Call the Midwife (2012–…): Season 10, Episode 7 - Episode #10.7 - full transcript

The Nonnatus House staff struggles to come to terms with Nancy's revelation. Sister Frances and Trixie rally the others to take a stand and do something about Poplar's growing housing crisis. Sister Hilda relishes taking charge when Sister Julienne takes her annual leave, Timothy Turner prepares to leave for medical school, and Cyril is forced to reconsider his future after he receives news from home. A very special baby is born, causing a rift in a close-knit family and leading many people to count their blessings.

It takes courage
to stand tall...

...to hold fast
to one's ground...

...in a world forever spinning.

We say, "This is my place.
I'm safe here.

"I will stay."

But sometimes,
a tempest comes...

...and whips the earth up
from our roots.

We stand diminished
and exposed.

We are known.

We are naked.

And we tremble at the prospect



of the next shift
of the elements.

I took the step of going into
Buckle's newsagent's

and looking at the newspaper.

There is no commentary on
last night's radio discussion

- thus far.
- It certainly made for

a very interesting recreational
hour at the Mother House.

Mother Mildred will share
her views when you arrive.

I'm struggling to discern
whether this week's retreat

is fortunately timed
or the reverse,

especially with Nurse Corrigan's
news to digest.

You were hardly to know
that her character references

- had been falsified.
- But I do now.

I also know we have

a young woman under our roof
who has the most unfortunate



start in life imaginable.

We must devise a plan.

And I have no notion

of what that might be.

I was going to put the chair

round the other side of the
desk so I can face the light.

But if you do that, you will
have your back to people

as they enter.

And if you're running Nonnatus
House during my absence,

that is not the impression
I would like you to convey.

And that's all the pupil
midwives organised,

all bar Nurse Corrigan,

who will accompany me
to the maternity home.

I'll keep her with me this week.

I heard her crying
through the wall last night.

I did knock on her door,
but she didn't answer.

I know that was kindly meant,
Sister Frances,

but there's to be no discussion

of the situation
during working hours.

Nurse Crane, do you think
she will be dismissed?

And no speculation, either.

Lisbon Buildings for you,
Sister Frances.

Doreen Norris? Can I look

in the Rolodex, Nurse Crane?
It says Doreen Norris.

I'm sure she's not
on our books.

She was at one time.
I delivered her little girl.

Must have been two years ago.

N for Norris.

N for no. Not booked in.

And meanwhile, the contractions
are coming every ten minutes.

Deliver now,
ask questions later!

Oh, Fred! Look at this.
You've got the Pippin

mixed up with the Hotspur!

The Pippin goes down here,

next to Teddy Bear,
where the little tots can reach!

Don't know what
Reggie's going to say

about all this mess when
he gets home at the weekend.

Neither do I,

but he's going to be impressed
with these CORVETTES!

The allotment's
spilling over with them.

What are they, Fred?!

Er, they're a dwarf
succulent marrow

with a tender white flesh.

At least, that's what it said

on the seed packet.

Well, you're not
selling them in here.

I don't care if you have had
a glut of the things.

Don't you want them
for your Harvest Supper?

I don't think so!

I mean, the shape, it is
really rather off-putting.

Have you come for Doreen?

She's the only lady I know of
in labour today,

unless you've got
a surprise for me.

Well, I have, but it's not
that. The water's gone off.

Again?

To summarise,

you have retyped all
the damaged Lloyd George cards

and correctly filed them all?

Yes, Miss Higgins.

You have liaised with
the district pharmacies,

correctly identifying
all patients

entitled to
home medication delivery

and learned to
efficiently dispatch

samples of urine, sputum,
blood and stool?

With one notable
and unfortunate exception, yes.

In which case,
you are discharged from duty.

And I wish you all the very best
at medical school.

This is your pen, Miss Higgins!

I am hoping that when you use it,
you will think of me

and try to write

more legible prescriptions
than your father.

Doreen, I'm struggling
to examine you,

cos the mattress is sagging
so much it's giving way.

You're going to disappear inside it
if you're not careful!

Me and my little Michelle
manage OK.

Doreen, does your husband
know you're in labour?

