All language subtitles for Lucan 2013 S01E01

My name is John Pearson

and I'd intended to write a book
about a lost world of gamblers

and aristocrats, of privilege
and decadence, now long gone.

But books have a strange way of
exerting their own existence

and the more I researched one story,

the more I was pointed
in the direction of another.

Towards a mystery that has remained
unsolved for four decades.

Can't we get started, Aspers?

As you wish, Lucky, as you wish.

Can you smell that, Burkie?

Excitement, glamour, fear, greed.

And a dash of desperation
behind the ears.

Make sure you keep the drinks
flowing.

Card.

How dare you!

This is outrageous!
Mother, leave this to me.

What right have you
to come barging in here?

I am Chief Superintendent Rogers of
the Metropolitan Police.

You are breaking the law, sir.
How so?

These are all intimate friends of
mine and we're simply indulging
in a spot of after-dinner fun.

Yourself, Lady Osborne and Mr Burke
are under arrest for running
a common gaming house.

Your guests also for frequenting
the same. Take them away.

There was nothing common in here,
Officer, until you walked in.

I can manage.

And that's where it should
have ended, Mr Pearson.

The whole thing.

Ah.

Aspers had got used to a certain
lifestyle.

He'd bought this big estate,
opened his own zoo.

He couldn't face being broke again,

so he decided to fight it.

But didn't the policeman see
everything through the window?

Aspers realised
that if they prosecuted us,

then every club in Mayfair
with a bridge table

must also be 'a common gaming house',
you see.

He was quite right.

The case was thrown out of court

and, pretty soon after,
gaming houses were made legal.

It was called Aspinall's Law.

But we never did go back to
our Chemmy parties.

There was now an opening for
something on a much grander scale.

Lovely evening.

Aspers spent an absolute fortune
doing the place up.

He was a wonderful host.

But makes no bones about it,
he was after their money.

He was systematically working
his way through the inheritances

of the English aristocracy,

money that had been built up
over centuries.

It only took him a couple of years
and he'd cleaned out most of them.

One of those men ruined by Aspers
was, of course, Lord Lucan.

The reason you're here, Mr Pearson?

Well, I'm not here just about Lucan.

You can say you're writing a book
about the Clermont or whatever,

but, really, you're writing about
Lucky Lucan and what happened.

What became of him.

Because that's the key
to everything, isn't it?

So what did become of him?

That's your problem, John.

Nobody will tell you.

Are we going to see
the horses today, Daddy?

Not today, my little angel,
but we will soon, I promise.

Will you be having lunch with us?
I was going to cook.

Fish fingers and frozen vegetables?
No, thank you.

I'll take it at the club.
I'm meeting a few friends there.

What about dinner?

I'll dine there.

Right, will you hold this for Daddy?

And, Frances, can you get my cuff
links from the drawer?

Park her up, Billy.
Very good, Your Lordship.

Lucan treated the Clermont as a home
from home, just as Aspers intended.

The world is overpopulated, Jimmy.

We've forgotten the lessons of
natural selection,

the survival of the fittest.

Aspers, you really are full of
the most frightful hot air.

Where there is the greatest density
of human beings, there is
the greatest social sickness.

We are led, therefore,
by representatives of the sickest
part of our community.

That is why the country is paralysed
by strikes and filthy with rubbish
piled in the streets.

I would quite happily

sacrifice myself and my children,

if it could be arranged
that another 250 million

of the surplus biomass went with us.

I assume all of us would survive
the cull in this brave new world of
yours?

You'll be all right,
your lineage is impeccable.

And I assume the Goldsmith millions
would save you, Jimmy?

It's to do with genetics.
If we are pre-programmed

to lead and to innovate,
then we'll rise to the top

and assume our rightful place
at the head of the pack,

just like the alpha male
amongst a band of primates.

I might have known your bloody
gorillas would be involved
somewhere.

What about everyone else, Aspers?

The weak, the old and the useless
will fall away.

One mustn't be overly sentimental
about these things.

Come on. I want some supper
before I fall away.

And keep that bloody thing
away from me.

I do so love, Aspers.

He's the perfect antidote
to glumness.

Are you still under siege at home?

She's beginning to complain about
the amount of time I spend here.

She does have a point, old thing.

