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BEA: Hello.

Thought you'd have

gone to bed by now.

EVIE: I'm not tired,

I was waiting for you.

BEA: I'm sorry

if it's late.

EVIE:

How was your evening?

[Bea sighs]

Interesting.

EVIE: In what way?

BEA: Well...

I had a sort of

proposal.

Piggy?

He wants me to share lodgings

with him in Birmingham.

What?

He's broke, you see.

Flat broke.

Poor Piggy.

All his shares, everything,

just gone.

Oh, that's dreadful.

How?

Bad investments.

He's taken it

very well.

Now he's going to do what he

really wants, to be an actor.

He's got a job at the Birmingham

Repertory Theater.

And he wants you

to go with him.

Dear Piggy...

Can you imagine it,

living in sin,

me as a wardrobe mistress

while he carries a spear?

[Chuckles]

If it wasn't so serious

it would be funny.

Bea.

Mm.

I had a sort of proposal

tonight, myself, as well.

- What?

- An unexpected visitor.

Arthur.

He expected us both to be in,

and when he realized you --

He proposed to you?

He said his life was...empty.

He was unhappy.

I don't believe this.

He was so creeping.

Bea, it was horrible.

Evie...

You can imagine

how I felt.

He's gone too far

this time.

I'm going to phone Aunt Lydia

first thing in the morning.

Why?

'Cause I think she should know

what her son,

your legal guardian,

has done.

Why didn't you tell me?!

It's my own business,

mother.

Marriage to Evangeline?

Have you taken leave

of your senses?

- Have you taken leave of yours?

- What?!

Ever since I came back

from the war,

you've done nothing but

badger me to get married.

You tried to pair me off with

every suitable girl in town.

- The whole thing's

become a joke.

- Arthur!

When it comes to marriage,

I want to choose for myself.

- Is that clear?

- And you chose

Evangeline Eliott?

A girl without a penny to her

name and no place in society?

Mother, there's been a war!

Things have changed.

You will not dictate

to me anymore.

I'll thank you not to refer to

this again, ever.

I'm going to work.

Beatrice has humiliated me

because of your impropriety!

Apart from the stupidity of it,

didn't it cross your mind

that you're Evangeline's

legal guardian

until she's of age?

A solicitor, of all people!

Popping the question

to his ward?

- Oh, Evie, what do you think?

- It looks great.

Come to invite you

to the movies tonight.

That includes you, Tilly.

Oh, I'm not sure, sir.

They give me 'eadache

and hurt my eyes, they do,

all that flickering.

It's very kind of you, Jack,

but we aren't in the mood.

Head down and racing for

a brick wall.

Ouch!

What's the matter?

We're running out of cash,

just at the time

we need more capital

for equipment

and for staff.

What happened to that nice, big

check that Piggy promised you?

Can't have gone back on

his work, surely.

No...

He's now not in a position

to offer us anything.

- He's been let down very badly.

- How?

Oh, Jack, it's a long story,

but he's been left with nothing.

Nothing?

What do you mean?

Bad investments.

We're quite worried, Jack.

I'm not surprised.

[Sighs]

Poor chap.

Situation's pretty serious

for you, too, isn't it?

Mm, I'm afraid it is, yes.

Good Lord.

I suppose my investment

has been swallowed-up already?

Jack, it was

a wonderful start.

We just need more

to keep us on our feet.

- BEA: We want to pay you back.

- EVIE: She's had a brainwave.

It is not a brainwave,

it's a pretty dreary idea.

I have to go --

Evie will explain all.

Goodbye.

Wish me luck.

Good luck.

I'm so pleased that you wrote

to me after all this time.

And how fine

you're looking.

Reading between the lines,

as you must have wanted me to,

I assume you and Evangeline

understand why

I broke off my friendship

with your father?

You discovered he was

a habitual adulterer.

And a liar.

A miser and a tyrant.

To Evie and me,

at least.

That must have been

very hard for you both,

having to come to terms

with that knowledge.

I stood as Evangeline's

godfather.

How did Henry explain why,

quite suddenly,

I was no longer

a visitor at your home?

