"Am I ready?" "Only you can answer that, sir." "They're going to chuck everything they've got at us." "Then we shall have to chuck it back, won't we, sir?" "Quite right." "Now, there's no point in pretending that this is going to be easy." "How are you, Thompson." "Have you shaken that cold?" " I'm all right, sir, thank you." " Good man." "We're nearly there, chaps." "Just hold fast." "It won't be long now." "We're with you, sir." "I know you are, Wakefield." "I can't tell you how much lighter that makes the task." "Right, Sergeant." "Fix bayonets!" "Daisy, what's ever the matter with you?" "Someone walked over me grave." "Forward!" "I'm so sorry." "What happened?" "I don't know." "I suddenly felt terribly cold." "I won't be sorry when this one's over." "Sir!" "Milady, milady, wake up." " What on earth?" " You'd better come downstairs." "I didn't know what else to do when I saw the telegram." "I knew it was urgent, so I hope it was right." "Quite right." "Mrs Crawley won't mind my opening it." "The main thing is, he's not dead." "Not yet, anyway." "They've patched him up." "They're bringing him to the hospital in Downton." " When do they think he'll get here?" " It doesn't say." "But how do we contact Isobel?" "And how will she get back?" "One thing at a time." "I'll ring the War Office in the morning." "Maybe they know she's out there." "Perhaps she's with him now." "They wouldn't have sent a telegram here and she'd have rung." "No, it's the usual balls-up..." "Usual mess up I'm afraid." "Beg pardon, milord, but we're all very anxious to know the news." "Yes, of course." "It appears that, a few days ago, Captain Crawley was wounded." "It's serious, I'm afraid, but he's alive and on his way home to the hospital in the village." "Where there's life, there's hope." "What about William?" "Is he all right?" "I'll find out what I can tomorrow." "I'm not sure there's much more we can do tonight." "William's father would have had a telegram if anything had happened." "I'll drive over in the morning." "Whatever you discover, tell me." "Don't keep anything back." "Lady Edith's back." "William was caught in it." "He's gone to some hospital in Leeds." "I'm very sorry." "We might have known." "We couldn't be the only household left untouched." "Will he come through it?" "Her Ladyship said it sounded bad, but we don't know more than that." "Can you walk with me to the church this afternoon?" "If you want me to." "Because I'd like to say a prayer for them." "For both of them." "We only cater for officers." "Doctor Clarkson, I am no Jacobin revolutionary, nor do I seek to overthrow the civilized world." "We just need one bed for a young man from this village." "And if it were within my power, you should have it." "Sir, you don't understand." "William's father cannot afford to leave his farm and move to Leeds." "I'm very sorry, really, but this is a military hospital and it's not up to me" " to challenge the order of things." " I'll nurse him." "I'm happy to do it." "It wouldn't add to your workload." "If I were to break the rule for you, how many others do you think would come forward to plead for their sons?" "The answer is, and must be, no." "It always happens when you give these little people power." "It goes to their heads like strong drink!" "I'm sorry for him." "I am." "I don't mind Captain Crawley." "He's a better man than most of them." "And William, too." "He's not a bad lad, whatever you say." "I wish I'd not written that letter to Bates' wife telling her he's back here." " What's that got to do with it?" " What with everything else going on." "I know she'll come up here and make trouble." "Don't blame me." "It wasn't my idea." "Any news?" "Only that the doctor won't let William come to the village." "He never." "It's for officers only, he says." "And his poor father staying there with him, spending money he's not got and travelling miles to do it." "It's not right." "No, it bloody well isn't." "Well, I'm a working-class lad and so is he and I get fed up, seeing how our lot always get shafted." "I thought I'd take some things down to the hospital." "Then I can wait and sit with him when he arrives." "I've read somewhere that it's very important not to leave them alone when they're first wounded, so no sign goes unnoticed." "They can't spare a nurse to watch over every man, so that's what I can do." "Your mother's written to Lavinia." "Good." "Yes." "I'm glad someone's thought of that." "She must stay here and not be at Isobel's by