Miss Scarlet and the Duke (2020–…): Season 1, Episode 1 - Inheritance - full transcript

“Did you call the police?”
- No. Only you, like you said.

Thanks.

Keep watch

Thief!

I'm not a thief!

“I am a private detective!”
- Yeah

And I am a High Court Judge.

You stole my eye.

I gave him money while examining
what I thought was a crime scene

Can we not discuss this
in a more civilised manner

I'm gonna make you wish you never been born



I will gladly return your eye

Thief!

I need them dead, not drunk.

Next time check for pulse first.

Mrs. Parker, Mr. Parker.

I was not expecting
your delightful company.

We came to see your father.

But found neither he or you at home.

Is it something I can help with?

It is a question Rupert wishes to ask your father.

In private/

My father is working.

You appear rather ruffled.

Miss Scarlet. Are you quite well?



Very. Thank you, Mrs. Parker.

It was nothing more than
a brisk morning walk

The streets of London are
not what they once were.

If a lady must walk, she should be in the
company of a gentleman - to protect her.

More tea?

I wouldn’t not want to bother you too much,
Miss Scarlet.

Speak up, Rupert and enunciate.

- I would not want to ...
- I'll take more tea

Rupert will not.

Very well.

Thank you.

The city has changed
since I was a girl.

The crime, the filth...

...a general miasma of loose morality

And there are contraptions...
what are they called?

Is it..is it bicycles, mother?

I see young ladies riding those things ..
brazen as you like.

Oh, I agree.

A lady should always act like a lady.

Milk and sugar?

Well, thank you for your visit.

It's been...most enjoyable.

We will call again on Tuesday.

Please ensure your father is present.

Rupert is extremely
keen to speak with him.

and then of course to you.

I will do what I can, Mrs. Parker,

but my father is a very busy man.

Chasing criminals is
no job for a Gentleman.

It should be left to the police.

Ivy, could you see Mrs. Parker
and her son out, please

Of course.

Come along, Rupert.

Thank you for your time.

Why do you do these things?

Please... please,

don't tell father.

Ivy, if I can show him my
skill and ability ...

He will never allow you to work with him.
Now stay still.

You took your time, girl!

And where is the pork?

This miser Mr. Mickins
refused to sell any to me.

He said our account is overdue.

He said, no more deliveries
until we settle it.

He shouted at me in front
of the whole store

It can't be right

The coal man and the
baker need paying too

Guten Morgen, Fraulein Scarlet.

Good morning, Herr Hildegard.

You've ... you've seen my father?

Not for few days.

But then, I've been
rushed off my feet.

People have been dropping
like flies this week.

Sad of course
but very good for business.

I am..I am so sorry for tour loss.

Please. Follow me

Father?

Yeah.

Duke. Miss Scarlet is here.

Tell her I am in a meeting.

She said you would say that.

Which is why she insisted
on waiting outside your door.

I think she heard this exchange.

She did hear this exchange.

William.

Eliza

To what do I owe this pleasure?

It's my father, he didn't come home last night.

Henry is a grown man.

And I am sure working
one of his cases. So...

please excuse me.

I must get back to ensuring the streets of
London are safe for young ladies like you.

Wherever Henry is...

..he is perfectly capable
of looking after himself.

Let's not forget,that he is a
highly trained police officer.

A retired police officer.

Who is meant to be running his own business
and not drinking away the profits.

Ahh... so this is more about the money

rather than daughterly love.

My household is reliant on my father.

We both know that is something
you are working on.

I know of your little hobby.

Paying street-boys for
tip-offs of crime scenes.

Being a Detective is a
job for a man, Eliza.

And yet you do it every day, William.

Hmmm....as nice as this is, I
have many cases to attend to, so

Yes I can see how busy you are,
you still have soap on your neck

An arson attack on the city's
largest opium den.

Six schoolgirls smuggled to the
continent for brothel fodder.

And a dead man floating in the Regent's
Park canal with his throat slit

ear to ear.

I've seen a neater cut
from a one armed butcher.

Lady should not see such things.

And with a pocket watch
still on his person

it is clearly not the
work of a common thief.

Oh?

I would say that it is a crime
of passion by a scorned woman.

Since the rash on the soles of his feet
suggest latter stage of syphilis.

His mistress, perhaps.

But more likely - his wife.

Of course, I am sure you have already considered this.

Of course I have.

Good-day, William.

Frank!

Bring in the wife for questioning.

Mr. Scarlet is in the drawing room ...

What's happened?

Father.

Lizzie,

this is Dr. Edwards.