But this is what I do.
This is how I earn my living.

Do try and square things up with
her, Lucky, it would make your life
so much easier.

Oh, God.

I'm only trying to help.
No, no, it's not that.

What then?
Well, I was just thinking.

if it's useless old primates we have
to cull, then poor old Charlie here
will be the first to go.

Very funny.

Lucan got his 'Lucky' tag
after winning £26,000 pounds

in a single night,
playing Chemmy in Le Touquet.

But as his luck at the table

seemed to have consistently deserted
him thereafter,

as a nickname it became
more and more ironic.

More chips, please. Of course.
Another thousand.

I shall just write another.

Please, Lucky, allow me
to make this gesture.

I cannot, Aspers. I lost.
I must, therefore, settle my debts.

If one has the right to judge a man

by the effect he has
over his friends,

then you're a very fine fellow,
indeed.

Nature designed you and me
as gamblers.

It demands nothing of us
and yet it asks everything.

'But there was an unsavoury side
to Aspers.'

Burkie!

'He was siphoning money
off from the Clermont

out to a numbered account
in Switzerland.

His courier was a Mr Fix-It type,

who had a useful little fishing boat
in Newhaven.

From there, he'd cross to the
continent on all sorts of errands
for Aspers.'

You two have met before,
haven't you?

'Let's call this man Ulrich.'

Come and have a drink with us,
there's plenty to discuss.

I won't, thank you, Aspers.

I think I'll be heading home.

As you wish.

In the end, I resigned
from the Clermont.

I'd been with Aspers
right from the start.

He never spoke to me again.

He said it didn't matter
what someone had done.

If they were a friend,
you supported them.

He was...

an extraordinary man.

Still no sign of the dustmen.

Do you think we should make other
arrangements? I've paid my rates.

The rubbish will pile up until they
return to work and take it away,

As they are obliged to.

Well, I'm just off into town,
darling.

Oh, really? Who to see?

A girlfriend.

You've become very friendly with
Mark, I hear. No more than normal.

I'm just friendly in the way I would
be with anybody from the club.

Is fucking him normal?

You said, 'No more than normal.'

I wondered if you included
that within your definition.

I don't know what you've heard.
I know everything that's been going
on between you, Jane.

Part of me, to be honest,
isn't too bothered about it.

But what did bother me,
what bothers me a lot,

was the discovery that you are also
fucking one of my zoo keepers.

I don't know what to say.

Then just listen.

I am divorcing you.

Because of your adultery, I shall
cut you off without a penny

and I intend to gain custody
of my children.

No!

You will be denied
any and all access to them.

From today onwards,
you're dead to us.

John, please.

Get out.

'You know, there was
no sentimentality to Aspers.'

Everything was a game of poker.

Did you know Lucan well?

Well enough.

I knew her too, Veronica.

I'll be honest with you,
I liked the woman.

She had spirit.

Why don't we stay on another night?

I don't know if you've noticed, but
the conditions are distinctly Arctic.

Oh, it's rather fun, isn't it?

Us all together, wrapped up warm
against the cold.

We could take the children
to the pier tomorrow.

I'm sure George and Frances would
enjoy another day digging their way
through to France.

Darling?

I can't. I need to drive back down
tonight.

Why?

Please answer me, John.

I have a lunch arranged for tomorrow.

So you've given us two days
and that's it?

Now you must get back to the club
and your friends.

Can't we discuss...

Aah!

Oh, look at that!

Yes, I can see, it's splendid.

We owe £43 to our milkman.

He hasn't been paid for six months.

He's told me that he is going
to stop delivering.

Harrods has already cancelled our
account, because it is so overdue.

Then it's a good thing I'm going to
the club to earn us some money.
But what if you lose?

What happens if you lose
and you lose and you lose again?

Calm down, Veronica.
You're frightening the children.

Oh, what do we do?
Oh, what do we do?

Ha ha ha!

If I didn't have my chums, I don't
know what I'd do with myself.

I can hardly bear to live in the same
house as Veronica any more.

How did you manage things,
ending it with Jane?

I battered her about the head
with a blunt implement.

Metaphorically speaking, of course.

But if a female challenges the
primacy of a male silverback
gorilla,

that is precisely the treatment
she will receive.

My weapon was Jane's infidelity.

