Original subtitles

I love you so much.

Good morning, Lady Barrington.

Yes, yes, it is a good morning, isn't it? I believe I'm going to take my

breakfast down there this morning, Monica.

Of course, ma 'am.

Has the weather changed?

They say it might snow.

Oh. Well, we shall just have to carry on, won't we?

When you walk down the road, heavy

burden, heavy load, I will ride

and I will walk with you.

I'll walk with you till the sun don't even shine.

Walk with you.

Every time I tell you I'll walk with you Believe

me I'll walk with you

Remember me?

Wow. You turned out to be quite a pretty little girl.

It's amazing, isn't it?

First year in heaven.

The afternoon you were born.

And tonight...

Tonight you're in

China on your very first adventure.

Now everybody finds their families in a different way, so we're just going to

sit right here and wait for yours.

It may take some time.

Your parents are in America, and they don't actually know about you yet.

Is there anything about snow in there?

Let's see.

Monica mentioned snow this morning. She seems like a very pleasant sort. Don't

you think so, Sarah? I like her very much. She does twice the work in half

time somehow.

Really? Is that true, Edmund?

Her performance has been quite satisfactory, Your Ladyship.

Well, does she make a good cup of tea? We shall have to find that out.

I'll put that on the to -do list.

right after the annual report and the stockholders' meeting.

Sarah, dear, how are you feeling today?

Quite well, thank you.

Edmund, would you be kind enough to go to the kitchen and assist Monica in

making her first pot of tea?

The one thing that I really like about America is that they don't waste time

getting to the point.

So, let's have it.

The in vitro didn't work again.

I'm so sorry, dear.

Well, it's a good thing that Monica's making tea.

A cup of tea will do you the world of good, you know.

Grandmother, you're starting to quote your own tea commercials.

And why not? It's absolutely true.

A good cup of tea and... Time to think.

And who knows?

By this time next month, you'll be ready to try again.

It's been six hours.

Doctor said it would take at least that long for the blood test to come back.

Come on. Let's take a walk.

You know what happened?

Really. If we never got pregnant.

You mean if we adopted?

Mm -hmm.

Well, my grandmother would swoon, and then she would rave on and

on about 500 years of Barrington English blood.

And then she would make a cup of tea. Make a cup of tea. A cup of tea will do

the world good, my dear.

And as for me, if the

only... new and precious thing that we ever create together is our happy

marriage.

I will consider myself a very lucky man.

I love you.

Now we shall see if Edmund has taught you well.

There we go.

Very nice.

Quite good, actually.

But this isn't Barrington tea.

No, ma 'am. I took the liberty of brewing my own blend of tea leaves.

Really?

Do I detect a hint of... What is that, tarot?

Coffee, ma 'am. Just a hint.

Ah, an entrepreneur.

We shall have to keep our eye on you, Monica.

Yes, ma 'am.

Would you be kind enough to inform my granddaughter -in -law that it's tea

Americans never quite grasp the importance of it, you know.

Yes, ma 'am.

Excuse me, Mrs. Barrington. Tea is served.

There are some things that a cup of tea can't fix, you know?

Yes, I know.

Where are you from?

Oh, well, I've worked all over the world.

As a maid?

As a maid or a teacher.

Sometimes a nanny. Those are always my favorite.

You must love children.

Yes, I do.

You must have noticed these last weeks that I've been taking fertility shots.

Yes. Well, we've gone through in vitro five times, and we found out today it

isn't working.

Well, that must tell you something, then.

I guess so.

May I ask you a question?

Do you want to be pregnant, or do you want to be a mother to a child?

Do you need to give life, or is it enough just to give love?

We've thought a lot about adoption, but it's complicated.

I believe that children are a gift from God, and if you're ready to accept that

gift, he can handle the complication.

Well, God obviously doesn't know Lady Penelope Barrington.

Good morning, little one.

You see,

everything's going just fine. We're right on schedule.

They're naming you Megway.

Do you know what that means?

It means rose.

Hi,

I'm Gloria.

So what's next?

Well, fill out the application, start getting your dossier together, and read

these.

Every country has different requirements.

What's the home study?

Well, we assign an adoption caseworker to your family, and he or she comes to

your house, interviews everybody who lives there, and basically makes sure

your home is a fit place to raise a child.

Thank you. Thank you. Oh, our ladyship's going to love that.

I will not have a complete stranger walking into my home and inspecting me

I was a mackerel.

Grandmother. It's outrageous.

