05x07 - Episode 7

[bunniefuu]

'For the women of Nonnatus House,

'life was composed of
countless tender disciplines.

'For every word not spoken in
the precious nightly silence,

'prayers had to be offered,
and rituals performed.

'For every sweet hour stolen,

'there was penance paid.

'And even fleeting, golden moments

'called for sacrifice and courage.

'Nothing came entirely easily.

'And, yet, all hardship was embraced,

'because that was the way the wind blew.

'That was the way that things were done.'

Daisy!

- For crying out loud, will you put
a bit more into it?! - All right.

Lou! Lou!

Your mother ain't well! Get
up on that path and help her!

I'm sure you deserved it.

And a round of applause
for the Beverley Sisters!

Better late than never.

We're not late. It's eight on the dot.

If you spent less time lathering
on the eye-black, Nurse Franklin,

you'd have been down here five minutes ago

and ready to start work at eight on
the dot, like Sister Mary Cynthia.

I'd be careful, if I
were you, Nurse Mount.

It may be October,

but there's plenty of flies
still looking for a home.

- Morning!
- Good morning, Master Turner.

You're looking very spruce.

New blazer?

Yes, although it's still
purple, unfortunately.

So I see.

Insulin?

My mum asked me to drop it off.
And she says can Sister Julienne

call in at the practice
after surgery hours?

I'll tell her. She's already
asked to see me in her office.

Thank you.

Sister. Your courage and your forbearance

over the last few weeks has been
admirable in every conceivable way.

- You have my absolute respect.
- Thank you.

But I haven't done anything out of
the ordinary. I just carried on.

And it is for that very reason
that I have wanted to send you

to the Mother House ever
since you were att*cked.

You deserve to spend time
in prayer and reflection,

but I haven't been able to spare you.

We have no idea when Sister
Evangelina will re-join us.

Or even if.

But she said she was going to
the silent order for six months.

And the six months is over,

and we've scarcely heard a word from her.

But why would she choose an enclosed life?

Why would she choose to give up midwifery?

It may not be a choice.

She may've found a different calling.

A new superfluity of apples
abandoned upon our step!

I think these are russets and
like to be as hard as swedes.

I'm quite sure that Mrs B can find
something wonderful to do with them.

Again?

Again. Personally, I'm glad
to be spared another marrow.

Midwife calling!

Mrs Matlin?

Oh, get down!

You could hurt yourself!

I can't stop myself, nurse.
Yesterday, it was cleaning.

And when there was nothing left
to clean, I started painting.

Please let me finish -- I've only
got one more stroke with the brush.

In which case, I shall do it.

But it's not your job.

My job is looking after
you, and that involves

stopping you falling, A, off this
chair and, B, out of the window.

Anyone falling would make a
right mess, from eight floors up!

It'd be like Tom and Jerry,
where they fall off the roof

and leave a cat-shaped
hole in the pavement.

- Or a mouse-shaped hole.
- Hello.

Hello, love.

What's happening?

Your wife is in the grip of what's
known as the nesting instinct,

- Mr Matlin. She needed a
bit of a hand. - Thanks.

I must say, this is one of
the nicest flats I've been to.

We had a wedding list. There was one
in Woman's Own you could cut out.

We got the lot except
for the sherry glasses.

Pretty much everything we
wanted. Didn't we, Leslie?

So...

the contraceptive pill.

Licensed for distribution within weeks.

It's been talked about for so
long, it's hardly a surprise.

No. But it is a challenge.

Well, of course it's a challenge, Sister.

Antibiotics were a challenge once.

Antibiotics were also a miracle.

And you think the
contraceptive pill isn't?

It's a miracle with moral
implications, Dr Turner.

With other forms of contraception,
you refer the patient

to a family planning clinic, which
you can't do unless they're married.

Exactly. But with the pill,

the Minister for Health has
issued no such guidelines.

- Yet. - And that's the most exciting
thing. If I can prescribe it,

single women will benefit, too.

Quite.

You know the statistics as well as I do.

10% of babies in Poplar
are born illegitimate.

With all the heartache
and stigma that implies.

I don't doubt that you've looked at this

from every conceivable
medical and social angle.

However, whilst there is nothing
in Anglican teaching to forbid

birth control, the church does
take a view on matters of morality.

As Mrs Turner, at least, will be aware.

Well, of course.

Have a lemon puff.

