01x03 - The Perfect Duchess

[bunniefuu]

An English duke

A handsome man

Who's gonna be his duchess?

Nan!

Oh, Duchess Nan, Duchess Nan

"Oh, I could never marry

Oh, wait, he's a duke?"

- Conchie, stop it.

- "Yes, I can"

It doesn't even scan.

You know I didn't know he was a duke.

She didn't know he was a duke.

She thought he was an artist.

- Well, why didn't you just say?

- Stop it. Seriously.

How can I marry him? I've met him twice.

He barely knows me.

He knows nothing about me at all.

Oh, darling. After the wedding

is when the knowing starts.

Marriage is

Don't underestimate it.

If anything, I've overestimated it.

I've been estimating it

every single moment since he's asked.

I can't possibly be a duchess.

Give me one good reason

why you couldn't be a duchess.

What actually is a duchess?

It's just that Theo-- He appeared, and

he just made me feel--

- He made you feel!

- Stop. Stop it.

Like I could escape somehow

and when I'm with him,

I could just--

I can almost just forget who I am.

I'll tell you who you are.

You're a person

whose crazy engagement got us invited

to the Duchess of Tintagel's private ball.

- Can you imagine?

- Wouldn't Lizzy just love this?

Still no letter?

I can't believe she didn't tell anyone

why she was going home.

She looked so pale

when she set off for the ship.

It's just not like Lizzy.

Well, we'll be back home with her

in just a few weeks.

Poor Jinny thinks we're going to New York

for her enormous wedding,

but I intend on spending

the entire trip cuddling Lizzy

and the poodle and pretending

England doesn't exist.

Girls! Girls.

Girls, say goodbye to Conchita.

I'm back in character.

Obedient and demure.

Conchie, are you--

Of course. I'm the perfect wife.

Miss St. George?

The duchess invites you to meet her

in the drawing room this afternoon.

Also, from the duke.

Conchita!

You're here. Come and see inside.

I can't stand to see Conchita--

Nan?

Hello.

Hello.

So you're not painting, then?

I fear I may have ambushed you

at Runnymede.

By being a secret duke?

I am a duke.

So I gathered, eventually.

And I wanted to say

when I asked you to be my wife,

I wanted it to be a pure question,

unburdened by context.

This is who I am.

Though, I'm afraid I come with a price.

We must survive tonight's ball,

the whole performance of the thing.

And after that, if you feel it--

it's not the life for you

then you must call it off.

You mean that?

With no reflection on your reputation.

I'm afraid my context is inescapable.

But I would like to show you,

if I may, the full picture.

So that you can make a real choice.

To be a duchess.

To be with me.

The actual me.

All this way

to drink tea in someone else's house.

ba*ls.

Endless unnecessary expense

leading to inevitable disappointment.

Like marriage, then?

Or parenthood.

Only two hours late.

What was it, ribbon shopping

or dancing with the footmen?

A relief, Richard, to have some peace.

You finally got her to behave.

Well done, you.

Are all of your friends coming

this evening?

One of them

scuttled off to New York with the mothers.

The pretty one. Nothing useful to say.

Could be any of them.

Lizzy went back home to New York,

but the rest are all invited.

So, yes. Of course.

Conchita, she's here!

It's Jinny! Jinny's here!

How the duchess tolerates

this barbarian invasion.

How any of us do?

Well, let's hope

Seadown's girl is a little more docile.

We must just grit our teeth

and think of the money she'll bring.

If it gets that far.

He may just be toying with her.

May I present Lady Seadown.

- We eloped. Can you believe it?

- No.

I'm afraid we simply couldn't wait.

But what about New York

and the wedding plans?

Your mother's measured every cathedral

in Manhattan.

I know. But when you've absolutely decided

what you want--

Love isn't about the display and the fuss.

That's what we realized, isn't it?

- Love is about the two of us.

- The romance.

Lord and Lady Seadown.

- Congratulations!

- Oh, my goodness. Congratulations!

- Congratulations.

- So happy for you.

Thanks, Conchita.

Congratulations.

They eloped? Pure theater.

She looked happy.

Well, everyone's happy for about

three seconds after their wedding.

d*ck and I

were either looking at each other

or touching each other,

or both, for weeks.

But if Jinny wants to--

It's not about what we want, darling.

Trust me.

If we all got what we wanted,

I'd be in New York

with a house full of men

and cream cakes and poodles--

But eloping. If there's one thing

that I'd pick out that Jinny wouldn't--

I've prepared her bottle, Lady Marable.

