Original subtitles

Alec?

Alec! Please! Someone help me! Please someone help me!

Who are you?

Gladys Wilson.

I'm Alec's wife.

You must have vetted him, before he joined the service.

Of course.

So you looked into who he was.

A writer.

Top drawer family. Married.

And then divorced.

Look, as I tried to tell your mother, I married Alec in 1941.

You do know I'm entirely unsuitable for a young lady like you.

He showed me his decree absolute.

It wouldn't have been difficult for him to forge a couple of documents.

I was wondering if I might say a few words about my father's work?

Well he worked in the Foreign Office as well as his writing of course.

The departments gonna fire me. It'll be very public.

No. No. Alec.

Major Wilson.

You know how it works.

They didn't want me to stay undercover.

So you'll be the disgraced officer forever?

We need his body, Mrs Wilson

for the funeral.

My mother has arranged a burial service in Southsea

But I am his wife.

And so is my mother.

No. No she is not, she is deluding herself.

She'd know if she'd signed her own divorce papers, wouldn't she?

Yes, yes, well she did. I have proof.

"Few people realise what our country owes

to the gallant men of the silent service.

To them fame and glory seldom comes, riches never."

Who's Dorothy?

Your husband was a good man.

Alec wouldn't lie to me, not like that. Not for 20 years.

You know who I am.

Mum?

Blimey. Who's she?

Is that in India? Was she a friend of Dad's? - Look, I'll be down in a minute.

What are you doing? - I said, I'll be down in a minute.

I'm going back to sea tomorrow, if you're interested.

Who's Dorothy?

She came to the funeral.

You'll have to do better than that.

I don't know her surname, an actress maybe, someone Alec...

You want a list of all the women he went to bed with?

An Indian man turned up at the burial

said he was a friend of Alec's from before the war.

That's his handler in Lahore, Shahbaz Karim. What did he want?

He said I should speak to you.

Right.

Apparently there are things I don't know about. Things about...

Alec's work during the war, his relationship with this Dorothy

But, Alec was with Gladys when he met me, so that's just not possible, is it?

Well, we gave our agents new identities.

Created wives for them, if necessary.

Oh, so it was a marriage of convenience. It was an arrangement.

When Alec was working out in India.

It could have been.

Can you say for sure?

You married.

You've two healthy sons, why isn't that enough for you?

I just need to know who he was.

You know all you need to know.

You met him every week.

He confided in you, what did you talk about?

You signed the Official Secrets Act.

You know I can't disclose that. - Please! Just tell me.

What lies...

did he tell?

One son, the Navy. The other off to University.

What are you saying?

Don't jeopardise their futures.

Stop digging, Alison.

What are you two doing?

We didn't know where you'd gone.

Well, I'm back now.

What are you doing with that?

We were just talking about Blakefield.

Dad always said if something happened to him, I should step up.

I've written to the government. - What? why?

The Ministry of Works, asking them to return Blakefield.

But Dad's house was requisitioned during the war, you know that.

The war ended eighteen years ago, and yet here we are.

It's been tied up in a legal wrangle. Dad's been writing for years.

I honestly don't think... - We think Dad was too patient.

All these years we've talked about it.

Fine.

Best coming from me though, I'll sign it.

You should get going, shouldn't you now? - Yeah.

Nigel, give your brother a hand, will you?

Right.

Close your eyes.

Why?

- Go on. Please, close your eyes. - No.

Go on! Close them!

Please!

Alright, they're closed. Closed.

Now, open them.

Wow. Well it's alright, I suppose.

Come on. I can't wait to introduce you Nanny B.

Your old nanny?

First, they kept her on as a matron.

We lent the house to the government as a military hospital.

Excuse me, nurse, is Matron in? I called ahead.

Er, she apologises, Major Wilson, but she had to pop into town.

Come on then, picnic?

Alec, I'm pregnant.

That's wonderful news.

Unless you can't bear to spend the rest of your life with me?

I'm asking you to marry me.

One day we'll move back here as a family.

Safe journey, take care of yourself. OK?

Things don't seem to add up...

Blakefield, Dad's job, those strange cousins at the funeral.

Gordon... - I'm going to make some calls.

Look into Dad's work. - No. Don't.

Why?

I've got the time, I'll do it.

Nigel! Get a wiggle on. He's got a train to catch.

Mum, I don't know what you're up to, but...

Don't forget about Nige, will you?

Thanks.

Let's go away for a few days?

Get some sun on the coast.

Oh um, I'm going camping with my friends, once I've heard from Oxford.

Right.

