Call the Midwife (2012–…): Season 2, Episode 3 - Episode #2.3 - full transcript

Hesitant nursing assistant Jane Sutton arrives at the convent as Jenny is seconded to hospital work, meeting Jimmy, who, to her surprise, is one of the patients. Arrogant surgeon Aubrey Tracy misdiagnoses Jimmy and an operation is required, where Jenny acquits herself well. She also sees that Tracy is himself ill and he resigns. Meanwhile aggressive twins Meg and Mave Carter - both married to the hen-pecked Sid - arrive at the clinic as Mave is pregnant. However they eschew modern medicine for old herbal remedies and, following a bleak tarot card reading, the over-bearing Meg scares her sister into refusing hospital admission. Ultimately Mave senses that she needs professional care and allows the midwives in for a home birth - where a new generation of twins is born.

Hello, love. Fancy some eggs today?

Oh, not today. Thank you, though.

'In the late 1950s,

'the East End of London
was a closely woven world.

'A vibrant community,
defined by ties of blood

'and sustained by threads
of friendship.'

What?

Yeah, and don't come back then.

'We were part of the fabric
of the district, needed, liked

'and usually respected.'

Are these avocado pears?



Heard that? She had to check!

With all her education!

I'm not a greengrocer, I'm a midwife.

It looks as though we'll be seeing
you at the clinic soon.

What's it to you?

We don't hold with no clinics.

Oh. Are you seeing your GP?

We don't hold with them
neither, do we, Meg?

Mr Culpeper, he's our doctor.

Nicholas Culpeper? The herbalist?

He was writing 300 years ago!

Yeah. Old wisdom.

We don't need nothing
newfangled, do we, Mave?

Never have done yet, and we don't now.



And not from Nursey No Brains who
don't know an avocado

Uh... I'll take four.

Two and eight. Two and eight?

Eightpence each. Do
you need a pencil? No.

The clinic's at All Saints parish
hall on Tuesday afternoons.

You can just drop in.

We're on the stall Tuesdays.

Sid! Sid! Get them apples over here.

Then get us a tray of tomatoes.

Then mind out the way, in case
he mistakes you for a swede.

Sid? Get over 'ere
and earn your keep.

I'm coming.

The usual gift
from a grateful patient.

But I'm trying to sweeten a pill.

Oh?

The London Hospital
is short-staffed again,

and we've been asked to offer
a nurse up for secondment.

But we're short-staffed
for the next six months,

until Chummy gets back
from Sierra Leone.

But we have reinforcements
coming, and they don't.

They've had staffing problems
on men's surgical.

It's two years
since I was on men's surgical.

Then you can use this as a chance
to refresh your skills.

Sometimes these arrangements
can benefit both parties.

Take two.

Matron expects you at half-past one.

And next week you're on night duty.

Can I help you?

Jane Sutton.

I'm expected by Sister Julienne.

I'm Cynthia Miller. I'll take you
to her office. Thank you.

I wouldn't mind a stint
on male surgical.

I got ear, nose and throat
when I was seconded last year,

it was one set of adenoids
after another.

How's Mrs Ritson?

Little boy.

And look - avocado pears.

They were eightpence each.

Not near my sterilised equipment,
thank you very much.

And I've just taken someone
to Sister Julienne's office.

She had a case with her. I think
we might be getting someone new.

You're going to need them. I've just
been seconded to the London.

No!

This is Jane Sutton,
who joins us today.

Jane, you've already met Nurse Miller,

but this is Nurse Lee, Sister
Bernadette and Nurse Franklin.

Hello. Greetings.

Another midwife,
how perfectly marvellous.

I'm not a midwife. I'm sorry.

Jane joins us in a new role,
as medical orderly.

She comes with plenty of experience,

from assisting at St Gideon's Home.

That's an asylum, isn't it? Yes.

Mental cases as well as incurables!

I take my hat off to you -
that must be perfectly gruelling.