Thank you so much.

- Do you need anything else?

- No, that's all.

You're an angel. Thank you.

You know, I thought at least they'd

approve of me hiring Miss Testvalley,

seeing as they used her themselves,

but of course,

they just hate everything I do.

But do you think that

Jinny is actually ha--

In that family, the best hope is survival.

But I've worked out the secret.

Silence.

No voice, no opinions.

It's better to be lonely and approved of

than lonely and glowered at.

It is like

the lights have gone out in you.

Yes, but when the lights are out,

and it's quite dark,

there's no need for apologizing.

And besides, I'm not alone.

I have a baby. And now

Jinny's my sister-in-law.

But it's her whole life,

and she barely knows him.

Are we still talking about Jinny?

Let's get you a bottle.

Sorry. Is Jinny here?

We're rather unprepared for visitors.

I-- There's just the tour of the castle,

and I just wanted to see that--

if Jinny wanted to--

She's looking forward to seeing you

at the ball.

Okay. Thank you.

I'll see you tonight!

You know, your parents, they seem so--

My parents have very high standards,

but you'll more than meet them,

Lady Seadown.

What's it like to be so perfect?

I never thought that I was

until you started telling me.

I mean, I do my best, of course.

Your trying is one of the things

I love the most about you.

Your perfect concentration.

Let others concern themselves

with being peacocks.

Such magnificent beauty here.

It's entirely matched by

what's inside here.

And pretty world-class

on the outside, that bit too, of course.

James, can you imagine if we'd never met?

No.

All those years we spent

not knowing each other

and now I've got you.

My Jinny.

Nice view.

I just thought I'd sit for a while.

What are you reading?

A book.

Yeah, I think I heard of that.

So, Jinny and Seadown. Did you hear?

Your mother, is she--

Appalled, naturally, at the speed.

Though, when the bills must be paid

Wow. Your family are desperate

to make my friends feel worthless

when they lower themselves

to marry your brothers.

Let's try and be happy for them, shall we?

Come in.

- Annabel.

- I am glad to be here, Your Grace.

Are you? Or are you terrified?

Might I be half-glad and half-terrified?

Exactly as it should be.

I've never visited America.

Ought I to bother?

- Yes, it's a very fine country--

- I'm going to stop you.

I'm extremely busy, it's a long way away

and it's best to be realistic.

What do you love about my son?

- I--

- Quite right. You barely know him.

Marriage is alarming enough.

If young people understood

how terrified of it they ought to be,

the clergy would go out of business.

My son barely knows you, of course,

but I'm afraid

he's impossibly in love with you.

Did he say that?

He spent the last ten years

being chased around every gathering

and every drawing room

by every half-eligible girl in England.

And in all the years we've held

the end-of-season ball,

he's never once brought a guest.

His face has never once softened the way

it softens when he mentions your name.

What will you wear tonight?

It's perfectly possible

to care about the state of the world

whilst also being frivolous about dresses.

I quite agree.

I'm wearing a blue dress, cornflower blue.

It has this beautiful thing

from here to there.

Charming.

I wore a dress in the same blue

to the Dorchester Ball when I was 19.

Theodore's father said

I looked like a bluebell.

If I wore it now, of course,

I'd look like a sea creature,

- but you'll get away with it.

- I bet you--

With age and wisdom

come many advantages and adventures

which far outweigh a small waist

and soft complexion. I promise you.

All this, the title

is not easy for everyone.

It's not easy for Theo, of course.

He loathes it, only wants to paint.

I've asked him to paint me

with a glint in my eye, and he won't.

But Annabel,

I believe he'll put a glint in yours.

Now off you go. I have my drink to finish.

Your Grace, if you'll permit me,

I do see a glint in your eye,

entirely of your own making, not man-made.

And I do think that

if you wore that blue dress

you would still look like a bluebell.

You're quite wrong.

Bluebells hang their heads.

They're famous for it.

I may have hung my head

at the Dorchester Ball when I was 19,

but I'm a duchess now,

and my head is always absolutely upright.

As yours must be.

At least in public.

So, the portraits

are of the Tintagel family members

who well--

How many times have you visited?

- Every year.

- Oh, God.

Next, we will see the dining room

where the family--

Dines? Slides down the table?

We do have castles in New York, you know.

They built one in Central Park

a few years ago.

When was this one built?

1342. Originally.

Okay.

After that, we'll see the staterooms

for when the dignitaries visit.