I'm thinking of moving out,
getting a flat on my own.

Not if you don't want to lose
everything, you don't.

Whom do you imagine will be given
custody of your children?

Me, of course.
On what grounds?

On the grounds that I'm their father
and that I can better provide
for them.

Dear Lucky, as things stand, the
best you can hope for is a few
weekends here and there with them.

Veronica will be given custody,
as the mother.

She currently holds
the winning hand.

That is the law, however ridiculous.

You need a reason for the judge
to take the children away from her
and award them to you.

With Jane, it was her adultery.

I assume Veronica is not
conveniently fucking anybody?

But I'm an...

I'm an earl, surely the courts
would favour me?

You made Veronica a countess when
you married her. Your title will cut
no ice.

My advice is to fight dirty,
for you can be sure she will.

Fight dirty, fight nasty
and let there be no shame.

The future of your children is
at stake.

But how do I fight her? What do I do?

In my limited experience of her,

I imagine Veronica can be a
highly-strung woman, can she not?

Highly strung?
She's completely paranoid!

The rages that woman
can work herself into.

I wonder if there might not be
something in that for you?

Mr Pearson?

Mrs Maxwell-Scott?

I shan't tell you what happened to
him, I want to make that quite clear.

Whatever you feel comfortable with.

Do you remember Gone With The Wind?

There was a caption before the film
that said,

'A civilization now no more
than a dream remembered.'

Everything...

..gone

with the wind.

I feel like that about the Clermont,
and the life we had.

I loved my husband very much,
Mr Pearson.

But I did have a bit of a thing
about Lucky Lucan.

He was such a romantic figure.

Quite reckless.

John Burke said that things became
increasingly bitter

between the Lucans
in the early '70s.

Of course, we all knew that divorce
was looming.

Come on, V, it can't be as bad
as all that.

Lots of girls would give their eye
teeth to be in your position.

A countess.

A handsome husband on your arm.

Well, he's a loving father,
I won't deny that.

But an absent one.

All his time and energy are expended
in that club.

And we have no money, Susie.
Neither have Ian and I.

I've always thought money
rather overrated.

Never had any respect for it.

The children and I have no better
than a hand-to-mouth existence

and yet he gambles away thousands
every week.

Do you challenge him?

I have tried to.

But he gets very angry.

He thinks so little of me,
it's unbearable.

But, lately, he's even become
violent towards me.

What do you mean?

He has lost his temper and attacked
me on more than one occasion.

Of course, I was horrified.

I remember thinking to myself...

..'Why would she lie about a thing
like that?'

'I'm sorry you had to hear
that, Susie.'

Veronica has these fantasies.

If anything, it's been her
attacking me.

I'm frightened there might be
something seriously wrong with her.

I'm worried about the children.

Well, thank goodness it was me
she was talking to.

If she starts whispering that sort
of thing in the wrong ear, it could
be very damaging for you.

Do try to get her down
off the precipice.

For your sake, as well as hers.

Thank you, Susie. You're a saint.

Veronica?

She's determined to do everything
she can to make my life hell.

Oh, come on, Lucky, buy her a bunch
of bloody flowers and take her to
Monte Carlo for the weekend.

This is no laughing matter,
Dominick.

Lucky is engaged in a struggle for
the future of his line.

The consequences of defeat are
unthinkable.

I've missed this, John, just the two
of us spending time together.

I think that's been the heart
of all our problems.

You just need to relax, darling,
get away for a few days.

You need peace and quiet.

Here you are, darling. These people
will look after you now.

Where are we? It's just to give you
some peace and quiet, like we said.

I thought we were going to a hotel.
What is this place?

It's a clinic.
Well, what sort of clinic?

A psychiatric clinic, Veronica. I've
brought you here so you can get well.

There is nothing wrong with me!

What has he told you?
We're just here to help you.

Has he told you that I'm mad?
Don't make a scene.

There is nothing wrong with me!
I am not going in there!

It's for your own good,
you stupid woman!

I must remind you that admission is
voluntary, sir. I do not give
my consent.

I refuse to stay here.

Take me home right now!

Today, tomorrow, next week.

It doesn't matter when, but I will
have you committed. Will you, John?

Or is a father who gambles away his
children's inheritance the one who
is actually mentally ill?

