All language subtitles for The.Agatha.Christie.Hour.S01E06.Magnolia.Blossom.WEB-DL.DDP2.0.H.264-squalor1

Well, will
you or won't you?

- I can't.

- Can't, or won't?

- My dear girl, I am the host.

- Bates, have you seen
my husband anywhere?

- Not for the last few
minutes, madam, no.

But I think you
might like to know

there is a gentleman
in the garden room.

- In the garden room?

- A colonial gentlemen, madam.

- Are you hiding, Mr Easton?

- Mrs Darrell I do apologize,

you must think me awfully
rude, I didn't mean.

- It's perfectly alright.

- I was admiring the magnolia.

- It's too dark to
see it properly, I'm
rather proud of it.

- I wouldn't have thought that--

- That I would have known
a magnolia from a marrow?

- I wasn't going to say that.

- No, I know you
wouldn't have said it

but you might have thought it.

This room is a little
unexpected, is it yours?

- It's mine.

My private retreat.

I'm sorry, I
didn't mean to trespass.

- Not many of my
husband's friends

are interested in gardens,
or flowers or trees.

- It's a fine specimen,

difficult to cultivate
in this country.

- Not really, they
simply need care.

Pruning can be a problem.

You cut too close and the
wound will never heal,

the tree will die.

I'm sorry, I'm boring you.

- No, I was fascinated.

To tell the truth, I was hiding.

I'm not much of a party
goer, Mrs Darrell.

A bit of a fish out of water.

It's not just the starched
shirt and the black tie.

- No?

- No it's all this.

Cocktails, small talk,
all the latest gossip.

I mean, I feel rather out of it.

What does one say?

- One talks about, the
weather, money, cricket,

the latest fashion--

- Yes, yes, I know.

I mean, that is a jolly
pretty frock you're wearing.

- Oh, please don't.

My husband asked me to be
especially nice to you.

- To me, why?

- I don't know.

Are you important Mr Easton?

- Me?

I'm not important at
all, why do you ask?

- Then you're not one
of Richard's money men?

- Richard?

- My husband.

- Oh of course, Darrell.

No, I'm not one
of his money men.

I, I grow oranges.

I know that must
sound a bit odd,

just like that, in
the middle of London.

- Oranges?

- In the Transvaal.

I used to be an accountant.

Then after the war
I couldn't settle,

so I went to South Africa,

bought myself a plantation,
turned into a farmer.

- Are you a successful farmer?

- Comparatively.

I've just bought the plantation
that runs alongside mine.

I bought it from Darrell
actually, your husband.

- Richard.

- Richard.

- And are you happy?

- Well, I've never regretted it.

Of course, it can get pretty
lonely out there sometimes.

- It must be very beautiful,
the orange blossom.

- Yes.

But the magnolia is more
delicate, as you said.

Vulnerable.

- Pity it's so dark.

You ought to see it in daylight.

Yes, I'd like to.

- Come tomorrow
afternoon, can you?

- I don't want to be a
nuisance, Mrs Darrell.

- Please, nobody ever calls
me Mrs Darrell, it's Theo.

- Theo.

- Theodora.

- My name is Vincent.

- I do hope you don't think
I was laughing at you,

about growing oranges.

- Of course not.

- Yes, Bates?

- The minister's party has
vacated the dining room madam

and appears to be
about to leave.

The minister seems
a little agitated.

- Oh dear.

Will you excuse me?

- It's time I went too.

Bates, find Mr
Darrell and warn him.

You will
permit me to say young man,

you just don't know what
you're talking about.

- I may not but
the governor does

and he's really
steamed up about it.

He's threatening to come up to
the House and actually speak.

He hasn't done that since

Lloyd George's
ridiculous Pension Bill.

- Doubtless the House
will survive the honor.

Ah, my dear Mrs. Darrell.

- Minister.

- What's your view, Theo?

- Now how can I have a view

unless I know what
you're talking about?

- We're changing the
prayer book, of course.