The rest of the castle exists, of course.

But out here,

I can at least pretend it doesn't.

It's a sanctuary, I suppose.

A place to consider.

Or to feel

nothing at all.

Which is sometimes equally appealing.

I don't paint people, generally.

It's almost like it moves.

They're only colors on a canvas.

If I tried to put colors on a canvas

it would be

Be my guest.

I don't know what it is, but it could be

a snake.

Or a worm. I don't know.

I thought you didn't paint people.

You're not people.

The landscapes here are really beautiful.

You know, when I stayed nearby,

I went and walked, and I walked and I--

But I barely began to

I guess the best way to see it all

would be on a horse.

Is there much riding in New York City?

No.

But there is in Saratoga.

It's okay.

It's okay.

Wha-- Why are you--

Whoa. Hey.

Right, if you could just grab the bridle--

I know how to catch a horse.

I saw you were in trouble, so I--

- I'm not one of those girls

- Nan?

who gets in trouble

and needs helping down from horses.

- Are you hurt?

- I'm fine.

I'm-- I am completely fine.

I thought you were going to be late.

And miss a chance to be shouted at?

Nan, this is Guy Thwarte,

my oldest friend.

How are you?

You're all Mother's talked about.

Well, you and Nan.

Yes,

I imagine she wants to hear all about Nan.

You know, Jinny's in for a rude awakening.

That family doesn't like anyone.

They don't even like each other.

Nan, do you think d*ck will like my hair

like this?

I can still be beautiful yet dutiful, right?

For Miss St. George? From the duchess.

This thing must be

five million years old. Wow.

Let's see.

So, little Nan,

how's the calling-it-off going?

This might be the first time

you're more dressed up than me.

Did you imagine this day would ever come?

It's gonna be so--

My parents are asking if we'd join them

for a drink on the terrace.

They asked for me?

Of course, Lady Marable.

Oh, my gosh. It's working.

I'm no longer their worst daughter-in-law.

Good luck.

Nan? Where's my emerald bracelet?

Oh, my God. There you are.

Here, come on in.

- Finally. Jinny.

- I asked you to return it--

Are you happy? Truly?

What? Of course, darling. I'm married.

- Oh, Jinny, I just wanted to--

- Mother will be furious, of course,

but at least you won't have to wear

the coral bridesmaid dress.

It was orange,

and I would have looked like an onion

for certain,

but I would have gladly worn it because

I knew that's something you wanted.

Oh, darling.

I know you've got this sweet thing

going with the duke,

but when you really, truly love someone--

I love you.

I love you, I do.

But this is what I want.

And you? Are you and Theo

How can I even think about marrying him

when I'm

I don't even know who my mother is?

Yes, well, nobody knows,

so how would he ever find out?

Virginia?

I will talk to you tomorrow, okay?

I promise. Or later.

I promise, okay? We'll talk later.

They've given you the yellow room then.

Quite right, of course.

You're far more important than me now.

Though, much less dressed.

God, sorry, I'll just-- I'll--

So will you tell him?

Will you tell Theo about my mother?

He's a duke, you may have noticed.

And he resents it, of course, every day.

But Nan, he absolutely lives by it.

And for a duke to marry--

Someone like me.

He couldn't possibly.

He'd be a laughingstock.

He'd lose any shred of credibility

or authority.

- You haven't told him yourself?

- No.

No, it just makes people run away.

I've never lied to him our whole lives.

And tonight?

Mr. Thwarte was just

And if there's anything else you need

to know about the yellow room,

feel free to ask.

Just down the hall.

Good decision to get her a dress.

Yeah. Good decision.

Shoulders back, old girl. Shoulders back.

Back to the summer of 1879, ideally.

When we still held hope

of finding you a husband.

Which version of American

will this one be, one wonders?

Stormy seas enough to make one

almost fearful.

Or wind subsided, waters entirely shallow?

Sisters now, yes? Good luck.

It's customary, I understand,

when one's son elopes,

to feel disappointment.

Were you looking forward

to a big bash, Mother?

A large public celebration of love?

- Weddings exhaust me, as you know.

- Lengthy, expensive, loud.

The disappointment, in this case,

is that we believed Virginia

might be different from her friends.

Our only goal, Lady Brightlingsea,

was to save you the fuss

of a garish wedding.

I assure you an elopement drama

is entirely unlike me.

As a wife, my chief aim will always be

to avoid a show

and to meet your expectations,

as well as those of my husband.

