Original subtitles

[dramatic music]

[Henry] No Beatrice, I have already told you.

[Beatrice] Told us yes.

[Henry] It is completely out of the question.

[Beatrice] But you haven't even listened

to what we've been saying.

[Henry] I have listened to more than enough

of your insolence my girl.

[Evie] Please father, she's only trying to explain.

[Henry] You keep out of this Evangeline.

[Evie] But it's my future that you're discussing.

[Henry] And there is nothing more to be said.

[Evie] That's not fair.

[Henry] Did you not hear what I said?

I will decide what is best for you Evangeline

and that is final.

[door slams]

Do you think we should apologise?

No Evie, we have nothing to apologise for.

I've never seen him so angry.

It was a perfectly reasonable request

which anyone but father

would at least have considered.

Perhaps breakfast wasn't the best time

to bring it up.

There is no best time with him Evie.

He should have sent you to school in the first place

instead of finding the cheapest

most ineffectual governors in the country.

But you didn't go to school either.

I had mother.

It's what she would have wanted for you,

I know it is.

If not art school,

somewhere else where you could mix

with other young people.

-Miss Bea, come quick. -What?

The master. He's having some sort of attack.

[sombre music]

There was nothing I could do about it mother.

I'm only his executor.

It was specified in the will.

A private funeral, family only,

no hymns, no flowers.

Typical of Henry.

Penny pinching to the last.

One owes it to other people to make a splash.

What about his patients?

And his medical friends?

I'm sure Beatrice and Evangeline

are relieved that it to be a quiet affair.

Quiet is one thing,

complete silence is another.

When I think of your dear father's funeral.

That was rather different.

Yes. How many funerals get into the Tackler?

That might have had something to do

with the Duke of York being present.

[bells ringing]

[birds chirping]

Thou knowest Lord the secrets of our hearts.

Shut not thy merciful ears to our prayer,

but spare us Lord most holy.

Oh God most mighty,

Oh holy and merciful saviour,

thou most worthy judge eternal.

Suffer us not at our last hour,

for any pains of death to fall from thee,

for as much as it hath pleased almighty God

of his great mercy

to take unto himself

the soul of our dear brother here departed.

We therefore commit his body to the ground.

It's an admirably simple will

drawn up by my partner rather myself.

It seemed only proper,

since I'm a relative

as well as a beneficiary.

He's bequeathed to me his medical library.

Otherwise, the entire estate goes to the two of you.

That is to say the house and its contents

together with all his investments.

I should of course have to go into it all

with the bank and the stockbrokers

before I can tell you the exact amount involved.

We've arranged an appointment at my office

in a week or so,

but I think I can safely say

that it will be a not inconsiderable sum.

In the meantime,

I've made an arrangement with the bank

to open a temporary account

with overdraft facilities.

You mean we'll be able to draw out money?

You'll be young ladies of means.

[dramatic music]

[Beatrice chuckles softly]

[dramatic music]

[Beatrice sighs]

[dramatic music]

[Evie crying]

[dramatic music]

[Evie crying]

[dramatic music]

Evie. Oh little one.

[Evie sobbing]

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you.

But I wasn't asleep.

I know he could be strict on me.

He could be awful,

but I think he meant for the best.

In spite of everything, I did love him.

I know.

Here.

[Evie sniffling]

-I feel so guilty too. -You?

It was me you were quarrelling about.

But it could have happened any time,

the doctor said so.

But what happens,

it wouldn't happen so soon.

No Evie, I refuse to feel guilty

and neither must you.

If he had been a reasonable man,

we could have discussed it calmly.

I was damned if I was going to stand by

and watch you waste away your youth

as I've wasted mine.

-Looking after me? -Nonsense!

If I hadn't been born,

mother might still be alive

and you wouldn't have been stuck with me.

No Evie, you must never think that.

Having you has been the one thing

that's made it all worthwhile.

[dramatic music]

I can't wait to get these beasley books out of the house.

Arthur, he's welcome to look.

Do you remember that time that I pinched one

and learned all the section on male anatomy by heart?

I remember Ms. Pilkington's face

when she found your drawings.

Well, made a change from bowls of fruit.

[Beatrice chuckles]

Isn't it odd?

