t think we were all to
end up like Emma...
She turns to Alice and begins stroking her hair back.
CONSTANCE
But you must forgive me, Alice. We
are a little behind schedule, I
suppose.
ALICE
Behind schedule? For what?
Constance lays her hands against Alice’s cheeks.
CONSTANCE
You didn’t think I’d let you become
an old maid too, did you? Whatever
would people say?
She turns and, with one hand against the racks of clothing
for balance, begins slowly walking out of the wardrobe.
Alice follows hard on her heels.
ALICE
Aunt Constance, what are you
talking about?
CONSTANCE
Bethany had already been taken care
of by the time of her coming out,
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 81.
CONSTANCE (cont’d)
but no matter, there will be plenty
of fine young men to meet at yours.
We’ll find someone for you, don’t
you worry.
Alice stops dead in her tracks.
ALICE
You’re going to arrange a marriage
for me?
Constance cranes her head unsteadily to look at her.
CONSTANCE
Of course your uncle and I want to
see to your future.
From his hiding place in the clothes, Tom’s eyes go wide.
ALICE
But why!?
CONSTANCE
Because that’s how things are done.
Alice moves up close to her.
ALICE
But... but I don’t want to get
married!
Constance looks at her uncomprehendingly for a moment.
CONSTANCE
You don’t? My poor dear. I fear
that in this life we seldom find
things go the way we want.
Constance pats Alice’s cheek, then leaves the room. Alice’s
face is horrified.
EXT. LORING’S END - GROUNDS
Alice pokes her head out of the kitchen door and looks
around. Seeing the coast is clear, she opens the door and
she and Tom slips out into the yard.
TOM
What are we going to do?
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 82.
ALICE
What do you mean?
TOM
How are we going to stop this?
ALICE
I don’t know if we can!
TOM
So you’re just going to go along
with it?
ALICE
Tom!
TOM
Hasn’t your family done enough
damage that way?
ALICE
I can’t just tell them no!
TOM
You have to! Or else you’ll be
married off. Or else we can’t--
He cuts himself off suddenly and looks away.
ALICE
Or else we can’t what?
Tom doesn’t answer.
ALICE
Do you... do you have feelings for
me, Tom?
TOM
Alice...
ALICE
Do you?
TOM
Yes. Yes, Alice! Is that so wrong?
ALICE
My God.
TOM
I thought... I thought you might
too. For me.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 83.
ALICE
Tom, I... even I did, how could we
ever... be anything?
TOM
(echoing her)
How?
ALICE
Tom, I’m a Loring. They won’t let
me-- I can’t just... be with
anybody.
TOM
Anybody? Or a tradesman like me.
ALICE
Tom!
TOM
I’m sorry to have presumed on you.
He turns and storms away.
ALICE
Tom, wait! I need you.
TOM
Don’t worry. I’m still going to
help you. And I haven’t asked you
for anything.
He leaves. Alice claps her hands over her mouth as tears
come to her eyes.
INT. DELLA’S PUB - NIGHT
Tom comes into Della’s pub. His mouth is hard set in anger
when he sits down at the bar. Della is serving some patrons,
but once she sets down her plates she comes over.
DELLA
Evening there, dear. Were you up
with Miss Loring again? How are
things there?
She looks Tom in the eye and sees his glare.
DELLA
What’s happened?
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 84.
TOM
You were right, Del. About Alice.
DELLA
Aw, Tom. I’m real sorry. Really I
am.
TOM
Thanks.
DELLA
At least now you can get back to
your own life. You’ve sure got
enough on your plate already.
TOM
Can’t do that, Del.
DELLA
Honey! Why would you put yourself
through that?
TOM
I made her a promise. I mean to
keep it, whatever else.
Della sighs and looks down, then nods.
DELLA
I’ll bring you a little something.
It’ll make you feel better.
Tom nods, not looking at her. He turns around in his chair
and looks out over the room. Out of the corner of his eye,
he notices Kenneth slumped at a table on the far side of the
room.
Kenneth spots him looking. He quickly averts his eyes, then
starts pulling on his coat. Tom notices he moves his right
arm awkwardly and it is bound up in a bandage. He starts
moving toward the door, and Tom’s eyes narrow.
TOM
I have to run, Del.
DELLA
Tom!
TOM
It’s something I have to do.
Tom goes out of the pub after him.
85.