I'm sure it's very rewarding.

Nurse Franklin will show you
to your quarters.

And when you've freshened up,

go to the kitchen. Perhaps Nurse
Miller will have made a cup of tea.

Is this yours?

Gosh, you must hardly
have anything in it.

PHONE RINGS

Oh. Fred, can you show Jane the way?
She's in Chummy's old room.

A pleasure.

PHONE CONTINUES TO RING

Course,
it's a big pair of shoes to fill,

Nurse Noakes'.

She was head and shoulders
above the others.

She didn't see eye to eye
with everyone.

But we all looked up to her,
in many ways.

Now, one moment, please.

There we are.

All yours.

It says here the thing for scourge
of the bladder is marshmallow.

I wouldn't mind a few of them.

They've got them down the
pick'n'mix in Woollies.

I don't mean the sweets,
I mean the herb!

We'll have to get down Hackney
Marshes, it grows there.

They might have pills for it,
at that clinic.

The maternity clinic?

It'd all be free.

This book tells us all we need to know.

Or it would,
if you'd let me concentrate.

Can't we just ask to go
and see that nurse?

The little one.

Nursey No Brains? She didn't look
like she'd be much bother.

We'll go.

But just so you can see
you're not missing anything.

Yes?

I was looking for the kitchen.

Ahh, oh, might I venture to hope
that you are in fact a cook?

We are abandoned by the
esteemed Mrs B every Tuesday,

and must make shift for ourselves.

This arrangement is very
far from satisfactory.

The stench of last week's spam
is still clinging to my three-ply.

That's very clever.

Is it Pinky, or is it Perky?

I have yet to ascertain.

Well, it'll all become clear
once you've knitted the clothes.

Perky wears a hat in the general way.

I would suggest
we divert ourselves with cake.

But since it is a Tuesday
there will be nothing in the tin.

'Would Dr Jones please
make his way to outpatients.

'Dr Jones to outpatients.'

CHATTER

PHONE RINGS

Matron?

I'm Nurse Lee.

As you seem to have invited yourself
to enter, Nurse Lee,

I suggest you wait until I have
attended to my task.

Sister Julienne informs me that all
your credentials are in order,

and that you are diligent and
hardworking. Yes, Matron.

Have you ever scrubbed
for theatre? Yes.

Supervised, or unsupervised?

Only supervised, I'm afraid.

That is less than optimal.

The theatres are
exceptionally busy at the London,

especially with regard to
general surgery.

Yes, Matron.

Take this to the laundry,

so that you can be fitted
with the proper uniform.

And you needn't look askance.

They were designed
by Norman Hartnell -

they're practically couture.
Yes, Matron.

We can't manage without Nurse Lee!

Nurse Noakes has only just left us,
and Jane, who is most welcome,

is neither use nor ornament
without some proper training.

The London's need is greater
than ours, Sister.

And I can assure you,
Jane will be very useful indeed.

Luncheon is served.

Now that looks rather novel.

Avocado pears. I found the serving
suggestion in a magazine.

It's a dressing of olive oil.

What if someone gets earache,

and we've used up
all our medical supplies?

I bought this especially.
From Boots.

And the pears are from the market,

the stall run by those twins.

Meg and Mave?
I think the surname's Carter.

One of them is pregnant.
I don't know which.

One imagines their husband
is equally perplexed.

THEIR husband?

It was the most unusual of weddings.

Singular, in fact,
in its very doubleness.

The sisters walked up the aisle
together, as though each was

giving the other sister away.

And their egress was not dissimilar.

Except a man was walking
in between them.

I am of the view

that on the balance

I should prefer spam.

Don't worry.
We don't eat like this every day.

I don't mind it.

I say! You're not the girl
we've borrowed for male surgical?

Yes, I am. I'm Jenny Lee.

Patsy Mount. I was on late lunch
and they had the porter fetch me.