I'm not sure he even knows
I'm pregnant.

Right, I'm going to have to
get you onto the couch.

I think we might all manage better
if you're on a firm, low surface.

There we go. There we go.

There we go.

After this contraction, I'm
going to phone Nonnatus House

for some extra supplies.

Lisbon Buildings has always
been a byword for filth,

ever since my own first days
in the profession.

I have delivered babies
with my head bare,

because my coif
and wimple were required

to stop up a fractured pane.

I had to Elastoplast
a Coco Pops packet

over a broken window last week.

It isn't progress just because
we're using brand names.

Ladies! Come on now.
Take your seats.

Following on
from last week's class,

we're moving on to an even
more important subject,

baby's first weeks.

Now, we have a new face
amongst us today.

I'd like you all to welcome
Sylvia Potts.

- Hello, Sylvia.
- Sylvia is about to adopt a baby.

She's been waiting
a long time for this

and she's now starting
to get everything ready.

I know you will all
make her feel very welcome.

Do you know if you're getting
a boy or girl?

Not yet.

Same as us, then!

This is it now, Doreen.

We're almost there. One huge,
brave push for the shoulders.

And success!

Congratulations!

Oh!

Don't cry, Doreen.

Just look at this beautiful little
girl just waiting to meet you.

A girl?

I'm sorry.

It's such a mess.

It's all just such a mess!

Sylvia! You look upset.
What's happened?

I'm just happy.

I've been married ten years,
Nurse Anderson.

I didn't want kiddies
straight away,

but when I did,
nothing happened.

And I mean nothing.
Not even a false alarm.

I'd see everybody else

standing outside the shops
with their prams, and...

...oh, I'd just feel so
on the edge of everything.

But not here, precious,
and not today.

Sister Frances is going to
stay with you tonight

and we're going to try
to get you a bed

at the maternity home tomorrow.
You need to recuperate,

and your landlord needs
to attend to this damp!

We've all given up on 'em
in here.

Must be half a dozen landlords,
all subletting from the owner.

God only knows who he is!

And once again,
we have running water!

We always have
running water, Nurse.

Just sometimes
it's running down the walls!

Telegram!

Least your family know
how much I mean to you.

My grandfather was
a good man, Lucille.

A better man than my father,
if truth be told.

And I saw a lot more of him.

Maybe the preacher genes
just skipped a generation.

I said my goodbyes to him the
day before I caught the boat.

Of all of them, he was the one
I knew I'd never see again.

I thought that would be enough.

And now I know that it wasn't.

Funeral's Friday, and I can't go.

What if we have a prayer meeting
at exactly the same time?

Other people do that.

I never heard it said

the Holy Spirit takes
any notice of oceans.

We can be at the funeral
in our hearts.

Soon enough, we'll go home
for our wedding.

And would that be
home to Jamaica?

Or home to British Guyana?

We have time for
work out all of that.

This is going to be
a long engagement.

- What's happening?
- Hold the baby!

Good morning, campers!

We've a bed for you at the
maternity home, Doreen,

and I've been given permission
to move you and baby

by taxi as soon as
we gather your things.

Sister Frances,
you can stand down.

- Look on the draining board.
- What?

Look on the draining board.

That was in baby's bed.

Pack your things
and go back to Nonnatus House.

And on your way,
you can dispose of this.

Well, I think the Harvest Supper
is what we all need, Mrs Myers.

Any fruit and veg donated

will be passed on to the
pensioners of Poplar.

What's this?!

This is... is how people live,
Mrs Buckle!

This is what crawls

through their homes
and curls up next to

their newborn babies
while they sleep in Poplar,

where you are
an elected councillor

and sit on
the Housing Committee!

If you want to confer with me
about council matters,

then you need to come
to my surgery

in the institute
on Thursday night.

There's no need
for an appointment.

I shall want Dr Turner
to give you the once-over,

but I certainly see no reason
why we can't proceed with

the maternity-home delivery
as planned.

And I can still have
my sister with me for the birth?

As we discussed.

She's the one
who'll be adopting the baby.

I want her to hear it cry

as soon as it's born.
So does she.

Do you need any assistance
with the paperwork, Mrs Dellow?

