North & South

North & South (2004) .: Episode 1 :.

What a business this wedding has been! What an expense!

You know, sometimes, my dear sister, I envy you your little country parsonage.

You two married for love, I know.

Now, of course, Edith can afford to do that.

Go on, Captain! Dance! Dance with your bride.

- You are bored, Miss Margaret. - No.

- I'm tired. - Ah.

Oh I'm exhausted. And a little too grown-up for ornaments like this.

When I get married, I want to wake up on a sunny day,

put on my favorite dress and just walk to the church.

There.

There. Is that better?

- I think you look very well. - Huh.

You would look very well whatever you wore.

I love my cousin dearly. I've been very happy in this house.

But I'll be even more happy to go home to Helstone tomorrow.

Ah, the wonderful Helstone. You cannot be kept away?

No. I cannot.

It's the best place on earth.

Margaret. Is that you?

Mr-Mr. Lennox. W-what's happened?

- Is it Edith? Some accident? - No, no, no, calm yourself. No such calamity.

I have come to visit paradise...

...as you suggested.

Well...

Mr. Lennox.

Y-You'd better sit down.

This is home.

Mama, you remember Mr. Lennox?

Oh, yes. Yes. Yes, of course, I...

I could walk this route with my eyes closed.

I've been visiting Father's parishioners since I was a very small girl.

Did you hear what I just said?

Sorry, I...

I was just remembering your prescription for a perfect wedding.

"I should like to walk to church on a sunny morning?"

Was this the path you were describing?

Why, yes, I suppose so, I...

wasn't actually thinking of MY wedding, you understand.

- I was wondering, Margaret, whether... - Please, don't go on...

...whether you might consider making that walk,

sharing that morning with one who... Please, listen.

Please. Don't continue.

I'm sorry.

Ex-Excuse me. I...

You led me to believe that such an offer would not be unwelcome.

A London girl would have known not to talk of wedding days in such ambiguous terms.

Excuse me, I... said nothing I am ashamed of.

I-I'm sorry if you have been mistaken in my affections for you.

Is there someone else, someone else you prefer?

No.

I do like you, Henry.

But I am not ready to marry anyone. You must believe that I mean what I say.

Henry, I...

...I- I'm sorry.

We'll be on the streets...

in a strange place.

Mama, I told you, we'll stay at a hotel until we find a house. It won't take long.

Perhaps Dixon and I could stay on the coast while you look.

Yes... as the misses is so delicate.

No, Maria. Your place is with us. It will not take us long to find a house.

My old college friend, Mr. Bell, has agreed to help.

He's already organized a list of potential pupils. There'll be plenty of teaching for me.

There will be no people there like us in Milton. How can there be?

We will manage, Mother. It's not another planet.

Outwood, Milton!

Outwood, Milton!

All change!

All change for stations north!

Why have we come here, Dixon?

It's going to be awful.

- I know it is. - Shh.

- Outwood, Milton! - Dixon. Take care and find a porter.

We have arrived.

All change!

I see 'im!

Porter! Take these, please.

We'll find a house faster if we go separately.

- Are you sure? - Of course.

Eggs, fresh-laid eggs this mornin'! Come and get your eggs!

Fresh fruits! Fresh fruits! Fruits and vegetables!

- Hello, how are you? - All right. How are you?

- The living room's quite spacious, as you can see. - The property's not for me.

I'm making inquiries on behalf of one of me master's business acquaintances.

The man is still living as a clergyman. Or rather a former clergyman.

He's used to living simply. I don't think he's ever been a man of great property or fortune.

- A matter of conscience, I believe. - Ah, conscience.

That never put bread on the table.

- South, eh? - Mm-hm.

A little, er... indiscretion took place, maybe?

Well, they do say the Devil makes work for idle hands, don't they?

Maybe his hands weren't so idle.

- Well, he'll certainly find things... quite different up north. - Oh, aye. Oh, aye.

Well I'll make good the repairs, but the decoration's good enough.

Hey, what a business, eh? For a man to uproot his wife and child come all the way to Milton.

Conscience or no conscience, that's strange behavior.

- Excuse me, madam, can I help you? - My name is Margaret Hale. Who are you?

I'm Williams, Mr. Thornton's overseer.

