Original subtitles

(THEME MUSIC PLAYING)

"MATURE JENNY". The world was shifting on its axis in 1961,

strides were being made, decisions taken,

questions asked.

It was as true at Nonnatus House as it was anywhere.

(BICYCLE BELL RINGING)

The world was turning faster,

burning brighter.

It was all we could do

to keep pace, keep time, keep abreast of so much change.

Sister,

- whatever are you doing? - I'm cleaning the portrait

of Sister Hildegard with some bread.

Her anniversary is coming up,

and I once read in a magazine that this is the best way

to freshen up an oil painting.

She was the first of our sisters to come to Poplar.

It's so important that we remember her.

I missed her commemoration service last year,

so this is the first I've been to since I joined the order.

It was very special.

Bless you, Sister.

(INDISTINCT CHATTERING)

- Nurse. Nurse! - Oh! (CHUCKLES) Good morning, Linda.

You haven't been to Sadie's yet, have you, Nurse?

No, she's next on my list.

Would you take her these? It's just a few cough candy twists.

I was gonna drop 'em in, but I'm running late.

Of course.

Oh, and tell her I'll pop in after my shift!

Your lips are moving.

They're always moving on the quiet.

Poetry this time or one of your plays?

"O for a Muse of fire, that would ascend"

"The brightest heaven of invention."

It's from Henry V.

That the one with Sir Laurence Olivier?

(CHUCKLES) It's the one by William Shakespeare, Mum.

I fixed it.

Now, don't keep taking it down to look at all the time.

Postman'll be here soon.

And he might walk past again.

Like he did yesterday and the day before.

(KNOCKING ON DOOR)

TRIXIE: Nurse calling. SADIE: Come through, angel.

Angel?

I could get used to that.

- Hello, Nurse. - Hello.

Still, I suppose there is something rather celestial

about a person who comes bearing burns dressings

and a quarter of medicinal confectionery.

From Linda?

Yes.

You've picked a lovely girl there, Ian.

Oh, he never picked her.

He hasn't got the common sense.

They picked each other.

First day down the mixed infants.

Didn't you, son?

- LAN: That's right. - (COUGHING)

(COUGHING LOUDLY)

I really don't like the sound of that cough, Mrs Bulmer.

- You've had it for three weeks now. - It's just dust

off my royal collection.

I see he's fixed that picture of yours.

I should hope so, too.

Her Majesty and me.

(SCOFFS) Her Majesty and a bit of your head, you mean?

SADIE: She's a lovely lady.

Her hat was exquisite.

Petal-covered cloche in navy silk organza.

It's a shame she wasn't standing by you when the hexane caught.

Then I'd be dressing royal burns

- and not just yours. (CHUCKLES) - Picture's my souvenir.

Twenty-seven years I've done at Heywoods, so far.

My husband did 30.

He got his long-service watch before he died.

Ian wears it now.

I got in, Mum! I've got a place at Durham!

At university, to do English.

Oh, Ian, congratulations.

First in the street.

Well done, son.

(INDISTINCT TALKING)

It's all right if I bring the boys in?

(CHUCKLES) Of course.

As long as they steer clear of Wendy House corner.

I don't want another incident with the mangle.

Oh, right. Go on! You heard.

SHELAGH: Take a seat, Mrs Cottingham.

We're just talking through the differences

between home and hospital delivery.

We'll try to give you as much information as we can.

I'm stopping at home.

Turn my back on my lot for 10 days, I'll have no house to come back to.

My old man will have lost it in a card game.

- (ALL LAUGHING) - Or the kids will have burnt it down.

(ALL LAUGHING)

Isn't there any visiting in the afternoons?

My Kevin's on permanent nights.

Rules are quite strict on maternity wards.

It helps get babies into a routine.

Many new mothers find this quite helpful,

though baby would see rather more of his or her father

if you gave birth at home.

I want the gas, though.

Proper gas. Off a machine.

Someone told me if you have it at home,

they give you gas through the cooker, and I think that's dangerous.

- (ALL LAUGHING) - That would be very dangerous, indeed.

Gas in here is completely different

and the midwives bring the apparatus to your home.

What if something goes wrong with the delivery?

Is it your first, love?

(SOFTLY) Yeah.

You'd be all right with the Nonnatuns, wouldn't she?

