01x03 - Chapter 3

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The loss of my father was
a leap into the unknown.

Longbourn was my childhood home.

And although I had my struggles
here, it was all I had ever known.

From now on, would I be relying
on the hospitality of my sisters?

Destined to spend my days
as my mother's companion?

What other choice did I have?

I do not expect any of
you to understand my pain.

The bond Mr Bennet and I
shared was a rare thing.

I do not know that
I shall ever eat again!

Who is that?

I do not know, Mama.

What sort of person would impinge

upon our hour of mourning
so distastefully?

Charlotte! Oh, no...

I am afraid you find us
in a state of some disarray.

Let me take him. Understandably!

We have been wanting to see you all
since we heard the terrible news,

but knew you would need
time as a family to...

To gather your things! Hmm!

Yourselves... Together, hmm.

I...I want to make it quite clear...

..quite clear that there's no
rush for you to leave Longbourn.

Hmm! Thank you, Mr Collins.

You are quite welcome to stay here
with us for a full...two weeks.

Two weeks?!

Mrs Bennet, there really is no hurry
for you and Mary to leave...

But I-I have arranged
some help with the packing.

Hmm! So, you are not obliged
to undertake such a difficult

task during your hour of need!

Hmm.

Oh!

Mama, you must come and stay with
Mr Bingley and I at Netherfield.

We have a number of cooks

and more servants than
we know what to do with.

Oh, Jane! I would be delighted.

It would bring me great comfort
to be in a sizeable property

with a large number of
staff at my disposal.

Ha-ha! Ha-ha!

And, Mary, you of course,
must come too.

Thank you. And if you're
worried about company,

Caroline Bingley
stays with us often.

Well, yes, but, erm...

..I-I have not yet thought
through my future prospects...

Hmm, speaking of
your prospects, Mary.

I have received a letter from my
brother and his wife in London.

Their governess has been called back
to Norfolk and they have asked me

to send you to stay with them until
a suitable replacement is found.

Mary's going to be a governess!

Oh, Mary! I-I would
very much like to help,

but, erm, you will need me, Mama.

I have already accepted their offer.

They're sending a carriage.

But, Mama, I...
Do not worry about me, Mary,

I shall have Jane by my side.

Hmm...

Hmm!

If my options in life really
were marriage or misery,

it looked very much as though
I was destined for misery.

Mrs Bennet is...

..indisposed.

Oh.

Of course.

Thank you, Hill.

Erm...

What if the children
don't like me?

Why should they not like you?
You're a perfectly likeable soul.

I have nothing ready to teach them.

Mary, nobody knows
more facts about...

..anything, than you.

It's time for you to get
out and see the world!

Meet some other people
that live in it.

I think it'll do you good.

Do not be frightened, Miss Mary.

Oh, no, I'm not, I'm not.

No, I'm just, erm...

Mary! Welcome! Oh, I am sorry!

You must be hungry
after your journey.

Would you like some toasted cheese?
But first, we'll show you your room.

Come in! Come in!

It's right at the top of the house,

so you won't be
disturbed by the children.

How's your mother?

She's had a most trying time
of late. Well, you all have.

Mother is well,
thank you for enquiring.

And how are you, Mary?

It must have been a terrible shock.

It... It was.

Well, thank you for stepping
in at such short notice.

We don't stand on ceremony here,
especially with the children,

so if you don't mind that,
you'll do well with us.

And the rest of your belongings
will be brought up any moment.

Do you have all you need?

I do. Thank you.

Which mountain range is found
at the end of your armies?

Oh, I know...

The Andes!

It's good. It's not so good.

Mary! Won't you join us
for breakfast?

Oh, no, no, sir, thank you, sir.
I am not at all hungry this morning.

Erm, I shall see the
children upstairs.

Marianne, would you like to start?

Miss Bennet, it's a
pleasure to meet you.

I am Marianne Gardiner
and I'm 11 years old.

It's my pleasure to meet you too,
Miss Marianne.

George.

Yes, thank you, George.

And this is...

This is Rebecca.

Thank you, Miss Rebecca.

"And if an organised body
is not in the situation

"and circumstances best
adapted to its sustenance

"and propagation, then,
in conceiving an indefinite

"variety among the individuals
of that species,

"we must be assured that on the
one hand, those which depart most

"from the best adapted constitution,
will be the most liable to perish."

We, er...

You've made him go to sleep.

Let us move on to history, shall we?

Now, in 1492, Christopher Columbus
discovered America.

Now, where is America...?

Ah! Yes! America! Ah...

Where has Rebecca gone?

There were very clearly
three of you in this room

when I began looking at the globe,
and now there are two of you.

She vanished.

She's a magician.

Oh, magic is nothing
but illusion and trickery.

Oh? Now, where could she be?

Tom! You're here! Tom,
can we finish lessons now?

Yes! Now, forgive the intrusion,
I came to tell you that dinner

is served and...

