Original subtitles

I wanted to do it.

Oh, sweetie.

You're a goon.

What a pity Malcolm had to miss Lucky's birthday.

Silver mines don't run themselves.

Doesn't she have a birthday coming up, too?

Yes, she has. Next week she'll be... Oh, good heaven.

I think she'll be 90. We should have a party. Well, yes, Janet.

Typical. Leave it to the last minute.

She shouldn't be out in this cold. I'll call her in. Nonsense.

Aunt Eliza's having a time of her life.

You and I were born under the same star in heaven.

Heaven? Where the angels are?

The very same.

Have you ever seen an angel?

Never. Would you like to?

Gracious Providence!

What are you doing?

Making a snow angel.

Well, get up.

Get your ears.

Abigail, she was only having fun.

Janet, I'm sure it is just hunky -dory in your books for a woman on the

of 90 to be rolling in the snow. No, but our aunt will not catch pneumonia in my

yard.

Wipe your feet.

You too, Janet.

You kept a bit later than usual.

How are you this morning?

Oh, stiff, I'll tell you.

I'm tired for some reason.

Too much excitement yesterday, do you think?

Yesterday? At Lucky's party.

Remember?

Oh, yes, of course I remember.

Oh, don't quiz a woman who's only half awake.

Now, it's going to be someone else's birthday soon.

And a little birdie tells me she's going to be 90.

Well, you can just tell that little birdie to keep its beak shut.

Oh, you.

It'll have to have a party.

I mean, after all, 90.

Oh, really, Janet.

If one hangs around long enough, 90 is just something that's bound to happen.

No need for a big to -do.

Fine. No big to -do.

Um... Now, I'm supposed to attend a luncheon meeting for the R .O .D .D.,

Well, maybe I could just stay home with you, if you're not feeling up to... No

means shut your duty with the Daughters of the Dominion.

I'm fine.

See?

I'm getting my breakfast.

I'm a little

worried about Aunt Eliza. She's not at all

herself this morning. What do you mean?

Oh, I don't know.

Not very energetic.

Perhaps the activity of the day before. She's 90.

Whether she likes it or not, you must slow her down.

I don't know how I could slow her down, or even if I should.

She lives her own life.

Well, Janet, have you planned anything for her 90th? Yes, I was thinking of a

family supper with all her favorite food.

And?

Well, we could all give her gifts.

I've been crocheting a bed shawl. A bed shawl?

The woman was alive when Victoria took the throne, and you have planned a bed

shawl and a bite of... Supper? Oh, trust you, Janet, to be that frugal.

She doesn't want a party. Well, of course that's what she'd say.

I have already telephoned Cousin Winifred.

Well, surely Cousin Winifred wouldn't come all the way from Charlottetown in

dead of winter. He's older than Eliza. She was very pleased at the call.

How about an open house?

An afternoon tea?

Oh, a tea isn't too much. But I would at least expect a tea.

I suppose a tea would be all right.

Boys, settle down.

Come and see the pictures.

What pictures?

Come and see.

Covent Garden.

When I was a girl, my cousin Winifred used to send me with tuppence to buy her

fresh flowers every day from those stalls.

Cousin Winifred always had a strong personality.

Auntie Liza, how come you never married?

Oh, I'm much too particular.

Not many men can keep up with me.

Have you never had a beau?

Once.

A soldier.

Owen Briar.

But he rode away to war in Crimea and never returned to me.

But that's a story for another day.

Hey, there's somebody here.

Go on, let's see who it is.

Well, don't just stand there gaping, girl.

Help me out of this conveyance.

Look. It's Winifred.

Delilah, they're keeping you.

I'm sorry. We had to drag this thing one step at a time.

It's all right. I could have carried two bags at a time.

Oh, to be 90 again.

Really? Look, you boys go and fetch Uncle Alec and tell him to come and help

with this.

And bring the other bag.

So, your birthday is upon us.

Oh, not for days.

What brought you here?