SHELAGH: Dr Turner is never far away,

- and, in an emergency... - (CHILDREN SHOUTING)

you can get to the hospital very quickly.

Terrence!

You leave that little girl alone.

I do not want any more fingers in mangles.

Should've had them in the hospital and left them there.

(WOMEN LAUGHING)

IAN: Mr Hereward!

Mr Hereward! I got into Durham.

- Yes! - Just like you!

- Only in English Lit, not Theology. - Which college?

- Castle. - I know it well.

Take a vest and a hot water bottle.

All right, young man.

No leading my daughter astray, now.

It's all right, Morris.

I'll have her back in time to get you your dinner.

Thanks, Mr Hereward...

For the books, and for the train fare for the interview!

For everything, really.

Linda! Linda, guess what? I got in!

(LAUGHING)

Good. The baby's head-down.

So, nicely poised,

settled into your pelvis, ready for delivery.

You really are a model patient, Mrs Cottingham.

Well, here's hoping I have a model baby.

And preferably one I can dress in pink

and don't have to yell at till I'm hoarse.

Would you like a little girl this time?

Yeah. I know I'm meant to say "I don't mind as long as it's healthy,"

and I do love my boys...

But lads, Sister,

they egg each other on.

Have you considered a hospital delivery

so that you could have some rest?

Nah, I like my own bed, and my own toilet.

(BOY CRYING LOUDLY)

Help me down, Sister, duty calls.

I wish I knew where you buy lassos.

I could keep one in me handbag.

Wait till you see the library I'll be studying in.

The cathedral, the river...

I like this river.

What was that poem you used to say to me?

The one about the lady and the mirror?

"Willows whiten, aspens shiver

"The sunbeam-showers break and quiver In the stream that runneth ever

"By the island in the river"

"Flowing down to Camelot"

That was my favourite.

It isn't about the Thames, Linda.

My life isn't going to be about clocking in at the paintworks,

day in day out like my mum and dad's.

I'm going to get us both right out of here.

When I get my degree, we can go where we like.

I don't know.

Well, if you don't know, Lin, I do.

I do.

- It's funny. - Why?

You said it accidentally.

And quite soon, I think you're gonna be saying it for real.

This morning I went to the doctor's.

I'm in the family way.

Ian! Ian!

Look, you can run all you like, but it won't go away!

We love each other, don't we?

You said you loved me, when we did it.

And I meant it.

I really did.

No calls this afternoon, Sister.

Could've come to clinic, after all.

I don't like to leave the telephone unmanned.

This is usually such a busy time of year.

(TELEPHONE RINGING)

Nonnatus House, midwife speaking.

Yes, of course, she's here now.

Sister?

It's the matron of St Cuthbert's Hospital.

She asked to speak to you.

I'm entirely happy to deputise with regard to administration, Sister.

But hospital routines are rather gruelling.

Are you sure you don't want to send one of the youngsters?

It's only for a week.

But I'm sure St Cuthbert's will provide a bath chair if I can't take the pace.

(GIGGLES)

I'll thank you for the beetroot, Sister Winifred.

Sister Julienne, I really don't mind going.

I've never been seconded to St Cuthbert's.

They've won prizes for their hygiene.

I volunteered my services for several reasons.

First, their need is great.

Second, my load here is lightest

in terms of clinical work.

And third, I haven't worked

in a hospital for almost ten years.

More and more women are choosing hospital deliveries.

I'm keen to see why.

I think you'll find that whatever the folderol's,

babies come out in much the same way.

And they have done since Adam and Eve were in their birthday suits.

Uh, Sister Mary Cynthia?

Whilst I'm in hospital, would you be kind enough to draw up a plan

for Sister Hildegard's service?

It would be an honour, Sister.

But the child barely knows the woman's name,

let alone recount her virtues.

Or recall her toil...

I thought this would be a chance

- for her to learn. - It will.

If Sister Monica Joan will help me.

We shall toil together,

like Ruth and Naomi,

after the death of Elimelech.

That'll be lovely.

I can't believe La Dolce Vita is finally here.

I've been reading about it in magazines for the past 12 months.

And I've been promising to sit through it with you.

You want to see Anita Ekberg in that fountain just as much as I do.

I'm not on duty a week next Friday,

and as far as I can ascertain, you're not on call.

