Gentleman Jack (2019) s02e05 Episode Script

A Lucky and Narrow Escape

1 I shan't leave you again.
[HORSES NEIGH.]
Perhaps you were drunk when you were driving that gig when Henry Hardcastle lost his leg.
Miss Lister and Miss Walker, they were kissing, like married people kiss.
I'll write to Elizabeth about dividing the estate.
It's probably something we should've done before now.
It's all going to come to Sackville at the end of it all anyway.
Fairly certain we're heading towards an election - at abominable speed.
- Mm.
Not another one.
- [APPLAUSE AND SHOUTING.]
- Welcoming Mr James Stuart-Wortley, Tory Party candidate for Halifax! - [BOOING AND SHOUTING.]
- Gentlemen! Gentlemen! I have been invited by a body of your constituency - here in Halifax - [BAND PLAYS.]
far exceeding in number those who supported me on a former occasion.
[HIS SPEECH DROWNED BY SHOUTS.]
Down with Wortley, down with t'Tories! for the honour of representing you in Parliament.
Get off the stage! [SHOUTING AND JEERING.]
[HE SHOUTS.]
And as it has been attempted by an unprincipled coalition - to dictate to the town - [BAND DROWNS OUT SPEECH.]
- and to exclude - Get off! [SHOUTING DROWNS OUT SPEECH.]
of private interest or inconvenience would justify me from withholding my services Get off, you Tory scumbag! Show us your arse! It'll be an improvement on your face! - Twat! - Sorry.
I said, "Sorry.
" Posh boy.
[HE GASPS.]
You'll have to keep still.
What did Mr Wortley actually say, Matthew, in his speech? I couldn't hear him, ma'am.
It were too noisy.
And there were a band playing on, purposely, a Yellow band, so no-one could hear him.
These Radicals! Apparently, when Mr Protheroe was speaking, though, a band made up of Blues did exactly the same thing, though.
- No, they didn't.
- No, they did.
No, they didn't.
The Blues wouldn't sink to such low tactics.
I don't want to hear that repeated.
- Ah, Booth.
- What's happened? I want you to go out to Brierley Hill and give John Bottomley a message.
Tell him I've had a note from Mr Holroyd, on behalf of Mr Wortley's election committee, asking him to give both his votes for Mr Wortley first thing tomorrow morning.
Now, ma'am? No.
Next week, after the election's over.
Yes, now.
Go! Mr Abbott will be here this evening, for an hour or so, in the drawing room.
If anyone would like to join us, you'd all be more than welcome.
Father? Right.
Aunt? Yes.
Anne? Miss Walker? Adney and I will have a good fire in our little sitting room upstairs, so if anyone would like to join us, you would be, equally, more than welcome there, Aunt, Father.
Mr Abbott is a staunch Blue.
I would've thought that, if nothing else, would encourage a more favourable opinion from you.
I'm still reeling at the fact that he had the temerity to come up and greet me the way he did at the Navigation meeting.
He was holding out an olive branch.
Yes, well, he needn't have bothered.
It was an embarrassment.
He's a chump.
A chump who dumped you.
Yes, well, that is, unfortunately, my objection to him too.
Sorry.
Hold on He had you on.
You shamelessly attend a meeting full of men He left you open to humiliation.
and the thing that embarrasses you is that someone politely comes up and says hello? I barely knew where to look.
And he didn't dump me.
What Mr Rawson said about Miss Greenwood of Field House was nonsense.
I've already explained this about 15 times! He didn't visit you for weeks on end, and you were upset.
Hm? Did he ever explain that? Well, only that whenever he visited he was always ignored.
That's not fair.
Your father and I had to have had tea with him on several occasions, and his mother.
Oh, not ignored by you, Aunt.
[FOOTSTEPS APPROACH.]
- [KNOCK ON DOOR.]
- Ma'am.
Ah, John.
I don't want to disturb you at table No, come in.
John Bottomley wasn't at home, but his wife says he'll definitely be in by nine o'clock and she'll send him down to speak to you - the minute he gets in.
- Why? I I don't know.
You were only delivering a message.
Well, that's just what she said.
Oh, except that he's already had two letters from Mr Wortley's committee, she said.
One telling him to go to the Talbot first thing and another to the White Swan.
That's clear enough, if he goes to one place or the other.