You just thought of my birthday and came.

That charming little niece of yours telephoned.

She didn't think you'd object to my visiting. Which means a thoughtful one.

That delightful little Abigail.

You still keep a picture of Owen Briar?

Yes.

We're both too sentimental by nature.

Perhaps.

What must one do to get a cup of tea around here?

It will be waiting downstairs.

And so on her wedding day, your great -grandmother Ward learned a lesson

never to be forgotten.

No matter how badly you need to settle your nose, never smoke a cigar in an

outhouse.

Especially in a hoop skirt.

Well, we'll all try to remember that.

Well, I'd better get out to the barn.

We'll visit later, Cousin Winifred.

I'd better be on my way, too. I've got lots of work to do at home.

It's a real treat having you come to visit.

Yes, dear, it was a treat.

What did you say your name was?

I'm Olivia.

I'm Alex's sister.

Janet, could you rinse out the cream separator for me? I've got some repairs

do on it.

Yes, dear.

I can't bear it.

I can't bear it.

I'm sorry. It's always the same.

The same.

Oh,

did you say something?

You must be tired after the train.

Would you like to go upstairs and lie down, Winifred?

Just a lighter. I think I would.

No, it's fine.

I can do it.

Oh! Oh!

Are you hurt?

Does anything feel broken?

No, nothing hurts.

Nothing but my pride.

Oh. Goodbye.

Well, Miss Ward, you seem to be in fairly good health.

I have no idea why.

I awaken every morning in utter amazement. I'm not yet called to my

Any spells of weakness at all?

Young man, I've had spells of every distribution.

As would you, when you get closer to a hundred.

Well, I'll prescribe a tonic for you to take when you feel one coming on. I'll

leave it with Mrs. King.

Now, try and catch up on your rest over the next few days, hmm?

Send Eliza in.

It's possible she's experienced a series of tiny strokes.

Or it could be the onset of senile dementia.

Oh.

Truthfully, at her advanced age, it could be any number of things.

Are you sure there's nothing else we can do?

Well, make sure she catches up on her rest. It may just be the change of

the excitement.

Chances are she'll be fine.

Let's just wait and see.

We always said that one day we would go back to England together.

Yes, we always said that.

I don't suppose we ever will now.

Oh, come.

You've only had a spell.

I'd so much love to be home.

Isn't that odd?

After all these years, to think of that at home still.

Remember the churchyard near our grandmother's house?

The bank of daffodils that grew around it?

What I would give to see those again.

Then we'll go.

We'll go together in the spring.

Open my suitcase.

There's something there I want you to see.

Take out the silver keepsake chest.

Do you know who gave that to me?

Yes.

Owen Briar.

When I die...

I want you to have it.

I don't want it.

It will be yours, nevertheless.

How can you be so cruel?

After all these years...

Good afternoon, Mr. King.

Donnie, what brings you up this way?

Opportunity, sir.

I and a partner are going into the scrap metal business.

A partner, you think? Yeah. You see, Mr. McDonald loans me a team in

consideration of ten cents on the dollar for whatever scrap I haul to the yard

in Carmody. Ah, and you're wondering if I got any metal around here you might

have. Yeah, nothing of value, just whatever old junk you'd soon be rid of.

Donnie, by sheer numbers, one of your schemes has got to pay off one day.

That's my strategy, sir.

Well, coming up to the shed, um... I got an old rusty set of springs I think I

could bear to part with.

One chocolate crepe, one blueberry crumble, and four lemon fries.

All right, then.

Uh, I'll telephone Olivia and invite her to Aunt Eliza's tea.

Lucky, dear, will you please stop running?

Don't worry about the invitations. I've taken care of them. You invited people

to my home?

The tea's not going to be here. Good gracious, Janet.

Your quarrel is much too cramped.

We don't want this affair to look stingy.

I've arranged for the hotel ballroom.

And, uh, just exactly how many people are we expecting?

Uh, 50 to 75.

