Original subtitles

This is a wonderful surprise.

I would enter the valley of the dead if I thought I might have a chance of winning your heart.

I'm just saying that I won't marry John Bellasis.

How dare you disobey me.

[Susan] What is this favour?

When they next go to their country place, go with them.

What, go to Glanville?

[John] She knows something about Pope that she's not telling.

[Susan] She let it slip that it's not about business

and Mr Pope is not a stranger.

-I don't know what to tell him. -Tell him anything.

As long as the information keeps coming, so will the tips.

Search the letters he's kept. Look for any mention of the names Charles or Pope,

no matter how old. The older, the better.

This secret lies in the history of them both. I know it.

[title music]

[door creaking]

[sinister music]

What have you to do in Manchester?

I want to see some people.

I've got a few ideas I'd like to investigate before I talk about them.

Even to us?

[James] What about your work?

[Oliver] I'll only be gone a few days.

Ah, Turton, there you are. Did you find it?

We, er, seem to have no more of that year left in the cellar, sir.

I'll send a note round in the morning.

[John] So... you have something for me?

Good evening, sir. May I offer you a drink?

Yes. Brandy.

-Well? -So, I did find something.

A letter about a child called Charles.

It says he's doing well in his bible studies,

which Mr Trenchard will be pleased to hear.

Bible studies? When was it written?

Twenty years ago.

His guardian hopes he'll suit a career in the church.

And this is addressed to Mr Trenchard?

And signed by the Reverend Benjamin Pope.

But... the boy is not his son.

What makes you say that?

Because he writes as an employeefilling out a report.

I thought Pope only appealed to Mr Trenchard when Charles was already in London,

starting in business.

Now you say Trenchard has taken an interest in him

from his childhood.

Is this more than a business arrangement?

It appears to be the case, sir.

Right, well, let me see.

Put the letter on the table and I will put down the money.

[Turton] Thank you very much, sir.

Where's the other page?

-The other page, sir? -Don't get smart with me.

The first page. The one with the address of the writer.

Where does Reverend Benjamin Pope live?

Oh, that page?

I'm afraid that page will cost another £20.

What?!

If you could keep your voice down.

You scoundrel.

No, sir.

I'm a poor man who must make the most of any chance I get.

-So will you accept my offer? -To hell with your offer.

Then if you'll excuse me, I have things to see to. Goodnight, sir.

Wait.

-[Anne] Oh. -What is it?

They've announced the engagementof Mr Bellasis.

What?

To Lady Maria Grey. We knew that.

Any word from Oliver?

He sent a telegram from Derby. So he only had the final leg of his journey ahead of him.

So fast. Makes one's head spin.

What's he really doing there?

Why would he tell me?

[Oliver] I'm sorry Mr Pope is in London. Did he say when he'd be back?

[man] No, sir.

[Oliver] I understand things are going well.

[man] Yes, as long as we can settle our cotton needs.

You know he has plans for a fixed supplier in India?

Yes, so he told me.

[shouting] This must be a good place to work.

I'm sure you're all content.

Why should you ask that, sir?Why wouldn't they be content?

Oh, no reason. Just curious.

Riley! Get on with your work!

Now, if you've seen enough, sir,I've a lot to do today.

[Riley] Hey, Mister.

Why'd you ask that in there?

Are we content?

Well, are you?

No, we bloody well are not.

You here to make trouble for Mr Pope?

What sort of trouble could I make?

Come to the King's Head Tavern in the Market Square at 8.

-We'll find out. -Will you be there, Mr Riley?

I will. But I'm not the one you must speak to.

The Countess of Templemore.

What?

Well, they've just brought tea, so can I give you some?

How nice that would be.

Just as soon as you tell me what this means.

"If you will call this afternoonat 4, I think we might plan another visit to Bishopsgate.

Caroline Brockenhurst."

She's a good companion on a drive, as you know better than I.

You've brought her up so well.

Where did you find the letter? In her room?

Whom do you visit in Bishopsgate?

Do we visit anyone in particular?

You tell me.

My dear, something is troublingyou. I hope you'll allow meto know what it is.

Oh... I'm not troubled.