I know all there is to know

about a man's anatomy,

and absolutely nothing about men.

Oh, you still have time to learn.

You're not an old maid like your sister.

30 is not that old Bea.

It is when half the single men

have been wiped out.

The rest can have the pickings.

Was there ever anyone?

There might have been.

Father soon saw him off.

Afraid he'd lose his unpaid housekeeper.

Was it Philip White?

I thought so.

I remember him coming around when we were little.

He played snakes and ladders with us.

I've always hated this room.

Me too. I used to dread being summoned here by father.

It's so dark and drab.

We'll get rid of all this old furniture

and redecorate it ourselves.

Yes, like we did our room.

I'll think of some ideas.

Something light and sunny,

and we'll have electricity installed.

That'll please Molly.

And we'll engage another maid as well.

It's far too much for one.

Especially now, we'll be going out more.

I still can't believe we're going to be free

to do as we wish.

We'll do all the things mother would have wanted us to.

Travel, theatres, galleries.

-Art school? -Of course!

And a social life that extends a little further

than aunt Lydia and Arthur.

[Evie chuckles]

It seems awful planning our future like this.

Father was only just..

At least now we have a future to plan.

[soft music]

Will we truly be able to go to Paris?

If Nancy Cunard can,

why shouldn't we?

We'll take a room in the Latin quarter.

Hobnob with poets and jazz musicians.

Drink wine and cognac,

and black coffee.

And smoke Russian cigarettes.

And wear African bangles.

And while we're about it,

we're calling on madam Chanel

at the rue Cambon.

Could you give us a few tips

on dressmaking please?

[Beatrice chuckles]

It's not just a game anymore, is it?

We'll actually be able to do these things.

We certainly will.

Tomorrow, we'll go to the bank.

Thank you very much.

[dramatic music]

[upbeat music]

[Beatrice and Evie chuckle]

[upbeat music]

Look at that cake.

Mother once took me here,

on my tenth birthday.

We'd been to the national gallery.

You had tea at Gunter's?

Father didn't know of course.

He thought we were going to the dentist.

I shall take you there,

after we've seen Arthur.

It shall be our celebration.

I'm sorry to be the harbinger of such news,

and to have raised your hopes falsefully.

Suffice it to say

that it came as much of a shock

to me and to your aunt as it has to you.

I don't understand.

Surely there must..

Let me put it in layman's terms Evangeline.

Perfectly simple Evie.

Father has left us nothing but the house

and a stack of bills.

I didn't quite say that Beatrice.

There are a few hundred pounds in his deposit account.

Okay? If we invest it,

that should give you each

an annual income, say 40 pounds.

But there must have been more.

Father was a successful doctor.

Not alas, a successful businessman.

It seems he took bad advice.

Speculated on high risk stocks

and with the market so uncertain.

I find that extremely difficult to believe.

Father was neither a gambler nor a fool.

Perhaps you didn't know your father

as well as you thought Beatrice.

[phone ringing]

The bank account I opened for you

will now of course have to be closed.

But what are we going to do?

How will we manage?

It would be unwise to make any decisions

until the dust has settled.

The situation is obviously grave,

but rest assured Evangeline,

as your only male relative

and as your legal guardian.

What did you say?

My guardian?

Oh didn't I expect.

Your fathers will entrusts you to my care

until you come of age.

What about Bea?

She's my closest relative

and she's always looked after me.

On the domestic front yes,

and an excellent job she's made of it

but when it comes to the more crucial matters of life.

I was not deemed good enough?

Experienced enough.

A young woman like Evangeline needs a man

to protect her interests.

As father protected them?

[car engine roaring]

All the time he must have known

and he didn't even warn us.

Perhaps he didn't realise

how much of the money had gone,

or perhaps he was just too ashamed to tell us.

[Beatrice scoffs]

[man playing harmonica]

Oh, for heavens sake Evie.

We can't afford to throw away money now.

I'm sorry, I didn't think.

Oh to hell! Come on.

We'll have our tea at Gunter's.

If we want to look so rich.

Perhaps we should ask the waitress

to put our tea onto one of their bills.

I don't suppose they'd notice.

Are you sure we have enough Bea?