EXT. DELLA’S PUB - ALLEYWAY - NIGHT
Kenneth makes his way down the alley beside the pub,
cradling his right arm inside his coat.
TOM (O.S.)
Hey! Stop there!
Kenneth looks around frantically, but doesn’t see anyone. He
abruptly changes directions, but Tom jumps down from a ledge
on the pub building and blocks his escape.
KENNETH
Jesus Christ! You!
TOM
What were you doing out that other
night?
KENNETH
What? Let me go!
TOM
Not until you talk to me! When I
ran into you on the road, what were
you doing?
KENNETH
None of your business!
TOM
I was up at the Lorings’ place,
just like you said. And I think you
were too.
KENNETH
What are you talking about?
TOM
You were the one who broke in,
weren’t you?
KENNETH
Screw off!
He tries to push past Tom, but Tom doesn’t let him through.
TOM
You had your arm hurt just like the
burglar. You were hanging around
just outside the grounds. And
you’re too hot after anything to do
with that family.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 86.
Kenneth gives up and turns around to go the other way. Tom
follows hard on his heels.
KENNETH
Oh, you got no idea!
TOM
What do you have against the
Lorings?
KENNETH
Plenty, boy!
TOM
Did you want something from them?
Money? What did they ever do to
you?
KENNETH
More than you’ll ever know! So
leave me to my own business!
Tom moves to stand in front of him.
TOM
Tell me what you’re up to.
KENNETH
No!
TOM
I could have the police after you
in a minute! You were real sore
against Miss Emma, weren’t you?
KENNETH
So what if I was?
TOM
Because she’s dead, that’s what!
Because somebody killed her, and I
think it was you!
KENNETH
Me? I didn’t do nothing to her!
TOM
You broke into her house and went
digging through her things. We know
what you were after, Kenneth. We
found Emma’s papers. She was
looking into the death of Bethany
Loring.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 87.
KENNETH
I know that!
TOM
What did you want with those
papers? Did you have something to
do with that too?
KENNETH
You don’t know what you’re on
about!
TOM
Did you want to hurt that girl too?
KENNETH
(yelling over Tom)
I never! I wanted to marry her!
Tom stops dead and looks at Kenneth in shock.
TOM
What?
Kenneth advances on him now.
KENNETH
You think you know everything just
because that little niece let you
in? Think you’re so damn clever?
You don’t know a bit of what went
on in that house! I never would
have hurt that girl in a thousand
years.
He breaks a little.
KENNETH
Bethany and me... we were... we
loved each other.
TOM
How did you know her?
KENNETH
Why the hell should I tell you?
TOM
So I understand! So I believe you
when say you didn’t hurt anyone!
Kenneth sneers and tries to leave again.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 88.
TOM
Because I’m not going to let you
alone until you do!
Kenneth stops and takes a deep breath. Slowly he turns back
around.
KENNETH
We worked there. At the Lorings’.
My old man was Loring’s valet. I
was a stable boy.
TOM
Yeah?
KENNETH
Her father had me give Bethany her
riding lessons, and we got to
talking. She was about my age, and
such a nice girl... we fell in
love.
TOM
Nobody ever told me about Bethany
having a sweetheart.
KENNETH
We kept it secret! We had to! Her
father never would have stood for
it. He had bigger plans for his
baby girl than some ruffian minding
horses. We didn’t know how we were
going to be together, but...
TOM
Did something change?
KENNETH
Emma found us out.
EXT. LORING’S END - STABLES - 1917
BEGIN FLASHBACK:
Back in 1917, a young Emma Loring walks into the stables at
Loring’s End.
EMMA
Bethany? Mrs. Warren said you were
out here. Bethany?
She comes upon Kenneth and Bethany in an embrace. She stops
in her tracks. The lovers notice her and spring apart.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 89.
BETHANY
Emma!
EMMA
Oh, Bethany...
BETHANY
What are you doing here?
EMMA
Looking for you.
She looks askance at Kenneth, who stares back at her in
terror.
EMMA
I wondered why you were suddenly so
devoted to your riding lessons.
KENNETH
Oh, please, miss--
Bethany runs up to her sister.
BETHANY
Emma, you can’t tell anyone.
EMMA
Bethany, what are you doing?
KENNETH
Miss, you don’t understand.
BETHANY
I love him, and he loves me.
EMMA
I see. How long has this been going
on?
Kenneth and Bethany exchange a look and don’t immediately
answer. Finally Kenneth cracks.