Is there anything plainer?

I have some arrowroot biscuits.
I'll pop and fetch them.

Tea is on the table, Sister.

I shan't join you today.

I feel I need to spend
some quiet time in chapel.

- Perhaps you'd say grace instead?
- Of course.

Everyone's out on their evening rounds.

Apart from me, because I'm on call.

Good.

Ooh...

Have you bought shares in Brylcreem?

Funeral. People expect a
certain level of grooming.

Oh.

So, that's Peggy May,

Rose Willow, Golden Maid,

Sweet Alice, and Dora Deane.

Sounds like a line-up of chorus girls.

It's all rather quaint, really.

I don't know why Nurse Crane
insisted we came down together.

Oh, um, little girl?

Do you know of a barge
called the Molly Belle?

Yes. It's where I live. It's up there.

Is your mother's name Marguerite Blacker?

Yeah, but they call her Daisy.

You can always trust Trixie
to have the latest records in.

♪ Hi, tiger

♪ Teach me, tiger, how to kiss you

♪ Wah wah wah wah wah

♪ Show me, tiger, how to kiss you

♪ Wah wah wah wah wah

♪ Take my lips, they belong to you

♪ But teach me first Teach me what to do

♪ Touch me, tiger when I'm close to you

♪ Wah wah wah wah wah

♪ Tiger

♪ Tiger

♪ Tiger... ♪

It is good of you to come. But
I'm feeling much better now.

- Not that much better.
- Don't contradict your mother, Lou.

They were good to her at the hospital,

but they said she was all right to leave.

I'm sorry. We've interrupted
you during your meal.

If you telephone this number
at any time of the day or night,

you can speak to a midwife about
any aspect of your pregnancy.

There's no need to make an appointment.

Might not be 'ere that long.

We're in with a chance of a
cargo going up to Manchester.

But thank you.

Lou, take that piece
of paper off the lady.

Come on down, have a look at her.

No harm in putting minds at rest.

Dunno know why I took on
so funny this morning.

I was only working the lock,
and I do it all the time,

like me ma and me grandma did before me.

Locks are women's work. Always have been.

Like this.

If this is women's work,
you're rather good at it.

Baby's heartbeat's wonderfully strong.

Felt like a failure, being
taken to the hospital.

Having them do blood tests.

I should be able to get
the results tomorrow.

And I can bring them here for you,
or you could come by our clinic?

There are things we can give
you for your other children --

free orange juice, and so forth,
or rosehip syrup if you prefer.

Rosehip? You can do a lot with rosehips.

I make tea with them sometimes.

You've been awfully good to me,
but I really shouldn't keep you.

Tom.

People will be home soon.

True.

Oh, no.

- Oh, Tom!
- What?

- The wall's covered in
Brylcreem! From your head! - No!

Oh, it's not coming off.

Oh, I'm just making it more shiny.

Well, you'll have to say you
tripped up with the butter dish.

Oh, Mr Hereward. What a nice surprise,

you must've come to join us for Compline.

Yes. I have. Indeed.

Poor Mrs Blacker. It was like trying
to get a bird to eat out of my hand.

One false move, and she'd fly away.

I wish it wasn't so hard to give
help to the people that need it.

And, you know, none of those
children go to school.

I checked while you were in the cabin.

The eldest, Lou, is already 11

and I'm not sure she
can even read or write.

The whole family's completely itinerant.

Never in the same place for
more than a week or so,

they travel huge distances.

There must be ways around that.

Well, Mrs Blacker was quite surprised

when I told her all the
things she was entitled to.

Trouble is, I'm not sure whether
she wants to accept them.

Barge people are a law unto
themselves, they always were.

They don't call them water
gypsies for no reason. I...

Good grief! Where did that stain
on the wallpaper come from?

What stain?

Oh, dear. I do hope it isn't
another patch of damp.

Sister Julienne's worried the
building's getting wet rot.

Ooh, perhaps it's just
an optical illusion.

This isn't moisture.

It's grease!

I surmise a manifestation
from another realm.

Spirits have been known to talk through

the approbation of strange substances.

Whatever it is, it's strange enough.

It smells rather masculine to me.

Masculine?

Though what it's doing six feet
up the wall is anybody's guess!

- Good morning, ladies.
- Good morning, Sister.

Nurse Crane will issue the
morning's schedule after breakfast.

But this evening, I would
like you all to attend

a special seminar here at Nonnatus House.

