02x06 - I Can Be as a Meteor in Your Life

Episode transcripts for the TV show "Gentleman Jack". Aired: 22 April 2019 –; present.*
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Historical drama set in the year 1832 in Yorkshire follows landowner Anne Lister who is determined to save her faded ancestral home.
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02x06 - I Can Be as a Meteor in Your Life

Post by bunniefuu »

I don't think you understand the
strength of feeling in the town, ma'am,

against the blues.

I've got this architect coming to
take a look at Northgate House.

- Oh, that's still our plan?
- Oh, yes.

Have you had a letter
from your sister, ma'am?

No.

She's sent instruction for evictions.

The Rawsons have now had between
four and five acres of your coal.

How could you know a thing like that?

"The marriage of captain Tom Lister,
of Shibden Hall,

"to Miss Ann Walker of Crow Nest."

It's a joke. It's a skit.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER AND SHOUTING]

[DOOR SLAMS]

I think it's genuine, the apology.

I think the editor really had no idea

he was reprinting anything
other than a bona fide

marriage announcement.

Mm.

Internal inquires were made
at the newspaper office

about how the item came to be reprinted.

It was inconclusive,

but the editor apologises
for not being more rigorous

before it went into print
a second time and for the...

...embarrassment it caused.

Oh, I wasn't embarrassed.

But this will satisfy Miss Walker
at least,

who did not expect to see it
reprinted in the Halifax Guardian.

Moving on...

Bradley has assessed Northgate House.

He thinks I need to spend another £ ,

to turn it into a good inn.

And then Thomas Greenwood's all for
leasing it at £ a year,

although Bradley thinks
I should be asking nearer .

Would it not be wise,

at the risk of repeating myself,

to sell it and settle
some of your borrowing?

No! Good Lord, no.
We've had this conversation.

Oh, and I've decided
to accept Mawson's offer

for the tenancy of the Stump Cross Inn.

Oh, well, he seems to be...

Good. I'll tell him to come and see
you about signing the lease.

And Mytholm, it looks like
Aquilla Green might take it.

Oh, I thought that Mallinson...

Mallinson is a yellow.

I spoke to him about it,

and he admitted he would
never dare give a blue vote,

so that's that. I told him until
he could we couldn't agree.

You do need to be careful.

Oh, yes. Electoral intimidation.

Yes, I suppose they'll have me up
before the select committee

before long, and believe you me,
I would go, and with pleasure.

Yes, it's...

The yellows are the authors
of this repugnant practice

of exclusive dealing, Mr Parker, not me,

for all Mr William Briggs's efforts
to disclaim it in the Guardian.

And well may he do so,
for the yellows are the losers.

I had to be really quite sharp
with Mr Nicholson the other day,

due to the want of civility
shown Miss Walker

by one of his young men.

We may shop there again
because we pride ourselves

in rising above such nonsense,
but others won't,

not if they're addressed
so impertinently.

And then where would Mr Nicholson
be, hm?

- Out of business.
- I agree.

In a trading town like Halifax,
we all depend on...

And what was that idiotic
marriage announcement,

if not some feeble attempt
to intimidate, to humiliate me?

Some cowardly effort to point
a finger because they don't like

my opinions or the cut of my jib,
or any of it.

Yes, that's...

How dare anyone speak to me
about intimidation.

[DOOR CLOSES]

- [ANNE SIGHS]
- How are you getting on?

We've had some very bad news.

MARIAN: Is that Anne?

Mr Sunderland's dead.

We've just had a note from Dr Kenny.

He was with him all last night,

him and Dr Jubb, and then he d*ed,

just gone midnight, just like that.

Well, what was the matter with him?

Gout of the stomach, apparently.

Although...

- Aunt.
- Oh...

Apparently, he was knocked down,

in Halifax, in some skirmish.

And this was after the election
result was declared.

Well, he must've got caught up
in the throng

and banged his head and...

They think he was trampled on.

- No.
- Where will it end, all this nastiness?

You're perfectly safe, Aunt.

Yes, I am, but what about you?
You're never in.

Well, I'm never very far away,

and I have a lot of business
on hand so...

Oh, poor, poor Mr Sunderland.

Dr Kenny's offered to visit
Aunt Anne if she... No!

No. No, no, no.

No. We'll send for Dr Jubb

when we need someone.

- But Dr Kenny's offering...
- CAPTAIN LISTER: Anne?

Is that her?

Oh, yes.

- Father wants to see you.
- Mm.

I'd rather see Dr Jubb.

I don't know what's the matter
with Dr Kenny. He's perfectly...

[DOOR SLAMS]

- Yes, Father?
- Where have you been?

Nowhere. Well, Halifax.

Now I'm going to the pit
to see Hinscliffe.

This arrived. Shut the door!

MARIAN: Oh!

This came. I opened it.

I assumed it was for me, Captain Lister.

But clearly not.