Why do you just sit there all night,
watching him?

Hm?

I'm waiting to go home with him.

Why?

You obviously hate gambling.

Why stay if it makes you miserable?

So that he doesn't go home
with somebody like you.

Why can't you just let Johnny enjoy
himself?

You know...

you really do look like a little
owl, glaring away there in the dark.

And we all know what you look like.

It's amazing how a woman can still
love a man who's plainly not in
the least bit interested in her,

and only wishes to get away...

How dare you!

I'm so sorry, Kiki.

I really must apologise for my wife.

Honestly, Lucky, it's you one should
feel sorry for, being married
to her.

And this was witnessed by everyone?
The whole room saw it.

Once we'd mopped her down

I managed to get something in about
how V's behaviour is becoming more
and more erratic.

This was overheard?

I'm sure Greville Howard heard...
and Stoop...and Ian.

Good.

More in the same vein, please.

We need to establish her instability
as a generally accepted fact.

Darling...

Darling?

What is it, ma'am?

I ca... I ca...

I can't...breathe.

I can't breathe. I can't breathe.

Oh, God. I can't breathe.

Please excuse me, Lord Lucan,
but it's the Countess.

What about her?
She can't breathe.

Well, call the doctor.

Would you mind if I had another,
sir? My nerves are shot to pieces.

Please do.

We're all very worried about her.

How is she?
She's much calmer.

You can go and see her if you wish,
but please don't tax her too much.

I feel as if we've come to the end of
the line, don't you, Doctor?

What do you mean?

Well, her behaviour is becoming
more and more irrational.

She had a panic attack.

I feel it's best all round, not least
for Veronica, if you commit her
to an institution.

At least in the short term.

I've known Lady Lucan for some years
now and I've witnessed nothing that
would cause me to doubt her sanity.

Paranoia.

Suspicions. False accusations.

All of these can be proved
independently.

Even her own family believes
she has behavioural problems.

She was suffering from acute
anxiety, nothing more.

So you're not going to commit her?

Well, no.

This is a gross dereliction of duty.

Well, I think the whole thing could
have been avoided,

if only that doctor had committed
Veronica, as he should have done.

It was a gross dereliction
of duty on his part.

There was the attack on Kiki
at the Clermont.

A whole catalogue of incidents.

Lucky can't have made them all up.

No. At this point...

Veronica was quite unhinged.

I've moved into a little flat.

Resumed the bachelor lifestyle.

And what about the children?

I... I see them every other weekend.

Lucky, that's terrible.

Those children are your world.

How can it have come to this?

There is a plan in place.

Aspers has been helping me.
he's been a tower of strength.

Well, beware Aspers, old thing.

He does tend to come up with
his own rules.

And she has no whisper of
your intentions?

No. I'm certain of it.

Because you must keep her in the
dark until the very last second.

And then, be merciless.

'Attack with overwhelming odds,

pressing home your advantage
to the full.'

You must win.

You stole my hat, cheeky monkey!

Ah! Now I have you!

No, you don't!

Come along, children.
Time to go home.

But I don't want to go home!
Well, I'm afraid you have to.

Frances, George, Camilla!

Lord Lucan, were you just passing,
sir, or...

I thought Saturday was your day
to see them. The children will be
coming home with me.

But I'm to take them home
for supper.

They'll be living with me from now.

They've been made wards of court.
I've been authorised to take them
into my care.

Lady Lucan will be receiving a copy
of this letter now.

Come on!

Camilla!

But what will I say to Lady Lucan?

Being a policeman, Camilla?

Where are they?
He's taken them.

No, no!
I'm so sorry.

He had people with him. There was
nothing I could do, my lady.

Get off me! Where are you going? I
need to get my babies back. Get off!

He had a piece of paper
from the court.

You mustn't go round there - not
yet. It'll only make things worse.

Come on. That's it. Now...

I know. I know.

I thought you'd appreciate some
special visitors, Mama. Oh, come in.

How clever of you, Johnny,
to have got them back.

Now into the kitchen. You know where
the sweetie tin is. Hey-hey!

Oh, what a relief!

And they are with you
permanently now?

I have interim custody,
pending the full hearing.

Wonderful. Congratulations, darling.

I've always found Veronica to be
a rather pathetic little thing,
really.