So I believe that I am different,

quite different.

Less of a peacock.

Calmer seas, ahoy.

They're saying we're already late.

Better crack on, then.

Don't.

- I did. I told you.

- I said in England.

In all of England,

no girl would ever be of interest.

Absolutely not. I said, one day,

someone was gonna change your mind.

We didn't specify continent.

Well, in that case,

thank you for knowing I was an idiot.

A given.

And also for sampling so very many

of the available options on my behalf.

Though, how you manage such success

when you still can't tie your own tie.

That weekend at Runnymede,

Nan and I talked a little.

And isn't she extraordinary?

She moves in such an unexpected way.

- Have you noticed?

- I mean

- I don't mean gracefully.

- yes.

Because actually,

- she isn't always graceful.

- God, no. She's--

I mean, she's all over the place.

- Yeah.

- But did you see her on a horse?

She's wherever I turn, somehow,

laughing, thinking, surprising me.

Making me catch my breath.

I mean, she's entirely remarkable.

Well, you've met her.

Barely.

Though, I heard you proposed

after about three minutes.

And it could easily have been two.

I just

Marriage.

Just be sure you know

all there is to know.

- My dress is so tight.

- You look absolutely beautiful.

- So do you.

- I know. But nobody's looking at me.

- What am I doing?

- What?

I am pretending to everyone.

Who cares about everyone?

Nan, do you like him?

I think so.

Yes.

- Nan.

- Where's Jinny?

Nan, listen. Nan.

Annabel!

Tonight's not about Jinny or Conchita.

It's about you.

And you know what?

It's absolutely fine

to decide you completely love it.

You're allowed to feel special.

Maybe you were born for this.

Okay?

Miss Annabel St. George.

- American.

- Yes.

But just lovely despite that.

The perfect duchess.

And my goodness, we've waited long enough.

You're beautiful. Do you loathe it?

Being beautiful?

But I expect that feels old hat.

No. Do you loathe all this?

I don't know yet. Do you?

Not tonight. Which is a novelty.

Everything, it seems,

is immeasurably improved by you.

Thank heavens, someone I don't despise.

- Not dancing?

- I was waiting for you.

So like your mother.

- She would've danced tonight.

- Wouldn't she?

Well, what's the verdict?

I believe Nan will surprise us all.

Everything's changing, isn't it?

Yes. It is.

For God's sake, let's have a drink.

Strangest night of your life?

Easily. And only partly

because you're being so well-behaved.

I'm the most tedious person here.

It's a stiff competition.

I mean, I said to the girl, "Tea?"

I'm not interested in

these newfangled intermediate meals.

Why can't people eat enough at luncheon

to last them until dinner?

It's ridiculous.

God, everything is so easy for Jinny.

For both of you.

Nan, is it actually gonna turn out

you get the dream?

'Cause that would be just like you.

Is your mother laughing?

She's actually laughing.

Next minute they're gonna be

braiding each other's hair.

Don't t*rture yourself.

- Jinny's different, that's all.

- Yes. Different from a peacock, sure.

Is there a bird

that's called a backstabber?

If there is, they don't live in England.

How very fortunate for them.

Well, I just mean she's different fro--

- from--

- Me?

You worked it out, haven't you?

Anyone can see that.

Of course,

Jinny's just the same as all of you.

But-- No, I didn't mean

There you have the breakfast.

And dinner, then there's no elevenses,

no, no.

- And then at dinner

- Excuse me.

about seven-seven--

Will I ever be good enough?

I've tried being me,

and I've tried being someone else.

Is there any point in me trying at all?

- Conchita, don't raise your voice. Please.

- My voice isn't raised.

That's a first.

What is it about Jinny?

What, with her blonde hair

and pale skin you've accepted so quickly?

All of you.

That would be very easy, I'm sure.

No, thank you.

We're not accepting those accusations.

- Perhaps you might think in those terms

- Every day.

I'm afraid we simply don't.

We're oblivious.

Lucky you.

Conchita, if you're asking who to be here,

your role is clear.

Mother to a child who's healthy,

daughter to a man who's wealthy.

Stormy seas are back, then?

Ought we to--

No.

When we reward bad behavior in children,

we remove any incentive

for them to grow up.

Conchita!

Looks awful, doesn't it?

Hideous.

You've been on the fringes all night.

- I want you to have fun.

- No.

Come on.

Why did you leave?

At Runnymede.

Well, I can understand why, but I

but how could you?