Why's she sending him here? It's just what she said.
Perhaps he doesn't want to vote for Mr Wortley.
[OWL HOOTS.]
Yes, thank you, John.
That isn't the attitude, Father.
We can't just let the Whigs waltz back into power unchallenged.
We must do what we can, whether we have a vote or not.
If I have to write to Lady Stuart and tell her that the right-minded people of Halifax have failed to secure her nephew a seat in the House of Commons, I shall be sick.
[ANNE SIGHS.]
Hmm.
Nine o'clock, and no John Bottomley.
[ANNE SIGHS.]
Yeah No, I'm with Robert Peel.
Moderation.
Bringing people together.
That's how you run a government.
It's certainly how you run a country.
Sometimes, I think the Ultras are as bad as the Radicals.
Worse, in fact, because they should know better.
Of course, I'd never say that out loud in front of anyone who mattered, but No, we've a lot in common, me and Robert Peel.
He's a self-made man.
Well, his father is, so he's got the common touch and that goes a long way.
He's united the party, which the Whigs'll never do, and he'll unite the country, I've no doubt about that.
- [FOOTSTEPS.]
- Is that your sister? Is it? Anne? She's an Ultra.
- George.
- Oh! No, don't get up, Elizabeth.
It's gone nine.
Run up the hill and see where John Bottomley's got to, and if he's still not at home go and tell your brother to get over to him again at five o'clock in the morning before he sets off to work and to take care he gets down into Halifax to give a plumper for Mr Wortley.
Both his votes for Mr Wortley.
Yes, ma'am.
Hip bad, Elizabeth? It's this cold spell, ma'am.
Always makes it worse.
Mr Sunderland's here tomorrow to see my aunt.
Do you want to ask him to look in on you? Oh, no.
No, I don't want anybody put to any trouble.
Nonsense.
We can't expect a good day's work from you if you're in pain.
There'll be nowt he can do.
And then what? Happen she'll take me outside and shoot me, like she did Percy.
[FOOTSTEPS.]
- Don't.
Don't! - [HE CLEARS THROAT.]
I said don't.
Miss Lister! Mr Abbott.
We meet again.
Ah, yes, I was just saying to Marian To, ah, Miss Marian Would you excuse me? A thousand things to do.
Yes, I was just saying I hope I didn't speak out of turn at the Goodbye, Mr Abbott.
The Navigation meeting? Oh, yes.
Sorry! - Busy, busy.
Same as me.
- [HE CHUCKLES.]
Excellent.
Have you, erm told her? No.
No, no.
Not yet.
Ah, Joe George.
- Is Miss Walker about? - Yes, sir.
Mr Washington, ma'am.
Ah.
Well, Mr Washington Miss Lister.
Miss Walker.
Polling is under way, down in Halifax at least.
- Yes, ma'am.
- And we've done our bit.
We got John Bottomley down to the White Swan at five o'clock this morning, and we've badgered the fence-sitters and the non-promisers.
George, fetch another cup and saucer.
Oh, not for me.
Thank you.
Ah, I, erm Sit down, Mr Washington.
Erm [HE CLEARS THROAT.]
Have you had a letter from your sister in Scotland at all, ma'am? No.
Ah.
She said she'd written to you separately.
Happen it'll come today.
Ah, she's sent instruction for distresses to be made on 25 of your tenants, all for rent arrears.
Some are to claim goods to the value owed, but more than half are evictions.
Shall I read you the letter, ma'am? Yes.
Ah "Dear Mr Washington.
"Since my sister has now requested "a formal division of the joint property, "it strikes me as an opportune moment "to put our house in order.
"From the latest accounts you forwarded, "it is clear that a number of tenancies "have fallen into significant arrears.
" Really? How? Ah "I enclose a list of names, properties and actions "to be taken, and would be grateful if you could undertake "the necessary steps to employ a bailiff "who will carry out those actions.
" How have these tenancies fallen into arrears, Mr Washington? They do their best, ma'am, and I do keep on at them, those that owe, but folk can't always find work, not without moving to the towns, which they don't all want to do.
Or can't do.
Some of them are elderly.
And none of them are bad people.
I'd rather write 25 letters back to Scotland on behalf of them all than serve any one of these distresses.
Well if that's what Mrs Sutherland wants, if she believes that's the best way of going about it And there will be new tenants to find, of course.