The whole 'in-law' situation is
a lottery, isn't it?

I find it hard to feel any sympathy
for her, John, after the way
she treated you.

I'm hoping common sense will prevail

and, in time, she'll come to accept
the situation

and then we can all get on with
our lives.

Quite.

One thing, Mama.

I have incurred rather a lot of legal
costs thus far. I find myself
temporarily short.

I wonder if I might not ask you for
a small loan to help me through
this immediate period.

I have four thousand in my deposit
account. I can let you have that.

But I must have it back.

Yes. Yes, of course.

Thank you.

Hello.
Veronica, it's me, John.

What do you want?
I don't want anything.

But I think we should be on speaking
terms for the sake of the children.
Where are they?

They're with me.
I want to talk to them.

Now. I'm sorry you can't.
They're in bed.

Can't I even say good night to them?

No.

What right have you to just turn up
with your heavies and kidnap them?

I have been granted custody.
I haven't been given a chance
to defend myself!

It was an ex parte application.

All I had to do was persuade the
judge in chambers that your mental
health puts the children at risk.

But there's nothing wrong with me!

I'm afraid you're a very sick woman
and you need help.

I hate you for what you've done,
you are the devil incarnate.

I hate you! I hate you.

You are evil, you're pure evil!
I hope you die!

I hope you... I hope you d...
I hope you die!

I am the Countess of Lucan.

I wish to be admitted.

Bill, you're one of my oldest friends
and, Christina, you're her sister.

I just want you to know that I don't
expect you to appear for me in court.

You must feel free to give evidence
for Veronica, if you so wish.

Well, I have thought about this
very carefully.

I shall answer honestly.

I think Veronica is capable of
looking after the children.

But only if she undergoes
medical treatment.

And by that we mean she must be
given proper medication.

Yes.

I just want what's best for the
children, that's all that guides me.

We have run a number of psychiatric
tests and evaluations on you.

Yes.

You've been here with us
for a week now.

Do you feel you've learned something
from your stay here?

Yes.

And what is it that you've learned?

That...it is perfectly normal
to have bad feelings.

And indeed your husband intends
to make representation as to your
mental health

during the course of this hearing,
does he not?

I believe so, yes.
He believes you to be,

not to put too fine a point upon it,
insane, does he not?

That is what he says, though I do
not believe it is what he really
thinks.

In the past, he has tried
to persuade a doctor
to have me committed

to an institution and even tried
to forcibly commit me himself.

Lady Lucan,

did you recently commit yourself
voluntarily into the care
of the Priory Clinic?

I did.

And what was the purpose
of your stay there?

I went there to have my mental
health evaluated.

And what were the conclusions
of the psychiatrist,

a Dr...Flood, under whose care
you were placed?

He judged me to be sane.

I have no further questions,
Your Honour.

But even her own sister says
she needs medication!

We've got tape recordings
of her rantings,

a dozen affidavits from people
swearing that she's stark-staring
mad!

None of them are from professionals.

It was a very clever move,
getting herself committed.

A statement from a psychiatrist
carries much more weight.

So what are you saying?

We, er,

might be able to get rid of
the drunken nanny.

I've sunk a bloody fortune into this.

I rule that the children shall remain
wards of court,

but in light of Lord Lucan
withdrawing his objections,

their care and control
be restored to Lady Lucan.

I rule that a nanny should reside at
the family home

to help with domestic arrangements.

The cost of this to be met by
Lord Lucan.

I further rule that Lord Lucan
be granted

access rights to his children...

..every second weekend.

Look at them. Aren't they lovely?

Welcome home!
Welcome home, come on in.

Come on, then. Let's get you some
tea. I've got your tea ready,
down in the kitchen. Straight on.

Let's get the kettle on.

Those poor little things.
They were exhausted.

They were asleep the minute
their heads hit the pillow.

Mrs Roberts, I don't know what I'd
have done without your support
during all of this.

Think nothing of it, my lady.

I'm just as pleased as punch
that the children are back at home
where they belong.

Mrs Roberts, it's all so unfair.

What is, my dear?

I'm going to have to let you go.

Let me go?

Why?

It's Lord Lucan's decision.
Please don't think I had anything
to do with it.

But I've always tried my best.

And I've never had cause for any
complaint, but he's insisting
that you're replaced.

