"SENSE AND SENSIBILITY" Screenplay by Emma Thompson Based on the novel by Jane Austen EXT. OPEN ROADS - NIGHT - TITLE SEQUENCE A series of traveling shots. A well-dressed, pompous-looking individual (JOHN DASHWOOD, 35) is making an urgent journey on horseback. He looks anxious. EXT. NORLAND PARK - ENGLAND - MARCH 1800 - NIGHT Silence. Norland Park, a large country house built in the early part of the eighteenth century, lies in the moonlit parkland. INT. NORLAND PARK - MR DASHWOOD'S BEDROOM - NIGHT In the dim light shed by candles we see a bed in which a MAN (MR DASHWOOD, 52) lies his skin waxy, his breathing laboured. Around him two silhouettes move and murmur, their clothing susurrating in the deathly hush. DOCTORS. A WOMAN (MRS DASHWOOD, 50) sits by his side, holding his hand, her eyes never leaving his face. MR DASHWOOD (urgent) Is John not yet arrived? MRS DASHWOOD We expect him at any moment, dearest. MR DASHWOOD looks anguished. MR DASHWOOD The girls--I have left so little. MRS DASHWOOD Shh, hush, Henry. MR DASHWOOD Elinor will try to look after you all, but make sure she finds a good husband. The men are such noodles hereabouts, little wonder none has pleased her. They smile at each other. MRS DASHWOOD is just managing to conceal her fear and grief MRS DASHWOOD But Marianne is sure to find her storybook hero. MR DASHWOOD A romantic poet with flashing eyes and empty pockets? MRS DASHWOOD As long as she loves him, whoever he is. MR DASHWOOD Margaret will go to sea and become a pirate so we need not concern ourselves with her. MRS DASHWOOD tries to laugh but it emerges as a sob. An older MANSERVANT (THOMAS) now enters, anxiety written on every feature. THOMAS Your son is arrived from London, sir. MR DASHWOOD squeezes his wife's hand. MR DASHWOOD Let me speak to John alone. She nods quickly and he smiles at her with infinite tenderness. MR DASHWOOD Ah, my dear. How happy you have made me. MRS DASHWOOD makes a superhuman effort and smiles back. She allows THOMAS to help her out. She passes JOHN DASHWOOD as he enters, presses his hand, but cannot speak. JOHN takes her place by the bed. JOHN Father... MR DASHWOOD summons his last ounces of energy and starts to whisper with desperate intensity. MR DASHWOOD John you will find out soon enough from my will that the estate of Norland was left to me in such a way as prevents me from dividing it between my families. JOHN blinks. He cannot quite take it in. JOHN Calm yourself, Father. This is not good for you. But MR DASHWOOD continues with even greater determination. MR DASHWOOD Norland in its entirety is therefore yours by law and I am happy for you and Fanny. JOHN looks torn between genuine distress and unexpected delight. MR DASHWOOD But your stepmother my wife and daughters are left with only five hundred pounds a year, barely enough to live on and nothing for the girls' dowries. You must help them. JOHN's face is a picture of conflicting emotions. Behind them is the ominous rustling of parchments. JOHN Of course MR DASHWOOD You must promise to do this. A brief moment of sincerity overcomes JOHN's natural hypocrisy. JOHN I promise, Father, I promise. MR DASHWOOD seems relieved. Suddenly his breathing changes. JOHN looks alarmed. He rises and we hear him going to find the DOCTOR. JOHN Come! Come quickly! But it is we who share the dying man's last words. MR DASHWOOD Help them. EXT. JOHN AND FANNY'S TOWN HOUSE - LONDON - DAY Outside the house sits a very well-to-do carriage. Behind it waits another open carriage upon which servants are laying trunks and boxes. FANNY (V.O.) 'Help them?' INT. JOHN AND FANNY'S TOWN HOUSE - DRESSING ROOM - DAY JOHN is standing in mourning clothes and a traveling cape. He is watching, and obviously waiting for, a pert WOMAN (FANNY DASHWOOD) who is standing by a mirror looking at him keenly. FANNY What do you mean, 'help them'? JOHN Dearest, I mean to give them three thousand pounds. FANNY goes very still. JOHN gets nervous. JOHN The interest will provide them with a little extra income. Such a gift will certainly discharge my promise to my father. FANNY slowly turns back to the mirror. FANNY Oh, without question! More than amply... JOHN One had rather, on such occasions, do too much than too little. A pause as FANNY turns and looks at him again. JOHN Of course, he did not stipulate a particular sum. INT. LAUNDRY - NORLAND PARK - DAY A red-eyed MAID (BETSY) plunges a beautiful muslin frock into a vat of black dye. INT. NORLAND PARK - MRS DASHWOOD'S BEDROOM - DAY MRS DASHWOOD is rushing about, mourning ribbons flapping, putting her knick-knacks into a small valise. The room is in chaos. A young WOMAN (ELINOR DASHWOOD) looks on helplessly. MRS DASHWOOD To be reduced to the condition of visitor in my own home! It is not to be borne, Elinor! ELINOR Consider, Mamma! We have nowhere to go. MRS DASHWOOD John and Fanny will descend from London at any moment, followed no doubt by cartloads of relatives ready to turn us out of our rooms one by one do you expect me to be here to welcome them? Vultures! She suddenly collapses into a chair and bursts into tears. ELINOR I shall start making inquiries for a new house at once. Until then we must try to bear their coming. INT. JOHN AND FANNY'S CARRIAGE - DAY JOHN and FANNY are on their way out of London. JOHN Fifteen hundred then. What say you to fifteen hundred? FANNY What brother on earth would do half so much for his real sisters--let alone half-blood? JOHN They can hardly expect more. FANNY There is no knowing what they expect. The question is, what can you afford? INT. NORLAND PARK - DRAWING ROOM - DAY A beautiful young WOMAN (MARIANNE DASHWOOD) is sitting at the piano playing a particularly sad piece. ELINOR enters. ELINOR Marianne, cannot you play something else? Mamma has been weeping since breakfast. MARIANNE stops, turns the pages of her music book and starts playing something equally lugubrious. ELINOR I meant something less mournful, dearest. EXT. ROADSIDE INN - DAY JOHN and FANNY are waiting as the OSTLERS make the final adjustments to their carriage. The LANDLORD hovers, waiting for a tip. JOHN A hundred pounds a year to their mother while she lives. Would that be more advisable? It is better than parting with the fifteen hundred all at once. He displays some coins in his hand. FANNY removes one and nods. FANNY But if she should live longer than fifteen years we would be completely taken in. People always live forever when there is an annuity to be paid them. JOHN gives the coins to the LANDLORD. EXT. NORLAND PARK - MARGARET'S TREE-HOUSE - DAY ELINOR comes to the foot of a large tree from which a small staircase issues. ELINOR Margaret, are you there? Please come down. John and Fanny will be here soon. A pause. ELINOR is about to leave when a disembodied and truculent young voice stops her. MARGARET (V.O.) Why are they coming to live at Norland? They already have a house in London. ELINOR Because houses go from father to son, dearest not from father to daughter. It is the law. Silence. ELINOR tries another tack. ELINOR If you come inside, we could play with your atlas. MARGARET (V.O.) It's not my atlas any more. It's their atlas. CLOSE on ELINOR as she ponders the truth of this statement. INT. JOHN AND FANNY'S CARRIAGE - DAY JOHN and FANNY joggle on. JOHN Twenty pounds now and then will amply discharge my promise, you are quite right. FANNY Indeed. Although to say the truth, I am convinced within myself that your father had no idea of your giving them money. JOHN They will have five hundred a year amongst them as it is-- FANNY --and what on earth can four women want for more than that? Their housekeeping will be nothing at all they will have no carriage, no horses, hardly any servants and will keep no company. Only conceive how comfortable they will be! INT. NORLAND PARK - SERVANTS' HALL - DAY The large contingent of SERVANTS who staff Norland Park are gathered in gloomy silence as ELINOR addresses them. ELINOR As you know, we are looking for a new home. When we leave we shall be able to retain only Thomas and Betsy. CAM holds on THOMAS and BETSY, a capable woman. ELINOR We are very sorry to have to leave you all. But we are certain you will find the new Mrs Dashwood a fair and generous mistress. EXT. NORLAND PARK. DRIVE - DAY JOHN and FANNY's carriage approaches Norland. FANNY (V.O.) They will be much more able to give you something. INT. JOHN AND FANNY'S CARRIAGE - DAY JOHN and FANNY are about to get out. JOHN So we are agreed. No money but the occasional gift of game and fish in season will be very welcome. FANNY Your father would be proud of you. INT. NORLAND PARK - DINING ROOM - EARLY EVE The entire family, with the exception of MARGARET, is present. BETSY is serving food in an atmosphere of stiff silence. Cutlery clinks. JOHN chews loudly. MARIANNE is rigid