Well, you must be, Miss Bennet.

Well, I... I must be.

Oh, yes, I am.

Uh, Tom Hayward.

Friend of the family.

Aren't there normally three of you?

There were three, certainly...

but I was looking at America and
when I looked back, there was...

Do you have mice, Miss Bennet?

For if you do, might I suggest you
do not keep them in the toy trunk.

Well, I... I wasn't sure. I thought
perhaps mice like toy trunks.

No, you see, in there,
they cannot get to their cheese.

It's actually, it's, erm... It's
a fallacy, that mice like cheese.

Of course, they're much more partial
to root vegetables and grains.

Yes, indeed.

I'm a rabbit!

Mr...Hayward?

Mr Hayward, I am keeping
a rabbit in the toy trunk,

because I, er...

Because rabbits are not at all
social creatures. Exactly!

Yes, they are!

Now, why exactly do you
have a new governess?

Is it that you keep eating them?

Tom helped Edward with a
legal matter some years ago

and we've been friends ever since.

He's another of our former lodgers.

Oh!

Yes. Oh...

What is a "revolutionary
republican"?

Well, er, as discussed
during the lesson,

they're often associated
with Jacobinism.

But my point really was...

It sounds like you've had a very
interesting first day, Miss Bennet.

Well, er... Have you read
Catharine Macaulay, Miss Bennet?

Yes, I have! Yes!

Mary told us about smallpox
and I shall never sleep again.

Well, er, you asked
me to be truthful.

What's a "deadly rash"?

She said it can leave
one blind or dead!

That is not quite how I put it.
Blind or dead, she said.

Well, that is true.

There's a mortality rate of about...

..30%.

Exactly.

George cried three times.

There was something in my eye!

We held hands until Mary
had finished talking.

Well, you're never too
young to learn about life.

I think a game is
in order, don't you?

I think that's a very
good idea! Yes! Yes!

I'm first!

But what shall we play?

Graces! Ah!

Let's show Mary how to play Graces!

Yes! Yay! Marianne?

Well caught, Marianne!

Bravo!

Yours, Rebecca!

That counts!

It does indeed. Well done.

It does indeed.

Oh, no! Oh, Tom! You'll need to get
someone to look at that.

Send it to Bly,
she'll fix it for you.

Ready?

Marianne! Yes! Well done!

Fair play! You look like a wizard!

Yes!

Are you sure you
won't join in, Mary?

Oh, er, no...
I'm not... I'm not good at games.

Oh, that doesn't matter at all.

Yes! Well, you couldn't possibly
be as ungainly as I am!

Really, I-I-I'd only spoil it.

George... Ready!

Oh...

Thank you.

Yes, Tom... To Mr Gardiner.

Ah!

Yes?

Mary?

Oh, do not look so grave, my dear,
you are not in trouble!

With the weather getting warmer,
we're about to become more sociable.

Oh... Oh, please do not feel
any obligation to involve me.

I shall be quite content to stay
upstairs with the children.

Mary! We want you to join us.

But I do not sparkle at dinners.

In our house, no-one
is obliged to sparkle.

Then...

Of course.

But we need to get you
properly dressed.

Oh... I thought perhaps tomorrow,
we could go to the haberdasher's

and you could pick out some fabrics.

I do not really care for dresses.

Well, that's a shame. But very well.

Perhaps think about it, Mary.

There is a dress allowance as
part of your governess wages.

I have thought about it.

And I would very much like
to accept your kind offer.

That's excellent news.

Well, goodnight, Mary.

And thank you for today.

This must be such a
change from Meryton.

It most certainly is! Here...

What do you think
of the deep greens?

We have a soiree coming up. Now I
think deep green would be perfect.

Mother has always said it's terribly
difficult to get any colour

to work with my complexion. Really?

Well, perhaps your
complexion's changed

because I can see many colours here
which would work well on you.

But most important thing being
is that you choose fabrics

that you truly like.

But Mother says that...

Mother isn't here.

Mrs Gardiner!

Ah! Miss Bennet. Tom!

Mr Hayward!

Have you brought your jacket
to be mended?

I have just this minute
dropped it off.

Well now that you're here,
you can make yourself useful.

Miss Bennet needs to
choose some dress fabric.

I, er, find myself quite
overwhelmed by...by the choice.

Well, I shall be honest and
say that my experience of picking
dress fabric is limited...

Yes. ..to say the least.
But I shall try...

Have you seen the names
of these colours?

You've got, er, Dust of Ruins?

Er, Corbeau?

Or, erm, Flamme de Ponche, anyone?

Er, I think I shall take the Drake's
Neck, with a splash of Nankeen!

Anyone for Gamboge?

Oh, well, I mean, that's
just yellow, that one.

Yes. Yes.

Er, I think my advice would be
to choose the colours that make

one feel most like oneself.

And I am sorry not
to be of more use.

I should return to my desk.

And a particularly unexciting
land negotiation.

Good day.