KENNETH
Since last spring, miss.
EMMA
Oh, good heavens. I see we’re all
such practiced secret keepers.
Emma turns to walk away, but Bethany keeps after her with
Kenneth trailing awkwardly behind.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 90.
BETHANY
Father would never understand. He’d
just try to keep us apart!
KENNETH
I swear, miss, I only mean to be
good to your sister. I’d never
bring her to any harm. I love her,
miss.
BETHANY
Please!
She grabs a hold of Emma’s arm, stops her, and makes her
turn to look at her.
BETHANY
Emma.
Emma gives her a long hard stare, then finally relents as if
exhausted.
EMMA
Very well, dear.
END FLASHBACK.
EXT. DOWNTOWN - NIGHT - PRESENT DAY
Back in the present, Kenneth leans against the wall, not
looking at Tom.
KENNETH
I kept waiting for her old man or
her big brother to come down on us,
but they never did, so I suppose
she kept her promise. She never
spoke to us about it again until we
found out about what Mr. Loring was
planning.
TOM
The arranged marriage.
KENNETH
Yes. How do you know that?
TOM
It was in Emma’s papers.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 91.
KENNETH
She said she was going to help us.
She hatched the plan, it was her
idea!
TOM
What plan?
KENNETH
To get away! For me to whisk
Bethany away from her coming out
ball and slip off into the night.
She said she had something.
TOM
Had something?
KENNETH
Something that if Loring ever came
after us, we could make sure he’d
stay away. I don’t know what, she
never told me. But I trusted her,
that cold bitch, for all the good
it did.
TOM
The papers. The papers my mother
sewed into the dress. They could
have exposed him as a collaborator
with the Germans.
KENNETH
The old man was collaborating? Oh,
that self-righteous old bastard!
Damn shame he never got what he
deserved.
TOM
So what happened?
KENNETH
I did what she said. I waited for
Bethany just outside the party. I
waited for hours, it felt like. All
night. Then I heard how they found
her, all broken like that... I
never got to see her again.
TOM
What went wrong?
Kenneth throws up his hands.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 92.
KENNETH
That’s the devil of it! I don’t
know! I was there at the garden
gate just like we planned, but she
never came to meet me.
TOM
And Emma blamed you.
KENNETH
For letting it happen. Afterward
she chased me off. Dismissed me
from my job and told me never to
show my face at Loring’s End again.
The hag wanted someone to blame so
she settled on me.
TOM
And you swear you didn’t have
anything to do with it?
KENNETH
I was a stupid boy, Tom! Just like
you are. But I loved her, and
there’s nothing I wouldn’t have
done to keep her safe.
TOM
And not Miss Emma either?
KENNETH
I didn’t kill her. More like she
killed me. Swear on poor Bethany’s
grave.
Tom regards him very seriously a moment.
TOM
Then... help me.
KENNETH
Help you?
TOM
Yes. Help me figure out what’s
going on here. It may be the only
way to ever know what really
happened to Bethany.
KENNETH
And... you won’t turn me in to the
cops?
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 93.
TOM
If what you say is true, no, I
won’t. Just work with me.
Kenneth stares at him incredulously.
TOM
We’ve got almost twenty years of
secrets to dig through here. I need
all the help I can get.
Kenneth is still unconvinced. Tom bites his lip and
considers, then decides to pull out the big guns.
TOM
And then there’s Miss Alice.
She’s... she’s a real nice girl,
Kenneth. She needs all the help she
can get too.
KENNETH
For all the good an old drunk like
me can do you... I’ll help you how
I can.
TOM
Thank you. Listen, I’m sorry about
how Miss Emma treated you. But I
think she hurt just like you do.
Whatever she was doing, I think she
just wanted to know what happened.
KENNETH
Might be.
TOM
She must have thought about her a
lot. Bethany, I mean. When she came
to me, she wanted me to make a copy
of Bethany’s gown. She gave me this
picture of her.
Kenneth suddenly snaps to attention.
KENNETH
Picture? Could I... could I see it?
Tom pulls out the newspaper clipping of Bethany and hands it
to Kenneth. His face breaks and he collapses in on himself a
little.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 94.
KENNETH
Haven’t seen her in years. Didn’t
have no pictures of her. Afraid I
was going to forget what she looked
like... My God, she was beautiful.
TOM
I’m sorry.