I've made all the arrangements with Mr. Tremaine, and there's nothing you need

concern yourself with.

Well, Penn, I can't think of anything else needs hauling, but you could check

with Janet at the back door.

Well, thanks very much.

Owen.

No,

I'm Donnie.

Listen, ma 'am, I was just wondering if there was any more metal junk you wanted

to get rid of.

Take it back.

As though it were never in my hands.

I don't want it.

Are you sure?

I mean, this is a... Well, thank you.

Thank you very much.

making me out to be the mean one and you so sweet.

All I'm trying to do is something nice.

You are doing your darndest to make me look the penny -pinching fool.

That is something, Janet, that you accomplish very nicely on your own.

Lucky, come along. We're going home.

No, you take a sleepover.

Now you're turning my own son against me. Abigail, I don't want to argue.

Let's try to get along and work together.

Lucky? I will come and get you in the morning.

Cousin Winifred, how lovely to see you, dear.

Cousin Winifred, I didn't realize you'd come down.

Did I hear a knock on the door earlier on?

The door, dear.

There was no knock.

I shall be indentured no more, she cried to the evil upholsterer and bolted from

the caravan.

The alarm rang through the mountain and the white slavers were in pursuit.

Holy moly, did they catch her? With the upholsterer's hounds at her heels,

the young girl threw herself into an abandoned nail cake and sent it...

careening down a mountainside, rocking through craggy rock and

bouncing into the valley below.

Did she live?

I am she.

All right, children. Time for night shirts, prayers,

and off to bed.

Yeah. Come on, fellas.

I'll get you all set up.

I shall assist.

I can't forget tenting in the Crimea.

It was the morning after the famous charge of the light brigade.

Aunt Eliza, are half her stories true?

About half of them.

She seems in good form tonight, though.

Doctors know that we should still mind her closely.

Aunt Eliza, I'm so sorry you had to give up your room. Are you comfortable

enough with Cecily?

Oh, I'm fine.

I don't know what we're going to do. I mean, she shouldn't go back alone to

in Charlottetown.

You know, I'm just about the only family that Winifred's ever bothered with.

I know you think she's a peculiar old duck.

But you should have seen her once.

So fierce.

So strong.

Don't worry, Eliza.

We'll figure something out.

Did I hear a bell?

Is that no one Briar calling? Tell him I'm not averse to a carriage ride.

If the company's as fair as the weather.

He gave me a silver keepsake chest.

A book.

Keep my sorrow in.

Where is it?

Where is it?

Owen gave it me.

Where? Where?

Won't you go back to bed?

It's stolen.

They've taken it.

I'll find it for you, Castle Winifred.

They've taken it. It's mine.

It's mine.

It's mine. Come on, Winifred. What the matter?

They've taken it.

It's mine. It's mine.

They've taken it.

Oh, Owen Briar called on Winifred way before I came into the picture.

She had every reason to believe they would marry.

And Owen and I tried not to allow it to happen, but somehow his attention turned

to me.

Oh, dear.

Oh, dear.

Oh, well, the row was terrible, as you can imagine.

But I think he never stopped loving her.

They were reunited, you know, in the Crimea, where she went to work as a

And tragically, he was killed soon after.

But at least she knew that he loved her. Oh, good.

You brought down Cousin Winford's breakfast tray. Yes, but I think she

was a waiter or something. She gave me this for my trouble.

It's one thing to get tipped at the hotel.

This is the first from family.

Well, don't get used to it.

I think I'll just take this upstairs and pop it into her jewelry box. Oh, poor

Winifred. You know she used to be sharp as a tack.

Breaks my heart to see her mind fading away.

You know what? I can't figure out as well on earth she did with that.

That keeps her chest.

Aunt Eliza.

Yes, Lucky, we know that.

What?

Who?

Donnie?

That little... Typical of Lester to take advantage of an elderly woman.

I'll straighten this thing out.

Cousin Winifred?

I see you there.