Provided we don't have another of these

and we walk home.

I still can't take it in.

What will it actually mean?

We promised not to talk about it, not now.

Evie, look at that woman who's just come in.

[Beatrice chuckles]

The one with that hat like a chamber pot?

[Beatrice] No, a friend who looks like a cottage loaf.

She can't help the way she's shaped.

Or she doesn't have to accentuate it like that,

but if she wore something less fitted with simple lines,

I think she'd look so much better.

I see what you mean.

Yes, but perhaps with a little..

To give it panache.

Brilliant. Should we send it over to her?

With compliments of the Eliott sisters.

Order is welcome.

Wouldn't it be marvellous?

I suppose there's no point in dreaming any more.

You obviously have to help them.

You mean give them money?

They are my cousins mother.

Cousins once removed.

Perhaps a small allowance?

No Arthur.

Start along that path,

there's no knowing where it might end.

I suppose if the worst comes to the worst,

they may have to sell the house.

I doubt we'd find a buyer.

It is a bit of a white elephant.

There is awkward size, unfashionable area.

And without electricity.

I did try to persuade uncle Henry

to have it installed.

At least that would have been a safe investment.

Of course Evangeline will marry.

She's young and pretty.

And malleable.

But as for Beatrice..

Not a hope.

Apart from everything else,

she has such a disconcerting manner.

She had to grow up too quickly.

She was always unstable,

even as a small child.

She threw one of my lead soldiers out of the window.

Surely you don't hold that against her still?

It spoiled my collection.

Mind you, she did keep house

for her father most efficiently.

Anyone who could manage

on what he gave her must score some points.

I have it! Of course!

Why didn't I think of it before?

Paying guests?

Handpicked by aunt Lydia of course.

She even had some suitable people in mind.

Some frightful old memsaab's from Singapore.

What on earth did you say to her?

I told her that even without money

we fully intended

to make some sort of life for ourselves,

and that having skivvies for paying guests

would be unlikely to contribute much to that life.

A very lady Astor.

I also told her we fully intended to look for work

and that was when Arthur came to the telephone

and started to pontificate about..

What's the matter?

This is cashmere.

Cashmere?

You're right.

I didn't know father owned anything like this.

Nor did I.

It must have cost the earth.

Where did you find it?

In the dressing room cupboard,

with this suitcase.

Oh Bea, beautiful.

They're silk, all of them. Feel.

So all his money didn't go on high risk stocks?

Where do you suppose he wore them?

On his trips to Bournemouth I suppose.

No wonder he never let me pack for him.

They were just stuffy old medical conferences.

Not as stuffy as all that.

He obviously found some time for pleasure.

Imagine father in these.

He must have looked quite a dandy.

So much for his lectures on thrift.

I like to think of him

having a good time every now and then.

I wouldn't grudge on that Evie

if he'd ever given us

anything to spend on clothes,

instead of forcing us to make everything

out of cheap remnants and improvised tat.

Oh, but it was such fun making them, wasn't it?

Yes Evie, but that is not the point.

May we keep these,

and the dress shirts?

We could do something with them.

Needn't it all go to charity, need it?

No! From now on charity begins at home.

Molly, I think it is time we had to talk.

Is it about my wages?

Or lack of them.

You are aware of the situation father has left us in.

Dirty shame I call it.

Evangeline and I fully intend

to look for work ourselves.

I hope it won't be too long

before we find something.

In the meantime,

we will pay you as much as we can.

Don't you worry Ms. Bea,

I've been thinking.

Perhaps I could take him washing

then you won't have to pay me nothing

till you've got yourselves fixed up.

Thank you.

Excuse me, could you please tell us

which of these papers

have advertisements for jobs?

Chauffeur, chauffeur, foot man, chauffeur.

A lot of people must be buying cars.

Secretary, lawyer's office.

Oh no, male.

Secretary, female. Shorthand and typing essential.

That's no good.

Plenty of nannies

but they all insist on experience.

Well, you've gained plenty of experience

looking after me.

Oh, I doubt your recommendation would count.

Besides, one would have to live in.

There isn't much work at all these days.

Now the men are back,

it's mostly for them,

or for people with qualifications

like assistant to laboratory technician.