Good day.

Oh, poor Tom.

He works so hard. Really?

Underneath that
light-hearted manner,

he carries the weight of
the world on his shoulders.

Now, have you decided?

I have chosen.

Very well, Mary.

The first is this crimson.

And then I thought perhaps
a spring green trim.

Lovely!

But you will need two
dresses, so perhaps...

..China blue?

Hmm...

Do you think a dress in the spring
green alone would be garish?

What do you think, Mary?

Some people may think it is wild.

But...

..I like it.

Then, I think you
should please yourself

and not worry what others may think.
Thank you.

You have done a very good job.

Now...

Oh!

My gosh!

Ooh...

Uh, the Gardiners are out,
buying shoes for the children.

Would you like to play Graces?

Uh... Well, erm, yes. Thank you.

Ready? Yes.

Oh! Ooh!

I did it! You did! A natural!

Beginner's luck!

Right...

Ready? Mm...

Erm, one moment.

Oh.

Ready? Yes.

Oh...

Oh! Oh! Erm...

Er, yeah, erm... Er...

That's...probably enough...

Enough. ..Graces... Yes.
..for today.

Ah... Erm...

Oh, yes, er, I brought
a book for Mrs Gardiner.

Oh! Of course, yes, er...

Ah, poetry. Hmm.

Do you like poetry, Miss Bennet?

I prefer facts to whimsy.

Whimsy?!

Er, I-I've tried er,
well, Cowper, er, Byron,

even some Dryden, but, erm...

..well, it seems to me
that it's all just...

..words...

What were you expecting?

Are you a scholar, sir?

No, I'm a barrister.

Junior.

And though the law is my business,
poetry is my passion.

What do you like to read?

Er, works of nonfiction.

Histories and, er, and geology.

And what do you like
to read for pleasure?

That is reading for pleasure.

There is nothing you
like about poetry?

Some poems are mercifully short.

Well, now that you have
thrown down the gauntlet,

I will not rest until you have
appreciated the merits of poetry.

I believe that this is
the book that will open

the heart of Miss Mary Bennet!

Oh?!

The Gardiners are home.
Oh, ah, yes. Yes. Of course.

Er, well... Yes.

Erm... Coats off. Yes, Mother.

Oh, Tom!

And we'll need more scallops.

Mrs Cholmondeley will claim
she couldn't possibly

before helping herself to seven!

Must be very strange
without your family here.

No, there was always at least
one argument about stolen perfume.

Mary, you look lovely.

I'm not sure.

I think we should let
your hair fall naturally.

No point trying to force it into
curls if it doesn't want to go.

Here...

Erm... I mean that...
That's basically it,

but they're awfully fun to...hunt!

Mm.

Hmm.

Good evening!

I do not believe we have met.
I am Miss Baxter.

D-delighted to meet you,
Miss Baxter.

Erm, I am Miss Bennet.

I have not long moved to
London from Hertfordshire.

Ah.

Fanshaw. Mr Fanshaw.

A... A friend of my mother's
died eating those nuts.

Er, one got stuck in his
throat and that was it -

he was quite dead in minutes.

Oh, I hope I didn't cause
any offence.

That was marvellous!

Oh, I shall keep that story in mind

for when I want to be
rid of someone.

Forgive me, it wasn't deliberate.

I HATE the first 20 minutes
of these evenings.

As do I.

I never know who to talk to

and I often find myself
saying the wrong thing.

Your dress is striking.
It looks very well on you.

Do you really think so?
I feel a little bold in it.

Well, you're in London, Miss Bennet.

If you are going to be bold,
here is the place to do it.

Perhaps London will be the
start of something new for you.

Perhaps it will!

And if you want to be shown
around town, I could call on you?

London, it turned out,

was a place of learning,
as much as teaching.

A place of trying new things.

And though I had
never liked change...

..I seemed to be enjoying myself.

Much about me felt different
after just one week.

Being here had lifted my spirits.

I felt something long forgotten.

Hope.

Are you looking for someone?
Oh, erm... No.

You must tell me all
about it in a moment.

Mary, there's a gentleman
I'd like you to meet.

We have something
of an understanding.

Please may I introduce
Mr Tom Hayward.

Er, we've... We've already met.

Miss Bennet.
Oh, of course! You must have.

Oh, I see you went
for the Pomona trim.

Er, it's, erm...spring green.
It's quite different to Pomona.

Well, it suits you very well.

Tom! Excuse us, ladies.

You must come and meet
my colleague, Mr May.

Mr May, allow me to present...

Mr Hayward and I met
three years ago this spring.

We are hoping to be
married next year.

Not everything went
exactly as I would have liked.

Come on!

Oh. Please excuse us. Of course.

Come, Mary. It'll be fun.

Of course a
man such as Mr Hayward

would have secured a match.

But I had made friends

and that...was enough.

I did not know what
tomorrow would bring.

But for now...

..at least I had
someone to dance with.