Original subtitles

- 19 years since we embarked on this life together.

- Six since you tiptoed to my room

and told me there was a gentleman come to keep me warm.

- Exclusive patronage of Sugar by me.

- You're leaving us then, after all these years?

- What is this?

- This is yours and mine.

- This unlucky gent has taken the legendary Sugar

off the market before we'd had the benefit of her charms.

- I'm afraid all is not as it should be.

Her womb has moved.

- Agnes lost a child.

- No, we have a child.

- You have?

- A daughter, Sophie.

- On bad days, I take a couple of these.

Trust me.

You will hardly know yourself.

- I have a guardian angel.

I will come back for you.

- I wish for all the world that I could live with you.

- What is the matter with the men in your family?

- Mrs. Fox is dying.

- I can't wait for you to join me.

- Could I not, in fact, live with you as your new governess?

- You're not serious.

[whispering]

[eerie music]

[chatter]

- Held up, as usual.

- Waiting for you has only ever sharpened my appetite.

- I tried to sort out Henry's estate on top of everything

else, which is why our current arrangement is

no longer viable.

Marylebone must go.

- But, William--

- I'm stretched too thin.

- How often have you said how restorative

you find our time together?

- Indeed, which is why I would like

you to move to Chepstow Villas and become Sophie's governess.

- To live in your house with you?

- I thought that was what you wanted.

Don't tell me you've changed your mind.

- William.

[frenetic beat]

[breathing heavily]

- Mrs. Rackham.

- Mr. Rackham.

- Not now, lady. I'm busy.

- But, sir.

[knock at door]

- Clara has found Agnes burying her diaries in the garden.

- Her diaries?

- Apparently, she wants to make a fresh start.

Curlew wants to lock her up.

I can't wait for you and I to be together.

Cheesman, take Miss Sugar's bags.

- I'll take that.

- Mind your step, Miss.

[church bells tolling]

[serene music]

- Letty, this is Miss Sugar, our new governess.

- How do you do, miss?

- I hope--I trust she will be happy here.

- It's such a beautiful house.

- Miss Cleave will speak with you before she

leaves for her train.

Allow me to show you to your room.

[ominous music]

Mrs. Rackham's room and my own.

The room is not as spacious as you're used to.

- No.

But it will oblige us to remain very close together.

- Excuse me, sir.

- Just come through with it.

Miss Cleave will tell you all you need

to know about my daughter and much more besides,

I don't doubt.

- Will Mrs. Rackham be joining us?

- I don't think so.

I had hoped this would go without saying,

but it would be best if you could take care of Sophie

in a manner that allows Mrs. Rackham

to go about her general business

without actually seeing Sophie.

- At all?

- Exactly.

She finds the child disturbing.

Letty, not in here.

Not in here.

For heaven's sake, put it in the dressing room

with all the other junk.

I swear, a spaniel takes better instruction.

No, don't push it. You'll break it. Oh.

- This is a preposterous overreaction.

- You will forgive me for this.

[muffled speech]

[echoing music]

- Miss Cleave?

Forgive me, I have kept you.

- Miss Sugar...

eight years I have been in this house.

In that time, I have been both wet and dry nurse

to this child.

- Heavens.

- You will find Sophie in the main a well-meaning thing.

She isn't stupid, but her mind is very

easily jolted off the rails.

At such times, a firm hand is required.

We don't want her going the way of a--

a bedlamite.

- I'll bear that in mind.

- We alternate two sets of sheets.

She wets the bed, you know.

The sheets are not yet dry.

You'll have to come down later.

Now you must be formally introduced to the child.

- Miss Cleave, I believe you have a train to catch.

Please allow me to introduce myself to Sophie.

- Just watch out.

She can be quite the little actress.

She'll twist you around her little finger

if you're not careful.

[ominous music]

- Good morning, Soph--

Forgive me.

You were asleep.

I'm Miss Sugar.

- How do you do, miss?

- I know you are Sophie.

You so closely resemble your father.

Sophie, do you have another room?

A play room, perhaps?

So where do you keep your toys?

