Episode 48
Episode 48: May 1, 1876
Scene 3 written by Heather
Scene 1: Liberty Creek, late afternoon. Madison and party have just come in. Waiting for them in front of the store are John Henry, Freddie, and Danielle.
John Henry: Justice in this country is primitive at best, Miss Taylor. You may stay with my family until everything is safe again.
Madison: Thank you for the offer, but Jonathan has gone back east for the time being. I should be safe on my own for a while.
Lazarus: I have several friends of mine keeping watch for his return in Boise.
John Henry: If you change your mind, you will always be welcome.
Madison: Thank you. I will keep that in mind. Turning to Danielle. Thank you so very much for taking over my duties while I tended to this matter, Mrs. Carrol. And how were my students? I hope they were not too much trouble.
Danielle: It was no trouble at all, dear. They were surprisingly well-behaved.
Madison: That is good to hear.
Sally: Would you like me to come and stay with you, Madison? Just for tonight.
Madison: No, but thank you. I'll be all right.
Danielle: Please do come and dine with us this evening. We will eat early so that you might get home before dark.
Madison: It is not—
Danielle: Cuts her off. No protests. It is settled.
Scene 2: Libbie's bedroom, morning. Lydia has taken over the bed and is watched over by Eleanor and Libbie. One maid stands ready nearby. Outside, Christopher and Phil nervously pace the hall. Philip, standing out of the way, watches them with an annoyed expression.
Eleanor: It will all be over soon, darling. You won't remember the pain once you have your little baby.
Lydia: Really, Mama, it doesn't hurt all that much. I've gotten used to the pains now. I know the worst is still to come, but I don't think I'll have any problems.
Eleanor: All the same, we've sent for the doctor.
Lydia: I really—She tenses and grimaces for several seconds, then returns to normal—think you and Libbie will manage.
Cut to: Several hours later. Downstairs, members of the family sit in wait. Philip, Christopher, and Phil have been enticed into the front sitting room where John Henry, Elizabeth, Nick, Tess, and Victoria keep them company.
Christopher: Looks anxiously up the stairs. What's taking so long?
Philip: I know you're nervouse, Christopher, but I think I speak for all of us when I tell you to sit down and shut up.
Victoria: Here, here!
Christopher frowns at both of them and slumps into a chair.
Elizabeth: Twenty-six.
Victoria: What's that, Maman?
Elizabeth: Twenty-six hours I was with Christopher. Lydia has only been confined to bed with the pains for five hours and I imagine she will be through soon.
Victoria: You've never spoken of your pregnancies before, Maman.
Elizabeth: No? Christopher's was the hardest. His head was very big.
Philip: It's still swollen.
Victoria: Gives him a light smack. You stop. Turns to her mother. Who's was the easiest?
Elizabeth: Yours, by far. Most of the work was spent on Libbie. Victoria beams with pride and sends Christopher a bragging, sisterly look. Nick was the most incovenient. Three times he started to come, then decided against it. It really took an entire week.
A maid quietly walks into the room and hands a slip of paper to John Henry. His face falls as he reads it, but Libbie enters the room and no one notices. She gives Christopher a kiss when he reaches her.
Libbie: Congratulations, Chrissy. You have a daughter.
Christopher lifts his sister off the ground when he hugs her and starts to leave the room, but can't help but notice the look on his father's face. John Henry has barely heard the news.
Christopher: Dad? What's wrong?
John Henry: Shakes himself out of the daze. Hmm? Oh, it's nothing. Congratulations, son.
Christopher rushes from the room. Phil beams with pride and does not try to hide the tears for his daughter and granddaughter. John Henry cries, too, but for a daughter and granddaughter thousands of miles away.
Scene 3: Liberty Creek, evening. The sky is beginning to color as Madison begins her walk home from the Carrol house.
Not watching where she is going, Madison bumps into a tall man in a dark overcoat.
Madison: I am terribly sorry, sir. I must not have been paying attention.
The man nods and steps aside so that she may pass. Madison smiles at him as she continues on.
Man: You certainly have changed in the last fifteen years, Madison.
Madison looks back to see the man still looking at her. She takes a few steps towards him, carefully studying his face.
Madison: How did you know my name?
Man: I have know it for quite some time, Miss Taylor.
Madison: I am sorry, but I do not remember you.
Man: I didn't expect you would... He touches Madison's cheek gently. She does not try to move away. Look at you, all grown up now. I wish I could have been around to see it happening. You were still very young when they sent me away.
Madison: Who are you?
Man: It's me, Maddie, Cole... your brother.
Scene 4: Liberty Creek, the next morning. Nick is waiting with Tess by the stage.
Tess: It's so hard to believe that news about Olivia and poor little Faith.
Nick: She doesn't deserve any of this.
Tess: When are they going to tell Christopher and Lydia?
Nick: Later today, I think. They didn't want to taint the memory for them.
Tess: Would it be right to tell Stuart?
Nick: It may be better to decide that once you've seen her again.
Driver: We've got to be going, ma'am.
Tess: All right.
Tess checks to see if anyone is watching, then kisses Nick.
Nick: Prude.
Tess: My old students still see me.
Nick: Laughs. Don't stay away too long. Do you have everything?
Tess: Yes... no! Those things leaning against the wall. Louisa wanted me to take them along.
Nick picks up the few boxes and slips them into the stage with the other lone passenger, and elderly man trying his best to ignore them. He helps Tess up, then kisses her hand before closing the door.
Scene 5: The main hall at Stancliff, the next morning. Olivia, Joey, and Joe are ready for travel and much of the rest of the family is there to see them off.
Mary: You should not be travelling so soon, Olivia.
Olivia: I just want to get away from here.
Grace: The trip will be hard for you, Livie. She gives her sister a hug and whispers in her ear. You don't have to go back with him.
Olivia: It's not necessarily what I'm doing. It depends on what happens during the journey back. I'll write.
Grace: Often?
Olivia: Of course. You, too.
Grace: I hope I can be as resilient as you are when I grow up.
Olivia: You make me sound like an old matron. You learn with experience, Gracie, just don't try to gain too much experience in too little time.
Grace: What do you mean?
Olivia: You know what I mean. You're fifteen and you plan to enter Society as soon as the season starts.
Grace: Smiles. Not so loud. Carey and I don't want Aunt Mary to find out until it's too late.
Olivia: Just be careful.
Grace picks Joey up and says her goodbyes to him while Olivia bids farewell to the rest of the family. She gives him to Carey before moving to speak with Joe.
Joe: Before you say anything, Grace, I'm going to do everything I can to make it up to her. And take care of her.
Grace: It won't take nearly as long to gain Olivia's forgiveness than it will the rest of my family. If you hurt her again, Joe, so help me...
Joe: Stop trying to act the man, Gracie. It isn't becoming.
Grace: It worked for Stuart, didn't it?
Grace turns around and hugs Olivia and Joey once more, then stands with Carey outside the door as the two watch the coach drive away.
Carey: I hope she's going to be all right.
Grace: She's always made the right decisions... when she's thinking clearly.
Madison's brother causes a painful
misunderstanding Christopher and Lydia consider baby names,
but the choice is obvious when they receive bad news Jack causes Louisa to question her future Tess blurts out a secret when surprised in San
Francisco
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