Have you been looking at the advanced roster?

- Guilty as charged. - (LAUGHS)

- But is it a date? - What are you two up to?

Trying to get our legs brown.

I'm not doing too badly, but poor Patsy's struggling,

what with being a redhead and everything.

I had shins like milk bottles, even when I was a blonde.

Oh...

Just look at Anita Ekberg's bust in that black dress.

She must be wearing the most stupendous brassiere,

or how on earth has she managed to go strapless?

Well, if you come to the flicks with us next Friday,

you might find out.

Oh, how perfectly marvellous.

Should we treat ourselves to the two and nines?

I've just tried rubbing my legs with Trex to speed things up.

There's a great big block of it in the fridge

because Nurse Crane won't eat anything fried in dripping.

Do you fancy coming to the pictures next week, Barbara?

We're going up west to see La Dolce Vita.

If enough people join in, we could book a charabanc.

BARBARA: What day next week?

Friday.

I'd love to, if I'm not busy.

Why would you be busy, Barbara?

You normally have Friday evenings off.

A relative from my mother's side is going to be in London,

and I promised her I'd show her the sights.

How terribly public-spirited of you.

No, not really, I'm just very fond of Cousin Mabel.

Of course you are.

- Trixie? - You'll have to excuse me.

I'm going to make myself a face mask out of salad cream.

I believe one can find the most amazing aids

to beauty in the kitchen cupboards.

(SIGHS)

(WOMAN MOANS)

Sister Knowles?

- I'm Sister Julienne. - Ah, Sister.

Glad to have you.

The wards are chockablock.

Handing you over to another midwife now, dear.

Notes are on the trolley.

Why go?

- Why go? - It's time for my break, Mrs Shahjee.

I'll be able to look after you much better if I look after myself.

Unless the head is crowning or beyond,

we find it best to stick to our breaks as scheduled.

This mother is only eight months

but baby appears to be a satisfactory size.

Mrs Shahjee.

Jamila?

Jamila.

I don't know how you could be so stupid.

You went to grammar school!

Your mother would turn in her grave.

Do you think I haven't thought that?

Do you think that wasn't the first thing that came into my head?

And the first thing that came into mine was, "When's the wedding?"

The tissue granulations are coming along wonderfully.

Well?

- I'm supposed to be going to university. - Men work,

and they provide, and they stand by girls when they get them into trouble.

Don't they, Nurse?

Uh...

In the absence of my tin helmet,

which does rather interfere with my coiffure,

I've been trying not to comment.

But if there's one thing I've been taught over the years,

it's that, at first,

feelings run very high in this sort of a situation.

And sooner or later, everything calms down,

and the way ahead becomes much clearer.

The way ahead seems perfectly obvious to me.

({SOBS) - (DOOR SLAMS)

(EXHALES)

Tea?

This is a labour room, not a teddy bear's picnic.

It's well sugared.

A long labour like this needs fuel.

And mother needs to be on the bed.

Come on, dear, up we get.

I don't see this lady delivering without forceps.

The trouble with these Indians is they panic when a male comes near them.

These Sylheti ladies are very modest.

- Hmm. - On the district, it took a while

even for the midwives to gain their trust.

- Hello, Ian. - Can I ask a favour, Mr Hereward?

Of course.

Is it about your grant forms?

No.

- (GROANS) - Jamila, good.

You're doing very well, indeed.

(SCREAMS)

Baby's almost here. One last push.

(SCREAMING)

- (BABY CRYING) - (SIGHS)

- Boy? - Yes.

Do you want to hold him?

Just for a moment, please.

(CRYING)

(CHUCKLES)

Let's put the baby on the scales. See what we are up against.

Four pounds, seven ounces.

We've had smaller, and they've done very well in the main.

Of course, the care here is known to be exemplary.

The baby is well, Jamila.

Soon, you can have your cup of tea.

(SIGHS)

Hey! Hey, there, treacle.

I thought I'd wait and walk back with you.

Should we take the detour? Come on, I'll buy you a 99.

I don't want a 99.

And I don't want you to go mad.

But you will.

(SHOUTING) You will do the right thing by my daughter. Do you hear me?

- Dad, stop it. - That's enough, Mr Lanyard.

We have enough on our plates without having to send for an ambulance.

Thank you. Ian, come and sit down, too.