Some wit, some wag,

begging to "congratulate the parties

"on their happy connection".

Who's seen this?

Nobody.

Has Miss Walker seen this?

- No!
- Has Aunt Anne seen this?

No. Just me.

It'll be the Briggses.

-to- it's the Briggses.

You know, if you didn't draw
attention to how odd you are,

they wouldn't do these things.

[HE SIGHS]

You'd better get up and get dressed
and get some fresh air.

You won't recover lying in bed all day.

I'm amazed you've been at it
this long and not got it sunk.

Well, we've been unlucky.

It collapsed at one point, and then
we had to put everything on hold

to build the drift.

Oh, and there was another pantomime
finding a horse fit to turn the gin.

That was Holt.

But we're at yards now,

and they're confident they can
reach the lower bed

by June, July... August.

But, yes, this is why a second
opinion wouldn't go amiss.

I can't afford any more delays.
I need good advice.

I do like Holt, but...

What's the plan once it's sunk?

Where will you sell it,
up here or down in Halifax?

Both.

Pickles is building a new road along
the top to join the Old Bank,

just below Whiskham.

Then I can cart it down
into Halifax, sell it there

for a shilling more than I can
at the pit mouth.

But...

...getting and selling coal
is just one part of the scheme.

- Mm-hm.
- The other would be...

...to be in a position where I could
throw water on Rawson's pit.

Not just to stop the trespass,
but to prove it.

And soon.

Well, like I said, we might have
fallen out over that business

up at Willy Hill pit,

but when it comes to dealing
with the Rawsons

I'll be a friend to anyone
who'll be a friend to me.

Thank you.

Did you know I've bought Staups?

So you've got Spiggs colliery?

There's a little complication
that needs dealing with,

but, yes, strategically, potentially,

it gives me more options

and a lot more control over the coal
across the whole of my estate.

Oh, I can see that.

If it's handled well.

I don't know that I can rely on Holt
to come up with a good, solid,

coordinated plan and see it through
without me having to manage

the thing myself.

But if you helped me...

I've been thinking for a while
about opening a new pit,

further down this way.

Sounds like you've got a plan.

Why would you need me?

Because I don't know enough.

I learn more and more every day,
and the more I learn

the more I realise how much can go wrong

and how much I don't know,

and just what a slippery business
it all is.

See, this is why I don't dislike Holt.

For all of his faults, I...

I do believe he's as straight as a die.

Whereas you, Hinscliffe,

I'm not really sure I could trust
you any further than I could spit.

Not that I ever would.

You can think what you like
about me, Miss Lister,

but the bottom line is I'm hoping,
if I do you a favour,

happen next time I need one back,

you'd be more inclined to oblige me
than you were last time.

What's this "little complication"
that needs dealing with?

William Keighley and John Oates
and Jack Green

believe they have some
kind of claim to the loose coal

underneath Spiggs' land, which,
to be clear, I already owned,

but which they can only access via
my newly acquired colliery.

But there's nothing about it
in my uncle's records,

which there would be if he'd have
come to an arrangement with them

about the loose.

So I'm wondering about flooding Spiggs,

which I can do because I own it,

and stopping them taking the loose.

Except, then, the worry is
I might flood Walker pit

at the same time, before
I've bottomed it

and got to the trespass.

You wouldn't.

Really?

If you flooded Spiggs,
it wouldn't touch Walker pit.

Oh?

Now, will you tell Holt
you're getting rid of him,

or shall I?

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

Holt.

I-I won't come in.

So I need to talk to you about...

How are you, ma'am?

Very well. So the thing is...
Thank you. The thing is...

What it is...

I was going to pop
over and see you today

about Mr Walker Priestley's coal
and Mrs Machin's coal.

What about them?

Well, he will sell his coal
at £ an acre.

Both beds, hard and soft,
upper and lower.

I've offered him . He's asked
for ten days to think about it,

but between you and me I'd go up to
rather than miss the deal,

because he'll be tempted to go
to Rawson otherwise.

And we don't want that, do we?

Not down there!

Same at the Machins'.

Now, they've promised me first refusal.

And it's more complicated again
with them, like.

- You know she drinks.
- Who does?

- She does, Mrs Machin.
- No, I didn't know that,

but how... How would I know that?

Thing is the land was left half to her

and half to her children,

and they don't all get on.

Well, there's one daughter
in York Castle for debt.

So they all have to agree who
they sell their coal rights to,

and they can hardly agree
which way is up,

never mind who they might sell
their coal to.

Now, I'm well in with 'em...

Well enough. As well as anybody.

...and they'd sell it to me rather
than him, Rawson, by choice,

me buying on your behalf, of course,
not that they need know that.

But if he offers them a premium,

one of 'em might get it into their
heads to go with him.

And you can't let that happen,

not down there,

otherwise Rawson's got another back
door straight onto your beds.

- Do you see that?
- Mm.