herself." "What?" "Nothing." "You should've had a church wedding." "Don't be silly." "No, I mean it." "You in a white dress, me looking like a fool." "I'd rather have the right man than the right wedding." "Well, it won't be long now." "How long?" "Hard to say, but don't worry." "The decree nisi means we're safe." "The decree absolute's only a formality." "I'm just sorry it cost so much." "She could've had my shoes and the shirt off my back, if it would only make her go away for good." "She's gone now." "I suppose I could feel guilty in my happiness, knowing the troubles they're all facing back at home." "But in another way, it only makes me more grateful." "Let's pray, let's pray together." "Don't worry." "The old lady'Il sort something out now she's got the bit between her teeth." "I'm not worried." "Not in that way." "I feel sorry for William, that's all." "Well, of course you do." "We all do." "I expect you're glad, now, that you let him have his little daydream." "I'm not glad." "I feel I've led him up the garden path with all that nonsense, and I'm ashamed." "I'm so ashamed." "Oh." "Shh." "Hello." "Mrs Bates, isn't it?" "What do you want?" "Don't sound inhospitable, Mrs Patmore, when I've only ever known a welcome in this house." "Yes, yes, the Minister." "D'you..." "Well, how many Marquesses of Flintshire are there?" "Is this an instrument of communication or torture?" "What..." "Hello..." "D'you..." "Shrimpie?" "Yes, it's Aunt Violet." "Yes..." "Very well, very..." "Yes..." "And Susan?" "Yes..." "Good." "I won't beat about the bush, dear." "Whom might we know on the board of Leeds General Infirmary?" "Excuse me, it is not settled." "It wasn't settled by me that you'd come back here and take up with your floozy again." "As far as I recall, that was never settled." " How did you find out he was here?" " Wouldn't you like to know?" "What does it matter?" "Just say what you want." "Spit it out." "You thought you'd got the better of me." " But you were wrong." " I never..." "I'm going to sell my story anyway, about Lady Mary, about the Turkish gentleman," " about Miss Smith, here" " It's got nowt to do with me." "Well, that's not what I heard." "You gave your word." "I gave you the money, and you gave me your word." "Well, guess what?" "I was lying." "If I hadn't come back to Downton, back to Anna, would you have stuck to our agreement?" "Well, we'll never know now, will we?" "You're angry because I'm happy." "Maybe." "But you won't be happy long." "Can you drive me to the hospital?" "Aren't you needed here?" "I've already taken Lady Mary down." "I know." "I want to be with her when Captain Crawley arrives." "They can manage without me here for a while." "Is she still in love with him?" "I don't want to talk about it." "Why?" "Because I'm the chauffeur?" "No." "Because she's my sister." "You're good at hiding your feelings, aren't you?" "All of you." "Much better than we are." "Perhaps." "But we do have feelings, and don't make the mistake of thinking we don't." "And has Lord Flintshire's order been acted on?" "It has." "There's an ambulance waiting, although no one quite knows how you managed it." "What exactly is the matter with him?" "His body sustained too much damage." "He cannot recover." "But he looks so normal." "Appearances can be cruelly deceptive." "The force of the blast has fatally injured his lungs." "But if he's lived this long?" "Would it make any difference if he stayed here or are you just making him as comfortable as can be?" "That's it." "There's nothing more we can do for him." "So you agree with our plan?" "I don't know about you, but I'd rather die in a familiar place, surrounded by familiar faces." "There you are, Mr Mason." "Seems we have everything settled, and we'll be away before long." "He'll be forced to do better, if we can just get him back to where he knows." "I feel sure of it." " I shouldn't" " I shouldn't worry too much." "We'll know much more when he's rested." "I'm very grateful, milady." "To both of you." "Let's get him ready." "See, sometimes, we must let the blow fall by degrees." "Give him time to find the strength to face it." "Right, they're here." "May I stay to settle him in?" "Very well." "I want to help, too." "Lady Mary," "I appreciate your good intentions, but I'm concerned that Captain Crawley's condition may be very distressing for you." "Might I suggest that you hang back until the nurses have tidied him up a little?" "I'm not much good at hanging back, I'm afraid." "I won't get in your way, I promise, but