Episode 68
Episode 68: Late September, 1876
Scene 3 written by Heather
Scene 1: Scotland, morning. Scotty walks nervously behind Charles though the bush of his Scottish estate. Johnny watches his friend, amused.
Johnny: You look as if you're about to go before the firing squad.
Scotty: That may not be far from the truth.
Johnny: Come on, he didn't kill me when it came out I was engaged to Carey.
Scotty: You wer'na the one to tell him. And Carey talked to the man b'fore you did anyway. And he also wasna carryin' a bloody loaded gun.
Johnny: Since when do you have an accent.
Scotty: When I'm in Scotland and when I'm frustrated. I'm carryin' a loaded gun, too, Johnny, so dinna be testin' m' patience.
Charles: Speaks loudly for them to hear. This is a nice piece of land your mother left you, McLeod.
Scotty: Hesitates. I've always thought so, your Grace.
Charles: I think we can dispense with the formalities, McLeod. I've known you since you were a child.
Scotty: Yes, sir.
Charles: My name is not "Sir", McLeod.
Scotty: If I am to call you Charles would you call me Scotty? Carey is the only one who uses my last name and only when she's mad.
Charles: That sounds about right. As I was saying, I've always liked Scotland. Thought about buying a place up here myself, but then I'd be obligated to entertain social climbing saps and I do enough of that when Parliament is in session.
Johnny: So that's where Carey gets her cynicism!
Charles: I only feign enjoyment because my wife thinks society is dreadfully important. She likes you, Johnny, but she wanted Carey to marry a lofty title. I, for one, am glad she's marrying you.
Johnny: Actually, Charles, that is no longer the case. Never has been, really.
Charles: I don't believe it!
Johnny: Carey wanted the insipid, social-climbing saps to leave her alone. It was her idea. But there's something else that should surprise you more. It has to do with the reason Scotty invited you here.
Scotty: Whispers to Johnny. Stay out of it, Johnny!
Charles: To Johnny. You got Carey pregnant and that's why she left?
Johnny: Carey and I are friends and friends alone.
Charles: Then Scotty got her pregnant?
Scotty: I never touched your daughter!
Charles: Oh, come, now. I know about the bet.
Scotty: Taken aback. You do?
Charles: I have for quite some time. I also know you kissed her on the boat and it scared you because you were serious about it.
Scotty: How could you possibly know that?
Charles: I didn't, it was only a suspicion.
Johnny laughs heartily.
Scotty: Bloody hell.
Charles: When are you going to ask if you can marry her?
Scotty stops in his tracks, shocked.
Charles: I may be an old man, but I'm not deaf. I knew her engagement to Johnny was a farce long ago, too, but I wanted to know why. You can marry her, you know. Mary will object because you're a Scot, but I'll remind her of the fuss that was made when we married because she's Welsh. It always shuts her up.
Scotty: Chokes a little. Thank you, sir.
Charles: There is the obvious problem in that Carey should be about two days out of New York harbor by now.
Scotty: There aren't any ships leaving for America for another week.
Charles: I'll send some telegrams and see if there are any navy ships going to Canada. I could get you on one of those.
Scotty: Thank you, sir.
Scene 2: Tess and Nick's new house. The two have just arrived. On the outside, it looks completely finished.
Nick: All right, we're here. How are you feeling?
Tess: Just fine, Nick, I told you. I can't just sit about the house all day.
Nick: You can't over-exert yourself.
Tess: As long as I'm not wearing constricting underclothes I'm quite fine.
Nick: You're not wearing underclothes?
Tess: Not many. Are you utterly scandalized?
Nick: That's a new word for it.
Tess: Let's go inside.
Quiet work is going on inside—the hanging of wallpaper, the finishing of the fireplace mantle, and painting—and Tess and Nick are able to have a relatively peaceful walk through. Some furniture is already moved in, though covered in old bed sheets.
Tess: We hadn't even discussed furnishings.
Nick: A lot of it is from unused rooms at Belleterre... temporary. I wanted to try my hand at furniture making this winter. It probably won't come to much, but I'll still try. I'm working on something right now... started before we went to San Francisco.
Tess: What is it?
Nick: That, my dear, is a surprise. And so is the next project I have planned.
Tess: So mysterious. Let's go upstairs.
Nick: No stairs for you. We'll stand on the porch.
Tess: I hope you won't be this overprotective of our child.
Nick: Leads her outside. More so.
They stand at the rail together and look out at the lake, and it's only a short time before both fix their eyes on a small group of people on the other side.
Tess: Who are they?
Nick: I haven't a clue. No one from town comes out here. It looks like... He tries to look more closely... Yes, it looks like they're surveying.
Scene 3: Belleterre, late afternoon. Madison, a satchel slung over her shoulder, has just emerged from the house into an alcove in the courtyard created by a grape vine.
Madison slowly and silently approaches Robert. She takes a deep breath, closes her eyes, and taps him on the shoulder. He starts, then turns around.
Robert: Harsh. What do you want?
Madison: I really need to talk to you, Robert.
Robert: We have nothing to discuss, Madison.
Madison: But we do. We can't just keep going on like this.
Robert: Like what?
Madison: Robert.... She sighs. That night—
Robert: Cuts her off. Was a mistake. I know. We have already been over this.
Madison: That's not what I was going to say.
Robert: Then what were you going to say, Madwoman?
Madison: I thought we were past the childish name-calling?
Robert: Well, I thought you loved me. Looks like we were both wrong.
Robert turns and starts to walk away. Madison grabs him tightly by his arm and pulls him back. Taking both of his arms into her grip, she stares at him for a long while, as tears begin to well up in her eyes.