He told us you'd been

posted abroad.

But every year on her birthday

and at Christmas,

there were

your gifts for Evie,

posted from

somewhere in London.

I used to be

quite jealous sometimes.

[Laughs]

I don't believe that,

not for one moment.

Now, as to the, uh,

matter in hand...

Your kind of business,

however praiseworthy,

is on too small a scale to

interest my colleagues here.

This is a matter for

the High Street banks.

I have tried

the High Street banks.

And they turned you down?

Well, they turned you down

because your proposals

are inadequate.

Poor in accounting skills

and inspire no confidence

in a would-be investor.

You are asking men

to lend you money

with which to build

a hazy personal dream.

Now, what interest does

a hazy personal dream pay?

If I were a man, would you

talk to me like this?

Would you be so dismissive?

Certainly, I would.

Far more men come to me

with impossible projects

than do women.

But why is it impossible?

Largely because you have

no guarantor.

No one prepared to

foot the bill

if you and Evangeline

go under.

Why should we go under?

Because you're aiming at

underfunding from the start.

I won't take up

any more of your time.

Beatrice, I know this much,

you've got courage and the

conviction of you abilities,

and Evangeline's.

But we're two

empty headed girls

trying to make our way

in a world of men.

I'm sorry if I gave you

that impression -- truly sorry.

Beatrice?

Bear this in mind...

Arthur Eliott has the reputation

in this city

of being a sound man.

Persuade Mr. Eliott

to stand as your guarantor,

and I promise

I will state your case,

as a personal gesture,

to my board members.

Agreed?

Agreed.

Part as friends?

I want you to succeed.

What I don't want to see

is you nose-diving

into bankruptcy.

There's too much

of that about already.

- Goodbye.

Beatrice?

I would like to step in again as

Evangeline's godfather...

and in a more personal way.

May I call on her sometime?

Quite soon?

Yes, of course.

A little higher, don't you

think, Miss Eliott?

Lady Colfax

won't have her hemline

an inch lower,

your ladyship.

Oh, dressmake for

Sybil Colfax, do you?

Yes.

Well, then, my dear,

you are on the up and up.

Only a trim ankle

and a good calf

could withstand

this blast of fashion.

The hemline will do nicely --

have it completed

and sent round to me

at Southampton Square.

Of course, your ladyship.

Good, good...

Good, good.

[Sighs]

Such charm these...

small business have.

TILLY: We think

nothing else but of

your ladyship's pleasure,

Lady Finehurst.

Such loyalty.

Such nimble fingers.

Good day.

- EVIE: Good day.

- [Tilly mouthing words]

EVIE: Thank you,

Lady Finehurst.

Bye-bye.

[Both laughing]

Spod cash, Tilly.

Save it for

a rainy day.

Bea, you've got to

make up your mind.

I know, I know, I know.

Well, whatever you decide,

I'm with you.

Hmm, you'll be rather more

with me if I talk to Arthur.

Believe me, I can think of

nothing worse!

But that man is our last hope.

And if he stands as

our guarantor,

Sir Desmond will help us.

Yes! We have everything to lose

by not approaching him.

Do it now -- make an appointment

to see him.

No, he's far too sure

of himself

when he's standing

behind his desk.

This calls for

the personal approach.

And now, before I go off

the whole idea.

Miss Beatrice Eliott.

Beatrice! Unexpected pleasure.

Please, sit down.

Drink?

There is nothing personal

about this visit, Arthur.

It's strictly business.

Business? Then why not

an appointment at my office?

Unless you summon us

to your office,

you were always

too busy to see us.

Well...

What is it you want to discuss?

We need help.

We need a guarantor...

You.

Then Sir Desmond Gillespie

thinks he could

raise enough money to

set our enterprise going.

Gillespie? You don't mean to

tell me you've approached him?

Why not? He's Evie's godfather,

isn't he?

Gillespie-Saroyan deal with

national and international

accounts,

not with parlor dressmaking.

He felt sure that

as Evie's guardian

you'd be prepared to act as

our guarantor.