I have cause for celebration.

Did you see The Times this morning? Or The Gazette?

We don't get The Gazette and I haven't read The Times.

We've announced the engagement of Maria to John Bellasis.

-Ah. -Won't you congratulate me?

Of course. Has a date been set?

No. But I hate long engagements.

[man clears throat]

Lady Maria Grey.

Mama. You said you were going to visit Lady Stafford this afternoon.

As you can see, I changed my mind.

So I could discuss the announcement with Lady Brockenhurst.

-Don't sulk. -I'm not sulking.

I am silent because I have nothing to say.

Mrs Trenchard.

Heavens. What an afternoon this is turning out to be.

If I'd known you had people hereI'd have left you alone.

Delighted. May I present Mrs Trenchard. This is Lady Templemore.

I think we saw each other at the soirée here a while ago.

Did we? Maybe so.

We're celebrating Maria's engagement.

Yes, I saw it in The Times.

But I'll leave you now and come back another day.

No, don't. We're going.

Maria.

You go, Mama. I'd like the chance to catch up with Lady Brockenhurst.

Yes, go, Corinne, we'll send Maria back in the carriage later.

-I'd rather stay. -I wouldn't hear of it.

Jenkins, would you please escort Lady Templemore down to her carriage?

Go, Mama, please. I won't be long.

Very well.

But I leave under protest.

Don't worry, I'm not going to marry him, if that's what you're thinking.

Am I allowed to say I'm glad?

Me too, although I dread hearing from my brother and sister-in-law.

Yes, Jenkins, what is it?

The Countess of Templemore says she will wait outside in her carriage, m'lady.

For Lady Maria.

Thank you, Jenkins. Lady Maria will be down in a minute.

You'd better go, my dear, there's no point antagonising her.

If you see him, please tell him not to believewhat he reads in the newspapers.

And... give him my love.

[chatter]

How do you do? I'm Oliver Trenchard.

-William Brent. -Jacob Astley.

What is your connection to Pope?

A, er, close friend of minehas invested heavily in Pope's business.

Has he indeed?

Why do you say that, sir? Your tone makes me anxious.

Well, I expect he finds Mr Pope very charming and friendly.

As we all did.

He comes across as a nice and congenial fella.

Now I am concerned.

[Jacob] I'm afraid you're right to be so.

Your friend should withdraw his money at the first chance he gets.

But that would ruin Mr Pope if he withdrew completely.

[William] Well, find us ungenerous, which I'd do anything to avoid,

but if you are concerned for your friend's welfare...

You know he bought the mill fromthe widow of old Samuel Girton?

I do now.

Well, she's a nice woman,

but quite nervous and lonely.

I mean, we'd all but agreed a deal with her

which would have protected her for the remainder of her life.

Pope... came at night, frightened her out of her wits.

-How? -Told her tales of imminent ruin

that only he could save her from.

Until she agreed to set aside the contract with us and sell to him.

All the time threatening a defenceless old woman.

[Oliver] I see.

And there is more.

He cheats the customs men when he imports cotton.

It's undervalued when it's shipped,

and so he avoids half the tax when it's unloaded here in England.

[Jacob] I counted him among my closest friends, but he's not to be trusted.

Tell your friend to get his money out while he still can.

What's your connection to this?

I was to be a manager at the mill,

if Mr Brent and Mr Astley had it taken over.

Pope knew it, but he hired me to work as a loom instead.

Why did you take the job?

I've a wife and four bairns to feed.

Of course he was very careful to tell people he wanted to soften the blow

of my losing the other job.

You think that was not his motive?

Sorry to say it, but with Pope his kindness is all on the surface.

It was to humiliate me.

And I'd no choice but to let him.

How much of this are you prepared to write down?

We would not testify.

I'll not go back to the law for any man.

Understood. I only need to convince my friend, it won't come to court.

Well, then, we can help you with that.

You'll have the letters in the morning.

My friend will be hard to convince.

As you say, Pope is very charming.

People seem to like him.

They like him until they know him.

Mm.

Some more coffee, ma'am?

Not for me. Maybe for Mrs Oliver.

Good morning, Mother.