Madison: Through clentched teeth. I did love you, Robert. I still do. But that is no excuse for what we allowed to happen.
Robert: He shifts his position, forcing her to release his arms. What other reason could there be?
Madison: Yells. I was drunk, Robert! She lowers her voice. If I hadn't been so... pissed out of my bloody mind, none of this would have ever happened.
She turns away from him, leaning against the trellis for support.
Robert: Quietly. Perhaps it shouldn't have ever happened, but...
Madison: No, Robert... It isn't.
She turns around, having composed herself, and rests her hands on the trellis.
Madison: I believe that night happened for a reason, Robert... nothing ever just happens. Everything, all the big things and the trivial little everyday things, happens for a reason. No one knows why. That night was destined to happen, and neither you nor I could have ever prevented it. Maybe it was a mistake. But it was the best mistake I have ever made in my entire life.
Robert: You just keep telling yourself that, Madison. Maybe someday you'll discover the real truth about life's little mysteries.
Cut to: Jack's clinic, a short time later. Jack sits at his desk going through some papers.
There is a knock at the door. Jack pushes back his chair, rises, and answers the door. He is somewhat surprised, but pleased, to see Madison standing before him.
Jack: Miss Taylor, I... He takes a deep breath and swallows. I suppose this means you've made your decision.
Madison: I have, Jack.
Jack: Nervously. And?
Madison closes her eyes and slowly nods her head.
Jack: Unsure. You... will?... marry me?
Madison: Quietly. Yes.
Jack's eyes widen in joyful surprise, but he is unsure of his next move. He moves to cup her face with his hands, then changes his mind and grasps her shoulders, then changes his mind again cups her face before kissing her deeply. His eyes remain shut, but Madison's remain open, staring blankly into the distance as her eyes well with tears.
Scene 4: San Francisco, morning. Georgie and Gabe sit with Georgie's grandmother and the baby in a sunny room eating breakfast. Gabe has the baby in a cradle beside his chair.
Gabe: Do you think he looks like your father, Georgie?
Georgie: Yes, a bit. In the eyes and the shape of his face. Why do you ask?
Gabe: I don't know what your father looked like.
Georgie: My sketches aren't nearly the artistic quality of Louisa's, but I think I can draw someone's likeness quite accurately. I'll see what I can do.
Gabe: It looks as though he'll have curly hair like Louisa's, but a lighter color more like Steven's.
Grandmother: He'll be a handsome boy, that's for sure.
Maid: Appears at the door. Mail, sir.
Gabe: Takes the mail. Thank you. He sorts through the letters, then stops at one. Here's a letter from Peter Carlson.
Georgie tenses as Gabe opens it, then watches warily as he reads over the page quickly.
Gabe: What luck! Business brings him back to San Francisco at the end of October. He asks if he might impose as a house guest. Well, of course, he can.
Georgie: Will... will Roberta be joining him?
Gabe: Unfortunately, no. She has a few important temperance society meetings at that time. Peter says to tell you he looks forward to getting to know you better. He places the letter on the table and smiles. This will be great fun!
Georgie: Mumbles. Yes, fun...
Scene 5: Tess and Nick's house, a short time later. Tess lies on a sofa in the front room, a wet cloth on her head. Nick is bring her something to drink. Marietta has just approached the door.
Marietta: Tess, are you ill?
Tess: Mari! It's good to see you. I'm not ill, I just have a headache.
Marietta: Has Nick rubbed your neck yet?
Tess: I don't think he was planning to.
Marietta: Nonchalant. Will always rubs my neck when I have a headache.
Nick gives Marietta a dirty glance before passing Tess the drink, kneeling behind her head, and massaging her neck.
Nick: What brings you here, Marietta?
Marietta: Well... I debated myself when I was thinking about telling you this... you will not like it.
Nick: How serious is this?
Marietta: Will does not listen to me anymore. He is blind to it, but I hope you will try to see what I am telling you. It is about Rilla.
Nick: What about Rilla?
Marietta: I think she may be... disturbed.
Nick: Oh, Mari, you must be mistaken. Rilla has been through a rough time of late.
Marietta: It is much more than that, Nick. I think she may be doing harm to her children.
Nick: That's preposterous!
Marietta: Nick, please, listen to me. Remember when you and Rilla were at the hot springs and the horse disturbed a bees' nest?
Nick: Yes, of course.
Tess: Concerned. You and Rilla were together at the hot springs?
Nick: Not really. I was riding one of the horse and found her there.
Tess: Oh.
Marietta: And you met Will and me when you left, and we discussed warning people about it until it could be removed. I have been asking questions, and I found out that Rilla was discussing the incident with her mother when her two daughters and another boy told her they were going to the hot springs. She sent them off without a word. She implores. Nick, she knows her daughters are allergic to bee stings. She sent them there anyway.
Nick: You're mistaken, Mari, you must be. Rilla wouldn't intentionally harm her children. It must have slipped her mind.
Marietta: I was hoping you would be rational, Nick.
Nick: I am, I'm giving her the benefit of the doubt. Rilla is my friend.
Marietta: I know, but I think your friend has a problem. You cannot take her into your home to care for you wife and child if there is that risk.
Tess: What?
Nick: What is it, Tess?
Tess: What Mari said. Rilla is coming to our home... were you planning to discuss this with me?
Nick: I meant to in San Francisco, but with everything there it slipped my mind.
Tess: I don't think I want her living with us.
Nick: Rilla doesn't have any problems, Tess.
Tess: Perhaps not, but I still don't want that woman in my house.
Nick must answer to his wife Everyone is happy about Madison and Jack's
engagement... almost Surveyors?
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