KENNETH
Not as sorry as I am.
He hands back the clipping.
KENNETH
Go on now, Tom. I’ll be seeing you
around. Let’s make it in the
daylight next time, with no more
shoving.
Kenneth collects himself and turns away down the alley.
INT. DELLA’S PUB - NIGHT
Della is working when Alice comes into the pub, dressed in a
jacket and a hat. She makes her way tentatively through the
crowd and over to Della at the bar.
ALICE
Excuse me. Are you Miss Carruthers?
DELLA
Call me Della.
ALICE
My name is Alice Loring.
DELLA
Oh, so you’re Miss Alice.
ALICE
Yes. It’s nice to meet you. Tom
Barrows has told me a lot about
you.
DELLA
Likewise. What brings you down
here, miss?
ALICE
I-- I, um, was hoping to talk to
Tom. He’s not at his shop, so I
thought I might find him here.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 95.
DELLA
Afraid he just left, miss. Couldn’t
tell you where he went.
ALICE
Oh. Well, I said some awful things
to him that I never should have
said. So if you see him, could you
tell him how sorry I am? And
that... I didn’t mean it? Would you
tell him that for me?
DELLA
Sure I will, miss. Though I don’t
doubt that before long you’ll be
able to tell him yourself.
Alice nods, unconvinced.
ALICE
Thank you. I suppose I’ll be on my
way then.
DELLA
All right, miss. Stay safe now.
Alice goes to leave. Della watches her with a considering
look on her face, then shakes her head.
DELLA
Miss, wait.
She turns back with an inquiring look.
DELLA
If you wait a moment, I think he
might be back soon.
Alice is unsure for a moment, then returns to sit at the bar
with Della. She waits there in silence for a while.
Finally Tom comes back into pub. His head is hanging
tiredly, but he snaps to attention when he sees Alice.
Della appears at his elbow, and he looks to her. She nods
and nudges him to go over and talk to her.
Tom goes to the bar and sits beside Alice. When he lays his
arm on the table, Alice places her hand over his.
ALICE
I’m sorry, Tom. And I want to try.
Tom smiles.
96.
INT. DELLA’S PUB - LATE
The pub has cleared out, and Alice and Tom are helping Della
and her small staff close up, stacking the chairs on the
tabletops. As they finish up, they sit together at one last
table.
DELLA
Sure it’s all right that you’re out
this late on your own, miss?
ALICE
I sneaked out. They don’t know I’m
gone. I couldn’t stand to stay in
that house anymore. Not knowing
what Grandfather did.
TOM
Maybe so, Alice, but he died before
any of this happened to Emma. He
couldn’t have done that.
DELLA
And now you’re sure old Kenneth
isn’t responsible.
TOM
He seemed genuine to me. Like a
poor old guy with a lost love.
DELLA
Never knew that about him. Poor old
guy.
TOM
And whoever did kill Emma didn’t
want her to dig up the secrets she
was after. Kenneth would hardly
want to protect Reginald Loring
from anything.
ALICE
So what’s to be done? It’s as if
we’ve learned everything except who
did it.
TOM
I think we should keep on with
Emma’s plan.
ALICE
What?
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 97.
TOM
Emma was on the trail of what
really happened. She must have
found what she was looking for.
DELLA
And look what happened! Seems
you’re like as not to bring a
killer down on your heads just like
Miss Loring did.
TOM
Maybe so. But I can’t think of any
other way to find this out.
ALICE
What was Emma going to do now?
TOM
Well, the last thing she did was
come to me. I’m going to do her
commission.
ALICE
Bethany’s dress?
DELLA
Tom! You’ve hardly had the time as
it is!
TOM
You could help me! Both of you.
ALICE
Could we?
TOM
If-- if you have the time.
DELLA
Tom, you know I’d do anything for
you, but I’m no good with a needle.
TOM
Might be, but you’ve got two hands,
you can help with other things.
DELLA
And what’s going to happen when
it’s made?
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 98.
ALICE
We would switch it out, like she
planned. And bring the documents to
light, like she was going to.
TOM
If that doesn’t draw them out,
nothing will.
DELLA
(sighing)
If you’re set on this, Tom, well,
you’re going to need help getting
through it. I’m in.
TOM
Thank you, Del.
ALICE
Yes, thank you.
Della touches Tom on the shoulder.
DELLA
No trouble for this one. You won’t
meet a better man than him.
