Original subtitles

Well run, my beauty. Good boy.

Hello. I'm Phoebe Trent.

And this is Sergeant.

Who are you?

Vicki Denning. Well, Vicki Denning.

I wonder which of us will get to the top of that hill first.

You ride very well, Vicky.

Thank you.

Although you lack style, your horse is a truly magnificent beast.

You should get your groom to platinum.

What a pity it is that this country has so few traditions.

We're just starting out, Mr. Burton. Oh, that's good in some respects, but...

Oh, I do miss some things about the old world.

I mean, we just don't have any... Gentry.

I got to know some gentry in England.

Don't miss them a bit.

I'm afraid the colony's got the dregs.

Oh, present company excluded, of course.

That's why I'm sure the Trents will go back.

The Trents?

Who are they?

You'll be delivering this today.

I took provisions up yesterday.

Everything on account?

No money at all, of course.

That's breeding for you.

Is there a girl called Phoebe?

Ah, to the man of Bourne, that young lady.

Morning, miss.

Good morning.

I have a letter for the Trents. Just knock on the back door, miss.

Thank you.

Oh, hello.

It's Vicky, isn't it? Yeah.

How nice of you to call.

We'll take tea.

No, thanks.

I've got to go.

But you only just arrived.

Mason, go and tell Cork we'd like some tea.

No, I can't stay.

I'm working.

Working?

What do you mean?

Delivering the mail.

It's my job.

Perhaps some other time, then.

Yes, that would be just super.

She is so stuck up.

Work. Work.

Oh, what's that?

Gracious. Such a passion.

Going about like Lady Muck with all her airs and graces.

You mentioned, of course, that Lord Fordham is your grandfather.

No, I did not.

They sound the kind of people who might have been impressed.

I don't want to impress them.

I don't want to have anything to do with them.

People like that don't belong here.

Why do you say that?

They're all manners and rules and... Cucumber sandwiches.

Out here, that's just silly.

Well, perhaps they can't see that.

Mother did.

Nobody here knew she was called Lady Sarah.

They all called her Mrs. Denning.

She said it's different qualities that are important here.

Pity Phoebe Trent doesn't know it. Mrs. Denning, Phoebe would love to have your

daughter as a house guest next weekend.

She says she's an excellent horsewoman.

I'll ask Vicky.

I'm sure she'll be very excited by the idea.

It's rather curious, Mrs. Trent.

He's a fine, strong horse, but he's showing signs of stress and exhaustion.

can't think why.

We've only used him for, well, what is it, Mason, two short runs in a week?

Just to the landing and back, ma 'am.

Do you use a bearing ring, Mr. Mason?

Yes. Why, yes, of course we do.

Doesn't everybody?

Well, perhaps they do in London, Mrs. Trent, where the streets are mainly

But here, with unpaved roads and hills, it's a great cruelty.

Well, I will not have my harness horses looking as though they're pulling a

plough. They must have their heads up.

No matter how much it hurts them.

Well, they are animals.

They're trained to it.

Then I'm wasting my time here, Mrs. Trent.

Piccadilly will not be himself until you stop using a bearing rein.

Mason, ask Sardis to attend to Mrs. Denning's feet.

Please don't trouble yourself, Mr. Mason.

My advice has not been taken, and I've done nothing to help the hall.

Good day.

Finished cleaning the bearing rein, Mason?

We shall be using it, certainly.

Vicky, I'm so pleased you've come.

Welcome back, Ruthie.

Come on, boy.

I'm sorry I was late.

I had to pick up a parcel at Stanley Creek.

I had smiles.

You look so fresh.

Ten miles is nothing for beauty.

I'm dying to test sergeants against them. They seem so evenly matched.

I don't jump beauty unless I have to.

It's only a matter of proper training, Vicky.

Where is Mr. Day?

We don't know.

What?

His ship went aground and sank in the East Indies.

He's gone missing, but... I'm so sorry.

Well, I'm sure he'll turn up. Must be an awful struggle for your stepmother.

We manage.

We're hoping to get Phoebe into the Hampton Court College for young ladies.

The Duke of Plumley sends his daughters there. One doesn't know about the local

schools after all, does one?

Well, this one doesn't.

What do you mean?

I don't go to school.

Good heavens.

I thought there was a law about that.

School comes to me. I do it by correspondence.

Why?

Well, I don't want to go to a boarding school.

Also, this way I can work.

Work?

Yes, I'm the postie.

How quaint.

Mother, I don't think you should use a bearing rein on our harness horse. Don't

be tiresome, Phoebe.

Vicky explains how harmful they are in hilly country like this. Without a

bearing rein, horses slop along like hacks.

Horses have a natural way of moving.

They know best.

I must remember to ask Piccadilly's advice next time we're out. Mother, that

not fair.

Don't raise your voice at the table, Phoebe. It's common.

What manners you're picking up here.

It's time you went back to civilization.

Are you going to try another rail?

Are you all right, beauty?

Can you go one higher?

Why not?

Mason, another rail, if you please.

I can hardly believe this is the first time Black Beauty has done this.

