Frontier (2016–…): Season 1, Episode 6 - The Gallows - full transcript

Previously on "frontier..."

You are under arrest.

This is your fault!
Lord benton set up a trap.

And you walked right into it.

You turned your back on me,
declan.

You betrayed me,

And you will beg my forgiveness.

I'm looking for lord benton.

Cut him down.

I don't care what he's doing!

Lord benton, sir.



For reasons I don't pretend
to comprehend,

You've confined my company
to barracks.

And cut our rations.

It's winter.

Rationing is only prudent.

Captain chesterfield's men
seem to get ample sustenance.

Do they?

My men are hungry, sir.

If we are to make it to spring,

We must have more food.

Request denied.

Captain benedict johnson died
two weeks ago,

And still no inquiry...

Dismissed, commander everton.



Before he was murdered,

You were stripped of your
authority.

You, sir, are illegally
governing fort james!

Starve me now if you want.

But I will return to england,

And I will report all of this.

I will ensure the full weight
of the law.

Comes down on you, sir.

Seize commander everton.

What the hell is this?

Release me at once!

Fifty lashes. In the yard.

What?!

Lord benton is
deliberately starving those men.

I know.

Then do something.

To confront him now
will get me killed.

So you'd be content with
a garrison of dead soldiers,

Is that it?

Why do you give a shit
about those men?

Because it's an opportunity.

Earn their loyalty.

With their support as well
as your own soldiers,

You can arrest benton now.

Now's the time.

Lock lord benton up.

And you are governor.

You'd like that?

Very much.

Good day, captain chesterfield.

My god.

You look terrible.
Where are the others?

I came alone. I need food. Ale.

Of course.

But it's not safe for you here.

Christ, if you're seen...

Look, declan, I know why
you came back here,

But I'm telling you,
you do not need to do it.

Wait!

Benton will self-destruct.

Captain chesterfield will move
into the governor's house.

And we will have an advantage.

I made an agreement
with chesterfield.

I know how to handle him.

Just please, wait.

If benton lives,
nothing will change.

And if you fail?

Look at you,
you can hardly breathe.

If you die, what then?

There's a patrol out every day.

They've turned this place over
three times.

Are you asking me to leave?

No...

I just...

I need to get you somewhere
safer than here.

Come on.

Sokanon, clenna needs to rest.

Harp's sick,

He's been in and out
of consciousness.

For over ten days.

He's in terrible condition.

We have to get to fort james
before he does anything.

Maybe it's not the best idea
to get too close to a man.

If he's sick and crazy.

Yesterday you were begging
to be taken back.

Sokanon... she needs to
move faster not slower.

I've had enough of
your shite, you know that?

Jesus, clenna, don't...

Fuck!

Sokanon!

Get off her, now!

Are you all right? Ungh!

Maybe both of you need to rest.

There is no way fort james
is safe for us.

Is declan harp really worth
dying for?

We need to keep moving.

He's cracking up.

He's paranoid.

Scaring the shit
out of his own soldiers.

Means he's weak.

It means he's unpredictable.

Let me see.

Jesus.

You can't do it.

Not now. Not like this.

They're gone, grace.

My family's dead.

Benton tortured them.

Shhh... It's all right.

Declan?

Declan, you're too hurt
to go anywhere.

Now you promise me
you'll change your plan.

I've waited so long for you,

You cannot leave me now,
not like this.

I'm sorry.

I have to do this.

I have to.

Kill them on sight.

M'lord? Your patrols.

Should they discover declan harp.

Or any of his consorts,

They are to show no mercy.

That's unwise, sir.

Chesterfield, are you deaf,

Or simply confused?

Lord benton, with respect.

What I'm saying is...

Is given recent events,
we might want to avoid.

Any more unwelcome scrutiny
from england.

"We do give and grant unto said
governor."

The powers to make peace or war.

With any prince
or people whatsoever,

"That are not christians."

Michael smyth is irish.
So is the girl.

They won't be missed.

Declan harp's head.

Is to be stuck on the end
of a bayonet.

And displayed in the yard.

People must understand
there are consequences.

To treachery and treason.

Come on!
We have to keep on moving.

No, I know. That's right.

Two men arrived
when you were gone.

They asked for you.

The one on the right said
he received your letter.

Samuel grant.

And malcolm brown
came in very drunk.

Asking for captain chesterfield.

What is it with men
and fucking revenge?

All right, you keep an eye
on brown,

I'll deal with grant.

Welcome to fort james,
gentlemen.

You must be samuel grant.

Miss emberly. You guessed.

Or did someone spoil
our surprise?

And...?