You do have toys, don't you?

- I have him.

His name is Twinings.

My grandpa gave him to me.

He was riding a tin elephant with tea inside,

but they took that away.

- He's much too handsome to be shut up in that dusty chest.

- Miss Cleave says I'm not to have a smelly old

doll in my good, clean room.

She says she doesn't like to look at his black face.

- Well, Miss Cleave is gone now.

I should like him to join us for our lessons.

- Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep.

See me safely through the night,

and wake me with the morning light, amen.

- What is it? What's wrong?

- Do you resemble your father, miss?

- That's a very good question, Sophie.

I-I've never thought about it.

- Perhaps you favor your mama.

- Not at all.

Do you favor yours?

- I couldn't say.

I haven't seen her since my birthday.

[ominous music]

- Dear diary, I am gripped by terror.

Dr. Curlew has been called,

and his black bag frightens me.

I have begged Clara not to let him in,

but she prattles that everyone is worried

about the baby, how very late it is,

and that it must come soon.

Whose baby can this be?

I wish William would inform me about whom

he invites to this house.

[knocking]

- Dearest.

I haven't known whether to come and find you.

- No, no, better not.

How are you getting on?

You rue the day you came, don't you?

- Not at all.

- You have a weary look.

Would you like me to hire you a nursery maid?

- No, that's not necessary.

It's true, I haven't slept.

But that's because of this bed.

- It's too small. I knew it.

- I mean, it hasn't been christened.

[moaning]

[laughing]

[moaning]

Do you remember our first time?

- What a disgrace I was then.

- I knew you were a great man in the making.

- Hmm.

Are you really managing all right with Sophie?

- I'm very happy.

But I did wonder, when's her birthday?

- August something.

Why?

- Well, Sophie told me that she hadn't

seen Agnes since her birthday.

- She means since the day she was born.

[melancholy music]

- Good morning, Letty.

[clock ticking]

5Good morning, Sophie.

- I'm sorry, miss.

I'm bad.

- No, Sophie.

No, you're not bad.

Not at all.

Let's get you clean.

- I'm sore down there.

- Well, you've been sleeping in wet sheets for too long.

Did Miss Cleave have a special cream she used on you?

Well, I'll get you some.

[bell ringing]

- I cannot tell you how anxious I have been to see you,

Mrs. Fox.

They say your recent recovery is nothing short of miraculous.

- Miracles are rare, Mrs. Rackham.

I prefer to think I was simply nursed back to health.

- Come now, Henry assured us he had seen you on your deathbed.

- Henry saw me at my very worst, it's true.

And I regret that.

- You've been to the Convent of Health, haven't you?

- No, St. Bartholomew's Hospital.

- Are you seriously asking me to believe that you were

snatched from the jaws of you-know-what by nothing

more than good nursing?

- The convent of which you speak is not known to me.

- If I'm scrupulously honest, Mrs. Fox,

its precise location is a mystery to me.

Luckily, they have provided me with an angel escort

ready for when the time comes.

[mysterious music]

The stretcher on which I lie is lifted

and carried through the sunlit trees

to the gates of the convent.

I hear the train which delivered me hooting and moving

off on its return journey.

She, whom has taken me under her wing,

is waiting at the gates.

I'm carried into the convent, into a warm cell

at its very heart, which glows in colors

from the stained-glass windows.

[eerie music]

- Trust me.

Morning, Sophie.

Sophie, good girl.

- Thank you.

- Hard at work today, Mrs. Rackham.

- Yes, indeed, Clara.

If Bodley and Ashwell, those idiot friends of William's,

can publish books on no more than their opinions

about life, well, why can't I?

- You're writing a book?

- It will be like my diary, but for the public.

A great web of like-minded souls

all waiting on the illuminated thoughts

and preternatural reflections of Agnes Pigott.

That's my real name, you know.

- Sounds fascinating.

- If only I hadn't buried all my old writings.

They'd have been such a valuable research material.

- Well, I'm sure there's plenty more where that came from.

- Yes.

- New books? - I asked your father for them.

Your old ones were out of date.