We can discuss the subject of marriage, together.

We won't be doing anything together if he goes off to university.

If I get a degree, I can be a teacher or write for the papers.

I could work for the BBC making programmes about poetry.

(SCOFFS)

I could put better food on the table than you've ever seen in your life.

I can be proud of howl put it there.

But it's going to take three years.

You haven't got three years, Ian. You've got seven months.

Delia.

There's no one here.

There's nobody watching. Nobody but us.

- You waited up. - Yes.

It's what we dreamed of, wasn't it?

When we were planning the flat

before our future got interrupted.

Do you know, Dels, in my whole life I never once had anyone wait up for me.

I bet you've never had anyone make you

a cup of Bournvita with a tot of Johnnie Walker in it, either.

While you were out, I was thinking, "I'm gonna unpin her hair,"

"let it fall down to her shoulders and run my hands through it."

But you've gone so mad with the lacquer,

you could pull out every kirby grip and the beehive wouldn't budge.

(CHUCKLES)

Trixie knows about us, Torn.

- Has she said so? - She doesn't have to.

She's my friend.

I eat my meals with her. We share a bathroom.

I can tell when she's unhappy.

Maybe she's unhappy about something else.

Well, that'd be convenient, wouldn't it?

That's not what I meant.

Tom, it's been a year since you broke off your engagement.

I agree, we should have both got over it.

And that wasn't what I meant.

I meant that I can see that she's still struggling, but...

I didn't think that you'd say that you were struggling, too.

Neither did I.

I see.

- I'm sorry. - No.

No, Tom, I'm sorry

that I made you tell the truth.

Because telling the truth is sometimes harder than telling lies,

which is something I've had to do rather more than I would like.

And I would've had to do far more in the future, if we'd carried on.

- Who's to say we're not gonna carry on? - (SOBS)

Barbara, I love and I value every single minute,

every hour I spend with you.

Afternoon, Tom. Afternoon, Barbara.

That's not enough, Tom. (SNIFFLES)

Not when we're causing pain to someone else.

(SNIFFLES) And certainly not when it's causing pain to us.

You really are the sweetest, loveliest girl I ever met.

I'm not.

I'm 23. I'm a nurse.

And what nurses do when they see pain is try to stop it.

Sorry to interrupt ministerial business, Mr Hereward.

Nurse Gilbert, Ruby Cottingham's in labour.

It sounds as though things are moving rapidly.

- Will there be time for lunch? - I strongly suspect not.

I've packed us hardboiled egg apiece and some coconut tart.

- (SNIFFLES) - Hay fever?

Come on, get in the car.

I think we need to refer you to the hospital for tests.

I've been coughing on and off for years.

Everybody does around here.

They said, we'd all be cured after the Clean Air Act.

The Clean Air Act wouldn't have had much of an impact

on conditions inside Heywoods, Mrs Bulmer.

We need to rule out emphysema.

It's emphysema what did for my husband.

I'm a widow, I need to work.

You've a strapping grown-up son, Mrs Bulmer.

- He could take care of you now. - I wish I had your confidence.

- Good. - (MOANS)

Good lass.

That's another one you can put behind you.

What do you reckon my chances of a girl are this time around?

I would say 50%. What do you think, Nurse Crane?

Mathematical probability was never my strong suit.

I think you'll find it isn't Mother Nature's either.

I thought I'll be done by now.

These pains started 12 hours ago.

It wasn't even like this when I had my first.

If you'd let me examine you internally, we can try to see what's going on.

Yeah, right. I've had enough.

BARBARA: Come on, you take my hand.

Give it a good squeeze if things aren't too comfortable.

(GASPING)

Brow presentation.

- I'll telephone doctor. - He'll be on his house calls.

(BREATH ES HEAVILY)

It's like being crushed by an elephant. Bet you've heard that one before.

Elephants, rhinos, hippopotami.

And to extend the comparison, this baby's being a monkey.

Not quite tucking its chin down as it should, I suspect.

You might both do better if we send you off to hospital.

Hospital?

Nurse Gilbert, can you nip down the street to the telephone?

Flying squad or ordinary ambulance, whichever's quicker.

Ruby's already had a very long day.

She has. I'll be back in two ticks.

There's no need for you to worry.

Many, many congratulations, Ian. And Linda.