with resentment. MRS DASHWOOD maintains a cool, removed dignity. ELINOR tries to play hostess. ELINOR How is Mrs Ferrars? FANNY My mother is always in excellent health, thank you. My brother Robert is in town with her this season and quite the most popular bachelor in London! He has his own barouche. In the brief silence which follows this, FANNY surreptitiously checks the hallmark on her butterknife. ELINOR You have two brothers, have you not? FANNY Indeed, yes. Edward is the eldest Mamma quite depends upon him. He is traveling up from Plymouth shortly and will break his journey here. MRS DASHWOOD looks at ELINOR pointedly. JOHN notices. JOHN (to MRS DASHWOOD) If that is agreeable to you, of course. MRS DASHWOOD My dear John this is your home now. FANNY looks about, barely able to conceal her satisfaction. INT. NORLAND PARK - ELINOR'S BEDROOM - DAY ELINOR is sitting with a little pile of parcels. She puts a shawl into some paper and ties it with ribbon as MARIANNE thunders in, looking mutinous. MARIANNE Fanny wishes to know where the key for the silver cabinet is kept. ELINOR Betsy has it, I think. What does Fanny want with the silver? MARIANNE I can only presume she wants to count it. What are you doing? ELINOR Presents for the servants. Have you seen Margaret? I am worried about her. She has taken to hiding in the oddest places. MARIANNE Fortunate girl. At least she can escape Fanny, which is more than any of us is able. ELINOR You do your best. You have not said a word to her for a week. MARIANNE (truculently) I have! I have said 'yes' and 'no'. INT. NORLAND PARK - BREAKFAST ROOM - DAY FANNY, MRS DASHWOOD, ELINOR and JOHN are at breakfast. MARIANNE enters. ELINOR catches her eye and indicates FANNY with a slight motion of her head. MARIANNE makes a face. MARIANNE (very polite) Good morning, Fanny. FANNY is rather startled. FANNY Good morning, Marianne. ELINOR is relieved. MARIANNE (to Fanny) How did you find the silver? Is it all genuine? ELINOR rushes in before MARIANNE gets any further. ELINOR Pray, when may we expect the pleasure of your brother's company? FANNY Edward is due tomorrow. And my dear Mrs Dashwood, in view of the fact that he will not be with us for long, I wondered if Miss Margaret would mind giving up her room to him the view is quite incomparable from her windows and I should so much like Edward to see Norland at its best. MARIANNE slams her cup down and throws a furious look at ELINOR. INT. NORLAND PARK - MARGARET'S BEDROOM - DAY ELINOR and MARIANNE are removing MARGARET's toys. MARIANNE Intolerable woman! ELINOR There is but one consolation if Edward is anything like Fanny, we shall be only too happy to leave. EXT. NORLAND PARK - DRIVE - DAY A very capable HORSEMAN (EDWARD FERRARS) canters up the gravel drive. CLOSE on his face as he gazes up at the elegant façade. INT. NORLAND PARK - DRAWING ROOM - DAY Everyone except MARGARET is present. EDWARD has just shaken bands with ELINOR. He behaves with great respect to the DASHWOODS and seems embarrassed by FANNY's pro prietorial air. FANNY But where is Miss Margaret? I declare, Mrs Dashwood, I am beginning to doubt of her existence! She must run positively wild! MRS DASHWOOD Forgive us, Mr Ferrars. My youngest is not to be found this morning. She is a little shy of strangers at present. EDWARD Naturally. I am also shy of strangers and I have nothing like her excuse. MARIANNE (dangerous) How do you like your view, Mr Ferrars? ELINOR glances at her warningly but EDWARD replies with careful consideration. EDWARD Very much. Your stables are very handsome and beautifully kept, Mrs Dashwood. FANNY Stables! Edward--your windows overlook the lake. EDWARD An oversight, Fanny, led me to the wrong room. I have rectified the situation and am happily settled in the guest quarters. MARIANNE and ELINOR look at each other in surprise. FANNY looks furious. MRS DASHWOOD smiles warmly at EDWARD. CLOSE on ELINOR. She is impressed. INT. NORLAND PARK - STAIRCASE - DAY FANNY is walking with EDWARD, who looks at the pictures with interest. FANNY They are all exceedingly spoilt, I find. Miss Margaret spends all her time up trees and under furniture and I have barely had a civil word from Marianne. EDWARD My dear Fanny, they have just lost their father their lives will never be the same again. FANNY That is no excuse. INT. NORLAND PARK - LIBRARY - DAY FANNY leads EDWARD in. She sniffs with distaste. FANNY I have never liked the smell of books. EDWARD Oh? No. The dust, perhaps. As they speak, EDWARD notices a large atlas retreating apparently all by itself across the floor. Someone is obviously under the table, pulling it out of sight. He registers it and immediately moves in such a way as to shield it from FANNY. He turns back, searching for something to divert her. EDWARD I hear you have great plans for the walnut grove. FANNY Oh yes! I shall have it pulled down to make room for a Grecian temple. There is a stifled wail from under the table, which EDWARD covers with a cough. EDWARD How picturesque. Will you show me the site? And he ushers FANNY out, flicking a quick glance over his shoulder at the fugitive's foot. INT. NORLAND PARK - VELVET ROOM - DAY ELINOR, MRS DASHWOOD and MARIANNE are sitting round a table with a pile of letters. ELINOR is handing one back to her mother. ELINOR Too expensive. We do not need four bedrooms, we can share. MARIANNE This one, then? ELINOR reads the letter quickly. ELINOR Marianne, we have only five hundred pounds a year. I will send out more inquiries today. There is a knock on the door. Hesitantly, EDWARD appears. EDWARD Pardon my intrusion, but I believe I have found what you are looking for. MARIANNE and MRS DASHWOOD are puzzled by his elliptical manner but ELINOR immediately understands and rises, in smiling relief. INT. NORLAND PARK - ENTRANCE HALL OUTSIDE LIBRARY - DAY EDWARD is standing outside keeping a discreet lookout. The door is half open and he can hear ELINOR trying to coax MARGARET out. FANNY walks by with a BUTLER to whom she is giving instructions. EDWARD pretends to examine the mouldings and she passes on unsuspecting. ELINOR (V.O.) Won't you come out, dearest? We haven't seen you all day. Mamma is very concerned. More silence. EDWARD thinks hard. He makes a decision. INT. NORLAND PARK - LIBRARY - DAY EDWARD walks in loudly. EDWARD Oh, Miss Dashwood! Excuse me I was wondering do you by any chance have such a thing as a reliable atlas? ELINOR looks up at him in astonishment. ELINOR I believe so. EDWARD Excellent. I wish to check the position of the Nile. EDWARD appears to be utterly sincere. EDWARD My sister says it is in South America. From under the table we hear a snort. ELINOR looks at him in realisation. ELINOR Oh! No, no indeed. She is quite wrong. For I believe it is in--in Belgium. EDWARD Belgium? Surely not. You must be thinking of the Volga. MARGARET (from under the table) The Volga? ELINOR Of course. The Volga, which, as you know, starts in... EDWARD Vladivostok, and ends in... ELINOR St Albans. EDWARD Indeed. Where the coffee beans come from. They are having such a good time that it is rather a pity the game is stopped by the appearance from under the table of MARGARET who reveals herself to be a disheveled girl of eleven. She hauls the atlas up and plonks it in front of EDWARD. MARGARET The source of the Nile is in Abyssinia. EDWARD Is it? Good heavens. How do you do. Edward Ferrars. MARGARET Margaret Dashwood. EDWARD shakes MARGARET's hand solemnly and looks over her head at ELINOR. They smile at each other, a connection made. INT. NORLAND PARK - DRAWING ROOM - ANOTHER DAY JOHN is reading a newspaper. MRS DASHWOOD sits across from FANNY, who thumbs through a fashion-plate magazine. ELINOR is at a desk by the window writing a letter we see the words 'of course we should like to leave as soon as possible'. Suddenly she hears a commotion outside. MARGARET runs past the window brandishing a stick. EDWARD follows, and proceeds to teach her the first principles of sword-fighting. They feint and parry, EDWARD serious and without a hint of condescension, MARGARET concentrating furiously. EDWARD suddenly turns, as though feeling ELINOR's gaze. She smiles but looks away quickly. INT. NORLAND PARK - VELVET ROOM - ANOTHER DAY EDWARD comes into the doorway and sees ELINOR who is listening to MARIANNE playing a concerto. ELINOR stands in a graceful, rather sad attitude, her back to us. Suddenly she senses EDWARD behind her and turns. He is about to turn away, embarrassed to have been caught admiring her, when he sees she has been weeping. Hastily she tries to dry her eyes. He comes forward and offers her a handkerchief, which she takes with a grateful smile. We notice his monogram in the corner: ECF. ELINOR (apologetic) That was my father's favourite. EDWARD nods kindly. ELINOR Thank you so much