To the Manor Born (1979–2007): Season 3, Episode 6 - Connections in High Places - full transcript

You see what I mean, Wing Commander.
It's deafening.

I said, deafening.

That's the sixth time today.

They can't all be piloted by Prince Andrew.

Yes, I do just remember the Battle of Britain
and I appreciate all you did for us then.

But after all, there was a war on.

Well, now I've got your phone number,
I'l ring you up every time they go over.

Goodbye.

Honestly, Aud,
they've got to practise somewhere.

Of course they have.
They're our first line of defence.

I'd prefer them to practise somewhere else,
that's all.



We have quite enough to put up with
from DeVere's helicopter.

I haven't seen him lately. Have you?

No. I think he's avoiding me.

The estate's going to wrack and ruin

and he's up in London making money
from shady business deals.

How do you know they're shady?
Al business deals are shady.

All businessmen are crooks, I suppose.
Certainly.

Richard's a businessman.
Yes, I know. And apparently a very good one.

But if you want to know what God
thinks about money,

just look at the sort of people he's given it to.

What are you playing at, Lumsden?
Are you trying to split the board?

You should have warned me
about this Argentinean thing.

Did you know about it, Gayforth?
Of course he did.

We need that refrigeration plant.



We all need lots of things. You can't
go on a spending spree in a recession.

I've dealt with the liquidity problem.
Selling the Oxford Street premises

and leasing them back? That's the first step
on the slippery slope to bankruptcy.

Standard practice.
I think I can speak for the shareholders when...

Shareholders? Who runs this damn company?
Me or rich little widow women?

They are the backbone of the company.
Don't you start, Gayforth.

I'm the backbone of this company.
I am the company.

I put you where you are and don't you forget it.

What we are saying...
It's all right, Gayforth. I'll do it.

The fact is, DeVere,

that the board, not to mention the City...

not to happy
with your flamboyant management style.

Happy enough with the profits!

Profits have a habit of disappearing down
the plughole when times are bad like these.

Then you have to live off your fat.

Now, if you want this refrigeration plant,
you raise the capital outside.

That's all we're saying.

I think I get the picture.

Nothing personal, old boy.

See you in Brock's some time.
I'm not a member.

I thought you were.
I was put up, wasn't elected.

Oh, bad luck. Mind you, I certainly voted for you.
So did you.

Didn't you, Gayforth?
Oh, of course.

Seems there weren't enough of us
of the same mind.

Odd, when so many of you
went to the same school.

I did warn you, Wing Commander.

Every time they go over.

"What goes up must come down"?

Oh, I see. You're trying to pretend
it's the same ones coming back.

Perhaps you should know, Wing Commander,
that I am the niece of an Air Vice-Marshal.

Yes, I thought that might make a difference.

Which Air Vice-Marshal?
Air Vice-Marshal Hartley.

I thought he was dead.
-Heis.

Talk about friends in high places!

He used to be very useful
when he was Chief at the Air Ministry.

We used to phone him up
for the weather forecast.

His brother's still alive, Uncle Greville.

Is he an Air Vice-Marshal too?

No, he's the black sheep.

He went into the City.

Oh, shame on Uncle Greville.

Well, to his credit, he did stump up
when I was trying to buy the manor.

I suppose he's absolutely stinking rich.

Absolutely stinking.

He made a squalid million.

Honestly?
No-one ever makes a million honestly.

He squandered it on loose women, then
he made another million or two. All very seedy.

Oh, I wish I could find a man
who'd squander a million on me.

I said loose women, Marjory.

Oh, I could loosen up no end
if the money was right.

(Laughs) Don't be silly.

You can't reduce everything
to pounds, shillings and pence.

It's pounds and pence now.
Well, whatever it is, i's merely money.

Oh, I see. If money's converted into stately
homes and land and furniture and paintings,

then it's acceptable. Is that it?

That's not money. That's heritage.
Quite different.

I've never noticed you protesting
when your dividends arrived.

They don't any more.
I've had to sell my last share.

Oh, so that's why you're so anti
the business world.

I can see someone has to do it.