I have an obligation this
evening. I have it every week.

Of course. I'm sorry.

After a great deal of prayer
and reflection, I have asked

Dr Turner to come and talk to us
about the new contraceptive pill,

which will be available
within the next few weeks.

That's absolutely tremendous news!

I've also invited Mr Hereward to join us,

so he can give us a Christian perspective.

It's a shame Sister Evangelina isn't here.

She'd have had plenty to say about it all!

Sister Evangelina has
elected to be absent.

We must proceed without her view.

There were Worcesters today,
and there were crab apples.

The latter still with the tang
of Epping Forest upon them.

I'm sure no-one will object to
us sharing our good fortune.

Before you apply the term
"good fortune" to this glut,

I suggest you hear the
opinion of my bowels!

I sense this is a personal letter,

since you intend to dispatch it yourself?

Yes. It is.

It is to Sister Evangelina.

I did not think we should
ever have to plead with her.

Nor did I.

But time has passed. And
who knows what has passed

between our Sister and the Lord?

And who knows what addlement
her mind has suffered,

closeted in ostentatious silence?

Evangelina is a woman
built for noise and motion,

designed to hear His voice
above the din of living.

- Sister, please... - You fear what
will become of us if she does not return.

I fear what will become of HER.

As do I.

And now, I am going to post my letter.

Excellent!

Oh! Very good.

- There we are.
- Thank you.

You haven't gained
anything in a month, Gina.

Top of the milk for you,

and make sure you help
yourself to an extra potato.

That being said, I'm not sure
how much longer you've got left.

There's still nothing doing, Nurse.

I thought, if I came down here, it
might stop me painting the bathroom.

Or me husband.

- Ah, is he getting restless, too?
- Not so's you'd notice.

It's like he don't even know
there's a baby on the way.

Thank you, Sister. I'm
sorry to have kept you.

Some blood results came
back from the London.

- One or two will need attention.
- Thank you.

Could you pop over to
the side room, Sister?

This week's unmarried mothers
are ready to catch the bus

- to the station. You just need to
sign those final forms. - Of course.

- Good afternoon. May I help you?
- I had another dizzy do.

The red-headed nurse
said I could come here,

but I only want to talk to her.

Of course. Take a seat. And
I'll fetch Nurse Mount.

It was my husband made me come.

I had a hard time having Jonah, it
took me ages to pick up afterwards.

These things do all get
rather harder with age.

Where was Jonah born?

In a barge, like the others.

I always liked the quiet,
the being on me own...

On your own?

But maybe not this time.

Well, we can look after
you when you deliver.

And keep an eye on your blood
pressure, which is rather low.

The London blood tests showed
that you're also anaemic,

so our rather lovely doctor
can prescribe you iron pills.

Will they cost much?

Just the prescription fee.

Only my Joe had to turn down
a Birmingham cargo today,

cos of me coming here.

Where's Lou?

Doing crepe paper handicrafts
with the other children.

And being quite the bossy-boots,
from the look of things.

She's like a second mum to my three lads.

I call her my right hand.

- Knock, knock!
- Come in, Doctor.

I was just telling Mrs Blacker
what a sterling service we provide.

No stone left unturned in
pursuit of a happy outcome!

Which means that we need to give you
a bit of extra care, Mrs Blacker.

- The nurse said about
the iron pills. - Yes.

And I'd also like to book you into
our maternity home for bed rest.

I do appreciate that it will
be a wrench for you to be away

from your children, Mrs Blacker.

But you need to put your new baby --
and yourself -- first for a while.

We do everything together. All of us.

We're never apart.

Your husband and children
can visit every evening,

between five and seven,
longer at weekends.

That sounds all right.

And they'll have so much
to tell you every day.

The school has room for all four
of them -- Jonah and Barney will be

in the same class and Lou can meet
up with them every day at playtime.

Do you want to go to school,
or do you want to stop with Dad?

School.

All right.

Very wise. So, if I could just get
you to confirm that I've entered

your name, address and birthdate
correctly on the booking form,

we're all shipshape and Bristol fashion.

I haven't brought me glasses.

Not to worry. I'll
fine-tune the paperwork.

Sister Monica Joan, I really
don't think Dr Turner wants to be

competing with the Black
and White Minstrels.

The room required
cleansing with glad acts,

for it had been unsettled by
the advent of strange medicine.