We jump fences and low walls, but he's never done them this close together

before. He's an absolute natural.

We've got wings today.

How does it look?

You were slower than me.

Was I?

Much. It didn't seem like it.

Anyhow, it's not important.

It's part of the trial.

We've got to cover the jump fast. We'll have a mistake.

I didn't know.

I bet they could beat you on higher jumps and in a shorter time.

You probably could.

Are you giving in?

I don't know what you mean.

You've got no pride.

You just... deserve that beautiful horse.

Phoebe!

What's wrong?

There's nothing wrong with me.

I think you're windy.

I'll ride against you any time. Very well, Miss Jennings. I challenge you to

rounds next Saturday with another rail, and Mason can time us.

I'll be here, Miss Trent.

I knew we could do it.

It's very high.

I'm going to try a higher one tomorrow.

Don't you think you're overdoing it a bit?

I'm not going to let Phoebe Trent and her over -groomed horse beat us.

I'd rather die.

Come, boy.

Don't you think you're taking all this a little too seriously?

I want to teach you a lesson.

Why?

Because I want to show us that down here our way of doing things isn't better or

worse.

Just different.

Well, you've probably done that already.

What the hell is this?

Hampton Court College for young ladies.

Now, where do you get a school with that sort of quality down here?

Nowhere, thank heavens.

Vicky, Vicky, beware the green -eyed monster.

It's a bit of a blow for you.

What do you mean?

Well, if that said, Miss Trent has a place in the college, we lose our only

members of the gentry. But they've just arrived.

They hate it here.

Would you take this up to Belmont, please?

What is it?

Whipping them bon voyage?

It's a bill they haven't settled up yet.

Isn't that a sign of breeding?

Vicki, you have two serious defects for a young lady.

Your memory's too good, you're not respectful of your elders, and you talk

much.

Isn't that three?

Go.

Oh, splendid, my dear. You start next term.

Next term? We've wasted too much time here already.

Oh, uh, Mr. Burton sent you this.

Who?

Mr. Burton?

Oh, that awful, gross fellow.

Account rendered.

Well, tell Mr.

Burton that I deal with tradespeople of my convenience, not his.

Ready for Saturday?

Yes.

You're going to lose.

I hope you know that. I don't want to be enemies with you.

Are we enemies?

I came to stay, we got on so well. I've realized that Mother is right. We're too

different. Different?

How? In everything.

The way we ride?

But that's not important.

We'll see on Saturday.

Won't we?

What will Saturday prove?

That we are in different classes.

Can you do that, beauty?

I think we can.

He is fit, isn't he, Jenny?

Yes.

Well, he is.

There isn't a sign of soreness.

No, there doesn't seem to be.

I can jump him, can't I?

That's up to you.

Up to me?

Yes.

But I want you to tell me if he's fit.

It's not as simple as that.

There's a chance he could go lame with a tough ride and jumps today.

You have to weigh it up.

What's more important?

Teaching Phoebe a lesson?

Or Black Beauty's well -being?

What is the time, Mason?

Oh, it's... Well, I'm 20 minutes past ten, miss.

It's late.

Black Beauty isn't fit, Phoebe. I'm sorry.

Is he injured?

Well, no, not exactly.

You mean you're pulling out.

Well, I decided... You decided I was too good for you and you're trying to blame

your horse.

I can't risk Beauty's health. You mean your pride.

Phoebe, listen to me. We have nothing more to say to each other. You don't

understand. Oh, I understand perfectly.

Mother is right.

You've let your standards slip in the colonies. You've let yourself go. How

pathetic you are.

She had no right to say those things.

She's the most toppy nose.

Hoity -toity.

Haven't you missed something?

What?

Lonely.

Lonely?

And miserable.

Usually you're more perceptive, Vicky.

You were blinded to Phoebe's true feelings because you wanted so badly to

her.

She wanted to be your friend, Vicky.

Hello, Mrs Denning.

Hello, Vicky.

I hope I'm not intruding.

Come in, Phoebe.

We were just talking about you.

Weren't we, Vicky?

Won't you sit down?

Thank you.

Would you like some tea? No, thank you, Vicky. I can't stay.

I'm going to the city tomorrow to catch the boat for England.

So soon?

I couldn't leave without seeing how black beauty was and saying goodbye

and apologising.

said what I said because I was jealous

I don't want to go back I love it here

If I had to cry, who cares?

It's different here.

Yes.

She got Mason to put away the bearing rain when she discovered how much better

Piccadilly went without it.

All she has to do now is pay Mr. Burton's bill.

She'll be just like all the rest of us.

Pay the bill.

Heavens, she draws a line somewhere.

Vicky, you've come to see us off.

Thought I should wish you bon voyage, you know. How very kind.

Ah, you're here in your official capacity, I see.

Well, not another account from that dreadful man, I hope.

No, this is a letter of introduction.

If you're ever in Buckinghamshire, you might like to call.

It's a lovely place and he's a lovely man.

Lord Fordham.

You are acquainted with him?

Rather well, actually.

He's my grandfather.

He can be a tiny bit stiff -necked at times, but the letter ought to do the

trick.

Have a safe journey home.