She smiles at Alice and moves off. Alice and Tom regard one
another, a little awkwardly.
ALICE
So Bethany loved this stable boy.
TOM
Yeah. And look how well that turned
out.
ALICE
She must have seen something in him
to make it worth it. Like... if he
were the best man she knew.
Tom smiles at her.
TOM
Emma trusted my mother to help her
save Bethany.
ALICE
It was brave of her.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 99.
TOM
I can’t do any less.
ALICE
Tell me what to do.
Tom takes her hand, and after a moment, kisses it.
TOM
We have to finish what she and Emma
started.
He takes out the clipping of Bethany and lays it on the
table.
TOM
We have to make that dress.
INT. TAILOR SHOP - DAY
BEGIN MONTAGE.
Tom lays a blank book open on his worktable and begins to
sketch the gown. He generates a view of the front, and then
a view of the back. Unlike the last time, his sketching is
confident and sure.
Tom and Della unroll the bolt of blue silk and cut a large
section of the material. Alice stands with her arms open
wide as Della and Tom drape the dress on her with the silk.
Tom directs Della to hold here and move there as he pins and
tweaks and marks with chalk.
Della cuts along the chalked lines on the silk as Tom
threads his sewing machine.
EXT. DELLA’S PUB - ALLEYWAY - DAY
Tom waits in the alley until he sees Kenneth. Kenneth
regards him warily at first, but Tom approaches him
earnestly to talk. Kenneth listens and nods.
Tom hands him a wrapped bundle such as he uses at his shop.
Kenneth pulls a suit jacket out of it and looks at him
incredulously. Tom grins, spreads his hands, and backs away
down the alley.
100.
INT. POLICE STATION - DAY
Alice walks into the police station. She approaches the
front desk and speaks to the receptionist. In a moment the
receptionist goes and fetches Officer Crier. Alice speaks to
him and he takes out a pad and jots down notes, nodding.
INT. TAILOR SHOP - DAY
Tom lays out the partially finished dress on the work table,
and, laying out Abigail’s journal for reference, begins
chalking the outline of the lily design on the bodice.
EXT. LORING’S END - GROUNDS - AFTERNOON
Edmund Danbury directs a crew of servants who set up the
lawn at Loring’s End for Alice’s coming out party. They
bring out long tables and hang colored lanterns to make the
place festive.
Alice threads her way through the activity with am
umcomfortable expression on her face. She passes by her
uncle, who takes her by the shoulder and gestures
expansively to the preparations for her party. She forces a
smile for him, and he pats her on the cheek before
continuing on.
INT. TAILOR’S SHOP - EVENING
Wearing his loupes, Tom is hand-embroidering blue and white
beads onto the gown. He stretches his neck and rubs his eyes
tiredly behind the loupes. Della comes up to lay a cup of
tea at his elbow. He takes a drink and looks up at her
gratefully, then returns to work.
Alice comes into the shop as Tom is inspecting his work. He
hands her the dress and looks to her expectantly. Della
gestures scoldingly for him to turn around so she can
change. He starts guiltily and turns, waiting impatiently
for her to get done.
Finally Della’s hand touches his shoulder. Tom turns around
to see Alice dressed in the blue gown. It fits her perfectly
and exactly resembles the dress that belonged to Bethany.
She looks so beautiful that Tom is momentarily speechless.
Della smiles, and gathers up a white box of her own.
END OF MONTAGE.
101.
INT. LORING’S END - FOYER
Alice is peering out the window of the house, dressed in her
new gown with her hair elegantly done up and silver jewelry
on, watching guests disembark from carriages and come in
through the front gate.
A handsome young man comes up the path toward the house. He
has impeccably styled hair and a perfectly fitted
three-piece suit. Alice regards him warily, but gapes in
surprise when she realizes that this well-dressed man is
Tom. She runs to the door to open it.
ALICE
Tom!?
He smiles shyly at her.
TOM
I wanted to see how you were before
things get underway.
ALICE
I’m fine. You look... wonderful.
TOM
Well, I told you. I mostly make
gentlemen’s suits these days.
Listen, I’ll be in the crowd. I’ve
got Kenneth, Della, and Crier out
there too, and we’re all going to
be keeping an eye out.
ALICE
An eye out for what?
TOM
For whatever happens. We’ll be
there. I’ll be there.
Alice suddenly hugs him, tightly.
ALICE
Thank you, Tom. For everything.