What's happened to trouble you, Sister?

The mark of it remains quite plain...

.. upon the wall.

Put these back in the kitchen.
They're for after the talk.

- ♪ By the silvery moon
- The moon, the moon

- ♪ By the silvery moon
- The moon, the moon

♪ By the silvery moon... ♪

In the United States, the pill
was initially only approved

as a treatment for menstrual disorders.

But hundreds of thousands of
American women are now taking it

as a contraceptive and it has
been declared to be 100% effective

in preventing pregnancy.

One of the best things about
this method of contraception

is that it's completely within
the control of the woman.

Some men aren't going to like that.

Listen, I've spent quite enough afternoons

in family planning clinics
rolling sheaths onto a wooden...

Excuse me, Sister, may I say penis?

By all means.

.. wooden penis, trying to convince
mothers of five or six children

that barrier methods are the way ahead.

Time and again, you get the
same response. "My Eddie won't."

"My Ted can't."

"My Billy says, it's like going
for a paddle with your socks on."

There are so many things about
sobriety that surprised me.

Everybody's journey here seems
to begin with such a bang.

The torrents of tears, the phone
calls in the dead of night.

The wanting to die.

My experience was no different.

But what nobody tells you --
or at least what nobody told me

in almost a year of dragging
myself here on the 49 bus --

is that life without a drink
can be so appallingly boring.

The drag --

the utter drag --

of Horlicks every night.

The tedium of barley water
with your Sunday lunch.

Oh, it used to be such fun
to mix a drink, thinking,

"What can I put in this Campari
to make it a brighter colour,

"give it more bite?"

Oh, and I so loved the smell
of maraschino cherries.

I loved the lipstick red of them...

.. and the way other people
smiled as I speared the...

cherry on a cocktail stick.

It was such a wonderfully frivolous thing.

It meant that I was with
friends. That I wasn't alone.

I don't bother much with
maraschino cherries any more,

I don't even put them in my
Horlicks, or my barley water --

they taste revolting.

I don't need them.

I know that fun doesn't
come in bottles now.

I know the value of sobriety...

.. and I know what friendship
really is, what it means.

I always did, I just couldn't see it.

I owe the 49 bus rather a
lot, all things considered.

And I owe you -- all of you -- even more.

Thank you.

Like any method of contraception,

you have to use it religiously,
or it doesn't work.

And there are some groups of women

who'll find taking daily
medication difficult.

Which could be a catastrophe,
if they are single.

I'm extremely concerned that
we do nothing to promote...

recreational intercourse and I'm
sure Mr Hereward feels the same.

Well, what are the government guidelines?

Mr Hereward, shouldn't you be more
concerned with church teachings

than government guidelines?

Well, I do think we have
to be mindful of the Bible.

When Paul wrote to the Corinthians,

he said, "There is too
much immorality among you.

"Let each man keep to his own wife
and each woman to her own husband."

Well, how on earth can that be relevant?

Contraception wasn't invented then.

Times change, but the value
of marriage remains constant.

So, say there's a young
woman, she's 19 or 20

and she's in love with a boy
-- who's in love with her --

and she knows and he knows that
they can't keep fighting this desire

that's drawing them together.

Would you have them risk everything --

their reputation, their peace of mind --

because they simply can't help themselves?

I'd be obliged to counsel self-restraint.

And, with Mr Hereward's wise words,
it's time we drew this to a close.

Nurse Gilbert, I believe
you're first on call.

Tom, how could you sit there and
lecture people on self-restraint

in a room where your Brylcreem
has made a mark on the wall

as big as an elephant's face?

I wasn't lecturing.

Sister Julienne put me on the spot.

- Well, you hadn't said a word till then!
- Well, nobody asked me to.

And I could hardly chip in, you were
talking about medicine and menstr...

Menstruation.

Both subjects about which I know nothing.

Well, maybe you should learn!

If you're going to go around family planning
meetings like some sort of... moral advisor.

Barbara, are you saying you
believe in sex before marriage?

No, I'm saying I believe it happens --

and I know how it happens.

I'm sorry, it's Gina Matlin's
first and she's gone into labour.

She'll be fretting until someone arrives.

Can I have a kiss?

Just the one.

Tiger.

Oh, Gina...

you've had a long night,
but this is normal --

especially with a first baby
-- and you are doing so well.

No, I'm not. It hurts. It hurts
so much and that gas is useless!