Private adoptions
are just that, private,

and they're not unheard of
within families.

But we can advise,
if you need us to.

Sylvia's been
to a solicitor already.

We wanted everything
to be just right,

even if we are related.

We know you haven't
rushed into this.

And it's very clear it's all
come from a place of love.

I promised our mum,
when she was dying,

that I'd always
look after the baby.

The baby was always
Sylvia in those days.

I was a teenager
when she was just toddling.

And now when we talk about
the baby...

- ...we mean this!
- Did you not intend to get yourself

- in the family way, Mrs Dellow?
- Oh, Gawd love you!

I'm 42! I've brought up
four daughters,

two grown up and gone,
two still at home.

I cried for a week
when I fell for this one.

And my husband,
his face turned grey.

Would you write up Mrs Dellow's
notes, please, Nurse?

Do we have a Mrs Sylvia Potts
with us?

Is it starting?

Have you had any
other pains, Mrs Dellow?

On and off since this morning.

But I reckon that one
might be the real thing.

Bless us, O Lord,
and these, thy gifts,

which we receive by thy bounty.

Amen.

Thank you, Sister Monica Joan.

You might like to say grace
for us at each mealtime,

since you are the most
senior person present.

In chronological terms, obviously.

Meanwhile, Sister Frances,

I have had Mrs Violet Buckle
on the telephone giving me

chapter and verse
on what seems to have been

a most regrettable incident
involving... vermin?

Oh, it was one rat.

And it was dead.

Sister Frances,
I told you to dispose of it,

not take it on a Grand Tour
of retail premises!

She needed to be shown.

Now, you are privileged to wear
the habit of the Order

of St Raymond Nonnatus.

That makes you visible
and creates expectations.

I advise you
to remember that in future.

Before I go any further,
I must reiterate

that Lisbon Buildings
is not council property.

But the council put it
under a demolition order

whilst doing nothing whatsoever
to rehouse its residents!

Building tower blocks takes time,
Nurse Franklin!

However, please be advised

that I spent most of
yesterday afternoon

on the telephone,
attempting to identify

the owners of
the tenement in question.

Now... Ahem... Lisbon Buildings
is owned

by a company called
Hale, Woods & Sons,

and a member of the board
has agreed to meet with

suitable spokespersons
to discuss concerns arising.

Oh, I'm very suitable.
I've stayed the night there.

Whereas I am able to provide
the voice of reason.

Well, their secretary
suggested meeting

at their Whitechapel office
this afternoon.

No. If they're going to
believe the conditions,

they need to physically see them.

If Doreen gives us
her permission,

I suggest that we ask him
to meet us at her flat.

Come on, Blanche.
As you push, Doctor will pull.

That's right. It's all about
teamwork from this point.

I'm too tired.

No, lass. You've more
strength than you know.

One more, now.

One really good, strong push!

Come on, Blanche!

That's the way!

That's it!

Now, don't push for a moment.

And... it's a boy.

A boy!

A boy!

Oh, it's a boy, Sylvia!

You'll be able to hold him
in a minute.

No.

Give him to his mum.

There we are. Hello!

Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you.

This is somewhat untoward.

You are welcome to visit

once a month
and by prior arrangement.

You have made
no prior arrangement.

You might make up your own rules,

but they're not the same
as the laws in the outside world.

And you speak
as an authority, do you?

I speak as someone whose knowledge
is growing all the time.

I've found out all sorts of things
since I've been on the district,

about things like social workers

and Children's Officers...

...either one of whom
could enforce my right to see

my daughter whenever I wish.

For as long as you leave
Colette in our care,

she is your sister,

not your daughter.

It is part of the terms
to which we all agreed.

You are to abide by those terms
for the good of the child.

Or... you will not be
permitted to see her at all.

Look who's here, Colette.

Nancy!

What are you up to? Are you
playing with the Fuzzy-Felts?

That one's leg's come off.

He was in an accident.

I'll fetch some juice.

- I brought your sweeties!
- Both kinds?

Yes, cos I just so happen to be

the best big sister
in the whole world.

Take off that cardie.

You'll get too hot, sitting
underneath that window.