And that, when you did --

Gillespie said that?

And that when you did,

he would certainly offer

our proposition

to his board.

No. No, Beatrice, that bird

won't fly, I'm sorry.

Are you turning me down

because Evie turned you down?

Personalities don't enter into

a business proposition --

you made that clear

when you arrived.

No, you came here to ask me

to stand as guarantor.

But I can't.

Not for a project I truly

believe to be doomed

from the word go.

[Recaps decanter]

Evie told me I was wasting

my time coming to see you.

And she was right.

Just as she was right

to turn you down.

You are a man of straw, Arthur.

And if you didn't

irritate me so much,

I might even

feel sorry for you.

[Score playing,

woman laughs]

I'm glad Arthur

wouldn't help us.

It's bad enough

him being my guardian,

if he had that extra

control over us,

he'd drive us mad

in a month.

Well, there's always

the silver lining, eh?

[Woman chuckling]

What do you think?

It isn't that bad,

is it?

Take all the blame myself --

written, produced, directed

by yours truly.

I'm sorry, Jack,

it's very good.

[Woman laughing]

We're just a bit preoccupied

at the moment.

So, no luck with

the extra funding then?

What are you

going to do?

I don't know, but this

isn't going to stop us.

Whatever we have to do,

we're not going to give up now.

The way I see it,

you've nothing to sell,

you've nothing to pawn,

so what you need is a check

that will be honored to tide you

over till business picks up.

What do you think

we've been looking for,

day after day --

EVIE: After day, after day.

This double act

must stop now.

Now, look, what I'm

going to do is...

What I'm going to do is to

double my investment

in Eliott and Eliott.

No, Jack, you've done

far too much already.

What better cause

could there be?

- I don't believe it.

- Cross my heart.

BEA: Well, with an investment

like that,

then we have to do something

positive for you.

EVIE: We'll pay you back

as soon as we can, Jack.

BEA: No, Evie, I know, let's

make him a director of the firm!

Uh, film director, yes.

Firm director, no.

Could you see me

at a board meeting?

BEA: Well, Jack,

it's either that

or we shan't accept your

more than generous offer.

I see. Well, in that case,

what option does a man have?

[Applause]

Run it again.

ARTHUR: Dear Sir,

Further to your claims

to a substantial annuity

of the estate

of the late Dr. Henry Eliott,

please be kind enough to attend

at these offices

where we may discuss these

claims and other matters

both fully

and confidentially.

And so, your obedient servant,

Arthur Eliott, solicitor.

Am I to understand

that you formally renounce

any earlier claims you made to

the effect that you are

Dr. Eliott's natural son?

Yes, I...

I was misled by my mother.

Anyway, that's all

cleared up now.

Your recent correspondence

suggests otherwise, sir.

For almost 25 years,

Henry Eliott maintained my

mother as if she were his wife.

Bought her a house,

paid all her bills,

gave her an allowance.

Put me through prep school,

rugby at Cambridge...

Spent almost

as much time with her

as he did as his...

At his legal home.

In return, she gave him

everything a wife could give.

Love, devotion, the closest

interest in all his doings.

I believe that

to be so, yes.

Well, then, Dr. Eliott's dead,

but his responsibilities

to my mother,

as his -- as his wife

in all but name,

must surely continue.

A settlement.

I want a just,

reasonable settlement

to maintain her in some comfort

in her old age.

Were those the facts?

They are the facts,

and you know it.

Were those the entire facts,

then consideration

would have to be given

to your mother's claims.

But do you seriously imagine

that Henry Eliott

could have maintained

your mother and you

in such manner

as you both enjoyed

on his fees as a doctor

in general practice,

as well as maintaining his legal

family in home in Highgate?

Now, come, Mr. Pierce,

you do us both a disservice

if you persist in this vein.

What are you driving at?

On the pretext of

a blood relationship

with Miss Beatrice

and Miss Evangeline Eliott,

you've tried to

insinuate yourself

into their lives.

Well, at the time, I believed

I was their half-brother.

But you aren't,

and you now know you aren't.