Oh, it's not useless. It's run out.

Mr Matlin?

- Mr Matlin!
- I'm sorry, I fell asleep.

And I'm sorry I had to wake you,

but I need you to make
a phone call for me.

You lot behave yourselves, now.

- And you. - Nurse Mount'll
keep me in order, I reckon.

I may not be on horseback,
but consider me the cavalry.

Gina, this baby's well on its way

and we've brought more gas to
get us through the home stretch.

Shall I take over, you look done in.

You yell your head off,
if you fancy it, Gina.

That's the last you'll be having

without some help.

- Am I the only one in here?
- Yes, you're lucky.

- We're unusually quiet at the moment.
- Ceiling's so high.

Makes me feel dizzy, even though I'm not.

Your blood pressure's rather good today.

Morning, Mrs Blacker.

A doctor will be here to
check you over shortly

and I've come to ask if you
want a soft or a hardboiled egg.

I have bread in the mornings, usually.

- Eggs are surprisingly rich in iron.
- What's this?

Nightdress, dressing gown and slippers.

- I told you everything would be provided.
- No. I mean -- what's this?

It says "Property of
Kenilworth Row Maternity Home."

We write that on everything.

Baby's with us as far
as his shoulders, Gina.

If you can give me one
more massive, brave push --

you'll have him in your arms.

Oh, lass, you put the graft
in and here's your reward!

A little boy, Gina, and
just wait till you see him.

You've got a little smasher
there, you really have.

Your husband will be
grinning from ear to ear.

I don't reckon Leslie wants any of this --

the baby, or a wife.

Gina, I'm sure that isn't true.

We'd only been courting three
months and we had to get married.

It's not what either of us planned.

I came round to it -- I couldn't
help it, once I felt him kicking...

.. but I don't think Leslie ever did.

He's so soft.

Leslie said we could call him Robert,
if he was a boy, after his grandad.

But I just don't think
he really wanted him...

or me.

Except for in the way he shouldn't have.

It's far too late to be
crying about that now.

- Barley sugar?
- Oh, yes, please!

It's a rotten business, isn't
it? Having to get married.

Well, there's plenty make a decent
fist of it... and plenty don't.

Though, it's still better than
what my mother went through

when she had me out of wedlock.

Oh, I don't mention it much.

Suffice to say, it made its mark.

During the w*r, all morals
were tossed to the winds,

but even so, when the opportunity
of a weekend in Cleveleys with

an Air Force sergeant presented
itself, I nearly chickened out.

NEARLY chickened out?

I did the appropriate research

and purchased a hygienic douche
through the small advertisements.

It was called the Omega Spray.

It involved a certain
amount of fiddle-faddle,

but we managed well enough.

I shall always have very
fond memories of Cleveleys.

Phyllis, what happened to
him? The Air Force sergeant?

- k*lled, over Germany, in 1941. - Oh.

It made me very glad
we'd seized the moment.

It's almost a full moon.

Sister Monica Joan is convinced
full moons are our busiest nights.

I did a stint on psychiatric once
-- used to say the same thing there.

I wish the Blacker children
had got on better at school.

When they visited Daisy, I heard them telling
her the other children had been horrible.

Lou doesn't want to go again.

- Do they smell?
- Lots of children smell.

In any given vaccination queue,
you can tell who's been rehoused

somewhere with a bathroom and who hasn't.

The Blacker children are never
going to have a bathroom

and their clothes are a problem, too.

Pats, next time we both
have the same night off...

.. I want to go to Gateways Club.

Why?

Because there are women like us there!

We've discussed this!

I don't want to be with "women like
us", I just want to be with you.

We can hold hands there. Dance there.

Be in a crowd and be invisible.

I'm sorry.

- There you go, pass that
down. Well done. - Ta.

We'll rinse the lotion off your
hair and just trim the ends

before you change into
some nice smart clothes.

I don't want us to be late,
they'll pick on us if we are.

Miss Dawkins said you could
come in at ten and go straight

to Music and Movement. And
no-one will pick on you,

wearing those lovely
fresh knickers and vests.

Here we are!

There's something for everyone,
including ribbons for Lou's plaits.

Perfect! The rest is clearly
doing everything we hoped.

I feel like it might happen today.

According to your dates,
you're not quite due.

Let's see what Mother Nature has in store.

- Mummy! - Look who I found
coming up the stairs! - Come here!