I will stay." "You have volunteers, don't you?" "Well, that's what I am." "A volunteer." "All right." "Everyone to their posts." "You stand there." "Yes, this gentleman's second in." "Yes, Doctor." "Number two, Nurse Crawley here." "Yes, just here, gently, gently, gently." "Take him under his feet." "Cousin Matthew?" "Can you hear me?" "He is breathing, but he's not been conscious since we've had him." "They filled him full of morphine." "Thank you." " What does it say?" " "Probable spinal damage. "" "It could mean anything." "We'll know more in the morning." "What's this doing here?" "I gave it to him, for luck." "He was probably carrying it when he fell." "If only it had worked." "He's alive, isn't he?" "I should wash him." "This bit can be grim." "Sometimes we have to cut off the clothes they've travelled in, and there's bound to be a lot of blood." "How hot should the water be?" "Warm more than hot." "And bring some towels." "You should never have told her Bates was here." "Don't I know it?" "And she was even worse after she'd seen him than before, ranting on about a scandal that would bring the roof down on the House of Grantham." "Silly mare." "What scandal?" "I thought she'd just come up and take a bite out of Bates." "That's what it sounded like." "Then you should have asked more questions." "You know what they say, the devil is in the detail." "Well, I'm not standing by while she brings misery and ruin on milady." "You started it." "Oh, yes, you're very important, aren't you?" "Very know-it-all." "With all of us at your beck and call!" "I'm sorry if you're angry, but don't take it out on me." "You did it." "Whom is she going to sell it to?" "She didn't say." "Just that there was nothing we could do to stop her." "Mr Bates has given her every last penny to Keep her quiet, but she's tricked him and now he's got nothing left to bargain with." "Well, we both know what I must do." "But how can you ask Sir Richard for help without telling him the truth?" "I'd rather he heard it from my lips than read it over his breakfast." "Suppose he won't do anything?" "Suppose he throws you over?" "That's a risk I'll have to take." "I'll go up to London tomorrow afternoon." "It's a request that demands to be made in person." "What about Mr Matthew?" "Miss Swire will be here to keep him company." "I think I can take some time off to save my own neck." "Why don't you go home now, Mr Mason, and we'll see you tomorrow." "Are you sure you don't mind sitting up with him?" "He won't be alone." "Not for a moment, I promise." "He looks so perfect, lying there." "But he does look perfect." "Are you sure they've got it right?" "I'm afraid so." "If only I weren't." "Can you feel that?" "Mmm." "What about that?" "NO." "And that?" "Hmm?" "Nothing at all?" "Do they know any more, yet?" "They're examining him now." "So he's conscious?" "Just about." "Have they found out what happened?" "A shell landed near them." "The explosion threw Matthew against something." "Go on." "Doctor Clarkson thinks there may be trouble with his legs." "Not good news, I'm afraid." "I'd say the spinal cord has been transected, that it is permanently damaged." "You mean he won't walk again?" "If I'm right, then no, he won't." "It's a shock, of course, and you must be allowed to grieve." "But I would only say that he will, in all likelihood, regain his health." "This is not the end of his life." " Just the start of a different life." " Exactly." "Lord Grantham, I wonder if I might have a word?" "Have you got a handkerchief?" "I never seem to have one in moments of crisis." "Thank you." "You mean there can be no children?" "No anything, I'm afraid." "But isn't there a chance that might change?" "The sexual reflex is controlled at a lower level of the spine to the motor function of the legs." "Once the latter is cut off, so is the former." "Right." "Give them a moment together." "What was Clarkson saying?" "Nothing to worry you about." "My darling." "If he could only see the child." "He won't." "I've written again and again." "I've offered to bring him to any place he wants." "I wasn't going to tell you this, but he's coming on a visit this week, to see his old pals." "Help me, Mrs Hughes." "Let me come to Downton and show him the baby!" "Most certainly not." "I won't allow that." "Then ask him to meet me." "I know he'd listen to you." "I'll give you a letter." "One more can't hurt." "Make him read it in front of you." "I'll..." "I'll do no such thing." "But, please." "He'd say it was none