Mr Tracey's brought his ward
round forward, and there won't be a

Isn't it visiting time?

It would appear he's forgotten.

Or, more likely, he simply
doesn't care. This way.

Come here, let's have a little look,
see what you've got.

We're looking for a nurse.

The small one.

Hello. It's Mrs Carter, isn't it?
Yeah.

She's got scourge of the bladder.

Well, it's very nice to see you.

There's a cubicle just come free.
Step this way.

We don't want nothing meddled with.

Why don't you help
your sister onto the bed

and I'll pop and fetch a doctor?

You seen this?

Yes, Meg. Same as you have.

All lined up.

They're just waiting for their chance.

Give those wheels a kick, we need to
have them all pointing forwards.

And there's to be nothing
whatsoever on the lockers.

What about ashtrays?
Mr Gillespie! You know the rules.

You can only
smoke during visiting hours.

If I don't smoke,
I can't clear my catarrh.

I'll end up on the chest ward.
Just make sure you take me

Nurse Mount,
where's the patient from B?

Khazi. I thought he had the trots,

but he says it's the other way around.

Even after that suppository.

I'll give you a suppository
if you don't button it!

Any luck? I've told you.

When I get lucky, I'll come
out of there doing a victory roll!

Jimmy?

Hello, Jenny.

Do you come here often?

Ward round.
Why is this patient out of bed?

I shall examine this patient in the
classic way - inspection, palpation,

auscultation, percussion -
whilst enquiring about his symptoms.

Any further abdominal pains?

They've eased a bit.

Any vomiting?

Not since yesterday.

Any bowel movement? No.

Any wedding nerves?

No.

It has been known for the prospect
of the altar to bring on the

Nurse!

I shall spare you the knife.

It'll waste my time,
and make you late for church.

You may pack your bags.

I recommend castor oil,
and a stiff Scotch for your nerves.

You're going ahead with it, then?

The decent thing? Yes.

Jen, did you think I wouldn't?

Nurse!

You're a little bit older
than we'd like to be having

but we're going to take
very good care of you.

Just the usual test for today,

then we can plan for delivery
in the maternity home.

Oh, no. We know what goes on
in them lying-in places.

Women die like flies.

I think you'll find
that in the present day, Mrs...?

Carter. Both of them.

Standards of hygiene are higher,
and maternal death rates lower,

than they've ever been.
We never said nothing about hygiene.

Or death rates.

I've only got scourge of the bladder.

He's just out to petrify you.
Come on.

Excuse me,
but you're standing in our way.

All we want is to make sure you,
and your baby,

receive the best care we can give you.

As long as we let you slice her
up with knives? Come on.

One of them wants help
or neither would have come.

And one of them doesn't,
or neither would have left.

They do seem very dependent
on each other, even for twins.

Meg was the first born.

She howled like a wild thing
until Mave was laid beside her,

then both fell silent.

It's as well they clung so close,

as neither we nor the doctor had
the means to save the mother.

Did she haemorrhage?

I know not why you're asking me,

since you once denounced my memory
in a court of law.

We buried her in the snow.

I recollect that.

Nobody is going to be buried in snow
or otherwise this time around.

But what we do have is
an elderly prima gravida

and what sounds like
a touch of cystitis.

We could help her
if we could only gain her trust.

We must try and visit them at home.
And keep things understated.

Where there is anger,
there is always fear.

Yes, Sister.

Knock, knock.

I just have to do your
routine checks for the final time.

If you have a fever,
we can't discharge you.

That would be a shame.

Open wide.

If it means you can't ask me
about my bowels, I'll gladly do it.

I'm not interested in your bowels.

Is someone coming to fetch you?

Francine.

My beautiful fiancee,
soon to be my bride.

When's the wedding?

Two weeks.

As her mother says,

we've got to get married before
it becomes obvious that...

We've got to get married.

It does happen, Jimmy.

I know.