So, this intrusion into their

lives must cease forthwith.

Ask your mother what she knows

of the following gentlemen:

Mr. Simon Drew of Devizes;

Mr. Roger Dunlap

of Whiston;

Misters Frederick and Eustace

Colling of Kensington.

Shall I go on?

Let me see that.

Who are these men?

All current or former

acquaintances of your mother.

What are you insinuating?

Any one of whom could be

your natural father.

You have their addresses --

go and badger them

for reparation.

I've a police constable outside

just waiting for my signal.

Dr. Eliott did more than enough

in his own modest way

to acknowledge his relationship

with your mother.

Now, this whole episode

is over.

Take that list

and get out of here.

And if you attempt to bother

me or my family,

and that specifically includes

Beatrice and Evangeline Eliott

again, I'll ensure that

your mother's

reckless private life becomes

public knowledge.

Newspapers, Mr. Pearce,

avid for scandal.

Arthur! Delightful surprise.

How very nice --

a lunchtime visit.

Yes, well, a client failed to

turn up for an appointment,

an hour to spare,

and I thought, well,

why not look in and see

how things are going.

You must do this

more often, darling.

Here, let me take

your things.

Thank you.

Yes, and what did occur to me,

since my firm is undergoing

its annual audit,

was that I might just take

a look at the club's books.

Cocktail coming up.

Something about

the books, darling?

Mm.

- Prost.

Mmm, that's better.

Isn't it always --

sweetest sin in the world.

Have you a gasper, love?

Oh, uh, must have left my case

in the office.

Shan't keep you

a moment.

Oh, dear...

The books.

Susie, as a legal advisor

to the club,

I am expected to

take a glance at the accounts

from time to time.

Of course you are,

darling!

It's just we've been

so rushed recently

that I must fess up to being

just a little bit behind-hand

with the books.

- And so --

- Never mind, a general overview.

On Tuesday, was it?

Yes, Tuesday night,

I decided to take the books

and all the paperwork home,

and believe me, sweetest,

little Susie has been

at those accounts

every moment she's had.

So, they should be ready when?

By the weekend?

Weekend's an itsy bitsy tricksy,

sweetheart.

This small person

has been invited to

a very large party

in Deauville.

Oh! Well, of course,

you must go.

So, next week

for the books.

Oh, any evening

after Tuesday, beloved,

and I'll be here

at your disposal.

Now, do drink up,

or your cocktail

will be getting hot!

BEA: What's that?

A hazy personal dream?

There is nothing "hazy"

about it.

It's all there, in detail,

and it's mine.

It's not a copy of

last month's gay little number

by Lucille.

Lucille couldn't design anything

half as clever as that,

but who, Evie,

of our existing clientele

is going to pay for

an original by you,

when we can deliver a cunning

copy of a Lucille or a Worth,

and it's a third

of their prices?

I am not going to copy other

people's designs

for the rest of

my life.

Evie won't be a moment,

Sir Desmond.

The knightly address is for

client's only --

for Heaven's sake,

call me Desmond.

What a charming room!

Have you lived here long?

- Well, not much more

than a year.

- Hello.

I simply don't believe it.

Was it for this lovely creature

that I stood at the fount

and renounced the devil

and all his works?

How absolutely delightful

to see you again.

[Evie chuckles]

We'll have a wonderful

evening together.

[Music playing]

[Inaudible]

Oh!

Hello, I'm Sebastian,

who are you?

Daphne Haycock.

Daphne? That's a lovely name

for a lovely girl.

Oh, shush, shush, shush,

shush, shush.

Tell me, I saw you with

that chap over there,

the one ordering drinks.

Are you alone,

or is he your man?

DAPHNE: Earnest Arthur.

We call him Earnest

because that's what he is.

Even if he's trying to

enjoy himself.

He's, uh, he's a regular

member here?

Darling, he's a founding member

and a joint owner and director,

sitting on a little gold mine,

if you ask me.

So it would seem.

Come on, that's enough of that.

Where are we going?

What do you want to drink?

Anything, darling,

anything.

So long as it's cool

and strong.