for your help with Margaret, Mr Ferrars. She is a changed girl since your arrival. EDWARD Not at all. I enjoy her company. ELINOR Has she shown you her tree-house? EDWARD Not yet. Would you do me the honour, Miss Dashwood? It is very fine out. ELINOR With pleasure. They start to walk out of shot, still talking. ELINOR Margaret has always wanted to travel. EDWARD I know. She is heading an expedition to China shortly. I am to go as her servant but only on the understanding that I will be very badly treated. ELINOR What will your duties be? EDWARD Sword-fighting, administering rum and swabbing. ELINOR Ah. CAM tilts up to find MRS DASHWOOD on the middle landing of the staircase, smiling down at them. CAM tilts up yet further to find FANNY on the landing above, watching EDWARD and ELINOR with a face like a prune. EXT. NORLAND PARK - GARDENS - DAY EDWARD and ELINOR are still talking as they walk arm in arm in the late afternoon sun. EDWARD All I want--all I have ever wanted is the quiet of a private life but my mother is determined to see me distinguished. ELINOR As? EDWARD She hardly knows. Any fine figure will suit a great orator, a leading politician, even a barrister would serve, but only on the condition that I drive my own barouche and dine in the first circles. His tone is light but there is an underlying bitterness to it. ELINOR And what do you wish for? EDWARD I always preferred the church, but that is not smart enough for my mother she prefers the army, but that is a great deal too smart for me. ELINOR Would you stay in London? EDWARD I hate London. No peace. A country living is my ideal a small parish where I might do some good, keep chickens and give very short sermons. EXT. FIELDS NEAR NORLAND - DAY EDWARD and ELINOR are on horseback. The atmosphere is intimate, the quality of the conversation rooted now in their affections. ELINOR You talk of feeling idle and useless imagine how that is compounded when one has no choice and no hope whatsoever of any occupation. EDWARD nods and smiles at the irony of it. EDWARD Our circumstances are therefore precisely the same. ELINOR Except that you will inherit your fortune. He looks at her slightly shocked but enjoying her boldness. ELINOR We cannot even earn ours. EDWARD Perhaps Margaret is right. ELINOR Right? EDWARD Piracy is our only option. They ride on in silence for a moment. EDWARD What is swabbing exactly? INT. NORLAND PARK - DRAWING ROOM - EVE Dinner is over. JOHN and FANNY are examining plans of the Norland estate, looking for somewhere to build a hermitage. EDWARD is reading out loud. ELINOR embroiders and listens. MRS DASHWOOD and MARIANNE make up the rest of the audience, the latter in a state of high impatience. EDWARD No voice divine the storm allayed No light propitious shone, When snatched from all effectual aid, We perished each alone: But I beneath a rougher sea, And whelmed in deeper gulfs than he. MARIANNE jumps up and goes to him. MARIANNE No, Edward! Listen. She takes the book from him and reads the stanza with passionate brio. MARIANNE Can you not feel his despair? Try again. Rather mortified, EDWARD starts again, but not before receiving a sympathetic look from ELINOR which seems to comfort him a little. INT. NORLAND PARK - MORNING ROOM - DAY MRS DASHWOOD is ruminating sadly. MARIANNE rushes in holding a letter. MARIANNE Mamma, look. This has just arrived. MRS DASHWOOD (reading from the letter) 'I should be pleased to offer you a home at Barton Cottage as soon as ever you have need of it' why, it is from my cousin, Sir John Middleton! MARIANNE Even Elinor must approve the rent. MRS DASHWOOD looks at the letter again and thinks. MRS DASHWOOD Has Elinor not yet seen this? MARIANNE No I will fetch her. MRS DASHWOOD Wait. No. Let us delay. MARIANNE Why? MRS DASHWOOD I think--I believe that Edward and Elinor have formed an attachment. Marianne nods, a little reluctantly. MRS DASHWOOD It would be cruel to take her away so soon and Devonshire is so far. MRS DASHWOOD makes her decision. She takes the letter and hides it in the pocket of her gown. MARIANNE looks on frowningly. MRS DASHWOOD Why so grave? Do you disapprove her choice? MARIANNE By no means. Edward is very amiable. MRS DASHWOOD Amiable but? MARIANNE But there is something wanting. He is too sedate his reading last night. MRS DASHWOOD Elinor has not your feelings, his reserve suits her. MARIANNE thinks for a little. MARIANNE Can he love her? Can the ardour of the soul really be satisfied with such polite, concealed affections? To love is to burn to be on fire, all made of passion, of adoration, of sacrifice! Like Juliet, or Guinevere or Heloise. MRS DASHWOOD They made rather pathetic ends, dear. MARIANNE Pathetic! To die for love? How can you say so? What could be more glorious? MRS DASHWOOD I think that may be taking your romantic sensibilities a little far. MARIANNE The more I know of the world, the more I am convinced that I shall never see a man whom I can truly love. MRS DASHWOOD You require so much! MARIANNE I do not! I require only what any young woman of taste should a man who sings well, dances admirably, rides bravely, reads with passion and whose tastes agree in every point with my own. INT. NORLAND PARK - ELINOR'S BEDROOM - NIGHT ELINOR is in bed, deep in thought. MARIANNE enters in her nightclothes, carrying a book of poetry. She reads, teasingly. MARIANNE Is love a fancy, or a feeling? No It is immortal as immaculate truth 'Tis not a blossom shed as soon as Youth Drops from the stem of life for it will grow In barren regions, where no waters flow Nor ray of promise cheats the pensive gloom-- She jumps onto the bed. ELINOR smiles somewhat suspiciously. MARIANNE What a pity it is that Edward has no passion for reading. ELINOR It was you who asked him to read and then you made him nervous. MARIANNE Me? ELINOR But your behaviour to him in all other respects is perfectly cordial so I must assume that you like him in spite of his deficiencies. MARIANNE (trying hard) I think him everything that is amiable and worthy. ELINOR Praise indeed! MARIANNE But he shall have my unanswering devotion when you tell me he is to be my brother. ELINOR is greatly taken aback and does not know how to reply. Suddenly MARIANNE hugs her passionately. MARIANNE How shall I do without you? ELINOR Do without me? MARIANNE pulls away, her eyes full of tears. MARIANNE I am sure you will be very happy. But you must promise not to live too far away. ELINOR Marianne, there is no question of that is, there is no under standing between... ELINOR trails off. MARIANNE looks at her keenly. MARIANNE Do you love him? The bold clarity of this question discomforts ELINOR. ELINOR I do not attempt to deny that I think very highly of him that I greatly esteem that I like him. MARIANNE Esteem him! Like him! Use those insipid words again and I shall leave the room this instant! This makes ELINOR laugh in spite of her discomfort. ELINOR Very well. Forgive me. Believe my feelings to be stronger than I have declared but further than that you must not believe. MARIANNE is flummoxed but she rallies swiftly and picks up her book again. MARIANNE 'Is love a fancy or a feeling?' Or a Ferrars? ELINOR Go to bed! ELINOR blushes in good earnest. MARIANNE goes to the door. MARIANNE (imitating Elinor) 'I do not attempt to deny that I think highly of him greatly esteem him! Like him!' And she is gone, leaving ELINOR both agitated and amused. INT. NORLAND PARK - BREAKFAST ROOM - DAY FANNY is standing by the window looking out. We see her POV of ELINOR and EDWARD walking in the garden. MRS DASHWOOD enters, pauses for a moment and then joins FANNY at the window. FANNY pretends not to have been watching but MRS DASHWOOD looks down at the lovers and then smiles sweetly at her. MRS DASHWOOD We are all so happy that you chose to invite Edward to Norland. He is a dear boy and we are all very fond of him. FANNY does a bit of quick thinking. FANNY We have great hopes for him. Much is expected of him by our mother with regard to his profession MRS DASHWOOD Naturally. FANNY And in marriage. She is determined that both he and Robert will marry well. MRS DASHWOOD Of course. But I hope she desires them to marry for love, first and foremost? I have always felt that, contrary to common wisdom, true affection is by far the most valuable dowry. FANNY Love is all very well, but unfortunately we cannot always rely on the heart to lead us in the most suitable directions. FANNY lowers her voice confidingly. FANNY You see, my dear Mrs Dashwood, Edward is entirely the kind of compassionate person upon whom penniless women can prey--and having entered into any kind of understanding, he would never go back on his word. He is quite simply incapable of doing so. But it would lead to his ruin. I worry for him so, Mrs Dashwood. My mother has