01x06 - Episode 6

Episode transcripts for the TV show "The Halcyon". Aired: October 2017 to February 2017.*
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"The Halcyon" focuses on a five-star hotel at the centre of London Society and a world at w*r in 1940.
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01x06 - Episode 6

Post by bunniefuu »

(AIR RAID SIRENS, FIRE TRUCK BELLS)

♪ Rock of ages, cleft for me ♪
♪ Let me hide myself in Thee ♪
♪ Let the water and the blood ♪
♪ From Thy riven side which flowed... ♪

You're not what I thought, love.

The soft hands, the fancy hotel.

I thought you'd last all of two nights.

Oh, thank God.

What is it? What's wrong?

You live near Paddington.

Yes.

A b*mb dropped on a shelter and k*lled everyone inside.

Look, I'm all right.

See, I'm fine.

You were that worried about me, huh?

Oh, shut up.

You have no idea.

Wait.

♪ These things are moving fast ♪
♪ No time left in my hourglass ♪
♪ No hopes for you and me ♪
♪ Long gone, they left without apology ♪
♪ Nothing can stop these ♪
♪ Cold clock hands ♪
♪ From turning ♪
♪ Praying won't stop these ♪
♪ Falling sands ♪
♪ Raining down ♪

Good morning, Miss. Garland.

Another night in the f*ring line?

This is a staff entrance, Mr. O'Hara.

Don't the WVS usually wear green?

Where is your uniform?

I'll be able to get one after payday.

Surely your father can give you an advance?

He must be proud of you out there every night doing your bit.

What is it you want, Mr. O'Hara?

Only to talk.

Did he try and prevent you from signing up?

You're doing a story on me.

Strictly speaking, it's on the Women's Voluntary Services.

But a personal angle couldn't hurt.

So you are incapable of finding a lead outside these walls?

That's not fair.

And the answer is no.

No, you may not talk about me on your show.

And certainly not about my father.

Mr. Garland. Good morning.

Good morning.

Emma.

You should have returned over an hour ago.

I was stationed further away...

I don't care to hear excuses.

We had an agreement. This was not to interfere with your work.

And it hasn't.

Come on.

Go upstairs and sleep. You'll start at midday.

Midday but the restaurant...

The restaurant can do without you.

Has someone complained about my work?

No. I didn't think so.

Every night she goes out, I'm...

I'm convinced it's the last time I'll see her. How do you do it?

With Billy? Oh... no idea.

I pray. I fuss.

I hold him a little tighter each time I see him.

One upside of losing the house is now he actually lets me.

Do you know why he was so upset that I didn't want him signing up?

He thought I was saying he wasn't good enough.

Emma doesn't...

She's not like that. She knows I'm proud of her.

I shouldn't have lost my temper.

Maybe if they were a little less fearless.

If they were more like their parents.

Maybe then we could keep them where we want them.

Thank you, Miss. Taylor.

How's your brother?

Is he well?

What does he do all day, that brother of yours?

He works the big ack-ack g*ns.

Mm.

And when there are no German planes to sh**t? What then?

He probably cleans the lavs at the barracks, doesn't he?

No.

It is a noble task to clean the lavatories.

Even in w*r, lavatories must be clean. Especially in w*r.

Now, come on, squirt.

I've got a job for you.

He looks dashing in his uniform, doesn't he?

Helps if one has looks to start with.

Oh, you talk to Peggy. Find out if Freddie has telephoned for you-know-who since he ditched her.

Well, if Lord Hamilton ever calls the switchboard for you, Lillian, I'm sure Peggy will let you know.

Oh, Dora! You gave me a fright.

Quickly, come.

What is it?

In there.

Bloody hell!

Are you trying to k*ll me?

Sorry, I just... wanted to see you.

Didn't want to get you in trouble.

(GASPS)

Is that all right?

Here, I've... got you something.

Close your eyes.

Hold out your hands.

Billy.

Where on earth did you get it?

Oh. you know, found the right chap, traded the right things.

What things?