Hello, love!

We've put him in that little silk
suit I bought when I went up West.

You're going to
keep him just lovely.

- Isn't she, Eddie?
- Oh, nothing but the best.

Do you want to hold him?

Oh, go on.

I love him.

I just... love him!

Just like I would
any other nephew.

You forget how big this soft spot is
on the top of their heads.

I suppose you do.

And don't fret about
those forceps marks.

They'll soon fade.

I bought this months ago,

- when we agreed
- what we were going to do.

I found it in that jeweller's
in Crisp Street.

There's a space on it
for engraving the baby's name.

All along, I've been thinking
Justine for a girl

and Justin for a boy.

Justin it is!

Children play roughly
with one another.

It is in their nature.

Colette said one
of the nuns did it!

Now, she won't say which.

That hurts me
more than the bruises,

because it means she's petrified.

Like I was petrified.

It's not inconceivable

that you and the girl
share certain traits,

and unacceptable behaviour
must always be corrected!

Who decides
what's unacceptable? You?

In the absence of anyone else
to bring this child up, yes.

I have never been absent.

And if she's such
a trouble to you,

from now on I'll
bring her up myself.

Colette?

Come on, little fellow.

Let's have a look
at these hands.

You were right, of course.

Just the single palmar
crease on each hand.

I think we both know
what we're looking at.

And now we must work out
how to break the news.

Well, you won't hear me
using the word "mongol".

It's outmoded
and it's horrible.

The correct term
is Down's syndrome.

Let's encourage everybody
to stick with that.

Oh, bless the lad!

It's all there,

even the gap between
his first and second toes.

But he seems perfectly healthy.

I suppose any heart concern
may not manifest till later.

Let's hope not.

I'll refer him
to the paediatrician,

make sure he's fully examined.

As you say, our main task now
is to inform the mother.

Mm.

But which one?

You mean he's handicapped?

The medical name for the condition
is Down's syndrome.

I don't care what
the medical name is!

I know what it means.
It means he's not normal.

It means he's not average.

It'll be all right, Syl. It will.

- I promise you.
- No, it isn't, Blanche!

It isn't going to be all right!

I know this isn't
what you expected, Sylvia,

but sometimes,
when babies are born,

things come as a surprise
and it takes time to readjust.

You'll have to excuse me, sir,

but your secretary
didn't make it clear

if we'd be meeting Mr Hale
or Mr Woods.

I'm sorry, er, there must have
been an error.

My name is Aylward,
Matthew Aylward.

I do beg your pardon.
It wasn't a very clear line.

Why is there a cooker
on the landing?

It's a kitchen.

For whom?

Three or four tenants
will share it.

Erm, you said number 11.

Thank you for agreeing
to meet with me, ladies.

I... hope
I haven't kept you waiting.

Not at all, Mr Aylward. It's...

It's very good of you
to find the time.

May I introduce Sister Hilda

from the Order of
St Raymond Nonnatus?

Of course, yes.
I recognise the habit.

I would describe this

as a fairly typical
Lisbon Buildings apartment,

although it does have
its own sink,

which is relatively unusual.

A woman gave birth

to her second child
in here this week,

attended by Nurse Franklin.

This is the only home
the woman knows.

And she will share that bed
with both children.

It's... It's damp.

I... can see it's damp
from here.

Is there not anywhere
you can...

...air the sheets and blankets?

This building is rotting

from the foundations up
and the roof down.

The moisture oozes out
from the walls!

I've seen funguses
the size of cauliflowers.

And there are some flats

where you don't know
if you're looking at mould

or a pattern on the paper.

I took the liberty of bringing
a copy of the latest survey

by the Medical Officer.

It describes the borough's
extermination policies

and incidences of flea, louse
and cockroach infestation

throughout all buildings

declared unfit for
human habitation,

including this one.

I will make sure to speak
to the tenant landlords.

The sublessees
deserve better than this.

Thank you.

And that, it would appear,
is the end of the consultation.

No, it isn't!

How dare you walk away?!

- How dare you?!
- How else should I respond?

If you're in need of guidance,
may I suggest, 1, remorse,

- 2, an apology
- and, 3, a plan of action.