Yes, of course.
And we'll have to seek references to ascertain that they can pay.
Shall I wait till you've heard from her as well, then, ma'am? Or shall I speak to a bailiff? Well, yes.
If Mrs Sutherland thinks that's the right way forward, then we should respect that and get on with it.
Right.
Is that everything? Yes, ma'am.
Shall I see you tomorrow at the Stag's Head, ma'am? Christmas rent collection.
I'll be there at noon.
Why has she done that? She doesn't write to me.
She writes to everyone except me, and then she's done that! Mm.
On the other hand, she's clearly got the message.
And perhaps that's why Washington didn't want to get involved - and write to Elizabeth - Mm.
because he suspected this might follow.
[KNOCK ON DOOR.]
Oh That's Mr Sunderland.
Very unpleasant.
Odious, in fact.
And have you heard the reports set afloat by the Whigs? Of Mr Wortley singing and drinking in public houses - late into the night? - Good Lord.
Are there no depths to which they won't plummet? But I remain optimistic.
Good.
Well said, Mr Sunderland.
So do I.
Don't we, Aunt? Not least because Mr Wortley's committee has worked so tirelessly, Mr Rawson, Mr Norris, Mr Waterhouse Yes, well, we've all done our bit, one way or another.
I'm going to put a new dressing on this, Miss Lister, and I'm going to leave you with a little more laudanum.
Well? The sore is getting larger.
And her pulse I'm happy enough with.
If she gets through the rest of the winter, I'm confident she'll be with us a little while longer yet.
Is Captain Lister? No Ah, no.
He's out, in that britzka he bought.
He's going to kill Marian.
Oh, well.
Would you mind taking a look at Mrs Cordingley's hip instead? Ah! The perennial hip.
[BANGING.]
Elizabeth, Mr Sunderland's here to look at your hip.
Oh Oh, it's fine.
I don't I don't need Nonsense, Mrs Cordingley.
We can't see you suffering.
It's Really, I'd rather not.
Walk towards me.
Well, Dr Kenny looked at it last winter and he said, just before you came home from Copenhagen, ma'am, and he said there's nothing to be done, so And it gets easier when the weather gets warmer, so Come and sit here.
Oh, I'd only have to stand up again.
Well, walk towards me, then.
Hmm.
You see, sometimes, just a bit of manipulation in exactly the right spot can [SHE GASPS.]
- [SHE SHRIEKS.]
- No! I don't like being poked! And a bad hip's a bad hip.
I've seen it with other folks.
There's nowt you can do, and some of us just can't lie in bed all day! So it's better just to leave it as it is.
[SHE SIGHS.]
Let me see you out, Mr Sunderland.
Castor oil, Mrs Cordingley, if you have any.
A teaspoonful once a day.
But it'll only help if taken consistently over a period of at least a month.
I'll call in again on Thursday.
And send for me again if I'm needed sooner.
- Good morning, Miss Lister.
- ANNE: Au revoir.
[DOOR CLOSES.]
I didn't mean I think the world of your aunt.
You know I do.
Why don't you go and stay with your sister for a few days in Bingley, have a bit of a rest? Who'll cook? I'm sure I can find someone to step in, temporarily.
Write to her.
See what she says.
Someone can drive you over to Bingley in the britzka.
I'll think about it, ma'am.
Thank you, ma'am.
Sorry, ma'am.
It came in the postbag while you were upstairs.
It's perfectly affectionate, in some ways, and then oddly pragmatic in others.
She's saying that dividing the estate is something we should've done long before now.
It's only odd that it's taken her so long to reach that conclusion.
And a letter from a lawyer.
Well, let's not quibble.
It's a step in the right direction, at least.
At last.
I wonder what time we'll hear anything about the polling today.
[SINGING.]
Power to the people! Up with the Radicals! Power to the people! [SINGING AND SHOUTING.]
Mind yersen, lad! Oh! - Joseph.
- Mr Whitley.
Do you know when they might publish the state of the poll? Miss Lister's sent me to find out.
Anne Oh, seriously.
You get over one ridiculous injury and then you take the damnable thing out again.
Well, it'll be me that has to sort out doctors and valets and one thing and another when he breaks his neck.
Some sympathy might not go amiss - [DOOR CLOSES.]
- actually, lady.