Our education wasn't quite up to that.

Or translator for firm of publishers.

French, Spanish, all that.

He equipped us for nothing,

nothing at all.

Bea, don't worry.

We'll find something.

We'll have to, and soon

The tradesmen won't let us

have things on tick indefinitely.

Manicurist required for gentleman's barbershop.

Perhaps I could do that.

Evie, can you see Aunt Lydia's face?

There it is.

Frank's sister Pearl spotted it.

The one who works at Marshall and Snelgrove.

The Danieli Academy requires young ladies

as dancing partners.

You could do that Miss Evie.

Do you think so?

You're young and a lady.

Well, since they only take

a very superior type of person at Danieli's.

But I've only ever danced with Bea.

It's just the same with a real man

except there's less to get in the way.

And that was only the wolksan polka.

They're expected to know

all the latest dances wouldn't they?

The fox trot.

Oh yeah, and the jog trot and the twinkle.

I've never even heard of those.

Don't you worry,

I can teach you.

Frank and me are demons.

On loan from Pearl.

The Original Dixieland Jass Band.

Head up miss Evie.

That's it, you've got it.

Haven't I.

Now we do this next bit we practised.

Do you remember?

Come on, show me.

Watch.

[soft music]

-Do you remember now? -Yes.

Come on then, we'll do it together.

Go!

Now come on Ms. Evie, hand up,

-and head round. -[Evie] Now?

And kick, and again.

[soft music]

[Molly screams in delight]

[Evie] It won't be like this with a a man though, will it?

If he's not cranky, he'll have no problems.

[Molly screams in delight]

See, it's quite good fun

when you get a hang of it.

There, you picked it up in no time.

You're a natural born Pueblo here.

Well, I don't know about that

but it might be worth going to see Mr. Danieli.

Don't tell Bea though.

If I do get the job,

I want it to come as a complete surprise.

What sort of job is it?

Tailor made. You remember the Spenser Ewell's?

No, why should you?

General Spenser Ewell was a patient of your uncle Richards.

Arthur and I dined with them the other evening,

and the general mentioned in passing

that his elderly mother

who lives in Belgravia

is looking for a day companion.

Someone reliable and from a sound background.

I said it once.

I know the very person.

[soft music]

In,

[music drowns out speaker]

and away.

In!

[soft music]

And back.

[soft music]

In, in, in.

[upbeat music]

Bea, our troubles are over,

I found a job.

Where?

At Danieli's dancing academy.

Where?

At Danieli's dancing academy.

Doing what?

Dancing. I was chosen from five other girls

and I had to do the tango.

Well, say something.

Aren't you pleased?

Well yes, but it isn't up to me, is it?

Absolutely out of the question Evangeline.

What sort of reputation do you think we'd get?

A dancing partner at Danieli's?

But it's a very respectable dancing academy.

There is no such thing.

Some utter cuds use those places.

What on earth are you thinking of?

Of earning some money.

Mind you, it's Beatrice I blame.

It wasn't Bea's fault.

She didn't even know I was going for the interview.

I wanted to surprise her.

It is just as well

that uncle Henry made you my wort.

The world is full of dangers

for pretty young creatures like you.

I can see that I'm going to have to keep

a very strict eye on you.

So no more of this nonsense about Danieli's please.

I told Mr. Danieli

I would be starting on Monday.

I will have my clerk draw up a letter informing him

that you will not after all be available.

You will make no further contact

with the place yourself.

Is that understood?

I have no choice, have I?

How are you getting home?

By bus.

I take it Beatrice will be meeting you.

No, she's gone to see Mrs. Spenser Ewell.

Oh yes.

Well, then you'd better take a taxi cab.

We can't have you travelling alone

in public transport, can we?

And before you get into the taxi,

be absolutely certain to check

that it has a door handle on the inside

as well as the outside.

Some I'm told have not.

White slave traffic.

[soft music]

Yes madam?

I'm Beatrice Eliott.

I have an appointment with Mrs. Spenser Ewell.

Will you please come in?

Thank you.

Am I supposed to know you?

No, I..

Good. You can never be sure these days.

I have come about the post of day companion.

Oh yes.

Your son the general

is a friend of my aunt's.