I feel so sick,
I hardly know where to start!

I'm sorry, but that's just
plain self-indulgence.

Do you know what
makes me feel sick?

The rattle of bugs
in these filthy walls!

The smell of rodents' urine
on this baby's toy!

Do you intend for me
to take this home,

keep it as a souvenir?

Oh, it's hardly going to look
the part in your son's

immaculate nursery.

Besides, it belongs
to another child...

...and they might miss it.

Where are we going now?

We're going to carry on
with our adventure. Come on.

Are you all tucked up

nice and warm?

Oh!

Gawd love you.

Gawd love you.

I don't know who you look like.
I don't.

But there's no way
you look like a Justin to me.

Come here.

Come here.

Good morning.

Nonnatus House.
Midwife speaking.

Nurse Franklin?
It's Matthew Aylward.

I see.

I'm afraid we didn't part
on the best of terms yesterday.

I'd like to offer
to make amends.

To the people who live
in that squalid tenement?

Well...

Because they are the ones
who deserve an apology, not me.

Nancy?

She will have gone to her child,

to the font of all
her grief and trouble...

...to the source of
the only love she feels.

I spoke to the police. Other than
taking her description

and a report of her
last known movements,

they say there's little more
they can do.

I, meanwhile, have spoken
to Sister Paul

at the convent where
Nancy used to lodge.

The conversation was, er,
best described as "frosty",

and she ended by saying,

"Try Fatima Lodge."

She will have gone
to her child.

Fatima Lodge is an orphanage.

It belongs to the same order.

Miss Corrigan took
her daughter with her,

without our permission,

without so much
as a change of clothes!

Did she say
where she was going?

She intimated that she had
all manner of plans

for herself
and, indeed, for the child.

But as far as we can tell, she took
absolutely nothing with her

when she left here yesterday.

Once again,
she has put herself at risk.

And once again, she has done
what she has always done -

she has gone in pursuit
of the things that she desires!

And if the day is not already
sufficiently replete with woe,

Sister Frances has brought
bedbugs back

from Doreen Norris's delivery.

I've told her to strip her bed,

strip herself and get
in an antiseptic bath.

Oh, I should not care to report
this catalogue of grief

to Sister Julienne
when she returns.

- Can we go to the fair again?
- Er...

We'll stay in the hotel
till it stops raining,

and then we'll go
feed the ducks.

You wanted this baby
for nine months, Sylvia,

and I don't want him now -

is that what you're trying
to force me to say?

Ladies, nobody is trying to
force anybody

to say or do anything.

And it's completely
understandable

that you're both upset.

I'm not upset, Nurse Crane.
I'm angry, but I'm not upset.

She's not thinking straight.
He'll have to go in a home.

The only home that he
is going into is mine.

You look at him,
this beautiful, helpless baby,

and all you see is
what you're afraid of!

Here you go, Tim.

The little ones are in bed.

A nice civilised dinner
with the grown-ups

and your first glass of wine.

- Not my first glass of wine.
- Oh, yes?

A boy named Partridge
smuggled some

into the dormitory at school.

I'm glad I didn't hear
about that at the time.

I didn't get very far with it.
There was a picture of a nun

in a blue habit on
the side of the bottle.

I kept thinking
of how disappointed

they would all be
at Nonnatus House.

What's this?

Courgettes in a cream sauce.

It's a new French vegetable.

Fred's had a glut
on his allotment.

There are also cutlets.

Ah!

Hm!

Liebfraumilch.

Oh, that's rather refreshing!

You can hardly tell I've had
to turn the sleeves up at all.

How does he look?

He looks about 30.

He's got his new duffel coat
for outerwear.

That will keep him
looking up to date.

Come on now,
time for the big event!

It's too long. They wear them
shorter on the wards.

I saw when I went
for the interview.

I'm taking the hem up
to allow for growing room.

Boys can carry on growing
till they're 21, Tim.

You might end up six foot six!

I'll have you know

I'm quite the needlewoman when
it comes to medical garments.

When your father and I

were only professionally
acquainted...

Do you mean
when you were still a nun?

