Hetty Feather (2015–2020): Season 5, Episode 2 - The Proposal - full transcript

We've got a visitor.
This one's a prince or something.

You may call me Master Ashok.

Luggage.

The Calendars are back.

Well, Mr Calendar and Miss Emily
are still in Europe,

but the rest.

I am a member of
a great royal dynasty!

How dare you?! Stop that!

No. I resign.

We'll be husband and wife
by the end of the week.

Mine really must be carried
on its own



and do not open it under any
circumstances,

do you understand?

I always used to dream that one day
I'd have a great adventure...

..in a jungle, maybe...

Crocodiles?

Snakes?

Grizzly bears?

..or some exotic city.

But everything seems to be a drudge,

a chore,

cleaning up and collecting
the groceries.

There are no flowers.

I'm sorry, Master Ashok.
I asked for flowers.

Where are they?



Being snapped at for nothing.

Is that all it is then?

A dream?

While life goes on and on,
in the same old way,

doing the same old things.

If only there was
a moment of mystery,

excitement, even danger.

Something marvellous.

Something...completely unexpected.

A new adventure. A story.

And what, darling daughter,
does your nose detect?

HE SNIFFS

Apart from the distant
waft of a cow shed?

New money.

Absent master.

Easy pickings.

Yeah.

What's that doing here?

It should've gone to Mrs Calendar.

She sent it back.

Said the tea was cold,
the toast was burnt

and the pastries tasted
like they were made last year.

And while you're at it,
Master Ashok hasn't

had any breakfast at all.

Take him that.

Tell him that's how we eat toast
and these are a...delicacy...

..in the north.

This isn't even my job.
I'm supposed to... Just go!

SHE SNIGGERS

What are you grinning at?

Mistress wants her post,
or isn't that your job?

KNOCKING

Honestly, Hetty,
the fire should be lit.

It hasn't even been cleaned.

I'm sorry, Mrs Calendar,
we're a bit rushed this morning.

I think this one's for you.

I didn't know you had
friends in New York.

It's from Harriet.

You don't look terribly rushed
to me, if I may say so.

I'm sorry, Mrs Calendar.

Your interest is greatly
appreciated, but I regret to inform

you the position of house butler
has now been filled.

Thank you.

And good luck.

Ah! Have we come about the
appointment, sir? Yes, sir.

Oh. I'm terribly sorry.

I wouldn't give this to the lowest
servant!

HE YELLS

Cold?

I'd rather be out here freezing than
in there getting yelled at.

Get this out of my sight!

And you! Any day.
Get out of my sight, too!

But all he does is
shout at everybody.

ASHOK: If I ask for tea,
I expect it to be hot!

He doesn't shout at us.

Edwin, it would be helpful
if you made an effort to get

to know him.

What is that?

A fly floating in my cup!

Helpful?

To whom? To your father
and to me.

I've enough to think
about with William.

Just try to make friends with him,
I don't want to hear anything

more about it.

GIRL SOBBING

What is the matter with everyone?

Can it be so difficult to keep
this place in one piece?

Good morning.

Forgive me, I would've knocked,
but the door was open.

An oversight, perhaps.

To whom might I be directed
pertaining to the vacancy

for a butler?

As advertised in a most
esteemed publication,

The Daily Herald.

I'm guessing he didn't like his
breakfast. Or anything.

You know his room wasn't
perfumed this morning?

Neither was mine, it's shocking.

You're on my list, Jack, I just
haven't gotten round to it.

Gid, I got a letter from Harriet.
Who?

Oh, is it that boy?

Well, come on, get it cleared up!

When that's done, the fires need
cleaning and blacking.

It's your job, Hetty, you're
supposed to keep an eye on them.

So, what did Harriet send you?
I said, "Get it cleared!"

Haven't you got any work to do?

He went to school with my husband.

Indeed.

And he spoke most warmly,
most warmly of Mr Calendar

on many occasions. I rather thought
they loathed each other.

Hm. In my experience,
age mellows the heart.

Why did you leave his household?

It was my mother, ma'am.

She became grievous sick
and wished to pass away

where she was a child herself.

Scotland, Milady.

The Highlands...

..where she took her rest.

HE CLEARS THROAT

William's crying.

Where's the nursemaid?

With him, but it's
getting on my nerves.

So, go outside, find something to
do. I'm busy.

May I read this?

The Heroic Quest.

Yes.

Take it. Go on, off you go.

I don't know if you've noticed,
but this house could do

with a little...

Adjustment...

..among the staff.

I was a Navy man, once upon a time,

and we had ways of maintaining...

..how shall I phrase this?

Decorum. Standards. Firm but fair

gets the job done.

Hm.

I think we're going to need
more potting compost.

I don't mind getting it.

Jack, where did you leave
the wheelbarrow?