I'm... I'm so very sorry.

I really... I'm so sorry.

I'll get my...bag and coat.

I can see myself out.

Another one.

Hello.

Hello? Who's there?

Is that you, John?

Oh, Veronica's was a pyrrhic victory.

She had the children, but what
she really wanted was her husband.

I could understand that.

I'm quite ready to die, Mr Pearson,
and be with my beloved Ian again,

gambling away the housekeeping.

How did Lucan take defeat
in the court?

Well, he was devastated.
He expected to win.

And, on top of it all, the fact that
he was a professional gambler went
against him.

Well, judges are mostly from
the middle classes.

They don't understand rich people
who don't have to work for a living.

But after, he was a broken man

and bankrupted by his legal expenses.

And the irony of it all...

..was that the court order required
that she always employ a nanny.

Hello, I'm Sandra, Sandra Rivett.
I'm here about the vacancy.

Yes, of course. Do come in.
Thank you.

I can provide references, if
necessary, I've parted on good terms
with all my previous employers.

That's fine. The agency that sent
you is a reputable one.

I'm...afraid there's no man
about the house.

My husband and I are separated.
We've got that in common, too.

Roger and I split up a while back,
but we're still friends though.

Unfortunately, my situation isn't
so amicable.

Oh, dear.

My husband...hates me.

There's no other way of putting it.

Well, I'd quite understand if you
didn't want to put yourself into
such a difficult environment.

Oh, things like that don't bother me
in the slightest, ma'am.

I just love being with
the little ones.

Everything else goes right over
my head.

Perhaps I should take a leaf out of
your book.

It's nine o'clock. Tea time?
Oh, yes, please.

Hello?

Hello?

I've been... I've been getting
these calls lately, at all times.

Well, I'm sure it's him,
he's just trying to torment me.

Well, you mustn't give in to him,
ma'am.

I'd feel a lot more comfortable
if you'd just call me Veronica.

You've got to fight back, show him
he's not got you where he wants you.

What should I do?
Well, let me answer it.

Hello.

Look, whoever this is,
we've been on to the police

and they've put a trace on the line,
so they know who you are.

Now fuck off!

See? It's easy.

Once Lucky saw that Veronica
wasn't going to crack,

he became a changed man.

He wasn't so much fun?

He'd lost his children, Mr Pearson.

That's no fun at all.

He was bitter and angry.

He couldn't believe the court case
had gone against him,
none of us could.

Oh, I don't know.

Is this really necessary?

We're just going over old ground,
again and again.

Playing with ghosts and shadows.

All the same, I would like to know
what happened in those next few
weeks.

Well, things began to take shape
in Acapulco.

Jimmy Goldsmith was 40.

And he flew everyone out there
for a huge party.

Jimmy had been having a long affair
with Mark Birley's wife, Annabel.

She paid Lucky a lot of attention
on that trip.

I think she felt sorry for him.

Can't you fight it, Lucky?
Can't you challenge the judgment?

There's no point. The law is
hopelessly stacked against fathers.

Even if I wanted to, the last
hearing's wiped me out financially.

Couldn't you speak to Jimmy,
see if he can help?

Lucky's becoming a total bore,

just banging on and on endlessly
about that bloody wife of his.

He is rather monopolising
the ladies.

Come now, Jimmy, how did you react

when your mother-in-law tried
to take your daughter away from you?

I fought with every fibre
of my being.

That's just the point, Lucky's not
fighting. He's just fucking whining.

Come on, you two. Come on.

Stop gazing adoringly into each
other's eyes and have a photo.

Right, say cheese.

Here we go.
Cheese. Cheese.

I have to tell you, Lucky,
that sympathy amongst your fellow
primates is running thin.

You've become apathetic and
accepting.

I don't know what to do, Aspers.

She holds all the aces.

All I do know is that I can't go on
living like this.

My children torn from me.

I'm your friend.

But I cannot help you,
if you will not help yourself.

Typical Aspers.
I'm convinced he was involved.

Both before and afterwards.

He knew...

how to...arrange that type of thing.

He had a man

to sort things out for him -
there was a boat.

Somewhere on the south coast.

In Newhaven?

Burkie mentioned something about
Newhaven.

And you say you've no doubt
Aspers was involved?