- Well, when will you hear? - Any day now.

Fingers crossed.

You'll be fine, Nigel.

They'd be mad to turn you down.

Who is it?

It's Mrs Wilson, I lived here during the war.

I'm trying to track down the landlord.

You owe me rent, Mrs Wilson.

I moved up here few years back.

The damp in the basement, bad for me chest.

I see.

What brings you back here?

Not come to collect his books after all these years?

Oh, yeah. I've read them all.

Could spin a good yarn, your Alec.

You can't stop turning the pages

trying to work out what's gonna happen next.

That's all I've got.

I'll give it to you the day after tomorrow.

The day after tomorrow. The day after tomorrow.

The day after that...

I'm looking for someone.

A colleague of Alec's, she used to come here.

Oh. Oh.

Come here. Sit down.

Do you remember her?

Did you see her?

And my rent?

How much do you want?

Ten shillings and I'll let it go.

So you want to know about Dorothy?

You knew her?

Yeah. She lived here during the war.

No, that was me, I lived here during the war.

First her, then you.

She and Alec moved in just before the War, straight back from India.

Together?

Hm... Her and Alec

and the little boy.

Brown as berries, they were.

A boy?

Yeah... Well there you are.

Ah!

Ah, yeah.

May 1939. Alec and Dorothy Wilson

and Michael, aged six.

That was her forwarding address, there.

Wensleydale, I think.

But where am I?

I moved in in '40. I'm not marked. I'm not even here.

Yeah well, Alec never told me about you.

You just came down one day with the rent money, and baby on your arm.

No but this boy.

This Michael, he doesn't have Alec's surname?

Maybe he was Dorothy's son and they just lived here as colleagues?

Mm. Could be.

Mind, they had terrible rows.

She gave as good as she got. She was a strong woman, really took him on.

How is dear, old Alec anyway?

He's dead.

Oh...

How are you, Alison?

Mum? - Mm-hmm.

Didn't you see the letter?

What letter?

An offer to read history at St Catherine's College, Oxford.

Oh, Nigel, I'm thrilled.

I'm over the moon. I really am.

When are you back? - I already told you, Monday.

You will be OK on your own? - Yes, of course I will.

Have some fun.

What will you do? - There's plenty to get on with.

Have you seen the state of the windows?

Our next station will be Wensleydale.

Wensleydale in five minutes.

I'm Mrs... - I know who you are.

I just want... I want to talk to you. - I'm sorry.

I've got absolutely nothing to say to you. - Wait, no, no.

Please, I've come up from London.

You turned up uninvited to my husband's funeral.

The least you could do is answer my questions.

My... my son's coming over later.

We can talk out here if you like.

I was expecting to see photos of your plays.

Oh, no, I gave up acting a long time ago.

I see.

Do you?

So what do you want to know?

Did the service pair you up with Alec out in India?

I guess you've been talking to Karim.

No, not really I... - Well, don't.

Drinking his life away at the Empire Club.

So he was your handler?

You were in the service, though.

I don't know what you've been told, but there's no great mystery

I was just an actress, in rep, living in Lahore.

Well, you're not allowed to reveal it to me.

Confirm your status. - I wasn't a spy, alright?

Alec came to see me in a play.

I was young, I was naive.

We ended up in bed

and then a few months later we were married in Lahore Cathedral.

So it wasn't a professional relationship?

No, I wouldn't call it that.

Is there anything else?

Is Mike Alec's son?

Of course he is.

Alec visited, did he?

Sent cards...

Never missed a birthday, a wonderful father for little Mike.

I'm not talking about Mike.

If that's what you're after, you'd better leave.

I said you'd better bloody leave.

Did he lie to you, too?

Take a seat.

No...

Not back then.

When we first met, he was honest

kind, even looked out for his sister back home.

His sister?

Gladys.

Gladys?

Her husband had just died, so she used to write to Alec, asking for money.

We rowed about that, we weren't exactly rolling in it.

Mrs... I don't even know what to call you.

Dorothy? - Dorothy.

There's things I could tell you.

What?

About your marriage.

See we were happy, Alison.

In India, before we came home, before he met you.

We were just a normal, happy family.

Well, that's the point, you weren't.

Did he say he wasn't happy?

Did he say he didn't love me?

He didn't talk about you at all.

Well...

he told me all about you.

Miss McKelvie, the new secretary

out of her depth, struggling with the workload.

Coleman soon whipped you into shape and you learned fast.

Oh yeah, I knew all about you.

Your first few weeks at the listening service.

You were still together then.

And then he took you out for lunch at the Author's Club.