Willerby doesn't seem to
think it's a serious matter.

- Well some of us
in the House do.

Some of us take our

moral and spiritual
responsibilities seriously.

- Oh, I take it very seriously.

I mean what about the
jolly old marriage service?

Vanessa and I want to know

what we're letting
ourselves in for.

- They couldn't change
the marriage service.

"Love, honor and obey."

Well they couldn't change
that, could they Theo?

- No, no they
couldn't change that.

- But it's ridiculous,
some of it.

I mean "with this
body I thee worship".

I don't care what you say.

- Thank you Bates.

Presently.

- I can't believe Parliament
is gonna give time to this.

Not in this session anyway.

- The marriage
service is at the root

of the British way of life.

It's not a subject to
be treated lightly.

Lightly,
well of course it's not.

- Charlie, you're
being terribly naughty.

Imogen, take him away and
try and make a happier

if not wiser young man of him.

- Yes come on you old bore,
we've outstayed our welcome.

Many apologies, Theo.

- I didn't mean that at all.

You know you're always welcome.

- Why is young man such
a demeaning expression?

- You're not going
already, Minister?

- The opera, I'm afraid.

- Ah.

- The arts, you know, see
I'm an imperfect Wagnerian.

- It's very big.

- Clare, are you
coming on to Craggs?

- Perhaps.

- You must, we're all going.

- I might see you later.

- Theo.

- Excuse me.

- I have to go out.

I've things to discuss
with old Jaggers, business.

- Would you like me to
clear your study for you?

- No, Jaggers wants me to
meet Mrs. Hamilton's cousin

who came into a quarter of
a million earlier this year

and doesn't know
what to do with it.

- I understand.

- I'm sorry.

Well, people seem to
have enjoyed themselves

but I do wish they'd go away.

- Oh don't be silly Richard,

you can't put a time
limit on a cocktail party.

- More's the pity.

Do let me help you with that.

- My dear Theodora,
it's been delightful.

Only one thing spoilt it.

Why do you have to be
quite so happily married?

It gives a chap no
hope, no hope at all.

- Colonel Jaggers,
you're a terrible flirt.

He is, isn't he, Theo?

- I think he's rather
an accomplished one.

- Aren't you coming
with us, Mrs. Darrell?

I'm sure my cousin
would be delighted.

- Poor old Theo's
got to man the fort,

usual hangers-on
to be dealt with.

Trouble with some people,

invite them for cocktails
they never know when to leave.

- Richard!

- We'd better find
your coat my dear.

- Well, if you manage to
get rid of the remainder

and feel like coming along
we'll probably end up at Craggs.

- I don't think so.

I think perhaps I'll
have an early night.

- Oh, by the way, what
happened to Easton?

- He left.

- Without saying goodnight?

- He said goodnight to me,
perhaps you were occupied.

- Dash it, Theo.

I personally asked you to
be especially nice to him.

- I was nice to him Richard.

- Oh come along, Richard.

You know very well
your adorable good lady

is especially nice to
everyone, the perfect hostess.

Goodnight, my dear.

Now, are we all ready?

Indeed we are.

- Don't wait up for me, darling.

That's
right, you follow us.

Good
night, Mrs Hamilton.

- Good night, Mrs Darrell.

- You're early, sir.

- Early or late, what
difference it make?

Shall I get
you some tea, sir?

- No, you can bring
me a brandy and soda.

- Very good sir.

- Where's Mrs Darrell?

- In the garden sir.

- Where else?

- With Mr Easton, sir.

- Easton?

- Yes, sir.

- Evening papers arrived?

- On your desk, sir.

- Where did you learn
about gardening?

- I grew up in Dorset.

Shall
I inform Mrs Darrell

that you've returned, sir?

- No, I don't think so.

- Very good, sir.

- We had one of the
most beautiful gardens
for miles around.

One of the most
patient head gardeners.

When I was five, he gave
me my own patch of garden

and taught me how
to look after it.

I'm a country girl at heart.

But that's my special pride.