of my business and he'd be right." "Besides, don't think I approve of what you've done, because I don't." "Haven't you ever made a mistake?" "Not on this scale, no, I have not." "Sorry to disappoint you." "So you won't do anything?" "I'm feeding you out of the house." "Quite wrongly, I might add." "I've a good mind to stop that." "Now I'm the one who's sorry." "Now, go in." "I don't know what to say." " It doesn't matter." "He's dying." "Just say nice, warm, comforting things." "Make him feel loved." "You don't have to be Shakespeare." "But..." "Here she is." "Come over here, where I can see you." "By 'eck, it were worth it, if I get to hold your hand." "Don't be daft." "I've never slept in a room as big as this." " Where are we?" " At the end of the South Gallery." "Now, take this." "Any news of Captain Crawley?" "He's doing much better." "Thanks to you." "Dad'Il be here in a bit." "Can you stay for a minute?" "I ought to go down." "It's not fair on Mrs Patmore." "She won't mind." "Because, I did want to ask you something." "Daisy, would you ever marry me now?" "And not wait for the end of the war, like we said?" "You mustn't worry about all that for the moment now, William." "You're here for rest not excitement." "That's right." "There's no need to worry about it now." "First, let's get you better." "But would you think about it?" "I must go." "They'll be sending out a search party soon." "Just rest." "It would be very unusual." "I know that." "Of course it would." "But I believe I could make it work." "And if your child were ill?" "My mother knows what she's doing." "She's brought up five of her own." " Even so..." " And they're only in the village." "I'll discuss it with Mr Carson." "There's nothing wrong with your references, but of course they are from before you were married." "I'm a good worker." "And I must earn." "Matthew" "Are you feeling a bit less groggy?" "Where's Lavinia?" "She's gone back to unpack." "How's William?" "You know he tried to save me?" "He isn't too good, I'm afraid." "Any sign of mother?" "Not yet, but I'm sure she's making her way back by now." "I've still got this funny thing with my legs." "I can't seem to move them." "Or feel them, now that I think about it." "Did Clarkson mention what that might be?" "Why don't we wait for Lavinia, and then we can all talk about it?" "Tell me." "You've not even been here for 24 hours." "Nothing will have settled down, yet." "Tell me." "He says you may have damaged your spine." "How long will it take to repair?" "We can't expect them to put timings on that sort of thing." "But he did say it would get better?" "He says the first task is to rebuild your health, and that's what we have to concentrate on." "I see." "And he says there was no reason why you should not have a perfectly full and normal life." "Just not a very mobile one." "Would you like some tea?" "I would." "Thank you for telling me." "I know I'm... blubbing, but I mean it." "I'd much rather know." "Thank you." "Blub all you like." "And then, when Lavinia's here, you can make plans." "Major, might I have a word?" "What is it?" "I have something for you." "Thank you." "I wish you would read it." "Do you know who wrote it?" "Yes, I do." "And I know how anxious she is for an answer." "With due respect, I don't believe it's any of your concern." "If you'd only..." "If you'd only see the child." "He's a lovely wee chap..." "Mrs Hughes, the last thing I'd wish to be is rude, but in this case I really must be left to my own devices." "Now, I'll say goodbye." "It's time I was making tracks." "Goodbye then, Major." "Who'd have thought it?" "The cold and careful Lady Mary Crawley." "Well, we know better now." "I'm surprised you haven't given me some extenuating circumstances." "I have none." "I was foolish and I was paid out for my folly." "And when I've saved you, if I can, do you still expect me to marry you, knowing this?" "That's not for me to say." "Of course, we both know that if we marry, people, your people, will think you've conferred a great blessing on me." "My house will welcome the finest in the land, my children will carry noble blood in their veins." "But that won't be the whole story, will it?" "Not any more." "Sir Richard, if you think it pains me to ask this favour, you'd be right." "But I have no choice if I am not to be an object of ridicule and pity." "If you wish to break off our understanding, I'll accept your decision." "After all, it's never been announced." "We may dissolve it with the minimum of