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SHARPE’S Justice
Richard Sharpe and the
Peace of the Congress of Vienna
Screenplay Written by Patrick Harbinson and Bernard Cornwell.
Novel Adapted by Paul Kaster
PART THREE
1815 JANUARY 3
Chapter 18
KEIGHLEY
WELLING PARK
Parfitt, Wickham, Rossendale and Jane sit at the dining table. They have finished the meal. Rossendale had invited Parfitt to dinner to continue to talk more of investing into one of Sir Willoughby’s ventures. Parfitt brought Wickham with him.
John and Jane are seated in the chairs at the head and foot of the table respectively. Sir Willoughby and George sit in the chairs in the middle.
For many years, George has played soldier. Today was the first time that his action has hurt, no less, killed someone. He celebrates his first kill, but is disappointed that he did not also collect Sharpe. To kill Sharpe with his reputation would have been a feat to really celebrate.
George has been telling the story of the day’s event. Through the meal, he has had a lot of wine. With the meal finished and a fresh glass of wine in hand, he raises the glass.
“To Sharpe.”
“The romantic.”
He turns to his right to look at Jane. “Who set free this.”
Pauses to hiccough, “exquisite woman for us all to admire.”
Jane looks to John.
Sir Willoughby follows his George’s gaze to Jane.
“I’ll second that!” Sir Willoughby too raises his glass to Jane.
“As lovely as money, you are miss.”
John looks down the table to Jane and then to the men.
Sir Willoughby notices that John has not toasted.
“Come on Johnny. Raise your glass. You’ll be able to afford a better claret, soon enough.”
John chortles. Looks at the table as he has been embarrassed by Sir Willoughby.
Jane changes the subject.
“I’m sorry that Lady Anne can’t be here.”
George adjusts his chair to move closer to Jane.
He leans on the table and in toward Jane. Slurring his words, he says,
“She pleaded a headache.”
“Though I suspect is was more FEAR of being” He starts to shake his head side to side for emphasis.
“Outshone
By you
My dear.”
He laughs while taking Jane’s gloved hand.
“Ha, ha, ha, ha.”
He takes Jane’s hand, then leans to kiss it.
John sternly calls from the other end of the table.
“Captain Wickham.”
Sir Willoughby adds, “Steady George, steady.”
George looks back up at Jane.
Sir Willoughby continues, “I thought Annie was soft on you.”
George looks away from Jane and to the table.
“Ah, my cloth is cut too fine, sir.” He replies as he ways his head between Jane and Sir Willoughby.
“Her taste is for rutting in a mitten.” He looks to Willoughby.
“No doubt with that scoundrel Sharpe!”
Willoughby chuckles.
John at the end of the table looks on with disgust at the two.
George resumes staring at Jane.
He reaches for his wine.
“Another toast, ‘nother toast.” He slurs.
Point his glass at Willoughby, “To Sharpe, the outlaw. For handing us Truman on a plate.”
John looks at the unusual scene unfolding before him. He continues to be mixed by his admiration for Sharpe and his love for Jane. Does he want to be involved with these men.
Slurring his words more. “May he soon swing beside him”
George lunges across the table to touch glasses with Willoughby. “ON A GIBBET!”
His glass smashes on contact with Willoughby’s. Glass and wine rain onto the table.
“George!”
John looks on in shock.
George raises his hands in mock surrender.
“Pardon?”
“Forgive?”
Jane responds, “it is no matter.”
John watches in awe as George takes Jane by the shoulder.
“What do you say Rossendale?” George paws Jane’s shoulders and arms. She brushes him away to the best she can.
“I’ll swap you one of my mills for this young beauty.”
With this last, he reaches in to pull Jane’s face to his for a kiss. Jane slaps her hands at George’s face to fend him off. Finally, she slaps him. Stands and runs to the door of the room.
John stands in anger. He tries to decide how to intervene.
“I give you warning, SIR!”