He found Mr. Scarlet
collapsed on the street

and brought him home.
“Thank you, doctor.”

My father has been drinking
excessively of late.

Fetch some strong coffee.

He is not drunk.

He has had a cardiac arrest.

I'm sorry to say he has passed.

Though I walk through the
valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil,

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me.

and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,

and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD

forever.

Eliza?

Your father wasn't just my
mentor, he was my dear friend.

And over the years we talked sometimes

on losing your mother.

He hoped that time would give him
some distance from her memory, but

I think the opposite was true.

The older he got the more he missed her.

What...what I'm trying to say is

it might help you to
think of them as reunited.

I miss her as much as he did.

And now he's left me completely alone.

There is a man here
asking for your father.

I did not know what to say.

Send him in.

This way, please sir.

Good afternoon, mister ...

Winters.

Alfred Winters.

I believe you wish to see my...my father.

I'm afraid to say ...

Do not tell me that he is not here either?

I waited a full hour outside of his office,

but he did not turn up for our appointment.
Well, it is no matter.

I am sure there are many private
detectives in this city

who would like to take my money.

Good Day, Miss Scarlet.

My father is working

an extremely high profile case.

Government business.

But I'm sure he would want me to take the
details of your case to pass onto him.

I am not at ease... discussing my business

with a lady.

I.. I do understand, but let me assure you

I will simply pass on the
information to my father.

I have discovered that I am in poor health.

I am not sure how much longer I have left

as such

I wish to be reunited
with my niece

Clara Simms.

Her parents are dead.

So I raised Clara alone.

I did not approve of her marriage choice.

Her man was a scoundrel.

So, they eloped

and I have not seen her since.

The last I heard

she was working in that cesspit that is Soho.

I dread to think

how she is making ends meet.

You must be feeling extremely distressed.

How I feel is irrelevant.

A man would not ask such a question.

Tell Mr. Scarlet:
I am staying at the Cavendish Hotel

and I expect to see him tomorrow
morning at ten to discuss this further.

Good Day.

Now.

As you see, Lizzy,
our friend here is already waking up.

However, if we had added two more drops of
chloroform, what would have been the outcome?

Umm... difficulty breathing,

paralysis and possibly death.

Good. And if the criminal wished

to be more surreptitious in their poisoning.
What might they choose?

Uhh... tincture of laudanum,

which if taken in large enough dose
could render the victim unconscious.

And if death is the aim?

Arsenic. Which is undetectable.

Unless?

Unless, one uses the Marsh test.

Developed by James Marsh in 1836.

I think we should give our friend a name.

How about

Miss Dawkins?

After my teacher?

All God's creatures deserve a name my girl.

And you cannot deny the similarities.

Hello...

There we go ...

Dad, Miss Dawkins rode off!

Catch it! Catch it

Dinner is ready, Miss.

I don't want any dinner.

But I do want you to fetch me a cab.

But the sun is going down.

You cannot go out alone.
What will people think?

Let them think what they like.

I've set the table in the dining room

but would you rather eat with us?

- What's going on?
“Miss Scarlet is going out.”

- Alone.
“I said, go and get me a cab, Kitty.”

You can't go out alone. It will be dark soon.

It is dangerous.
- Kitty!

Kitty. Do not move.

Oh..you are going to find
that gentleman's niece?

You should not be doing this.

And you should not be listening at doors.

I shall get my own cab.

Eliza

This is not the time to
fulfill your ambition.

Word will soon spread that my
father has died and any day now

all our accounts will call in.

If I don't take this
case, someone else will.

This isn't about ambition, Eileen. This is about money.

Trust me.

I know what I am doing.

Hello, miss.

Are you sure he will know where she is?

The Padre knows where everyone is.

Behold: the day of the Lord cometh,

with anger and burning fury

to make the earth a desert

and exterminate sinners from it.

Padre, this is the lady I
was telling you about.

And Babylon

the glory of kingdoms

will be overthrown by God

like Sodom and Gomorrah.

She’s needs to find this lady,

Clara Simms.

When I am in need, I turn to Moses.

So you do not know her.

Trust in Moses.

And God overthrew

Sodom and Gomorrah ... Oh, you little git!

Get your hands off! Now!

Excuse me ...

- My mistake.
- Don't I know you?.

I.. I don't think so.

I never forget a face.

Well...

In that case

do you recognise this woman?

No idea.

Ask Moses. He will know.

You are on in five minutes, ladies.

Yeah, alright.

Get a move on or you'll
feel my boot up your ass!

