Harriet Craig

Oh, Lottie, did you find any more tissue paper?

Oh, not yet, Miss Raymond. I had to brush up these shoes,

and these just came back from the cleaners.

- Mrs Harold. - I'm coming.

Did you finish the ironing?

Yes. Here's everything.

Good. I'll take it up.

And would you please see if you could find more tissue paper?

Mrs Craig can't finish her packing without it.

I'll try, but she's going to have

more paper in those bags than clothes.

Well, you know how careful she is about her things.

Hello?

Oh, yes. Were you able to get us our reservation?

Good. Just a minute, please.

Lottie, would you take these up, please?

But she just sent me down for the tissue paper.

Mrs Harold's looking for it.

Lottie, please! Mrs Harold will do it. Hello?

All right, but I bet Mrs Craig don't wait for me to explain that.

I'm sorry I kept you waiting.

Mrs Harold, would you answer the doorbell, please?

- All right. - What's the number of that room?

But I told you she wanted a drawing room.

A compartment's too small.

Well, I don't think she'll like this. I...

Mrs Har...

Oh, I'm sorry.

- They won't go away, Miss Raymond. - Hello?

Would you give me the number of the compartment, please?

Well, I'll try to explain it to her.

Oh, good morning, Mrs Frazier.

Good morning.

Oh, I hope I'm not disturbing you.

I-I was out in the garden this morning,

and these were so beautiful. I thought, perhaps, Mrs Craig would...

That was very friendly of you.

Clare! Clare!

Yes, Harriet?

Will you please come upstairs?

I need someone who can help me.

I told you she wouldn't listen.

Yes, Harriet. Goodbye.

Mrs Harold!

Here I am, Miss Raymond.

- Oh, did you find the tissue paper? - Yes, Miss.

Oh, thank heavens! Good morning.

Oh, excuse me.

Mrs Craig's mother is ill. She's trying to catch a train.

Oh, I'm sorry. If I'd known, I wouldn't have...

Well, I'll run along. Mrs Craig must be so upset.

Everyone is.

Oh, darling, will you finish with those shoes?

- Lottie's completely hopeless. - Yes.

Hello, Mr Craig's office, please.

And Clare, did you check the make-up kit to see that everything's filled?

- Yes, Harriet. - Oh, thank you.

Ah, hello, Miss Stanley? This is Mrs Craig.

What time did my husband leave the plant?

But it's been over an hour since I called.

Did you give him my message?

Well, what delayed him?

I see. Thank you.

Did you find out about the reservations?

- They could only give us a compartment. - But I told you I wanted...

It was the best they could do on such short notice, Harriet.

Oh, I suppose I should have called myself.

Harriet!

Harriet!

No, dear, this way, please.

Hello, darling. I'm sorry I'm late.

How's your mother? Is she much worse?

She must be. I got a call from the rest home.

She has to be moved to a sanitarium, immediately.

Well, then, can I help you with your packing?

Not now. It's all done. It's time to leave for the station.

I got here as soon as I could. We were running a test

on a new amplifier. I couldn't leave the lab until I was finished.

Harriet, this may be the biggest thing the company's putting out this year

and it's my baby. I couldn't walk out.

Darling, I didn't ask you to. Clare, get your coat and hat.

But, Harriet, I haven't packed my things yet.

Well, why haven't you? Do hurry!

- Well, I... - Go ahead. I'll finish these things.

All right. It'll only take a minute. I won't need much.

I think you can see how it's been all morning.

I've just had everything to do.

I'm sorry I wasn't here to help.

Oh, I suppose it was selfish of me to expect... No, darling!

It's just that...

It's just that, at a moment like this, I'd hoped...

I know, darling.

I couldn't bear the thought

of not seeing you again before I left.

Do you realise this'll be the first time

we've been separated since we were married?

I wish I could go with you.

Oh, so do I. It'll be lonely without you.

Well, you'll have Clare along.

Well, that's hardly the same, is it?

It'll be kind of lonely around here too.

- How long will you be gone? - A week or ten days.

We'll be talking to each other, won't we?

- I'll call you every day. - Will you?

Darling, you'd better get the bags in the car.

I have to talk to Mrs Harold.

- Walter? - Yeah?

Maybe you'd better not call me.

Heaven knows where I'll be from minute to minute.

But I can always reach you.

And if you're not at home or the office,

you will leave word where you are, won't you?

I'll carry a phone around with me.

Mrs Harold!

Yes, Mrs Craig?

I'd like to go over things with you once more.

Remember, Lottie's on this Sunday, and you're on the following.

I want to be sure there's always someone in the house.

- Yes, Mrs Craig. - Where did those come from?

Mrs Frazier brought them over.

They're the first of the season.

Hmm! That's a fresh excuse for a new neighbour

barging into your house.

Well, there's no place for them here.

I'm counting on you, Mrs Harold,

to see that everything continues exactly as it does when I'm at home.

Try to make Mr Craig as comfortable as you can, won't you?

I took care of Mr Craig a long time before he was married.

Yes, you've reminded me of that many times. Lottie!

Yes, Mrs Craig?

Haven't I told you to use the back way

when you go up and down stairs?

Yes, ma'am. I just keep forgettin'.

Well, try to remember.

Those stairs'll look as bad as they did before

with everyone tramping up and down them.

I'm sorry, Mrs Craig. It's just that today has frazzled me so.

I don't know whether I'm going...

Lottie, would you like those roses?

You may put them in your room, if you wish.

Oh, thank you, Mrs Craig. They're... They're just lovely.

These blinds must be closed by at least eleven-thirty every morning.

- I don't want the sunlight fading things. - Yes, Mrs Craig.

This vase shouldn't be so close to the edge, Mrs Harold.

- I believe I've mentioned that before. - I'll watch it, Mrs Craig.

Now, about the meals. You can finish the veal tonight,

and order roast for the weekend.

I'll write out the rest of the menus on the train and mail them to you.

Maybe Mr Craig will want to eat out now and then, while you're away.

Mr Craig will dine at home, Mrs Harold.

Harriet, you about ready?

Darling, I've just made Mrs Harold promise

to fix you a specially good dinner every night.

That's fine.

We can't let you miss your home-cooked meals

just because I'm away.

Well, at least that's one thing I won't be missing.

- Clare! - Coming!

Please, hurry!

Goodbye, Mrs Harold.

Goodbye, Mrs Craig.

- Goodbye, Mrs Harold. - Goodbye, Miss Raymond.

- Is she gone? - She's gone.

I never worked for anybody like her in my whole life.

She is particular.

Particular? She's peculiar. I bet, if she had her way,

she'd wrap up this whole place in cellophane.

I don't know how you've stood it all this time.

Mr Craig is a very nice man.

Now, that's what baffles me.

Why would a nice man like him...

Why do you think?

Oh...

Won't men ever learn?

I'm afraid he won't.

She could build a nest in his ear,

and he'd never know it.

Good morning, Mrs Craig.

Oh, good morning.

Good morning, Mother.

Mother?

How do you feel today? Better?

Here's your thread.

And I got you those soft washcloths you asked for yesterday.

Brought you a present, too.

Oh, isn't that pretty!

Don't you want to put it on, Mother?

What?

But it's yours.

There, that's nice.

Would you like me to read to you?

No. No, thank you.

Perhaps you'd like to take a walk in the gardens.

You haven't seen them yet. They're lovely.

No...

I have too much mending to do.

Oh, Harriet!

Did you reach Walter?

No, he isn't at home.

And I called the office, but he'd already left there.