What's this, then?

What's happened?

Well, nurse got them spruced up a bit.

We thought you'd be pleased.

Pleased that they look
nothing like 'emselves?

Pleased that they smell of disinfectant?

It's just delousing lotion. Rather a
lovely fresh smell, I always think.

My kids don't have lice!

You get lice in schools and they
never went there till yesterday!

Sister Winifred insisted
on it. She always says,

"An ounce of prevention
is worth a pound of cure."

And you dressed Lou up like a little
girl. Ribbons and ankle socks?

They're not going to last
five minutes on the barge!

Daisy, Lou just wanted to fit
in, to be like everybody else.

She's not like everybody else.

She's a bargee, whether
you like it or not.

- We do things our way!
- Well, Nurse just wanted what was best for 'em,

just like I wanted what was best for you.

I'll tell you what's best for me --

my own bunk, my own food and not to have

Property of Somebody Else written
all over me in black bloody pen.

Mrs Blacker, you said yourself you didn't
want to have another baby without help.

Yeah, there's help -- and
there's interference.

- Fetch me my clothes, please.
- Daisy...

By which I mean my own clothes.
The ones I came in wearing

and which are good enough
for me. I'm going home.

- Mrs Blacker...
- Fetch 'em!

'It's better when you've
got a g*n in your hand.

'What are you like without it?'

Autumn high tide, I reckon,
straight out of Whitaker's Almanack.

You ought to batten down the hatches.

I'm sure there's no need
for us to be alarmed.

Oh!

It's blowing up a right
storm out there, Sister.

Oh!

Nonnatus House, midwife speaking?

Hello, can you send a midwife
over to the maternity home?

Mrs Mansoor's just arrived and
we already have a lady who's had

to go straight through
to the delivery room.

On my way, sweetie.

There's just been a weather
warning on the wireless --

gale-force nine across London.

That settles it. I'm not going anywhere

until I've put on at least
three layers of hair lacquer.

Nonnatus House, midwife speaking?

Dad!

Stay down below, Lou,
till this blows over.

It's Mum, she isn't well.

- Nurse! Nurse...
- Oh, my goodness! Are you in labour?

Either that or I've weed
on my bleeding slippers.

It's swaying. The whole block
of flats is actually swaying.

Is it?

- You all right?
- I dunno.

I've got an headache and a pain here --

under my ribs.

Shall I clear off out? Get
the kids from under your feet?

You can't go walking up and
down the towpath in this wind!

I should be taking you back
to that little hospital --

- or even just fetch that nurse. - No!

We had words, that nurse and me
-- bad words -- and I meant 'em.

- Daisy, tell me what to do!
- You'll have to go and get a sheet

and Lou can help me.

Oh, hello, Mrs Mansoor!

This is Mrs Wheatley!

Nurse Franklin, Dr Turner's
in the delivery room,

we have a deep transverse arrest.

Or maybe we should go
straight to Della and Nahima.

One way or another, I think you two
will end up on first name terms!

Oh, Nahima!

- I can see flashing lights.
- It's just the electrics.

It keeps flickering with the storm.

It's like spots or sparkles.

I can see 'em even when I close me eyes.

Let's see how things are lining up.

With a bit of luck, you'll
be able to start pushing soon.

Hang on, Nahima! I'll be
across in two ticks, I promise!

Oh.

It's just the lights in the flat.

No.

I can't see properly.

I'm going to get help.

I need you to come and see my mum.

Come in!

I've got one cable running
into the delivery room --

there's a mother who
still needs stitches --

and we need a working light in the ward!

Doctor, Mrs Mansoor's baby's crowning!

Some people have parents
who do ordinary jobs.

Get cranking the handle.

Sooner them than me!

Midwife calling!

This way, Nurse, and mind your head!
We've got the water on already.

Thank you.

We heard her kicking off yelling
and... well, we all know what that
sort of racket means, don't we?

She's calmed down a bit
since she's had some company.

- Hello, nurse.
- Any objection to me popping by?

- I can just leave you with
your friends. - Bless you.

And bless them, never
met any of them before!

Don't mean to say we
ain't friends, though.

We know the life -- that
means we know each other.

Yes.

Come on, then, let's clear
out and make some room.

We'll take the kids down the
Golden Maid with their father.

And what about this one? She looks
old enough to come in handy.