Elgie interfering again.

He thinks I'm going batty.

Well, sit down.

Let me have a look at you.

Well, at least you're a sensible age.

Won't be making cow's eyes for foot men.

[soft music]

It's all right,

don't you worry.

Can I help?

Oh yes please miss.

If we could just get her home.

[lady groans]

It was my aunt, lady Lydia Eliott

who recommended me to your son.

Lydia? Oh yes I remember her.

Pretty little creature

but below the pale.

Wasn't her father in trade?

I have never heard anything about aunt Lydia's parents.

I'm not surprised.

Still, a dash of yeoman blood

never harmed any family.

You have good bones.

Thank you.

Like a sit tall girl.

Extraordinary looking creature.

We're nearly home.

It's ever so good of you miss.

I'm just glad I was there to help.

I told her she shouldn't go out.

She only had the baby four days ago.

Charlie! My mum must take a bath.

Go and fetch Millie.

I'm all right.

Miss Maddox, miss Maddox!

Hey, what's going on? Mrs Watkins!

I'm all right, all right.

She's just collapsed in the street.

Oh, poor old thing.

I said they should never have allowed

her out of the hospital.

It's a disgrace.

I shall take you there.

This lady here helped us back.

Hello. Penelope Maddox from the local mission.

That's right Tilly,

let's get her inside.

I bought some milk and provisions,

and there are some baby cribs in my basket.

Would you do mind getting them?

Come on. Let's get her out of the wheelchair.

Are you good at reading aloud Ms. Erkut?

Eliott.

That is what I said.

I used to read to my sister when she was small.

Not how I imagined Ethel M. Dell.

No. What would my other duties be

Mrs. Spenser Ewell?

Duties? Helping me through this maze

my mind has become,

picking up objects when I drop them,

pushing me about in my bath chair

when the weather allows it,

putting up with my continual complaints.

If you can do all that,

the job is yours.

[soft music]

But if I were you,

I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole.

[dramatic music]

Need the money I suppose?

Yes.

Well, think it over.

Let me know by the end of the week,

[bell rings]

and do not say yes

unless you are prepared to see me out.

I hadn't realised people live like that.

Thousands of them.

The slum clearance will take to kingdom come.

All those children?

She's had two in the last 18 months,

as well as a miscarriage.

War was a rest cure for women like her.

Seems so dreadful when they can't afford

to feed or clothe them.

Maury is right of course.

Birth control is the only answer.

He's hoping to open a clinic next year.

Well, that's if the god bothering bigots

don't clap her in irons first.

The name Marie Stopes is like a red rag to them.

Do you know Marie Stopes?

She's an old family friend.

My parents met her in Japan studying fossils.

Have you read her book Married Love?

No.

Well, don't you dare get spiced until you have.

I'll lend it to you if you like.

Sorry, what did you say her name was?

Penelope Maddox.

She works for a mission that helps poor people,

and she campaigned for those four women,

and she knows Marie Stopes,

and Lady Wonder and Sidney Webb,

and she's coming to tea tomorrow.

Well, you said we needed a social circle.

Say, cracks of the Nat ridge

are on your outfit.

Well, as a matter of fact,

I have been offered a post.

As day companion to some aided invalid.

Well, you mustn't do that.

That's what I said.

Well, if anyone has any better suggestions,

beggars can't be choosers.

Oh I'm sorry.

I know decent jobs aren't easily come by.

Especially when you've had no education.

And have a guardian like Arthur.

Of course I can afford to do the work

I want to unpaid.

One tends to take it for granted sometimes,

but there must be something for you Beatrice.

You don't mind if I call you Beatrice?

What can you do?

Not much.

Well nonsense! You must be able to do heaps of things.

She's a marvellous dressmaker.

Well, what did you do in the war?

Were you a nurse?

You're a doctor's daughter.

I did nothing.

Of course you did Bea.

She looked after father and me,

and helped run the house.

And knitted about a million balaclava's.

Oh well, the boys are damn glad of them,

I can tell you.

It was freezing out there at the front.

Were you out there Penelope?

For a while.

[Evie] What did you do?

I drove an ambulance.

How exciting!

Oh, was it dreadful?

Both. Have you read those new poems

-by Wilfred Owen? -No.

