Cracks Page #4

Really?

I was a bit of a scandal in my day.

I remember one captain

who was quite loath

to having an unaccompanied woman

on board.

It caused such a stir, I was forced

to disembark at the next port.

Where else have you been, Fiamma?

Abyssinia, Somaliland, the Dodecanese.

And Paris.

Paris is filthy.

Do you care for Paris?

I love to travel.

One day I shall have to resume

my exploration of the world.

It's in our blood, isn't it?

You're not like the other girls.

They're still waiting

for their lives to begin.

But not you.

But you can go whenever you choose.

Why do you stay?

I stay for my girls, of course.

When they leave, so shall I.

This is out of bounds, Miss Gribben.

I had no idea. Nothing is locked.

It is an honour system.

We respect confidentiality here.

And I thought

you would have known that.

Quite a scandal though, wasn't it?

A countess stealing away with

a peasant. And a Marxist, to boot!

Imagine the daring, the courage.

That is neither here nor there.

We have had to protect many girls

from themselves over the years.

I just felt if I knew a little of her

history, I could be of more help.

All our girls are to be treated equally,

regardless of their past.

As you well know, Miss Gribben.

You have been with us a long time.

I'm sorry, Miss Nieven.

It was an error of judgement.

It won't happen again.

See that it doesn't.

The world is a perilous place.

It would be a shame for you

to have to find that out firsthand.

So have you decided?

Is it a centre-piece for a dinner party?

Or a christening?

Or a simple 'get well' arrangement

for an ailing relative.

Or have you any ideas of your own?

You can be creative.

The world falls at her feet

because she's an aristocrat.

It's so unjust. So unearned.

Fuzzy Burls, what have you done?

Fuzzy never gets any help.

Did you hear? Your father

called for you on the telephone.

- My father?

- The prince himself.

Why wasn't I told?

God knows where you were.

We looked everywhere for you.

- In the end he had to speak to Lily.

- What did he say?

Well... I think he took

quite a shine to Lily.

He's arranged to see her next week.

He's sending a carriage

and champagne for her.

Your father's a randy bugger, Fiamma.

He's going to deflower

our precious Lily.

You shouldn't be cruel.

Excuse me, Miss Cairns.

I was wondering if I might take

advantage of the glorious sunshine

and steal the girls away

for a dive.

By all means.

Fiamma, dear?

If you don't mind, Miss Cairns,

I wish to stay.

Fiamma, the great British summertime

rarely indulges us.

It is barely past lunch.

I will get a cramp and sink like a stone.

Suit yourself.

Girls.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes