South Riding (2011–…): Season 1, Episode 2 - Episode #1.2 - full transcript

It's a very plain school. You
won't find many high flyers here.

If you have high expectations then
the girls will respond to them.

This is really something.

This is blackmail.
How do I know the child's mine?

We need a proper purpose-built
housing estate.

We're in a depression.
We shouldn't be building anything.

The families in the shacks
can't afford to wait.

Mam! I've fallen for another baby.

GUNSHOT

Was the horse insured? No.

I've persuaded Robert Carne to
send his daughter to school here.



He's brought her up more or
less single handed. No mother?

No. Will you promise to
always be there and catch me?

Yes, I will. Hello, Muriel.

This programme contains scenes which
some viewers may find disturbing.

Lydia?
What are you still doing here?

Erm, doing my homework, Miss.
Is it all right?

I mean, there's not much room
at home and it's too noisy.

Can you come to my office, please?

Here. That should fit you better.

Go on, take it. Hope you don't mind
second hand, it's hardly been worn.

No, Miss. Thank you, Miss.

Now listen, you can do your
homework here in the office,

after school if you like.

Give you some extra tutoring.
I'm usually here till six anyway.



I don't need extra tutoring, Miss.
I'm as clever as any of 'em.

I know you are, Lydia.

You're exceptional.

Who knows? With some work,
you could try for Oxford one day.

Miss Burton, could I have a word?

Yes. Off you go, Lydia.

Thank you, Miss.

What is it?

It's about Midge Carne.

It was such fun at
school today, Daddy.

Me and Nancy and Maud have
formed a secret society,
and I'm the secretary of it.

It's called the Anti-Siggs Society.

And what's a siggs?
Miss Sigglesthwaite, of course.

She's dreadful.
We all rag her frightfully.

Poor woman. There's always one
that can't keep order, isn't there?

And what does Miss Burton
do about that?

Oh, she comes and gives us
all a frightful telling off.

She strikes terror
in our very hearts.

Does she now?

What, and you,
you don't mind that then?

Oh, no, we all worship her.

It's funny,
everything's sort of changed since
that night she stayed at Maythorpe.

It's as if by wearing my things
she's put a spell on them and
made things different for me.

Do you think I'm mad? No.

Sometimes I think I'm a bit mad.

Well, you're not.

You should never think that, Midge,
all right?

All right, Daddy.

Whatever you say.

Stand. Good afternoon, Mr Carne.

Hello, Drew. What can I do for you?

I've been sent to value
the property, Mr Carne.

Maythorpe's not for sale.

I'm sorry, Mr Carne -
this is a little awkward for me.

I'm acting on
instructions from the bank.

I thought you would have known.

Good afternoon, Miss.

Good afternoon.
You go inside, Midge.

I'm afraid I didn't
quite catch your name.

My name is Gaius Drew, Miss Carne.

And will you be
staying for tea, Mr Drew?

I don't think so, young lady.

It's very kind of you, but I need
to get back to the office by six.

Well, do carry on.

Thank you, Miss Carne.

Daddy...

why did Mr Drew need to
value the house and everything?

Because it's mortgaged to the bank.

I don't really understand mortgages.

Well, the bank lends us money
against the security of the house.

If we can't make the mortgage
payments, then they can
take the house from us.

And is that going to happen?
No, not if I can help it.

But if Mr Drew was here,

that means they must be
thinking of it, doesn't it?

Yes, it does. But that's dreadful!

Come here, come here now. Come on.

Listen, Midge, if that did happen,

it wouldn't be the end
of the world.

This house is far too big just for
the two of us, and we could live
just as easy in one of the cottages.

No! No! We mustn't lose the house!

Come on. It needs to be here, with
everything in it, just as it is,
for when Mummy comes home! Midge!

Don't you see? No, you listen
to me now. Don't you see? Midge!

I think you've known for a long time
that Mrs Carne will not recover.

Most women do get over puerperal
insanity, of course,

and quite quickly, but in Mrs Carne's
case, given her family history,

I'm afraid all we're doing
is keeping her from harm.

And the treatment you're paying for
isn't helping at all.

She really should
never have had a child.

So what's to become of her?