She said it was a casual... I suppose they'll ask me all sorts of impertinent

questions as to, did I spank your father when he was three?

And the answer is, yes, I did.

He kicked the bicker in the shins and I gave him a good wallop.

But I'll not... Apologize for that. This is more about me and James and how we

live and where we live and whether we'll be good parents.

Well, of course you'll make good parents. So you're saying you think we

adopt? Well, I'd just rather that you didn't.

But I think you know that.

I mean, I don't suppose that in 1783 Lord Geoffrey of Barrington ever

that his glorious bloodline of British aristocracy would end in America.

with a home inspection by a clipboard -carrying caseworker. I know, and I

feel... Let me finish, Sarah, please.

If this is something you must do, then I suppose you will do it.

But personally, I feel that if you would both just stop working so hard at

trying to make babies and relax a little, you might be surprised at what

happen.

And that's all I have to say on the subject.

Well, I think we'll at least move forward with the next step.

Monica, there will be two for dinner. I'm not hungry.

Yes, ma 'am.

Their names are James and Sarah.

I haven't met them yet, but I hear they're wonderful people.

God picked them out just for you.

Andrew, what's the matter?

There's been a complication.

The representative from the adoption agency is here, madam.

Ah, the Grand Inquisitor.

My name is Tess. Penelope Barrington.

Please, won't you have a seat?

Oh, yes, but could you just give me a moment to admire this marvelous house?

Oh, yes, please.

This house has many happy memories.

I raised my son here, and when he died, I raised my grandson here.

And started a business of your own, too, I understand. Yes, although James

handles everything for me.

I simply enjoy having the fun of meddling and intruding at will.

It must be exciting to think of raising another generation of Barringtons in

this place.

Yes.

Please excuse me when I see what's happened to the children.

When peace like a river attendeth my

way, When sorrows like sea billows

roll,

Whatever my lot thou hast taught me to say,

It is well, it is well with my soul.

It is well.

It is well.

With my soul.

With my soul.

It is well.

It is well.

With my soul.

Oh, that was very nice.

Such a marvelous old hymn. And you harmonized beautifully.

Oh, thank you.

You know, I haven't sung that song since... Well, it was a long time ago.

I hear someone playing the piano.

Oh, yeah.

My name is Tess.

So nice to meet you.

I'm James, and this is Sarah.

How are you? Hello.

Well, shall we get started? I really can't believe we're doing this.

Please. Thank you.

We have the birth certificate, the health certificate, and the marriage

certificate. Oh, and I will have to interview anyone else in your household

will have daily contact with your child.

Good heavens.

Is that really necessary?

I mean, really all you're doing is investigating your options, aren't you?

Grandma, I thought we were clear. This is what we want to do. If we're

we're going to adopt a baby from somewhere.

Ah, that reminds me. Because of your ages and your length of marriage, your

options for country of origin have been narrowed down to Korea and China.

Uh, China.

I don't think we have a pamphlet from there.

It sounds very interesting. I've always wanted to go to China. Oh, I would think

you, being in the tea business, would have gone often.

No, we've never imported tea from China.

Grandma has a... Does anyone find it ironic that any reprobate on the street

become a parent, and yet good people like you and Sarah have to be

like criminals before you can be trusted with a child?

That's the process.

Well, I'm not very impressed with the process.

Grandma.

Do you have everything you need from me?

I do.

Well, then, will you please excuse me?

You almost ruined it for us today. What the hell were you thinking?

Don't use that tone of voice with me, James.

And I'll tell you exactly what I was thinking.

I couldn't believe that things had gotten this far with you children.

We're not children.

We're almost 40 years old. We can't get pregnant.

There are plenty of kids out there who need good parents without us running

around like...

Science experiments just to satisfy our own vanity. I'm not interested in your

vanity. I'm interested in your heritage. And quite frankly, the image of plenty

of children out there.

Oh, it makes me cold with fear.

James, really, I mean, there's enough money in this family to solve this

with the aid of doctors if necessary.

Instead of rolling the dice and letting some stranger pull a child out of a

house. I can't believe I'm hearing this. All I'm saying is that you should

consider your lineage.

Adoption is a last resort.

And we haven't exhausted our options.

We?

This is not your baby, Grandma. And this is not your decision.

I love you.

But this 19th century British empire mentality only works in the tea

You can't impose that elitist class system crap on human beings. And I will

damned if I let you lay that on my child.

A violinist, really?

Well, just look at those hands.

She could be a surgeon.

Hmm. Now there's a thought.

Just imagine.