Your hair looks very nice.

Turton's gone to fetch you some coffee.

Won't you have some eggs?

I don't believe so.

You seem distracted, my dear.

-Just arrived for you, ma'am. -Thank you.

I'll leave you to your letter.

-But you haven't had a thing. -I'm not hungry.

I hope you enjoy your luncheon.

Who did you say you were... meeting?

Will you ask Ellis to join me in the drawing room?

[Anne] I've received a letter from Jane Croft,

Miss Sophia's maid.

It seems you have stayed in touch with her.

Yes, ma'am.

Why were you writing about Mr Pope?

Was I, ma'am?

"Miss Ellis refers to a MrCharles Pope, which concerns me.

I will be in London next Sunday and I'd like to discuss it with you,

but I don't care to write more on the subject."

I may have said the master had taken an interest in him, but that's all.

While I have you here...

why did you go to Brockenhurst House to find a fan that was never lost?

That's not quite how it was, ma'am.

You'd commented on the Countess's hair so I went to see her maid.

I don't remember saying anythingabout Lady Brockenhurst's hair.

You did, ma'am. And I wanted to please you.

-And the fan? -Well, that was a muddle of my own making.

I couldn't find it so I assumed you'd left it behind.

Why didn't you ask me?

I didn't want to bother you, and I knew I was going there anyway to talk about the hair.

Where was the fan in the end?

I'd put it in the wrong drawer.

I was that tired by the time you came home, I wasn't thinking straight.

I'm sorry you have to stay up so late when we go out.

Very well. But in future, think before you write about this family.

So the sale that Pope disrupted was with these two men.

They wanted the mill that he ended up buying.

According to them, he terrified the poor widow into making a deal.

And he cheats the customs men.

I know this is hard for you.

I'll go and see him.

Please do.

But remember what we know about him now.

I'll go and see him.

Is this Jane Croft the one you used to write to?

I write to her now. She was Miss Sophia's maid but she likes to hear news of us.

She was close to the young mistress while she lived.

Why did you mention Mr Pope?

I just said that Mr Trenchard had a new favourite.

Then Jane writes to the mistressand I'm to blame.

I suppose we should tell Mr Bellasis.

-Why? -If it's to do with Mr Pope.

You're right, but there's no hurry.

I'm collecting some books from Hatchards. I'll go then.

-No, I'll go. -No, I'll go.

I'm the one to tell him what the mistress said.

She said it to me.

Then you're the one to keep the tip.

[John] When does this Jane Croft get here?

[Miss Ellis] Tomorrow.

When she arrives, engage her in chat.

Search her things, discover what she knows about Mr Pope.

Oh.

-You recognise the names then? -Oh, yes.

How would Oliver have come across these men, do you know?

I think so. My foreman wrote to me about a mystery visitor to the mill.

He was seen later talking to a weaver called Joseph Riley.

I presume there's no truth in these allegations.

I will report back that the letters are false.

-I'll tell Oliver it's all lies.-Don't do that.

It was not quite as it appears.

But we should think about removing your money from the business.

What?! I won't take my money out.

Tell me the charges are lies and my son is an idiot.

With your permission, I'll manage it in stages

and add 10% for the nuisance I have put you through.

-I'm not aware of any nuisance. -Nevertheless.

I can see that it would not be right for you to remain an investor.

It seems there is some truth in Oliver's letters.

What?

-I'm afraid so. -But he'd never do anything wrong.

Business is a battlefield, my dear.

Most successful men have done one or two things they regret.

So you believe he is at fault?

I wish he'd felt he could deny it.

-What do you do? -I'm not sure.

We should face the fact that the truth may not be quite as we would have it.

Good afternoon, Mr Sanderson. How may I help you?

Well, I was rather hoping tospeak to your husband, Mrs Pope.

Then I'm afraid you've had a wasted journey.

The Reverend Mr Pope has beendead a year this coming Tuesday.

In fact you were lucky to find me here, I must be out soon tomake way for the next incumbent.

Oh, that's very hard.

No, he gave me 12 months to go and that was generous.