It's just that the fforbes-Hamiltons
have never found it congenial.

Well, what about Uncle Greville?

He's not a florbes-Hamilton. He's a Hartley.
Mummy's first cousin.

Is he married?
Several times.

They say he had an account at Caxton Halll.

Oh, hello, Lumsden.

Evening, Hartley.

Collected any good directorships lately?
(Laughs) One or two.

Got any swaps?

Mine are all so dull.

Gayforth of Cavendish Foods. Greville Hartley.

Cavendish?

That's plastic pork chops, isn't it?

That is one way of looking at it.

Oh. Feel sorry for you in that setup.

I gather there's a shakeup coming.

Still, you're young enough to survive.

Oh, my niece.

Sweet, isn't she?

Well, I enjoyed meeting you. Come on, my dear.

Never known a man
with so many brothers and sisters.

Has a different niece every week.

Hello, Lemington.
Evening, Hartley.

I don't often see you in the club.

Country member these days.

Come up whenever I can for the cricket.
Lord's, you know.

Oh, this is my niece.

Mine too.

Coincidence.

Well, got to rush.
Don't want to miss the cricket highlights.

Oh, interested in the cricket, is she? Your niece.

Yes, very.

Is yours?
I wish she was.

No, diamonds seem to be her hobby
at the moment.

Well, nice seeing you again.

Club's gone to the dogs
since they let women in.

Oh, I don't know. It makes the place a bit livelier.

They've got girls at the old school now,
you Know.

Yes, I know. Jumbo Powell's daughter's there.

She's doing frightfully well. Captain of boxing.

Yes. How did Hartley know about Cavendish?
Oh, he was flying a kite.

Mind you, one word from him
can influence the City.

Worth a bit, is he?
Not short of pocket money.

He'd have a lot more if he wasn't such an elitist.

In what way?
Old school, who you know, that sort of thing.

I thought they didn't exist any more.

Did you really vote for DeVere?

At the board meeting?
No, no, here at the club.

Oh, here.

Well...
-Nordidl.

Slippery customer.
Mm.

Do you think he's losing his grip?

Spends a lot of time
swanning off to that estate of his in the heli.

Yeah. That damned helicopter.
Too flamboyant. Not quite British.

Czechoslovakian.

That doesn't give the City any confidence.
Your people going to pull the plug on him?

Only got to make the right noises and the bank
too... Boardroom shakeups happen all the time.

Do you have a replacement in mind?

How old are you, Gayforth?

30.

That house in Esher getting too small for you,
eh?

Of course, if called upon, my duty is clear.

Has to be you.

Right background, long time with the company.

And you'd look very impressive in a helicopter.

(Helicopter)

I won't be in for tea, Brabinger.

I'm going to take Bertie for a really long walk.

Very good, madam.

Oh, Wing Commander, please.

Mrs fforbes-Hamilton.

I'm getting very tired of the RAF, Brabinger.

It's not the RAF, madam.

It's Mr DeVere's helicopter.

Oh, hello, Wing Commander.
Isn't it a lovely day?

MR DEVERE: . for our shareholders.

First, a capital investment programme
of this size is modest

when set against possible expansion.

Oh, no. No.

When set against the potential expansion

of sales and profits...

Richard!

All alone?

No. You're here.

What are you doing?

I come up here when I want to be by myself.

How funny. I always did the same.

Did you know it was called Peregrin's Folly?
It's named after Peregrin fforbes-Hamilton.

He was a sailor. He built this in 1796.

On a clear day
you can see the fleet at Lyme Regis.

He'd spend the morning fighting Napoleon
and then be home in time for lunch.

Audrey.

I don't think you understand. I...

I'd rather be alone.

Well, we are alone.

(Clatter)
Oh, for heaven's sake.

Look, see what you made me do.
I've probably ruined the whole speech.

Was it important?

Just an appeal to my shareholders, that's all.

Is something wrong?

Nothing you'd understand.

Not if you don't tell me.

But I do have a vested interest
in the food business.

I eat.

(Both laugh)

Well, I'm under siege from my bank
and our institutional investors.