always made it perfectly plain that she will withdraw all financial support from Edward, should he choose to plant his affections in less... exalted ground than he deserves. It is impossible for MRS DASHWOOD not to get the point. She is appalled and furious. MRS DASHWOOD I understand you perfectly. She sweeps off. INT. NORLAND PARK - MRS DASHWOOD'S DRESSING ROOM - DAY MRS DASHWOOD, breathless with rage, is searching through her wardrobe for the gown which contains SIR JOHN's letter. Frocks fly hither and thither. Finally MRS DASHWOOD plunges her hand into the right pocket and withdraws the letter. She looks at it, suddenly concerned and anxious. INT. NORLAND PARK - DINING ROOM - EVE The entire family is present. Everyone is watching MRS DASHWOOD, who has just made her announcement. EDWARD Devonshire! He is devastated. FANNY is thrilled. MRS DASHWOOD looks at him with compassion and then at ELINOR, who is trying to keep calm. MRS DASHWOOD My cousin Sir John Middleton has offered us a small house on his estate. JOHN Sir John Middleton? What is his situation? He must be a man of property. MRS DASHWOOD He is a widower. He lives with his mother-in-law at Barton Park and it is Barton Cottage that he offers us. FANNY Oh, a cottage! How charming. A little cottage is always very snug. EDWARD But you will not leave before the summer? MRS DASHWOOD Oh, my dear Edward, we can no longer trespass upon your sister's good will. We must leave as soon as possible. MARGARET You will come and stay with us, Edward! EDWARD I should like that very much. FANNY Edward has long been expected in town by our mother. MRS DASHWOOD ignores FANNY. MRS DASHWOOD Come as soon as you can, Edward. Remember that you are always welcome. INT/EXT. NORLAND PARK - STABLES - DAY ELINOR has come to say goodbye to her HORSE. She strokes the soft face sadly. Then she senses someone and turns to find EDWARD standing nearby. EDWARD Cannot you take him with you? ELINOR We cannot possibly afford him. EDWARD Perhaps he could make himself useful in the kitchen? ELINOR tries to smile. EDWARD looks at her for a long moment and then comes closer. EDWARD Miss Dashwood--Elinor. I must talk to you. The use of her Christian name--and in such a loving tone-- stops ELINOR's breath altogether. EDWARD There is something of great importance I need... to tell you-- He comes closer still. The HORSE breathes between them. ELINOR is on fire with anticipation but EDWARD looks troubled and has less the air of a suitor than he might. EDWARD --about--about my education. ELINOR (after a beat) Your education? EDWARD Yes. It was less... successful than it might have been. EDWARD laughs nervously. ELINOR is completely bewildered. EDWARD It was conducted in Plymouth--oddly enough. ELINOR Indeed? EDWARD Yes. Do you know it? ELINOR Plymouth? EDWARD Yes. ELINOR No. EDWARD Oh--well--I spent four years there-- at a school run by a--a Mr Pratt-- ELINOR Pratt? ELINOR is beginning to feel like a parrot. EDWARD Precisely--Mr Pratt--and there, I-- that is to say, he has a-- As EDWARD flounders, a familiar voice cuts through this unexpected foray into his academic past. FANNY Edward! Edward! They turn to find FANNY powering down upon them, waving a letter. EDWARD steps back, glancing almost guiltily at ELINOR, who is as confused as we are. FANNY I have been all over for you! You are needed in London this instant! EDWARD Fanny, I am leaving this afternoon as it is-- FANNY No, no, that will not do. Family affairs are in chaos owing to your absence. Mother is quite adamant that you should leave at once. FANNY is determined. She obviously has no intention of leaving him alone with ELINOR. EDWARD turns to ELINOR, frustration in every muscle, his jaw set tight. EDWARD Excuse me, Miss Dashwood. FANNY drags EDWARD off, leaving ELINOR to gaze sadly after them. INT. THE LADIES' CARRIAGE - OPEN ROAD - RAIN - EVE The DASHWOODS are on their way. The mood is very sombre. MARGARET Edward promised he would bring the atlas to Barton for me. MARIANNE looks at ELINOR, pleased. MARIANNE Did he? Well, I will wager he will do so in less than a fortnight! MRS DASHWOOD looks at ELINOR with satisfaction. EXT. THE LADIES' CARRIAGE - OPEN ROAD - EVE The carriage rolls on. MARGARET (V.O.) Are we there yet? EXT. ROAD TO AND FROM BARTON COTTAGE - DAY In comparison to Norland, Barton Cottage has the air of a damp shoebox. it sits low and bleak in the grey lonely countryside. From one side we can see the DASHWOODS' carriage drawing up at the gate. From the other, a much grander vehicle, from which loud whooping can be heard, is approaching. EXT. BARTON COTTAGE - GARDEN PATH - DAY As the exhausted DASHWOODS alight, they converge with a ruddy- complexioned MAN in a redingote (SIR JOHN MIDDLETON) and a rotund, equally roseate LADY (MRS JENNINGS) who have fallen over each other in their haste to get out of their carriage. MRS DASHWOOD Sir John! SIR JOHN clasps her hands and starts to help her up the path, followed by ELINOR, MARIANNE and MARGARET, who is clearly fascinated by his bouncy companion. SIR JOHN Dear ladies, dear ladies, upon my word, here you are, here you are, here you are! MRS DASHWOOD Sir John, your extraordinary kindness-- SIR JOHN Oh, none of that, hush, please, none of that, but here is my dear mamma- in-law Mrs Jennings. MRS JENNINGS Was the journey tolerable, you poor souls? SIR JOHN Why did you not come up to the Park first and take your ease? We saw you pass--Like many people who live rather lonely lives together. SIR JOHN and MRS JENNINGS talk incessantly, interrupt each other all the time and never listen. MRS JENNINGS --but I would not wait for you to come to us, I made John call for the carriage-- SIR JOHN She would not wait, you know. MRS JENNINGS --as we get so little company. They reach the front door and BETSY's smiling welcome. In the confusion of milling people and THOMAS carrying the lighter luggage, MARIANNE contrives to slip into the house alone. We follow her but hear the conversation continuing in V.O. MARIANNE looks about the parlour, where a dismal fire is smoking. She starts up the stairs, expressionless. MRS JENNINGS (V.O.) But I feel as if I know you already-- delightful creatures! SIR JOHN (V.O.) Delightful! And you know you are to dine at Barton Park every day. MRS DASHWOOD (V.O.) Oh, but dear Sir John, we cannot-- SIR JOHN (V.O.) Oh, no no no no no no no, I shall not brook refusals. I am quite deaf to 'em, you know-- MRS JENNINGS (V.O.) --deaf-- MARIANNE enters a small bedroom. She sits on the bed. Then she goes to the window and opens it. Voices float up. SIR JOHN (V.O.) But I insist! ELINOR (V.O.) Let us only settle in for a few days, Sir John, and thank you-- SIR JOHN (V.O.) Oh, no thankings, no, please, can't bear 'em, embarrassing, you know-- MARIANNE closes the window and crosses the corridor to another bed room--similarly stark. She sighs and turns back down the stairs. SIR JOHN (V.O.) We will send game and fruit as a matter of course-- MRS JENNINGS (V.O.) --fruit and game-- SIR JOHN (V.O.) --and the carriage is at your beck and call-- MARIANNE joins the group, who are now in the parlour. MRS JENNINGS --call--and here is Miss Marianne! SIR JOHN Where did you disappear to? MRS JENNINGS I declare you are the loveliest girl I ever set eyes on! Cannot you get them married, Mrs Dashwood? You must not leave it too long! SIR JOHN But, alas, there are no smart young men hereabouts to woo them-- MRS JENNINGS --not a beau for miles! The strain of exhibiting joy and gratitude is beginning to tell on MRS DASHWOOD who is sagging visibly. SIR JOHN Come, Mother, let us leave them in peace. MRS JENNINGS But there is Colonel Brandon! SIR JOHN is dragging her down the path. SIR JOHN Excellent fellow! We served in the East India Regiment together. MRS JENNINGS Just wait till he sees you! If we can persuade him out to meet you! SIR JOHN Reclusive individual. But you are fatigued. I can see that you are fatigued. Now he is pushing her into the carriage. MRS JENNINGS Of course she is fatigued! SIR JOHN Come along, Mother, we really must leave them to themselves. MRS JENNINGS You must get your maidservant to make you up some camphor--it is the best tonic for the staggers! SIR JOHN Send Thomas to us for the carriage when you are ready! They take off, waving wildly. MARGARET goes down the path to watch them and turns back to her slightly stunned family. MARGARET I like them. MRS DASHWOOD (weakly) What generosity. ELINOR Indeed. I am surprised they did not offer us their clothing. INT. BARTON COTTAGE - ELINOR AND MARIANNE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT MARIANNE and ELINOR are getting undressed for bed. it's very cold. They keep their underclothing on and get in, shivering at the bony chill of the linen. EXT. BARTON COTTAGE - KITCHEN GARDEN - DAY BETSY is pinning out