Bottle of whiskey,

two glasses, plenty of ice.

Ciggy?

Bought locally?

Very locally!

And if you have a liking

for stronger stuff...

Available here?

Just go to the office.

Talk to Peter,

prove your membership,

and how's your father.

I might just do that.

Goody, goody --

everybody else does.

DESMOND:

I'm sorry that Arthur

wouldn't be your guarantor.

He didn't believe in us,

like everybody else.

No matter.

Thank you for this, Desmond.

Can I ask, how did you become

so successful?

True success is rarity.

I was lucky enough

to have a father

who could afford to put me

through school and university.

But the moment I'd taken

my degree,

his financial support stopped.

I had to make my own way

in the city.

So, what did you do?

I joined a firm

of stockbrokers

as a very junior member

of the staff.

I watched and listened

to my seniors, and I began to

learn how the exchange worked.

There was money

to be made from money,

buying currency low

and selling it high.

EVIE: So, you think

making money is more important

than making things,

items people need?

Ah, the creative part

of investment

comes from encouraging

the right undertakings,

persuading people

to put their money

into worthy

creative enterprises.

Isn't ours a worthy

creative enterprise?

- Bea.

- DESMOND: No, no, Evie,

Beatrice is right,

it's a fair point.

But there are other aspects to

be considered, for example,

what is its

financial potential?

Don't you ever rely on

your instinct?

Oh, a great deal of the time!

I've made substantial

amounts of money

by backing my instincts

on enterprises

that were originally

- nothing but a vague idea --

- But ours --

But I've also lost quite a lot

being guided by

the wrong instincts.

So, your instincts tell you that

what Evie and I are trying to

achieve is bound to fail.

DESMOND: Not at all.

Don't misunderstand me,

Beatrice.

There's a lot of luck

in any business venture.

To succeed in anything,

you have to have flair,

you have to have

driving ambition,

and yes, indeed,

you have to have luck.

Now, from what I've learnt

this evening,

you both have the flair,

you both have the ambition.

But you don't think

we have the luck.

Not yet,

but don't give up.

I am still searching for

another way to help you.

[Music playing]

[Conversation inaudible]

[Music from within]

[Inaudible conversation]

That was a lovely evening,

wasn't it?

Hmm...

We're still nowhere nearer

finding the finance we need.

Well, Desmond said he was

still trying to help us.

Evie, your godfather

is a wealthy man.

If he really

believed in us,

he'd have put some of his own

money into our project.

Don't you think he was serious,

then, about helping us?

[Bea sighs]

Yes, I think he meant it,

I'm just disappointed

he didn't back us

personally.

Well, he's a businessman, Bea.

I did like him, though.

Yeah, I think I would trust him,

despite everything.

He said all we needed

was luck.

[Bea snorts]

We certainly do.

[Music playing]

[Band stops playing]

Susie Hofman?

- Please be seated.

- Arthur Eliott?

Yes?

Ah.

Would there be anything else,

your ladyship?

No, I don't think so.

Oh, yes!

Did Mr. Arthur leave for

the office early this morning?

He may have done, mum,

but I wouldn't know,

'cause he didn't leave

from here.

What?

He never come home last night.

When I took his tea up

this morning,

his bed hadn't been

slept in.

Not come home?

Why didn't you

tell me immediately?

"In all, 18 members

of the popular 25 Club

and six members of staff

were arrested

after a police raid

on the Soho premises

early this morning.

Among those arrested

were co-owners

Mr. Peter Lo-Ching,

Miss Susan Hofman,

and Mr. Arthur Eliott,

a prominent

London solicitor"!

TILLY: Oh, my God!

I don't believe it!

Arthur involved in

a shady nightclub?

Exactly -- shady!

You realize what this means,

don't you?

He can't be regarded as

a fit and proper person

to act as your guardian.

- Course he can't!

- Or to look after

father's estate.

This could be the luck

Desmond was talking about.

Exactly.

We're going to have to

thrash this out with Arthur.

Did your livery dinner

last 17 hours, Arthur?

What do you think you look like?