TOM
Of course, Alice.
She releases him slowly.
ALICE
Well... I suppose I’d better get to
my place. Uncle Edmund expects me
to make an entrance.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 102.
TOM
Go now. And don’t worry.
ALICE
I’ll try.
She goes to leave. Tom turns to face the party, straightens
his tie, and with a deep breath plunges in.
EXT. LORING’S END - GROUNDS - AFTERNOON
The guests are milling around with drinks, all dressed in
fancy party clothes. Kenneth, looking more respectable in
the suit Tom gave him, hangs uncomfortably around the
fringes, watching. Tom and Della, also dressed up, stand
shoulder to shoulder as they scan the party.
DELLA
I still don’t know what we’re
looking for.
TOM
Something out of the ordinary.
DELLA
Like a barmaid, a tailor, and an
old drunk staking out a society
party?
TOM
Wait till Alice comes out.
DELLA
Why?
TOM
The dress is the key somehow. I’ve
got a feeling in my gut.
DELLA
All right. Let’s hope old Miss Emma
knew what she was on about.
Della sips her drink and moves on.
EXT. LORING’S END - GROUNDS
Kenneth comes up to Tom.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 103.
KENNETH
When this show going to get on the
road?
TOM
Soon.
Kenneth watches other guests with drinks in their hands.
KENNETH
Time crawls a lot slower when
you’re dry.
TOM
Not tonight, Ken.
Tom looks out over the party and sees the table where Edmund
and Constance are sitting. Edmund stands up and raises his
arms.
EDMUND
Excuse me, everyone! If I may have
your attention... I want to thank
you all for coming today to
celebrate this day with my lovely
niece, Miss Alice Loring.
Alice appears then to stand beside him, smiling tentatively.
Tom notices Kenneth fall in on himself a little beside him.
Briefly he glances in Kenneth’s direction.
TOM
You all right?
KENNETH
Christ on the cross, Tom, look at
her. She could be my Bethany born
again.
Tom grasps him on the shoulder in sympathy. He glances back
over to the family table. He is somewhat surprised to see
that Constance seems to be having a very similar reaction to
Kenneth.
KENNETH
I... I need a moment, Tom.
He clings to Tom’s arm as if to keep his balance.
TOM
It’s all right, go take it.
104.
Tom steadies him and helps him take a few steps until he is
able to stand on his own. Tom turns back to look at the
table, but Constance is no longer sitting there. His eyes
narrow in confusion. He shakes his head and keeps moving.
EXT. LORING’S END - GROUNDS
Tom is making his way through the party, expression screwed
up in thought.
CRIER (O.S.)
Tom!
Crier approaches, wearing a dress uniform and carrying a
leather folder.
CRIER
Got to say, it’s making me uneasy
how much this whole thing feels
like Bethany’s party.
TOM
I know. But we’re not going to let
Alice out of our sight. If she goes
out into the garden, I’m going with
her.
CRIER
The garden? Why do you say that?
TOM
Bethany was heading to the garden
that night.
Crier flips through a file in his folder.
CRIER
She was? That’s... not in the
report. They found her on the path.
Where’d you get that from?
TOM
Somebody... told me.
CRIER
Told you? How could anyone know to
tell you? You’d have had to be
there.
Tom thinks for a minute. Then he realizes and jumps up.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 105.
CRIER
Was somebody there--?
TOM
Follow me, Crier.
CRIER
What’s gotten into you? What about
Alice?
TOM
Please, trust me on this!
Crier hesitates only a moment, but takes off after him.
INT. LORING’S END - CONSTANCE’S ROOM
Tom makes his way through the house as quickly and quietly
as possible toward the master bedroom. The door is closed,
but he grasps the knob, takes and deep breath, and throws it
open.
Constance is slumped down on the bed, her breathing harsh
and ragged. She twists around at the sound of the door and
looks up at Tom in a panic.
CONSTANCE
Who-- who are you? What are you
doing in here!?
TOM
Come off it. You remember me.
Constance stares at him wide-eyed for a moment. At last she
dispenses with the horrified look and her expression becomes
cold and composed.
CONSTANCE
I didn’t at first. But now, yes, I
remember you. With all the time
you’ve spent hanging around my
niece.
Tom looks around. A candle is burning smokily in a holder
with a wide basin with smoldering ash in it. Laying spread
out on the bed past Constance is Bethany’s original dress.