If I was to flood Spiggs colliery
to stop access to the loose coal,

there's no danger that I could
accidentally flood Walker pit

at the same time, is there?

Oh, yes.

Well, it's highly probable you wou...

Who's told you different?

- [ANNE SIGHS]
- I don't know who to believe.

I was going to let Holt go,
but I... I need him.

I just need to manage them all better.

I told Holt that he must take care
of Mr Walker Priestley's coal

for me, and the Machins, and then
I explained that I'd instructed

Hinscliffe to work up a plan to
look after Walker pit for me.

How did he take that?

Badly, but...

...I need to glean what I can
from them all,

and then...

...make my own judgments.

Mm.

They say that Holt drinks, but...

...I've never smelt it on him.

Well, he's getting on a bit, isn't he?

Perhaps he's just... forgetting.

I'm sorry if I upset you,

this morning.

I've always tried to do my best for you,

one way and another.

It's just I...

I haven't always known how.

And I'm sorry if I said the wrong thing.

Are you sure about
this Northgate business,

turning it into a hotel?

It'll cost money.

And...

...what if it fails?

You don't want to get yourself
laughed at.

Goodnight.

Goodnight.

[DOOR CLOSES]

Adney?

Stop leaning on me.

What's the matter, hm?

My little Adney.

You need to brush your teeth.

I read your letter,

to Lady Harriet in Copenhagen.

Was there something the matter with it?

Was it not elegantly expressed?

Hm?

Adney, I thought you'd like it.

I thought you'd be charmed by it.

Was it the bit about you?

Adney?

I did ask if I might mention you
and you were delighted. Did I...

Did I misread that?

[SHE SIGHS]

Adney, I've had a long day.

I've been dealing with men all day.

Tiresome, inarticulate men.

Read it.

Aloud.

The bit about me.

[SHE CLEARS THROAT]

Ah.

"You used to wonder
who would be my companion.

"I think I have provided one
you will like.

"She is little and amiable with
a great deal of common sense

"and good feeling.

"She is now with me here at Shibden,

"and I have never before been
so comfortable at home."

What's not to like?

It's in brackets.

You've put me in brackets!

It's a clause, an aside,
in a bigger paragraph

about when she and I hope...

...when we all will next meet.

Yes, I'm a clause. I'm an aside.

Nonsense. It's an elegant interjection.

I've been canvassed over.

No, you've been elegantly introduced.

As an afterthought.

Well, I'm sorry if you think
that's how it reads.

"I'm sorry if you think..."
Oh, I hate that,

that's what men say.

"I'm sorry if YOU'RE so stupid
that YOU'VE misunderstood."

I never said anything about stupid,
nor would I.

- It's an ugly word.
- It's implicit.

Well, then, I shall go and
rewrite my letter.

No.

You needn't do that. I wouldn't wish
to put you to the trouble.

You could merely delete
any reference to me.

That would answer.

Useful to know where I am...

...in the pecking order.

Now, that's just...

[DOOR CLOSES]

[COCK CROWS]

[GROANING]

My bowels are all wrong again.

[SOBBING]

[SNIFFLING]

[ANNE SIGHS]

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

Adney?

Can I come in?

It's your house.

Don't say that.

I'm sorry if I...

...hurt you.

That's the last thing I'd...

It's just...

...striking the right note
in a letter like that...

People are laughing at us.

No... No, they're not.

Lady Harriet would never be
so cruel or vulgar...

In Halifax, they are.

That idiotic marriage announcement,

reprinted twice, and then that
humiliating business at Nicholson's.

Oh, I think if anyone's humiliated
at Nicholson's, it's not us,

it's Nicholson's silly lads.

I shan't go back there.
I know you want us to...

No, we must.

We must make a point of going in
there again and again.

We must be consistently clear
that we have nothing to hide,

nothing to be ashamed of.

I'm not strong like you.

I dwell on things.

Do you remember at Crow Nest

when Mrs Priestley walked in on us,

and you laughed?

I was mortified, and you...

You laughed.

I think, in that moment,

I saw for the first time the real you.

Who is as brave as anyone.

You're stronger than you think.

What I'm wondering, Miss Lister,

is if we've been thinking too small.

I had expected ground plans and
elevations, Mr Bradley,

based on our last conversation,
not more sketches.

Oh, they're well under way.

But you've got all this land.

And I know that you want your inn,

casino, whatever you want to call it,

up and running by March next year,

but within that same timescale, frame...

This all depends how ambitious
you want to be.

Oh, I don't think anyone can accuse
me of lacking ambition, Mr Bradley.

So... Exactly.

So what if... And this is something
you could easily accommodate

in the available space, it all
depends upon how much capital

you've got to play with.

But what if we were to build
new premises here too,

for, say, a bank?

And a news room?

And instead of four or five houses,

you've enough land here for
brand-new houses.

This entire area could become
a whole new commercial

enclave within the town.