- For a self-inflicted injury? - [FOOTSTEPS APPROACH.]
When we have real illness in the house to contend with! - [KNOCK ON DOOR.]
- Ma'am? I bumped into Mr Whitley, ma'am, and he said not to despair.
Read it out.
"Mr Wortley, Tory party, 260 votes.
" Mm.
"Mr Wood, Whig, 294 votes.
"Protheroe, the Radical party, 273.
" He's right.
We mustn't despair.
The poll continues all day tomorrow, and we knew Wood would get back in.
As long as Wortley can pip Protheroe to the post for the second borough seat, we'll be all right.
Hm? - We must keep our nerve.
- And he might well, ma'am.
Mr Whitley said the committee itself hasn't even voted yet, they've been that busy getting people to the polling.
So Mr Wortley has a good number of votes still to come in.
Thank you, Joseph George.
Are you all right, lad? Yeah.
Just There was a lot of Blue flags torn down, and Halifax was all lit up and there were drunk people everywhere, men and women, even, singing and shouting and giving it some.
Go and get your dinner.
[ANNE SIGHS.]
What tawdry times we live in.
Are you coming with me to collect the rents tomorrow, Father? I can do.
If you can stand up.
I worry about Elizabeth.
Why? I'll never forget that look on her face the last time I was in Scotland.
She was terrified.
I bet there were consequences after I left.
Hm.
And if you read the letter closely, you can feel his influence right through it.
Little expressions I know she'd never use.
And the ridiculous delay in responding, that's him.
And the distresses, to not even discuss it with me before sending an order like that it's him.
He's trying to undermine me.
He's trying to make me worry I've asked for something unreasonable, and these are the consequences.
Hm.
Well, if it is, that puts to rest any anxiety that he and Washington would collude with one another.
And at such a volatile time too, with the election.
If the vote does swing Mr Wortley's way tomorrow, people are saying there's going to be unrest.
And it won't be him people will point at, will it? No, he's 400 miles away.
It'll be me.
It's very cunning and unpleasant if he's purposely done it to coincide with the election here.
We'll ride the storm together.
As long as you get what you want from it at the end of it, it'll all be worth it.
It is still what you want, isn't it? You know it is.
You've been so attentive since you came back from Lawton Hall.
Aren't I always? What made you say, "I shan't leave you again," the moment you came in? When? When you came back from Lawton.
It was the first thing you said.
Was it? Hm.
Only that I'd missed you.
I didn't realise quite how much until my eyes fell upon you.
It just struck me when you said it, and then you've not talked about Mrs Lawton since.
Not once.
You are the only person that matters to me now.
You know that.
This is the future, our future.
Here.
You and me.
I'd better go and say goodnight to my aunt and my father, and Marian said she needs me for a few minutes.
Ah! Goodnight, Father.
Sleep tight.
Night-night.
Ah.
I thought you'd forgotten.
If this is about what I think it's about [ANNE SIGHS.]
need we put one another through it? Do you want to sit down? I don't need to sit down.
I shouldn't wish to deceive you any longer, and of course you're free to tell Miss Walker, as she is now, to all intents and purposes, part of the family.
And Father knows too.
I told him this afternoon.
I have made up my mind to marry Mr Abbott.
He has about 2,000 a year, as far as I can make out, before you ask, from wool, which, if we were to have children, which we would both very much like, wouldn't be quite as much as we would hope to live on, and so his intention is to continue to develop his businesses here, in Halifax.
Well [SHE SIGHS.]
You know what I think.
And you know what I'm going to say.
I've been saying it all along.
I think you're making a grave mistake.
So I have just one request, that you should not marry from here, from Shibden, and that you send the news yourself to the papers in Halifax, Leeds and York, styling yourself as Marian, daughter of Jeremy Lister Esquire of Skelfler House in East Yorkshire.
If that's what you want.
He does know that you have nothing to expect from here, doesn't he? You have been clear about it? Yes.
He understands that there are no circumstances under which you would ever inherit Shibden, doesn't he? Yes! Even if you have children, he understands that if he has visions of himself being lord and master here one day, then those visions are going to be sadly frustrated.
We've not actually talked about it, but I think he Then I suggest you do.
I suggest that you are unambiguously clear to him that if and when I die If? this house may go to another but it won't be you or him, and then it's entailed to the Listers of Swansea.