Besides, my son is carrying me up to London to live with him,

so I shall have a whole new chapter,

which is a privilege at my time of life.

Was it something I could help with?

Well, in a way it is of your son that I wish to speak.

You know my son, Mr Sanderson?

Well, I've seen his offices in the city.

You have the advantage of me.

Yes, he's doing very well.

And in the cotton trade, too.

It's so far from anything his father had expected.

But he was so proud of Charles's achievements.

Do you have any children of your own, Mrs Pope?

Oh, forgive me, I should explain.

I'm a friend of James Trenchard's, that's really how I know Charles.

-Oh, I see. -It's a wonderful thing

that Trenchard has taken such responsibility for the boy.

He's been... Well, he's been so generous.

Oh, very generous, always.

Yes.

Was he the only one watching over young Charles, or was someone else involved?

Well, a noble lady, perhaps.

What exactly is it that you want from me, sir?

[stammers]

I was just curious to meet you after all that James had said.

If that is so, why did you not know that my husband had died?

I do not think you know Charles at all.

-Mrs Pope... -And now I think of it,

I doubt Mr Trenchard has ever spoken of us to you.

I shall, however, report to him that you called on me today.

[rings bell]

I'm so sorry to have upset you.

Would you please go, sir?

[Caroline] Have you finished?

-Yes. -Good.

Then I'll summarise, for I should hate there to be any confusion between us.

Please do.

You are asking me to give you £1,000...

Fifteen hundred guineas.

It seems to be growing.

Yes, I was forgetting the interest on the debt.

Oh, well, we mustn't do that.

And in return, you'll keep silent about my friendship with Mr Pope.

Mm.

The honour of the family is important to me.

It must be.

-When can you give me the money?-Let me see.

How about... never?

-Don't be foolish, Caroline. -No, you are the fool.

If I choose to tell your brother, we can meet a lawyer tomorrow

and lock up the estate as tight as a drum.

-But it's all entailed. -Oh, is it?

So you don't care if we reveal what we know?

Whatever you may think you know,I promise you

that if you decide to spread some stupid story,

you're the one who'll look a laughing stock.

Then why will you not reveal the truth about your Mr Pope?

Because I do not choose to.

Now get out of my house before I have you thrown out.

[Susan] I saw your engagement in the paper.

My dear, you're not a child, you must have known I'd get married someday,

if only to produce an heir.

You're not very tender-hearted.

No, I'm not. Now, what else do you know about Mr Pope?

Only this. If you think Pope is Trenchard's bastard son,

why was the Countess of Brockenhurst so taken with him?

Hm.

How old would she have been when Charles was born?

-Forty-one? -[laughs] Don't be ridiculous.

It would explain everything. Including the secrecy.

She's the daughter of a duke and the sister of a duchess.

Twenty-six years ago he was a dumpy man

with a working class background and the face of a butcher.

With his looks, to get her into bed he'd have to be the Tsar of Russia.

Well, it might be unlikely... Doesn't mean it's not true.

Now hurry up, gonna be late.

[door opening and closing]

[sighs]

[James] Where were you yesterday?

I thought I might see you at the meeting in Gray's Inn Road.

What meeting? What's hogget?

Older than lamb, younger than mutton.

We were discussing the new development, didn't they tell you?

They might have done.Shall we get something to drink?

The... The Chablis to start, please. The '36.

Yes.

Did you let Mr Pope down lightly?

What do you mean?

Don't say you betrayed your own standards, Father. How sad.

I always thought you preferrednot to do business with thieves.

It's true I have not yet removed my money from his company.

What about the letters I gave you?

You said you charged Pope withthem and he didn't deny a thing.

I travel in the morning to Manchester.

I intend to meet with your Messrs Astley and Brent.

Are you implying that it was all lies?

Does that make me a liar, too?

I'm not saying you were lying,

but I want to find out the truth.

Why didn't Pope deny the charges?

Keep your voice down.

Must I ask you again?

Oliver, my boy, please do not let Charles Pope come between us.

He has come between us, hasn't he?

He's stood between us for some time.

Good day, Father.

I wish you well of Mr Pope. Let him comfort you.

For you have no son in me.

To hell with the lot of you!

