INT. BY THE WINDOW - DAY
MARY
Such a lovely day today. I can’t wait to go out in the sunshine. As soon as Lizzie comes back we’ll
get off the train and walk down to the seafront. Maybe even go in the sea. Well, perhaps Lizzie
can. She does like her swimming and she’s very good at it. I’m so proud of her.
Such a good girl. I must check she has her cardigan though. Probably a bit cool on the beach. And
she’s such a tiny thing. Not like her big beefy brother. (pause) He’s not here at the moment I
don’t think.
Mary pauses and looks around before her gaze returns to the view outside the window.
MARY (CONT’D)
We’ll go to Fortes and have an icecream. I expect we’ll have 99s. Lizzie likes those.(pause) Dotty
says they’re extravagant. Ice-cream and chocolate at the same time. She hasn’t forgiven me for that
Christmas cake disaster, when I mixed up the salt and sugar. All those sugar and butter rations
we’d been saving for months. It was inedible that’s true, but I didn’t mean it and granny was so
nasty about it. She said I was a spiteful cruel girl and nobody would be my friend. She likes Dotty
better. But mummy loves me. (Pause) I must get home. She’ll be worried and wondering where I am. I
need to get off now. Where’s my handbag? And my handkerchief. I haven’t got a handkerchief. Lizzie
will know.
Where is she? We need to go now, before the train goes. Oh look at that pretty little bird.
Erithacus rubecula, robin redbreast. Poor little thing needs feeding. I hope it’s not cold. It
looks cold and lonely out there. I must find some bread to feed it.
Mary taps on the window.
2.
MARY (CONT’D)
Here little one. Come here. Oh dear I think he’s hungry. Lizzie will know what to do. She’s so kind
and clever. But I don’t like her driving that big car at night. It’s not safe and there are too
many cars. Dave shouldn’t let her go out when it’s dark. Where is she? Where is that girl? I need
to go. Now. I need to go home. Mummy will be so worried about me and Dotty might take my piece of
cake. Daddy won’t let her. He’ll save it for me.
He’ll hide in his workshop and I’ll find it in the boat he made. I wonder if he’ll take me to the
boating lake and we can sail it. If he’s better. I saw him pushing his cart up the hill yesterday.
It was full of his ladders and decorating stuff and it looked so hard. Poor daddy. He needs a rest.
They never have holidays. They say that as we live next to the seaside there’s no reason to go
away. But I love going camping in France, Massif d’Esterel, all those beautiful red rocks,
volcanic of course and the campsite by the sea. Lots of ants though and Lizzie got sunburnt.
That was awful. All my fault. She was playing Geronimo with her friend. The girl with the red
swimming costume and the pretty name. Jenny, that’s it. Lizzie and Jenny, always in the water
trying to stand up on the lilo. They had to shout Geronimo before they fell off. And Archie would
swim up and pretend to be a shark. It did make us laugh. Archie is so kind, so clever. I wonder
where he is? He looked so smart running down the hill in pin striped trousers. None of the other
boys at school had them. But Archie used to go to a posh school in London, before they were bombed
out and moved here.
Dotty’s so jealous because I have a boyfriend and she doesn’t. We could take our bikes and ride out
to the
common today.
(MORE)
3.
MARY (CONT’D)
Dotty will want to come too but daddy will say no because she’s too immature and might not get back
before dark, and the bombers might see us. Dotty was so scared that day at the pictures when the
bomb fell on the roof. We were watching a Bugs Bunny and then everyone screamed. It was so loud.
Daddy came and took us home - we had to wheel our bikes because there was rubble everywhere - and
mummy made special tea for us. I don’t know where my bike is now. Lizzie will know. Where is
Lizzie?
Mary knocks on the window.
MARY (CONT’D)
Hello, is anyone there? Lizzie, where are you? We need to go. I can’t stay here any more. I need
to go. She must be outside.
Mary gets up and walks through an open door, taking a few steps along a path.
MARY (CONT’D)
Oh what a pretty garden. Lizzie is so clever and makes it beautiful. But we don’t want this
Calystegia sepium choking the plants. Out, out, vile bindweed.
Mary yanks out a handful of weeds.
Lovely house this. It must be rich people live here. I wonder who’s it is. Archie’s family are
rich. Maybe it’s them It’s huge too. All those windows, and servants too in peacock blue uniforms.
They look so smart. Are those old people in those chairs? Oh look at that sweet little bird. robin
redbreast,Erithacus rubecula, I think it’s hungry. I must find some cake. He’d like that. Come here
little birdie, come here.
Oh, he’s gone. I shouldn’t be here. I’ll be in trouble again and granny will be nasty to me. She
says I’m a spiteful cruel girl and nobody will
be my friend. But I’m not nasty.
(MORE)
MARY (CONT’D)
I try to be kind and do my best. I promise that I will do my best
To do my duty to God and the King. I love being in the guides but Lizzie doesn’t. She just wants to
hang around boys. Dave really shouldn’t let her go out after dark. And I don’t like her driving
that big car. There are so many cars. I wonder where Lizzie is?
My little Lizzie? She loved that green dress. I watched her playing with Jenny in the garden and
they were so happy. Just laughing and chasing round with the dog.
Lizzie? Are you there? I want you to take me home now.
4.