And think of the income that
that could generate in rent.

Hmm.

You're going to need a licence
for this, ah, inn,

casino, whatever we're calling it
this week.

And if you're serious,
I'd apply for it now.

There's no point in throwing
money at the thing

and then finding the magistrates
won't license it.

Well, why wouldn't they?

Well, it's just with Christopher Rawson

being the chief magistrate...

Well, he'd have no reason.

I mean, such an establishment could
only be an asset to the town.

Yes, but we both know what he's like.

- Leave it with me.
- Yeah.

Mr Bradley thinks I'd need
to spend another £ ,

on this new scheme.

- Miss Lister...
- Oh, I've been meaning to ask.

If I were a man, for which
I have reasons

to thank heaven and providence
that I'm not,

would you even think to question
the amount of money I'm borrowing?

[HE CHUCKLES NERVOUSLY]

All right?

- Mr Booth.
- Dr Jubb.

- Have you heard the news, sir?
- Which, sir?

Parliament, sir. Dissolved.

Oh, yeah. We all know about it.
Miss Lister's...

AUNT ANNE: So we must endure
an indifferent Melbourne

once again.

And we might've had the intellect
and integrity of appeal.

And you'll have heard the latest,
in Halifax.

If Charles Wood is offered high office

in the new Whig administration,

which they seem to think he will be,

it'll trigger a by-election.

Another election? Oh...

And people are saying Mr Rawson himself

will stand this time.

Mr Rawson? Mr Christopher Rawson?

So vexed was he by the att*ck
on his property

a few short weeks ago.

Is that a good idea?

Would not Mr Henry Edwards

be a better choice of candidate
for Halifax?

Mr Henry Edwards?

I doubt he has either the money
or the stomach for it.

I think Mr Henry Edwards
might surprise us all,

given the chance. Hm, Aunt?

Would you not support
Mr Rawson, Miss Lister,

with your great influence?

Yes.

Without doubt, without question.

If he was the chosen Tory candidate
and I had influence over votes,

then he should have every one of them.

I just question whether a man who has...

...offended members of some
of the oldest families in Halifax

is best placed to unite
the Tory vote in a way that's

necessary in such difficult times?

Has he? Has he?

- Whereas Mr Henry Edwards...
- Mm. Well, Mr Rawson is...

He can be, erm...

...abrasive.

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

Is Miss Lister...

There's a Mr William Keighley
downstairs, ma'am.

He says Mr Hinscliffe's sent him to...

Something about Staups, Spiggs colliery.

Perhaps, Dr Jubb,
when you do your rounds,

you could intimate to anyone
who's concerned

that others, such as Mr Henry Edwards,

might be better placed to lead the way

and unite the blue vote.

No need to say from whence
the thought sprang.

My aunt and I would hate
to be thought of

as intermeddlers in anything political.

[DOOR CLOSES]

[FOOTSTEPS APPROACH]

Mr Keighley!

Miss Lister.

Come through.

So it's a record of
all the expenses I've had

driving the drift through
Well Royd Holmes.

Totals £ , shillings
and five pence,

which you'll appreciate
I'd not have spent

had I not had this agreement
with your uncle over the Spiggs coal

in the first place.

Now, if you look in the back...

...you'll see there's a memorandum.

£ , paid by me to your Uncle James
to get all the coal in Spiggs land.

But the fact is there's no record
to corroborate any of this

in my uncle's accounts.

Well, I know nowt about that.

I just know I've spent a lot of
money in good faith.

Why is this memorandum at the back
and not in the correct chronology

with the earlier parts of the accounts?

It... It's just...

It's just the way I did it.

I know it wouldn't stand up
in a court of law,

but, you know, let's hope
it doesn't go that far.

It's just the only record
I've got of what we agreed.

The problem, from my point of view,

and I only ever wish
to do that which is fair,

I've just bought Staups for
a significant sum

and I need some return on my investment.

If you try and get Spiggs coal,

I will flood the pit to prevent access

and try the matter at York.

I'm sorry, but there it is.

Not only did my uncle make
no record of it,

but he never mentioned anything
of the matter to me

at the time, and nothing
of this arose in the last

however many months it's taken to
complete the purchase of Staups,

with the searches and so forth, so...

You do know, if you flood Spiggs

you'll flood your little pit up here.

Not necessarily.

Almost certainly you would.

There seems to be some difference
of opinion on that.

Who's told you otherwise?

Hinscliffe?

[HE SCOFFS]

Well, he would say that.

He would say the opposite
and then happily watch it flood.

And do you know why?

Because he's had more of your coal
than the Rawsons have.

Morning, ma'am.

Has Mr Hinscliffe been up
to see you today?

He popped up this morning.

I suppose you and your brothers
think I'm foolish

to trust him above Holt?

Who's to say?

I don't necessarily trust him.

I'm just using him to get some
information from him.

If I was to stop the loose at Spiggs,

how would it affect this pit,

in your opinion?