After I told you something

that was so important to me.

Something that was so essential.

I thought that you were a person

I could talk to.

In fact, I was a scared person.

Well, if it was so shocking,

and you couldn't endure my shame

save Theo.

You must, of course.

Tell him.

Why wouldn't you?

Where's Richard? It's Conchita.

Conchita!

This is just what she wants.

Conchita doesn't get lost.

- Conchita!

- Was she heading for the cliffs?

- She's just doing it for attention.

- But, Nan, I'm her husband.

So it's my job to give it to her.

Conchita!

Just let him be.

She's always fine.

This is just what she does.

Conchita!

I could have just gone to bed. I--

I almost did, in fact.

But I expect if I had, I--

I probably would have just

got back up again.

Conchita!

Conchita.

I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry.

Why would you possibly be sorry?

I'm sorry.

You're right.

About my family.

About the way they treat you.

I love you.

I heard you at Runnymede.

You said that there are women,

and then there are wives.

Conchita.

I want you to be both.

But I want you to be you.

Let's go to New York.

- We work there, don't we?

- Yes.

Let's escape for a while.

- Just the three of us.

- Okay.

And let's remember who we are.

Okay.

Well, now I'm actually getting worried.

How long has it been?

Maybe we should have--

We should have definitely gone--

Conchita, are you all right?

She lives.

- She's fine.

- Oh, darling, aren't I always?

I'll tell the others she's safe.

Thank you, sir.

I'll have them draw you a nice hot bath.

More water? I shall drown.

Oh, darling. I hope you weren't

too worried about me.

Are you asking about me?

d*ck came running after me and found me.

Of course, we're still talking about you.

How are you not exhausted by the fact

that everyone's constantly looking for you

- or looking at you?

- Gosh. Can I help it if they look?

You can try not running out

into the middle of the night,

making everyone think

you've fallen off a cliff.

One night was supposed to be about me.

If you even break a nail,

I immediately jump to the rescue.

But if I have any problems,

- big or small--

- What problems do you have?

What, with your duke

and his necklace-giving mother?

How would you possibly know?

There's no space,

- there's no time to talk about me

- I cannot--

- when every sentence is about you.

- I can't keep up with

what you want and don't want.

You don't want to be a duchess,

and then you get mad if I get in the way?

At least I know who I am.

Well,

congratulations you've worked that out.

Although, how awful it is

for you to have done all of that work

to only realize

that you are an attention-seeking mess!

I miss home.

I'm sorry.

I'm going home, actually.

For a wedding that's already happened.

I have to see my mother.

Yet, not get to say a single thing

that I wanna say,

because I have to tell her

that I'm not marrying a duke

just because I couldn't keep a secret.

You'll make a wonderful duchess.

So you won't say anything?

No. Why would I?

Because he's your oldest friend.

And you're my newest.

I mean, it's hardly even late.

We could just grab a bottle or something.

You still left at Runnymede.

You still left.

I haven't even had a chance

to say goodbye to anyone.

- Nan will think that I've--

- You will write to them.

- There you are.

- Hi.

Even my mother's gone to bed.

Well, I'm not sleepy.

Yes, please.

I would very much like to marry you.

Are you certain?

When we first met, I didn't know

the whole truth about your context.

But I always felt

that I knew the truth about you.

And actually, you don't know

the full truth about my context,

but love shouldn't be about all of that.

It shouldn't be about the extra stuff.

It should just

It should just be about us.

And we'll have all of this, won't we?

And the paintings.

Well, maybe not mine,

but maybe I'll improve, right?

But the most important thing is that

I'll have you.

Yes, you will.

But before any of the marrying,

or any of that,

I need to go back to New York,

because my mother and I will need to talk.

- But when I come back, then we can--

- May I come?

Well, I'd like to see the skyscrapers

and walk in Central Park.

But also, I should like to meet

your mother and your father.

I shan't intrude.

I'd like to just be nearby.

To know who you really are.

Nan,

you know, we didn't all dance together,

but I shall still dance.

On my own, if I must.

I wish our whole lives

could be like Runnymede.

I don't.

I spent the whole night on the rooftop

with Guy Thwarte.

Scared him till he ran away.

You didn't scare him too much.

He came back the next morning on a horse.

Guy did?

Yeah.

You and Jinny were too busy

being proposed to

and running around

not understanding about dukes,

but yes, Guy Thwarte was absolutely there.

I wish every night

could be like Runnymede for always.

Good night, Duchess Nan.