Cobbs pond.

At your service.

Is there a place
we can speak freely?

There is.

I hope your tastes will not
exceed our cellars, mr. Grant.

Please. We are not particular.

The stew was exquisite.

I was intrigued by your letter.

"The key to fort james",

I think you described
yourself as.

So we decided to make the trek.

And meet my mysterious
correspondent.

I had no idea how beautiful
she would turn out to be.

If I had known you were coming
I'd have been more prepared.

This is a token
of my good faith.

I dinnae expect you to reply
to my offer in person.

Well, I wanted to see
for myself...

Those wonderful furs you
wrote so eloquently about.

Not until we have
an understanding.

Well, an understanding requires.

That I see what I might buy.

You put me a great risk, sir,

By coming here.

A woman of your enterprise,

I assumed had protection.

A redcoat perhaps,

Hiding underneath your skirts?

In fact, we should present
ourselves.

At the governor's house,
should we not?

Yes, sir. Yes.

What business do you have
with lord benton?

None. Never met the man.

Simply a courtesy.

My proposal was confidential.

Can I trust you to be discrete?

I understand that discretion
for a woman in your position.

Is paramount.

And that the consequences
of discovery.

Would be shattering.

Mr. Grant? Miss emberly?

There's nothing I don't know
about what happens here.

You need me.

Of course.

Declan harp,

Is he in town?

I have not seen him.

A shame.

I was hoping to kill two birds
with one stone.

You made your fortune
in american pelts.

If I'm not mistaken.

Fortune?

Well, that's an overstatement.

Certainly when compared with
the success of the hbc.

Indeed. Please.

Apologies, that was the last
of the moose.

But cook may be able to scrape
up some cold rabbit?

We ate at the ale,
but thank you.

And what did you make
of our miss emberly?

Who's that? The proprietress.

Yes.

Fine-looking woman.

A whore with more ambition
than sense.

Not to be trusted.

Brandy?

Please.

And what brings you north, sir?

Well, sir, I'm a private
businessman.

Who believes in identifying
and profiting.

From common interests.

And it seems to...
Common interests?

Yes.

You're a competitor.

I'm sure you're aware.

That it is customary
for a man of your stature.

To provide a letter of intention.

Before arriving at fort james.

I also believe that things
may get misinterpreted.

Through written correspondence,

And if one wants to make
new friends.

It must be done in person.

Friends?

Well, if this is a party.

Then perhaps I should pour tea.

Look to the future, sir.

I prefer to learn from history.

To the king.

Mr. Grant,

You and your colleague
are accustomed.

To more hospitable
southern climes.

I must caution you
that here in the north,

Death can be brutal.

And come without warning.

I do hope you understand.

The world you find
yourselves in.

I have faced far more formidable
circumstances, lord benton,

And not only have I survived,

I found the experience...

Fulfilling.

But I appreciate your concern
for our welfare.

It's late.

We are raw from travel.

Perhaps a meeting tomorrow?

I do have a proposition for you.

You yankees always do.

Tomorrow then.

Excuse me?

Time was, as wee boys,

Me and my brother douglas.

Wanted to murder
cedric ourselves.

The brown brothers.

One big happy family.

He was my blood
but the man was stupid,

Thick as turf.

We were always cleaning up
cedric's mess.

Drove us mad.

If your idiot brother is dead.

It's because he deserved it.

You knifed him.

No trial. Nuthin'.

Get to your point.

I loved my brother,

So I'm going to cut the inside
of your leg.

So you bleed like a pig
in a butcher shop.

Then I'm going to slice open
your guts.

And shove them down your throat.

And when that's done,

I'll crack your skull.

And piss on your brains.

Is that pointed enough for ya?

Captain chesterfield?

Jonathan.

Malcolm brown is drunk
and he's grieving.

I'm going to gut him
like I gutted his brother.

You want to be governor?

Don't get caught up
in that nonsense.

Keep your focus -

And your focus is benton.

There's been a development.

What sort of development?

I sent a letter to montreal.

Offering to sell samuel grant
our stolen furs.

A letter? Without informing me?

The issue is that he's here.
At the fort.

Jesus christ!

He showed up with some thug.

They're over at the governor's
house right now.

This is the consequence.

Of you keeping your schemes
from me.

You need to discover
what they're talking about.

Fine.

I've been thinking about
what you said this morning.

And?

And I've had a revelation
about what should happen.

Once benton's gone.

And what's that?

You are to become
the new governor's wife.

A marriage would be good
for business.

No more secrets.

We can plot our next steps
without fear of discovery.

And...