We bumped into each other.

Bumped into each other? You think it was a coincidence?

I don't know.

I don't know... - I was watching him, Alison.

Spying on him?

Yes. I was following him to work, I was waiting for him at lunch.

I was tracking his every move.

Excuse me, excuse me.

Major Wilson, can I ask you about your book?

You could, it's not very interesting.

I just sit at my typewriter and make things up.

Alright?

I just... let me run to the bathroom.

You alright?

Just made a fool of myself in front of my boss.

No, nothing like that. Just a clumsy idiot, spilled my drink.

Do...

Hello you.

Standing in the dark?

How are you? Busy day?

Mm-hm.

Time for lunch?

Author's club.

I saw you, Dorothy.

Who was she.

My new secretary, Miss McKelvie.

I told you about her.

I think you should go to Wensleydale.

Stay with your mum.

The bombs can't go on forever, can they?

We're happy in the shelter, aren't we Mike?

Yeah. - Yeah.

The things I've seen, Dorothy. Please, for...

Brave boy.

Come here.

Write to me, won't you?

And if you get scared...

Tell yourself a story.

Next lift about to leave.

Well, I'll settle Mike with Mum and then I'll come back.

You don't trust me, do you?

I love you, you idiot.

Come on.

Dad. - See you soon, I love you.

Come on.

I returned to Alec as soon as I could.

I followed him for months.

This looks wonderful.

No, you look wonderful.

Oh, Alec.

I've just never had dinner with a divorced man before.

Again, harder.

Go and do your duty.

When you come back...

I'll be gone.

I'm sorry.

Sorry?

Now?

It's so long ago. - Why didn't you try and stop him.

You saw me.

You saw us together and you let him...

He was my husband.

I was 21 years old, I knew no one in London.

I had a child.

You should have said something.

You should have warned me. - We were over.

I had to walk away.

I needed money.

Yeah, but I saw you, I saw you come to the flat.

Mike and I, we had nothing. - He gave you money.

A pittance.

How much? How often?

Once. Five measly, fucking pounds.

God, I hated him.

I was livid, I was boiling over with rage.

I couldn't let Mike see it, be infected by my anger, I was determined about that.

"Everything's perfectly normal

Daddy lives away, digs down in London"

All the while singing his praises. No...

No, I knew I couldn't do that.

Did you tell him the truth?

Oh, don't be stupid.

What ruin his life? Turn him against his own father?

What did you do then?

Nothing.

What did you tell him?

Mike means everything to me.

I did it to protect him.

I learned some lines.

Mike came home from school

and I was just...

sat here as usual and...

and I just...

"The telegram man's been."

you see?

No.

"Daddy was saving his friend at Alamein...

I'm so sorry, Mike...

we've lost him.

Daddy won't be coming home again".

All these years, even now.

Mike thinks Alec died in 1942?

You've kept that secret for 20 years?

I just wanted a... normal life

away from all the drama, and the lies.

But Dorothy, you told your son the biggest lie of the lot.

Can you leave now please?

Please leave.

Hm.

You regret it, don't you?

Lying to Mike? Depriving him of his father?

Over a life with Alec?

Full of its deceit and uncertainty, no.

I've got no regrets at all.

You see I did what any good mother would do.

I gave my son a safe home

a secure childhood

Did you?

Mike, isn't it?

I've just come from your mother's house. - Oh.

Are you a friend from her work?

No, I knew your father.

Major Wilson?

Did you know him well?

Yes.

During the war.

So just before he died?

Do you know I've never met anyone, apart from mum, who knew him.

I'd love to hear more about him. All I have are his novels.

You look just like him.

We worked together...

Sorry, I've just got a train to catch.

Of course.

Keep going.

Up we go.

Come on, keep going.

Come on. Come on now.

That's it. Come on. Come on now.

OK.

That's it. In here.

He's kicking us out?

I've tried everything.

But mother's already paid April's rent, we're only a month behind now.

He's found an American who'll pay twice the rent.

But Alec, the baby...

Where will we go?

Hey, it's going to be alright.

I've found somewhere nearby.

Ground floor, no stairs to drag this one up.

OK?

I'm sorry, I'm just so exhausted.

I know you are, don't apologise.

This damn war.

As soon as it's over, we get to Blakefield

have all the space we need.

A garden for Gordon to play in.

Nanny B to help with the baby and a...

and a study for me so I won't keep you awake with my writing

It's going to be OK.

I know.

Go on keep going.

Come on.

That's it. Keep pushing.

Nearly there.

Our new home.

Mother!

Where's Alec?