History is on the move.

You change every day, and so does everything around you.

- Even you?

- Even me.

both: The owl and the pussycat went to sea

in a beautiful pea-green boat.

- They had some honey and plenty of money wrapped

up in a five-pound note.

both: The owl looked up at the stars

above and sang to a small guitar.

- Are you cold at night now the weather's turned?

Would you like another blanket?

- Yes, please.

How did you know?

Did your nurse bring you an extra blanket

when you were a little girl?

- No, but that's how I knew you would like one.

[stirring music]

- Look, there's a wiggly worm in your hand.

[laughter]

- William, we've discussed everyone except you.

- Yeah.

- Your life is becoming quite shrouded in mystery.

I'm so curious.

Did you, for example, ever find a governess for your daughter?

- Yes, I did, thank you.

- Not a rescue girl, I hope.

- What makes you think that?

- Well, Mrs. Fox is striving to convince anyone

with the least servant problem to take

one of her reformed specimens.

She knows better than to approach me.

I had a rescue girl in my kitchen.

Obliged to dismiss her very swiftly.

- Why?

What happened?

- Nothing I could discuss in polite company.

- Am I polite company?

- Oh, William, you are so generous.

[laughing] I feel as if I could discuss any subject with you.

- Yes, he is, isn't he?

- Miss Sugar, I found another one.

- Miss Sugar, how do you do?

- Very well. Thank you, sir.

- A brighter day today. - Yes, yes, it is.

I brought Sophie outside for her lesson.

She's grown so pale.

- A lady can never be too pale.

- But a child needs some air.

I find Sophie such a hardworking little girl.

- How very agreeable for you.

- Very good, Sophie.

Miss Sugar.

- Mr. Rackham, might I have a word with you

later when you have a moment?

- Of course.

- Who is that lady, Sophie?

- I don't know, miss.

I've seen her before.

My father says I was a good girl, miss.

- That's not what he said.

[knock at door]

- You wanted to see me?

- I miss you.

To see you in the garden today

and not be able to touch you was torture.

- Really?

- I feel so dowdy.

All my good clothes are in the trunk.

- You don't need your own get-up to take care of Sophie.

- No, of course not.

But I don't want you to grow bored of me.

- Bored?

Sugar, you saved me.

You can't imagine how much of a stranger I felt

in this house.

Then you arrived, and--

- We have a home here.

- Exactly that.

And I am grateful.

- How grateful?

- Very grateful. But I must go now.

Bodley and Ashwell are launching their new book,

"The Great Social Evil."

- Perhaps later.

- We'll see.

[wind howling]

- [gasps] Who's there?

- Miss Sugar, I'm sorry.

I just--I need to check for Mrs. Rackham.

[shouting]

- Agnes, where are you, dear?

[shouting]

Agnes?

Agnes, Agnes, where are you?

- Mrs. Rackham?

Mrs. Rackham!

- Agnes?

- Mrs. Rackham?

- Agnes?

- [gasps] - [whimpering]

My angel, I knew you'd come.

- Agnes, what have you done?

- Please, I'm ready.

Get me away. - I-I-I can't.

- You're my only hope.

- I will help you.

- When?

- Soon.

- You promise?

You promise?

- Yes, but first I have to let them know you're safe.

- Safe in this house with him?

[sobbing]

- Don't worry, Agnes.

I'm watching you.

I see everything.

Stay still.

Mr. Rackham!

- [sobbing]

- I've been telling you for months,

your wife requires specialist treatment away from this house.

- I'm asking you to help hasten her recovery here

in her own home.

- Nobody blames a man for sending

his wife to hospital if she has a broken leg

or contracts smallpox.

- That is a facetious comparison.

- [sobbing]

- Oh, Rackham, you simply have to rid yourself of this notion

that your wife is a well person who suffers

occasional bouts of illness.

She's a very sick person who occasionally has a good day.

- She's been doing marvelously well.

- No, she hasn't!

And this absurd pantomime has gone too far.

It's high time Agnes admitted to being a mother.

[door opens, closes]

- Yes, I know.