laundry. EXT. BARTON COTTAGE - GARDEN - DAY MARGARET tries to climb an impossible tree. Her petticoats snag and tear. INT. BARTON COTTAGE - ELINOR AND MARIANNE'S BEDROOM - DAY MARIANNE looks out of the window at the wild countryside. Uncon sciously, one hand plays up and down on the sill as though it were a keyboard. INT. BARTON COTTAGE - PARLOUR - DAY ELINOR sits at a little desk counting money and making notes. BETSY enters to clean out the fire. She notices the money. BETSY Sugar is five shilling a pound these parts, Miss Dashwood. ELINOR (lightly) No more sugar then. INT. BARTON COTTAGE - PARLOUR - EVE CLOSE on MRS DASHWOOD looking out of the window, thinking. She remembers MRS JENNINGS's words: MRS JENNINGS (V.O.) Not a beau for miles. MRS DASHWOOD turns into the room to look at her brood. ELINOR and MARIANNE are mending MARGARET's petticoats. CLOSE on the mother's anxious expression--what is to become of them? EXT. BARTON PARK - EVE Establishing shot of SIR JOHN's house--a very comfortable- looking country seat with fine grounds. SIR JOHN (V.O.) Where can Brandon be, poor fellow? I hope he has not lamed his horse. INT. BARTON PARK - DINING ROOM - EVE CLOSE on an empty chair and place setting. Pull out to reveal the DASHWOODS at their first dinner with SIR JOHN and MRS JENNINGS. MRS JENNINGS Colonel Brandon is the most eligible bachelor in the county--he is bound to do for one of you. Mind, he is a better age for Miss Dashwood--but I dare say she left her heart behind in Sussex, eh? MARIANNE flashes an unmistakable glance of alarmed concern at her sister, which MRS JENNINGS notices. MRS JENNINGS Aha! I see you, Miss Marianne! I think I have unearthed a secret! SIR JOHN Oho! Have you sniffed one out already, Mother? You are worse than my best pointer, Flossie! They both laugh immoderately. ELINOR tries to stay calm. MRS JENNINGS What sort of man is he, Miss Dashwood? Is he butcher, baker, candlestick- maker? I shall winkle it out of you somehow, you know! SIR JOHN She's horribly good at winkling. MRS JENNINGS You are in lonely country now, Miss Dashwood, none of us has any secrets here-- SIR JOHN --or if we do, we do not keep them for long! ELINOR tries to smile. MARIANNE looks furious. MARGARET is staring at MRS JENNINGS as if she were some particularly thrilling form of wildlife. MRS JENNINGS He is curate of the parish, I dare say! SIR JOHN Or a handsome lieutenant! MRS JENNINGS Give us a clue, Miss Dashwood--is he in uniform? ELINOR starts to change the subject, but MARGARET interrupts her. MARGARET He has no profession! SIR JOHN and MRS JENNINGS turn on her with screams of delight. ELINOR, MARIANNE and MRS DASHWOOD look at each other helplessly. SIR JOHN No profession! A gentleman, then! MARIANNE (with daggers) Margaret, you know perfectly well there is no such person. MARGARET There is! There is! And his name begins with an F! ELINOR looks hard at her plate. MRS DASHWOOD Margaret! MRS DASHWOOD is appalled at her youngest's relish for such a vulgar game. SIR JOHN and MRS JENNINGS are cock-a-hoop. SIR JOHN F indeed! A very promising letter. Let me--F, F, Fo, Fa... Upon my word, but I cannot think of a single name beginning with F-- MRS JENNINGS Forrest? Foster? Frost? Foggarty? MARIANNE suddenly stands up. SIR JOHN and MRS JENNINGS are so surprised they stop talking. Everyone stares at MARIANNE. MARIANNE (controlled fury) Sir John, might I play your pianoforte? SIR JOHN Of course, yes--my goodness. We do not stand on ceremony here, my dear. For once, ELINOR is grateful for her sister's rudeness as everyone rises and follows MARIANNE out. EXT. BARTON PARK - FRONT STEPS - EVE A soldierly MAN of about forty (COLONEL BRANDON) is dismounting from his horse. From within we hear MARIANNE's song begin. His head snaps up to the windows. An expression of pained surprise comes into his melancholy, brooding eyes. INT. BARTON PARK - MUSIC ROOM - EVE Everyone watches MARIANNE as she plays and sings. Behind them we see BRANDON entering. But he stays in the shadow of the door and no one notices him. CLOSE on his face. He gazes at MARIANNE with an unfathomable look of grief and longing. He breathes in deeply. Suddenly, ELINOR feels his presence and looks around at him. After a few moments, she turns back, slightly puzzled. The song finishes. Everyone claps. The MAN ventures out into the light and SIR JOHN springs from his seat. SIR JOHN Brandon! Where have you been? Come, come and meet our beautiful new neighbours! MRS JENNINGS What a pity you are late, Colonel! You have missed the most delightful singing! BRANDON bows to the company and smiles slightly. COLONEL BRANDON A great pity, indeed. ELINOR looks at him, even more puzzled. SIR JOHN Mrs Dashwood, may I present my dear friend Colonel Brandon? We served together in the East Indies and I assure you there is no better fellow on earth-- MARGARET Have you really been to the East Indies, Colonel? COLONEL BRANDON I have. MARGARET What is it like? MARGARET is quivering with fascination. SIR JOHN Like? Hot. But COLONEL BRANDON knows what MARGARET wants to hear. COLONEL BRANDON (mysteriously) The air is full of spices. MARGARET smiles with satisfaction. SIR JOHN Come, Miss Dashwood--it is your turn to entertain us! ELINOR Oh no, Sir John, I do not-- SIR JOHN --and I think we can all guess what key you will sing in! SIR JOHN and MRS JENNINGS are bursting with their new joke. SIR JOHN/MRS JENNINGS F major! They fall about. INT. SIR JOHN'S CARRIAGE - NIGHT The DASHWOODS are returning home. A row is in progress. MARIANNE (to Margaret) As for you, you have no right, no right at all, to parade your ignorant assumptions-- MARGARET They are not assumptions. You told me. ELINOR stares at MARIANNE. MARIANNE colours and attacks MARGARET again. MARIANNE I told you nothing-- MARGARET They'll meet him when he comes, anyway. MARIANNE That is not the point. You do not speak of such things before strangers-- MARGARET But everyone else was-- MARIANNE Mrs Jennings is not everyone. MARGARET I like her! She talks about things. We never talk about things. MRS DASHWOOD Hush, please, now that is enough, Margaret. If you cannot think of anything appropriate to say, you will please restrict your remarks to the weather. A heated pause. MARGARET I like Colonel Brandon too. He's been to places. EXT. POND NEAR BARTON PARK - DAY In the background, SIR JOHN, ELINOR and MRS JENNINGS pack the remains of a picnic into a basket. MRS DASHWOOD and MARGARET examine a foxhole. In the foreground, MARIANNE is cutting bulrushes for basketwork. Her knife is blunt and she saws impatiently. COLONEL BRANDON materialises at her side and wordlessly offers her his hunting knife. Oddly nervous, MARIANNE takes it. She turns back to the rushes and cuts them with ease. The COLONEL's gaze follows her movements as if held by a magnet. INT. KEEPER'S LODGE - BARTON PARK - DAY SIR JOHN and BRANDON are cleaning their guns in companionable silence--a habit left over from army days. SIR JOHN eyes BRANDON roguishly. SIR JOHN You know what they're saying, of course... No answer. SIR JOHN The word is that you have developed a taste for--certain company. BRANDON stays resolutely silent. SIR JOHN is emboldened. SIR JOHN And why not, say I. A man like you-- in his prime--she'd be a most fortunate young lady-- BRANDON cuts across him. COLONEL BRANDON Marianne Dashwood would no more think of me than she would of you, John. SIR JOHN Brandon, my boy, do not think of yourself so meanly-- COLONEL BRANDON And all the better for her. SIR JOHN subsides. BRANDON is clearly as angry with himself as he is with SIR JOHN. EXT. POND NEAR BARTON PARK - ANOTHER DAY BRANDON strides along in hunting gear, a gun slung under one arm, his dog trotting behind him with a duck clamped between its jaws. The bulrushes catch his eye and he slows, then stops. He stands for a moment deep in thought. Then he takes his hunting knife, cuts one and walks off contemplatively. EXT. BARTON PARK - GARDENS - DAY An outdoor luncheon is in progress. COLONEL BRANDON is talking to MRS DASHWOOD. Occasionally he looks over towards MARIANNE, who is playing bilboquet with SIR JOHN and MARGARET. MRS JENNINGS nudges ELINOR hard and gestures to BRANDON. MRS JENNINGS (stage whisper) Besotted! Excellent match, for he is rich and she is handsome. ELINOR How long have you known the Colonel? MRS JENNINGS Oh, Lord bless you, as long as ever I have been here, and I came fifteen years back. His estate at Delaford is but four miles hence and he and John are very thick. He has no wife or children of his own, for-- MRS JENNINGS lowers her voice to a stentorian whisper. MRS JENNINGS --he has a tragic history. He loved a girl once--twenty years ago now--a ward to his family, but they were not permitted to marry... ELINOR is intrigued. ELINOR On what grounds? MRS JENNINGS