He's at work.

Come on darling. Let's go and see Mary next door.

We'll come back and we'll see mummy when baby is born.

There you go, shh.

There we go.

♪ On the red bed sleep ♪

♪ Mum, dad will come ♪

Nigel.

As in Niga.

It means "from darkness".

But we're heading for light.

One day we might even be able to put money in the electric meter.

He's a hungry baby, he drains me.

All babies are hungry.

What do you want mother?

How long do you honestly think you can keep on like this?

What do you mean?

What are you doing to provide for my grandchildren?

I'm working, I assure you.

- And where's your salary go? - Mother, I told you

I wish I could say more.

When the war's over we'll move to Alec's family home in Hampshire

- We're going to be fine. - Mrs McKelvie...

I love your daughter very much. And our two boys.

You've seen him with them, Mother.

There you go Sir

Thank you.

He's a good father. You've seen him, feeding them

singing them to sleep

Yes I know, I know you're good parents, both of you

but it breaks my heart to see living like this.

Nigel sleeping in a box

and you Alison, there's not a spare ounce on you.

I'm alright, I promise you.

And what if it's a bad winter? You get TB

or God forbid, one of the boys develops asthma or pneumonia.

I've talked it over with my brother and we both agree.

But it's best if it happens now, before you get too attached.

What does?

You should keep Gordon of course, but...

Nigel must be adopted.

No. - He could have a good life, Alison

in another family. One with means. - Mum don't, please.

I know, I know it will be a wrench at first.

But you'd have Gordon...

and in time, you'd get over it

Alec.

Do it for Nigel, please.

I know you want the best for Alison, but we're not giving up our son.

No never. - It's out of the question.

Well, just think about it.

I can't lose my son. I won't. I simply won't let it happen.

I just want to give the boys a good future Do the right thing for them.

And so do we.

How long do you honestly think

- you can keep on like this? - When the war's over

we'll move to Alec's family home in Hampshire.

I love your daughter very much.

Dear Mrs Wilson

We are writing to confirm receipt of your recent correspondents

regarding the return of a property.

Requisitioned during the war...

As soon as it's over, we'll get to Blakefield. Have all the space we need.

Further to your letter... I must inform you that Blakefield Hall, Hampshire is not owned

nor ever has been owned, by any member of the Wilson family...

Alison?

Alison?

Jim would have done that.

We hate to see you struggling without Alec.

Such a good man.

My God! Why does everyone keep saying that?

Oh, Nigel, you're home. - Mum?

What happened? You're cut. Your hand - No. It's just a bit of gardening

I just need a bath, that's all...

I'll put the kettle on then. - No! I'm going out.

What? Do you need help? A doctor? - No. No. I'm fine. Be back later.

I'm looking for one of your members, Mr Shahbaz Karim.

If you'd like to follow me.

You bloody liar.

Excuse me.

Please.

You said he was a good man

Tell me, in what way exactly was he a good man?

He served the country. He made sacrifices.

No, he lied over and over again.

Before the war, out in India.

Out in India! He married Dorothy.

Even told her Gladys was his poor bereaved sister.

Yes, that's how it started.

What started? His utter depravity?

Please be careful, Mrs Wilson.

You really don't know what you're talking about.

Oh, shut up Mrs Wilson. Go home. Stop asking questions.

What exactly do you want to know?

Who was he?

Who was my husband?

Alec was a first class agent.

One of a tiny handful at that time.

His work out in India and then during the war.

He saved hundreds of lives.

He betrayed Gladys. He seduced Dorothy and he married me. Why?

When I first met Alec, he was happily married to Gladys.

He had the makings of a brilliant agent but he had no contacts.

I needed to find a way to introduce him to Indian high society.

Alec. How's the novel coming on?

I'm writing to my wife, Gladys. - OK.

The novel however is with my new agent.

He's sent it to every publishing house in town.

Good. Come on, there's someone I want you to meet.

Knock Karim, why don't you?

Miss Wick, may I present, Mr Alexander Wilson.

Hello, I'm Dorothy.

Alec.

No, got my own.

So, did you enjoy the show?

I was in the palm of your hand.

What about the play?

It was good, funny.

I've never seen it played for laughs like that.

Was it too much?

Not for me.

Dorothy, I need Alec to get into the summer party

at the Governor's residence.

I was wondering if you needed a partner?

I could see that Alec was troubled by the arrangement

having to deny his family and his life with Gladys.

But we had work to do.

Our intelligence says the mole is within the inner circle.

Start with his A.D.C.

partial to whiskey.