I mean, I can't bring her home,
not with my daughter there.

No, no, that wouldn't be safe.

Are you sure you wouldn't reconsider
your local County Mental Hospital?

No, not an asylum.

I've visited those places
and it's not for my wife.

Is there anywhere else?

Not in the South Riding, I'm afraid.

The only other place I can think
of which might be suitable
is in Manchester.

It might just be worth a look.

And until then?
We'll look after her, of course.

Don't worry about the fees.
Shall we say until the New Year?

Thank you. Your devotion has been
her one good fortune, Mr Carne.

Robert!

Oh, Lord!

You should have said
you were coming home.

What a bore!

Well, I suppose you'd better join us.

The more the merrier. No, thanks.

Robert, don't be a stick!

Who is this chap? It's the husband.

I say!

Get out.

I'm sorry, what?
Get out of my house, damn you,
unless you want a thrashing!

Absolutely, old boy.
We'll be off now, best thing.

No! You're my guests.

Mu, best thing. Come on.

I forbid you to go.

Quite understandable.
Man wants a bit of peace and quiet.

How dare you speak
to my friends like that?

I'll speak any damn way
I like in my own house.

Good God! I come back from
the front to find my wife...
What, what? What?

Am I not allowed to have a moment's
pleasure just because you're
fighting your silly old war?

I've known Reggie and Hubert
since we were children.

You are
beastly and vulgar and I hate you!

Come here. No. Come here, I said.

I won't. Then I'll make you.
Don't you dare! You're my wife!

No, Robert!

You're mine. No! You're mine.

Robert! You can't have me now!
No, Robert, Robert.

Robert, you're not listening to me!
Do you hear me, Robert?
I haven't got my thing in.

I mustn't have a child.

Please stop.

I haven't got my thing in.

No! No!

Robert.

It's a little girl.
They're both doing well.
You can go in and see her now.

SCRAMS

She's a bit upset, Robert.

But you're not to worry -
it often takes them like that.

What do you mean?

Go in and comfort her,
she needs you.

No! No! No! No! No!

I don't want to touch it,
I don't want to see it!

Take it away, take it away,
take it away, take it away!

Muriel.

Everything's all right now.

Is it time to go home now?

No, not yet, my love.

It's not quite yet.

Miss Sigglesthwaite has complained
to me about your behaviour over the
last few days. It wasn't just me.

No, I'm sure it wasn't.

But I suspect that you were
the ringleader, weren't you?

You must see that when
you make sport of someone

like Miss Sigglesthwaite,
you're being very unkind.

I don't think you are unkind.

Are you?

Right. You can apologise
to Miss Sigglesthwaite,

and if there's no repetition of this
sort of silliness, we'll pretend
it never happened, shall we?

What is it, Midge? Is there
something else bothering you?

Come on, Midge.

Some of the girls were saying
horrid things about Daddy.

Maisie Featherstone said I needn't
give myself airs because

everybody knew that Daddy was going
broke, and all of Maythorpe would
be sold, and all the furniture and

everything, and that we'd
have to go to the workhouse.
And it's true, it's true!

Calm down, calm down, calm down.
It's all right! Calm down now.

There now.

It is true.

I know it is.

Listen, it's a difficult time for
all farmers at the moment but no-one
goes to the workhouse any more.

Now, dry your eyes
and stop imagining things.

I've spoken to Midge Carne.
She won't be any more trouble.

But I don't think Midge is
the real problem, is she?

Miss Sigglesthwaite,
are you entirely happy
with the Lower Fourth?

Because I'm concerned that
none of them will get through
their Junior Certificate.

Quite likely. Miss Holmes realised it
was useless to start science
before the Fifth.

Miss Holmes was
rather set in her ways.

We have some talented girls here

and I don't want to let them down.

I realise you would like
to be rid of me.

No, it isn't that at all,

but I must think of the girls.

I would like you to consider
taking early retirement.

Not immediately, of course. You
must have time to make arrangements.

You have a sister in Scarborough,
I believe?

Shall we say the end of term?

Right, I'm off out.

See what's to be said
about this new estate.

Will they have running water
inside, Dad, these new houses?

We've got everything
we need just here, Lyd.