No need to shout

Go away!

Are you Mr. Moses?

And who is asking?

I am Miss Scarlet.

I am looking for a chorus girl, Clara Simms.

I'm a private detective.
I was hired to find her.

It is my job is to protect the girls
from punters that step out of line.

It is not my job to help some silly
tart playing private detective.

Do I understand correctly
that you do not wish

to earn money in return for
some basic information?

Money first.

- What?..
- Now get out.

Surely we can come to an arrangement
that would benefit us both.

You're not my type, girl.

You are too skinny.

I was not suggesting anything untowards.

But, then again,

How about, I show you

what a skinny girls can do, Mr. Moses.

It is just Moses.

And you are still not
getting your money back.

Yes, I am
Heyyyy!!!!.

Bitch!

- Give me back my purse!
- Come here and get it!

Turpentine, really is the painter's best friend.

Not only is it an excellent paint thinner,

It is marvelous at cleaning brushes too.

It is also highly flammable.

You would not dare.

When it is lit, it
produces smoke of such thick

black soot that it will suffocate
the airways within moments.

It is a grisly... painful death.
Make no mistake.

Now, are you going to give
me back my purse

or not?

Thank you.

You do know that, when I am free off these
cuffs, I will hunt you down and kill you.

A man who drinks as much as you

is too lazy to hunt anything down.

I think I like you.

Good.

Now tell me where is Clara Simms is,

or I will burn this place to the ground
with you in it.

You drunken fool, you could have killed me!

May I speak with you?
Mrs. Simms.

I am here on behalf of your uncle.
Alfred Winters.

Your uncle is ill.

He is quite ill.

I don’t know how much time he has left.

A lady detective.

For what reason would you
want to be such a thing?

When you have had as many people as I have
telling you what you can and cannot be

that is reason enough.

Now,

will you let me reunite
you with your uncle?

- Do not move.

Let it be understood
that under the 1869 act

- What's going on?
- ... contagious disease act ...

Let go!

Take your hands off me!

- ... for venereal disease.
- Let me go!

- No!
- During examination anyone found

with such diseases
can be imprisoned ...

Where are you taking me?!

... for up to a one year!

Take your hands off me!

I am not a prostitute!

Please...please

...You are making a mistake.

I..please.

I am the favourite whore of detective
inspector Wellington of Scotland Yard.

And if you lay one finger on me

you will be in his cells
by the end of the night.

I had no idea one chase kiss when we were children
put you in position of my favourite whore.

I had to think of something.

And spreading rumours that I am a
whore-monger was just the ticket?

They didn't need much convincing.

Your reputation precedes you.

Speaking of reputation: I believe
yours is now hanging by a thread.

I could sit here and tell you
repeatedly to stay out of this business

but I fear it would fall on deaf ears.

You are the most stubborn woman
I have ever met.

And you have met a few, have you not?

Well

I would love to sit here and reminisce

but it is two in the morning.

And I have some whoring to do.

Stop it, William.

Come along.

And that was no chase kiss.

You took advantage of my
situation then - as you do now.

I was 19, Eliza. You are 16

and sobbing into my arms over your dead poodle.
What was I to think?

Skip was a Jack Russell!

And you were instructed by
my father to look after me.

- I did look after you.
- You Kissed me.

“I remember you liked it.”
“I remember I slapped your face.”

That's not the way out.

My father just died
and this is how you treat me?

It is for Henry, I do this.

Miss Scarlet?

Good morning, Mr. Winters.

I was not expecting you.

I know I said that my father would be here

but let me assure you that this very
moment he is tying up his high level case

just so he can give yours
his full attention.

I was not expecting you because I
know that your father is dead.

It was in the obituaries this morning.

You have lied to me, Miss Scarlet.

And the only reason I am
not informing the police

is that I assume your father's death

has affected your health.

Now if you will excuse me

I'm already late for a appointment
with "Gill and Son."

Have you given your
case to Gill and Son?

They will take your money
on a daily rate and

not look at your case
for at least a week. They are crooks

As opposed to what?

A woman who tells me her father is
alive when he is 6 feet underground.

Your niece has different colored eyes.

A detail you omitted to tell me.

You have found Clara?

If you will agree to my
seeing this case through

I will have you reunited
with her as soon as I can.

Where's she?

I'm afraid I cannot
divulge that at this time.

What kind of woman keeps
an uncle from his niece?

A businesswoman, Mr. Winters.

And if you wish to see your niece,
you'll pay me 50% of the fee now

and 50% when reunited with her.

And on the subject of my fee.

