Read Downton Abbey Script Book Season 1 for Free Online Page A

you’ve got some bad memories, too? Eh, Mr Bates?
----
    Before he can answer, Carson looks in.
    CARSON: The ladies are out. We’ve given them coffee and his lordship’s taken his port to the library. Anna, Gwen. Go up and help clear away. Daisy, tell Mrs Patmore we’ll eat in fifteen minutes.
    The gathering is broken up.
58 INT. DINING ROOM. NIGHT.
    Thomas and William are stacking the plates and glasses onto trays as the women come in to help. Gwen picks up a plate.
    GWEN: I keep forgetting. Do these go next door or back to the kitchen?
    THOMAS: Those go back. But the dessert service and all the glasses stay in the upstairs pantry.
    WILLIAM: Put it on here.
    She does. He picks up the tray and goes out.
59 INT. SERVERY. NIGHT.
    This little room is next to the dining room, containing sinks and cupboards for the best china and glass. As Thomas puts his tray down, he sees O’Brien watching from the door.
    THOMAS: What is it?
    O’BRIEN: Her ladyship’s told him she thinks Mr Bates ought to go. She said to me: ‘If only his lordship had been content with Thomas.’
    THOMAS: Did she really?
    Anna comes in with a tray.
    ANNA: What are you doing up here?
    O’BRIEN: It’s a free country.
----
    Anna starts to unload the glasses onto the side. Then takes a jug and puts a small amount of water into each one.
    O’BRIEN (CONT’D): Why do you always do that?
    ANNA: Stops the red wine marking before Daisy has a chance to wash up.
----
    She looks at the pair of them hovering.
    ANNA: Well, I’m going for my dinner. You two can stay here plotting.
60 INT. SERVANTS’ PASSAGE. NIGHT.
    Bates is trying to open a door in the kitchen passage. He carries boots, and his stick is making things awkward.
    ANNA (V.O.): Let me.
    She has come upon him unawares.
    BATES: There’s no need.
    She looks at him, understanding his predicament.
    ANNA: Mr Bates, anyone can have their hands full.
    She holds the door for him. For once, his guard is down.
    BATES: Thank you.
    ANNA: We’d better get moving, or they’ll start without us.
    BATES: Just let them try.
    He chuckles. By now, Anna is definitely a friend.
61 EXT. DOWER HOUSE. DAY.
    The Dower House is an attractive villa in the park.
62 INT. DRAWING ROOM. DOWER HOUSE. DAY.
    Watched by Cora, Violet is reading a letter.
    VIOLET: So the young Duke of Crowborough is asking himself to stay.
    CORA: And we know why.
----
    VIOLET: You hope you know why. That is not at all the same. What does Robert say?
    CORA: Not much. Except Crowborough’s had plenty of chances to speak before now if he’d wanted to. But Robert’s being so stubborn about everything at the moment.
    Violet queries this with a look.
    CORA (CONT’D): You’ve heard about his new valet?
    VIOLET: My maid told me.
    CORA: It’s really too tiresome that he won’t see sense.
    VIOLET: On that or anything else.
    CORA: Amen.
----
    VIOLET (CONT’D): You realise the Duke thinks that Mary’s prospects have altered.
    CORA: I suppose so.
    VIOLET: There’s no ‘suppose’ about it.
    She has risen and now she glances approvingly into a glass.
    VIOLET (CONT’D): Of course this is exactly the sort of opportunity that will come to Mary, if we can only get things settled in her favour. Is Robert coming round?
    CORA: Not yet. To him, the risk is we’d succeed in saving my money but not the estate. He feels he’d be betraying his duty if Downton was lost because of him.
    VIOLET: Well, I’m going to write to Murray.
    CORA: He won’t say anything different.
    VIOLET: Well, we have to start somewhere. Our duty is to Mary.
    Cora does not disagree, even if she is not optimistic.
----
    VIOLET (CONT’D): What do the other girls say? Do they know about Crowborough?
    CORA: Not yet. Why?
    VIOLET: I used to think Edith had a soft spot for Patrick … It won’t please her to see Mary a duchess.
    CORA: Oh, no. Edith liked Patrick. We all did. But