And if it had happened with somebody
else I'd be more philosophical.

Hello, Francine.

Oh, it's you.

I go to a different clinic now.
The facilities are better.

If you get a move on we can
catch the number 23.

It goes past the caterers'

and I need to talk to them
about the trifle.

It must be rather fun
planning a wedding.

I could do without my leading man
being locked up in this place.

Well, he's entirely
at your disposal now.

Temperature and pulse
are absolutely spot-on.

Maybe if we went back, told them
we wanted the baby at home.

They're out to
get their claws into you.

At least I'd know what to expect.

Empress reversed.

It's the motherhood card.
I don't like that.

Knives and blood. Surgery.

And then the tower,
which means destruction.

That's enough now, Meg.

Death approaches.

The sky darkens, it's the end.

Shuffle them. Cut them again.

You can't change what's
written in the cards, Mave.

All you have to do is leave
the delivery pack with Mrs Carter.

Just the delivery pack.

But don't hand it over on the doorstep.

Just say, very politely,

that you have to hand it
over inside the house. Yes. I see.

Then before you leave,
ask very politely

if you might use the lavatory.

We need to be sure
the facilities are suitable.

Jane does not require you to coach
her in the technique of mendacity!

Her soul is sincere
and she will be trusted.

I hope so.

We have chosen our vanguard well.

Poor you, getting Tracey straight away.

I'd offer to swap, but the lure of
the prostate in theatre three

is just too overwhelming.

Still, it's only
an exploratory laparotomy.

You remember your general set?

Yes, of course.

Oh, dear. Nerves.
Can't say I blame you.

Look, what I always say is,

"Get the first thing right,
you soon calm down."

Right.

Yes? I've brought... It's...

Penguins send you, did they?

Brown paper? What's the use of that?

Waterproof. Saves the mattress...
Don't want it, rubbish.

Don't want it, rubbish. All rubbish.

And tell your cronies
to leave us alone.

You frightened her, Meg.

She's out to frighten you.

Scalpel.

Have I misread the list, Nurse?

It's an exploratory laparotomy, sir.

Then why have you handed me
a 10 blade? I thought...

You're not here to think,
you're here to do.

Get me a 23.

Come on, girl,
I've got a patient on the table.

Scalpel, sir.

Classic upper midline.

From the xyphoid
process down to the umbilicus.

Today, please.

Any thoughts as to
which retractor I should use?

Well?

No, sir. Might I have the temerity
to suggest a Richardson?

Does that meet with your approval?

Oh, step back and let somebody
competent take your place.

Gentlemen, please note you are here
to learn from me, not Nurse.

Nurse. Is something amiss?

No, Matron.

The operation was successful,
there were some adhesions...

I don't require a report from you.

The details will be
logged by senior staff.

Now, I suggest you compose yourself
and go back into theatre.

You still have work to do.
Yes, Matron.

I also suggest that you
pay attention to your tone.

I'm sorry, Matron.
I think I'm too used to midwifery.

No, Nurse. You're too used to
being the expert in the room.

You're not in district practice now.
You're in hospital.

And we respect rank.

Everything is retrievable.

Sister...
You're all of you too profligate.

It is as though neither war left
the faintest mark upon you!

Sister Monica Joan. None of these
items is sterile any more!

She just tore them out of my hands...

Let us put them in the dustbin, and
we can dispose of them safely later.

Meanwhile,
you might go into the parlour

and get on with your handicraft.

Why must you have me
fritter my days away?

You might invite Jane to come with you.

You can keep her company.

Come.

You can advise me on
Pinky and Perky's dungarees.

'You know I'd invite you to the wedding

'if I was allowed to, don't you?'

I suppose I shall have to
take that as a compliment.

It isn't what I want.

I don't want to hear you say that.

Why?

Because you're my friend
and I want you to be happy.

Then...

...come out with me.

One final spin in Lady Chatterley,

before she and I go our separate ways.

