The Drunken Feathers

Scene X

(It is several hours later. Inside the candle-lit opera house, the Chaconne of Purcell's "King Arthur" is playing. The entire ROYAL FAMILY sits in their private box. The camera moves slowly from right to left, showing the whole family, and finally stopping at the PRINCE OF WALES, who is evidently bored and exhausted. His elbow rests on the arm of his chair, and his chin rests in his hand. His elbow slips off the chair, which startles him. He glances over to his right and perceives someone who catches his eye: MRS. FITZHERBERT, who sits in a lower box with LADY LINDSAY and ERRINGTON. The PRINCE OF WALES is immediately infatuated with MRS. FITZHERBERT. GEORGE III, noticing this, leans forward, blocking his son's view.)

(The PRINCE OF WALES, embarrassed, sits back and continues to watch the opera, while stealing glances at MRS. FITZHERBERT now and then. He is anxious to leave. The opera ends, and applause ensues. When everyone stands to leave, the PRINCE OF WALES hurries down to LADY LINDSAY's box and finds her standing outside of it.)

PRINCE OF WALES

Lady Lindsay!

LADY LINDSAY

(Curtseys, surprised)

Your Royal Highness!

PRINCE OF WALES

How glad I am to see you. Tell me, who was that angel in the white hood sitting beside you?

LADY LINDSAY

A companion of mine, Mrs. Maria Ann Fitzherbert. She recently returned to London after passing several years in France.

PRINCE OF WALES

(Disappointed)

Mrs. Fitzherbert? Then the gentleman in your box was her husband?

LADY LINDSAY

Not so, sir. Mrs. Fitzherbert is a widow, twice widowed, in fact. The gentleman you observed is her half-uncle and guardian, Mr. Henry Errington.

PRINCE OF WALES

(Excited)

Oh, how...

(Beat)

Tragic to be widowed so young.

LADY LINDSAY

Indeed, she is not yet eight-and-twenty, and yet 10 years have passed since she was first widowed.

PRINCE OF WALES

(Looking around distractedly)

Pray, is she still in your box?

LADY LINDSAY

No, sir, they departed a moment ago. I told them they should go ahead so we might reconvene outside the theatre, as I have a bad foot. It takes me some time to descend stairs, you see, and...

PRINCE OF WALES

Thank you, Lady Lindsay.

(The PRINCE OF WALES hastily leaves, gently pushing through the crowd until he reaches the top of the grand staircase that leads down to the entrance. He spots MRS. FITZHERBERT and ERRINGTON descending together. Not wanting to lose them, he decides to call out to her.)

PRINCE OF WALES (cont.)

Mrs. Fitzherbert!

(Surprised to hear her name, MRS. FITZHERBERT and ERRINGTON turn around. They can hardly believe their eyes when they see the PRINCE OF WALES on the top of the staircase looking down on them. MRS. FITZHERBERT looks around her, thinking he must be speaking to someone else.)