discomfort." "Forgive me." "I don't mean to offend you." "I am simply paying you the compliment of being honest." "No, in many ways, if I can manage to bring it off, this will mean we come to the marriage on slightly more equal terms." "I think that pleases me." " So you'll do it?" " I'll try to do it, yes." " You must act fast." " I'll send a car for her as soon as you've left." "Please let me know what it costs." "I'll find a way to reimburse you." "Never mind that." "As my future wife, you're entitled to be in my debt." "We've a bit of a conundrum, milord." "As you may know, we're short of a housemaid." "We've had an application from a local woman, Jane Moorsum." "But she is married, and she has a child, a son." " But surely her husband should be..." " She is a widow, milord." "The late Mr Moorsum died on the Somme." "There's no other earner, so she has to look for work." "I said I would ask you." "Well, if Mrs Hughes agrees, I think we must do what we can for the widows of our defenders." "Very good, Your Lordship." "What was that?" "We're taking on a new maid." "He should have talked to me, not you." "They thought you were too busy to be bothered with it." "Well, I am busy." "And that reminds me, I can't come with you to the Townsends." "You'll have to make some excuse." "But we gave them the date." "You'll think of something." "You always said I wouldn't have to marry him when it came to it." "Daisy, he's dying." "What difference does it make?" "All the more reason." "I can't lie to him at the end." "Don't make me be false to a dying man." "What matters now is the poor lad knows some peace and some happiness before he goes." "I can't." "I don't care if you can't walk." "You must think me very feeble if you believe that would make a difference." "I know it wouldn't." "And I love you so much for saying it." "But there is something else which may not have occurred to you." "This is very difficult..." "We can never be properly married." "What?" "Of course we can be married." "Not properly." "Oh." "I see." "That's why I have to let you go." "But, that side of things, it's not important to me, I promise." "My darling, it's not important now." "But it will be, and it should be." "And I couldn't possibly be responsible for stealing away the life you ought to have." "I won't leave you." "I know you think I'm weak, and I don't know what I'm taking on." "How could you?" "For God's sake." "I'm not saying it'll be easy for either of us." "But just because a life isn't easy doesn't mean it isn't right." "I won't tight with you." "But I won't steal away your life." "Go home." "Think of me as dead." "Remember me as I was." "Mary's telephoned." "She'll be on a late train." "It gets in at 11:00." "All right." "How's William?" "It's so sad." "Edith's taking care of him, but there's nothing to be done." "We're waiting, really." "What is it?" "They shot the Tsar." "And all of his family." "How terrible." "I'm sorry." "I'll not deny it." "I never thought they'd do it." "But sometimes the future needs terrible sacrifices." "You thought that, once." "If you mean my politics, you know we've agreed to put that to one side until the war is won." "Your lot did, but Sylvia Pankhurst was all for fighting on." "Oh, don't badger me, please." "Sometimes a hard sacrifice must be made for a future that's worth having." "That's all I'm saying." "That's up to you." "You understand it would have to be exclusive?" "I couldn't have you peddling different versions of the story to my competitors?" "Of course I understand." "But I can't help it if they pick it up once you've published it." "Indeed you can't." "No more can I. But I would control the timing." "You'd have to sign a binding contract to that effect, today." "I expected that." "And I warn you, I am unforgiving when anyone breaks a contract with me." "One word out of place and you'd find yourself in court." "I expected that, too." "But I'm curious." "How did you hear about me?" "I know everything that goes on in this city." "And what's the hurry?" "I'm a newspaper man." "When I hear of something good, I have to make sure of it straight away." "I'm sorry if I rushed you." "That's all right." "You must dislike the Crawleys very much to want to subject them to trial by scandal." "My husband works for them." "We are not on good terms." "How is he?" "His father's with him now and he seems to understand the situation." "Poor man." "Daisy, William's asking to see you." "I can't go." "Don't make me go." "Do you care so little