Yes, I know!

- She has me at my wit's end. And why the hell did I ever call Curlew?

- Shh, my love.

- He wants me to condemn my wife to a living hell

because she can't use a spade.

- William, you're beside yourself.

- She'll be no trouble from now on, though.

Oh, no.

Curlew has finally made himself useful in that respect.

- What do you mean?

- She's to be sedated day and night.

- Is that necessary?

- What have I just been telling you?

Day and night, do you understand?

My angel.

[ominous music]

- Jesse Sharpton, just back from Zanzibar,

and Clarence Perry.

- Ah, you grant a regrettable lapse.

I saw it at the Haymarket.

- How I love to be surrounded by dear friends.

- I say, Rackham.

- Lord Watson.

- You've been a busy chap.

Even in the apothecaries in Venice,

I find your face stamped on all the little pots and bottles.

- A miracle of the modern age, sir.

I can be making a fool of myself in Venice and Paris

without ever leaving London.

[laughter]

- Very good, yes, yes.

That's a good one, sir.

- Clara, I'm surprised to see Mrs. Rackham sitting up.

- Clara has decreased my medication

now that I'm in less pain.

- That is not a decision for Clara.

- She was doing as I asked.

I have suffered a most humiliating rebuff.

Cheesman says he's forbidden to take me to church.

- My dear, it's Friday.

- My church.

I need a miracle of healing, William.

- Agnes, Agnes, you cannot walk.

- Cheesman can carry me.

- No, I will not have you become a laughingstock.

- What a cowardly, conventional man you are, William.

- Agnes, you are ill.

I'm trying to take care of you.

- When have you ever taken care of me?

[crying] When?

When?

- Agnes, no, no.

Agnes, Agnes, don't disturb it.

Agnes, stop it!

Agnes!

- My body is turning into raw meat,

and all you care about is what other people think!

- Agnes, for pity's sake! - Mr. Rackham, please.

- Stop it. Stop it.

- You're hurting me.

Go play with someone else.

[woman screaming]

[melancholy music]

[jaunty music]

- Here's one.

- Sophie, how nice it is to see you downstairs.

- Where is your mums?

- She's at home in her house.

- All alone?

- No, she has visitors.

- The next card I make is for her.

- We'll see, Sophie.

- Who were you looking after last Christmas?

- A little boy, Christopher.

- Who's looking after him now?

- I don't know.

- Surely, we should make him a card.

- Merry Christmas, one and all.

Where's Agnes?

- Upstairs, sleeping.

- Oh, doped up.

Better for everybody.

- I don't know about that.

But it does mean that Sophie can join us for the first time.

- Well, will you look at the size of the child.

[laughing]

Now, then, where are the presents?

[laughing]

- Oh, thank you, Sophie.

- Thank you.

- Thank you.

- Oh, Miss Sugar.

- Just a minute, Sophie.

Please, allow me.

- Um, Mr. Rackham, that's very generous.

- Books, miss.

- Yes, Sophie, Shakespeare.

Your father and I share a passion.

- Miss Sophie,

this is a precision instrument

entrusted to me by an explorer I once met.

Look through here.

Let me show you how it works. Take this off.

Look through the window.

Through the window.

- Allow me, Sophie.

Oh.

Open up.

[laughter]

- [snoring]

- Miss? - Hmm?

- Do you think I could be an explorer when I'm older?

- I don't see why not.

- It might not be permitted, a lady explorer.

- These are modern times, Sophie.

Women can do all sorts of things nowadays.

- Perhaps I could explore the places the gentlemen explorers

just don't wish to explore.

- Perhaps you could.

- There's no use anymore waking my mama up, is there, miss?

She has missed everything.

- She's very ill, Sophie.

- I think she'll die soon, and they'll put her in the ground.

- If you like, we can read the book I gave you tomorrow.

- Yes.

Yes, I'd like that.

Good night, Miss Sugar, and God bless.

- You too, Sophie.

[melancholy music]

Christopher?

[chatter]

- Dr. Curlew leans over me.

There was no one to stop him having his way.