Well, the livery dinner

degenerated, rather.

Several of us went off to

some night spot, rather.

I don't believe this.

That we went off

to a nightclub?

Was it that 25 Club?

It all became

rather lively.

Oh, Daphne -- Daphne Haycock

and her set were there.

All fooling around,

having a high old time,

when there was a police raid.

The lot of us were there.

Sonny Barbton,

Trudy Blount, Daphne.

Mother...

We simply appeared before

a bench of magistrates,

that's all.

People are always being arrested

in nightclubs.

Flappers and playboys,

perhaps,

but not solicitors.

Mother, there'll be no outcome

to this at all, believe me.

It's over and done with.

During their raid,

the Metropolitan Police

uncovered not merely another

private club

dispensing alcoholic drinks

beyond the hours of its license,

but a club on whose premises

proscribed drugs

could freely be bought for

immediate consumption

on those premises.

I speak of opium,

gentlemen of the jury.

I speak of cocaine.

I speak of insidious

and invidious drugs

that can lead only to sickness,

madness, and death.

I shall further prove,

gentlemen,

that the owners and directors of

the 25 Club

had been ferrying

by the shipload

regular supplies of whiskey

to the shores of

the United States of America

for an outrageous profit.

And clandestinely.

Clandestinely, since the sale

and consumption

of alcoholic beverages

is expressly forbidden

by the laws of those

United States.

This is a trial not of careless

and foolish infringes

of some minor law.

No, what we have on trial here

are three corrupt

and cynical renegades

whose punishment

must be exemplary

and rigorous.

What I am pained to point out,

gentlemen of the jury,

is that I am defending not all

three of the accused,

but my clients,

Miss Susan Hofman

and Mr. Peter Lo-Ching.

Two honest and hard-working

citizens of this country,

who for some time

have been running

a respectable

and popular club.

My clients have been

criminally duped

by the third defendant,

Mr. Arthur Eliott, whose

detestable adventures

into drug peddling

and prohibition breaking

were carried on entirely

unknown to my clients.

Arthur Eliott

is the éminence grise,

the power behind the throne.

He, and he alone,

is responsible for

the wickedness that has been

so rightly brought to book

by dedicated members

of the Metropolitan

Police Force.

M'lord, gentlemen of the jury,

emotional claptrap,

gentlemen,

is used by members

of my profession

when they know that their

arguments are weak,

and the allegations

without factual,

provable evidence.

Moral outrage

may be good

for the soul,

but it is no basis for

legal judgment.

And my client,

Mr. Arthur Eliott,

has been the object of nothing

but emotional claptrap

since the moment

this trial began.

Peter Lo-Ching,

you are an educated man,

and once you were

an honest businessman.

But greed overcame

your scruples,

and you began importing

cocaine and opium

to be sold with no thought

to the physical

or moral consequences,

to members of your club.

In addition, and contrary to

the laws of this country,

you exported whiskey to be sold

to equally

unprincipled criminals

in the United States

of America.

The Western world must know

that those who seek to deprave

and corrupt its countrymen

can expect nothing but

condign punishment.

You will serve three years

with hard labor

in one of His Majesty's prisons.

Susan Hofman,

yours was not

the guiding hand

in this squalid enterprise,

but you willingly

and with full knowledge

supported that

guiding hand.

You will go to prison

for one year.

Arthur Richard Eliott,

there is no doubt in my mind

that you had any knowledge

of your partners'

illicit and dangerous trade.

But ignorance of

criminal activity,

when it's being perpetrated

in a business

of which you are a founder

and a director, is not

a satisfactory defense.

You should have known

what was going on.

You are a man of law.

And it is criminal folly

to allow yourself

to be hoodwinked for so long

by your co-defendants,

Lo-Ching and Hofman.

I'm fining you £1,000 for your

reckless disregard

for the reputation

of your club

and for the physical and moral

wellbeing of its members.

In addition, you will also

serve 28 days in prison.

Ah, Lady Finehurst,

I caught you just in time.

Uh, Miss Eliott --

Your gown? I believe we had

an appointment.