Not even Feldman can get oranges.

Yeah.

Aren't you gonna try it?

We should share it. Tomorrow.

Before my shift.

What am I thinking? You probably can't get away..

No, no no. No, I can. I will.

Well, I'd better...

I-I left my...

Yeah.

Thank you.

Bloody hell.

Bath's ready.

You spoil me, darling.

Priscilla...

Hmm?

You needn't hide that from me, you know.

See, I'm not quite sure... precisely what I am to you, and that's all right. That's perfectly all right.

If this is a... passing fancy, a diversion then I remain your obedient servant always happy to provide.

However, if you do wish to talk about Freddie, about anything... if I can be more to you... then I would like that very much, too.

The RAF was my idea.

My father was Navy.

As was Lawrence.

I always had a passion for flying.

So when Freddie showed an interest...

When he was a little boy we talked of little else.

Even if you hadn't encouraged him, he'd... he'd still be out there... somewhere. If not RAF, then Navy. You don't know where he would be.

I know where he is now.

And he's there because of me.

Do you regret asking me now?

No.

No.

(PHONE RINGS)H alcyon Hotel. Good morning.

Of course, sir. Putting you through.

Switchboard, good morning.

Of course, madam, putting you through.

Thank you for this.

I just can't believe her ladyship hasn't turfed you out yet.

Are you sure she knows you're living here?

Mr. Garland showed her the photo of the house in the Express.

She's satisfied it's a temporary measure.

I spoke to Miss. Baker. She's gonna take the squirt the mornings I can't.

How did you manage that?

Just some work she needs doing on her shelter.

I don't have to go.

Oh, yes, you do.( PHONE RINGS)

Switchboard, good morning.

Come on, we'll go.

Of course, sir, putting you through.

Oh.

(GROANS)

About this morning...

Never mind.

I can't apologise for volunteering. Nor am I going to stop.

But...

I am sorry if I was short with you.

I know how you feel about it...

Emma.

And I know you must...

They've got a nerve charging you for it.

Dad...

If your work does start to suffer, we'll talk again.

You take good care of these, you hear me, no heroics.

They weren't cheap.

I promise.

How about this?

I'll tell him a maid mistakenly brought the watch to my room...

Shh.

God, it's a ridiculous lie.

Breathe, please for me.

Slowly in and out.

Good.

This is what we're going to do.

He has a drink in the bar every evening.

You will go to him and tell him it was all me.

That I'm a nuisance, I've been bothering you.

What?

Toby, whichever way this goes, I lose my job.

But you need to protect yourself.

Toby!

For God's sake, I'm not gonna have you...

He saw us. He knows it's not just you.

Of course, but he'll accept the lie.

You are who you are and I'm... what I am.

You'll see. He'll be downright relieved to take your lead.

Go.

They are behind schedule tonight.

I might pen a note to their mothers.

Here we are, gentlemen.

Thank you, love.

You're telling me there are more than 400 full-time...

Mr. O'Hara.

Miss. Garland. Green becomes you.

I said no to your story, Mr. O'Hara.

I'd ask that you respect that.

Tell me, are you and your colleagues assigned to the same fire crew each night?

No. I've just been told there are nearly 400 wartime fire stations in the London County area.

If I deliberately tried to find you this evening, I'd have had my work cut out.

You don't think much of me, do you?

Mr. O'Hara...

Not at all.

I am... professionally irritating.

You're quite right to be suspicious.

And now if you'll excuse me, I really should get back to my interview.

(MELLOW JAZZY TUNE)

Mr. D'Aberville.

May I?

Please.

I wanted to make sure there'd be no... misunderstanding about what you saw earlier.

A maid... brought the watch up to my room mistakenly thinking it was mine.

No, no, no, Toby. Toby.

Forgive me, may I call you Toby?

I have no intention of... telling anyone what I saw.

So you...

Do you mean to tell me you're not going to tell my mother?

No, I'm not.

In my experience, no man chooses who he... falls in love with.

But... you must be more careful.