Perhaps, in-in time,

We could start a family to
share our good fortune with.

Jesus christ. You're serious.

You're not going to do
no better.

I'd rather marry malcolm
fucking brown.

I could take you right now.

In the state lord benton's in,

I could do so without fear
of reprisal.

But, I suspect you would prefer
the warmth and security.

Of a governor's feather bed.

Yeah?

We need your help.

All right, come on.

Shhh...

I can't get warm.

Shh! Have another brandy.

Agh!

Don't leave me!

I'm right here.

You'll die.

I'm not gonna die.
I'm not gonna die.

You just killed one man,
michael.

That doesn't make you a warrior.

You don't belong here.

Don't throw me overboard for...
For her.

Promise. Promise me.

We shouldn't wait any longer.

Michael, go get grace.
We need to straighten her leg.

Even then it might be too late.

What happens if it's too late?

We get the saw.

You should drink as much
as you can.

This is gonna hurt.

Fuck off, grace memberly,
it already hurts.

Shh...

It's all right, it's all right.

Ready?

It's all right, clenna.

You're all right.
The worst is over.

No, it's not.

What? Why?

It didnae set properly.

We're gonna need to do it again.

No. Shhh...

His frame of mind is not
conducive to your proposal.

Every man is hungry
for something -

Food, love, money, power.

To know benton's appetite
is to have the upper hand.

Well, the man seems to have
an appetite for blood.

'Cause he sees enemies
everywhere.

To secure his trust.

We'll have to both
validate his paranoia.

And create the illusion
of a mutual enemy.

Or we could just kill him.

And negotiate with the next man?

I remain open to all options.

Declare yourself.

Declan harp.

Mr. Harp? Finally.

Forgive mr. Pond,

He is zealously dedicated
to my protection,

Which I appreciate.

Why are you in fort james?

We're both are committed
to the demise of the hbc,

Are we not?

I've come to judge how long
before fort james falls,

And, if possible,

To give it a little nudge.

This cause could be advanced
considerably.

If you and your people
were to trade with me.

You deal only with
the black wolf company.

That's reasonable,

Provided you can maintain
the volume.

To satisfies my needs. Yes.

Grace emberly.
When the time comes,

You provide safe passage
to montreal.

Or... Wherever she wants to go.

Done.

Anything else?

Tomorrow, go for a walk
with benton in the woods,

Away from as many soldiers
as possible.

What do you intend to do?

Bury a knife in his chest
and cut off his head.

I respect a man
who is straight and fair.

Common interests.

Agreed.

You shouldn't have followed me.

What would you have done
if it were me?

Where's michael?

With clenna.

You can't trust grant.

You can't trust anyone.

Grant has as much interest
in benton being dead as we do.

Let me go with you and I'll
finish this with one arrow.

I have to do this myself.
You don't!

We can't all die...
None of us has to die!

He has taken them from us.

You don't know.

He said things and did things,

That I can't get out of my head.

I have to end him,

For her, nuna,

For my boy, for us.

She wouldn't want this.

Declan, I abandoned everything
to follow you.

We have fought side by side
all this time.

Please, I don't want this
for you.

You are all I have left.

You have michael. He's ready.

He's not! Then you keep
testing him until he is.

You finish what we started.

You destroy the garrison.

Re-establish trade with
the lake walkers...

Machk won't...
Machk will listen to you.

He has to,

Or his people will not survive
the winter.

Once I kill benton,
you swear to me,

You'll leave his empire
in ashes.

Swear to me you'll see to it.

Come here.

So?

What did you want to tell me?

Captain chesterfield has a habit.

Of walking through the fort,
alone,

Checking on his patrols
and sentries.

Where you and I are standing.

Is the likeliest place
you can surprise him.

And avenge your brother's
murder.

Where's michael?

Gone.

All right, ladies.

Downstairs. Time to open up.

How are you feeling, clenna?

It's throbbing.

More brandy?

I feel like I've been in pain.

Ever since I got on the boat
that brought me here.

Well, it hasn't killed you.

Must have made you stronger.

Don't feel strong.

Well, it's not many men
who can go through.

What you've been through.

And still be talking right now.

You're strong.

You know, we women can take
more pain.

In this place,

That's the greatest advantage
a person can have.

And because we can take
the pain,

You and I,

Yeah, we're capable of things
here that...

We would never have thought
possible.

And you just let him go?

After killing ourselves
to get back here,

After clenna almost lost her
fucking leg?!

Harp trusts you, michael.

Now you have to trust him.

And if he dies?

Well?

I swore I wouldn't follow him.

This is rubbish.

Being loyal to him doesn't mean
letting him commit suicide.

