Episode 7
Episode 7: Mid-August 1875
Scene 1: Building site of Nick's new house, late-morning. Nick and his crew of workers are working on the siding of the house, the rest of the outside being finished completely. Nick is on a ladder working on a higher portion of the cozy bungalow.
Nick pauses in his work and looks out into the valley. He can just see above the trees, and can see Tess riding toward him. Behind her, she is pulling another pack horse loaded with several bags.
Nick: Calls to the other men. Tess is coming. She must've convinced Grace to let her bring up our lunch.
Jed: You want me to ride down and get rid of her?
Nick: Thinks for a moment. Yeah. She'll likely convince me to let her come up and have a see. Be nice about it, though. And make sure she doesn't leave with our lunch.
Jed: Will do.
Jed puts down his hammer and few nails and walks to the area where their horses were tethered. He unties his horse, mounts it, and begins riding down the lane with a sinister smile. When he gets closer to Tess, he puts on a friendly façade.
Jed: Miss Hartley, I'm afraid I've been sent to prevent you from venturing up the hill.
Tess: I don't think we've met. You may call me Tess. What is your name?
Jed: Jed, Jed Smith.
Tess: Nick has mentioned you. You're helping him and the other boys to finish my house.
Jed: I'd hardly call them boys, but you're right.
Tess: Nick's family calls them all collectively "the boys." It's rubbed off. Don't you think I should see my house before I move into it, Mr. Smith?
Jed: Can't say that I do. Nick wants you to wait till after you're married to see the house. He knows what's best. Sides, I wouldn't let you up there even if I did think you should see the house. Nick told me to keep you away, and that's just what I'm gonna do.
Tess: Is that so? Well, you boys will just have to come back to the house to have your lunch, then.
Tess turns Shep and gives the pack horse a slight pull. Jed follows her and grabs her wrist tightly. She lets out a small moan of pain as he pries her fingers off the rope with his other hand.
Tess: Disgusted. I'll thank you to unhand me, Mr. Smith. That was not necessary. Here, take the pack horse, but you can be sure Nick will here of this, and he won't stand for it.
Jed: We'll see, Tess.
Tess: I believe Miss Hartley would be more appropriate.
Tess turns quickly from Jed and urges Shep into a quick trot. Jed chuckles to himself and rides with the pack horse back up to the building site.
Nick: Good work, Jed. How'd you do it?
Jed: Feminine wiles don't do a lick o' good on me. I'm afraid I might o' hurt her a bit when she tried to take the pack horse back with 'er. I didn't get a chance to apologize, I hope there's no hard feelins.
Nick: Not with me, but you'll have to apologize to Tess yourself.
Jed: That I will. He smiles to himself as he begins to unload the food. That I will.
Scene 2: Lydia and Christopher's suite on the ship, early-evening. Both are wearing robes, Christopher is watching Lydia as she sits at the desk writing.
Christopher: You write in that diary of yours every day, sometimes more than once. Your entries must be getting redundant. We've been doing the same thing for over a week. We only leave the room in the dead of night.
Lydia: Matter-of-factly. A diary is more than just a day-to-day list of things one has done. You can record anything you wish–thoughts, feelings, hopes, fears. You should try it some time.
Christopher: Are you ever going to let me read what you're putting in there?
Lydia: Not likely. Diaries are private. I share most of my thoughts with you anyway, so why would it matter to you?
Christopher: It doesn't.
Lydia: Looking up at him with a coy smile. Liar.
There is a knock at the door.
Christopher: Who is there?
Porter: Porter, sir. Don't open the door. Several of our passengers have come down with scarlet fever. They've been quarantined, but we're going to have to insist that all other passengers stay in their cabins for five days so we can be sure they don't have the fever, as well. Your food will be prepared and delivered to you by staff who have previously had the virus. We apologize for the inconvenience, but we must take every precaution for the safety of our passengers.
Christopher: How many passengers have come down with it?
Porter: Ten, sir. Eight from third class and two from first class. Mrs. Pratt and her son.
Lydia: Hurrying from her seat and heading for the door Mrs. Pratt is ill? She was so kind to me. Please send her our regards and best wishes.
Porter: Several passengers have asked me to convey messages to other passengers. Do you have any others, Mrs. Marshall?
Lydia: Yes, to Miss Delie Bates. A faint scribbling can be heard from the other side of the door. Please tell her that we are healthy and happy and that we hope she is the same. Also, tell her not to be discouraged by her lengthy time alone, that it will be a good opportunity to read all those books I gave her.
Christopher: Will this affect our expected arrival time in New York?
Porter: Not at all, sir. That all depends on the weather. With no major storms, Captain Elliot expects us to dock on the eighteenth. Good day, Mr. Marshall, Mrs. Marshall.