I've a liquidity problem
a sale and lease back arrangement won't solve

unless I increase my personal investment...

..or hand over 20% of the equity
to our small investors.

I always feel sad when the swallows
are getting ready to leave.

I said you wouldn't understand.

Well, is there anything I can do to help?

No. It's your lot that are at the bottom of it.

My lot?
Yes.

Your upper-class clique. The old boy net,
twanging each other's Etonian braces.

Nonsense.

Oh, Bertie, don't bring that in here.

We're in a meritocracy now.

Oh, don't believe that rubbish.

If your face doesn't fit, they'll get you in the end.

Who will?
The Gayforths and Lumsdens of this world.

They keep waving their old school ties
at each other in some kind of semaphore,

which I don't understand.

I said, no, Bertie.

I've succeeded in beating them in their own
game in their own country. They don't like that.

So they wait until you stick your neck out.

And then...bomp.

You're imagining things...

I said, no, Bertie.

Just put it down.

I'm a self-made man.

I'm rich. I'm successful.

Which in their eyes makes me
impossibly vulgar, you see.

You're getting para...

I said, no, Bertie.

I thought I could crack
this class system of yours.

I even went along with it,
employing chinless wonders like Gayforth.

And what does he do in return?

Backs his old school chums in a conspiracy
to throw me off the board.

And are you going fo let them?

Damned if I am.

It's my company. I built it up from nothing.

I'll fight them tooth and nai.

I'll take them on single-handed
no matter what it costs.

That's the stuff.

Never say die.

Dunkirk spirit, don't you know?

Now what's Bertie doing?

Bertie!

Bertie, where are you?

Audrey, I'm glad we had this little talk.
It's helped me get things straight in my mind.

That's good.

It's a wonderful view of the estate from up here.

Doesn't it make you really love the place?
Yes, it does.

Lord of all you survey.

I don't think you've understood
a single word of what I've been saying.

You're going to take them on

no matter what it costs.
They could wipe me out.

I'd have to sell up and leave.
Leave Grantleigh?

Oh, that simply cannot be allowed.

Didn't you say that about yourself once?
Yes, I did.

Oh, Richard, you will be careful, won't you?

We need you here.

I think that's the nicest thing
you've ever said to me.

Audrey...
Oh...

Dirty Bertie.

What one earth are you reading that for?

I'm interested.

In stocks and shares?

In who does what to whom and why.

Come on, Aud.
You don't know the first thing about finance.

At least I know how to pronounce the word.

It's fin-ance, not fi-nance.

Well, anyway, knowing how to pronounce it
is not going to help Richard, is it?

At least I'll be able to talk to him on equal terms.

Perhaps he'll confide in me more often

if I can speak confidently
about stags and bulls and contango days.

What on earth are they?

Well, days when they contango, I suppose.

(Laughs)

It sounds like a dance.

J It takes only two to contango

Sorry.

I won't interrupt your research again.

The word is res-earch, Marjory.

Like fin-ance.

Oh, your investigation, then. Honestly,
you're turning life into a game of Scrabble.

Scrabble is a test of spelling.
It's got nothing to do with pronunciation.

Oh, that's true enough. Some of the words
you think up are completely unpronounceable.

Sorry.

I wonder who we'll have next at the manor.

Next?
After Richard.

Perhaps itll be a pop star
or one of those Arabs who looked at it before.

Richard hasn't gone yet.

Oh, it must be awful to be landed and rich
one moment and poor and homeless the next.

You are being deliberately aggravating.

Mind you, if he is poor and homeless,
I'd stand a chance.

I could offer him sympathy and comfort
and a roof over his head

and he'd see me in a new light
and realise that he wanted me all the time.

Have you been reading Barbara Cartland?

You can scoff but, honestly,
the way you've treated him sometimes,

I wouldn't be surprised if he'd made up
the whole story just to get away from you.

Do be quiet if you can't say anything sensible.

I suppose he could have been imagining things.

Gosh. Do you think so?

Not the money problem. That's genuine enough.
It's in here.

But he has got a bee in his bonnet
about the old school ie.

Says he's being strangled by it.