Oh, I...

Would it flood it,
or would it not flood it?

Well, our Robert'd have an opinion.

He'd certainly know about Spiggs.

He's worked all t'mines round here.

Where is Robert?

[HE CHUCKLES]

He's... digging.

Ah.

So was it right, then,
what Mr Hinscliffe said?

You're thinking of sinking another
pit further down nearer t'Hall?

Only I hope you'd consider us, ma'am,

to sink it, if you did.

For the right price.

What's the plan, then?

The plan...

...would be to sink
this other pit somewhere,

or yards Shibden Hall
side of Walker pit,

and drive two drifts up to it
from such a place in the lower land

as I could build a water-wheel
to power a pit engine.

Speak to Robert.

Tell him to come and see me if he
thinks he can be useful, hm?

- Anne!
- Ah. There you are.

I've found something,
in my family papers.

Well, two things, actually.
One I half-knew

but I'd half-forgotten,
and the other, I had no idea.

What?

Well, it would... It would appear
that, erm...

What?

Well, erm, that in
my sister, legally,

through lease and re-lease
and some sort of deed of sale,

conveyed all of her property
onto Captain Sutherland.

All of it, everything.
All her share of the estate.

And that's contrary, directly contrary,

to a provision set out
by my father in his will,

which protects us both
from having to submit

our fortunes to any husbands.

Does it?

I mean, why would she do that?

Why would she give up that protection?

And why would she not tell me
that's what she was doing?

So... Hang on. So your father...

So my father made provision in his will,

in the event of my brother's death,

for me and Elizabeth to jointly
inherit everything.

But he also made what I was always
given

to believe was an unshakeable clause...

contrary to the normal
way of doing things,

that stated that,
should we ever get married,

we must, and would, retain ownership

in our own share of the estate, but...

- That was interesting of him, to do that.
- Yes, but in ...

He never mentioned this when
Ainsworth was sniffing about.

Yes, no. Exactly.

He did it to deter fortune hunters
like him.

But then, in ,
three years after they were married,

she submitted everything to him,
to Captain Sutherland.

And, Anne, I just...

I can't believe she would've
done that willingly.

He must've bullied and cajoled
and coerced her

into signing away her half of
the family's... Everything.

Knowing that it's contrary to
what my father intended.

Anne, she'd never hurt me.

And there are few things in this
world I have the confidence

to state so boldly, but one thing
I know for sure is

that Elizabeth would never
willingly cheat me out of

what's ours, but she has because of him.

Cheated you how?

Some of its property that
on her death would've reverted

to the estate, to me.

They don't know that I might
not still have children.

He's found a legal loophole to
make a mockery of it all,

and to, well, to steal it.

What was the other thing?

So, John, my John,
always used to complain

that Mr Priestley and his brother John

had worked their way into
my uncle's affections

till he ended up leaving them
things in his will

that should've remained entailed
to my father.

I never thought of it as my business

but then here it is in black and white.

They have had three properties from us,

substantial properties.

Blackcastle, which is an allotment
to High Sunderland,

Hall End in Halifax

and Longley Farm over in Norland.

My uncle had no right to give them away,

and it galls me even more since
the Priestleys have been

so objectionable to us.

Parker drew this up.

But who did the legal work
on this other business

with Captain and Mrs Sutherland?

Erm...

Parker and Adam.

I've never liked Parker.

I don't know why you put
so much faith in him.

Maybe it's not irreversible.

Let's go and consult Mr Gray
in York on both matters.

Do you think my family have
any clue about what

Captain Sutherland's done?

Of course we knew.

We all knew.

All but me!

Oh, well, you weren't well.
We kept it from you.

All your cousins and uncles
and aunts knew.

And it's precisely because of it
that we've been so zealous in trying

to protect you and your fortune.

But, no, Elizabeth wouldn't've...

Elizabeth did it without scruple!

I don't believe for a second...

He ran rings around her.

She'd have done anything he asked.

Sense was out of the window,

and she might well regret it now,
now it's too late.

And that weak, odious Robert Parker...

He was meant to be acting for the family

but no, no...

No, Sutherland ran rings round him too.

I'm half-minded to change my will.

I thought you already had.

No. When? No.

You made Miss Lister your executor
instead of your cousin,

Mr Priestley, last year.

Who told you that?

Well, she did.

Last spring.

When you went missing,
when you absented yourself in York.

She used to come over here,
laying the law down.

I made her my executor, yes,

but the contents remain unchanged.

I certainly wouldn't change it
without telling you,

even if others have behaved
as they have.

What? What's the matter?

I...

Oh.

Aunt?

I, erm...

Well, I had imagined...

with all this talk of a formal division
of the estate,

that you had already
changed the will itself.

How? No.

In Miss Lister's favour.

Well, that's...

...a possibility.