Well you must.

They ought to be compulsory reading.

We must never let another war happen.

We don't have money to spend on books.

Well, never mind.

I'll lend it to you if you like

along with the Marie Stopes one

and anything else you want to borrow,

and I'll keep a lookout for jobs too.

Thank you.

[Penelope] What are friends for?

-Bye! -See you again soon.

[soft music]

Bea, I'm just going to bed now so..

What are you doing?

Trying to work out how much these will fetch.

But Bea, that's moms jewellery.

You can't sell those.

The tradesmen won't wait forever Evie.

Even if I take the job at Mrs. Spenser Ewell's,

I won't be paid at once.

Bea, I know how much you treasure these.

We can't afford to be sentimental.

This is gold.

It should fetch a few pounds.

It's beautiful. Did father give it to her?

Father? When did he ever give her anything worth having?

Grandfather gave it to her on her 17th birthday.

You cannot sell that Bea.

Have you any better ideas?

Well, Penelope may come up with something.

Wouldn't rely on it.

Besides we need the money now.

Tomorrow I have to do the rounds

and I must pay something on account.

I'm sure if you asked the tradesmen

they would understand.

[Beatrice] No Evie, not again.

I cannot ask for any more favours.

It's too humiliating.

I can't tell you how grateful I am Mr Cooper.

I assure you the rest will be paid

by the end of the month.

-Thank you. -[Mr Cooper speaks softly]

[soft music]

Penelope.

Oh hello there.

I brought you those books I promised.

Oh, marvellous!

Oh, and I think I may have found you a job too.

My brother Jack, photographer.

Jack Maddox is your brother?

The one who takes society photographs?

He's good with the old biddies

but he is totally disorganised.

What will I have to do?

General dog's body and put up with his moods.

Moods?

Well, he's an only son. Spoiled rotten.

Love him dearly though,

and you'll have to meet him of course.

See if you pass masters.

So tomorrow morning, 11 o'clock.

There's the address.

Thank you.

Wouldn't it be marvellous if I got this job?

We could pay off the tradesmen

and you could say no thank you

to Mrs. Spencer Ewell.

Now let's not jump the gun Evie.

Even if you do get the job,

you still need Arthur's permission.

He can't not approve.

Jack Maddox has had photographs in The Creed.

-Number 24 did you say? -Yes.

This must be it.

[soft music]

[bells jingle]

Come on through.

Mr. Maddox?

Morning.

Who the devil are you?

Our name is Eliott.

Penelope arranged an appointment for my sister.

Evangeline Eliott.

You're splendidly alliterative,

and you're here to chaperone her of course.

Very wise too.

Far too delectable.

Do we let loose on our own? Champagne?

No, thank you.

Suit yourself. Sit down.

So, you're chums of Penelope's?

She thinks I need a factotum

and was organising people of Perm.

Starving hoards, wayward brothers.

So tell me what can you do

Miss Evangeline Eliott?

Well I'm..

She used to help our father in the reception.

By our father,

I take it you do not mean the deity?

No, he was a doctor.

So you could make appointments reliably?

I think so.

-Think or know? -Know.

Can you type?

With two fingers.

She has extremely neat handwriting.

Confident on the telephone?

Yes she is.

Can you tell me about cameras?

I'm afraid not.

A few people do.

Are you any good at telling lies?

Well, I've not really had much practise.

My sister was not brought up to tell lies Mr Maddox.

Pity. The ability to lie is essential to the job.

Let me show you.

You see the women who come to me

to have their portrait taken

are of a certain age.

This is how they look

and this is how they would like to look.

I perform a miracle.

I've become very successful

and made a lot of women happy

with a few lies.

As my receptionist,

you'll have to back up these lies.

So they'll ask you,

is it a true likeness?

And you will have to convince them that it is

without so much as murmuring the word retouch.

Well, that would only count as white lies surely?

That's driven snow,

so for summer.

On the plus side,

you can type with two fingers,

you can make appointments onto the telephone

and on the minus side,

you'd drive away all my old trouts

and I'd be bankrupt within a year.

How much too young and much too pretty

for the job Evangeline.

You'd do that?

You must be mad Bea.