Your friend over there does not have the benefit of your position.

If you were discovered...

I know, I know.

Thank you, Lucian, thank you.

No, no, no, no.

It's nothing.

Oh, and I hope we're... friends, yes?

Yes. Of course, of course.

Good.

Friends.

(CLICKS TONGUE)

I know, I know. Late again. I'm a monster. I'll make it up to you.

What was it this time? Another burst water pipe?

Worse. Let me get ready, get out there and I'll bore you with the full story.

Were you ever going to tell me?

Or were you just gonna stop showing up one day, let us figure it out for ourselves?

Sonny...

Don't! Don't lie, not again.

I was going to tell you but I've a few more rehearsals with them yet and...

I would have, of course I would.

Don't be cross with me, Sonny, please.

You'll replace me in a heartbeat and you know it.

Are you that unhappy here?

God, no, not in the least.

Then why?

I don't know!

For... variety, for a change.

There's nothing doom and gloom about it.

Easy come, easy go, that's Betsey Day for you.

Can't accuse me of ever lying about that.

Sonny!

(DRUM INTRO)

(UP-TEMPO DANCE TUNE)

(AIR RAID SIREN)

Ladies and gentlemen, if you could follow me, I will escort you down to the shelter.

(SOMBRE TUNE)

You're so sore with me you're gonna get yourself bombed, is that it?

Come on, Son, please don't be like this.

O'Hara: Another evening, another air raid siren.

The streets are empty but for the city's guardians.

Air raid wardens, firemen, ambulance drivers and the girls of the Women's Voluntary Services.

There is no shelter for them tonight.

As the bombs drop and the fires break out, these women stay on the scene.

Keeping the city...

(expl*si*n)

(GASPS)

Good God, that was close.

(BELL CLANGING)

(PIANO PLAYING)

Are you gonna play something I can sing to, Mr. Jazz Man?

Tell me the real reason why you're going...

Don't.

I'm here now, aren't I?

Can't we have fun? Can't we just enjoy it?

(expl*si*n)

You should go downstairs.

Nah.

I want to stay here.

With you.

(MELLOW INTRO)

♪ Don't want to go up north because it's too damn cold ♪
♪ Don't want to go to Bournemouth cos they're too damn old ♪
♪ And if you're east of Stepney ♪
♪ Then there's nothing to see ♪
♪ Oh, the West End is the best end for me ♪

(expl*si*n)

♪ So hello Piccadilly, hello Leicester Square ♪
♪ We've got sandbags on the pavements ♪
♪ We've got buggers in the air ♪
♪ And no-one is gonna tell me it's not the place that I should be ♪
♪ Because the West End is the best end ♪
♪ You said the best end is the West End ♪
♪ I mean the West End is the best end for me ♪

(PIANO FLOURISH)

(expl*si*n)

(CYMBAL CHIMES)
(SHOUTING)

Man: Hold it steady, boys!

Mr. O'Hara!

Yeah!

Fresh water quickly.

(SHOUTING)

We can't save it, you have to get out of here. Now!

(SHOUTING)

Come on!

Leave it, come on.

Let's go! Go, go!

(FIRE BELL)

(ENGINE STUTTERS)

Oh, no, no, no.

(ENGINE STUTTERS)

Hold on.

Please.

Help me!

Bring the kit.

Please help!

Please. You have to come, please.

Let me see that arm. It's my mum.

The ambulance wouldn't' take her.

Right. Show us the way.

(PLANES OVERHEAD)

It's all right. I see her.

Emma, there's no pulse.

You'll take her, won't you?

The ambulance before wouldn't take her.

I'm afraid they are not allowed to.

They have to prioritise the wounded, right?

It is, and right now you are our priority.

There's an infirmary down the road.

No. Not without her.

Listen, love, your arm is in a bad way.

You're losing a lot of blood.

I ain't going without her.

(EXPLOSIONS)

Why can't you leave her?

If you know the hospital can't help then there must be a reason.

Please, I...

I'd like to understand.