Oh, yeah, height of luxury is this.

Gertie, give us hand.

You all right, love?

Erm, just a bit tired is all.

I might not be back until late.

I'll be all right.
Just don't go talking us out
of a nice new house, eh?

With a new estate we'll be able
to get rid of the Shacks for good.

We could make the whole of
Europe sit up and take notice.

We'll get the best
modern architects.

You know,
they're doing extraordinary things

in France and Germany,
with Corbusier and the Bauhaus.

We can have all of that here,
something like this.

There's nowt wrong with the
Shacks. Me and my family
are very happy there.

It's best sea views in t'county.

Nothing has decided yet. Town
Planning will take a vote when we've
heard what you've all got to say.

I'd be happy if they burnt
the whole lot to the ground.
I don't care where they put me,

as long as I've got a flush toilet.

All the houses on the new estate
will have flush toilets
and an indoor bath.

I've nothing against
decent sanitation.

I just don't think
this is the time to be spending
public money on fancy architecture.

It's not about architecture, it's
about jobs and homes. And schools.

Miss Burton, wouldn't Kiplington High
benefit from a few new buildings?

Absolutely. The current
buildings are a total disgrace.

We desperately need a new girls'
high school, built for the purpose.

The boys have had one
for years - why should they
have it all their own way?

Miss Burton, with all due
respect, you remind me of a bad
workman who blames his tools.

Your predecessor, who was
headmistress for 25 years,

found those buildings perfectly
satisfactory. You've been here

five minutes and you want us
to build a new school already.

I can hardly believe my ears.

Mr Chairman, I really must pr...
No. No. Thank you, Miss Burton.

Now,
without wishing to associate myself

with all of Mr Carne's remarks, I
do feel that discussion about a new
girls' school is somewhat premature.

Mr Astell, perhaps a summary of
your notion to drain the Wastes

would help allay fears about
escalating costs. Yes, indeed.

The costs to the rate payer will
be surprisingly low, but they can
apply immediately for a grant.

Most of the costs will be
shouldered by the Government.

Sorry.
I rather let you in for that one.

Can I buy you a cup of tea
or something?

Oh, God, I'd rather have
a proper drink.

Well, pubs round here
are a wee bit rough.

Good. That's the way I like them.

Hi, Joe. Hello, Joe.

All right. Mickey. What'll you have?

Whisky Mac, thanks.

A Whisky Mac, and a pint of bitter.

Aye, y'are.
They all know you, don't they?

Aye. I like to think of this
as my constituency.

You're hardly a local inhabitant.

What brought you
all the way down here?

I came down here from Glasgow
to organise the trawlermen,
doing my bit for the revolution.

But I found my lungs
weren't up for all the
open-air meetings after a bit.

So you went into a different
sort of politics. That's it.

Changing things,
small steps, bit by bit.

You start off hoping for a global
revolution and end up being
pleased with a sewage farm.

But no, I get things done.

You know, it's amazing
what a war wound will do.

Even Robert Carne can't touch me.

When he starts in on his
"socialist parasites" I just

cough in my sleeve and he pipes down.

That is shocking.

Well, if it gets the people round
here what they need, I'm not proud.

I thought I'd won Mr Carne round
but he really savaged me
tonight, didn't he?

He's the past and you're the future,

and he knows it.

He knows things have got to change.

And with this new housing scheme,
by God they will!

You don't need to be
scared of Robert Carne.
You can do great things here, Sarah.

Sorry.
That's all right.

Cheers. Slainte.

♪ I am a donkey driver
and the best one on the line

♪ There is no other donkey
that can come up to mine... ♪

Will you shut up? ♪ I've
travelled all over England... ♪

Come on lads, sing up,
it makes the work go sweeter.
Yeah, what work have you been doing?

You miserable buggers! Right.

Who's hungry? Ey up. Yes, please.

I've got bacon cakes and pork pies.

A penny each for bacon cakes,
tuppence for a pork pie.
Right, here you are love.

Mrs Brimsley, you are an angel
from heaven. It's just what we need.

I'd be down on my knees on
this road proposing to you
if I didn't have a wife at home.

That wouldn't happen to be
a batch of your famous curd
tarts there now, would it?