I would have given anything for that job.

Nothing on earth.

Wouldn't you think to work

for that odious man?

I liked him.

That was obvious.

I suppose it's because he's related to Penelope.

You don't like her either, do you?

[Beatrice speaks softly]

Well, if you'd rather work for Mrs. Spenser Ewell.

At least I shall know where I am with her.

But don't you see?

That's the wonderful thing about Jack Maddox.

Working for him will never, ever be dull.

Molly, can you remember when you first met Frank?

Oh sure do.

It's was only three months ago.

-Did you lose your appetite? -No.

-Did you lie awake at night? -No.

Go jelly kneed whenever you thought of him?

[Molly] Glory no!

Isn't that what falling in love is like?

Sounds more like the flu to me.

Anyway, me and Frank

weren't never what you called love birds.

With 2 million surplus women or girls,

lucky if she can nab a man at all.

Love is for those that can afford it.

[opera singing]

Who do we know with a son that's going a-begging?

For Evangeline.

Now that Beatrice has a position,

we must think about her sister.

I suppose it'll have to be a younger son.

What about Dick Hintlesham's brother?

Poor chap is a nervous wreck. Shell shock.

A soothing young wife may be just what he needs.

You see life in such simplistic terms mother.

Marriage solves everything.

The right marriage,

and that reminds me Arthur,

the Winthrops are back from Biarritz.

Oh mother.

I know Agatha is no oil painting

but she's so well connected.

You make her sound like an electric lamp.

She has certainly taken a shine to you.

[Lydia chuckles]

When I decide to marry,

I shall make my own choice.

That is what I'm afraid of.

As father did?

And he couldn't have made a better choice, could he?

[soft music]

All the same,

one does not climb the social ladder

in order to slide down it again.

I hear the Pettinger girl has turned up quite well.

Perhaps we should invite her to the theatre.

Mother, would you please confine

your matchmaking talents elsewhere.

If only there wasn't such a shortage of men.

The war has a lot to answer for

and it isn't as if poor Evangeline had any social graces.

When did Henry ever entertain?

Not at home certainly.

[birds chirping]

[soft music]

Arthur, this is Beatrice.

I would like to make an appointment to come and see you.

As soon as possible.

A family matter.

[soft music]

Oh Beatrice, sorry to keep you.

I can spare you 15 minutes.

How can I help?

By telling me the truth about father's money.

I'm sorry?

I don't believe he lost it all

through careless investments.

I'm not sure what you're suggesting.

I think you've been covering up for him.

Was there a woman?

Have you quite taken leave of your senses?

Uncle Henry was a pillar of society.

What on earth makes you suggest such a thing?

A cupboard full of expensive clothes,

a lace handkerchief.

Please tell me.

I have a right to know.

I'd hoped that you and Evangeline,

you'd never find out.

Evangeline need not

which is why I'm here on my own.

Or mother, it would kill her.

Then he did have a mistress.

There were a series of,

shall we say liaisons going back over many years

since you were a small child.

What?

They were all of course ladies of a certain standard.

Did you mean he was whoring

while mother was still alive?

Fortunately he was discreet.

Dirty lying hypocrite.

Beatrice please.

Wasn't it enough that he killed her?

No, come on..

Yes he did forcing her to go on trying

for a son year after year

when he knew it wasn't safe.

Keep your voice down,

people will hear.

Good, I want them to hear.

To hear how the upright Dr. Eliott betrayed mother

and ruined my life as well.

For God sakes!

How he make me work

as an unpaid housekeeper, a nanny

because he was too mean to pay anybody else.

Pull yourself together.

How he deprived me of a decent education

and the only hope I ever had of marriage.

How he stopped Evie and I doing all the things

that make life worthwhile,

and all the time he was out fornicating

with a string of whores.

Beatrice!

It's only natural

that you should feel a little bitter.

A little bitter?

But you must try to be sensible.

Put all that behind you now

and look to the future.

We have the offer of an excellent post.

Waiting on Mrs. Spenser Ewell

till the last remnant of my youth is gone?

If there was doubt,

you would be offered a better post.

Well as matter of fact I have,

with the photographer Jack Maddox,

and what's more, I intend to take it.

[dramatic music]