[Caroline] Why did your son go to Manchester in the first place?

I'm afraid it was to find something to Charles's discredit.

And I assume he was disappointed.

Not exactly.

He met two men who accused Charles of obtaining the mill in an underhand way

and of cheating the excise men.

Don't believe a word of it.

Unfortunately,

Charles refuses to deny the charges.

So what happens next?

Mr Trenchard is leaving for Manchester tomorrow.

He has the name of a mill hand who should bring them to the accusers.

All this is because your son hates his own nephew.

Well, he doesn't know the truth.

In other words, the deceit is getting out of hand

and threatening the unity of your family, which is exactly why I've asked you here today.

I don't understand.

It's time to acknowledge him.

Does Maria Grey know about this latest development?

I'm afraid so. We saw her at church this morning and she got it out of us.

She knows that James will soon be on his way to investigate.

Was her mother with her?

She was, and heard it all.

Then she will use it to harass Maria

in an effort to force her up theaisle with my worthless nephew.

All this can be resolved if you would only allow us

to give Charles a name and a position in this family.

My dear, please think.

There is a good life waiting for Charles

if you'd only allow us to give it to him, illegitimate or not.

But...

surely we must wait for James to go north.

-If Charles is at fault... -It'll make it even more imperative

to shore up his place in societyas quickly as we can.

Nevertheless,

I insist we wait for James to make the journey.

Well, send me word when he returns.

-Will there be an announcement? -Most certainly not.

I shall privately acknowledge that Charles is Edmund's son.

And the rest will follow.

What about Sophia?

What will you say when he asks about his mother?

Might it be better not to tell him?

You mean... to wipe her out of the story altogether?

And with her, us.

I'm only thinking of her son.

He can have... He can have a rich life and a good marriage

and the best society.

Of course you'll tell me that none of these things mattered to her.

No.

No, they were important to her.

And she would have appreciatedwhat you want to do for Charles.

That's kind of you.

[door opening]

We're agreed, then.

I must talk to James first.

[Anne] Will you send me word when you've seen the men?

Of course.

And if Charles is guilty?

He's still our grandson. We musthelp him the best we can.

I have news, too.

-Happier news, I hope? -[chuckles] No.

Hard to say.

I was summoned by Lady Brockenhurst this morning after you left for the club.

What did she want?

She says that society will accept Charles as part of the Brockenhurst family if...

we will allow it.

And I suppose she'll convince him to marry Maria Grey.

He won't take much convincing. He loves her already.

And so do I.

If it comes to that.

But she will take him further out of our reach.

Then he's gone from us.

If he's acknowledged as a Bellasis,

we must fade into the background.

We owe it to Sophia to protect her name.

If we love our daughter,

we must give up our grandson.

W...

Will you still make the journey?

Oh, yes.

We must learn what happened.

After that...

we will wish him well and go on our own way.

[laughter]

I swear you look younger than when I last saw you.

No, I don't.

Mrs Trenchard won't be back for a while

but we've prepared a room.

What's this about your going to America?

My brother went years ago, and he's prospered.

Now he's built a house for himself in New York, ona street they call Fifth Avenue.

He wants me to come over and run it for him.

-As a servant? -As his sister.

He never married.

I hope you can manage the climate. I'm told the extremes

of heat and cold can be very trying to the spirit.

When do you sail?

I leave for Liverpool tomorrow and I'll board the ship on Friday.

What will you say to Mrs Trenchard?

Oh, something and nothing.

You got me into trouble by telling her I'd written about Mr Pope.

-Did I? -Hmm.

I'm ever so sorry.

So you owe me an explanation.

When I was packing, I found some letters of Miss Sophia's.

I dare say the mistress will throw them into the grate the moment I've gone,

but I couldn't destroy them myself.

It's a long way to come for that.

I had to change trains in London anyway.

Besides, I've not been in years.

I've read of the masters building a new city of the rich south of the park,

and I wanted to see it for myself.

I won't be back this way, if you know what I mean.

I should go now before the mistress gets home.

Have a good walk and stretch your legs.

I'll write down some of the names of the main streets and squares that you should visit.