And now, I suppose I ought to ask to see the ring.

It's lovely.

He sold his dad's long-service watch to pay for it.

Didn't you, Ian?

- Nurse Franklin. - Nurse!

Look, we're engaged.

How perfectly lovely! Let's see.

You're a lucky girl, Linda.

This is more than just a piece of jewellery.

It's proof that you found a man that will put you first, always.

And that really is a very rare and precious thing.

What happens now? What are you gonna do?

Doctor's going to help your baby to be born, dear.

(SOBS)

Sister Julienne.

- Mrs Cottingham? - It's all gone wrong, Sister.

DOCTOR: Her cervix is not fully dilated.

I can't get my fingers between the cervix and the head.

- It's so swollen. - (SOBS)

It's all right, Ruby.

I'd be screaming my head off if you weren't here.

No, you wouldn't. You've been a warrior.

It's your own courage that's got you this far.

Definitely a brow presentation.

(G ROANS)

Check foetal heart rate, please, Sister.

- I need more gas. - Eighty.

- I can't keep on any more. - Seventy.

- Sixty. - Right, emergency caesarean section.

Anaesthetist and paediatrician, please. As quickly as you can, please.

- Look after her. - Who?

My little girl.

I'll be asleep when she's born, will you look after her?

I will, I promise you.

(INDISTINCT TALKING)

Thanks very much.

(LAUGHTER)

- Hey there, Reverend. - Mr Lanyard.

I thought I'd offer the happy couple my congratulations.

Grab yourself a paper plate and something to eat.

Two types of pork pie and a trifle as big as your head.

Oh, have an orange juice,

seeing as you're a man of the cloth. (LAUGHS)

Joyce.

- Hello, Trixie. - Hello, Tom.

Linda's father saw me passing and hauled me in off the street.

I didn't like to refuse.

And they poured me a glass of Babycham.

Even though I'm in my uniform.

Well, that's easily dealt with.

- Cheers. - (GLASSES CLINKING)

Cheers.

Blood pressure 80 over 40.

Low. I'm not wasting any time.

Uterus exposed. Suction and oxygen all ready?

In the anteroom, sir. Paediatrician is on his way.

Proceeding.

Oh, God. Another one.

It's alive.

Somebody take it.

Can we all turn our attention back to the mother, please?

MR LANYARD: All right. All right. Quiet down, folks.

I've got a few words to say.

- I ain't one of the world's talkers. - (LAUGHING)

So, I'll keep me words to a minimum.

That was for me son-in-law-to-be, he likes long words. (LAUGHS)

But let's just say the happy news has meant a change of plan.

And as most of us are proper Heywood's Paints families,

I've managed to pull a few strings.

Open it, son.

(LAUGHS) Welcome to the factory. You start work tomorrow.

(ALL CHEERING)

(CRYING)

I've come to enquire about baby Cottingham.

Baby Cottingham?

The very poorly baby that was born this evening.

We've had two admissions today, but none since noon.

(BABIES CRYING)

Thank you.

JULIENNE: No, no, no!

Can you hear me, little one?

The Lord who created you said "Don't be afraid, I have redeemed you.

"I've called you by your name.

"You are mine.

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you."

"When you pass through the flames, you will not burn."

"You are precious in my eyes."

This baby is still breathing.

We couldn't have saved it.

But to leave it alone, cold and trembling...

And possibly in pain.

The anaesthetic from the mother should still be in its system.

It shouldn't suffer.

And it cannot live.

But it's living now.

And it has been for an hour or more.

Sister, this was the kinder way.

We couldn't even tell whether it was male or female.

May the Lord bless you and keep you.

May He make his face shine upon you.

And be gracious unto you and grant you peace.

I think it's gone.

It hasn't been baptised.

I should've baptised it myself.

You don't have to be a priest to christen a baby, did you know that?

No, I didn't.

The burial will be a decent one. We can arrange for that.

But there will have to be a post-mortem.

It's the third baby we've delivered

with these sorts of malformations in the last 12 months.

May I tell Mrs Cottingham when she wakes from her operation?

The rules state that we don't go into the post-natal ward.

Yes.

And sometimes, rules are best broken.

But leave it till tomorrow.

I'm not drunk, Mr Hereward.

Giving up something you really want is hard.

I know that.

You do?

I once had a job at a record shop that I really, really loved.