TOM
What are you doing with that?
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 106.
CONSTANCE
Putting sleeping dogs to lie at
last.
She reaches for the candle with a piece of old paper folded
up in her hand. Tom moves like lightning and takes it from
her before she can reach the flame. He looks at the paper
and recognizes it as one of the incriminating documents
hidden in the dress. She glares up at him coldly.
TOM
You found the evidence against Mr.
Loring.
CONSTANCE
Of course I did. Someone tore open
a prized family heirloom. It was
you, wasn’t it?
Tom doesn’t answer.
CONSTANCE
Did you think I wouldn’t see? Of
course. But you can’t hide anything
from someone you don’t bother to
notice is watching.
TOM
Nobody ever bothered to notice, did
they? That’s how you caught on to
Bethany.
CONSTANCE
They thought they were so clever
and subtle, her and her stable boy,
with their whispered plotting and
their secret meetings and their
notes passing back and forth. But I
saw it all.
TOM
You did, didn’t you? I heard what
you said in your closet. You said
Bethany was going to the garden.
But you couldn’t have known that
unless you were there with her the
night she died. I think you killed
her.
Constance is silent for a while.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 107.
TOM
Why?
She considers one of the incriminating documents.
CONSTANCE
Papa made sure everything always
went his way. But he had one child
more than he needed. He trusted
Emma, made her think she was so
capable and important. Rowan was
his only son, the hope for his
future. And Bethany... Bethany was
a beautiful little idiot, his
precious baby and the apple of his
eye. I did everything he asked...
and he never had a moment for me.
He gave Bethany everything, and she
was going to throw it all away... I
wasn’t about to let her get away
with everything one more time.
TOM
She was your sister!
CONSTANCE
She was a spoiled child!
EXT. LORING’S END - GROUNDS - 1917
BEGIN FLASHBACK:
Bethany is nervously walking down the path as her coming out
party goes on in the background. The sound of someone else’s
footsteps makes her freeze.
BETHANY
Who’s there?
She takes tenative steps forward.
BETHANY
Kenneth? Kenneth, is that you?
Constance emerges from the darkness onto the path.
CONSTANCE
It’s me, you little brat.
BETHANY
Constance? What are you doing here?
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 108.
CONSTANCE
Looking for you. Everyone’s
wondering where you are. You are
the lady of the hour.
BETHANY
Oh, I was just... I’m not feeling
well, Connie, I think I’m going to
go inside.
CONSTANCE
Don’t lie to me, Bethany. Get back
to the party and do as you’re told.
BETHANY
Please, you don’t understand, just
let me go!
CONSTANCE
Oh, you little fool. I know about
you and your stable boy.
BETHANY
Constance, I can’t go back!
Father’s going to make me marry
that horrible Frederick Donner!
CONSTANCE
You ungrateful little wretch!
You’ll go back and do as you’re
told!
BETHANY
I won’t! I won’t marry that man, I
won’t! I’d rather die!
Constance’s hand cracks across Bethany’s cheek. Her head
jerks to the side and she gasps.
CONSTANCE
Do you have any idea what you
have!? (voice breaking) He never
even looked at me!
Bethany realizes her sister’s feelings and her expression
turns to pity.
BETHANY
Oh, Connie, I’m sorry. Just let me
go. You can have him!
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 109.
CONSTANCE
Have him? He wanted you! Not me!
She grabs Bethany by the arm and begins dragging her.
CONSTANCE
You are coming with me.
BETHANY
Oh, God, no. Please, God, no!
CONSTANCE
Father will hear of this. About
your stable boy, about everything.
Maybe for once Father will see you
for the spoiled child you are.
Bethany tries to pull away, but Constances grabs hold of her
and gives her a hard shake. Bethany struggles and cries.
BETHANY
Kenneth! Kenneth!
CONSTANCE
Shut up, Bethany, shut up!
Constance’s fist lashes out again to catch Bethany hard
across the chin. Her head snaps back, she skitters a few
steps backwards, and she falls. Her head cracks against the
jagged stones lining the path. She lets out a small cry of
pain, then her head lolls to the side. Constance stares at
what she’s done in horror.
CONSTANCE
Bethany? Bethany?
She crouches down beside her sister, but the light has gone
out of her still-open eyes, and a small pool of blood is
forming beneath her head.
CONSTANCE
Oh... oh, no...