Take her with the other kids. Me and
Nurse Mount can manage, can't we?

Absolutely. And I'll
take my lead from you.

Calm down, take a deep breath
and tell me what you mean.

She, she says she can see flashing lights!

Go back to Gina and wait with her.

I'm telephoning for an ambulance
and then I'll come straight to you.

- I require an ambulance,
please. Nelson Tower... - 'Yes.'

Anchorage Estate...

Flat number...

Oh. Hello?

Hell's teeth!

Good grief!

Come on!

And that's me excused physical
jerks for the rest of the week.

It's a good job you live on the 8th
floor, young lady, not the 18th.

Let's have a look at you, love.

Leslie tells me you've had a headache

and some visual disturbance.

- Any nausea or vomiting?
- I feel a bit sick.

Right.

I called an ambulance before I left

and I'm of the view we
should make use of it.

All things considered,

- I think you'll be better off in
the hospital. - What about Robert?

Robert can come, too.

Leslie, while you've been with Gina,
has she suffered from any twitching

or shaking -- anything that
you might describe as a fit?

No... I don't know.

How ill is she, Nurse?

There's a condition called pre-eclampsia,

which can affect pregnant women.

Once in a blue moon, it kicks
in after Baby's been born.

Will she die?

There's plenty we can do to help her.

But the ambulance won't
have the complete address,

I need you to go downstairs,
wait outside and flag it down.

No! I'm not going to leave her!

- Leslie, we can't waste any time.
- I'm not going to leave my wife.

I don't want him to go!
I don't want him to go.

Don't leave me, Leslie.

Right, Gina, you need a warm
coat and something on your feet.

That's the ticket, kids. One
foot in front of the other.

There you go.

Almost there, sweetheart.

Still in one piece, kids?

She's being sick!

That's it. That's wonderful, Daisy.

Come on, you lovebirds.

Save your courting...

Till we've got you
safely in that ambulance.

Baby's turning, Daisy,
it knows just what to do.

Like you do.

That's perfect!

Can I hold it? Can I?

Just hold on one moment.

Sorry, little one. There we go.

Go on. You can pick her up now.

- Her?
- It's a little girl.

Oh, don't cut it yet!

In a minute, then.

There's worse things than being
completely part of someone,

being part of something bigger.

Even just for a little while.

But we know where we belong, don't we?

- Are you coming with us?
- Yes. I shall be following behind,

just to be on the safe side.

But you don't need me -- you've got him.

You really have -- and he knows
how to take care of his family.

Yes, I do.

And I'm not going to leave her side.

That's what we like to
hear, isn't it? Good lad.

Have you seen the state
of the street outside?

Is it still impassable?

Suffice to say, if it hadn't have been

for two extremely helpful
firemen, I wouldn't be here at all.

What's the situation
with the maternity home?

No telephone and no electricity.

Of the three mothers who delivered
overnight, Mrs Jones had forceps

and was transferred to St
Cuthbert's this morning.

Mrs Wheatley and Mrs Mansoor and
their babies were discharged,

because their homes still have power.

We'll add them to the morning's list.

Meanwhile, we must visit all
our due and overdue mothers --

if there are any left -- and make
them aware that we're deprived

of telephony until further notice.

I saw your note about Gina Matlin.

Post-natal pre-eclampsia is so very rare.

When I left for London,
she was poorly but stable

and her husband was
camped outside her room.

So, all in all, there's
every reason for optimism.

- Mind your noggin on that!
- Thank you, officer.

What's happened, Fred?

The railway signal blew down and
took half the old wall with it.

- It's come down like a stack of dominoes.
- Was anyone hurt?

We don't think there's
anyone underneath it.

Er, look, let's see if we can get
you past and to your patients.

- Bob...
- All right, all right!

It's a pile of rubble,
not the pyramids of Egypt.

Get a shovel and start clearing it.

- Anyone would think there'd
never been a w*r. - Sister!

Morning, Sister Julienne.
Sister Mary Cynthia.

Meanwhile, I see Fred's been
pillaging the dressing up box.

Where's a real ARP
warden, when you need one?

Now, mind your step there!

No, thank you, I can see where I'm going.

Sister Evangelina, this really
is a most extraordinary surprise.

Well, it wouldn't have been, if anyone
had answered the telephone this morning!

The line was blown down in the gale.

And what are you doing about it?

I was just on my way to
call in at the Post Office.