- Theo.

- No.

No.

I must
say something.

- No.

Theo.

- Don't speak.

Please, don't ask me anything.

- Oh my god, have you seen
Gwendoline Harper recently?

Theo my dear, have you
seen Gwendoline Harper?

- Not for ages.

- Oh her hair my dear her hair.

- How did you do it?

Come on, own up,
how did you do it?

- Well, I sort of
said, "will you?"

- And I sort of said, "yes."

- That's no way to propose.

You young people haven't
the faintest notion

about how things
ought to be done.

- Have you, Colonel Jaggers?

- Ah, given the right source
of inspiration dear lady.

Dear lady, you are my love,

my dream, my destiny,
the captain of my heart.

Will you be mine?

Stop making
love to my wife, Jaggers.

- That was beautifully
done, Colonel.

- But no one ever accepted.

Oh, poor girl.

- I've had quick look at
your ledgers, old chap.

Of course they're more
your province than mine,

but they seem perfectly
alright to me.

- Then why has the
Minister sent his apologies

why isn't he Minister
coming to dinner?

- Well you know what
politicians are.

Meetings, committees,

probably been offered a
better meal somewhere else.

I'll get Bates to bundle
this lot up for you.

You can take them with
you when you go home.

Right.

- How lovely to see you
again, Mrs. Hamilton.

- You haven't met my cousin,
Jack Anderson, have you?

- No, glad you could
make it Anderson.

- He doesn't look like a man

with a quarter of
a million, does he?

- Young fool,

he invested in some South
African mining shares.

He'll lose the lot.

- Pity.

He's a
very boring man.

It's a
really hot summer.

I can take any
amount of sunshine.

It burns poor
me to an absolute frazzle.

Young people.

You have absolutely no idea
what real heat is like.

Out in India in the
dry season, my word.

I thought
you took to the hills

when it became too hot.

Oh we
pack the memsahibs

off up country right enough.

Though mind you,

some of the dear ladies
wouldn't go bless 'em.

- Is this an indiscreet story
coming on, Colonel Jaggers?

- Very rum things went on
in the heat, I can tell you.

Very rum.

Any scandal?

My lips are sealed.

Unseal them, do.

- Heat plays funny tricks.

Some chaps well, it
goes to their heads.

- Sunstroke?

- I don't think that's what the
Colonel had in mind Vanessa.

But what about the women?

The one's who
refused to move out?

- Well there you are, you see.

No names, no patron of course,

but I could tell a tale or two.

I remember it must
have been about 1907,

there was one particular lady--

- It simply doesn't bear
thinking about, does it?

The old school,
the regimental commanders--

- Army wives can
be very peculiar.

Or so my brother
tells me .

- The fact is, she suddenly
developed an almighty passion

for the Viceroy's ADC who
was secunded to the garrison.

Quiet everybody knew about it.

Can't keep that
sort of thing quiet.

The "grand passion"
everybody called it.

- How romantic.

Grand passions don't
happen nowadays.

- Oh, thank you very much.

- You know what I mean.

Rudolph Valentino,
that sort of thing.

Well, I think everyone ought
to have one grand passion

in their lives.

Hear, hear.

What do
you think, Clare?

- How about an average passion

with a very large bank balance?

The whole thing
ended in tragedy of course.

The fellow shot himself.

The ADC, not the Viceroy.

- Ladies, I think perhaps

we might take coffee
in the library.

- These things happen, you know.

Worse for the woman, I dare
say but, a bit beyond me.

Never could fathom
this love business.

- Hiding again, Mr Easton?

- Not hiding, waiting.

- Waiting?

- For you.

I knew you'd come.

- I shouldn't have really,
I, I didn't want to.

- Didn't you?

- This isn't,
possible, it mustn't,

We mustn't.

- My dear, darling,
dearest Theo.

I love you.

I'm sorry, I'll go.

- Oh, my love, my love.

- What's the matter?

- Nothing really.

Just for a moment, in
the tunnel, I was afraid.