But he hasn't got an old school fie.

That's what seems to be bothering him.

Everybody else on his board has.

He thinks they're ganging up on him.

Do you know any of them?
He only mentioned two.

Lumsden and Gayforth, I think he said.

Not Julian Gayforth?

Could be. Why?

Well, there was a Julian Gayforth at Balliol
with my cousin, Guy Frobisher.

A dreadful man.

Went to the commem ball
in a ready-made bow fie.

We can't have Richard done down by somebody
who wears a ready-made bow tie.

Especially a ready-made old school bow tie.

You're not serious?

He's the sort of man who would.

Well, that settles it.

Brabinger...

What are you doing?
Yes, madam?

I've got an idea.

I'm going to London.
What for?

I'm going to dabble
in the muddy waters of commerce.

Will you be travelling by train, madam?

I think so.
The Rolls is a bit of a problem in London traffic.

It might be cheaper. The rail fares
are going on for three figures now.

Good Lord.
Where will I find that sort of money?

I could cash one of my granny bonds, madam.

No, Brabinger, you hang on fo those.

I'l speak to Richard.

What about?
Ask him if he can give me a lift.

He goes to London every morning.

In his helicopter?
Yes, Marjory.

You said you'd never go up in it.

Occasionally one is forced to
make a personal sacrifice.

Things are going pretty well.

Had a long lunch with Mortimer today.
We can count him in.

Kennion's doubtful.

Ah, sitting on the fence. Leave him to me.

What about Maxwell?
Take him as ours. We were at Balliol together.

Hello, hello. What are you two cooking up?

Evening, Hartley. You remember Gayforth?

Oh, yes, yes.

Cavendish.

Proper mess, isn't it?

Eh?

Cavendish.

Going to be changes there, I believe.

Bad form to talk business in the club, old boy.

Oh, yes, yes, I know.
I can never understand why.

Dining along tonight?
Oh, no, no, no.

I'm waiting for my niece.

She must have been held up.

I thought I'd come over
and buy a company just to fill in the time.

But of course that would be frightfully bad form.

I'd probably be asked to resign.

Ah, there she is.
Audrey, my dear, you found the place.

Uncle Greville, it's lovely to see you again.

I'm so glad you haven't forgotten
the old black sheep.

Am I interrupting something?
No, no. Let me introduce you.

This is Lumsden.
How do you do, Mr Lumsden?

Please, don't get up.

And this is Gayboy.

Top man in Cavendish Foods.

Forth.
I beg your pardon?

Forth.
Oh, I'm sorry.

Gayboy is the fourth top man
in Cavendish Foods.

Not Julian Gayboy by any chance?
Yes, as a matter of fact.

That is, the name is Julian
but the surname is Gayforth.

Oh, I'm so sorry. Yes, of course. Julian Gayforth.

I've heard so much about you.
Really? Who from?

A dear friend of mine.
Her cousin was up at Balliol with you.

What was his name?
Frobisher.

Well, i's some years ago now.

Apparently you had
a certain sartorial reputation.

Really? I don't recall.

Come along, my dear.
I didn't invite you here to talk to these fellows.

I'm afraid you'll have to excuse me.

Please don't get up.

Where the devil did Hartley find her?
Not his usual type.

I don't know. She's probably one of those...
what do you call 'em? Sloane Rangers.

Brigadier?

Oh, Audrey.

What a surprise!

Yes.

Erm, my niece.

How do you do?
How do you do?

This is my uncle.

Oh, I say. Really?

Extraordinary coincidence.

Yes, I suppose itis.

You two know each other, do you?

Oh, very well indeed.

Lemington comes up for the sport, don't you?

Sport? Oh, the cricket, yes.

At Lord's, you know.
Yes, well, we mustn't keep you.

I'm sure you're anxious to get back
fo watch the highlights.

Yes. Come along, my dear.

Good night, Audrey.
Good night, Brigadier.

Good night.

We're over here.
Thank you, Uncle.

Why don't you come to the point, Audrey?

What point?

Well, you've been talking about recession
and prices and income.

And GNP and MLR.