What shall I do with my bag?

Oh, leave it here, I'll have the hall boy take it up to your room.

What will he give us for them?

We can't steal these.

She'd know as soon as the mistress asks to see them.

We must make copies, now, at once, before they get back.

Very well.

We must destroy all the documents.

-Sir? -Where are the originals?

In the case, where Miss Croft left them.

-It'll be in her room by now. -Fetch them.

I can't, sir, she'd know who took 'em.

And then what'd happen? That's why we made the copies.

Fetch them at once.

I will give you £1,000 to compensate you if you should lose your place.

Go!

[Jane] I found some papers that I thought you should have.

I suppose I'd call it a marriagecertificate if it weren't a lie.

It's signed by the man who pretended to be a clergyman.

He names himself Bouverie.

[Jane] Then there's a letter from him telling how the young couple

came to marry in Brussels.

She gave them to me that night,

when she got home from the ball,and told me to burn them.

But I never did.

I didn't feel they were mine to destroy.

That's for you to decide, not me.

Then you know everything.

Miss Sophia used to write to me,ma'am.

Until the end.

She wrote that the baby would betaken in by a Mr and Mrs Pope.

When Miss Ellis wrote about a Mr Charles Pope,

it brought it all back.

I knew he must be the son of Miss Sophia and Lord Bellasis.

How well did we do?

-Is Jane Croft back?-She's been back for 20 minutes.

She was only a quarter of an hour ahead of the mistress.

-The mistress is back, too? -She is. They're in the drawing room together. Why?

Mr Bellasis wants the originals.

You do not surprise me.

I made the copies, I know what's in them.

I believe Mr Bellasis has a rival to the family fortune.

Would you like to know how much he offered me?

It was a sum that neither you nor I will ever see again.

Not on this earth.

Sorry for that.

Not for the fall of Mr Bellasis.

[Anne] What are the others?

Letters from Miss Sophia, when you were up north waiting for the baby.

I didn't want to risk my dropping dead and a stranger reading them.

I kept one to remember her by, but there's nothing in it that anyone might not see.

[John] Charles Pope is Aunt Caroline's grandson.

But in the letters, the girl calls the marriage a sham.

Find out more about this parson.

Who was this Richard Bouverie?

I hope that's not a novel.

Poetry. Shelley's Adonais. An Elegy on the Death of John Keats.

How impressive.

Now, I have some good news.

Louisa Portal's written to ask you to Northumberland.

I don't want to leave London, Mama. Not at the moment.

My dear, won't you allow me to judge what is best.

Just this once.

I know you have been disappointed.

You don't know anything.

I know your Mr Pope has feet of clay.

You heard yourself he has been up to some mischief in the north.

So it is time to be sensible.

What do you want of me, Mama?

I want you to let yourself be happy.

-[scoffs] -And I want you to allow me

to get it all ready.

-Get what ready? -Why, your marriage.

And have you settled on a date?

Mrs Bellasis and I decided on a Wednesday in early December.

That way you can spend the autumn in the north

and come back relaxed and ready for a new adventure.

And John is to be my new adventure?

Marriage for a well brought up young girl is always an adventure.

The boy told me Mr Trenchard was waiting for me out here.

But you're not Mr Trenchard.

Well, that's where you're wrong.

I've met him. He was here not long since

-and you are not him. -I'm his father.

-And I have a task for you. -Go on.

When he was here, you introduced my son to a Mr Astley and Mr Brent.

-Might have done. -You did.

They wrote two letters for me to read.

He never said it was his father investing with Mr Pope.

I was interested by what they have to say and would like to meet them

to verify certain details.

Meet me here tomorrow evening, I'll take you to 'em.

-When was this delivered? -Just now, sir.

-The man said it was urgent. -And so it is, Brodsworth.

Hatchards in Piccadilly, and as quickly as you can.

Yes, sir.

Excuse me. Where can I find books about India?

Travel and Empire, sir.

I thought you'd never come.

I only got your message at 3:15,I've been running ever since.

He must have stopped on the way,the wicked man.

-You have to help me. -Of course I will.

Mama wants to send me north while she plans my marriage to John.