- I was the one who was afraid,

waiting for you at the station,

I thought you might
have changed your mind.

- No, I couldn't have done that.

- I hardly dared
let myself believe.

- I promised.

- But you are afraid.

- I think perhaps I'm
afraid of happiness.

- You deserve it so
very much, my darling.

We'll find it, together.

- Reserved compartment
first class,

for two names Mr.
and Mrs. Easton.

Excuse me, sir, madam.

- That's quite alright.

- Tickets please, sir.

- Oh.

- Afternoon, Mrs. Easton.

Two singles for Dover.

Thank you, sir.

Taking the night ferry, sir?

- No, tomorrow morning.

- Ah, glass is set fair, sir.

It should be a quiet crossing.

Do you think we're
having a grand passion?

- Very grand, very passionate.

- I never could fathom
this love business.

- Well, it looks calm enough.

- It's a calm sea
and a smooth passage.

- Are you a good sailor?

I never thought to ask.

- The sea doesn't frighten me.

- Even though you're
a country girl?

- Even though I'm
a country girl.

- Put it on the table, will you?

Yes, sir.

Thank
you, that'll do.

Thank you, sir.

- I used to think that
being a country girl

was the end of the world,
so dull, so tedious.

I married Richard
mainly to get away

from all that tranquility,
all that safety.

- You didn't ever love him?

- I don't think I knew
the meaning of the word.

I liked the glamour and
excitement of his world.

It was so different.

- And he?

- Oh, Richard married
me for my money.

- Oh.

No, that's
not quite fair.

I suppose Richard loved me.

He loves me as much as he can,

as much as he can love anybody.

- You're not regretting this?

- I've made my decision, I've
turned my back on all that.

- You're very
brave, the scandal.

- It'll be a nine
days wonder is all.

Old Colonel Jaggers will add it

to his repertoire
of dinner-party
stories, I dare say.

"Theo Darrell who ran off
with a dashed orange grower

"from the Transvaal,
colonial bounder, what!"

- You're very unkind.

You won't get afternoon tea
on the plantation you know.

Not unless you teach
Eliza how to make it.

Eliza is my housekeeper,

black as the ace of spades
and a heart of gold.

Of course, it can get pretty
lonely out there sometimes.

What is it?

"Big City Crash, Failure of
Imperial and Overseas Trust."

Well does it matter?

- Richard is Imperial
and Overseas Trust.

- Well, that doesn't
have to affect us.

- Read it, read it all.

- "A receiver has been
appointed to wind up the affairs

"of the well known land
investment company.

"It understood that financial
experts from Scotland's Yard's

"Fraud Squad are investigating
the company's activities.

"And there are rumors of
serious allegations to follow.

"Managing director,
Richard Darrell,

was today unavailable
for comment."

What are you doing?

I must go to him.

- Don't be absurd.

- He's my husband,
I must go to him.

- For God's sake!

- Don't you see,
this means ruin.

I can't choose today of
all days to leave him.

- Bates!

Bates, where the hell are you?

Theo?

Theo?

- I'm sorry, sir, I--

- Where's Mrs Darrell?

- She's not at home, sir.

- Well I realize that
you fool, where is she?

- She left this afternoon, sir.

- What can you do?

What possible
difference can it make

whether you're with him or not?

- Possibly none.

- Then why?

- I'm his wife.

- But this is ridiculous,

you just admitted
you don't love him.

- Love has nothing
to do with it.

- She must have said
where she was going?

- No, sir.

- Did she take
anything with her?

- Some luggage, sir.

- How much luggage?

- Two suitcases, sir.

- Alright, Bates.

And Bates,

I don't want to see or speak
to anyone this evening.

Anyone at all.

Do you understand?

- Very well, sir.

- Look, you haven't had
time to take the news in.

Leave it.

Wait, wait until the morning.

My dearest love.

- He needs me.

- I need you.

Oh I want you, I want you.

- It's no good.

I must go to him.