A friend of mine... his fiancee, they didn't find her till next morning and they'd been...

Stray dogs had got in or foxes or something and...

Right.

This is what we'll do. You go with Evelyn...

No!

And I'll stay here.

(expl*si*n)

Emma.

When we get the all-clear I'll make sure they collect her.

Now, you'd better tell me her name.

Mary.

Mary Elizabeth Shaw.

Mary Elizabeth Shaw.

Come on, love, let's get to a doctor.

Here. Take this.

I'll be right back for you.

(SOBS)

I know, come on. Come on.

Wrap her in some of that cloth.

Write her name on one of the tags in the kit.

I'll meet you back at the depot, all right?

(MUSIC PLAYS)

(RECORD SKIPS)

(LAUGHS)

You hate The Carlton.

You said it smells like onions.

It does smell like onions.

I'm just moving on, that's all.

That's what I do, I move on.

Don't... don't give me thay "easy come, easy go" line again.

You've been with us for two years.

You can run out on anything else.

You just... you can't run out on us.

It's not me, is it?

Sonny, just leave it alone.

This is about your mother?

It's about the money?

After all this time, you were just gonna quit rather than have it out with me?

I'm saving all I can.

I've almost got enough to buy it back.

Buy it?

Mum and I, we've got a lot in common.

But I've got some standards.I don't run out on my debts.

How many times do I have to tell you?I don't care about the trumpet.

You weren't even meant to know.

That's just it.

What? I what?

It makes sense if you'd expected something in return, but you...

You're just good, aren't you?

And you don't get it.

This isn't me.

What isn't you?

You've got me all wrong, Sonny!

You're gonna be disappointed one day, so it might as well be now.

Wait.

Wait. You're leaving because I treat you halfway decent?

You're leaving because I like you?

Damn it, Bets, you'd better run because I love you.

I love you.

I've loved you since the day I met you.

I thought you knew.

June 6th, 1938.

I've played piano for you every day but Sunday for two years.

I know you, Betsey Day.

If you are trying to protect me, you're too late.

(expl*si*n)

Emma, we have to get out of here.

Come on, forget that, it's not safe.

Leave it! Go! Just go, all right?

I didn't ask for you to come back for me.

This your first body?

Well, what, then?

I made her a promise and I'm staying.

Tell Evelyn I'm sorry.

I'll talk to her tomorrow.

I'm not leaving.

I'll get some blankets from the truck so we don't freeze, all right?

(expl*si*n)

Mummy.

Oh, shh.

It's all right, sweetheart.

Your mum's here. You're safe.

Dora.

(g*nf*re, EXPLOSIONS, PLANES OVERHEAD)

Do you hear that?

That's Billy, isn't it?

In the park.

f*ring back.

He's right.

Now close your eyes.

Just listen.

That's our Billy.

He's protecting us.

Man: Move! Fire!

Elevation!

Traverse on!

Fire!

It was my mother.

The first body I saw.

How old were you?

Nine.

She'd been ill for a long time.

It wasn't unexpected.

Dad was at work.

I tried to get word to him, but...

She got cold so quickly.

This is so stupid.

Oh! I should be back out there...

Emma.

You made a promise.

She won't know.

You'll know.

We'll know.

I saw you looking a few times.

Figured you didn't think I was repulsive.

You never once did anything about it.

I didn't, because I...

Sonny, just let me.

I was sweet on you for the longest time.

You were so proper and so...

The girls you liked, they were all respectable.

They said their "please" and "thank you" and they went to church on Sunday and were coloured, all of them.

And there I was.

You've seen me in and out of here with half the men in London.

I'm not what you wanted.

You're... the best man I know.

And I'm not gonna change.

I'm a wreck.

I'm a flirt and I drink too much.

And I'll mess it all up in the end.I always do.

You WERE sweet on me?

Not any more?

If this is just to make me stay in the band...

You're not that good, Bets.

I could have Hildy Simmons on that stage by noon tomorrow.

Hildy Simmons?

Hildy Simmons has a voice like a strangled...