I'm beginning to wonder whether I'm talking to
my niece or Milton Friedman.

I'm trying to make intelligent conversation.

You are leading up to something.

Money, is it?
Certainly not. Money isn't everything.

Oh, no. Of course not.
There are stocks and shares and bonds.

But the last time you remembered me was
when you wanted me to chip into that manor.

You're always remembered in our prayers.

So long as you're always remembered
in my will. Is that it?

Absolutely not.

But I have never forgotten your generosity
when I was trying to buy the manor.

Who got it in the end?

A man called DeVere.

DeVere?
Yes.

Cavendish Foods?

The Richard DeVere?

Yes, the Richard DeVere.

As in the common cold.

I gather he's about as popular in the City.

Yes. I wouldn't worry. I wouldn't worry.

He'll be out of there before long.

Why do you say that?
Well, the man is a maverick.

He sticks his neck out, he thumbs his nose
at the City and he's bound to come a cropper.

Still, you can't help admiring him in a way.

Oh, I do.
In fact, I have a particular interest in him.

Because he's got the manor?

Can you keep a secret?

A soul of discretion.

I'm going to marry him.

What?

That...
That charming man, yes.

Oh. (Chuckles)

As you say. A fine chap, I'm sure.

That's why I'm in London.
Richard wants me fo choose a ring.

Oh, this calls for a toast.

We must crack a bottle of champagne.
Er, no.

No, don't.

We're keeping it a dead secret at the moment.

Don't tell a soul.
Not even Richard if you see him.

Not even Richard?
No. He doesn't want it talked about.

And we simply must
keep it out of the gossip columns.

They'd have a field day, wouldn't they?
Would they?

Oh, yes. With all the problems at Cavendish

and the City pulling the plug on him

and being a relative of yours.

Of mine?

Well, he'll be your nephew-in-law something,
won't he?

Yes, I suppose he will.

You wouldn't want to be classed with
the Lumsdens and Gayforths of this world.

Oh, God forbid.

That's what will happen if you stand aside
and allow them to throw him off his own board.

Well, I don't see how that can be prevented.

I have no influence with Cavendish.

But you have enormous influence in the City.

Well, I know one or two useful people, yes.

All Richard needs is money.

If the City thought him a good risk, he'd get it.

The City is being influenced
by people like Lumsden and Gayforth.

More than likely.

By the way,
what was this sartorial reputation of his?

Apparently he wears ready-made bow ties.

(Laughs)

Well, we can't have a fellow like that
getting the better of us, can we?

Oh, I'm so glad you agree with me,
Uncle Greville.

What are you dragging me
all this way up here for?

You get the best view of the estate from up here,
Mother.

And I want you to take a look.

One last look.

One last look?

Yes, we're leaving.

Who's leaving?
Weare.

I'm trading all of this in for a refrigeration plant
in Argentina.

I'm not living in a refrigeration plant anywhere.

No, no. It's just that
I'm committed to an investment project.

And the company can't, or won't, finance me,
solve...

got to finance myself.

But there is always the bank.

I've fried, Mother. But I'm just not the flavour
of the month in the City at the moment.

This is the only way.

I thought you loved the place.

I do, but I'm fighting for a principle!

If I'm going to stay at the top,
I've got to do something unorthodox.

That's the spirit.

We have a saying in old Czechoslovakia.

"There are more ways of getting to
the top of the tree than sitting on an acorn.”

(Digging)

What the devil are you doing up here?
Don't be silly. It's only Ned.

I was just planting some trees, sir.

Trees?

There are plenty of trees up here.
It's a wood, you know.

Oh, ahr, but most of these
have got to come down.

We have to keep some of the big 'uns
to protect the little 'uns.

Oh. Oh, I see.
Best part of my job, that is.

You see those there?

Planted them in 1947.

And them there in 1954.

And that one there, my dad planted that.

And see there?
The saplings, yes.

Yeah, well, you'll see me plant them now.

Then next year, you'll see them a bit taller.

And the next, a bit taller still.

And fatter, and stronger.