- I wouldn't have
believed it, not of you.

You encourage a man,
you lead him on,

you keep him on a string
for the excitement of it,

the sense of power it
gives you, I suppose.

And then when you reach
the point of no return,

you cut and run back to
your ever-loving husband.

- No.

- No, then prove it.

- You must think what you will
of me, I can only say this.

I love you and I
will always love you,

but I'm married to Richard.

He needs me.

I must go back to my husband.

- Thank God you've turned up.

- I heard the news.

How bad is it?

- About as bad as possible.

- Tell me.

- Well in a nutshell my darling,

Imperial and Overseas
is washed up, finished.

It's happening all the time.

Post war depression
they call it.

Just because our business
is mainly in the colonies

nobody could have
expected us to be immune.

- The papers said
something about

serious revelations
with the Fraud Squad.

- That's rubbish.

The usual press speculation.

Anyway they can't touch your
money, that's one good thing.

And the house is
in your name too.

On the other hand, things won't
be quite the same any more.

- No.

- But at least I've got you.

- Yes.

- Theo.

I don't know what
I'd do without you.

- Well, if there's
anything I can do to help.

- Bring me another brandy,
there's a good girl.

Theo.

- Oh Richard, I didn't hear you.

You were miles away.

- Yes.

Or
you wish you were.

- Of course I don't.

- Yes, well, you're lucky.

You've got your precious garden

to help keep your
mind off this mess.

You can just carry on.

Water the plants,
prune the roses.

Oughtn't this damn
thing be cut back a bit?

- What is it Richard?

- Jaggers was taken
up this morning.

- The Colonel?

- My honorable and gallant
colleague has been arrested.

Cooking the books they say,

naturally it's assumed
I knew all about it.

- And did you?

- That, my dear, is the
least of our worries.

- Don't you think you ought
to tell me everything?

The whole truth.

- My dear Theodora,

what possible good can
it do to go through

all the tedious
details with you?

- If I'm going to
help, I ought to know.

- What makes you think
I need your help?

- It's not a question
of need, I'm your wife.

- Sit down.

I don't know that you'll
be able to follow this,

it's a bit technical,
business practice, you know.

- The Colonel's been arrested,
I can understand that.

- Oh that's nothing,
just incompetence really.

I ought never to have
brought him in to begin with.

- Will you be blamed?

- For his errors?

Oh no no, my problem, our
problem is quite different.

You see, in the business
of buying and selling land

sometimes it's necessary
to use unorthodox methods

and sometimes
there's a conflict.

- Between right and wrong?

- No, I'm not talking
right and wrong

I'm talking of technicalities.

The conflict between what is
a technical business matter

and what is a crime.

And to an outsider it's
sometimes difficult

to spot the difference.

- Richard, please don't
treat me like a child.

Either you've committed
a crime or you haven't.

- You would see it like
that, wouldn't you?

Everything has to be either
black or white with you.

- I'm sorry.

Please try to explain,
I do want to understand.

- Most of our dealings,
Imperial and Overseas, I mean,

are in the colonies.

We buy and sell land,

Farms, estates,
mines, plantations.

Now, sometimes it's not
in the best interests

of Imperial and Overseas
to be seen to be involved

in a particular deal, so
we act through nominees.

Sometimes I've had to pretend
to be a private person

rather than trust
managing director.

- To pretend?

- To sign certificates of
transfer for land property

in my own name.

- Richard Darrell?

- Yes.

- When they belong
to the company?

- When the company
had originally
financed the purchase.

The company would always
be reimbursed in full.

- After the sale?

- It's standard procedure

to avoid unacceptable
profits for the trust.

It's all above board, looked
at in a certain light.

But to an auditor perhaps
it could seem fishy,

as if I'd been milking the trust
for my own personal profit.

- Have you?

- I didn't lose out on the
deals if that's what you mean,

but you'd hardly
call that a crime.

- Some people might.

- Some people might.

Auditors, Scotland Yard ferrets.