(PLANES OVERHEAD, NO EXPLOSIONS)

(DISTANT expl*si*n)

I take it, you saw the paper this morning?

Yeah, I did.

You know, I think I'm finally getting the hang of the British crossword.

For a while there it was... quite a blow to my confidence.

Thank you, Mr. O'Hara.

It would have been very easy for you to say, "I told you so."

Freddie and I, our difference in station.

Everyone thought it, but... you were one of the very few to say it out loud.

No, I didn't, did I?

Well, you made your thoughts clear in any event.

Well, then, I apologise.

It's no wonder you have such a low opinion of me.

No, you were... you were right.

It's galling to think how naive I was, how...

(SIGHS)

We grew up together, you see.

On and off, when Freddie was home from school.

Made it easy for me to get carried away, to... imagine his feelings were other than what they were.

Well, Miss. Garland, whatever... chowderhead thing I said about you and Freddie, your station or his...

I don't doubt for one second that his feelings for you are real.

What?

Nothing.

We'd best keep this quiet.

Yeah?

For now.

People won't like it.

I know.

But I don't give a fig.

What will you do afterwards?

Afterwards?

When the men come home?

I can't see you going back to...

What was the job you had the day you first took a dislike to me?

Receptionist.

Receptionist.

So, what will you do after?

You're assuming there will be an "after".

You're assuming we'll win.

You see all this.

It's not about wiping London off the map.

They just want to scare you.

Wear you down, so you'll surrender.

And it's working.

We're scared.

Scared is fine. You should be scared.

But it doesn't matter.

Britain won't surrender.

So?

What is it you want?

What do I want?

Yeah.

Huh. What comes next?

You can't go backwards.

Not after all this.

(AIR RAID SIREN)

O'Hara: What can I say? I'm an educated man.

Well, that's different, then. Because Americans are never wrong about anything.

You all right?

Had a tough night? Yes.

I mean no. I was just supposed to... meet someone.

Oh, I'm so sorry, Miss. Garland.I didn't realise the time.

Don't worry, Kate. Come on.

Where is everyone?

I'll need someone to cover the switchboard until Nancy gets in.

I can do that.I won't be fast, but...

I know the basics.

Thank you, Wilfred.

I'll take care of reception.

Do we know how it happened?

Parachute mine.

It would have been quick.

Dad.

It's Billy.

He was k*lled this morning.

(INDISTINCT)

I'm sorry about the delay. I promise you, you'll not miss your train.

Miss. Garland.

Hey.

Peggy.

Could you...

Anything.

Well, Dora...

She's just...

Of course.

Go.

Thank you.

Mr. D'Aberville. What can I get you?

Oh, no. At ease. It's a little early, even for me.

If you'd prefer something from the kitchen?

No, no.

I know it's a difficult time for you all.

No, I just wanted a... chat.

Of course, sir.

You...

You care for Toby?

Good.

I'd like for us to become friends.

Talk occasionally. Just like this.

I'm not sure I understand.

I'd like to know more about Toby's place of work.

What he does there, who he meets with, what he is working towards, that sort of thing.

Toby doesn't talk about his work.

With a little effort on your part I'm quite sure you'd get the information I need.

If you are going to thr*aten me, you'd better get on with it.

I have work to do.

You're not easily rattled, Mr. Joshi.

Remind me, of the five of you, it is only Dhani that was born HERE, isn't it? Your little brother.

And your parents and your sister and yourself, it's a different matter entirely. Getting deported is one thing, but getting deported because your son has committed unnatural acts, no, can't imagine the shame.

This is pointless. Toby would never be indiscreet.

Yes, Toby. No doubt his mother will keep him out of prison but make no mistake, he will lose his career and his bright future.

Is that really what you want for him?

Lady Hamilton: Lucian?

Yes, coming.

She isn't stupid.

She'll see through you eventually.

I have you...

Adil Joshi.

And since discretion is not Toby's strong point, I feel certain we'll be the best of friends.

Enjoy your day.
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