And I had to pack it in to do my national service.

I spent two years in Kinloss with a dance set,

with a broken needle and a pile of jazz LPs I couldn't play.

And then God came calling.

And He was a bit of a taskmaster.

And don't get me started on girls.

Nor me.

Ian, do you love Linda?

I don't love her more than anything else in the world, Mr Hereward.

You love her enough to do what's right.

And sometimes (SIGHS)

enough love is enough.

It has to be.

We sang Psalm 40 at compline tonight.

Which brought to mind our forthcoming homage to Sister Hildegard.

I am attempting to give advice to Sister Mary Cynthia.

And it's very useful advice,

but I did tell Sister Monica Joan we could talk about it in the morning

after the great...

Our sister greatly seeks replenishment.

In prayer.

There's supper for you in the kitchen.

I'll warm it up, but first things first.

I saw a baby lost today.

It was brutal...

And unbearable.

I'm not sure if I did enough.

Sister Monica Joan,

do you suppose that it's ever acceptable to tell a lie?

I think the question is not if it's acceptable,

but if it is kind.

I don't know.

But I do know that telling the truth would be cruel. So cruel.

Then there can be no virtue in it.

No.

(SIGHS)

Corned beef and a bit of pan yan pickle.

Linda will have more modern ideas.

You'll be getting miniature sausage rolls off her

like you see in the magazines.

Thanks.

You look just like your dad.

I've delivered babies with pathologies before, but this...

It was completely limbless.

Like little Susan Mullucks?

Without even an indication of gender.

What did Mr Kenley say?

He said,

"Oh, God. Another one."

"Another one"?

He's had nothing to do with Susan.

If she was born here in the maternity home...

Well, that's why I thought I ought to come to you.

Did it live?

Mrs Cottingham doesn't know yet.

I undertook to tell her.

What became of the other children?

- Did they die, too? - I'm not sure.

Sister Knowles said that one of them has been transferred to, um,

a residential hospital.

There's been no clear directive.

No official notification of any sort of cluster.

Timothy! You're going to be late for school.

Mrs Gillespie asked me to climb on her toilet roof

to get her cat down.

When you have a paper round, helping old ladies

becomes an occupational hazard.

Go home and comb your hair.

Your tie and biscuit money are on the sideboard.

I brought Dad's Lancet.

Unless you're too busy to read it today,

I could take it and read it on the bus.

No. Leave it here.

I shall expect a tip at Christmas.

(DOOR OPENS)

There's nothing in the list of contents.

Why would there be?

Until somebody somewhere tells us otherwise,

we have to look at this as a local phenomenon.

A local problem.

- Which means it's our problem. - Quite.

(INDISTINCT TALKING)

(STEAM WHISTLE BLOWS)

(INDISTINCT TALKING)

There's no need to keep hiding your hand.

You've got a ring on your finger.

- It's not a wedding ring, though. - Yet.

(SIGHS)

I'm actually rubbing my back.

I'm all achy at the bottom of it.

They won't want to see you for a month, once you're all booked in.

You'll have your band of gold by then.

It only takes three weeks to call the bands.

I know. Mr Hereward said.

Linda Lanyard?

May I take this one, Nurse Gilbert?

Of course.

I haven't boiled any urine today.

It would be quite nice to get a change of pace.

Hello, Linda. How are you?

On the bed. Heels to bottom and knees nice and wide apart.

LINDA: They did warn me about this. TRIXIE: You'll get used to it.

Some of the old hands come with their knickers in their pockets

and don't put them on until we've finished.

(BOTH GIGGLE)

Linda, have you been having any spotting?

What's spotting?

Losing little amounts of blood

as you would at the beginning of a monthly.

Only early on.

I kept thinking I was about to start, but I didn't.

Linda...

I'm afraid you're bleeding now.

And it looks like a little more than spotting.

Try to stay still.

When can I see my baby?

Ruby...

I'm so very, very sorry

but your poor little baby was born

so desperately unwell.

And it wasn't possible for us to save it.

Did it die?

Yes, Ruby, in my arms.

(SOBS)

Was it a girl?

Yes.

I knew.

Always knew.

Yes.

Yes, you did.

Did she cry?

A little.

But when she took her last breath,

she was warm and safe.

And I believe she was aware she was loved.