...he once lost a button

off his white coat,
and I secretly sewed it back on

to prevent him looking unkempt
to patients.

- Yes, and look what that started!
- Ohh!

No, no, no, no, no, no, no.

It's a jolly good job we had a
rehearsal with Sister Frances.

We have plenty of disinfectant,
and the whole bally lot can go

in the copper for a boil wash.

And you mustn't forget
things like your slippers.

Bedbugs lay their eggs everywhere.

My slippers aren't slippers!
They're boudoir mules,

and they're trimmed
with ostrich feather.

They are not going
anywhere near a boil wash!

Your separates are
absolutely crawling.

And whisper it,

but I just saw something jump.

Stop it!

Stop it!

There's only one
viable course of action.

Every single item goes
to the council fumigator

to be stoved.

Oh, he's a bonny little thing!

Have you decided what
you're going to call him yet?

I've settled on Robert.

Ah! Hello, Robert.

All the time I carried him,

I worried about what would happen
when my milk came in,

how I'd get rid of it.

I never thought about
what would happen

when the love came in.

Mm. Love is a very, very
hard thing to get rid of

or hold back
once it starts to flow.

If there's one thing
I've seen time and time again,

it's that you can't dry it up
with Epsom salts...

...or willpower.

Doctor will bring your husband in
as soon as you're ready.

I'm ready now.

He looks like any other baby.

In many ways, he is.

He'll be slower to walk
and talk than the average child.

But he will walk
and he will talk.

And children
with Down's syndrome can be

so rewarding to care for.

They're known for being
happy and affectionate.

He won't get... put away?

No! Not put away.

And not hidden away either!

You've seen that boy
down the paper shop.

What, that red-headed lad?

Reggie? Reggie's lovely.

You're his mother -
what do you want?

Him.

I want him, Walter.

I just never knew how much.

I love him.

I just love him.

I love his little lips

and his little fingers
and everything.

Are we really going to
get to take him home?

You did hear what I said,
didn't you?

You do understand
that Robert is special?

That's not his fault.

I reckon your dad needs another man
about the house, anyway.

Even things up a bit.

The clutch bag's crawling!

I look like a librarian.

I was a librarian in Jamaica.
Me never dressed like that.

I can go if you'd
rather hide in here.

No.

It's an exercise in humility,
if nothing else.

Afternoon.

You look... nice.

If this is a formal visit,

I imagine you're calling
to see Sister Hilda.

No. As a matter of fact,
I'm calling to see you...

...to apologise.

A lady always accepts
an apology.

And a gentleman always knows
when he's in the wrong.

My family have been in the wrong
for about 100 years.

Please, will you at least give me
the chance to have a conversation?

Very well, but not here and...

...not today.

It's beautiful. You didn't need to
buy him a present, Mrs Buckle.

As soon as your girls came into the
shop and told me, I knew I did.

The Duchess of Kent favours
that clothing manufacturer

for the little Earl of St Andrews.

Ohhh!

It's like having a...
a missing piece of a jigsaw.

I never knew Reggie
when he was a newborn...

...or even a child.

His mother was Fred's cousin,
and, erm...

...well, by the time that she died
and we took him in,

he was already quite grown up!

Oh, look at that face!

Not many people are going to
say this to you, Blanche,

but I hope I can.

You are a very lucky woman.

- Goodnight.
- Yes. Goodnight.

- Goodnight, Pastor.
- Pastor Robinson?

That was a beautiful memorial
meeting for your grandfather.

Thank you for coming
and for your testimony.

Good evening.

Goodnight now.

Has Mrs Wallace gone?

I rinsed out her Pyrex dish,
and she's forgotten it.

- She's gone.
- Hmm.

And the dish will keep.

So many things in life won't
or are just too hard to wait for.

If you're thinking of kissing me
out here in the street,

Cyril Robinson,
I advise you against it.

This is a busy thoroughfare.

I was thinking something else.

Kissing comes into it,
but it isn't everything.

Do your backs
as well as the fronts.

You've been eating sweets for
breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Money's due.

Go over the landing
to the bathroom,

brush your teeth in there.

I don't have any money.

I've taken leave from my job.

I've spent what I had.