It has gone up.

That policeman won't
forget you in a hurry.

That was a well placed kick.

I've been mistaken for
a whore once before.

And I am determined never to go
through that humiliation again.

And you, Miss Scarlet?

After today.

After what happened last night surely
we can now use our Christian names.

Eliza.

Clara.

I wish to see my uncle.

Good.

But you cannot see him looking like that.

My uncle was right about my husband.

Joseph was just a traveling actor
looking for a wife with a fat dowry.

But when your uncle disowned
you, he did not receive it.

Which is when he showed
his true colors.

A womanising... drinking...

What a disappointment.

But it was not all his fault.

Joseph's life had been
coloured by tragedy.

He was on the "Princess Alice."

Unheard of disaster.

His watched first wife drown amongst
those poor six hundred souls.

It was his heartbreak that drew
me to him in the first place.

And here is your uncle now.

Mr. Winters, thank you for your
prompt response to my message.

My dear Clara.

He is not my uncle.

He is my husband.

I am sorry to say,

your uncle died last month.

I was notified just last week.

It’s just a shame you were not
with me to hear the news.

He has left a fine estate

and I will move in and look after it.

This is my inheritance, Joseph.

Unfortunately you will be
somewhat incapacitated my love.

A wife who runs away
to become a whore...

Moral insanity

is the official term

according to my doctor's certificate.

Nothing that a spell in
the asylum cannot cure.

Boys!

No.

No.

Let go of me!

Let go of me!

Hope the money was worth it!

I swear, I did not know.

I promise. I will get you out, Clara!

Let go off me!

It’s cruel to make
promises you cannot keep.

I am the only one who can decide
when she comes out again.

You cannot do this.

I'm her husband

so I think you will find that I can.

Excellent work, Miss Scarlet.

I am running out of schools
to send you to, Lizzie.

It was Arabella Herbert
that started it.

That is not what your teacher said.

Miss Dawkins is a witch.

Of course she blame me.
Arabella is her pet.

What happened exactly?

One of the girls asked me what I
wanted to be when I grow up.

And I told them... a police officer.

That is when Arabella said ...

What?

She said I will be nothing
except a motherless pig.

This is my fault.

I have filled your head
with fanciful ideas

and it... it's time for me to stop.

You're old enough
now to understand

that women do not have
the same freedom as men.

- It's just the way the world is.
“And I will change it.”

You are not a child anymore.

You are a young lady and your mother
would want me to raise you as such.

- But father ...
- Enough!

This talk of police work has to stop.

It will do you no good.
Do you understand Lizzie?

No tears, or there will be no supper.

You always say that,
and there always is.

Kitty!

Fetch me a cab!

That poor woman is in the
very bowels of hell in that place.

You have to help me
get her out, William.

I know that I have been a fool.

But out of respect for your
friendship with my father

please find it in your heart
not to be angry with me.

Anger -
doesn't begin to describe what I am feeling.

You put yourself in grave danger.

Simms is a well seasoned criminal.

He has a prison record
as long as your arm.

Then arrest him!

A man with his background should have no
right to put their wife in the asylum.

Do you know so little of the world?

He is now a wealthy landowner,

with his wife committed he
has full control of her

inheritance and no
court in the land will touch him!

Maybe I could see his file.
There might be something...

This mess is a result of your
dabbling in men's affairs!

Now, you must stop this nonsense!

You're right, William.

I am a silly woman.

My father would be so
disappointed in me.

No. No. He...

He would not be disappointed in you.
Merely worried. As I am.

I am sorry for involving
you in my stupidity.

I'm feeling a little faint.

Maybe you could get me some salt.

Of course.

Eliza!

Eliza, open this door!

Eliza!

Open this door now!

Eliza!

How did you get in here?

One of the maids owed me a favour.

Hmm... well,

let's see what the hotel
manager has to say about that.

He was the one who told
her to give me the key.

In exchange for me not telling his
wife that they are having an affair.

I have a train to catch.

so if you'll excuse me.

You lied to Clara.

Your first wife, Beatrice Simms,

was on Princess Alice when
it sank but you were not.

You were in prison.

And according to your status
on your prison record

still married when you
left two months later.

So?

The record wasn't amended to a widower.

You said yourself:
my first wife died in the crash.

I said she was on the steamer.

But she did not die.

My father kept cuttings on
any incidents on the Thames.

Many of his cases were
regarding missing persons.

And here is the list of survivors.

Among them -

one Beatrice Simms.

You are a bigamist, Mr. Simms.

Your marriage to Clara
was not legally binding.