The pot didn't land on your head,
did it? Don't be daft.

Gideon...

You won't laugh at me or anything...

Just say you won't laugh at me.

Of course I won't...

..unless it's funny.
Sorry. What is it?

It's just...ever since Sheila
went off to get married,

it's kind of got me thinking about,
you know, that sort of thing,

marriage and...

You, married? To who?

Not...?

HE LAUGHS

Not Hetty?

You said you wouldn't laugh.
I'm not laughing, Jack, I'm worried.

Are you sure it didn't
land on your head?

You know what, Gideon?
If you've got nothing useful to say,

then just don't say anything.

What's the matter with him?

He's in love.

I needed help.

I was upstairs,
doing upstairs chores.

Well...

And where's the meat for supper?

You didn't ask me to do the orders.

Normally...I'd say that's
the housekeeper's job.

And who would that be?

I think perhaps it's you.

Isn't it, Agnes?

Let me see.

I don't think so.

You have far too much to do here.

Or ain't you noticed
the state of the floor?

I'm Flo, the new butler's daughter.

You call him Mr Ambrose
and you can call me...Flo.

My father will be making himself
known to you in good time,

so look sharp.

We're firm but fair,
as I trust you'll find.

The floor? Or have we forgotten
how to use a mop?

And, frankly, I wouldn't be
surprised to hear that you had.

Lovely day today, isn't it?

I'd say cold, Miss Constance,
but lovely if you like.

I understand that you're in love
with Hetty Feather.

Don't be embarrassed.

It's perfectly all
right to fall in love.

But it's not all right
to do nothing about it.

If you want to marry her,
you'll have to win her,

like a hero.

How might I do that though,
Miss Constance?

Because, you know, I'm not a hero.
I'm just the garden boy.

In the olden days,
you'd have to slay a dragon,

but we're not allowed to hurt
dragons any more,

so it'll have to be...

..flowers.

Come on! I'm not sure,
Miss Constance.

I'm not really meant to be up here.
I command it,

which means you have to.

All right, what do I say?

You could say that, when you saw how
beautiful these were,

Ah, it's about time.

I've been waiting
for these all morning.

Did you knock?

Er, no.

Well...yeah, erm...
Are you supposed to be up here?

Hetty?

I'll see you later.

Well, only if you climb
down chimneys. See you later.

Well, that could have gone better.

Don't worry. I've got an idea.

I'm looking for the library.

This is the library.

In my house, the library
is three floors high

and we have a courtyard
with peacocks and fountains.

We've got pigeons.

They're not really ours.
They're just...pigeons.

I was just looking at some wings,
from a moth I found by the window.

It's the elephant hawk moth.

Deilephila elpenor.

In our gardens,
we have REAL elephants.

I have three personally,
which answer to their names.

I bet you don't have secrets!

Like we have.

What secrets?

Secret passageways, for instance.

Where? Help me over there.

You'll see.

Stop.

There.

Now pull.

BANGING

CREAKING

DOOR CLOSING

This was on its way
to Lord Castlemere -

from Mrs Calendar.

Was it now? Give it here.

Ah, a reference.

Sought for one Mr Ambrose.

"Highly presentable.

"And his daughter, a bit
scruffy, truth be told."

I'm just teasing you, my dear.

What's that?

Nothing.
Just a fairground trinket.

You deal with this, will you?

Good girl.

Not that far.

I need someone to carry
a lamp for me.

But it's a truly wondrous tunnel.

I've been all the way in
and out the other side.

Well, what other secrets are there
in this house?

Erm, we've got a ghost.

A great-great-aunt,
who was a highway woman.

And we have a goblin that...
These are fairy stories.

They're not real secrets.

I suppose I've always
wished for something

a little more exciting around here.

Perhaps there is.

What? If I tell you,
would you help me?

Of course.

I've put a note in her room,
saying, if she's feeling peckish,

come to the greenhouse
for a delicious repast.

What's this?

You said you didn't
know what to say.

This is what to say.

I can't. You can.

Courage, my brave heart.

"Hetty, we have been friends
for a long time,

"but I'm thinking that maybe
we can be more than that.

"Please sit and enjoy
some lovely cakes,

"as perhaps we shall
do for many years.

"For, you see, although I'm just
a gardener by trade,

"I am a prince by nature and will do
everything I can to make you happy.

"Wait for answer."

Open it.

The box.

Should I open this?

Yes.

There's nothing there.

Exactly.

It is the absence of what should not
be absent that is in that box.

It once held the Dawn Star, a sacred
jewel passed down through my

family for generations.

It was stolen.

Let's catch the rotter.

He's long dead.

Unless...

Montague.

My mad uncle Monty.

My father spoke of him
once when I asked him

He said he was a... I don't know,
a bit of a rogue.