I don't expect you
to understand.

I'm going after him.

Redcoats cannae resist
other people's silver, hey?

Come on!

Come on. Come on!

This is for my brother,
sassanach.

Wait, captain chesterfield!

In god's name, please!

Captain chesterfield,
you must stop!

Get out of my fucking way!

You aren't supposed to be here.

I chose to be here.

Beautiful grounds.

Yes, kensington fucking gardens.

Get to your proposition,
mr. Grant, it's cold.

I would like you to take
a message back to the hbc.

On my behalf.

Why would I do that?

Because it will make you richer.

A bribe then?

It's an incentive.

Tell them it makes more sense
for them.

To trade their furs
through montreal.

There's a ready port that's open.

Far longer than fort james.

And you would be
our partner there?

Exclusively. Yes.

Here you have enemies
on all sides.

Montreal is safe,

It is immune from native attack;

There are banks,

There are warehouses with
abundant coal to heat them.

And men to work in them.

Men the hbc wouldn't have
to feed or arm.

You have stones, mr. Grant.

But if you think I won't cut
them off.

And feed them to the ravens
you're wrong.

Remember bunker hill,
lord benton.

After your so-called "victory",

More than a thousand
british dead.

Left in the mud to rot.

Winning a battle when the war
is already over -

I don't think that's history
you want to repeat, is it?

I don't know you, mr. Grant.

And I'd be a fool to make
such a recommendation.

Based on a walk in the mud.

Lord benton,

If I could say something to you,

Right here, right now,
in this minute,

To earn your trust, would you,

As a matter of honor,
agree to carry out my request?

Try me.

Declan harp is behind
one of these trees,

Preparing to kill you.

Alone?

So I am informed, yes.

Kill the boy!

No!

Go.

Malcolm, stay still.

Praise the almighty,

You shall live through
this day, mr. Brown!

And chesterfield?

Alive. Thank god?

I'm not finished with him.

God's will and god's miracle.

A miraculous escape
from the jaws of death.

Malcolm, stay still!

Give me one good reason.

Why I shouldn't have the pair
of you hanged.

Is that how you would reward
us for saving your life?

Hang two americans
on a trade mission -

The hbc won't be the only ones
who start asking questions.

You think your compatriots.

Will start a war in your name?

I'd have thought such a
ridiculous bluff beneath you.

Those who know me know
I don't bluff, lord benton.

Your company, your king,

They won't want the news of
a murderous madman in the north.

To reach their customers
and allies.

And if it does,

You can be sure you'll meet
your own end at the gallows.

The charter of the hudson's
bay company.

Empowers me to raise armies
and wage wars.

Against all its enemies.

I am no enemy of the hbc,
I am a businessman,

I am a christian.

I am well aware of the company
charter.

I will let you live,

But you are to leave fort james
immediately.

If I do not receive word
of your departure,

Then you will suffer
the same fate as declan harp.

And be hanged as conspirators.

You may go.

I look forward
to our next encounter.

I saw a gallows being
built at the garrison.

Harp will hang tonight.

Then that's when I'll do it.

Do what?

I'll blow up the magazine.
The powder's already there.

A diversion.

When you give harp
his last rites,

Slip this into his hands.

Grace, we're gonna need
your help as well,

Along with imogen and mary.

Of course.

What do you intend to do
about clenna?

Your coat, you need your coat.

I'm not going anywhere.

We don't have time to argue,
clenna.

No, I-i can't!

Okay, I want us to be together,
but I can't.

What?

I want us to have children.

A home. A life.

I want that, too.

I can't do that out there,
in the forest!

Clenna...

They're gonna kill harp,

And then they'll kill me.

Grace can help us, all right?

We'll make it to spring
and then we can go home.

I won't go back to england.

This is where I belong now.

Then...

Goodbye, michael.

Goodbye, clenna.

Through the valley
of the shadow of death,

I shall fear no evil.

Your rod and your staff
shall comfort me.

All the days of my life.

And I shall dwell
in the house of the lord.

In nomine patris, et filii,

Et spiritus sancti,

Exstinguatur in te omnis...

Exstinguatur in te omnis...

Virtus diaboli per impositionem.

Manuum nostrarum, et... Per...

Invo... Invocationem.

Martyrum, confessorum,

Virginum... Apostolorum...

Fire brigade to the magazine!

We're under attack!
I want men on that ridge.

Right away, sir.

Secure the fort!

Drop him! Drop him now!

You five with me!

Take lord benton to his house.

Sir, go with these men.

Sir...

In the name of god
almighty, stop!

Take him! Take him! Go!