The Jester's Daughter

By Peter D Wilson

John Randall brings his friend Anne to visit his parents’ home, the small castle of Ernscar in northern England. Anne is fascinated by a mediaeval portrait in her room, believed to represent Alison Miller, daughter of the castle Fool in the fifteenth century, and on subsequent visits sees in it signs of anxiety reflecting Anne’s own concerns about the direction of her relationship with John.
In the 1430s Alison forms an attachment to Nicholas, page to the then Lord Robert Ernscar’s friend Bishop Justin, who visits occasionally for conferences about their response to political problems under Henry VI. Justin and Robert are kindly disposed towards the couple, but like Alison’s own family recognise that the difference in social status seems to preclude their union. However, a scheme to resolve a particular problem of Justin’s requires that Nicholas be quickly married, and the difficulties are overcome by formal adoption of the youngsters into their respective patrons’ families.
During a sleepless night Anne, worrying about the lack of the progress with John that she had been reluctant to urge on him for fear of rejection, resolves to force the issue one way or the other the next day. He then admits having been in exactly the same quandary which is thus resolved. After purchasing an engagement ring they visit an early church of architectural interest where they find records suggesting a happy outcome for the marriage of Alison and Nicholas.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Peter D Wilson
• Release date: Sep 27, 2011
• ISBN: 9781466111905

Peter D Wilson

Peter Wilson was born in Nottingham, England, in 1936. After education at Nottingham High School, where he changed course from classics to science because he couldn’t get on with Greek, he gained an open scholarship to St. Edmund Hall, Oxford, to be taken up after National Service (1955-57) in which he was a radio mechanic at the SHAPE military headquarters near Paris. At Oxford he gained first-class honours in chemistry, then took a PhD at Leeds University.In 1964 he was appointed to a research position at the nuclear reprocessing site at Sellafield in Cumberland (the north-western corner of England), then operated by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Agency (UKAEA) of which the relevant division became British Nuclear Fuels plc (BNFL) in 1971. He remained there until retirement in 2001, mostly working on process chemistry development. For the last dozen years he was chiefly concerned with certain aspects of long-term waste management and related strategic issues, helping to form the company technical policy thereon and presenting its rationale in international discussions. He was also the technical member of a team representing the UK in gaining acceptance of an extension to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty to cover a possible loophole. His book "The Nuclear Fuel Cycle" (Oxford University Press, 1996) has become the standard text on the subject. Following his retirement, BNFL set up and financed a "Peter Wilson Medal and Prize" for research and communication, to be awarded annually for ten years at Leeds University.He lived in Seascale, a coastal village near to the Sellafield site. His interest in amateur dramatics dated back to the 1960s and for many years he was an active member of the society based in Gosforth, the next village inland. His collection of stories, plays and film scripts along with some factual material may be found at https://peterdwilson.wixsite.com/peterwilsonscripts

Book preview

THE JESTER'S DAUGHTER

A reading screenplay by

Peter D. Wilson

A greatly expanded treatment of the story Ernscar in the author's collection

Pebbles from a Northern Shore

Copyright Peter D. Wilson 2011

Peter D. Wilson asserts his right under the UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.

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Disclaimer

This script is a work of fiction, and any resemblance therein to persons in real life is coincidental.

Cover photograph: Lindisfarne Castle, Northumberland, UK;

Copyright Peter D. Wilson 2011

CONTENTS

Characters

Opening

Arson

Portrait

Nicholas

Alison

Letter

Frustration

Insomnia

Stratagem

Betrothal

Dreams

Conclusion

Author

MAIN CHARACTERS

GEOFFREY: A retired businessman in his mid–fifties who after building up a successful engineering works from scratch has sold it for a good price and used the proceeds to buy Ernscar Castle; cultured and good–natured.

HELEN: His wife, the one conventionally religious member of the family; anxious for grandchildren – so long as they are conceived in wedlock.

JOHN: Geoffrey and Helen's son, about 30, with an unspecified professional job in a city some distance away. Single, would like to marry, but after an abortive near–engagement some years back is nervous of forcing the issue. Tends to flippancy if conversation becomes serious.

ANNE: His girl friend. An art gallery attendant, no oil painting herself but pleasant in appearance and manner.

BRIAN: An old friend of Geoffrey's, and John's godfather. After a wild youth he has astonished everyone by gaining a chair of theology at a respectable university. Ready as the occasion suggests to be either jocular or serious in treating the subject, though never portentous.

ROBERT: Fifteenth–century Lord Ernscar, intelligent, humane by the standards of his time, anxious for good government in a time of conflicting political interests under a weak and incompetent king.

JUSTIN: Bishop of the local diocese. Robert's oldest and closest friend, a partner in trying to keep some order in the political situation; glad to forget his ecclesiastical dignity when staying at Ernscar.

NICHOLAS: Justin's favourite page, first met as a child, later in his mid–teens; orphaned and treated almost as a son. More arty than chivalric, though no wimp.

ALISON: Daughter of Robert's Fool, much the same age as Nicholas and forming an instant rapport with him; pretty, cheerful and teasing.

Setting

Mostly in or around Ernscar Castle, somewhere in the north of England; a few interior scenes in mediaeval Bruges.

Time

The present day and the 1430s.

Back to Contents

FADE UP TO THE STREET IN FRONT OF A FASHIONABLE ART GALLERY: PRESENT TIME

A Friday evening. John drives up, parks in front of the gallery and hoots. Anne emerges from it with a weekend case which after a quick kiss John puts in the boot. They drive away out of the town.

CUT TO A WINDING COUNTRY ROAD

As the car progresses the road ahead is seen through the windscreen from the rear seat. Views to the side are restricted by hedges and occasional trees. Opening credits may roll before the dialogue.

JOHN: Not far now. You're very quiet.

ANNE: A bit nervous.

JOHN: They'll love you, believe me.

ANNE: I'm just afraid of making some dreadful gaffe.

JOHN: Not you!. And if you did, they'd probably just laugh it off.

ANNE: I do want to make a good impression.

JOHN: Of course you do. And you will – you can't help it.

ANNE: I wish I could be so sure. Especially after being late getting away.

JOHN: They'll understand. Dad was an engineer, after all – he knows as well as anyone that you can't just drop a job when it needs to be finished.

Pause.

JOHN: Nearly there. You see that tall tree about half a mile ahead? With a couple of shorter ones beside it?

ANNE: Yes?

JOHN: Just round that bend you'll get the first view of the house.

ANNE: I've been imagining a country cottage with roses or clematis round the door. But it's probably nothing like that at all.

JOHN: Didn't I tell you?

ANNE: I don't think so.

JOHN: Then it'll be a surprise for you.

ANNE: Something special?

JOHN: It is, rather. But you'll see.

Pause. The car reaches the trees and rounds the corner. Ahead, perched on an outcrop of rock, is Ernscar Castle – much modified over the years, but still showing its early origins. The setting sun, dipping below a layer of cloud, casts a golden light on it.

ANNE: Wow! Is that it?

JOHN: It is.

ANNE: Stop a moment, will you?

John stops. Anne gazes for a while in appreciation.

ANNE: Hmm. Very impressive.

JOHN: Yes, though it's actually quite small, as castles go.

ANNE: Still not exactly a country cottage. Don't tell me that's your ancestral home!

JOHN (laughing): Hardly. Dad bought the place when he retired.

ANNE: It must have cost a packet.

JOHN: Actually the place had been neglected for ages and was going for – well, not a song, but a good deal less than an opera. It needed