for him?" "It's not that." "I'm very fond of William, and I'm very sad." "But I've led him on and led him on and made him think things that aren't true." "But he wanted them to be true." "He was happy to think they were true." "But that doesn't make it all right." "Shall I tell him you won't come?" "Will you leave us a moment, Dad?" "There's no need to make him leave." "There is a need." "Come here." "You know I'm dying?" " You don't..." " I'm dying, Daisy." "I'm not going to make it, and I don't have long." "That's why you've got to marry me." " What?" " No, listen." "You'll be my widow." "A war widow with a pension and rights." "You'll be looked after." "It won't be much, but I'll know you've got something to fall back on." "Let me do that for you, please." "I can't." "It would be dishonest." "Almost like cheating." "But it's not cheating." "We love each other, don't we?" "We'd have married if I'd got through it, and spent our whole lives together." "Where's the dishonesty in that?" "He's asked you, hasn't he?" "I knew he would." "You'll do it, won't you?" "I don't think he should be bothering about it now." "What else should he be bothered with?" "You're the most important thing on earth to him, Daisy." "You wouldn't disappoint him, would you?" "Suppose the vicar won't do it?" "He may want to wait 'til William's well enough to go to church." "But that time's not coming, is it?" "Lavinia?" "You're back." "How did you get on?" "All right, I think." "How about you?" "Matthew's told me to go home." "He says he won't see me again." "He feels he has to "set me free," as he put it." "I've tried to tell him I don't care, but he won't listen." "Then you must keep telling him." "Yes, but you see, it isn't just not walking..." "Today he told me we could never be lovers because all that's gone as well." "I didn't realise." "It's probably obvious to anyone with a brain, but I didn't realise." "No." "No, nor did I." "And he feels it would be a crime to tie me down, to tie down any woman to the life of a childless nun." "He thinks I'd hate him in the end." "I'm sorry if I've shocked you." "But there's no one else I could talk to about it, and when you came in, I..." "I'm not shocked." "I'm just stunned." "And desperately sad." "I'll die if I can't be with him." "Good God almighty!" ""The engagement is announced between Lady Mary Josephine Crawley," ""eldest daughter of the Earl and Countess of Grantham, and Sir Richard Carlisle," ""son of Mr and the late Mrs Mark Carlisle of Morningside, Edinburgh. "" "Is this why you went to see him?" "Why didn't you say it'd be in today's paper?" "I didn't know." "Well, surely he asked your permission?" "I don't think asking permission is his strongest suit." "That's very high-handed." "You can't let him get away with it." "Well, it's done now." "What is it?" "William's wedding, milord." "If it can be arranged for this afternoon, the indoor staff would like to attend." "We don't yet know if Mr Travis will agree to do it." "I'm afraid he has very little time to make up his mind." "This boy is in extremis." "How can we know that these are his true wishes?" "Maybe the kitchen maid somehow hopes to catch at an advantage?" "And what advantage would that be?" "Some widow's dole given by a grateful nation?" "Mr Travis, can I remind you," "William Mason has served our family well." "At the last he saved the life, if not the health, of my son's heir." "Now, he wishes, before he dies, to marry his sweetheart." " Yes, but" " You cannot imagine that we would allow you to prevent this happening," " in case his widow claimed her dole." " No, but..." "I have had an interest in this boy." "I tried and failed to save him from conscription, but I will certainly attend his wedding." " Is that an argument in its favour?" " Of course, but" "Finally, I would point out, your living is in Lord Grantham's gift, your house is on Lord Grantham's land, and the very flowers in your church are from Lord Grantham's garden." "I hope it is not vulgar in me to suggest that you find some way to overcome your scruples." "But you can't have expected much more." "Not when those letters all went unanswered." "I don't know what I expected, but you can't help hoping." "Have you found any work?" "A bit of scrubbing." "There aren't many places I can take the baby." "What do you tell them?" "That my husband died at the front." "It's funny." "We have a new maid, Jane, who really is a war widow, with a child, and we respect her for it." "But then, we believe