I wished so hard for her.

Maybe I shouldn't have.

Maybe I'm being punished.

- God knows I love my boys. - He does.

You did nothing wrong.

Then why?

I wish I could answer that.

And I wish I could bring your baby back.

But I can't.

Listen to us, eh?

Wishing this and wishing that.

We haven't got a fairy godmother between us.

- (LINDA SOBS) - Linda?

Linda, I know this is a perfectly ghastly business,

but you're not alone.

There's more blood.

Don't cry. It's a natural process, it will be over soon.

Something's come away! Nurse?

It's all right, Linda. It's all right.

When you're ready, open the door.

But I don't want you to flush, all right?

(SOBS)

Afternoon, Mr Lanyard. How's the young bridegroom shaping up?

Don't ask me. Little toe rag never even clocked on.

Spontaneous miscarriage. Foetus looked to be about eight weeks.

Oh, no. Poor wee girl.

We'll take her back to Sadie's and get her tucked up in bed.

Call Doctor, if you have any concerns.

What the poor pet really needs

is a good cry, a couple of aspirin and a hug, in no particular order.

But the hug is of prime importance.

Ian?

Ian?

(SNIFFS)

- What the hell are you doing? - Ian's in the house and the gas is on.

- Stay outside. - (COUGHING)

(GAS HISSING)

(consume)

He's still breathing.

Ian? Ian?

Take deep breaths. Try to take deep breaths.

(EXHALES)

I'm sorry.

TOM: It's all right, you've done nothing wrong.

(VOMITS)

- He even missed my shoes. - He got mine, though.

Head up, sweetie. We'll get you through this.

There's no obvious similarity between Rhoda Mullucks and Ruby Cottingham.

Other than them both being multiparous mothers and on the older side.

Don't think they'd thank you for that, Patrick.

They're both younger than me.

Meanwhile, Keith Cottingham is in the Navy.

Hmm. It says here that he had his appendix out,

on land, in New Zealand in 1957.

So, he could've been involved in the H-bomb tests. We'd have to check.

The H-bomb?

- Hello. - Hello, dear.

Deformed babies have been born in the South Seas.

There's one school of thought that blames nuclear testing.

It happened after Hiroshima and Nagasaki, too. We did it in history.

So, World War ll is history now, is it?

We do exams in it and everything.

Can I wash some equipment?

- How much are you charging? - TIMOTHY: The usual.

- Bike fund? - Yes.

Go through to the sluice. I'll catch you up.

But going back to the mothers...

And neither Rhoda nor Ruby has anything out of the ordinary on their records.

Only the usual juvenile illnesses.

Plus occasional antibiotics.

- And other routine drugs in adulthood. - (ANGELA CRYING)

Oh, come here. There we go.

I'm sorry, we'll be taking work home with us tonight.

TOM: No university place. Now, no baby.

And engaged for no good reason.

If he tries to walk away he could be sued for breach of promise.

A broken engagement is a serious thing.

Isn't it?

Trixie, that is not what I meant.

(SIGHS)

How long since we ended everything?

A year.

To be more precise, a year and 10 days.

Once upon a time, one of us would've leaned forward

to kiss the other one just then.

- I know. - (SIGHS)

But neither of us did.

No.

When you look at Barbara,

do you want to lean forward and kiss her?

Sometimes.

- I have done, once or twice. - Oh.

But don't worry, it won't happen again.

If we were ever going out at all,

Barbara ended it because of you.

Or more precisely, because of you and me.

I think it's time to let each other go, Trixie.

- I thought we did that last year. - It's hanging on.

Not letting each other grow.

It's a recipe for misery.

Yes.

And vomit on one's shoes, as we found out earlier this evening.

So, if you'll excuse me, I'll go and get changed.

I don't feel at all comfortable. (LAUGHS)

This seems to be our only clue

that these anomalies are part of something more widespread.

This residential hospital that

specialises in children with malformed limbs.

It's not a new hospital. But it is a new specialisation.

It may mean nothing at all.

Patrick, we have to go to bed.

We have patients to care for in the morning.

They don't need us crawling in half-dead through lack of sleep.

I never know when I love you the most,

but I sometimes think that these are the times that I love you best.

When the whole world's sleeping and you're sitting up,

with dark rings beneath your eyes,

just trying to make it better.