Are you selling her?

Francine wants to put
a deposit down on a house.

No wonder you look pale.

I can hear your watch ticking.

I don't think we've ever
sat in such silence before.

Tick, tick, tick.

Saturday.

I'll go out with you then.

Hello, sweetie!

I almost didn't recognise you,
out of that beastly uniform.

You've been shopping, too. New dress.
Going somewhere special?

Only out with a friend. On Saturday.

I've just been for a job interview.

New hospital?

No. At a florist's, in Chelsea.

It'll pay a pittance, but at least
I won't be spending my time

biting my tongue and
trying not to wallop people.

Do you mean Mr Tracey?

You've been with us for a week
and guessed in a trice.

I think that speaks volumes.

Has anyone ever reported him?

He's a surgeon, Jenny!

Nobody knows which way he'll
turn, we're all tiptoeing about,

never able to say what we think.

Especially not what we think about him.

It's as though we're all
involved in some gigantic lie.

And I'm just not dishonest by nature.

Nor am I.

Shall we?

KNOCKING ON DOOR

Evening.

I want to talk to the small one.

She's not here. You'll have to put
up with the big one.

I come on me own.

I slipped out and left
Meg sleeping on the couch.

She reckons she gets more
tired of a night than I do.

That's all very well, Mrs Carter,

but you are the one who is
carrying this baby.

And you are the one who's going to
have to deliver it.

And the best place
for that is in the maternity home.

I don't want her upset!

But I don't want no disasters neither.

Cos that'd upset her even more.

We go together, Meg and me.

We always have done.

Before we was born, we was a pair

and afterwards you couldn't
stick a knife between us.

Well, Mother Nature has stuck
her knife between you this time.

It's not about you and her anymore.

It's about you and your baby.

And you wouldn't be stood here now
if you didn't know that.

All right, look.

When your labour starts,
you send for us.

That is the best thing for your
whole family.

We will come to you.
No ifs, no buts. Do you hear me?

He doesn't want to do it, Cynthia.

He's doing the right thing by her
and I so admire him for it.

But it's the wrong thing for him.

But there must be
something between them.

Otherwise they wouldn't be in
their present situation.

They slept together. Obviously.

That doesn't mean they love each other.

I suppose not.

Cynthia, the two don't always
go hand in hand.

For years and years,
Jimmy was your friend

and no more than your friend.

You have to let him go.

I'm not hanging onto him!

Any more than I hung on to Gerald.

And Gerald was married
when you met him, Jenny.

He was never within your grasp.

No.

He wasn't.

Jimmy belongs to someone else now.

Or he will do soon and if you can't
accept that, things will all be...

..out of order.

I knew I had it tucked away somewhere!

Aid To Theatre Technique
by Balliere, Tindall and Cox.

And what's more, it still smells
of Norman Hartnell's In Love,

which was the scent
I favoured during training.

It will go with your couture uniform.

Thank you.

Yes?

I'm sorry, sir, but Sister asked me
to do Mr Solomon's routine checks.

Yes, of course.

He'll be a new man by the time
we've sent him home.

One of the worst gall bladders
I've taken out.

It's all right, Mr Solomon.

He was complaining of thirst.

I'd give him a sip or two of water,
just to keep him comfortable.

Yes, sir. Thank you, Nurse.

PHONE RINGS

'Jimmy?'

Jen.

I can't see you, Jimmy.

'Not on Saturday.'

Not for a very long time, if ever.

You certainly know how to make
a big pronouncement.

'I'm not making
a big pronouncement.'

I'm doing the decent thing.

I see.

'No, I don't think you can see.'

But I can see...

..if I don't say goodbye now...

..I'll end up re-living something
I want to put behind me.

I can't make the same mistake twice.

All right.

KNOCKING ON DOOR

Can I help you?

It's Mave. Mave Carter.
She's crying out something awful.

This'll move it on. You'll see.