Money. Eliza was poor. When the father discovered their amour, she was flung out of the house and he packed off into the army. I believe he would have done himself a harm if not for John... ELINOR What became of the lady? MRS JENNINGS Oh, she was passed from man to man-- disappeared from all good society. When Brandon got back from India he searched for heaven knows how long, only to find her dying in a poor house. You have seen how it has affected him. Once I thought my daughter Charlotte might have cheered him up, but she is much better off where she is. ELINOR is silent with amazement at this unexpected history. MRS JENNINGS Look at him now, though. So attentive. I shall try an experiment on him. ELINOR Oh no, please, dear Mrs Jennings, leave the poor Colonel alone. MRS JENNINGS No, no, it is just the thing--all suitors need a little help, my dear MRS JENNINGS winks at ELINOR and rubs her hands as though about to perform a magic trick. MRS JENNINGS (trillingly) Colonel Brandon! BRANDON looks up. MRS JENNINGS We have not heard you play for us of late! COLONEL BRANDON For the simple reason that you have a far superior musician here. He indicates MARIANNE, who smiles absently. MRS JENNINGS Perhaps you did not know, Miss Marianne, that our dear Brandon shares your passion for music and plays the piano forte very well. MARIANNE looks at BRANDON in some surprise. MRS JENNINGS Play us a duet! BRANDON looks at MRS JENNINGS warningly but she ignores him. MRS JENNINGS I'll trow you know quite as many melancholy tunes as Miss Marianne! Her tone is so knowing that MARIANNE frowns uncomfortably. MRS JENNINGS Come! Let us see you both side by side! MARIANNE rises impatiently. MARIANNE I do not know any duets. Forgive me, Colonel. She moves away. MRS JENNINGS chuckles. INT. BARTON COTTAGE - PARLOUR - LATE AFTERNOON The DASHWOODS returning. MARIANNE is taking her bonnet off so furiously that she simply gets the knot tighter and tighter. Despite them selves, ELINOR and MRS DASHWOOD are amused. MARIANNE Oh! Are we never to have a moment's peace? The rent here may be low but I think we have it on very hard terms. ELINOR Mrs Jennings is a wealthy woman with a married daughter--she has nothing to do but marry off everyone else's. BETSY pokes her head out from the dining room. BETSY There's a parcel arrived for you, Miss Dashwood! MARGARET A parcel! They all crowd into the dining room to find a large package on the table, which MARGARET is permitted to open. In the meantime ELINOR comes to the rescue with the bonnet and MARIANNE stands shifting like a spirited mare as ELINOR patiently unravels the knot. MARIANNE It is too ridiculous! When is a man to be safe from such wit if age and infirmity do not protect him? ELINOR Infirmity! MRS DASHWOOD If Colonel Brandon is infirm, then I am at death's door. ELINOR It is a miracle your life has extended this far... MARIANNE Did you not hear him complain of a rheumatism in his shoulder? ELINOR A slight ache' I believe was his phrase... MARIANNE smiles and ELINOR laughs at her. Then MARGARET opens the parcel to reveal--her atlas. The atmosphere alters immediately as MRS DASHWOOD and MARIANNE look at ELINOR in consternation. MARGARET But Edward said he would bring it himself. There is a letter on top of the atlas. CLOSE on the address 'To the Dashwoods'. MRS DASHWOOD picks it up, looks at ELINOR, and opens MRS DASHWOOD 'Dear Mrs Dashwood, Miss Dashwood, Miss Marianne and Captain Margaret-- it gives me great pleasure to restore this atlas to its rightful owner. Alas, business in London does not permit me to accompany it, although this is likely to hurt me far more than it hurts you. For the present my memories of your kindness must be enough to sustain me, and I remain your devoted servant always. E. C. Ferrars.' A silence greets this brief epistle. ELINOR struggles to contain her bitter disappointment. MARGARET But why hasn't he come? MRS DASHWOOD He says he is busy, dear. MARGARET He said he'd come. MARGARET is genuinely upset. ELINOR quietly hangs up MARIANNE's bonnet. MARGARET Why hasn't he come? MRS DASHWOOD looks beseechingly at MARIANNE, who nods and grasps MARGARET's hand. MARIANNE I am taking you for a walk. MARGARET No! I've been a walk. MARIANNE You need another. MARGARET It is going to rain. MARIANNE shoves her bonnet back on and drags MARGARET out. MARIANNE It is not going to rain. MARGARET You always say that and then it always does. We hear the front door slam behind them. There is a short silence. MRS DASHWOOD I fear Mrs Jennings is a bad influence. She approaches ELINOR. MRS DASHWOOD You must miss him, Elinor. ELINOR looks very directly at her mother. ELINOR We are not engaged, Mamma. MRS DASHWOOD But he loves you, dearest, of that I am certain. ELINOR looks down. She speaks slowly, choosing her words with care. ELINOR I am by no means assured of his regard for me. MRS DASHWOOD Oh, Elinor! ELINOR But even were he to feel such a... preference, I think we should be foolish to assume that there would not be many obstacles to his choosing a woman of no rank who cannot afford to buy sugar... MRS DASHWOOD But Elinor--your heart must tell you-- ELINOR In such a situation, Mamma, it is perhaps better to use one's head. She clears her throat, rises determinedly, picks up the accounts book and opens it. MRS DASHWOOD is silenced. EXT. FIELDS NEAR BARTON COTTAGE - DAY MARIANNE walks very briskly, dragging an unwilling MARGARET behind her. EXT. DOWNS NEAR BARTON COTTAGE - DAY It has started to rain. Mists are gathering around the two figures walking against the wind. MARIANNE Is there any felicity in the world superior to this? MARGARET I told you it would rain. MARIANNE Look! There is some blue sky! Let us chase it! MARGARET I'm not supposed to run. MARIANNE runs off down the hill into the heart of the mist. MARGARET stumbles after her, grumbling. We follow MARIANNE in her headlong descent and suddenly, dramatically, she trips and sprawls to the ground, letting out a sharp cry of pain. MARGARET Marianne! MARIANNE Help me! She tries to get up, but the pain in her ankle is too great. She sinks back to the ground. MARGARET is very alarmed. MARIANNE Margaret, run home and fetch help. The mists have thickened. They can no longer see where they are. Despite her rising fear, MARGARET squares her shoulders bravely and tries to sense the direction. MARGARET I think it is this way. I will run as fast as I can, Marianne. She dashes off. As she goes into the mist we hear the thunder of hooves. CU Margaret's terrified expression. They seem to be coming from all around. She wheels and turns and then--Crash! Through the mist breaks a huge white horse. Astride sits an Adonis in hunting gear. MARGARET squeals. The horse rears. Its rider controls it and slides off. He rushes to MARIANNE's side. THE STRANGER Are you hurt? MARIANNE (transfixed) Only my ankle. THE STRANGER May I have your permission to-- He indicates her leg. Decorous, perhaps faintly impish. THE STRANGER --ascertain if there are any breaks? MARIANNE nods speechlessly. With great delicacy, he feels her ankle. MARGARET's eyes are out on chapel-hooks. MARIANNE almost swoons with embarrassment and excitement mixed. THE STRANGER It is not broken. Now, can you put your arm about my neck? MARIANNE does not need any encouragement. He lifts her effortlessly and calls to his horse: 'Bedivere!' It trots obediently forward. The STRANGER smiles down at MARIANNE. THE STRANGER Allow me to escort you home. INT. BARTON COTTAGE - DINING ROOM - DAY Rain is thudding against the window from which MRS DASHWOOD turns, looking very worried. MRS DASHWOOD Marianne was sure it would not rain. ELINOR Which invariably means it will. But we can see she is trying to conceal her anxiety from her mother. There are noises in the hall. MRS DASHWOOD At last! MARGARET runs into the room dripping wet. MARGARET She fell over! She fell down--and he's carrying her! INT. BARTON COTTAGE - FRONT DOOR - DAY MRS DASHWOOD and ELINOR rush to the front door. They see the STRANGER carrying MARIANNE up the garden path, his scarlet coat staining the monochrome rain. MRS DASHWOOD Marianne! The STRANGER reaches the door. This is no time for introductions. ELINOR In here, sir--this way. Margaret, open the door wider. Please, sir, lay her here. Marianne, are you in pain? They move into the parlour. INT. BARTON COTTAGE - PARLOUR - DAY MARIANNE is carried in, surrounded by ELINOR, MRS DASHWOOD and MARGARET. THE STRANGER It is a twisted ankle. MARIANNE Do not be alarmed, Mamma. The STRANGER deposits MARIANNE on the sofa. They look straight into each other's eyes. Electric. THE STRANGER I can assure you it is not serious. I took the liberty of feeling the bone and it is perfectly sound. ELINOR raises her eyebrows at MARIANNE, who blushes to her roots. MRS DASHWOOD Sir, I cannot even