And, yes, if I never have children,

and if Miss Lister and I
were to continue

as such kind companions, well,

yes, I hope we would think
to make some provision

for one another, but as things stand,

no, it still all goes to Elizabeth

and then to Sackville.

Well...

...I changed mine when you moved
into Shibden Hall.

I removed you from it,

in Elizabeth's favour.

There was a letter for you this morning,

in the post-bag.

From Washington.

Where is it?

Oh, do you want to see it?

I don't know. Is it interesting?

The distresses you requested
have all been carried out.


[SHE WHISPERS]
I didn't request anything.

A Mrs Greaves went
to Shibden Hall begging

not to be evicted, but apparently
your sister wouldn't hear of it.

She was determined
to carry out the, ah...

Your... our...

...request to the very letter.

What a cruel time of year
to evict people.

Well, yes, I agree.

But if she wants a division
of the estate,

things must be put in order.

Washington tells me he's submitted
a proposal to her, to Ann,

for what he believes to be a fair
division of the various lots

of the estate,
based partly on contiguity

and partly on value, so...

We shall see what she sends us,

when she's gone through it.

Although, I'm tempted...

Oh, I don't know. What?

I still don't know why
there's this great urgency

for the thing.

There's something
in her last few letters.

- This...
- [HE SIGHS]

...litigious tone.

She's suddenly become so confident,
so well informed.

I'm wondering whether
you shouldn't write to her

and say that, whilst in principle
we... you're happy with the division,

you think it might be better to wait
until we can visit them,

when the weather's
better for travelling.

That would be...

Yes, I'd like that.

Good. Good!

I think, before we sign off
on the thing,

we should satisfy ourselves

there's nothing nefarious going on

with your family.

Although, as I say, I always
imagined Miss Lister would

protect her from any nonsense. Mm.

Yes, curious woman...

...Miss Lister.

Well, I'm delighted Miss Walker's
gone to see her aunt.

Not that I dislike her,
not for a moment.

I'm thrilled for her and just
jealous that she has you

to gaze at all day.

- When I'm in.
- [MRS RAWSON CHUCKLES]

This is the second time in three months.

What are you after?

Only to gaze upon you.

I was telling you about my planned
developments at Northgate House.

Oh, yes.

Your Uncle Joseph would be livid!

[ANNE LAUGHS] Yes.

Yes, but the world moves forward,
and sometimes

we have to move with it.

And don't you agree, Mrs Rawson,

that this whole enterprise
could be a huge boon for the town?

Oh, yes, yes.

Well, the town gets bigger by the week.

Precisely, and this could create
a whole new enclave.

And I'm not such a noodle as
to refuse what would pay

such good returns.

A whole new quarter.

As long as no-one were to obstruct me

in getting a licence for
my casino... inn.

- Hotel.
- Oh, is that what you're after?

My influence.

Well, I would hope I wouldn't need it.

As I say, I would hope
that such a venture

would be eloquent of its own merits.

But, certainly, one word from you,

in the right ear,

would be worth from anybody else.

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

Mr Rawson.

- Mrs Rawson.
- [ANNE MOUTHS]

Mother!

- Oh, hello.
- Mr Rawson.

Christopher, is it true
what Miss Lister tells me,

that you're standing for Parliament?

Oh, you've heard!

Is it wise?

Yes, I've put my name forward
and expect to be adopted

- at the next committee meeting.
- You have too many trades.

- Who said that?
- Me. I said it.

No point in looking at Miss Lister.

And it's what your father
used to say too.

What a shame you can't stand for
Parliament, Miss Lister.

With your superior intellect and
your powers of diplomacy

and persuasion, you would've stood

head and shoulders above anyone else!

Good Lord, look at the time.

She should be running the country.

Yes, what a shame.

Oh, she's not leaving?

I was very sorry, Mr Rawson...

to hear about the mindless vandalism

at Hope Hall.

Yes, well... And to assure you,
as I told Dr Jubb, that,

if you are to be
Tory candidate for the town

and I had influence over votes,

you would have every one of them.

Au revoir.

À bientôt.

Mr Rawson.

Miss Lister.

[HE EXHALES]

Ugh. That colour's never suited you.

"Dearest Freddy...

"It is something new to feel
that I write

"for two sets of eyes instead of one.

"Now that my mind is more at ease,

"I hope to get into better health.

"Either you or the medicines
have done me good.

"And, as you have often said,

"knowing the worst is often
the best means

"of reconciling ourselves to it.

"Come what may,

"however at variance with my wishes,

"there is one subject left in which
I will never disappoint you.

"I will always...

_

"I once wronged my own heart
to please my family,

"but this was not doing right,

"and dearly I have paid for it.

"But the scale is now turned,

"and my thoughts are now set upon...

"deserving your good
opinion to the last,

"and I will not put it
in your power to find fault

"with me again."

Hmm.

Where's Miss Walker?

Hmm?

Oh, she's not well.

Again?