Christopher turns to Lydia, now standing ten feet from him, and smiles mischievously.
Christopher: Five days in small suite with nowhere to go and only each other to keep us company. However will we amuse ourselves?
Lydia: With each other?
Scene 3: Tess's cabin, mid-morning. Jed Smith is riding down the path from Belleterre as Tess is just awakening.
Jed ties his horse by the barn and walks toward the cabin. He peers through the front window first and finds the kitchen and sitting room empty. The door to Tess's bedroom is closed. Jed walks around behind the cabin and stealthily peeks through the curtains. Tess is just rising from her bed, facing the opposite wall. She turns toward the window, and Jed ducks from view. A few seconds later, he cautiously peeks in the window again. Tess is leaning over the wash basin, splashing water on her face. She unbraids her hair and runs a brush through it, then spends a moment admiring her hair before going to her closet and removing her nightgown. Jed can only see her from behind, but she is completely nude. He watches her as she puts on every piece of clothing, from underclothes to a locket. He even watches her arrange her hair. When she goes to leave the room, he leaves his post and begins walking around the cabin again.
Jed: Mumbles to himself. Goddamn, she coulda been mine. Body like hers, I coulda retired. He spits on the ground. Then that bitch stole 'er and my money. He pauses before rounding the corner of the house, composes himself, and knocks on the door. When Tess answers it, he smiles warmly. Good morning, Miss Hartley.
Tess: Curtly nods. Mr. Smith.
Jed: May I come in?
Tess: I hardly think that would be appropriate, Mr. Smith.
Jed: I understand, I understand. And you're right. I just stopped by to apologize for my actions yesterday. I'm afraid I don't know my own strength, and I'm sorry I harmed you. I was out of line.
Tess: Yes, you were. She lifts up her right hand and reveals a bruised wrist. You bruised my wrist, Mr. Smith.
Jed: I'm truly sorry, Miss Hartley. My, that does look painful. If there's anythin' I can do, just tell me.
Tess: I think you've done enough. Nick came to me yesterday and asked me to forgive you, so I will. He said you were a good man, and I trust his judgement. For his sake, I will be friendly to you. Otherwise, I think it would be best if we avoided each other.
Jed: I understand, Miss Hartley, and I'll be goin' now. I hope we can be friends in the future.
Tess: Good day. She closes the door and turns to her cat. I don't know what it is about him, Queenie. Tess moves to the window and watches as Jed walks to his horse. He makes my skin crawl. And I didn't like the way he was looking at me just now, almost like he could see right through me. I hope he doesn't decide to stay here.
Scene 4: Lydia and Christopher's suite, evening. Lydia is sitting in a bathtub of steaming water. Christopher is kneeling behind her, lathering soap into her hair.
Lydia: I wish we were permitted to bathe in fresh water, but I suppose they do need to save it all for the sick. Can you believe fifteen more people in third class and five more here?
Christopher: I hope they don't decide to quarantine us once we reach New York.
Lydia: My cousin would make sure we were allowed to leave. She sinks lower into the water. There is something soothing about the warm, salty water.
Christopher: It's supposed to be medicinal. Christopher scrubs Lydia's back as she leans forward and rinses her hair. But I think you're feeling soothed because of this thorough massage you're getting. Any chance I'll get one?
Lydia: A chance. She gasps and grasps the sides of the tub as the boat pitches to one side. Some water sloshes from the tub. It appears as if you will not be getting your bath tonight, Christopher. There's a bit of a storm brewing.
Christopher: Washes the soap from Lydia's back as she raises her head again. Do you remember that storm four nights ago? He takes a towel and wraps it around Lydia as she stands in the tub, the water already draining away.
Lydia: Walks into the bedroom. Not easily forgotten.
Christopher: Dancing on the bow to the tune of rain hitting the deck. Getting pushed from side to side by the wind and not giving a hoot.
Lydia: And then the storm cleared just like that and we watched the sun rise.
Christopher: It's awe-inspiring. Being able to watch the sun rise and set on an unblemished horizon. The sunrise was better than the sunset on our wedding day. There were no people, no sounds except the ship on the water.
Lydia: I'm sure there were some people. There has to be someone controlling the ship at that time of the morning.
Christopher: Ah, yes, but we didn't think about that then. It didn't matter. We were dripping wet, but we were happy.
Lydia: That is the sort of thing you write in a diary. It only takes a few lines to say 'Christopher and I danced on the deck of the ship in the wind and rain,' but it takes a lot longer to explain what was going on in my head at the time.
Christopher: Well said, my dear.
The boat pitches again and Christopher and Lydia are thrown against the wall, Lydia's blow cushioned by Christopher.
Christopher: I think it best we retire before we harm ourselves.
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