We're going to have to leave it
there, Mr Pearson.

Oh, of course.

Perhaps we can pick it up again
tomorrow?

Or maybe next week?

I've said all I'm going to say.

I've said too much, in fact.

I don't wish to discuss this
any further. But -

Please, don't call any more.

Losing Susie was a blow.

But there was still enough in police
and court records

and old witness statements to piece
together what happened next.

Lucan borrowed an old car
from his friend Michael Stoop.

He told him the battery
on his Mercedes was playing up.

But he kept this from Veronica.

Now he could park outside the house
without her knowing he was there.

There we are.

OK.

Can I help with anything, sir?

How do you like the new nanny?

Sandra's nice. She's funny.
She makes Mummy laugh.

She went out on Thursday night,
didn't come home till late.

Thursday's her night off. She has
a boyfriend who works in a pub.

Right, who wants to see
some wild animals?

Me!
OK.

That big one is the alpha male.

He's the head of the whole family,
the patriarch.

He must provide leadership,

but, just as importantly,
he must defend his family.

They all rely on him.

And, occasionally, he will receive
a challenge to his power,

which he must confront and defeat.

And, in this way, the natural order
of things is maintained.

Come along.

I want to see a lion!
I want to see an elephant!

Any moment now...

Bloody power cuts.

How are miners given primacy
in this country

and yet the nobility and the gentry,

families who have ruled for
centuries,

are hounded and taxed into
extinction?

The only solution is for her to...

..disappear.

To somehow vanish off the face
of the earth.

The children would be mine.

I wouldn't have the cost of
maintaining two households

and there would be none of the
baggage associated with divorce.

I don't believe it would even be
particularly questioned.

People know how erratic
her behaviour is.

I would simply say that she had gone.

I know not where.

You must be under no illusion,
Lucky,

as to what it is you would be
getting into

should you choose
to go down that path.

It would be a gamble,
pure and simple.

Her life against yours.

If you win, the way is open for
a happy continuation of your life.

The...natural order of things
would have been restored

and you would, of course,
be free to breed again

and increase your blood stock.

But if you lose, your position would
be untenable.

Were you ever, say, to stand trial
in a court of law,

the impact upon your children of
seeing their father in the dock,

accused of engineering
their mother's disappearance,

would be catastrophic.

Your life would be forfeit.

You're right, Aspers.

It's a gamble.

Good morning, Sandra.
Morning.

Did you sleep well?
I actually did, for once.

Not too bad.

See you all later.

Er... Veronica?

Yes? Could I ask a favour?

Yes, of course. Well, it's just my
boyfriend's working Thursdays now.

I wondered, could I switch my night
off for another night?

Yes, of course, any night you wish.

Still going strong with him, then?
Oh, yeah.

Well, things might be going a bit
too fast, actually.

Thanks.

Soldier?

No, no.
Not soldier.

Erm...

Hello, it's Lord Lucan.

Just ringing to reserve a table
for dinner tonight.

Yes, sir. What time?
11 o'clock, please.

Sorry it's a bit late.
Usual table.

Thank you.

Dominick, I've reserved a table
at the Clermont for 11.

11.
I've asked Greville,
Daniel and Sarah to join us

after they've been to the theatre.
- Oh, good idea.

There's an exhibition next week.

I thought you might like
to come along.

I have to fly, old thing.
Lots of running about to do.

All right. Speak to you then.

OK. Bye-bye.

He's asked me to move in with him!

Are you going to? Well, I'm a bit
worried it's too soon.

And I've made that mistake before
in the past.

Besides, I'm enjoying myself too
much here with you and the children.

You mustn't let us
stand in your way, though.

There we go. That's a good girl.

Let's get these knots out
before bed.

Do you want to say good night
to Mummy?

Come on, give Mummy a kiss.
How come she gets to stay up?

Cos I'm older than you.

Come on, off to bed now. Mwah.

Kiss for me, please, Camilla?

Sleep well.

Do you want me to park her up?

No. I have a dinner booking later.

I just wondered if any of my crowd
had arrived yet.

A few of them, sir.
Very good. I'll see you later.

We'll be back tomorrow.

..whether it's the case
for a doctor or a policeman...

..or a priest...

Sandra?

Sandra?
Are you all right down there?