[ANNE SIGHS]

It's this... nonsense with her aunt.

Every time she goes over there,
she says something cruel

and unnecessary, and it always
knocks her for six.

Oh, I'm sorry.

"When you speak of your 'little friend',

"write her name in full.

"I dislike the initial.

"Indulge my fancy
and let the name you write

"be the one you call her by.

"And tell me, Freddy..."

Is that Mrs Lawton's handwriting?

It is, yes.

- "Tell me, Freddy..."
- Has she got anything fresh?

Well, let's see, shall we?

"Tell me, Freddy, do you see
the York papers?

"And do you know anything
of a paragraph that appeared in one

"respecting yourself and Miss Walker?

"I long to know what it was.

"Tell me if you've heard..."

If you'll excuse me,

I'm going to take Miss Walker
her letters and some tea.

Oh, and Mr Abbott's due this evening.

As usual. Just to remind you.

Just so you know to...

[SHE SIGHS]

...stay out of the way.

She wants to defer the division
of the estate again.

"Until we can travel more comfortably."

This is him.

He'll put it off and put it off
until it doesn't happen.

Who's this one from?

Perhaps we should instruct
Mr Gray to write to him

rather than her in future,

stop this pretence that it's
her who's being difficult, hm?

Ann?

Ann?

What is it?

"Dear Miss Walker. I fear
this may not reach you,

"but if it does I urge you,
under no circumstances,

"to show it to Miss Lister."

Bad luck.

"However much you may believe
this woman to be your friend,

"I tell you plainly she is not."

Do you recognise the hand?

No.

"Are you really unaware
of the unspeakable reputation

"this woman has?

"I see that she has already cut
you off from your family

"and friends and, though
you may not understand it,

"please believe me when I tell you

"that you are in the gravest danger."

Ooh-la-la!

"She will beguile you and,
before you know it,

"she will have tricked you
out of all you have,

"your reputation, your wealth,
your peace of mind.

"Ask her to tell you about Eliza Raine."

"I urge you to get away from her
and Shibden Hall

"as quickly as you can."

"Be assured that you will hear
from me again soon,

"and that I will not be at ease
until I know that you are

"in a place of greater safety.

"I am, madam, a well-wisher."

Anne?

Things like this.

All my life.

Who's Eliza Raine?

I'll tell you about...

...Eliza Raine.

Is she another Mrs Lawton
or another Tib?

We were at school together
in York, -year-olds!

And then...

...when she was older...

...she had problems,

properly, not like...

[ANNE SIGHS]

She's been in an asylum in York
for the last -odd years.

And I visit her, occasionally,
for old time's sake,

but she's violent and she...

She spits and swears and
she's att*cked me

more than once, and others.

She could never live independently,
the way she is.

So the person who sent this
knows about her?

Eliza used to come and stay
with us in Halifax,

over the summer.

Her parents were in India,
so she couldn't go home.

So it could be anyone in
Halifax that remembers her.

She's...

She was very striking to look at.
She's half Indian.

Were you in love with her?

I loved her, yes.

In love?

This has been sent to cause
division and upset.

Will you let it?

Was she in love with you?

Well, we were very young!

And the tawdry implication here
is that she ended up

the way she did because of me.

It's just... It's just nonsense.

I did everything I could to help her.

Burn it.

Please get up and get dressed,

for my sake,

for your own sake.

We can't give in to these people.

We must be better than them.

[BELL RINGS]

[ANNE SIGHS]

That'll be the men about the pit. I...

I've got to go.

[SHE EXHALES]

Robert agrees with Mr Holt, ma'am.

He thinks you should bottom
Walker pit before you flood Spiggs.

And, as regards another pit
, yards this way,

I'd say it were a very good thing,
ma'am,

if you're willing to spend t'money.

Here. You dropped your...

Because then you could loose
a whole sweep of coal

lying on the Shibden Hall side
of Pump, and upwards in

a line parallel to the present
old waterhead

hold under Cunnery houses.

Where would you sink this new pit?

Well, if you're putting the water wheel

down at Tillyholme stile,

I'd say here,

at Pump, where you suggested.

And then if we drove two heads up
from Tillyholme stile,

- that's t'idea? - Yeah.
- Which we could do easily enough

if we made a vent hole
in t'corner of Dolt,

then this pit at Pump,

you'd have it working just as soon
as it were bottomed,

and it'd serve as a vent to Walker pit.

This way, all the coal
above the Wakefield Road

and between the two pits could be
pulled at Walker pit,

and all t'coal below Wakefield Road
could be pulled at

this new pit at Pump.

And then you'd be left
with a good barrier of coal

all along this side up here. So in
fact you could stop Spiggs colliery

any time you liked after
this second one's sunk,

and let all that face of coal
stand, covered in water,

ready to throw it on Mr Rawson's works

any time you wanted, which,
if he hadn't have trespassed,

you'd never have been able to do, so...