You have no marital rights over
her or her inheritance.

And to whom have you
shared this fairytale?

I see - no one

Since no-one is going to take

a woman detective seriously.

On the contrary. I have a
close working relationship

with Detective Inspector Wellington
of Scotland Yard.

In fact, he and his officers are
waiting downstairs in the reception.

There are no police wagons.

They didn't want to alarm the hotel guests

so they are around the back.

I think you are lying.

It's interesting that you've chosen

strangulation as your means to kill me

since it requires a great deal of strength

and strength is something that is leaving
your body as every second ticks by.

What are you talking about?

The maid that owed me a favour.

Not only did she give me your key

she kindly allowed me
to make your coffee.

It is surprising how little Laudanum it takes
to knock a man of your size unconscious.

“You are lying.”
- Not I'm not.

Not about that part anyway.

The next time you
steal police property

or indeed poison someone

I shall have no choice
but to arrest you.

A little laudanum
never hurt anyone.

He was unconscious for
over an hour, Eliza.

And it is a good job too

since it took you
so long to arrive.

I have work to do.

Thank you, William.

I'm sorry to be so
late for dinner.

I was taking my client
to the train station.

A young lady speaking of clients.

It is not right.

Clara Simms returns to here home
an independent, wealthy young woman.

Are you not the smallest
bit proud of me?

I'm always proud of you.

Now. You have a visitor.

Mr. Parker.

The sooner your mothers wedding ring
is on that finger - the better.

Now go and put that poor man out
of his misery and accept his proposal.

There is nothing
poor about Rupert

Parker. His family
own half the street.

Exactly.

Mr. Parker, what a
delightful surprise.

Miss Scarlet.

Now that you father has passed, I
hope that I can be of service to you

at this difficult time.

That is very kind.

Sorry.

I've come to ask you for...

I have come to ask your forgiveness.
I cannot marry you.

And I know you will be disappointed.

and for that I'm sorry,

but it is my mother that
wishes us to married, not I.

Not I.

Well,

a proposal from a man such as yourself

was indeed tempting.

Damn...

That is what mother said.

You see, I

I knew all the other ladies I was forced
to propose to would say no but you ...

Mother was convinced that you would
say yes - due to your situation.

My situation?

The burden of your
financial insecurities.

I see.

No, Miss Scarlet, no, please do not.

Do not be offended.

It's not you in particular in..

In fact you are by far the most ...

... agreeable of all those I propo...

No. The simple fact is

I have still so much
to see of the world.

Still so much to do.

And as yet I have seen
and done very little.

I'm not ready to be married. I...

I'm not ready to be married!

Well, that makes two of us, Mr. Parker.

Right.

Mother will be so angry.

She thinks it is wrong
that I remain unmarried.

Well then tell her that it
was I that turned you down.

You do that for me?

Oh that is ...

... most kind.

I only wish I was there to see her face

Yeah.

If there is anything I can ever
help you with, anything at all.

Please do not hesitate to ask.

As you know, Miss Scarlet,

I am a very wealthy man.

Undeterred as ever, I see.

I am only surprised that you have
not changed the name to your own.

This above the door?

That would be a sure way of
never ever have any clients.

I do hope you're not
overstretching yourself.

On the contrary.

The fee I earned Joseph Simms allowed
me to pay my father's debts.

And this?

New desk, new drapes.
That must have cost a bit.

Let's just say that it is...

a loan from a keen investor.

Well, I should get back to work.

I have a desk covered in cases
that urgently need my attention.

I was meaning to ask:

Your man with the slit throat
Any developments?

Yes.

It was the wife.

So I was right?

I... I admit,
I did miss the signs of syphilis.

But that was only because I had not
given the case my full attention yet.

Of course. Of course.

But maybe I can help with
other cases in the future.

Good-day Eliza.

Good-day William.

So you are really going to do this?

Do you disapprove, Papa?

What difference does it make?
You never listen to me anyway.

Looks a bit different in here.

I like it.

But that needs straightening.

Anything else?

Not for the moment, but I'm
sure I'll think of something.

My clever girl.

What would I do without you, Papa?

Who are you?

This is my line of
work, not yours.

If I am going to make a name for myself

I need as much experience of
crime scenes as possible.

You are not allowed in here.

I had mentioned you were
a private detective.

Inspector Wellington, singing
my praises no doubt.

You are charged with
obstructing police business.

Inspector, this is most irregular.
In all my

years, I have never allowed
a lady into this room.

I don't want to die, Mr. Moses.

It's just Moses.