So I don't know when I can pay you,
but I will.

It's hard to be alone
and with a child.

I will wait.

You will?

I'm kind.

You can be kind, too.

Your face is bleeding.

Oh, come on back in, quick,
before you catch your death!

You're actually going to
get married here?

And soon.

At Christmas.

Oh, I hope people
don't start gossiping!

I... I deem it unlikely,

when we have before us a couple
of such shining virtue.

Lucille and I are
from different countries

as far away from each other
as they are from here,

at least in terms of our relatives
getting from one to the other

and all the saving up
we'd have to do.

Sometimes I think we just need
to look at

where the Lord has put us and why...

...and with who...

...and do things his way.

You should
have come straight here.

You've put yourself
and your little girl in danger,

you've had two orders of nuns
at each other's throats

and everybody here
beside themselves with worry.

The litany of her misdemeanours
has been recited oft...

...and not with mercy.

She has borne a child
beyond the bounds of wedlock.

If that consigns her
to the margins,

the margins are
where we dwell...

...and do his work.

So, what do you think
we should do?

Ask her what it is
that she desires.

You mean... ask me what I want?

Yes.

Er...

...I want to qualify as a midwife.

I want to make a
home for Colette

and be free to tell her who she
is to me and why I love her.

I want to have no secrets,
to be trusted...

...to belong.

And for us to live a life where
there are no bruises.

We own warehouses all the way
up the river to Rotherhithe.

The covered markets
and tenement blocks

were just a sideline,
a strategic investment

when Queen Victoria
was new to widow's weeds.

And now we're...
five monarchs further on,

and no-one should be living
in 19th-century conditions.

No.

They shouldn't.

I intend to change that.
It's the proper thing to do.

I also need to do
something forward-looking...

...something that leads
to something new.

I'm still... just...

...trying to scramble
my way through this, er...

Grief.

Yes.

I just don't know how.

But I do know
that living in the past

will not help me to move forward.

Evening, Bert!
Our usual beverage, please.

Back again?
You're like a bad penny.

You, er... You going to be repeating
the pickled egg experiment?

No!

It was horrible!

Fred! What about the beer?

We can have a beer another time.

Walt, wait.

Walt, are you not feeling
too good, pal? Eh?

Oh, mate.

It's all right, mate.

Come on, come home with us.

Matthew?

Have you...
read Fiona's letter yet?

No.

All I did was take dictation,

but Fiona put so much love
onto that page.

Take your pick, Walter.
It's a full tin

of luxury teatime assorted
on account of Reggie being home.

Yeah, if you'd have come yesterday,

there would have been a load of
misshapes from the cash-and-carry.

- Fred!
- Do you take any sugar?

Yes, please. Just one.

Thank you.

I appreciate it.

Mr Dellow's had
a very busy week, Reggie.

His wife has just had
a new baby.

You're a bit old.

Well, can't argue with that!

Will you be allowed
to push the pram?

Oh, men don't push the pram, Reg.

I would, if somebody would let me.

Mm!

Ladies and gentlemen,

we are here today
to celebrate

our big brother Timothy getting
into medical school.

He will help babies be born,

like our mummy and daddy,

and we hope that he will not...

...drop them!

He will be far away,

but he will always
ring us up on Sundays.

The word for a family
of lions is a pride,

and Teddy has put
his lion costume on

to show the pride
our family has for Timothy.

Come on, Teddy, your turn!

Take a bow!

Whoo!

Oh, I'm going to have to
stop for a minute...

...catch me breath.

I'd be as slinky as a whippet
if the lift was out that often.

Can't smell anything untoward
on me now, can you, Fred?

I don't want Blanche thinking
that I've turned to drink.

- What, cos of the kiddie?
- Because of the kiddie being...

...the way that he is.

All the rest of it -

him coming along unannounced

and all the carry-on,
it was nothing.

I said nothing.

And I'm not going to
say anything, even now.

Do you want to say something?

I want to say...

...that I'm not at ease with this.

I want to say, "Blanche,
this is going to be hard!"

I want to say that
this is a road

I never thought I'd go down.

It's a road I never
thought I'd go down.