Raspberry leaf.
Ain't nothing like it.

I don't want to move it on. Not yet.

Hello, Mrs Carter, Mrs Carter.

What are you doing here?

Turning the light on, for a start.

Culpepper says it should be
dark in the birthing room.

Yes, but that was years ago.

I'm sure he would have felt differently

if he had electric light.

I need to see what I am doing.
Leave it alone.

Hello, Mave.

What you doing that for?

I'll need to listen to baby's heart.

This is the 1950s, not the 1590s.

Your sister needs to be in bed
so we can examine her properly.

She has to be in the birthing chair.

Dr Turner will be popping round soon

and if he sees your sister in this
contraption he'll drag it out

from under her and chop it up as
firewood! I'll chop him up.

I'm sure you'll do no such thing.

You'll be too busy helping us
with preparations.

Who sent for you?

No-one.
We operate purely on telepathy.

If it was that husband of ours,
I'll kill him.

It was me. I sent for her.

Now please, Meg, hold my hand

and let the midwife do her job.

Breathe through it.

That's fine now,
you're doing just fine.

You'd better get a trolley loaded.

There's an acute abdomen
coming into Theatre 2.

Mr Tracey's been called back.
It's a critical case.

Patient came in by ambulance,
the registrar took one look at him

and referred him up to us.

He says we're looking at
peritonitis if we're lucky.

Or if the patient's lucky.

There's already signs of septicaemia.

SCREAMING

That sounds bad.

It's worse than bad.
We had him in last week

and Tracey discharged him.

Jimmy? Jimmy?
I'll speak to Sister.

I'll bring his notes, and make sure
the anaesthetist's on his way.

It's going to be all right, Jimmy,
you'll be all right.

It isn't, Jenny. It isn't!
And I knew it wasn't all along.

I just knew.

Just try to breathe for me, Jimmy,

and keep calm.

Just keep breathing.
Just keep breathing.

Jenny. What's septicaemia?

Evening, Nurse.

Is this the abdomen?

Mr James Wilson, sir.

He was here last week under observation

for a suspected appendix.

Why was he discharged?

You felt it was unnecessary
to keep him in, sir.

Nurse Mount has gone to
fetch your notes.

Very well.
I'll need someone to scrub.

I'll do it, sir. I'd prefer somebody
else. There is no-one else, sir.

If I don't give satisfaction,

perhaps one of your students
can take over.

Don't leave me, Jenny.

I won't.

I'll stand back, shall I,
while you take the floor?

I don't think that would be
very wise, sir.

I spoke in jest, I hope you did to.
Yes, sir.

Because insolence is
a dismissible offence. Scalpel.

Retractor.

They always said
they was born with a gap

and that they filled it for each other.

But you're going to have
a little nephew or niece.

That's her baby.

She won't have a gap no more.

I'll find somewhere of me own.

Leave you three in peace.

You don't have to do that!

Everything's changed.
Nothing's the same.

It's not the end of the world,
Meg, girl.

It's the end of the way
that things have been.

Meg came first. She was no trouble.

Me, I was the wrong way round.

Our mother was our age when she had us.

I was the death of her.

Since then, it's been me
and Meg against the world.

And Meg will love this baby
just as much as you.

Now it's finally happening,

all I can see is trouble.

Oh!

I really do think that on your
next contraction

you ought to try a whiff of gas, Mave.

You might find it just
takes the edge off.

I want Meg.

Soon. I should think she's
busy making up the cot.

It's going in a drawer.

A drawer out of our mother's
old chest, same as we did.

Waters still intact.
All going along like clockwork.

Just the way I like it.

Breathe deeply. In and out.

Very well,
we have an infarction of the bowel.

So we'll have to excise and then resect

using end-to-end anastomosis.

I suspect the gangrene
was caused by adhesions

cutting off the blood supply.

We'll need to start
penicillin straight away

or the poor bastard
won't have a chance.