begin to thank you. THE STRANGER Please do not think of it. I'm honoured of be of service. MRS DASHWOOD Will you not be seated? THE STRANGER Pray excuse me--I have no desire to leave a water mark! But permit me to call tomorrow afternoon and inquire after the patient? MRS DASHWOOD We shall look forward to it! He turns to MARIANNE and smiles. She smiles back gloriously. He bows, and sweeps out of the room. MARIANNE (hissing) His name! His name! MRS DASHWOOD silences her with a gesture and follows him out with all the solicitous charm she can command while MARGARET pokes her head around the door to watch. ELINOR is removing MARIANNE's boot and trying not to laugh at her. EXT. BARTON COTTAGE - FRONT DOOR - DAY MRS DASHWOOD calls out after him. MRS DASHWOOD Please tell us to whom we are so much obliged? The STRANGER mounts Bedivere and turns to her. THE STRANGER John Willoughby of Allenham--your servant, ma'am! And he gallops off into the mist--we almost expect Bedivere to sprout wings. CLOSE on MRS DASHWOOD's excited expression. INT. BARTON COTTAGE - PARLOUR - DAY MRS DASHWOOD runs back into the parlour, jittering with excitement and anxiety. MARIANNE Mr John Willoughby of Allenham! MRS DASHWOOD What an impressive gentleman! MARIANNE He lifted me as if I weighed no more than a dried leaf! ELINOR Is he human? MARIANNE hits ELINOR. MRS DASHWOOD tends to her ankle. MRS DASHWOOD Tell me if I hurt you. ELINOR (regarding Marianne's ecstatic expression) She feels no pain, Mamma. Margaret, ask Betsy to make up a cold compress, please. MARGARET (leaving reluctantly) Did you see him? He expressed himself well, did he not? MRS DASHWOOD With great decorum and honour. MARIANNE And spirit and wit and feeling. ELINOR And economy--ten words at most. From below stairs we can hear MARGARET wailing Wait for me! MARIANNE And he is to come tomorrow! ELINOR You must change, Marianne--you will catch a cold. MARIANNE What care I for colds when there is such a man? ELINOR You will care very much when your nose swells up. MARIANNE You are right. Help me, Elinor. MARGARET comes back with the bandages. MARGARET What has happened? ELINOR We have decided to give you to the Gypsies. ELINOR and MARIANNE go upstairs. MARGARET whispers to MRS DASHWOOD. MARGARET Will they be married before Edward and Elinor, do you think, Mamma? MRS DASHWOOD Margaret, you are worse than Mrs Jennings. EXT. BARTON COTTAGE - MORNING The rain has cleared. SIR JOHN's horse munches grass contentedly by the side of the road. SIR JOHN (V.O.) Mr Willoughby is well worth catching, Miss Dashwood--Miss Marianne must not expect to have all the men to herself! INT. BARTON COTTAGE - PARLOUR - MORNING The DASHWOODS are having a frustrating time winkling information about WILLOUGHBY out of SIR JOHN, who is in turn only anxious to protect BRANDON's interest. MARIANNE has her bandaged foot up on the sofa and is fast losing patience. MARIANNE But what do you know of Mr Willoughby, Sir John? SIR JOHN Decent shot--and there is not a bolder rider in all England. MARIANNE But what is he like? SIR JOHN Like? MARIANNE What are his tastes? His passions? His pursuits? SIR JOHN (mystified) Well, he has the nicest little bitch of a pointer--was she out with him yesterday? MARIANNE gives up. MRS DASHWOOD takes over. MRS DASHWOOD Where is Allenham, Sir John? SIR JOHN Nice little estate three miles east. He is to inherit it from an elderly relative--Lady Allen is her name. Now they are getting somewhere. MARIANNE is about to ask another question when they hear a horse galloping up. Everyone is electrified. MARGARET runs to the window and turns back in disappointment. MARGARET It is Colonel Brandon. I shall go outside and keep watch. MARGARET runs out of the room. SIR JOHN You are all on the lookout for Willoughby, eh? Dear me, poor Brandon. You will none of you think of him now. BRANDON is admitted by BETSY. He is carrying a large bunch of hothouse flowers. COLONEL BRANDON How is the invalid? He hands MARIANNE the flowers with a smile. MARIANNE Thank you so much, Colonel. She rather absently hands the flowers to ELINOR, who goes for a vase. SIR JOHN gestures at BRANDON with bluff insensitivity. SIR JOHN Miss Marianne, I cannot see why you should set your cap at Mr Willoughby when you have already made such a splendid conquest! MARIANNE I have no intention of 'setting my cap' at anyone, Sir John! COLONEL BRANDON Mr Willoughby--Lady Allen's nephew? BRANDON's light tone betrays no emotion. ELINOR comes back in with the flowers and puts them on the table next to MARIANNE. SIR JOHN Aye, he visits every year for he is to inherit Allenham--and he has a very pretty estate of his own, Miss Dashwood, Combe Magna in Somerset. If I were you, I would not give him up to my younger sister in spite of all this tumbling down hills. Suddenly MARGARET runs in screaming 'Marianne's preserver!' at the top of her voice. Everyone starts to move at once. MARGARET is silenced. BRANDON looks at MARIANNE, whose incandescent expression makes her feelings all too clear. SIR JOHN Here is the man himself. Come, Brandon-- we know when we are not wanted. Let us leave him to the ladies! ELINOR Marianne! Sir John and the Colonel are leaving. MARIANNE looks up, suddenly self-conscious. MARIANNE Goodbye, Colonel. Thank you for the flowers. ELINOR sees them out. We hear WILLOUGHBY's voice outside. CLOSE on MARIANNE's radiant anticipation. EXT. BARTON COTTAGE - FRONT DOOR - DAY WILLOUGHBY is shaking hands with COLONEL BRANDON and SIR JOHN. WILLOUGHBY How do you do, Colonel? SIR JOHN How does he do? How do you do, more like. Go on in, they're waiting for you! BRANDON looks at WILLOUGHBY for a moment. He bows. WILLOUGHBY bows. Then BRANDON and SIR JOHN exit. INT. BARTON COTTAGE - PARLOUR - DAY ELINOR leads in WILLOUGHBY. MRS DASHWOOD greets him with outstretched arms. MRS DASHWOOD Mr Willoughby! What a pleasure to see you again! WILLOUGHBY The pleasure is all mine, I can asstire you. I trust Miss Marianne has not caught cold? MARIANNE You have found out my name! WILLOUGHBY Of course. The neighbourhood is crawling with my spies. He suddenly produces a bunch of wild flowers from behind his back and offers them to MARIANNE with a courtly, humorous bow. WILLOUGHBY And since you cannot venture out to nature, nature must be brought to you! MARIANNE How beautiful. These are not from the hothouse. WILLOUGHBY sees BRANDON's flowers. WILLOUGHBY Ah! I see mine is not the first offering, nor the most elegant. I am afraid I obtained these from an obliging field. MARIANNE But I have always preferred wild flowers! WILLOUGHBY I suspected as much. ELINOR takes the delicate flowers from WILLOUGHBY. ELINOR I will put these in water. MRS DASHWOOD Our gratitude, Mr Willoughby, is beyond expression-- WILLOUGHBY But it is I who am grateful. I have often passed this cottage and grieved for its lonely state--and then the first news I had from Lady Allen when I arrived was that it was taken. I felt a peculiar interest in the event which nothing can account for but my present delight in meeting you. He is merry, spirited, voluble--a breath of fresh air. ELINOR brings back WILLOUGHBY's flowers and places them next to BRANDON's on the side table. MRS DASHWOOD Pray sit down, Mr Willoughby. She indicates a chair but WILLOUGHBY sees a book lying on MARIANNE's footstool, picks it up and--to her great delight-- sits down on the stool at her feet. WILLOUGHBY Who is reading Shakespeare's sonnets? Everyone answers at once. MARIANNE/ELINOR/MRS DASHWOOD I am. / We all are. / Marianne. MRS DASHWOOD Marianne has been reading them out to us. WILLOUGHBY Which are your favourites? It is a general question but MARIANNE gaily commandeers it. MARIANNE Without a doubt, mine is 116. WILLOUGHBY Let me not to the marriage of true minds Admit impediments. Love is not love Which alters when it alteration finds, Or bends with the remover to remove--then how does it go? MARIANNE '0, no! it is an ever-fixed mark.' WILLOUGHBY joins in the line halfway through and continues. ELINOR and MRS DASHWOOD exchange glances. Clearly, their contribution to this conversation will be minimal. WILLOUGHBY 'That looks on storms'--or is it tempests? Let me find it. WILLOUGHBY gets out a tiny leatherbound book. WILLOUGHBY It is strange you should be reading them--for, look, I carry this with me always. It is a miniature copy of the sonnets. MARIANNE is delighted, and, mutually astonished at this piece of synchronicity, they proceed to look up other favourites, chatting as though they were already intimates. MRS DASHWOOD smiles at ELINOR with satisfaction. ELINOR, amused, picks up her sewing. MARGARET stares. WILLOUGHBY and MARIANNE are oblivious to everything but each other. EXT. BARTON COTTAGE - GARDEN PATH - DAY WILLOUGHBY is leaving. He has a flower from MARIANNE's bunch in his