Cousin Winifred!

You gave this to Felix by accident.

I really don't think he has much use for an earring. I gave it to nobody.

You stole it.

Cousin Winifred, don't say that.

Where is my keepsake chest?

We don't know what's become of that chest.

Well, you've been stealing from me, and I caught you red -handed.

Now, stop that.

Do you hear me? I won't listen to this.

Abigail was always the nicer of you two girls.

Sweet -tempered and selfless.

Not like you.

You were spoiled, Janet.

Abigail would never use me the way you have.

Abigail would never... I know.

I heard Abigail would take so much better care of you. Indeed she would.

I want to go to Abigail.

You can't. I'm sorry.

You'll just have to put up with mean old, mean -spirited, penny -pinching me.

I do not.

You can't keep me here.

I want to go to Abigail.

Felix King, you're the one off your pee -picking noggin. I never saw no such

box, silver nor otherwise.

Cough it up, Donnie.

Look, the old lady gave me some cheap tin box with nothing but buttons.

It was a piece of junk, so I hucked it in with the rest of the scrap, and now

it's long gone, crushed up for tin cans.

I smell a rat, Lester, and if I find out you're lying... You'll do what?

Huh? What'll you do?

You think you can take me, King?

Well, come on.

Try it.

Donnie may be many things, but none of my kin is liars. That's salty. You kings

think you're better than us all, swaggering around our place to work,

trouble. Well, you can just get your high and mighty backside out of here and

let honest people do their work.

Yes, sweet Abigail.

Welcome, welcome.

Here, I'll be treating you to some respect. Make yourself comfortable,

Yes,

cousin dear?

I've run out of this green cotton.

Well, we'll have to get you some more at the store. You must remind me.

I just did.

Well, you'll have to remind me when we're going to the store.

Right now, I have a great deal of baking to do. And shortly, I'm going to make

supper.

What are we having?

For supper?

Yes. Your favorite.

Ham and candied yams.

Yams. Oh, I detest yams.

Then you shall have turnip.

Turner, my poor Turner.

Then I will make you something else.

What?

It will be a surprise.

My tea's got cold.

I'll fetch you another.

Eliza?

Where are you, Eliza?

Why am I left here?

They won't pay me for a fool.

Eliza? Eliza?

Where are you?

Oh, someone.

What do you want? I'm putting Lucky to bed.

Where am I? They can't turn me to... They can't... Oh, I'm going to be... I'm

going to be late.

All right.

You and Seth will follow the fence line. Your mother and I will head up towards

the ward, please.

Owen.

Owen gave... There.

On the road.

Oh, Mr. Winifred.

Mr. Winifred, come here. Oh, dear. I tripped on my shoelace.

Where's my lunch bucket?

I have nothing to eat.

I've got to hurry.

I'll be late for school.

No, no, dear.

You can come home with us today. You don't have to go to school.

Come on.

Are you absolutely sure you want to go through with this?

Why shouldn't I be?

Well, after your little excursion last night.

What are you going on about, Janet?

What excursion?

Never mind.

Now, how did that look to you?

Lovely. Good.

Good. Let's get you dressed over here again.

You were telling us, Miss Ward, the story of your young soldier.

Eliza and I were both bitterly hurt over Owen Breyer.

We vowed never to see him.

Yes, but Eliza said that you and he were reunited.

I was 37.

Maybe I thought Owen was my last chance.

That's why I volunteered to be a nurse, to follow him to Crimea.

And Owen Breyer?

Owen was wounded and brought into my care.

Naturally, that meant we spent time together.

He was a fine specimen of a man with the slender hands of a poet.

And that's when you found out for sure that he loved you?

No.

That's when I knew for certain he did not.

Six. Weeks later, he sent me a silver keepsake chest.

And he returned to the front.

There he died.

May I come in?

Oh, Eliza, our birthday girl.

Eliza, you look rather thin.

What were you talking about in here?

Ancient history, my dear.

Ancient history.