It's a technicality, of
course, it's trivial,

but it could be serious.

How serious?

- If a transfer was unearthed
bearing my name on it

and the property concerned

still appeared in
the company ledger,

it would be
difficult to explain.

I could go to prison,
for a long time.

- Richard.

- Oh my dear, it may
not come to that,

it needn't come out at all.

- You've broken the law.

- Technically I
broke the law, yes.

But only technically.

- To cheat, to steal.

- I'm not trying to
justify what I've done.

Don't condemn me out of hand.

What I did Theo, I did for you.

- For me?

- I know what people say.

- About what?

- That I married
you for your money.

- And didn't you?

- No, no, I damn well didn't!

But when the woman you love
has money and you haven't,

how on earth do you
convince anyone of the truth

let alone her?

- What was the truth?

- I loved you then
and I love you now.

No one was more surprised than I

when you agreed
to become my wife.

I've never been a rich
man, not really rich.

- That's not important.

- I wanted you to
be proud of me.

I wanted to treat you
the way you deserve.

You mean so very much to me.

- What can we do?

- You mean it?

You'll stick by me?

With you by my side there may
be a way out of this mess,

there may be a way.

- Do you have a plan?

- The most ghastly thing
about this whole business

I feel I've betrayed you.

- Oh, don't, please.

- Of course I shouldn't
have gone into business,

I should have gone
in for farming.

Gone to Africa, bought a
plantation, grown oranges.

Would you have liked that,
my dearest darling Theo?

- What do you mean?

- Well, nothing.

- I'll, I'll go and change.

- We'll talk about
it later, at dinner.

- I, I wondered if I
might have a word madam?

- I'm sorry, Bates,
what did you say?

- Well madam, madam knows
that Mr. Darrell, the master,

has given me a month's warning?

While I do appreciate
the situation madam

but I wondered in
the circumstances.

Well, I've worked for
your family nearly
all my life, madam.

Madam will understand that

I shall be most unhappy
to leave your employment.

- Of course, Bates,

I absolutely understand.

If it's a question

of economizing in the
household, of cutting back?

- What did you say?

- I should be content to accept

a reduction in my own
remuneration madam,
if one may help.

- Thank you Bates.

We'll talk about
it later shall we.

- Theo, it just struck me,

I haven't seen you in
that dress for ages.

Remember the one you
bought in Paris last year?

- The Kiyo?

- The creamy thingamabob.

Cost the earth,
put it on tonight.

- It's an original.

- I know.

- But for an evening at home?

- Please.

- Just the two of us?

- For me, I'd love
to see you in it.

Stunning.

Absolutely stunning.

May as well finish this darling.

- Uh.

- Will that be all madam?

- Alright Bates, that'll do.

Cut along now.

- Very good sir, madam.

- Richard is it necessary to
be quite so curt with Bates?

- He's a servant.

- He's an old and
trusted servant,

whom you've dismissed
without a word to me.

- My dear you said
you wanted to help.

- I did, and of course, I do.

- What does it matter?

Eat, drink and be merry,
for tomorrow who knows what?

- Don't!

- Not funny?

- No.

I think perhaps I'll
cut along now too.

- Not yet, don't go yet.

I've got something
I want to say.

You know about all this.

Things may not be quite
as bad as they seem.

- No?

- I know I've been a
bit on edge tonight

what with Jaggers being
taken up, I'm sorry.

- I understand.

- But we must look
on the bright side.

- Is there one?

Well there may be.

You see whatever the
police may suspect,

there's nothing they
can actually prove.

- There's no evidence?

- I don't think
so, I'm not a fool.

I've covered my tracks
pretty thoroughly.

Cold?

The thing is, there
are some papers,

some papers with
my name on them.

Now they mean
nothing on their own,

but if certain people
were get hold of them--

- Police?

- They might starting
putting two and two together.

And those papers are
the one damnable piece

of hard evidence
that could finish us.

- So you're going
to destroy them?

- I'd destroy them fast as I
could if they were in my hands,

that's the devil of it.