Someone walked down that road and did the hardest thing she's ever had to do.

Say goodbye to you, little one.

Just to give you a chance at a better future.

Don't cry.

I know it's cold.

But your parents will be here soon.

You should prepare yourself, Gloria.

Sometimes humans get lost on the way to a miracle.

Ken, I'm so glad to see you again.

I believe I owe you an apology.

Well, thank you very much, but I'll get right to the point.

James and Sarah's application for adoption was not approved.

Oh, what a shame.

Yes, it is.

The household background checks came back this morning from immigration and

FBI. And according to them, Lady Penelope of Barrington never

immigrated to the United States from England or any other British territory.

And if she had, she'd be 130 years old.

Shall I tell them or will you?

It's going to take very long. I'm actually pretty busy right now.

Well, business can wait.

There's something that I need to tell you.

Please don't leave.

I want you to hear this too.

Your ladyship.

We weren't approved, were we?

No.

And I am at fault.

I knew it.

James, parents need to know how to listen.

This is a good chance to practice.

Here we go, baby.

They couldn't find any evidence of me immigrating to the United States.

And there was very good reason for that.

Lady Barrington never immigrated.

Gladys Pickett did.

Who's Gladys Pickett?

I am.

I was found by Lord and Lady Barrington in an orphanage outside London in 1941.

I was 16 years old, and they took me in as their maid.

They were wonderful people, aristocratic in the best sense.

And despite the fact that they lived modestly, they had none of their fortune

left. They had no children and no living relatives.

Only an orphan girl who cooked. and cleaned for them and absolutely adored

In the evenings, I used to make a big pot of tea and we'd all sit around the

fireplace and Lord Barrington would tell us stories about their lives and about

the lives of their ancestors.

And you know, at the end of the night, he would say to me, Gladys, that's one

for your grandchildren.

I can't even believe that.

A little left judging.

And a little more listening.

They were very old, of course.

They died before the end of the war.

There was very little notice made of it.

But the bank got their little millhouse and I returned to London.

And it was there that I fell in love with the most marvellous man.

He was a brave and kind American pilot.

Your grandfather, James.

He was shot down just a month before the end of the war.

How awful.

Yes, yes, it was.

I was a war widow with a new baby and no money.

But the one thing I knew how to do was to make the perfect cup of tea.

So Gladys Pickett made her way to America where I opened a tea shop.

And I called it Lady Barrington's.

I bought a few impressive anonymous portraits and put them on the wall and

they were my ancestors.

And I regaled the customers with stories that Lord Barrington had told me.

And do you know something we just took off?

Suddenly I was a corporation.

And you know, in a strange way, I was.

Lady Beddington?

No, you weren't. It helped me to raise my son and to make

a better life for my family. And it was also one way to remember those two

people who deserve to be remembered.

I know that it was a deception, but I don't believe that I ever

dishonored their name.

Maybe not.

But you dishonored yourself, and you dishonored your parents, whoever they

And me, whoever I am.

Would you care for a fresh pot of tea, Your Ladyship?

Thank you, Edmund, but you don't have to call me that anymore.

I'm not a lady.

I beg to differ, milady.

Thank you.

You know, Tess, this has been the most difficult thing that I've ever done.

And yet, I feel a most wonderful sense of relief.

Of course you do.

You haven't been yourself for 50 years.

What am I going to do about James?

You've already told him who you are not.

Now you need to tell him who you are.

Working for a hypocritical liar, Monica.

Better get out before she tells you you're the queen of Sweden or something.

person is more than the sum of their ancestors, Mr. Barrington.

You're a man of integrity, well -educated and much loved, and that's not

your ancestors were aristocrats.

That's true because your grandmother raised you that way.

Where are you going?

We are going to stay at a hotel until we find a place of our own. Oh, no, James,

please. We should have done it long ago.

Oh, I never should have lied to you. I'm so sorry. I want you to know who your

great -grandparents really were.

And about China.

China?

Yes.

I was brought up in China.

My parents were missionaries.

And they believed the best way to teach their faith was to live their faith.

So they worked in the fields. They unbound the feet of the children in the

villages. They took in orphans.

And when the Japanese invaded northern China, they held their ground as long as

they could.

I was just a child, and I didn't understand.

I was only 12.

All I did know was that everyone was so frightened.

I can't remember what day it was.

But it was 1937, and the Japanese were so close. You see, we could feel the

bombs that were dropping on the other side of the hill.

Even with the invading army approaching, it is well with my soul.