I can make it clear to him if you think it's important.
It won't change anything.
Oh, you're naive.
He's a good soul.
That's irrelevant! What isn't irrelevant is the fact that you would be marrying so far beneath you, Marian! You are a Lister.
Our family is one of the oldest, if not the oldest, in Halifax, and if you insist on this social mismatch then you must understand that there can be no further communication between us and all ties with here must be permanently severed.
Miss Walker and I would not attend the wedding.
Indeed, you needn't tell us about it at all.
It would be enough for us to see it in the paper.
Your best friend would be that person who mentioned me to you seldomest.
And as for Adney and I your name would never again pass our lips.
My only fear is that the mortification of your reduced circumstances may be far greater than you anticipate.
The great sadness of the thing, Marian, is that there's really no need for it.
I've always made it abundantly clear that there will always be a knife and fork for you here.
But I want to marry him.
I have no wish to persuade anyone against anything they have very much at heart.
All I ask is that you think long and hard about what you would gain and what you would lose.
Status is so hard to win and so very easy to throw away.
And for what? A wool-stapler.
People will be amazed.
It's inconceivable.
I suppose I don't feel that I am marrying so very far beneath me.
Oh, Marian! He's in all the right societies and institutions in the town.
He's very well regarded Well enough regarded.
He's very capable and hard-working and ambitious and more than likely to do extraordinarily well for himself - by and by.
- None of which matters.
None of which changes the fact that you are a Lister.
He is a wool-stapler.
No-one else has ever asked me.
That's no reason to marry someone, Marian.
I like him.
Enough to ostracise yourself from everything you've ever known? I'd like to be a mother.
[ANNE SIGHS.]
[ANNE SIGHS.]
[MARIAN SNIFFLES.]
[ANNE SIGHS.]
Does Aunt Anne know? No.
Not yet.
Could you not tell her? It would cause her so much hurt.
Lord knows, she has enough to contend with at the moment.
And so many things happen between the cup and the lip.
It might all go off again and then she need never have been troubled with it.
Hm? Go! - [ELIZABETH SIGHS.]
- It won't make any difference.
It won't cure it.
Just go.
I'll just get used to not doing owt much and then it'll be time to come back again.
And? Go! And then it'll be twice as hard to get back into the rhythm of everything here than if I'd never gone in the first place.
Shall I go? I'll go.
- I'll pretend to be you.
- [ELIZABETH LAUGHS.]
Your sister won't notice.
I suppose our Nancy would be pleased to see me.
- Mm.
- And it'd be nice to have a rest.
There you are.
I wish I could just find a nice fella and just have him to look after.
[FOOTSTEPS.]
[SHOUTING.]
[WOMAN.]
Tory scum! Tory scum! Go on, have it all! Come here.
Give it here, give it here! - Get his fucking bollocks off! - Help! You Tory! [GUNSHOT.]
Thataway! - Get yersen back off home.
- Is that Dick? Is he all right? They were attacking Mr Atkinson, the wine merchant, so we waded in.
And he's an invalid, you know? And his wife were there trying to shoo 'em off, so we sorted the little bastards out, and they were nowt but lads.
And we got Mr and Mrs Atkinson safe upstairs, but this lad had his hair parted.
What's happened? Wortley! He beat Protheroe by one vote, so they're smashing t'town up.
[GLASS SHATTERS.]
You want to get yersen back up that hill and off home, cos that's what we're doing.
Come on! - Move yourself.
Move! - [SHOUTING CONTINUES.]
ANNE: What a hard-won race.
I shall write to Lady Stuart and tell her.
Oh, but the town, ma'am! You've never seen anything like it.
All the shop fronts smashed in and raided.
All the inns Well, all those identified as Blue.
Really? I didn't see it with my own eyes but, apparently, both front doors of the vicarage broken down, and one fella said up at Mr Norris's house there was glass and furniture and paintings all shattered and ripped and strewn across his garden.
Then they'd gone over to Hope Hall, where they were hellbent on smashing that up.
And if they'd got hold of Mr Christopher Rawson, they'd drag him outside by his bootstraps and And? And what? Hang him.
Oh, I don't think you understand the strength of feeling in the town, ma'am, against the Blues.
I don't think I did.
[SHE STUTTERS.]