People like my Reggie
and your Robert,

when we were growing up,
the only time you ever saw them

was when they were being led
down the road by a matron

on an outing
from some sort of home.

They weren't
with their families.

What did you think...
when you saw 'em?

Well, I'd like to say
I don't remember, but I do.

I threw stones at a boy
that was simple once.

I was only joining in
with the others, but...

...I threw 'em.

He thought we wanted
to play with him.

He was running towards us.

We hurt him, Fred!

We were kids,
and we were ignorant.

Some folk stay ignorant
all their lives.

But I can't, and you can't now.

Reggie was an education.

In what way?

He taught me...
how to love more.

And that's what
your Robert's doing for you.

Does loving more always...

...hurt like this?

Once in a while, pal...

...but not always.

I've been ticking
things off lists for weeks.

Now, the day after tomorrow,
Timothy will be gone.

I don't want
to put a tick against that.

Not tonight. Not ever.

We'll be doing it for all of them,
one by one.

He's the first.

And I keep thinking,
if there was only

just one last little thing

I could do for him, one last
little thing that shows

how much he means to us

and, "Fly, fly
as high as you can..."

But I can't think
of what it might be.

I can.

The sisters in Cork
used to tell me

that want must be my master.

Passion seems to be dyed into me,
and I can't wash it out.

I can't help it.

Well, that doesn't mean
we can't help you.

You may continue to live here
and resume your training.

We will vouch for you
and provide honest references.

You'll have to tell people
I'm an unmarried mother.

11% of babies born in
this district are illegitimate.

Even before the war, it was 10%.

I'm no longer entirely sure
it's right to set ourselves apart.

Does Sister Julienne
know you've said that?

We spoke on the telephone
before she left the Mother House

at the end of her retreat.

She's also agreed
that we should find

a suitable local foster family
to take care of Colette

- until you've finished your training.
- Local to here? Yes.

Can I tell her I'm her mother?

I'd beg you wait just a little
while, until she's more settled...

...and so are you.

Go and get your coats.

Are you ready to go
for that walk, love?

Aw!

I like his face.

♪ Don't let the sun
catch you crying

♪ The night's the time
for all your tears

♪ Your heart may be broken tonight

♪ But tomorrow in the morning light

♪ Don't let the sun catch you crying

♪ We know that crying's
not a bad thing

♪ But stop your crying
when the birds sing... ♪

"Dearest Matthew, if I had written
this letter a year ago,

"it would have been
all about my love for you.

"It would have been
all about my fears for you.

"I would have put the recipe in it
for my special bread sauce,

"so you'd never have to go without
bread sauce at Christmas.

"You're going to have
such a lot of Christmases

"without me, darling Matt..."

Fiona loved Christmas.

The tragedy is, we only ever
spent three together.

And they just marked me
for a lifetime.

It was bloody magnificent
bread sauce.

"But we have had a baby.

"Nothing is ever going to be
all about you again.

"And once all of this rather
tiresome departure business

"is over, not much is going to
be all about me.

"It's all right, my love.

"You have to write
Jonathan's story now.

"People will say
that Jonathan is my legacy...

"..that he is the thing
I left behind.

"But I want him to be
the thing that grows...

"..that runs ahead
into the future.

"Find some other way
to remember me.

"And if all else fails and you
really can't think of anything

"to do but put a picture of me
in a silver frame, that's fine.

"Just make sure I'm smiling,
darling."

Mr Aylward, you made
a very kind donation

to our order only recently.

Well, this is almost too kind.

I am personally pledging
this amount to you,

to the order and to Nonnatus
House on an annual basis...

...for as long as your work
in the East End continues.

Please accept it, Sister Julienne.

How could I refuse
when it secures our future?

Your future
in reparation for our past.

And in memory of
someone very precious.

We can choose where we live

and where we hope to flourish.

We can choose to be good,
to be brave,

to endure...

...but not the place to which
our hearts run,

nor what our souls
may find along the way.

Love is its own force,

the fruit that we give
and we receive.

It is the crop
that seeds itself

and waters its own shoots.

Love is our harvest.

Let us fill our barns with it.

There will never be enough love

and there cannot be too much.