Don't worry, I'm here now.

She says the latest news of your double dealing has proved you unworthy of me.

-It's not true, is it? -Do you believe it is true?

You could never be dishonourable. Now that you're here, I know it.

But you doubted.

So did St Thomas. I am human, after all.

Not to me.

What was the truth behind it?

I couldn't bear to cause a quarrel

between my kind benefactor, Mr Trenchard, and his only son.

I knew it would be something of the sort.

Let's run away together.

We can't. You must know that.

-Why not? -Because I cannot be responsible for your ruin.

Still less sowith this cloud hanging over me.

How could I do that if I loved you?

If you loved me.

Because I love you.

Even this meeting is asking for trouble.

How did you get rid of your maid?

I shook her off. I'm getting rather good at it.

We should go. I've had an idea.

-Is it a good one? -I certainly hope so.

Mr Pope and Lady Maria Grey.

-Where is she? -Here.

We're very sorry to force our way into your party but we need your advice.

And it might not be advice that you're willing to give.

You may feel you have to support the other side.

Are we to take sides now? Heavens.

Come to my boudoir, my dear.

Mr Pope, you can stay here, but I must warn you that Lady Templemore is over there.

Consider me warned.

-Mr Pope. -Lady Templemore. Good afternoon.

I might have known you'd be involved.

-Involved in what? -I saw you come in together.

-So don't lie to me. -I won't.

I found her in Hatchards. She was distressed and so I brought her here.

-Maria and I-- -Lady Maria.

-Lady Maria and I-- -Mr Pope.

There is no "Lady Maria and I".

It is an absurd concept.

My daughter is a jewel, as far above you as the stars.

For your own sake, as much as for hers, forget her.

If you have a shred of honour in you.

The plan is that I will return from Northumberland and a day or two later I will be married.

Maria, I have something to tell you.

That I would rather keep secret from Charles.

It will not be for long, he will know the whole truth in the end, I promise.

Very well, if he will know it eventually.

I'm telling you now because it will alter your position.

It's possible your mama may come round.

Until then you will stay here in this house with me. We'll send for your belongings.

Mama will not be brought round.

I'd like to think that she could, but she won't.

If we are to be together, we must go away and make our own life.

-My situation is hopeless. -Maria, sit down and listen.

Charles Pope is my grandson.

Mine and Lord Brockenhurst's.

What?

[knocking at door, door opening]

[laughs] Can I offer you anything?

-Is it too early for Madeira? -Never too early for Madeira.

-Roger, two glasses of Madeira. -Very good, sir.

Please.

I saw the notice of your engagement in The Times.

-Congratulations. -Yes, I'm very lucky.

-Well, you don't sound it. -Well, I've a lot on my mind.

So, tell me, what have you got for me.

I've done a little digging into this Richard Bouverie, as you asked.

-And? -He was, in fact,

the honourable Richard Bouverie,

the younger son of Lord Tidworth.

And he was a captain in the 52nd Light Infantry

with your cousin, Lord Bellasis.

They died together at Waterloo.

Captain Bouverie retired from the army in 1802,

after the Treaty of Amiens was signed with Napoleon.

He then went on to take holy orders.

-You said he fought at Waterloo.-Well, now, this is the thing.

It seems he decided to rejoin his regiment

after Napoleon escaped from Elbain February 1815.

But was that allowed? For a member of the Church?

All I can say is that in this case it was.

Maybe strings were pulled by his father.

Anyway, he was readmitted to the army.

Must have been a brave chap.

But could he perform a marriage

once he was an officer again?

Oh, yes. He was a clergyman before the fighting started

and he was a clergyman when he died.

So you mean the wedding in Brussels

before the battle was, erm... was valid?

Absolutely. So there's nothing to worry about.

Whomever he married were definitely husband and wife.

What was the story behind the question?

Oh, it was just a relation of mine. Um...

His mother died in childbirth and his father was killed in the fighting, so he was...

Well, he was nervous about his status.

Well, then, tell him there's nothing to worry about.

He's as legal and legitimate asthe Queen's own little daughter.

[chuckles nervously]

And no one can take that from him.