I don't know how you have the

audacity to come here after --

After what, Lady Finehurst?

After the disgraceful scandal

surrounding your relative,

Arthur Eliott.

I beg your pardon.

I would no more wear that gown

than use a prescription

supplied by Dr. Crippen.

I don't think

I quite understand.

You'll have none of

my business, madam,

and I shall make quite sure that

none of my acquaintance

patronize you

in future.

It was not my cousin Arthur who

made this gown, Lady Finehurst!

Whether you wear it or not,

your bill is still the same --

25 guineas.

If you relish

another case in court,

then sue me for the money.

No one welches on a business

debt and just goes scot-free.

Are you daring to threaten me,

Miss Eliott?

By tomorrow, your name

and address

and the nature of your debt

will be entered into the books

of Mssrs. Dun and Bradstreet.

Within a week,

no shop or business

will accept your credit.

It'll be cash on the nail,

madame,

and how will Lord Finehurst

care for that?

Get out of my way!

Lady Haycock,

your ladyship.

Won't you sit down?

Thank you, no.

How's Daphne?

As I'm sure you realize,

she and her friends were

supplied with drugs

from that...club.

Daphne has been inhaling cocaine

quite regularly.

That she is yet not an addict is

no thanks to Arthur.

As it is, Robert and I

have sent her to Austria

to a sanitarium.

I'm...very, very sorry.

I'm sure you are!

I don't imagine

for a moment

that any of the events

of the past few months

have given you any pleasure.

You have failed with Arthur

as I have failed with Daphne.

[Snorts]

Arthur's had one kind

of punishment.

The rest will be waiting for him

when he comes out of prison.

He's ruined --

in this country, at least.

And you, Lydia, will lose your

entire circle of acquaintances.

It isn't fair.

It isn't Christian.

But that's how people behave.

And I don't think

I want to know such people.

Do we know any other?

I shall have to make it my

business to, shan't I?

But thank you for having

the grace to warn me in person.

Goodbye, Lydia.

Goodbye, Dolly.

Mrs. Gregory!

Yes, I understand.

I'm very sorry

to hear that.

Yes, yes,

perhaps when you come back

from holiday.

Of course.

Goodbye.

Thank you, Cousin Arthur.

Mrs. Gregory?

She's had to go away

unexpectedly,

so she's canceling her order.

Oh, why don't they come out with

the real reason,

instead of these feeble excuses?

Well, at least she telephoned.

It's better than all those

letters we've been getting.

Cowardice, I call it.

Where I live, we tell people

things to their faces.

I just don't understand it.

Seems the higher up you go,

the less honesty there is.

Tilly, we can be just as bad.

How many times have we

gritted our teeth

when customers

have been impossible?

Leave 'em to me next time,

Miss Bea,

I'll tell them a few untruths.

Fine, Tilly, and then we'll all

be out in the streets.

At least we'll go our

with a flourish.

I won't really do that.

We know.

I've been thinking...

It's times are bad...

Yes, Tilly?

What are you trying to say?

Well, there's not a lot

for me to do, you see.

So, if you wanted to

let me go,

I'd quite understand it.

EVIE: Tilly, the thought

hadn't even crossed

our minds.

We're not that badly off yet.

Unless, of course,

you want to.

Oh, no, Miss Bea!

I love tidying up

and making cups of tea!

Makes a change in dressmaking!

[Knocking at door]

Oh, I'll get that.

Probably Jack,

run out of biscuits again.

Mm.

I wish to see Miss Beatrice

or Miss Evangeline.

TILLY: This way,

Lady Finehurst.

Lady Finehurst.

Miss Eliott.

I hope I haven't

disturbed anything.

Obviously not.

I'll make us

a cup of tea, eh?

Not for me,

thank you.

To what do we owe this

unexpected pleasure,

Lady Finehurst -- I assume you

received your coat and gown,

they were dispatched

on receipt of your payment.

I am delighted with them.

[Sighs]

I am thinking of

commissioning another gown,

something for

the evening this time.

I don't think

I quite understand.

It's quite simple.