She springs to her feet and bolts a short way back down the
path towards the party. But then she stops herself, fixes
her dress and smooths her hair, and hands folded, walks
sedately onward.
END FLASHBACK.
110.
INT. LORING’S END - CONSTANCE’S ROOM - PRESENT DAY
CONSTANCE
It was an accident... I never meant
to hurt her... she just wouldn’t
listen.
Tom regards Constance in disgust.
TOM
And you never told anyone in twenty
years... Emma was about to find
out, wasn’t she?
CONSTANCE
Emma always thought she knew best.
Like the burden of the world was on
her.
TOM
You couldn’t let her expose you.
CONSTANCE
Me? She was going to expose Father.
Ruin the reputation he had worked
all his life to build.
TOM
He was a war criminal.
CONSTANCE
He did was he had to do for the
sake of the family. Everything she
was depended on that, but she
didn’t care. Ungrateful girls, who
were given everything, and they
didn’t care...
TOM
So your poisoned her. With your
laudanum.
CONSTANCE
She was hysterical. She was going
to do something rash, she needed to
be calmed down. It was an accident.
I never meant--
TOM
To hurt her. So that wasn’t your
fault either.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 111.
CONSTANCE
Of course you wouldn’t understand.
You’re nobody, and yet nobody
forgets you. I was supposed to be
somebody, and nobody remembers me.
Tom stares at her hard for a moment, then nods.
TOM
Officer Crier?
Crier appears in the doorway, his expression grim.
CRIER
Mrs. Constance Danbury, you are
under arrest for the murder of
Misses Emma... and Bethany Loring.
You’ll have to come with me.
CONSTANCE
No need, young man.
Constance rises unsteadily from the bed and goes to the
armchair. She reaches a bottle that rests on the side table.
She turns it so the word LAUDANUM can be seen on the label,
and how it is completely empty.
CONSTANCE
It’s long past time.
TOM
They were your sisters.
CONSTANCE
God can be cruel that way.
Constance leans back in her chair, takes a deep breath, and
closes her eyes.
INT. LORING’S END - CONSTANCE’S ROOM
Crier has a team of police officers gathering up Constance’s
body.
EXT. LORING’S END - GROUNDS
They carry her out as the party guests disperse in shock.
Crier, hat in his hands, speaks to Edmund and Alice to tell
them what happened. Edmund looks dazed, while Alice covers
her mouth with her hands as tears well in her eyes.
112.
EXT. LORING’S END - GROUNDS
Della comes up to Tom and hugs him.
DELLA
You did it, boy.
TOM
Thanks, Del.
DELLA
Listen, come by the pub Saturday
night. I’ll see that we send you up
right. For doing something as crazy
and brave as this.
TOM
Couldn’t have done it with you.
Over her shoulder he notices Kenneth, watching the police
processional go.
EXT. LORING’S END - FRONT GATE
Tom walks up beside Kenneth.
TOM
How are you?
Kenneth shrugs, exhausted.
KENNETH
Can’t believe that was the way it
happened. Their own sister...
Still. It’s good that it’s over
now. It’s better not to wonder.
TOM
That’s something, at least.
KENNETH
I’m grateful to you for that. Now
go on. Find that girl of yours.
She’s going to need you now.
TOM
Kenneth--
KENNETH
Don’t you dare waste the chance you
got now. For Bethany and me. And
for Alice.
113.
Tom nods. He shakes Kenneth’s hand solemnly and goes.
INT. LORING’S END - PARLOR
Tom finds Alice in the parlor. Her hair has been taken down,
but she still wears her blue gown. She looks exhausted and
has been crying. Bethany’s gown is draped over an armchair.
TOM
Alice.
She jumps up to greet him, and holds him close.
ALICE
Tom!
TOM
I’m so sorry, Alice. About
everything--
ALICE
It’s done, Tom. I think... I think
now we can finally move on from all
of this. The family curse is broken
now. I just... none of this ever
would have happened if not for you.
I just wanted to... to thank you...
She kisses him.
TOM
What about your engagement?
ALICE
There won’t be any engagement. I’ll
see that.
TOM
Oh, Alice. I... I... Alice, Della
is throwing a little party for me
at the pub next Saturday. Would
you... would you want to come with
me?
ALICE
I would love that, Tom.
She takes his hand and they leave the house together. The
perfect hem of her skirt brushes over the ragged edge of
Bethany’s gown as she goes.
FADE OUT.
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