He asked me to look out properties for your father.

How much is the rent for the year?

These are details Mr. Thornton will discuss with your father. It's no need to concern yourself in money matters, ma'am.

I've no idea who your Mr. Thornton is. I thank him for his trouble,

but my father and I are sharing the task of securing a property.

I have spent two days viewing what Milton has to offer,

so I have a fairly good idea of price.

- Mr. Thornton thinks this will do very well for your father. - Where is Mr. Thornton?

- Excuse me? - Take me to see this Mr. Thornton.

If he won't deal with me, I'll have to deal with him.

- Does Mr. Thornton live here? - Aye, but he'll be at work.

Stay here, Miss. I'll find Master.

Stephens!

Put that pipe out!

I saw you!

Stephens!

Stephens!

Come here!

- Smoking again. - I wasn't!

- Where is it? - I wasn't smoking, I swear.

Still warm. I warned you.

No! No! Please, sir!

- Please don't... Please! - You stupid idiot!

- Please! - Look at me!

- Look at me! - Stop!

- Stop! Please, stop! - Who are you? What are you doing in here?

- My name is Margaret Hale. - Miss Hale!

- I'm sorry, sir, I told her to stay in the office. - Get her out of here!

Aye, crawl away on your belly and don't come back!

Please, sir... I have little ones.

- Stop! - You know the rules!

- My children will starve, sir! - Better they starve than burn to death!

Get out before I call the police! Get that woman out of here!

Please, Miss.

Miss. Miss, please.

Miss, please, Miss... Please!

My darling Margaret, we are back at last from our honeymoon in Corfu.

We've been away so long I'm almost fluent in Greek - or so the Captain says.

But you know, everything he says is always so agreeable.

Oh, dear Margaret... Now I'm going to say something that will make you very angry,

but I can't help it.

What was uncle thinking of taking you all so far away from home?

Why on earth are you in that awful place where they make cotton,

when no one who is anyone wishes to buy it?

I am sure we'll always wear linen.

Dear Edith, I'm pleased to report

that we've replaced the horrible wallpapers with altogether more agreeable colors.

Dixon has only - if you think this possible - grown in energy.

She has set herself the task of engaging an under-maid,

but as yet there isn't anyone within a radius of at least 50 miles

who is remotely suitable to wait on us hand and foot.

I'll sit, if you don't mind.

Hm.

You'll be expected to be well up before the family to light the fires.

I'm sorry, I'm not getting up at five in the morning.

And I'm not working for those wages.

I can get four shillings as a piecer at Hamper's.

Anyway, if you don't mind me asking,

where's the money coming from to pay for me?

This house must be costing 30 pound a year, and there's not much coming in from what I've heard.

I'll come and go as I please!

And I don't need no bossy, jumped-up servant

to tell me what's what and how to behave! You can keep your rotten job!

Me, a servant, indeed

I don't know what the master was thinking of, subjecting us to all this gossip!

Margaret?

What's the matter?

There is some talk...

Margaret?

Margaret? What does she mean "talk"?

I did hear some people talking, when we were house-hunting.

About why we moved to Milton... so abruptly. Why you left the church.

People are... talking?

Well, it's only natural, after all, that people should wonder.

It's not usual for clergymen to leave their parish,

travel hundreds of miles, as if to escape something.

Just because we follow you without question...

It's from the bishop.

- It's not about Frederick? - No, no, no. I keep that letter with me at all times.

To reassure me that I made the right decision.

I-Is this all?

"I ask that all rectors in the diocese of the New Forest reaffirm their belief in the Book of Common Prayer."

Yes, there! Exactly. The effrontery! The man's ten years our junior.

He tries to treat us all like children.

But this is a formality, surely... to reaffirm.

My conscience will not let me.

I can and have lived quietly with my doubts for...

well, for some years now, but...

I cannot swear publicly to doctrines I am no longer sure of.

Now, we men of conscience have to make a stand.

- We? - Yes, there are others who have doubts.

We all agreed. We could not reaffirm.

Are you telling me that all the rectors of the New Forest

have decamped to industrial towns?

Well...

some thought it possible to yield,

but... I did not.

- How many? How many refused? - I could not avoid it. I was forced into it.

You must understand.

I understand.

I understood...