I'll need two sets of Moynihans.

Moynihans or Parker-Kerrs, sir?

Well, on the balance...

..Parker-Kerrs might be preferable.

Yes, sir.

Don't push, Mavis,
just concentrate on your breathing.

We want baby's head to be born
slowly. And here it comes.

Don't push. Just breathe.

Breathe.

There we are.

Baby's head is born.

I want Meg. I want my sister.

Would you like to step forward, Doctor,

so you can hand baby to mother
when it's born?

Deep breaths, Mavis! Deep breaths!

Come on now.
You're doing really, really well.

That's it, that's it,
that's it, that's it.

And there we are!

Tiny, and completely perfect.

Congratulations, Mrs Carter,
you have a little girl.

Meg'll be pleased.

We never did like boys.

BABY GURGLES

Will you get her?

There is such a thing as
being ready for visitors.

I want my sister.

I'll go through
and announce the glad tidings,

and then she can come in.

I want Meg! Why hasn't she come?

She must have heard the baby cry.

Sure you won't have a drop
of something in that, Doctor?

Go on, I'll indulge myself
as I'm about to go home.

So. All's well
and you have a niece!

Mave'll be pleased.

We never did like boys.

Doctor, can you come through at once?

Twins. It explains
the small first baby.

And the slow third stage.
No placenta yet.

There was never any sign of twins.
Never any inkling.

You'll manage splendidly,
just as you did with the first.

I won't manage.
Any more than our mother did.

I want Meg.

You'll be absolutely fine, Mave.
I want her.

What's the lie?

Transverse.

Mavis, I'm afraid baby's
misbehaving slightly,

and lying sideways on, instead
of head down. No.

Don't worry. Sister Bernadette's
going to have it out in no time.

The waters aren't broken.

The presenting part
looks like the right shoulder.

I'm going to have to try
an external version.

We're going to need to
turn the baby round

so that it can be born more easily.

I can't do it again. I can't!

We're going to be with you every
step of the way, Mavis.

Trust us.

This will hurt

but I just want you to hold tight
to Nurse Franklin's hand.

Look at me, Mave, look at me.

There's a girl. There's a girl.

Deep breaths. Deep breaths now,
deep breaths.

Deep breaths.

That's great. You're doing
so well, Mave, you're doing so well.

Nearly there! Nearly there!

SHE GROANS

Sister's turned the baby round,
Mrs Carter.

It's in the correct position now.

We'll need to rupture the membranes
so the head can engage.

Lift your legs up for me, Mave.
There's a girl. And the other one.

You're doing really well, Mrs Carter.

Pitocin, point five of a mil.

Let's see if we
can get a contraction going.

The placenta is coming away.

We need to get this baby out now.

Mavis, come to the edge of the bed.

She needs to be in the
lithotomy position.

Lift up for us, Mave.
There's a girl.

Knees right up to your chest, sweetie.

Sorry, Mave, there's not much
dignity in childbirth.

We're going to give you some help,
Mrs Carter.

I'm going to deliver
the baby using forceps

and you just need to stay as still
as you can until we tell you push.

Keep those legs steady for me.

Fundal pressure, please.

Ow! Shhhh.

SHE SOBS

Grab hold of my arm
and push with all of your might.

Aaargh! Aaargh!

That's enough! Get off me.

No, Mrs Carter, no!

Deep breaths now, Mave.

Mrs Carter, we are doing all we
can for your sister and her baby.

If you interfere again,
you will lose one or the other.

I can't rule out that you
might lose both.

Come here, Meg.

That's right. Hold her hand
and just try to calm her down.

Mave needs you now, Meg,
more than she ever has.

I'm here now. I'm here.

Push now.

Come on! Come on!

Again.

That's it, that's it.

With the next contraction, Mave...

I ain't got nothing left.

You ain't giving up now, Mave.
You got my strength too.

And you take it.

Cos it ain't going to be no use
to me if I ain't got you.