It might. Ah, I thought it might be.

They're tuppence. Eh?

I've only got a penny. Shame.

Go on then, give it us tomorrow.

Oh, thank you.

Oh, it's ambrosia. Food of the Gods.

By 'eck, that's delicious, that.

Bliss were it in that dawn
to be alive.

Right, I'm ready for anything now.
Give us a kiss before you go.

I will not.

You should be ashamed of yourself.
And you a married man.

I can't help meself, Mrs B,
you're such a stunner.

Cheeky beggar.

♪ So shout boys hurrah
cos troubles are but few

♪ There's no donkey on the line
can stop Jerusalem come through. ♪
Shut up!

Oh, Lord.

Why, it's Mr Huggins!
Shush!! Bessy, shush.

I am sorry about the
other day, Mr Huggins.

Reg were very harsh wi' yer. No,
Bessy, I deserved those harsh words.

And I know that I've sinned
in the eyes of the Lord,

but he must understand, I haven't got
£500, and I've no way of getting it.

I'd like to help you, Bessy,
Lord knows I would.

I know you would, Mr Huggins.
You're very good.

Look, Bessy, I've got this for you.

There's £50 there.

Now, I swear that's all I can manage.

Oh, you shouldn't have, Mr Huggins!

You're a good girl, Bessy.
You deserve every penny of it.

I hope that you and Reg will be very
happy. Thank you, Mr Huggins.

What?

No, I can't, Bessy.
I shouldn't be seen with you.

Well, come inside then
and have a cup of tea.

Seems a shame to go now
as you come so far to see me.

Come on. There's nobody home but me.

Oh, God forgive me. Come on then.

Lydia! Lydia! Lydia!

All right, all right.
Give us a minute.

Mam?

Ey, shush, shush, shush.

HE WAILS

Where's our mam, Lenny?

Gertie, where's Mother?

I don't know, Lyd.

She were here before.

Mother!

Mother!

Look after t'little 'uns for me.

Mother!

Mother!

Mother!

Mother! Mother, what's happened?

I'm all right, Lyd. I tumbled is all.

You'll have to get somebody.

Mum!

Mum!

Mother!

Come on! Help! Somebody help!

Help!!

Bessy! Bessy, quick!

Oh, hang on! Mum! Help me quick!
Come on, don't be
upsetting your mother.

Mum! Now get back to t' house and
get some fresh bedding on.
Go on, lass.

You an' all, Bessy, take her home.

I'll carry yer mam.

OK, love, don't worry.

Come on.

OK, we've got you.

Come on, we've got you now.

Come on. Come on, straight through.
OK, coming through. Mind the way.

Come on, now, you're OK.

You're back home now. Lydia!

You're back home. OK, I'll
go straight and get the doctor, eh?

Bessy'll stay with you, all right?
Yeah, course I will. Come on, love.

Come on, you're all right.

Mum!
Lydia. You need to come away.

Lydia, please.

No, she's bleeding buckets.
Come on, love.

Doc's on his way, don't worry. Come
on, good girl, good girl, good girl.

Come on.

That's done.

Can you take that outside
and bury it?

There's nothing more
I can do, I'm afraid.

She's lost too much blood.

Oh, Mother.

It were a terrible business,
Nellie, terrible.

And that poor lass, she'll have
to be mother to 'em all now.

I mean, they're not bad folk,
but you should see the
way they have to live.

I just did what I could to help.

It was lucky I were
passing by, really. Yes.

How was it you happened
to be passing by, exactly?

Oh, well,
it was to do with the new estate,

about re-housing
some of those families.

Council business.

Oh, right. Council business.

BELL RINGS

I'll go.

Oh, hello, Reg.

What can I do for you?

This is not a good time, you know.
You know what you can do for me -
give me £500.

I hope you don't think
I'm as soft as Bessy is.

I've told you, I haven't got £500.

How am I going to get £500? Mmm.

I don't know. Shall I come in and we
can talk it over with your missus?

No, no, wait, wait!

Just let me think.

You're just going to have
to give me more time.
It's a lot of money, is this.

48 hours.

I'll be back, Mr Huggins.

Oh, Lord.