Then in 30 or 40 years' time you'll look out

and you'll see these fine sturdy trees

and you can say,

"Ah, yes, Ned planted them.

Remember old Ned?

Him who was always thinking
I never paid him enough."

(Laughs)

All right, Ned.

This section here, I've only just planted.

Hasn't got a name yet.

I was wondering whether I should call it
the DeVere Wood.

Thank you, Ned.

But I don't think I'm ready for the memorial.

Disgracefull

What went wrong?
He was ready for me.

The money, the best names in the City,
the brokers. Solid as the Bank of England.

How did he put that package together?
I don't know how he had so much influence.

Damned nuisance. I've sold my house in Esher.

Never mind.

Now you'll be able to afford to
buy one in Croydon.

I wonder who's behind him.

We won.
Oh, good.

By tomorrow there'll be a virtually new board.

I'm extremely grateful to you.
Don't mention it.

One of these days
I suppose you'll tell me why you did it.

My dear fellow, it was the least I could do.

You took on the whole City.

Well, you know what they say...

"Blood is thicker than water."

I don't quite follow you.
Well, we can't have a pauper in the family.

What family?

Ours.

Do you know, I haven't got the slightest idea
what you're talking about.

I'm talking about Audrey.

Audrey fforbes-Hamilton.

What's she got to do with it?

Oh, didn't I tell you?

She's my niece.

Oh. Is she indeed?

And I rather gather that you and she are...

Don't worry, she told me herself.

Well, you brought her to London the other day
to choose the ring.

Don't look so surprised.

Free for lunch? I'll take you to my club.
Brock's? They've black-balled me.

Oh, yes. They would.
Well, don't worry. We'll go to the Sheridan.

Jolly place,
full of actors and lawyers all showing off.

Um, I'll put you up there if you like.

No, thanks. I don't want to be black-balled twice.

Oh, don't worry. You won't be.

I'm the president.

Oh, hang on a moment.

I must give somebody a ring.

Oh, give it to her later.

Let's have lunch first.

Mr DeVere.

I thought you'd be in London.
I've flown down specially just to say thanks.

For what?
I'm still chairman of Cavendish Foods.

I knew you'd win in the end.

Do sit down.
Yes, you did, didn't you?

You fixed things with your uncle.

I might have just mentioned it to him.

Would you like a drink?
No, thank you.

And that's not all you told him, apparently.

He seems to think that we're...

What do you mean by that?

I hoped you could tell me.
I haven't the faintest idea.

Why did he keep waffling on about family
and gossip columns

and blood being thicker than water?

Well, itis, isn't it?

You told him that we were going to get married.

That's why he bailed me out.

Certainly not.

Well, where did he get the idea from that
I took you to London in order to choose a ring?

Ah, well, I might have given him the impression

that I was going to buy a ring
and you gave me a lift.

Look, Audrey,
let's just get things straight, shall we?

I'm very grateful for your help

but to force your uncle into helping me

by kidding him
there was some sort of liaison between us...

That's not the reason he decided to help you.

Oh.

Oh, well, what was the reason?

He doesn't like people
who wear ready-made bow ties.

You're pulling my leg.

I wouldn't joke about a thing like that.
All right, then. Where's the ring?

What ring?
The ring you were choosing in London.

Ah, well, sadly I couldn't find one I liked.

Well, I may have given Uncle Greville
the impression that we were...

Yes.

But I only did it to help.

If I've upset you, I'm sorry.

l.. I don't know what to say.

I'd better get back to London.

I've got something for you
as a sort of thank you present.

Oh, Richard, you shouldn't. What is it?

It's a share in Cavendish Foods.

Oh, thank you.

Only one,
because I knew you wouldn't accept more.

But at least it will give you an interest
in the company that you helped to save.

Yes, it will. And may 1?

What are you doing?

Oh, look, Richard, it's gone up already.

Yes, thanks to you, Audrey.

I must say,
it's rather fun being a shareholder again.

Do I get any special privileges?

Oh, yes. We let our shareholders
have a discount at all our stores.

Oh, good.
But you do need a minimum of 100 shares.

I'll start saving.
(Chuckles) Right, bye.