Do you know where his
belongings might be kept?

In the cellar, if anywhere.

According to legend,
he hid the jewel in his house.

Well, that will be here.

It must be in the cellar.

We have to look, but I might need
some help getting down there.

But who can we trust?

There's only the staff and that
nasty little girl.

Well...that's a start.

"Hetty, we've been friends for a
long time,

"but I'm thinking that maybe we can
be more..."

You spelt delicious wrong.

The note on my bed.

Oh... Did I?

Didn't I pick these off the lawn?

Ahem!

And who might you be?

Jack, sir. I'm a gardener.

Hetty Feather, sir.
One of the maids.

I'm Mr Ambrose, the new butler.

Just making sure we're all
keeping busy.

A gardener in his greenhouse, yes,

that seems correct to me.

Erm...she just came for some herbs,
sir, for the kitchen.

Off you go, then.

What is that you're holding?

Oh, erm...just a list, sir.

Just cuttings and bulbs and...

May I?

"Hetty, we have been
friends for a long time."

"But I'm thinking that maybe
we can be more than that."

Cuttings and bulbs indeed.

Now, tell me, why would a maid marry
a garden boy dismissed for lying?

Sir...I'm really sorry.

Who has the gall to propose
with a plate of stale pastries,

when you should be
giving her a ring?

A ring, my boy.

Jewellery.

This belonged to my late wife.

She has no use for it now.

God rest her soul.

Loyalty.

Loyalty, that's all I ask.

Constance, we need to find
Jack and Gideon.

To help us to the cellar.

Why are you going to the cellar?

To find a lost jewel from India.

Are you going to help me or not?

Gideon's busy,

but I can get Jack and Hetty.

Anybody, as long as they can help.

"Would not hesitate
to commend them to you.

"Your fond friend..."

Or devoted friend?
What do you think?

Devoted.

Fond.

Fond.

Fond is good.

It's not a bit flowery?

Nah.

They love it, these, these people.

Flowers and pomp.

Puffed up self-importance.

So, have you spotted anything?
Oh, yeah.

There's definitely a few bits
and pieces

knocking about worth a sniff round.

Let's give it a few days.

Easy pickings.

HE CHUCKLES

Fear not, young damsel.

You can help, too, if you like.

Help?

SHE SIGHS

Never mind.

Go on. Now.

It's the perfect place.
It's a cellar.

It's so romantic.

It's got spiders and dust.
Can you help me over there?

No, Jack.

Do you really think there's a jewel?

I don't know.
Maybe it's just a silly game.

It's better than cleaning the
fireplaces and doing the laundry.

You know...

..you don't always
have to be doing that.

You know, you could be
a housekeeper.

Maybe married to a groundsman...

Jack, I'm not going to be
in service my whole life.

These are from Harriet.

She's a schoolteacher in America

and she wants me to join her.

But, but y-y-you can't...

Why not?

What about here?

You know, your friends and...

What about, you know, us?

You're always going
to be my friend, Jack,

you know that.

I just want to have adventures.

I want to live.

There's nothing here for me.

Wish me luck?

What have you found? Erm...nothing.

Just...a bauble on the ground.

My grandmother died wondering
what happened to these.

They were here all along
and now she'll never know.

Careful! Oh!

That's him!

It must be!

Mad uncle Monty!

The thief.

The man who stole the Dawn Star.

Whoever is not of the blood shall
be cursed for 12 generations.

What? It is the curse that says

this man, this thief, shall suffer
ignominy

and misfortune, along with his whole
family for generations.

That's just a legend, though,
isn't it?

This is no legend.

The Calendars, you come as friends,
you leave as thieves.

You all are, all of you!

Master Ashok...

HE SOBS

I didn't ask for you.

Go away.

Edwin isn't a thief.

He can be your friend.

We all can.

My father was my friend -
now he's gone.

My family has nothing.

How can you have nothing?

You're a prince. I was.

Now it's all gone - the palace,
the land, everything.

Travelling like a worthless beggar,
living on pity.

HE SOBS

HETTY: Sometimes it seems
nothing has changed.

The same four walls,

the same chores, another day.

But just when you least expect it,
there it is - a glimmer,

a glimpse.

Something's different -
you don't know what.

Something's happening.

You don't know how,
but you can feel it.

A story has begun,
of mystery, excitement,

even danger,

and it wants to be told.

They came as friends
and left as thieves.

The curse of the Dawn Star.

He's just come out the tunnel.

What's he up to? He's probably
looking for the Dawn Star,

so we must too. Look!
It's a clue.

It could tell us where the jewel is.
Who's there?

A secret passage.

A false panel.

It hadn't been opened in years.

If we find this...

..this jewel, it'd set us up for
life.

What's she doing here?!