It looks nice.

Looks dry.

Oh, Alec, this music is being aerial.

Shouldn't someone speak to the orchestra?

Well, apparently Abigail chose all the music personally.

I've left my scarf behind.

Darn it, you deceitful blagger.

You told me you didn't know a thing about it, Chet.

Well, I'll take it for all it's worth.

I will.

And don't think you aren't too big to take a few good licks.

Will you take it back and settle it with the Kings?

Just a piece of junk anyway.

Excuse me, Miss Ward.

I'm sorry to come barging in here like this.

I have something that belongs to you.

My beloved chest.

You're such a dear. Thank you so much.

My son had it all this time.

I can't say how dreadful sorry I am. All that matters is I have it safe again.

Oh, please join us. It's my cousin's birthday.

Thank you.

It ain't much of a party now, is it?

See that, Lou?

Eliza. Aunt Eliza, you look like a lady who would like to dance.

I'd love to.

Dear, I'm a little tired now.

Could you take me home, please?

Of course.

They're taking Abigail home. What's happening?

Aunt Eliza, come quick.

Cousin Winifred says she's going to die.

What?

You stay out of it. You two stay down here. I'll go.

What is this foolishness?

I'm glad you're here, Eliza.

Bring me my keepsake chest.

I want to know you have it before I die.

What rot? I will not have you die and ruin my birthday.

Bring it here, I said.

Open it.

It's no longer locked.

Those letters are yours.

The ones you returned to Owen unopened.

That chest was never mine at all.

Owen asked me to give it to you.

And you kept it.

I told myself I was sparing you.

That it would be easier for you to forget him, put it behind you, get on

your life.

But the truth is, I was too humiliated.

No, too proud.

Now, I want you to have them.

I want you to know you were loved.

But think, I don't know that I've been loved.

Loved by Janet and by Alec and by the children here.

And you.

Oh.

Now, listen to me.

Just... Sit up and listen to me.

Now, we are going back to England in the spring.

And this time I mean it.

I'm done here now.

Just allow me to close my eyes.

Oh, you stubborn old thing.

I believe you could die on me if you tried.

But I won't allow it, do you hear me?

I won't let you leave me.

Liza, I've danced all my dances.

I need you.

I need your company.

I need you with me. I need to hear your story.

I've told you all my stories.

Then you can tell me them again.

Do you remember that churchyard next to the house on Ebury Street?

The Spring Daffodil.

The Bank Daffodil.

You've been a dear friend.

Please, don't go yet.

If you like, you can fetch the tonic the doctor wants me so

badly to take.

I think I know where Gemma left it.

Auntie Janet?

Yes, dear?

Does everybody die?

Yes, dear.

Everyone dies.

Why?

Well, your grandfather Ward was a minister.

And he used to say that life was a journey. Now, it could be a long one.

or a short one, but it always had a beginning and an end.

And the best thing we can do is to love each other

and to help each other along the way.

So, when it comes time to rest, we can look forward to the next part of

the journey.

And who knows?

That well may be the most wonderful journey of all.

My condolences.

And if I can do anything...

She

lived a good, long life.

She certainly did.

Do you have any idea what her final arrangements were, Eliza?

She wanted to be returned to England and buried in the churchyard by the house

where she was raised.

Oh, dear.

What are we going to do?

I don't know what you're going to do, but I'm taking Winifred back to...

Eliza! Back in that house with the others.

I told you, I gave my word to Winifred. And above all else, I'm a woman of my

word. But dear, we can't help but worry about you.

Oh, when you've lived as long as I have, you will know how precious and short

this life is.

Far too short for petty bickering.

You must live each day to the fullest.

That is what makes life worth living.

Come and kiss your old auntie.

Let me see.

I'll miss you, Angelina.

I love you, son.

Now, goodbye.

That's all.

On a remarkable journey.

Well, old girl, we've journeyed a long way together.

Goodbye, Winifred, dear.

Till we meet again.