buttonhole and is on his horse, looking about as virile as his horse. Everyone has come out to say goodbye, MARIANNE supported by ELINOR and MRS DASHWOOD. WILLOUGHBY Till tomorrow! And my pocket sonnets are yours, Miss Marianne! A talisman against further injury! MARIANNE Goodbye! Thank you! He gallops off. They all wave. MARGARET follows him down the road for a while. ELINOR Good work, Marianne! You have covered all forms of poetry; another meeting will ascertain his views on nature and romantic attachments and then you will have nothing left to talk about and the acquaintanceship will be over. MARIANNE I suppose I have erred against decorum. I should have been dull and spiritless and talked only of the weather, or the state of the roads. ELINOR No, but Mr Willoughby can be in no doubt of your enthusiasm for him. MARIANNE Why should he doubt it? Why should I hide my regard? ELINOR No particular reason, Marianne, only that we know so little of him-- MARIANNE But time alone does not determine intimacy. Seven years would be insufficient to make some people acquainted with each other and seven days are more than enough for others. ELINOR Or seven hours in this case. MARIANNE I feel I know Mr Willoughby well already. If I had weaker, more shallow feelings perhaps I could conceal them, as you do-- Then she realises what she's said. MRS DASHWOOD Marianne, that is not fair-- MARIANNE I am sorry, Elinor, I did not mean ELINOR I know. Do not trouble yourself, Marianne. ELINOR turns back into the house. MARIANNE I do not understand her, Mamma. Why does she never mention Edward? I have never even seen her cry about him, or about Norland. MRS DASHWOOD Nor I. But Elinor is not like you or I, dear. She does not like to be swayed by her emotions. INT. BARTON COTTAGE - ELINOR AND MARIANNE'S BEDROOM - DAY CLOSE on Edward's handkerchief. We can see the monogram ECF clearly. CLOSE on ELINOR staring out of the window. Tears stand in her eyes but she presses the handkerchief to them before they fall. INT. BARTON PARK - DRAWING ROOM - EVE After dinner. Tea has been served. ELINOR, COLONEL BRANDON, MRS DASHWOOD and MRS JENNINGS play at cards. In a far corner of the room, MARIANNE is concentrating as she draws a silhouette. WILLOUGHBY's profile glows behind the screen in front of her, She looks up and stops, gazing, bewitched, at his beauty. The lips move--a whisper: Marianne. Then, louder: Haven't you finished? He moves out from behind the screen, eyes full of laughter. They look at each other. INT. BARTON COTTAGE - PARLOUR - DAY ELINOR and MRS DASHWOOD are at the accounts. WILLOUGHBY and MARIANNE are on the other side of the room in the window seat, whispering together. Clearly, he is already part of the family. MRS DASHWOOD Surely you are not going to deny us beef as well as sugar? ELINOR There is nothing under tenpence a pound. We have to economise. MRS DASHWOOD Do you want us to starve? ELINOR No. Just not to eat beef. MRS DASHWOOD is silenced but sighs crossly. ELINOR looks over to the lovers and sees WILLOUGHBY in the act of cutting off a lock of MARIANNE's hair, which he kisses and places in his pocket-book. ELINOR is transfixed by this strangely erotic moment. WILLOUGHBY senses her gaze and looks over. She snaps her head back to her sums and is astonished to find that she has written 'Edward' at the top of the sheet. Hastily she rubs it out and writes 'Expenses'. EXT. BARTON CHURCH. DAY. MRS JENNINGS is talking to the elderly CURATE. Other PARISHIONERS exit the church as WILLOUGHBY's curricle (the eighteenth-century equivalent of a sports car) goes flying by. MARIANNE sits by his side, the picture of happiness. MRS JENNINGS nudges the CURATE and whispers. The PARISHIONERS stare after them and comment to each other. EXT. BARTON COTTAGE - GARDEN PATH - DAY MARIANNE and ELINOR are coming down the path together. MARIANNE is dressed to go out. The argument has evidently started indoors and is being continued here. MARIANNE If there was any true impropriety in my behaviour, I should be sensible of it, Elinor-- ELINOR But as it has already exposed you to some very impertinent remarks, do you not begin to doubt your own discretion? MARIANNE If the impertinent remarks of such as Mrs Jennings are proof of impropriety, then we are all offending every moment of our lives-- The conversation is halted by the arrival of COLONEL BRANDON on horseback. COLONEL BRANDON (dismounting) Miss Dashwood! Miss Marianne! ELINOR Good morning, Colonel! COLONEL BRANDON I come to issue an invitation. A picnic on my estate at Delaford--if you would care to join us on Thursday next. Mrs Jennings's daughter and her husband are traveling up especially. ELINOR Thank you, Colonel, we shall be delighted. At that moment, WILLOUGHBY's curricle hoves into view and MARIANNE's face lights up. COLONEL BRANDON (to Marianne) I will of course be including Mr Willoughby in the party. Even MARIANNE is a little embarrassed and recollects her manners. She smiles kindly at BRANDON. MARIANNE I should be delighted to join you, Colonel! The COLONEL helps her into the curricle, exchanging nods with WILLOUGHBY, who is regarding him with some suspicion. WILLOUGHBY Good morning, Miss Dashwood; good morning, Colonel. MARIANNE The Colonel has invited us to Delaford, Willoughby! WILLOUGHBY Excellent. I understand you have a particularly fine pianoforte, Colonel. The undercurrents of this conversation are decidedly tense. COLONEL BRANDON A Broadwood Grand. MARIANNE A Broadwood Grand! Then I shall really be able to play for you! WILLOUGHBY We shall look forward to it! MARIANNE smiles her perfect happiness at him and he whips up the horses. They drive off, waving their farewells. BRANDON looks after them for a silent moment, and then collects himself and turns to ELINOR, who is less than satisfied with their behaviour. COLONEL BRANDON Your sister seems very happy. ELINOR Yes. Marianne does not approve of hiding her emotions. In fact, her romantic prejudices have the unfortunate tendency to set propriety at naught. COLONEL BRANDON She is wholly unspoilt. ELINOR Rather too unspoilt, in my view. The sooner she becomes acquainted with the ways of the world, the better. COLONEL BRANDON looks at her sharply and then speaks very deliberately, as though controlling some powerful emotion. COLONEL BRANDON I knew a lady like your sister--the same impulsive sweetness of temper-- who was forced into, as you put it, a better acquaintance with the world. The result was only ruination and despair. He stops, and briskly remounts his horse. COLONEL BRANDON Do not desire it, Miss Dashwood. EXT. BARTON PARK - DRIVE - DAY People and carriages fill the drive, the sun shines and the atmosphere is pleasantly expectant. SIR JOHN is organising the provision of blankets and parasols and COLONEL BRANDON is busy furnishing the DRIVERS with their routes. There are three new faces a pretty, blowsy WOMAN (CHARLOTTE PALMER), a stony-faced MAN (MR PALMER) and an exceedingly good-looking GIRL (LUCY STEELE), who are standing with ELINOR, MARIANNE, MARGARET, MRS JENNINGS and MRS DASHWOOD. MARIANNE is standing slightly apart, looking out along the road, impatient for WILLOUGHBY. MRS JENNINGS Imagine my surprise, Mrs Dashwood, when Charlotte and her lord and master appeared with our cousin Lucy! The last person I expected to see! 'Where did you pop out from, Miss?' says I. I was never so surprised to see anyone in all my life! LUCY STEELE smiles shyly and looks at the ground. MRS JENNINGS continues sotto voce to MRS DASHWOOD. MRS JENNINGS She probably came on purpose to share the fun, for there are no funds for such luxuries at home, poor thing. LUCY I had not seen you for so long, dear Mrs Jennings, I could not resist the opportunity. CHARLOTTE Oh, you sly thing! It was the Misses Dashwood she wanted to see, not Delaford, Mamma! I have heard nothing but 'Miss Dashwood this, Miss Dashwood that' for I don't know how long! And what do you think of them now you do see them, Lucy? My mother has talked of nothing else in her letters since you came to Barton, Mrs Dashwood. Mr Palmer--are they not the very creatures she describes? MR PALMER regards his wife with a less than enchanted expression. MR PALMER Nothing like. CHARLOTTE (laughing gaily) Why, Mr Palmer! Do you know you are quite rude today? He is to be an MP, you know, Mrs Dashwood, and it is very fatiguing for him for he is forced to make everybody like him-- he says it is quite shocking-- MRS PALMER I never said anything so irrational. Don't palm all your abuses of the language upon me. MRS JENNINGS (to Mrs Dashwood) Mr Palmer is so droll--he is always out of humour. MR PALMER does indeed have the air of a man under siege. WILLOUGH BY suddenly appears in his curricle. MARIANNE waves to him with a radiant smile. MRS JENNINGS nudges CHARLOTTE and points to