FIONA
Well, uou didn’t hear it from
us. But Lady Ascot told Mrs.
fluckwall who told Lady
Whit t 1 ewoo d…
FAITH
That’s not how it went. Lady
Ascot told Lady Whittlewood
who told Mrs. fluckwall…
ALICE
I’m going to find your mother!
Alice turns to walk away. Fiona grabs her.
F IONA
Alice. Hamish Ascot…
FAITH
…is going to ask for your hand.
They squeal and giggle. Alice is stunned.
ALICE
I need my sister.
Alice rushes off to find her recently married older sister,
MARGARET MANCHESTER.
ALICE
Margaret!
One look and Margaret can see that Alice knows.
MARGARET
Who told you?
ALICE
The Chattaways.
MARGARET
They’ll have to be strangled.
Now the surprise is ruined.
And everyone went to so much
effort to keep the secret.
Alice looks at the other guests.
ALICE
floes everyone know?
MARGARET
Of course. It’s why they’ve all
come. This is your engagement party.
ALICE
Today? But how does he know
I’ll accept?
Margaret laughs as if she’s joking.
MARGARET
Hamish will ask you under the
gazebo at dusk. When you say
“yes”, musicians will play…
ALICE
But I don’t know if I want to
marry him.
MARGARET
Are you mad? Look around you.
ALICE
I wouldn’t be marrying his
house. I’d be marrying Harnish.
She looks at Hamish who’s blowing his nose. He studies the
contents of his kerchief before he folds it and puts it in his
pocket.
MARGARET
Do you have someone else in mind?
ALICE
Not at the moment.
MARGARET
Well, you won’t do better than
a Lord. And you can’t wait much
longer.
(as if she’s Mathusela)
You’re almost twenty, Alice.
That pretty face won’t last
forever. You don’t want to end
up like Aunt Imogene.
They look at their middle-aged aunt, IMOGENE, with over-rouged
cheeks and a yellowing white dress that’s too young for her.
MARGARET
Such a embarrassment. And now that
Father is gone, you can’t depend
on Mother to support you. You don’t
want to be a burden, do you?
She’s succeeded in making Alice feel not only insecure but
guilty as well.
ALICE
Of course not.
MARGARET
So you will marry Hamish. You
will be as happy as I am with
Lowell and your life will be
perfect. It’s already decided.
Lady Ascot appears. She entwines her arm around Alice’s.
LADY ASCOT
Walk with me through the rose
garden and we’ll get to know
one another.
Alice looks back at her sister who nods with encouragement.
EXT. THE ROSE GARDENS – CONT.
LADY ASCOT
You’re such a lovely girl, Alice.
You’re certain to have gorgeous
children. Do you know what I’ve
always dreaded?
ALICE
What’s that?
LADY ASCOT
Ugly grandchildren. But with
you that’s not a possibility.
1-lamish tells me you’re quite
imaginative.
ALICE
My father encouraged me to…
Lady Ascot sees something off.
LADY ASCOT
Incompetence! The gardeners planted
white roses when I specifically
asked for red.
ALICE
I like white roses.
LADY ASCOT
You couldn’t possibly. They’re
too bland.
She hurries her onto a winding path up a hill.