- Somebody else has them?

- Yes and I'm pretty certain
he doesn't know what they mean.

- Who?

- Easton.

Somehow I never seem to have
gotten on friendly terms

with the man, barely
got to know him,

but he seemed to like you.

- He does.

You see
what I'm driving at?

I've an idea that if
you were to go to Easton

and ask him for the certificate,

I'm sure he wouldn't refuse.

- I can't do that.

- Too proud to beg is that it?

Even for me?

- That has nothing
to do with it.

- Don't you understand?

If this business comes out,

you're liable to find yourself
married to a jail bird.

- Vincent Easton won't use
those papers against you,

I'm certain of that.

- Oh he may not wish to ruin us,

but as long as that
certificate of transfer exists,

he's a danger to our safety.

That paper must be destroyed.

- Can't you write
to him and explain

that you're in difficulties
and ask him to return them?

- There isn't time,
Jaggers is in custody.

There's no knowing what
he might tell the police?

He knows nothing of
course, poor fool.

- Has he been taken up
for what you've done?

- Look, this is
desperately urgent.

I want you to go
and see Easton, now.

- At this time of night?

We're not
living in the Middle Ages.

- No Richard, I will
not be bully ragged.

All you have
to do is to see the man

and ask him to give
you a piece of paper.

- I can't!

- Theo, darling.

I wouldn't ask you to do this
if there was any other way.

- No.

- Look right here girl

I know it's beastly
to have to do,

to beg a favor of
someone you hardly know.

- That's not the point.

- Theo you said
you wanted to help.

Now this is a matter
of life and death.

You won't let me down, please.

- I can't explain,

but there are reasons why
I can't do what you ask.

- Very well.

- Richard, what are going to do?

No, you can't.

You mustn't.

- You leave me no alternative.

- No.

- Life or death, I said.

It's very melodramatic,
but I mean it Theo.

Disgrace, ruin.

For you too.

I can't face that.

Better finish it now.

- You shan't do it, you can't.

No!

- If you love me, if you ever
loved me, please help me.

I've no one else to turn to.

- I've been trying to
write to you all day.

I wanted to make
one last attempt

to get you to change your mind.

The words wouldn't come

and now suddenly,
miraculously you're here.

- No you don't understand.
- My dearest--

- I'm here on behalf
of my husband.

My husband thinks.

He believes you have some
papers in your possession

that may do him some harm.

I've come to ask you
to give them to me.

- I don't understand.

- A title deed.

- I have the deeds of my
new plantation that's all.

The title deeds,
certificate of transfer.

- From Richard to you.

- Of course, I'd never heard
of Imperial and Overseas.

I didn't realize.

This is what you came for?

- Thank you.

Have you a match?

When I was little girl,

we used to have a fender just
like this in the nursery.

A club fender, isn't
that what they're called?

The gravest of
all nursery crimes

was burning papers
in the fireplace.

- And you did?

- Oh no, I was much
too well behaved.

We're a very
old-fashioned family,

you see, not really part
of the 20th century at all.

- Strict discipline.

- We simply stuck to
the rules, that's all.

- What were the rules?

Your rules?

- Duty, honor, love.

- Duty first?

- Always.

- Before love?

- Go back to Africa,
back to your plantation.

You'll find your happiness.

- And you?

Go back to your husband,
and your garden.

- I'm needed.

- I need you.

You're content to act
out the rest of your life

married to a crook?

- I have to.

- What sort of a world do
you think you're living in?

You can't turn your
back on reality.

All this talk of
loyalty is meaningless.

You owe no loyalty
to a man like that,

a man you despise.

Think what your life will
be like if you stayed with,

every day a reminder of what
you turned your back on.

Happiness.

You talk of duty, don't
you owe a duty to yourself?

To that happiness we
can make together?

Come with me.

- I do hope I didn't
disturb you calling so late.

- I'll get you a cab.

- No thank you, I
have one waiting.

- Shall I come down with you?