Oh, Shelagh.

We had a wonderful old professor when I was at medical school.

Macatin Phipps.

He was a real physician.

Cared about patients, inside and out.

And he used to say,

"Never be afraid to say when you don't know the answer."

But these babies...

Shelagh, I don't know.

And I don't know if there is anything to know.

And I'm scared.

She had a reasonable night.

I tucked her up in bed next to me.

You're as good as a mum to Linda, Sadie, I know that.

Which is just what most girls need after an experience like yours.

Will you look in on Ian, Nurse, before you go? Only...

Only we heard him crying in the night.

There's no harm in me popping my head around the door, but...

There's no need, Nurse.

I'm all right, and I'm going to work.

No, son. No, you're not.

Here.

I rather think I ought to take my leave.

No, Nurse, this isn't some big drama.

I'm just doing the right thing.

Like you did the right thing.

I didn't say I wanted to marry you because it was the right thing, Linda.

It was because I loved you.

And I love you now.

Take it. Sell it.

Spend it on the books you'll read at university.

I'm not standing in your way.

There's no baby going to now, either.

I've still got responsibilities. I've got Mum.

Don't you worry about me, son.

You can come home and listen to me coughing in the holidays.

But you don't have to do it all year around.

Take the ring, Ian.

SADIE: All right.

There. There it is, and there it's staying

till you've got letters after your name

and more ahead of you than me and your dad ever had.

Let's not argue with your mum, Ian.

You won't win. And we can wait.

You can't stand in the way of what life wants, can you, Nurse?

Or what love wants.

One way or another, things end up how they should.

You need to have the big light on

if you're going to do handicrafts at this hour.

It's all right.

It's only a few figures for the Bible study fuzzy felt at Sunday school.

Judas and Simon Peter have gone missing,

and Mary Magdalene's got no head.

I hope Mr Hereward appreciates your dedication.

I don't care if he doesn't.

- (KNOCK ON DOOR) - Enter.

Barbara, may I speak to you for a moment?

I expect it's time I did my vanishing act.

Or as we say in Spanish class...

(SPEAKING IN SPANISH)

I think we need to conversar about Cousin Mabel.

There's no such person, Trixie.

I made her up, so that I didn't have to tell you the truth.

But there's really no truth to tell now, so it doesn't matter.

Yes. It does.

I'm so sorry, Trixie.

I knew you knew. I knew you were unhappy.

And I should've ended it sooner, but I didn't have the courage.

And I had too much hope,

probably.

Tom's special, isn't he?

Yes.

But not so special that it's worth all three of us being miserable.

And now, if you don't mind,

I really need to get on with these fuzzy felt apostles.

Oh, Barbara.

(SIGHS)

Only a girl as nice as you would say a thing like that.

What if I'm not nice, Trixie?

What if I'm thinking all sorts of mean and terrible thoughts inside?

I wouldn't blame you.

And I'm not going to stand in your way. Or Tom's.

People want what they want.

And, one way or another,

at least if love comes in to it,

things will end up as they should.

(SINGING HYMN)

It was Sister Hildegard who began our work here in Poplar.

And I and my sisters carry on that work as best we can,

day by day, night by night,

woman by woman,

child by child.

Her faith was never shaken.

And faith remains the foundation of our life.

But there are times when we are challenged.

Not in the vowed life, but as midwives and nurses.

There are babies born broken.

There are lives we cannot heal.

And it is then that we should turn to the woman

that so inspired our sister that she took her name,

Saint Hildegard of Bingen.

For Saint Hildegard once said,

"God hugs you."

"God hugs you.

"You are encircled by the arms of the mystery of God."

"You shine so finely, it surpasses understanding."

"MATURE JENNY". We knew so little then,

in a world that seemed so full of opening doors

and bright horizons,

we thought only of what was new and better.

Because it was new and better.

And it would take us to places we had never been before.

(LAUGHING)

We couldn't see what was coming or understand yet

what had already come to pass.

We had so much still to learn.

Who else will tell me stories? Tell me where frankincense came from.

- We have an emergency. - I shall go at once.

Whoa!

That's it, ladies. If we want to reduce, we must keep moving.

Tar and tumours from those bloody cigarettes.

She used to call me her movie star.

- (LAUGHING) - I can feel the pounds falling off.

Hello, anyone at home?