He places his hands on my belly.

And the demon inside me lunges in rage and terror

and then tears its way out of me.

Stars burst behind my eyes.

I glimpsed a vile creature only for an instant, naked,

made of blood and slime.

- Soon you'll be in a place where you will get better,

my love.

You do want to be good, don't you, Agnes?

- Be good. Sleepy.

I'm hot.

- Are you hot?

I didn't mean to hurt you that first night.

I was made hasty by urgency.

And I thought if all at once we ran away.

Did you hear that?

- ♪ I think so

♪ Lift me up over

♪ Don't let me fall

- It has been such a long time.

Don't be afraid, dear heart.

I'm going to please you.

You'll let me know if I hurt you, won't you?

I wouldn't hurt you for the world.

- [groaning]

Oh, yes.

[mumbling]

[moaning]

[moaning continues muffled]

- [breathing heavily]

[door opens]

[door closes]

- Help me.

[crying] Help me, please.

[crying]

- Agnes. - Please.

They give me poison.

And they hurt me.

He hurts me.

And his doctor does the same in the same place always.

- The doctor hurts you?

- Pushes inside.

He digs away at me with his sharp beak.

- Agnes, no one is going to hurt you anymore.

- They're going to kill me.

Worms have eaten my diaries.

And no one will know I existed.

- Agnes, your diaries are safe with me.

- [sobbing]

- Let's get you to bed.

- [sobbing]

[birds chirping]

- [gasps] What time is it?

- 7:00, miss.

And Mr. Rackham is asking for you.

- But our suffering in the flesh will someday end.

I have, myself, traveled in my sleep to see the place where we

will pass into our second body, kept safe for us

by the angels of paradise.

- I found it in Agnes's room.

It seems she's writing a novel.

- She tells a good story, doesn't she?

- Are you making a joke? - No, of course not.

- It is madness.

It's complete lunacy.

- She's just consoling her-- - Stop it!

Agnes is to be put away in an asylum.

She leaves tomorrow. Curlew will supervise her treatment.

- But, William.

- She will be meticulously cared for.

The decision has been made.

- Well, in that case, I can't think

what you need to know from me.

- I need to know I'm not a monster.

[crying]

God, forgive me. I can't bear to be here when they come.

I'll stay in my club.

- What if Agnes should resist?

- She will be sedated.

And Curlew will have four strong men with him.

- Four?

- To ensure that it proceeds with dignity.

[doorbell ringing]

Agnes will be cured.

Curlew swears it.

She will come home,

and we shall introduce her to Sophie.

She shall be a mother at last.

[doorbell ringing]

Somebody see the entire house is clean!

[suspenseful music]

[door closes]

- [retching]

[chatter]

- Another whiskey, sir?

- Yes.

- Deary.

Deary.

Poor baby.

- No.

- You, me...

a nice, soft bed to lie down.

- No, no, get away from me.

- You don't mean that.

- Leave me alone!

Leave me alone.

- Oh, deary.

[blows thudding]

- [groaning]

[melancholy music]

- Agnes.

Agnes, wake up.

Drink this.

- Thank you.

- Don't go back to sleep.

[suspenseful music]

- Is it time?

- Do exactly as I say, Agnes.

I'll be watching you. Don't worry.

The right destination will reveal itself to you.

The place you choose will be the right place

because you chose it.

- First reveal.

[retching]

- Miss Sugar.

- I really have no idea where she could have gone.

- I find it very hard to believe that Mrs. Rackham could

have made her way out into the world

without the help of someone.

- It is remarkable what a woman can do

when she sets her mind to it.

- What's left of her mind.

- This will be such a blow for Mr. Rackham.

I do hope Mrs. Rackham returns before he does.

- Indeed.

Mrs. Rackham is an extremely vulnerable individual.

And if someone has helped her,

well, that's tantamount to murder.

- When you arrive at your destination,

walk deep into the countryside.

Ask to be shown to the convent.

[stirring music]

Don't take no for an answer.

Promise.

[eerie music]

- [laughing]

- [groans]

♪