This is horrible, Dad.

If I can sacrifice my pride,
love, so can you.

We've had nothing from the Council
before, apart from your scholarship.

That wasn't charity.
I won that for being clever.

Aye, you did,

but now we can't afford
for you to keep it.

How much longer?

BABY WAILS

Ladies and gentlemen, I've never
asked for anything before.

I work all the hours I can get
at any work I can find.

And now my wife's passed away,
there's no-one to look after the
little 'uns except our Lydia here,

and she's a scholarship girl
at the grammar school.

All I'm asking is
a bit of money to pay a woman

to come and look after little 'uns
while our Lydia's at school.

Are we to understand that you
will suffer no loss of income
due to your wife's death?

You will still able to feed your
children? No-one will starve?

That's not it, sir.

My daughter's dreams are being
trampled into the mud, sir.

All right, Mr Holly,
we understand, and we sympathise.

But the purpose of the Poor Relief
Committee is to relieve
acute and immediate hardship.

Do you not think we could
make an exception in this case?

I don't see how we can.

It would open the floodgates.

Quite right.

Mr Holly, we deeply sympathise
with your situation.

However, it is not within the remit
of this committee to offer you
financial assistance at this time.

Come on, Dad,
I told you it wouldn't be any use.

Lydia! Lydia! What?

Lennie wants changing!
All right, Gertie,
I've only got one pair of hands.

Come on, he's soaking.

All right! Just give us a minute!
I can't do everything at once.

Lydia, I just came
to say how sorry I am.

Mr Astell told me about your mother.

Yeah, well... How are you coping?

All right.

Look, you don't have to worry about
me. We do, though - we miss you.

I mean, of course you'll need
time to sort yourself out.

You know we'll keep your
scholarship open for you, so as soon
as you're able to come back...

I, er, I brought you this.

Here. There's some
wonderful poems in there.

I put book marks by
some of my favourites.

A book of poems?

How am I going to find
time to read poems?

Here, this is what I do now, all
day every day. Do you get it?

But you will come back, and when
you do you'll be ready. Come back?
I'll never be able to come back.

So you can just take your book away
wi'yer, Miss, I'm finished with all
that now.

Poems? You can keep 'em, all right?
Just go away! Lydia... Go away and
leave me alone!

Lydia Holly has had to leave
school to look after her family.

The Poor Relief Committee
refuse to do anything to help.

Yes, I was on that
committee, as it happens.

We can only offer help in
cases of extreme hardship.

This IS extreme hardship.

It's mental cruelty, condemning
that girl to a life of drudgery.
Oh, come on, now.

Hundreds of girls have to give up
scholarships to look after children.

What happens when the next girl's
mother dies? But Lydia Holly's
exceptional.

I can't bear to think of
her throwing herself away.

She's taking her mother's place,
not throwing herself away.

Have you seen the Shacks?
Yes, I've seen the Shacks.

She deserves better than that.
Well, I'm sorry. It's a shame,
and very bad luck on the girl,

but it's not the end
of the world, you know.

I thought you were on my side.
I am on your side.

I've spent a lot of time
defending you to other people.

Now if you'll take my advice,
you'll tread a little
more carefully in future.

A Mr Huggins, sir.

Well, well, Edgar, company.

This is a surprise, Mr Huggins.

You look cold, come
and sit by the fire.

Thank you.
I do hope I'm not intruding.

Not at all, not at all.
You look chilled to the bone.

I've cycled over from Pidsea Buttock.

Pidsea Buttock - fancy that.

Edgar's mother came from Pidsea
Buttock, didn't she, Edgar?
Oh, yeah?

Yes. Matilda, a sweet little torty,

though she could be quite spiteful
when the mood took her.

Was there anything in particular
you wanted to see me about? No...
Well, yes.

I'm very worried.
That's the top and bottom of it.

Oh, I'm sorry. Family all right?

You know my daughter Freda?

She married that young fellow
Armstrong. You might recall him.

They've gotten into debt.
Oh, dear. How much?

500.

£500, Edgar.

They're building
a cinema next to his shop,

and it'll double the value of the
premises if they could just hold on.

But the bank are going to
foreclose on them, and they're
going to lose everything.