What ever happened to "Never Surrender?"

Excuse me! Excuse me!

Do you suppose she's back for
good, or just for a visit?

We can only hope she
intends to enlighten us.

Thank you.

That's that little problem ironed out.

Their line is still up and running --

the connection was protected
by the railway bridge.

So, I've requisitioned their
phone for the duration.

Fred, when you've
finished saving the world,

- I shall be requiring my bicycle.
- Yes, Sister!

I shall be easing myself back in.
No midwifery duties for a while.

I'll warm myself up on district work

before you let me loose on precious cargo.

It's so very, very good to
have you back with us, Sister.

Well, what with one thing and
another, it was about time.

There's only so much peace
and quiet a soul can take.

In the end, it's like giving
a plant too much water.

An autoclave can only sterilise things

if they're properly cleaned beforehand.

It is a machine, not a magician.

Nevertheless, we still have power,

which is a blessing from
above, if there ever was one!

"And, behold, I am with thee

"and will keep thee in all
places whither thou goest

"and will bring thee
again into this land..."

".. for I will not leave."

The Book of Genesis
instead of Keats, indeed.

That gale must have blown
some sense into you.

(Go and see if there's
any cake in the tin.)

'For some, the high winds
altered very little.

'The Blackers, with their healthy newborn,

'left London and headed North
along straight waterways

'that hadn't changed in decades.'

- Bye. - Aw, bye! Have a safe
trip. - 'Sister Winifred arranged

'for the children's lessons to be
sent to them and marked by post.

'It was something.

'Meanwhile, Leslie
Matlin grew in strength,

'courage and love for his wife and child.

'For not every happiness is
chosen. Some, like the harvest,

'simply have to be accepted.'

Sister, I was looking for you.

Another donation -- five
pounds of wormy apples --

and I am sorry to say -- a marrow.

- I was hoping to ask
you something. - Mm-hm.

If it's about this contraceptive
pill, all I've got to say is,

it's typical of Dr Turner. One
sniff of a novelty medication,

he's off like a moggy with catmint.

I spent a great deal of
time in prayer about it.

But, just now, the thing
that worries me is you.

Why? I've never felt better!

I wish I could believe that.
But it's not true, is it?

- I take it you mean this?
- Yes.

I had a stroke.

Two months after I left for the retreat.

Why didn't you let us know?

- We could've prayed for you,
at the very least. - I know.

But at the time, this
was between me and Him.

I was much worse than this, I
couldn't move my arm at all.

And you wouldn't have wanted
to see me slurping my tea.

- Was your mouth affected, too?
- Yeah, mouth, speech -- the full works.

I got all that back within six weeks,

even though, most of the time,
I had nobody to practise with.

But I knew what He meant by it.

I'd gone to the silent order
to learn to keep my peace

and He showed me.

Prayers aren't always answered
the way one would hope, but...

They are generally answered.

And the answer He gave me was this --

when things change, we have
to find a different way.

Now, whenever I do up a
button, or a shoelace,

I'm reminded of the need to keep learning.

A reminder we all need, from time to time.

Nothing stays the same.

WE don't stay the same, ourselves.

And all the time, the world
keeps on spinning faster.

♪ I love how your eyes close

- ♪ Whenever you kiss me
- Ooh-ooh

♪ And when I'm away from you

♪ I love how you miss me

- ♪ I love the way you always
treat me tenderly... - ♪

'Sometimes, there's a brightness

'and a richness in the moment.

'A ripeness that simply says, "Taste this"

'and calls us to partake without
fear or any thought of punishment.

'It is the fruit of our experience

'and, in its heart, it bares
the seed of all our hopes.'

♪ .. without being told to

♪ I love the way your
touch is always heavenly

- ♪ But, darling, most of all
I love how you love me... - ♪

'Take the joy, take all it gives.

'Life is sweet...

'.. and it is ours.

'As is our right to love
and relish every moment.'

♪ .. and when I'm away from you... ♪

They let her off the boat first
because she's in the family way.

- We want to organise a wedding.
- I'd never had any dreams

- of a wedding day.
- I had -- once upon a time.

There must've been more
than just one or two cases!

I don't know how to put it right!

I just think she's lonely...

or heartbroken.

When I see Tom and Barbara together now,

I don't see what I might've
had, I see what they have.

Babies are a two-handed job. I
do not handle newborns any more.

♪ I love how you love me... ♪