Do you think the mob will come up the hill? Oh, I think it's unlikely, ma'am.
They seem more focused on attacking Mr Wortley's committee than anybody else.
I just thought you should know.
I've never seen anything like it in my life.
Did you speak to Mr Goodall? Yes.
Yes.
I gave him Mrs Sutherland's list.
The bailiff.
And he can take care of everything for you, ma'am, the distresses.
When will he do it? Within the week.
[ANNE SIGHS.]
[DULL CLUNK.]
[SHE SIGHS.]
[SHE GASPS.]
Mr Sunderland What are you doing? - Going down into Halifax.
- Why? To finish paying for Staups.
The final payment's due today, and then it'll all be part of Shibden.
A note.
From Mr Sunderland.
He can't visit Aunt Anne today because he isn't feeling himself but he can ask Dr Jubb to come instead.
Is it wise? To go into Halifax? - I think it would be - Yes, I know! "Unwise not to"! Of course.
Silly me! I'll write and tell Mr Sunderland we'll only ask Dr Jubb to come if we need him.
Perhaps you can take the note, if it's no trouble.
If you can wait long enough for me to write it! [BABY CRIES.]
[FAINT CHATTER.]
Is she one of us? Are you a Yellow? - Is she a Yellow? - Ask her.
- Are you a Yellow? - Oi, you're being spoke to.
Are you a Yellow? She's Blue, her.
Are you a Yellow, mister? Missus.
No.
I'm not Yellow.
I'm black.
I'm in mourning for all the damage that's been done.
I hardly expected to see you.
I thought you might not have wanted to have ventured out.
When I saw the sad turmoil the town was in, I hardly expected to find you here.
Well, like you, Miss Lister, although people might not imagine it in the same way, I'm made of stern stuff.
I didn't know you had dealings with my friend, Miss Walker's brother-in-law, Captain Sutherland.
Oh, yes.
When John Walker died on his honeymoon, poor fellow.
Mm.
What do you make of him? Sutherland? Oh, well, it's a good few It's five years now but, erm, yes, he Yes.
He's amiable and fastidious, in matters of business.
Devoted to his wife.
Why? Miss Walker has requested a division of the estate between herself and Mrs Sutherland, but he seems determined to frustrate the process, whilst it's clear that she, Mrs Sutherland, agrees that the whole thing should have been done a while since.
Hm.
Hm.
I've got £525 in Bank of England notes, 255 in country notes and 170 in sovereigns.
That's 950.
You have the 1,000 I took at 4.
5% from Mr Wainhouse, plus the other 1,000 he's furnishing me with until Miss Walker's administration money comes through and I can repay him.
I paid a £330 deposit on 23rd May, so the total owed by me today stands at £3,225, five shillings and thruppence, minus £6, 17 shillings and sixpence, that being the last half-year's rent received from two tenants, Moore and Oates, which takes us to £3,218, eight shillings and 11 pence.
Correct.
Well, I've had a note from the other party, the vendor, Mrs Barton.
ANNE: A vulgar set.
They're all ready for the handover, all waiting round at Messrs Stead and Dyson, all very intrigued to meet you.
Shall we set off? Good Lord, no.
I'll be over at Whitley's.
But I'll be back in an hour, when the thing's done.
Ah.
[CREAKING.]
Stay there.
[CREAKING CONTINUES.]
[HEN CLUCKS.]
[CREAKING.]
[RHYTHMIC CREAKING.]
[HE GASPS.]
You all right, lad? Yep.
Yep.
ANNE: I half imagined the things Washington told us last night might have been exaggerated, but No.
People are estimating the damage to be more than £10,000.
- 2,000 alone at Mr Norris's house.
- [HAMMERING.]
They were baying for his blood last night, chanting for him to come outside.
Of course, he'd fled by then.
They broke in, and the lower floor was destroyed.
Defiled.
The same as Shay House.
You know, they broke down the front door, smashed up the furniture.
Jeremiah Rawson's carriage and his gig were dragged out of his carriage house and into the street and ripped asunder.
The same at Hope Hall.
And, apparently they were intending to come to us next, - at Well Head.
- No But Protheroe persuaded them against it.
Thank the Lord.
Well, he sent his servant to persuade them against it.
He knows how ill Catherine is.
You You know my daughter's in the final stages of consumption, Miss Lister? Yes, I do.