It'd be a way of proving
his trespass too.

And anyone else's.

[MARIAN MOUTHS]

How long do they say it'll take
to construct it?

To dig the drifts and sink
the pit, eight months.

As to the dam...

You'd have to give Carr notice
to quit the Well Royd land

if you're going to turn it into a dam.

His tenancy's up in eight months, so...

I've calculated that, for the volume
of water needed to turn

an -foot-diameter water wheel,
the dam needs to be four-foot deep

across two acres, so with that
and the dam goit

we could be up and running in months.

Do you know anyone with a theodolite?

Mr Priestley.

Miss Lister.

Were you at the hall?

Ah, yes, I...

Yes, I went to see your father.

And your sister.

And my cousin. But she wasn't in.

No. She's in Huddersfield,
visiting her cousin Catherine.

Yes.

- So you've missed her.
- Yes.

Well, then, you've missed her
and you've caught me.

That probably wasn't the plan
at all, hm?

Plan?

I was hoping she might like
to make a subscription

to the clergyman's widows fund.

It's not beyond the realms
of possibility.

- Well, then.
- Well, then.

You'll have to try again another time.

Miss Lister.

Mr Priestley.

ANNE: My dear Mary.

I can't at the moment turn
to the item from the newspaper

that you refer to, and so I must
send it another time,

but the announcement was, in substance,

"The marriage of Captain Tom Lister,
of Shibden Hall,

"and Miss Ann Walker,
late of Crow Nest."

On discovery of the hoax,

a handsome volunteer apology
was sent by the editor

of one of the papers,
and here the matter ended,

for nobody was annoyed
and nobody cared about it.

- Ma'am?
- Yes, thank you.

Thank you, Rachel.

Thank you, Hemingway.

We should start packing for tomorrow.

I ordered the horses for nine.

We should be in York by one.

I'm not sure about this Mr Bradley.

I'm not convinced his intellect
matches his ambition.

Shall I do the duty?

I didn't tell you this because...

...I don't know.

But when you went to see Catherine
the other day,

and Mr Priestley called,

he was flustered and, I don't know,

I wondered whether it was him
who wrote that letter,

or her, or both of them,

and he was calling to see
what effect it'd had.

I don't care who sent it.

It's irrelevant.

I don't think we should
mention it again.

I told Catherine about
what Elizabeth had done.

Did she know?

No.

I think she'd have told me if she did.

We will sort this out.

It just saddens me.

What does?

Thinking about what it's all for.

And...

...without children...

...I'm not sure what it is all for.

And is it not...

Not?

...God's purpose that we...

...people...

...have children?

I just regret that
it will all go to them,

ultimately, to Sackville.

I never did before, before this, but...

...it's just made me dwell on it all.

And I suppose I had always
imagined that...

...one day...

...I would have..

...children of my own. That's all.

You once told me you felt
a kind of repugnance...

...to forming any sort of connection

with the opposite sex.

It's not the same thing.

Isn't it?

You mean, you'd imagined children
but not marriage?

To a man.

I don't know. Yes.

Somehow, I...

...had imagined being...

...a mother, but not being,
you know, with a man.

So you haven't given up all thought

of ever having children?

It's not... It doesn't signify,
does it? I'm with you.

It does signify.

Because I need to have the confidence

that this thing between us
is truly settled

and I'm not just keeping you warm
until some man comes along.

[SHE SIGHS]

It's much the same as I told Marian
over Mr Abbott,

you'll not find me any obstacle
to something you have

very much at heart.

Don't say that.

Because I can be as a meteor
in your life,

if that's what you'd like,
a meteor that burns

more brightly than anything
you could ever imagine.

And then is gone.

Forever.

Things like this.

All my life!

I pretend it gets easier,
but it doesn't.

- Anne...
- We do things for us.

That's who it's for.

So that we can have a life
together. WE matter.

Having children isn't the only
reason to strive and do well

and better oneself and be happy.

I'm sorry.

It is, I've said it before,

a great sadness that
we can never have children.

But if you're not certain
it isn't something

you'll want in the future, then...

...I need to know about that now.

Because it's something that
I can never give you.

Just as we can never have a piece
of paper that says

we have any kind of legal union
to bind us,

neither can we have the bond
a child would give us.

So we have to be certain...

- You're frightening me.
- I'm frightening you?

- I'm sorry.
- You have to be certain...

...before we set off for York,

before we think any further
about changing our wills,

that this, here, with me,
is what you want.

I want to be with you,

more than anything in the whole world.

- You know that.
- Nevertheless...

...it is a great sacrifice,

and if you're not sure it's one
you can make,

well, then...

I'm going to start packing for York.

♪ 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 ♪

♪ Jack-the-lass, Jack-the-lass ♪

♪ No-one likes a Jack-the-lass ♪

♪ The code is cracked
Your bags are packed ♪

♪ The knives are out for
Gentleman Jack! ♪
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