her story." " Mrs Bates, I really must insist..." " You tricked me!" "Well?" "Aren't you going to deny it?" "Certainly not." "I tricked you to protect my fiancée's good name." "That's one word for her." "I can think of a few others." "You'd better not speak them aloud if you know what's good for you." "I don't want your money." "I don't want that contract." "It's too late for that." "And I warn you, if I so much as read her name in anything but the court circular," "I shall hound you and ruin you and have you locked up." "Is that clear?" "It doesn't end here, you know." "Not for John Bates." "Lady Mary might have got away, what do I care?" "But he won't." "You tell him." "That's entirely your own affair." "Where do we start?" "You tell me." "Oh, Your Lordship, I do apologise." "I thought Mrs Hughes said we were to clean in here." "You must be the new maid." "I am." "Jane." "And it's very kind of you and Her Ladyship to take me on." "Not a bit." "We all owe your late husband a great debt." "Thank you." "Milord, there's a telephone call for..." "Jane?" "Whatever are you doing?" "You're wanted in the drawing room, not the library." "To clean it while the men are out of it." "She's very willing, but she's not quite there yet." "I am sorry." "Oh, don't be." "What about that call?" "For Lady Mary." "They're waiting now." "You might just catch her if you hurry- She's on her way to the hospital." "His Lordship asked Mr Bassett to bring these in for you." "Ah, how lovely." "Here, Daisy, sit down" "I shouldn't be doing this." "It's just a lie." "You know it is." "You're doing it out of the goodness of your heart." "The falseness of my heart, more like." "She's not quite the blooming bride." "I don't think it's the same when you're marrying a corpse." " Are you going?" " Why not?" "I wouldn't mind shaking William's hand before he goes." "Is that sentiment or superstition, in case he haunts you?" "You look lovely, dear." "Just to say the vicar is ready for us." "Let's go up, then." "Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God and to the face of this congregation, to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony, which is an honourable estate instituted by God which in the time of man's innocency," "signifying unto us the mystical union..." "If any man can show any just cause why they may not lawfully be joined together, let them now speak or else hereafter forever hold his peace..." "Have you the ring?" "I have a cold." "You may now kiss the bride." "She's better off in London." "If you say so." "Do you know why I sent her away?" "I think so." "Then you'll know I couldn't marry her." "Not now." "I couldn't marry any woman." "And if they should just want to be with you?" "On any terms?" "No one sane would want to be with me as I am now." "Including me." "Oh, God, I think I'm going to be sick." "It's all right." "It's perfectly all right." "What is it?" "I was just thinking." "It seems such a short time ago since I turned you down." "And now look at me." "An impotent cripple, stinking of sick." "What a reversal." "You have to admit it's quite funny." "All I'll admit is that you're here and you've survived the war." "That's enough for now." "You're back." "He'll be so pleased." "You've become quite a nurse since I last saw you." "Oh, no." "It's nothing." "Sybil's the nurse in this family." "It is the very opposite of nothing." "Mother." "Bates, what's happened?" "How's William?" "He's nearly there, milady." "I am so sorry." "Actually, Bates, I'm glad I've caught you." "Sir Richard Carlisle telephoned me earlier." "He says he's paid Mrs Bates for her story." "She cannot speak of it now without risking prison." "She won't do that." "So I hope we can all forget it." "It's forgotten already, milady." "Thank you." "I'm afraid she was very angry when she knew she had been silenced." "I can imagine." "He says she made threats against you." ""If I go down, I'll take him with me. " That sort of thing." "I'm sure she didn't mean it." "Are you, milady?" "Well, you'd know better than I." "Lady Mary's back." "I've just seen her." "She says it's worked." "Sir Richard has put a gag on Vera." "Thank God." "So everything in our garden is rosy again?" "I hope so." "I certainly hope so." "You must be so tired, my lamb." "Why not let me take over for a while, and go and lie down?" "No, thank you, Mrs Patmore." "I'll stay with him." "I won't leave him now." "Not while he needs me." "He doesn't need you no more, Daisy." "He doesn't need none of us no more."