Parfitt checks George. “You’re going to strong, sir.”
“REIN IN MAN!”
George stands to address Parfitt first, then turns to Rossendale.
Parfitt
“Rossendale won’t need your mills.”
“He’ll have his own, soon enough.”
“Care of Sir Percy Stanwyck.”
George stands defeated with his hands at his side.
John says to them. “Excuse me, GENTLEMEN.” Then turns to follow Jane from the room.
.Wickham raises a hand to wave a mocking goodbye.
After John has left the room, Parfitt offers his own toast to George. “Here’s to smoking mills.”
They touch glasses.
Willoughby finishes. “The prosperous life.”
They drink.
In the hallway, John finds Jane. They listen to Sir Willoughby and George laugh after their toast.
Jane is crying. She has long felt like others consider her “Rossendale’s Whore.” George’s behavior reinforces what she thinks society thinks of her. How could John just sit there while George assaulted her?
John knows of her feelings. He nods his head to hers. He offers, “I shall kill him.”
Jane stops him.
“John, don’t.”
With his voice trembling with anger, “He insulted you. That drunken, arrogant, fop.”
Jane, tries to calm herself and John. “He is a drunk. He is a fop.”
Tenderly, “It is no matter to me.”
“Jane, I will not have you looked at”
“spoken to, like that.”
“I cannot bear it!”
John turns to return to the room to call out Wickham.
Jane grabs his arm to hold him back. “John, I left Richard because he would fight with anyone for no reason.”
“Do you want me to leave you too?”
She overcomes her crying. As she reaches for John’s lapels, she looks to him, “We have what we need from Parfitt.”
“We can return to London. We will have nothing more to do with him.”
John looks at her.
Jane reaches a hand to stroke John’s hair. She knows the affect that this has to calm him and draw him to her.
“Isn’t that better than making an enemy of him now?”
John exhales. He sees the logic of what she says. “Yes.”
He exhales again more strongly.
“Oh. Jane. What would I do without you?”
Jane smiles. “Sometimes, I wonder.”
John kisses her. T
he house maid arrives.
“Someone rang the bell.”
Jane tells her authoritatively.
“I did.”
“Go and clean up the mess.”
Jane smiles at John, then kisses him.
John, returns to the dining room.
“Sir Willoughby, I believer Captain Wickham has finished for the evening. Shall I call your carriage?”
Parfitt holds George who is unable to stand on his own. “I’ll see George back to Keighley.”
“I appreciate if you will, sir. He does seem the worse for wear.”
In the foyer, John helps Parfitt and Wickham with their coats. Wickham continues to say nothing. His eyes are unable to focus on wither Parfitt or Rossendale.
Jane is in a doorway at the top of the stairs. She watches John escort their guests out. She is unwilling to join them.
At the door, Parfitt leaves with “Thank you Rossendale. Despite George here, we had a good evening. I presume you are still interested in how you may improve your, em, fiscal situation?”
“Yes, yes I am.”
“I suspect we will here of a mill that is having trouble that I can send your way.”
“Oh?”
“Yes, within a few days, we should have some news. Remain patient until then.”
Parfitt slowly guides Wickham to the carriage. Rossendale watches them go.
Inside, Jane greets him at the bottom of the stairs. “Wickham is horrid, horrid.”
“Yes, my dear.” He has already had this conversation with her. He holds her. She always offers her idea of what should happen next.
“John, how can Parfitt know when mills will be come available?”
Rossendale wondered this too.
“I’m not sure sweetness.”
“Could this bring money faster than selling Welling Park?”
“um, not sure.” John doesn’t want to tell her he is not set on selling Welling Park. His mother and others of the family may step in to block him getting rid of the estate. And, his mother knows that he has debts to pay before he can begin to pay Major Sharpe. She will want to make sure he satisfies his family obligations before anything with Jane. His mother has made it clear what she thinks of Jane.
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