I'm sorry.
Can you imagine if they'd broken in? See, I I had no idea there was such anger.
And it's not just Halifax.
It's York, Rochdale, Blackburn, Stockport, Salford, Birmingham.
Have we been blind not to see it? Nothing justifies terror.
Hunger? Poverty? The misery some people must feel in this bitter weather? Maybe it does.
Perhaps the Radicals have a point when they say that our time-honoured institutions and ways of doing things don't suit such fast-moving times, and the ravages on such a big population.
I don't know.
When you say, "The same at Hope Hall," do you mean Mr Christopher Rawson's carriages were destroyed too? Smashed to pieces and burnt.
Miss Lister.
Miss Lister! Mr Hinscliffe.
Ah, you're braver than some, coming into town on a day like today.
I have business to transact.
I won't be diverted from my purpose by a few ne'er-do-wells who don't like their own so-called democracy.
Did you know Do you know that the Rawsons have now had between four and five acres of your coal? Why aren't you taking care of 'em, eh? It's robbery.
It's daylight robbery.
How could you know a thing like that? Because people talk.
People go down there regularly.
He commands no loyalty.
Yes, well, perhaps I will take care of him, by and by.
Yeah? Well, why don't you? Any number of men would have offered you a fair price for those beds and you're just letting him pillage it off you.
I'm sorry, but it's Well, it's sickening for them of us that are trying to make an honest living from it, and Well, there it is.
I've said it.
I will take care of him.
Who's advising you? James Holt? A second opinion on our strategy might not be unwelcome.
I'll be a friend to anyone who'll be a friend to me.
I mean, he used us both badly, with that business up at Willy Hill pit.
Come and visit me at Shibden one day.
We'll discuss it.
Ah! Well, it all went off very agreeably.
The other party were only sorry not to see you.
Mrs Barton said how much she'd like to have made your acquaintance.
ANNE: A lucky and a narrow escape.
And Staups is now part of the Shibden Hall estate.
Congratulations.
I'm glad you got it.
It makes sense.
It's a very good purchase.
So let's get some hand bills printed and advertise for bids for the tenancy of the Stump Cross Inn.
Certainly.
There's been no shortage of enquiries and it should command a good rent.
I am anxious, however How can I put this? in light of our narrow victory last night, that it should go to someone of my own persuasion.
Your own? Someone who I can rely on to vote the right way in a dead lift.
We must, after all, do what we can in these volatile times.
Yes Er [HE LAUGHS NERVOUSLY.]
Yes.
Well, that would Would what? There will be a scrutiny of the vote, with it being so close.
They'll send someone up from London.
No doubt.
And what you're suggesting could be, um, thought of as as - [QUIETLY.]
corruption.
- Mm.
Except I wouldn't suggest it to anyone except you.
We understand each other.
And then I've got this Mr Bradley, this architect from Elland, coming to take a look at Northgate House with an eye to seeing what work needs to be done - to turn it into a good hotel.
- Ah.
That's still a plan? Oh, yes.
And then, with the right tenant, come the next election, that'd be another vote for the Blues in the borough.
Hardcastle! Have you been into Halifax recently? - No, ma'am.
- When was the last time you were there? Oh, week before last, I think.
Week before that.
The town's been smashed to pieces by the mob.
Had you heard? Because of the voting? Hope Hall was broken into.
Christopher Rawson's carriages were dragged from his carriage house, smashed to atoms and burnt.
Jeremiah Rawson's carriages too, at the Shay.
Other houses were broken into, windows smashed, paintings and furniture destroyed.
It's a rum do.
But only at Hope Hall and the Shay were carriages destroyed.
Look, I didn't tell you this at the time, because I couldn't prove it.
I tried I didn't want to give you and Mrs Hardcastle false hope.
But I believe it was Christopher Rawson who was driving the gig that caused the accident when Henry lost his leg.
Miss Walker's footman recognised him.
He refused to testify.
Some of his family work for the Rawsons and he feared repercussions.
I had Mr Rawson at the Hall.
I accused him to his face, but he denied it, of course.
But it was him.
He got rid of the gig just after the accident.
Why would he do that? Hmm? Anyway, the point is I did my best, as I always will for my tenants, good tenants like you.
- But I failed you.
- Er Then it struck me.
Today.