£500 is a lot of money.
Three years ago, I would have had it.

Two years ago I could have raised it.

But you know how business
has been now, it's so slow.

We're all hanging on by the
skin of our teeth. I mean,

I just don't know
what to do, Mr Snaith.

I might just be able to help you.

I don't like to see young
people struggle, and I'm sure
you'd be able to pay me back.

That's very kind.

I-I don't know how to thank you.
There's no need to thank me.

It's as you say, if they can
just hold on then the value of
their business is sure to rise.

It's always the way with property.

It's like that parcel of land
on the Wastes that the new
estate's going to be built on.

Going for a song now,
worth a fortune once the Council
build there, as it seems they will.

It's like the parable of the
talents, isn't it, Mr Huggins?

God rewards those who
invest their talents wisely.

Would you like a drink?

Oh, no, you're teetotal, aren't you?
Chin-chin.

What you bringing us all
down here for, Mr Huggins?

All will become clear, Bessy.

He's probably got a scheme
to murder us and bury us
under mud flats, Bess.

Oh, no! That's a terrible
thing to say. You'd never do
that, would you, Mr Huggins?

I'm looking to do you both
a bit of good, not harm.

So what's all this?

That's the new housing estate, Reg.

Or it will be.

This land's going for a song at
the moment, but it will be worth a
fortune when the new estate's built.

You could put your 500
into a few acres here

and double your money when the
Council approves the scheme.

What I heard, they haven't
decided on where it's to be yet.

It's here, Reg. I've got it
on good authority.

The Good Lord himself has put
this opportunity in our way, Reg,

and it's our duty to
take advantage of it.

It's like the parable of the talents.

And the Good Lord rewards those
who invest their talents wisely.

When the scheme goes through,
you'll have a thousand,

and you can give me my 500 back.

How does that seem to you?

Look at this. What is it?
A stickleback.

Stigglefeet...
Stiggleback... Sigglesback!

THEY LAUGH

It's a bony little creature.
Never been known to mate!

Recognised by the cry
of, 'Girls, girls, girls'.

I dare you to do one, Midge.
I'll get in trouble.

ALL: She's scared, she's scared.

I'm not scared,
I'm not scared, but Miss Burton's...

Oh, Miss Burton! I'm not scared of
Miss Burton. Girls!

Morning, girls! You do it!
You're scared!

SHE MOUTHS

I'm not scared! Midge, do one.

Sigg, sigg, sigg, sigg, sigg, sigg...

Girls, girls, girls!

Is this your work?

Yes, Miss Sigglesback.
GIRLS GIGGLE

How dare you? Sigglesthwaite!

I'm sorry, I didn't mean it.
It just came out.

Stand up!

GIRLS GIGGLE

How dare you?

How dare you persecute someone
who has never done you any harm?

Just because your father's
a school governor you think
you can do anything you like!

Sorry, Miss Sigglesback.

GIRLS LAUGH

You laugh now?

You dare to laugh at me?
You little beast!

Miss Burton, I have come
to offer my resignation.

I wish to leave immediately.

I hope this won't
inconvenience you too much.

Oh! I've just assaulted
one of the girls - Midge Carne.

I struck her with a ruler
and cut her cheek open.

You...hit Midge Carne?

Yes. I wanted to kill her.

Of course, I have
accepted her resignation.

She wasn't in a fit
state to be in charge of a
class of lively schoolgirls.

It really was all my fault, Daddy.

I dare say it was. I've heard the
way you talk about the poor woman.

I think girls are worse than
boys sometimes, don't you?

Least said, soonest mended then.

You'll live. Up to your room.

I blame myself.

There were warning signs
weeks ago and I ignored them.

I had no idea she was
so near to the edge.

Nor did she, probably.

I'm sure you did your best.

It's very good of you
to take it like this.

I must say I was very apprehensive.

Why? Am I such a monster?

We haven't exactly hit it
off so far. No, we haven't.

But I appreciate what
you've done for Midge.

And I must say she
thinks the world of you.

Will you stay for a drink? Whisky?

No, it's a bit early for me,
thank you. Nonsense. Right.

Has Midge always been,
er...excitable?

Yes, she has.