With Dorothy on your arm, you can go anywhere, meet anyone.

It's for your country, Alec.

Alec soon realised what I needed from him.

Once unsure about deception he began to enjoy it.

Dorothy, I would want you to introduce and then disappear

Alec, I need you to speak to him alone.

Commit every word to memory.

Good luck.

You're in love, remember?

But Dorothy told me they simply fell in love.

So she lied.

Lied? I'm not sure.

We spend our whole lives justifying the decisions we made in the past

constructing our own intricate versions of the truth.

When you live with deceit for long enough, it rubs off.

You learn to mould every situation to your own advantage.

As the weeks went on, I became concerned.

Their affair was useful to our undercover operation

but I never imagined that they would fall in love.

Morning - Oh, sorry.

Are you alright?

Mm. Just uh...

bad dreams.

When I write they go away.

What are you writing?

The novel.

I'm trying to.

Hello, stranger.

Good morning, where's Alec?

He's at the bazaar, he'll be back soon.

What?

Don't get in too deep, my dear.

You set us up.

I thought this all would have suited you rather well.

I just don't want to see you get hurt. That's it.

Well, I'm fine, thanks for your concern.

Darling.

Karim's here.

Oh, Shahbaz! Assalaamo Alaikum.

Alaikum salam.

I got your post. - Ah...

I know you've been waiting to hear from a certain person in England.

Thank you.

No.

That's just your sister, Gladys.

Now this one...

Longmans Green.

Isn't that a publisher?

They want to publish my first novel and the one that I'm writing now.

They'll wire me the advance.

Alec's real life was feeding into his fiction

and Dorothy soon became part of his story.

So they did work together, they had some sort of arrangement?

Yes. But they only married because...

Dorothy fell pregnant.

Dorothy found a fakir in the bazaar who said he will deal with it.

He'd helped British women before, but of course there were risks.

But Dorothy was willing to take them.

To give up her child?

Yes.

But Alec wouldn't let her go through with it.

That was the kind of man he was, decent.

But he couldn't divorce Gladys because he was a Catholic.

He was desperate.

So I came up with a plan.

I faked a wedding for them.

Lahore Cathedral.

It was a fake wedding?

They never properly married?

Alec didn't sign the register.

He had no choice but to keep deceiving Dorothy.

You can't condone Alec's lies.

I have to, I showed him how to lie

keep secrets. I shaped him.

Then how can you sleep at night?

He saved hundreds of lives.

And us women have to pay the price?

Do his dirty work? Lie to our children?

It's the price you have to pay

for the service he gave.

Mrs Wilson.

I didn't know where else to go.

What's happened?

You're not alone, Alison.

Talk to me.

Alec let me down, Father.

He deceived me.

I thought he loved us.

I'm sure he did.

We have all sinned Mrs Wilson.

But what do I do now?

How do I look my boys in the eye?

They know nothing about this.

Keep it that way.

Protect them.

And how would I be judged by your God?

The one you're not sure about?

He is forgiving.

Protect them.

Nigel? I'm home.

I don't want to upset her

Don't worry about it. You'll be fine, honestly.

Gordon, what a wonderful surprise! Come in.

There's plenty to eat, all your favourites.

There's cheese and tomato, fish paste...

Come on, you must be hungry.

Tuck in, and then you can tell me all your news.

I worried you, I know did, but I'm fine, I really am.

Mum? What's going on?

A letter came, from Blakefield.

You read it.

It is ours but they're using it as a training base.

They can't give it back yet, look...

I'm sorry, I was disappointed as well.

I told you there'd be a reason.

Right, who wants a cup of tea?

I've found Nigel digs.

A family in Oxford he can stay with until term starts.

What?

No, I'm fine now.

I told you, I wanted to tell her that.

I'm OK.

Go and pack a bag.

I phoned the Ministry last night.

They said that Blakefield had never been owned by Dad.

Well, there must be some kind of mistake. Here.

I made other calls, too.

Repton School, Cambridge...

Dad lied about going there

and this

that he gave me on my 21st.

I took it to a jeweller, there's no family crest.

Stocking filler, the man called it.

None of it makes any sense, who was he, Mum?

I have genuinely no idea who Dad was.

I even phoned the Foreign Office, and there's no record of him working there.

No, but we worked there together - If you're telling the truth.

What? - Why should I believe you?

How I do know you're not lying as well?

Covering up for him? - Go

Did you write that letter, Mum?

Did you write that bloody letter? - Go upstairs, get Nigel and get out!

I said get out!

Why do we have to got right now?

Can I not say goodbye first?