It saddens me that this will be our last service together for a time, but I

know that our Lord will watch over us all until we meet again.

There were trucks waiting outside to evacuate all of the foreign missionaries

Shanghai as soon as the service was over.

From there, we would board ships for England. We thought we still had time.

Let us recall tonight.

There was so much noise and confusion.

Everyone began crawling towards the door.

Everyone except my best friend, Lin -Manuel.

Come on. No, my family must stay here.

You're out of our way in danger.

But they say the soldiers will take all the food.

Then what will it provide?

Here, this is almost real gold.

If you need food, you can sell it.

I've got the Lord's prayer on one side and a picture of my family on the other.

So you can always remember us.

Thank you. You're my very best friend.

I ran outside screaming for my parents. It was so dark. There was such chaos,

and the truck drivers were terrified and started leaving without us.

Somebody picked me up and threw me on a truck as it drove away.

I prayed all the way to Shanghai that my parents would be on another truck.

I waited at the international settlement in Shanghai for six weeks, but they

never came.

Eventually, I was put on a steamer to England and placed in an orphanage.

Until Lord and Lady Barrington took me in.

Never saw my parents again.

Oh, I can't even remember what they looked like.

I've been terrible, Grandma.

I'm so sorry.

Yes, and I know it sounds perfectly ghastly, but I... Can't help believing

if I hadn't gone back to see my friend, I would have found my parents that

night.

And I know it wasn't her fault. Oh, no, it was mine.

But if I have to look at the face of a little Chinese girl in this house every

day, it would be a constant reminder of what I did and what I lost.

If you want to adopt...

And adopt, I have no business telling you not to.

But please.

Please, anything but a Chinese girl.

Oh, Monica, you've become indispensable to us the short time you've been here.

Thank you, ma 'am.

You know James and Sarah may be getting a place of their own.

I'm sure they'd be very pleased to have you.

Thank you, ma 'am. But I'm here to serve you.

Oh, I appreciate your loyalty.

But somehow, I don't think that will be necessary any longer.

I tell you, ma 'am.

It's more necessary than you realize.

I am an angel.

Oh, my goodness.

Are you some sort of supernatural being?

I am an angel, Gladys. God has sent me here with a message for you.

This is true. too much god loves you

and it was never his will that you should lose your parents as you did it

never his will that you should lose your own self as you chose to do god does

not will all that happens in this world but he does will something good out of

everything that happens but for that you have to trust him to take you to places

that you're afraid to go

Gladys, I don't know what God's purpose is in all of this.

Why James and Sarah have been childless, or why their pain has opened up the

pain of your past.

But I do know that from the moment one particular little girl was born, half a

world away, God already had a plan for her, and for James and Sarah, and for

you.

And of all the countries that he could have chosen for their child to be born,

for some reason, he chose China.

Will you trust him now?

Has everybody got their passport?

Yes. Jacket pocket.

Nappies, baby food.

whitey things, concentrated formula.

I can't believe in three days we're going to be parents.

Grandma, let's go.

Hey, Wade, don't forget this.

What is in here?

I feel very strange having an angel for a maid.

Enjoy it while you can.

65 years, Monica.

I can't imagine even that it's still there.

You're not going to China to find the mission, Gladys.

You're going to find peace.

I'm going to miss talking to you, Rose.

I'm going to ask God to let me check in on you from time to time just to make

sure you're doing okay.

Although I'm sure you will be.

They're here.

And never forget that God loves you, Ruth.

So do I.

Oh, look at you. You are so beautiful.

Hey, I've been wondering about you.

Oh, Jay.

In depression.

What do you think?

She's a miracle.

Jane, Sarah, there are some forms inside to be signed.

Oh, okay.

Grandma, how did you get to know your great -granddaughter a little bit?

Oh, yes.

Oh,

no,

no, no, it's all right.

She liked to be on her back, look up at your face.

Oh, yes, of course. Thank you. We call her Nick Will.

It means Rose.

When peace like a river attendeth my

way, when sorrows like sea billows roll,

Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to

say, it is well, it is well with

my soul.

It is well, it is well with my soul.

It is well, it is well.

of prayer on one side.

You and your family on the other.

It is a miracle.

Glory to God.

I stopped the orphanage.

Many years ago, in your memory.

Memory of my friends.

Memory of your face.

And my face, too.

I almost sell it many times.

But I remember your sacrifice for me.

These are your great, great grandparents.

They were missionaries. And they were wonderful, wonderful people.

I come from a long line of wonderful people.

And you are the next generation.