I'm giving you

another order.

I do not condone

what your cousin did.

However, he is paying

for his mistake.

Have you come here

today to gloat

because we seem to be

losing customers?

Do you want my business?

And if we decided

to make you another gown,

would you

refuse to pay again?

I would give you a check

in advance.

What is it

you really want?

After you came to see me,

I felt I had been

somewhat hard on you.

You've had

a change of heart?

Isn't one allowed

to change one's mind?

Whatever your reasons,

Lady Finehurst,

I'm afraid we cannot

accept your order.

We have our principles, too.

I see.

Miss Eliott,

it is hard to apologize

and admit that

one was wrong.

I accept...

and admire your principles.

In your position,

I would have done the same.

Not many people have had

the courage to stand up to me.

Whether you accept

my order or not

is entirely up to you.

But my hope is

that you will.

Good luck then.

[Honking]

WOMAN: Arthur!

It's been a long month, Arthur.

You have had plenty of time to

think about your future.

What are you

going to do?

When we get home,

I shall have a long bath,

stiff drink,

a change of clothes --

I stink of prison.

[Sighs]

And I'll arrange to visit

Beatrice and Evangeline.

I hardly think you'll receive

a warm welcome from them.

I'm not so sure

about that.

But I need to keep one step

ahead of the Law Society.

To do so, I must

talk to the girls,

and pretty damn quick.

Thursday the 12th at 11:30?

Thank you so much,

Mrs. Quaballe.

Goodbye.

Did say you Miss Quaballe?

The Maisie Quaballe,

queen of Belgravia!

And if she likes our work,

her whole set is in!

Everyone young and smart has

been absolutely delighted

by Arthur's notoriety --

they're all flocking here

for the latest gossip

and the newest fashion.

But Maisie Quaballe!

So, if you could just get

yourself arrested, Tilly,

our fortune's made.

[Telephone ringing]

Oh, not another appointment.

Eliotts', may I help you?

Arthur.

I've been less than

frank with you

about certain

financial interests.

Not, I assure you,

dishonest.

Yes, less than frank.

- Why?

- All in good time.

But soon?

In the matter of

the club,

what I've never told you

is that...

your father put up 80% of

the money to start it,

and I put up

the remainder.

Arthur!

It's all in the deeds,

black on white.

Is there nothing

he wouldn't

spend his money on

except for us?

Please, please wait.

Now, because of

the trial,

my stake in the club

and more of my own money

has gone to pay the fine

levied by the court.

But the rest, the interest

and the dividends,

belongs to you.

Arthur, why have you kept this

from us until now?

Embarrassment,

believe it or not.

Embarrassment.

I just didn't want you to know

that your father and I were...

involved with

that kind of world.

Oh, please, Arthur.

I was wrong and stupid,

I admit it.

What else have you been

"protecting" us from, Arthur?

There is something else,

isn't there?

I misjudged your ability

to run a business of your own.

And so,

as the executor of

your father's estate,

I decided not to disclose

the full amount of money

left in that estate.

I don't believe this!

In your own best interests,

as I then thought,

I set aside certain monies

from the estate

and from the sale

of the family house.

How "set aside"?

In a separate account,

attracting useful interest

every day it's there.

- Without telling us?!

- When we needed it most!

As your guardian, I did

what I thought was best.

Leaving us no say

in the matter.

Arthur, tell me this, how much

money is there in the bank

waiting for us to use

as we choose?

From the estate,

from the sale of the house,

but mainly from the club,

you'll be in the possession

of some £3,000,

made over to you to manage

until Evangeline

comes of age,

when she'll share

its control with you.

If I told the Law Society

how you've misdirected

our affairs,

you'd be in more trouble

than you are.

I want you to appoint me

as Evie's legal guardian,

and Sir Desmond Gillespie

as executor of Father's estate.

I'll see to it immediately.

And afterwards?

Obviously, you can never work

again in this country.

I understand.

I made one very good friend

during the war.

He has extensive business

interests in America.

He's offering me work as

a legal advisor in Boston.

I'm sailing next Monday.

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