That's it. Again!

That's it! That's it!

That's it, Mave! That's it!
That's it! That's it! That's it!

That's it! That's it! That's it!
Another girl.

Mucus extractor.

Why isn't it crying?

Placenta's coming.

Haemorrhage.

Ergometrine, please.

We need to stabilise her
then get her to hospital.

She's white as paper.

We're doing all we can, Meg.

You hold on there, girl.
You hold on.

50 mils of Ergometrine, Nurse Franklin.

50 mils, Doctor.
Good. Now go and ring the hospital.

We need an obstetric flying squad
ambulance. Right away.

I'm going to have to try Eve's
rocking. I'll be as quick as I can.

BABY GURGLES

Praise the Lord.

Give her to my sister.

What you going to call yours, then?

Little Mave, of course.

Hello, Little Mave.

This here's your sister, Little Meg.

Oh, my goodness!

Crisis over.
Mother and both babies doing well.

Tick, tick, tick.

Yes.

You're going to be all right,
Jimmy. I promise you.

I should have put up a fight.

What for?

For you.

No.

I'm standing by Francine.

But you stood by me.

Up there.

I'm a nurse, Jimmy.

You're more than that.

Shh.

You're everything.

Always put up the fight, Jen.

You never know what you may lose.

We're like an officer and a sergeant
the morning after the Somme.

And that's not to say
I see myself as the officer.

I feel as though I should
offer you one.

Just a puff.

Of this?

Quickly. Just a wee one.

Ooh, what are these?

Henleys.

Henleys! I loved Henleys.

They were the kind
my father used to smoke.

I used to sneak one out of his desk
sometimes when I was about 14.

Thank you.

You've earned it.

Come in.

Matron. I need to talk to
you about Mr Tracey.

Is this a complaint?

No.

But it is a concern.

Mr Tracey is driving people
out of that department.

He is irascible and short-tempered.

Nurse.

You may continue only if you have
something illuminating to say.

He's making mistakes.

You are referring to
the acute abdomen, I presume?

Mr James Wilson?

When Mr Tracey discharged him,

he missed out one of the stages
of abdominal examination.

You are sure of this?

Yes, Matron.

He missed out auscultation.

If he had listened
with his stethoscope,

he might have noticed
the absence of bowel sounds.

Combined with vomiting

and constipation that would have
pointed to intestinal obstruction.

It would have made all the
difference to Jimmy... to Mr Wilson.

I cannot disagree with that.

He seems to have constant
small lapses of memory.

I've also noticed a tremor in his hand.

In district practice, we're used to
seeing a wide range of illness

and I was reminded of symptoms
I've seen in neurological disease.

Including Parkinson's.

I see.

Mr Tracey reported to
the hospital board this morning.

He has had his own suspicions.

He has taken a voluntary
leave of absence

so that he might have tests
and receive a diagnosis.

I'm so sorry, Matron.

I know I need not say that
this is all in confidence.

No, Matron. I know,
because you have intelligence

and sensitivity as well
as common sense.

Do you enjoy district practice?

Yes. And not just the midwifery.

If, in due course, Nurse Lee, you
wanted to come back here and start

working your way up the ladder,
I'd be very pleased to have you.

'Sometimes only
when bonds are tested

'do we understand their strength.

'There are ties that
endure for a lifetime

'no matter how frayed by fate.

'We can walk away
and pretend that we forget them.

'Pain passes in the end.

'Or we can step into the future...

'..blessed and stronger
than before because,

'when faced with change, our love
held fast and did not break.

'Our lives were not severed
but woven anew...

'..and our joy not halved
but doubled.'

And you are...?

The Reverend Applebee-Thornton...

Jane.

Is that Ruby's baby or is there
something you haven't told us?

'I knew, one day, I would
encounter something like this.'

But I feel so under-prepared,
Sister.

I bet you're a wonderful dancer.

Is Jane agreed?