Takes after her mother.

May I ask how long
ago Mrs Carne died?

She isn't dead.

She's...just not here, that's all.

I'm so sorry. I've
intruded on your privacy.

No, it's not your fault,
it's just something I
don't care to talk about.

I dare say, if you've had
any sadness in your life,
you'll understand how it is.

I do.

DOOR OPENS

Oh...

Oh, Miss Burton,

I didn't expect to find you here.

I brought Midge back. There was an
accident at the school. Oh.

She's fine. Nothing to worry about.

Are you all right? You look all in.

I've been at Yarrold, visiting.

Let me get you a pick-me-up, eh?

Well, I shall be going. Not on my
account? No, no, no, things to do.

Here, let me.

Bye.

Hello, Mr Huggins! Oh...

Oh! All well? You look well.

Aye, couldn't be better, Mr Huggins.

Bit surprised to see you
in here, though. I had you
down for a total abstainer.

Keith, mine's a ginger ale.
What's the matter with you, man?

You got that land all right? Aye.

Good man. Just hang on a while,

when you sell it you can
give me my money back. Sold it
already, Mr Huggins.

You sold it already?
You just bought it!

Man from Kingsport offered 750
for it, so I let him have it.

Must be off his head.
Easy money, like you said.

So, my 500? Aye, very kind of you
to give us that, started us off.

We'll call the baby
Alfred in tribute.

What you having, darling?

Port and lemon, please, love. Port
and lemon, double whisky, Keith.

♪ Hail the heaven-born
Prince of peace

♪ Hail the son of righteousness

♪ Light and life to all he brings

♪ Risen with healing in his wings

♪ Mild he lays his glory by

♪ Born that man no more may die

♪ Born to raise the sons of Earth

♪ Born to give them second birth

♪ Hark the Herald Angels sing

♪ Glory to the new-born King. ♪

Excuse me, excuse me.

Excuse me. Drew!

Dre... Drew! ..Merry Christmas!

Drew! Drew!

Drew, is it true that the marshlands
down on the Wastes are fetching
£100 an acre now? Perfectly true.

I own ten acres down there myself.

It's an insalubrious morass, but if
the Council do decide
to build on it...

I turned down £1,000 for it only
last week. Good God. Buy some.

Quickest profit you'll ever make.

But can I do that?
Being on the Council?

Well, I'm on the Council,
but we're not on Town Planning,
not like Carne or Snaith.

We can't vote on whether
estate goes through, can we?

No more for me!

Happy Christmas, Sarah! Oh,
thank you. Cheers! I do love
a good carol service.

It does your heart good to open
your lungs from time to time.

I'm glad you enjoyed it.

What are you doing for Christmas?

I'm spending it in Bradford
with my sister and her family.

I thought I'd stop in Manchester for
some Christmas shopping on the way.

Ah, well, get something nice for
yourself as well. You deserve it.

You've made a good start of pulling
our school into the 20th century.
..No thank you, love.

And the Governors are quite pleased
with you and pleased with ourselves

for giving you the appointment,
aren't we, Joe? No, I wouldn't go
that far. Oh, go on!

Well, I must be getting
along, and so must you. Yes.

Enjoy your Christmas...and
don't eat too much pudding!

Oh, I won't. Happy Christmas!

Oh, that's lovely.

We have them in Cool Ice as well.

Oh, no, I think I
like this shade best.

What do you call it?

We call it New Dawn, Madam.

It's my favourite too.

Are they for you, or is it a present?
A present for my sister.

Would you like me to gift wrap
them for you? Yes, thank you.

Thank you.

Ground floor.

Excuse me. Oh! Sorry.

Are you all right there?
Do you want a hand?

Thank you. Don't worry about it.

Whatever are you doing here?

Hello. Um, I'm on my way
to my sister's.

Christmas shopping.

Let me give you a hand. Thanks.

So, are you staying here?

Yes, just for tonight.

So am I. Right.

Would you care for a drink
or are you in a rush?

No, I'm not in a rush.

I'd love to have a drink, thanks.

So what are you doing in Manchester?

I may have to look for a job here.

And leave Maythorpe?
I might not have a choice.

I'm so sorry.