Poetic justice of sorts.
- The hand of God.
- Mm.
I wouldn't tell your wife.
It won't bring Henry's leg back, and it'll upset her all over again.
- Mm.
- But I don't know.
I just I thought you should know.
Thank you, ma'am.
Apparently, it's going to snow again.
I'm not convinced.
Thank you, ma'am.
[SHE SIGHS.]
[GUNSHOT, SHRIEKS.]
[HORSES NEIGH.]
[GUNSHOT.]
Oh It's her.
She took her pistols into Halifax with her.
- [DOOR OPENS.]
- Only me! Ah! George, I need you to run down into Halifax for me when I've written a note.
Could you put this copy of the Halifax Guardian in the post to Lady Stuart? Matthew you'll have to wait on us at dinner.
And wrap up.
It's just started snowing! So, Mrs Oddy will come and cook for us while Cordingley's at her sister's.
And, Father, I said you might drive her to her sister's, - if you'd be so kind, in the britzka.
- Where does she live? Bingley.
If it's too far for you, one of the lads can do it.
Or or I could.
And then fetch her back again when she's ready.
We should raise our glasses.
Ooh, yes.
Mrs Oddy.
I prefer her cooking.
No, Aunt.
To Staups.
Oh, yes.
- Oh, I see.
- My new acquisition.
Staups.
- Staups.
- Staups.
What's the matter, Marian? Staups.
And to Mr Wortley for his hard-won victory in the polls.
When all the results are in, let's hope there's even more reason to celebrate.
And then where there is discord, may we bring harmony.
Where there is error, may we bring truth.
Where there is doubt, may we bring faith.
And where there is despair, may we bring hope.
Did you just say that? Well, you saw her mouth open and the words come out.
No, I mean Did she just invent it? No, Aunt, sadly not.
It was St Francis of Assisi.
- Oh! - [SHE LAUGHS.]
- [KNOCK ON DOOR.]
- Ma'am.
Sorry, ma'am.
Sorry to interrupt your meal.
I know I was expected earlier, but the snow's slowed everything down.
- Shall I come back later? - No, no, no.
I could wait half an hour if If you'd like to go through to the drawing room, you could take coffee with us.
But would you not rather get off home? Er ideally, yes.
I just brought your Bailey Hall rents, Miss Walker.
Shall I? - Yes, um, anywhere.
- Here? Thank you.
You need to get yourself home, Mr Washington, and settle in front of a good fire.
I do, ma'am.
I will.
No.
There was just, um Yes? one other, er What? Did you? Have you seen today's Leeds Mercury? No.
Just the Guardian.
- Ah.
- Why? What's the matter? It's, er in the marriage announcements.
Marriage announcements? Is it? I thought you ought to see it.
- What is it? - What's it say? In the marriages of Wednesday last "The same day at the parish church in Halifax, "Captain Tom Lister of Shibden Hall "to Miss Ann Walker of Crow Nest, near the same place.
" [BOTH.]
What? It's a joke, it's a skit.
Who would have put that in the Leeds Mercury? I have no idea.
What does it mean? - It's a send-up.
- Is it funny? Well I I suppose it's quite amusing.
Well, who's Captain Tom Lister? Surely, they don't think you've married Miss Walker, Father? Or if they do, they've got your name wrong.
They don't mean me.
It's very good.
- It's very funny.
- [THEY CHUCKLE.]
Um, you'll have to let us have it, Mr Washington, when you've finished with it, - so we can laugh at it some more.
- Oh! Well, if if you like, just take that one, keep it.
If only the person who'd spent good money placing it in the paper could see that what was meant to irritate and annoy is in fact taken quietly and with such mere amusement.
Thank you, Washington, for bringing it to us.
Ma'am.
You'd better get off, before the roads become impassable.
Goodnight, ma'am.
Sir.
Miss Walker.
[FIRE CRACKLES QUIETLY.]
Behind her back she's Gentleman Jack, a Yorkshire lady of renown ♪ Ever so fine, won't toe the line ♪ Speak her name, gentlemen frown ♪ At Shibden Hall she had them all ♪ The fairer sex fell under her spell ♪ Dapper and bright She held them tight ♪ Handsome Anne seduced them well ♪ Gentleman Jack, oh, Gentleman Jack ♪ Watch your back, you're under attack ♪
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