- No, please don't bother.

Goodnight, Mr. Easton.

- Goodnight, Mrs. Darrell.

- Home again, miss?

- No just go.

Anywhere, just keep on driving.

- Very good, miss.

You alright, miss?

- Yes.

Time
to go home, miss?

- Home?

- A bit cooler now miss.

I'm sorry for
keeping you up so late Bates.

Not at all, madam.

- Theo?

You've been a long time.

- Have I?

A damned long time.

- Goodnight sir, madam.

- Is it alright?

You're sure?

- Burned the papers.

- But the right
papers, did you look?

- No.

- But then how do you know?

- I'm sure I tell you.

Don't bother me Richard, I
can't bear any more tonight.

Don't touch me.

I'm sorry, my nerves
are all on edge.

I simply can't
bear to be touched.

- I understand.

- Do you?

- Theo, I'm damned sorry.

- What?

- I'm sorry if I had to let
you in for such a rotten job.

I hope there wasn't
any unpleasantness.

- You don't know, Richard,
what this night has cost me.

- My God, I never meant,
you did that for me?

Why if I'd have known, my
darling, I didn't realize.

I told you I hardly
knew the man,

but if I'd have guessed, I'd
have never asked you to go.

Now please believe me,
I never meant that you.

- You never meant what?

Tell me, what was it
that you never meant?

- Don't let us speak of it.

I don't want to know, I don't
even want to think about it.

- What do you think
happened tonight?

- It didn't happen.

We'll say it didn't happen.

- You think he asked a
price for those papers.

- If I thought he'd
do anything like that,

behave like that,
I never dreamt.

- Didn't you?

Why did you ask me to
wear this dress tonight?

Why did you send me
there alone so late?

You guessed he cared for me.

You expected--
- I expected nothing.

- You planned it.

You said you had a plan.

You intended this from
the very beginning.

You knew all along
he had those papers,

so you planned to save
your skin with my body.

You meant me to whore for you.

- Theo.
- Can you deny it?

- Theo.

- If it gives you any
satisfaction your plan worked,

but not in the way you imagined.

There was an element you
hadn't bargained for.

You see, Vincent
and I fell in love.

- Fell in love?

- A week ago, he asked me to
leave you to go away with him

and I agreed.

- You're making this up.

- It was the day the news
broke of the collapse.

We were at an hotel in Dover.

I happened to see a
newspaper, it was pure chance.

- Dover?

- It seemed to me
that I owed you a duty

as you were in trouble,
so I came back.

- Did you, did you
go to bed with him?

- No, but I wanted to.

- I don't believe it.
- Why not?

You were quite ready to
believe that to save you

I'd go to bed with
a man I barely knew.

Why can't you believe

that I'd happily give
myself to a man I love?

- We'll say no more about it.

- Don't you understand
the difference?

- Is there a difference?

- Perhaps there isn't.

- I don't want to talk about it.

We need not mention it again.

I don't understand
you, but I can forgive.

- I cannot.

- What did you say?

- I can't forgive you.

I was willing to forgive you

when I knew you to be
a liar and a thief.

I suppose I've always
known deep down

you weren't quite
straight with the world.

I've forgiven, pretended not
to notice your infidelities.

Your women, I'm
not blind Richard.

- That isn't the same thing.
- I was prepared to forgive

because despite everything I
believed in your love for me.

I believed you
needed me as a wife.

I do.

- What you've done tonight
cancels everything.

Don't go
Theo, I do need you!

- What for?

Who would you want me
to sleep with next?

- I won't let you go.

Where will you go?

Back to him?

- No, I can't do that.

- Theo, I'm all the
things you said.

I'm worthless,
but I do love you.

- Richard, I was
unfaithful to you,

in intention at any rate.

For that betrayal,
I'll pay in loneliness.

But you, you betrayed
honor and love,

you gambled on my sense of duty,

you gambled on the thing
you loved and lost.

But
where are you going?

- To a, a sort of freedom.

There's nothing to bind me here.