It's been the family place
for 300 years.

Still, I've only myself to blame.

I'm sorry, it's just...
a bloody awful day.

Seeing you has been the
first good thing about it.

Let's talk about
something else, shall we?

Could I ask you...

about your wife?

What do you want to know?
Well, how did you meet?

Might have been better for
both of us if we'd never met.

But I couldn't help it.

It was a country-house
weekend, you know.

Chap said to me, "You're good with
horses, you look after Muriel," and
that were it.

Head over heels,
the moment I saw her.

And she fell in love with you too.

And it turned out she was
Lord Sedgmire's daughter.

Family wouldn't have it,
so we eloped. How romantic!

Yes, it was.

You know she's in a
mental home, I suppose.

No, I didn't. How long?

Quite soon after Midge was born.

Still in love with her, you know.

Yes, I think I did know.

It must be very hard for you.

It's my own fault.
I ruined her life.

I'm quite sure you didn't.

Are you eating here tonight?

Er, yeah, I suppose so.

Would you like to
have dinner with me?

I thought you'd have had enough
of me by now. No, not at all.

I need to get changed.
Shall we say 7.30?

7.30 it is.

♪ The very thought of you

♪ And I forget to do

♪ The little ordinary... ♪

Oh, you know. Paris, Biarritz.

Monte Carlo, Baden-Baden,
Vienna, all the usual places.

Not usual for me! No, not for me,
either, but she loved to travel

you know, she were restless, she
always wanted to be somewhere else.

But you must have loved some
of those places. Hungary.

I could have lived there.

They're wonderful people...

simple, honest, reckless.

And they love to ride, they were
great horsemen, loved their horses.

Like you? Yeah, like me.

I grew up with horses, but I
never learnt to ride, not properly.

I could teach you.

If you weren't moving away.

I wish life could be simpler.

Yeah, so do I.

By God, I do.

SONG ENDS, CROWD APPLAUDS

NEW SONG BEGINS

I can dance, though.
Would you like to dance?

Well, it's been a long
time since I tried.

Shall we?

SHE LAUGHS

NEW SONG BEGINS

SHE LAUGHS

SLOW SONG BEGINS
# No summer bird upon a wing

♪ Shall in our hearts
so sweetly sing

♪ That lovelorn story

♪ Whatever hearts may desire

♪ Whatever life may send

♪ This is a tale
that never will tire

♪ This is a song without end

♪ Love is the strongest thing

♪ The oldest yet, the latest thing

♪ I only hope that fate may bring

♪ Love's story to you. ♪

That's all from us, folks,
for tonight.

Goodnight and Happy Christmas.

Well, I suppose that's the end.

It doesn't have to be.

Do you mean that?

I know it can't lead to anything.

Let's just have tonight.

Should I come to your room?

KNOCK ON DOOR

Come in.

Hello. I ran up the stairs. Didn't
want to risk that bloody lift man!

Come in. It's freezing.

What is it? What's wrong?

Nothing, I'll be all right.

Oh, God! Oh!

God! What is it? Oh, God!
Shall I get you a brandy?

I need amyl nitrate,
it's in my room,

it's in my pocket, in my coat,
waistcoat pocket.
What's your room number?

I'll be all right, I'll go myself
in a minute. Don't be... Aaah!

Aaggh!! Oh, God! Where's your key?

HE GASPS

What do I do?

HE INHALES

Another. Another.

HE COUGHS

It's all right now.

What else can I do? No, nothing.
Shall I call the doctor? No!

I'll be all right.
It's happened before.

Just don't leave me on my own.

No, of course I won't.

Here, lie down.

Lie down.

I'm such a bloody fool.

Such a bloody fool.

What time is it? Just a minute.

Half past five.

I'd best be moving.

Please don't.
No, I'll be all right now.

It's over.

I know this game.

Goodnight, thank you.

I probably won't see
you in the morning.

Do promise me you'll call the
doctor if you feel ill again.

Yes, I promise.

Thank you.

SHE SOBS

Get off my land before I
throw you in the horse pond.

That is slander and I
shall sue you for it.

Muriel.

You're a cheeky monkey, you are.

So you don't think less of me
for what happened? Stupid man.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd.