"Good day, Doctor." "Good day." "Now here's a thing." "What is it?" "A letter from Sir Louis Scatcherd's London man of business." "What does he want?" "Sir Louis plans another visit to Boxall Hill." "Apparently, he wants to take a look at Greshamsbury." "He cannot do anything without your permission, surely?" "Not yet." "But his 30th birthday is in a matter of weeks, and he already owns the house and much of the estate." "So he'll force them to sell up?" "Or buy out their interest, which he could do between luncheon and tea, and not notice the difference." "You cannot refuse to receive him." "No." "He must come here." "I will write and invite him." "It will give me a chance to put the case on the Greshams' behalf." "You'd better warn the Squire." "Will you walk up this afternoon?" "I wonder." "I haven't been there since you were banned." "Good day, doctor." "Thank you." "Dr Thorne." "Dr Thorne." "Won't you come in?" "I hesitate because I shouldn't like to give the impression all is forgiven and forgotten." "For me, there is nothing to forgive." "We couldn't say the same of your wife." "Then why are you here?" "Sir Louis Scatcherd is on his way back to Greshamsbury." "He wants to look at the house and the estate." "Does he?" "With a view to what?" "He may have a design to live here." "And you cannot stop him?" "Not for long." "It's his thirtieth birthday in two months' time." "So we've come to the end at last." "I just wonder if there isn't a chance of appealing to his better nature." "Does he have one?" "Well, who knows?" "I have some sympathy for him." "I do not think being the son of the great Sir Roger Scatcherd was the easiest start on earth." "I may yet be able to win him round." "So I've invited him to stay with me in Greshamsbury." "We're clutching at straws, Thorne." "But I suppose you had better bring him up for dinner." "You mean I should accompany him?" "Of course." "I doubt it is "Of course" for Lady Arabella." "She would not be happy to think I was standing here now." "Why would he want this house when he's got that great Gothic pile?" "I think he has a notion that Greshamsbury Park is a more gentlemanly place than Boxall Hill, and he is a great gentleman, is Sir Louis Scatcherd." "Who are those for?" "Frank!" "Why are you in Greshamsbury?" "Are you sorry to see me?" "I never could be." "But your exams are less than a month away." "You should be working harder than ever." "Don't worry." "I'm only here for the dinner tonight." "My father wants me to greet Sir Louis Scatcherd." "I'm glad the doctor will be present." "I hope he will be." "It's not quite decided." "Beatrice asked for you to join us." "But it may be safer to focus on Sir Louis for now, and you and Mama another night." "I heartily agree." "Here you are, Mrs Thompson." "Ooh!" "Don't worry about the plates." "I'll be back to get them." "Thank you very much." "I have a note for your uncle." "And with one inside of it for Sir Louis from Mama." "That's very sensible." "Here you are, Mr Barnes." "I'll be back for the plates tomorrow." "Thank you very much." "Are there any wedding plans yet?" "Yes, and they're all secret." "Even the date?" "We'll choose a day not long after you take your exams." "My uncle will talk to Lady Arabella." "If it were up to me, we'd elope to Gretna Green." "It'd be much less trouble." "That's why we won't leave it up to you." "Oh, look." "Your guest has arrived." "I'd better go." "If people knew the sacrifices I have been called upon to make, there would be a new Gospel dedicated to my sufferings." "Still, if Sir Louis can feel himself befriended by the Gresham family, it would only do good." "Mr Gazebee has been inspiring us for our efforts at dinner." "He seems very convinced of Sir Louis's dominion over us." "He seems very convinced Then I'm afraid he is quite right." "And there's the gong." "Time to prepare for battle." "What can he be doing up there?" "Dressing, I suppose." "He's been doing it since he got here." "Perhaps he's gone to sleep." "Maybe you should go up and wake him." "If you wish." "I'll take the letter." "Thorne!" "There you are, Thorne." "I'm just on my way down." "I was only coming up to see you have everything you want." "Here's a message from Lady Arabella Gresham." "She repeats her invitation for tonight." "I am going." "Even if they can't pay me the money they owe me." "Are you invited to dinner tonight, too?" "I am." "I hadn't meant to accept, but I've decided I should." "Now, where's Miss Thorne?" "In the drawing room." "I'm looking forward to greeting her." "Ah, Miss Thorne." "Je suis enchante." "Where is my uncle?" "He's gone up to change." "He's going with you, then?" "Mmm." "I'm glad." "I wonder if I might take advantage of his absence?" "You see, I have thought about you while I've been in London." "I've thought about you a good deal." "We've thought about you." "I wonder if you might reconsider?" "It wouldn't be the first time a lady changed her mind." "Sir Louis..." "I've offered you a great position, Miss Thorne." "I know it, and I am honoured, Sir Louis, but... you see, things are..." "Right." "Are you ready?" "The fly's at the door." "I'm pleased you're going, Uncle." "I know you'll both enjoy it." "I'm sure I will." "It's time I saw the place, if I'm to live there." "Oh, Sir Louis, I pray you won't be hasty." "Of course, you would say that, when you so favour Mr Frank Gresham." "I love them all." "And I think you will love them, too, as you get to know them." "Is that what you think, Doctor?" "It is what I hope." "Well, well." "We'll find out by the end of tonight, won't we?" "Sir Louis Scatcherd and Doctor Thorne." "Dear God, it is worse than I thought." "Thorne, you're the best fellow breathing." "I have hardly deserved this." "Thank you." "Don't hurry your hellos to the doctor, Mr Gresham." "I am only a baronet, after all." "We are honoured to have you here this evening, Sir Louis." "I was curious." "We have never met before, but I've often read your name in my accounts." "Good evening, Lady Arabella." "I hope I find you well?" "Not really." "Allow me to introduce my..." "Good evening, my lady." "How do you do?" "Tolerably well, thank you, Sir Louis." "I should have paid a call on you sooner, but I have been in London." "Ah." "Was your ladyship in London this season?" "No." "Not this year." "Circumstances have kept us at home." "I am very sorry." "To be short of funds must be so distressing for a person like your ladyship." "Let's hope things are mending for both our sakes." "Do you hunt, Sir Louis?" "Depends what I'm hunting for." "I gather you and your sister are both unmarried, Miss Gresham?" "Well, my sister is engaged to Mr Oriel, but I suppose I am." "I can see I'll have to watch out." "Watch out for what?" "An unmarried girl in pursuit of a rich baronet." "We've needed you, Sir Louis, to shake us up in our country ways." "I think I saw your ladyship today, in the village, taking a ride." "I never ride." "In your one-horse carriage, I mean." "I was delighted with the way you whipped him up round the corner." "Good-looking country round here." "Yes, very." "I hardly know which I like best - this, or my own place at Boxall Hill." "You have the advantage here in trees." "But, as to the house, you'd hardly know the place now, Lady Arabella, if you haven't seen it since my Guv'nor bought it." "How much do you think he spent?" "Guess, my lady." "I never guess." "I'll tell you, because I like to be precise." "It cost £22,419, four shillings and eight pence." "It's a tidy sum." "Eh, my lady?" "Isn't it a tidy sum?" "Lady Arabella?" "It certainly is." "A tidy sum." "You know, you parsons have the luck." "You get the beauty and the money, too." "Though not too much of the latter in this case." "Poor Mr Gresham." "He's been a fool." "He's muddled his matters most uncommonly." "What do you think he owes me?" "Well, have a guess." "Give me a sum." "I must go." "The Parson seems a bit peaky." "Maybe he's not too sure about marrying your sister." "But he's got his own money, hasn't he?" "If she's short of a bob or two, he has more than his bare living." "Yes, Sir Louis." "Enough to survive the Radicals when they shut the Church down." "No land, though." "I suppose?" "There's nothing like land." "Is there, Squire?" "Nothing like dirty acres." "While I've got your ear, Squire, don't let's get too bogged down in lawyers, like Mr Gazebee, here." "I beg your pardon?" "No, I only mean we're all totted now." "Squire, I have you down in my books for near on £100,000 and I..." "Will you hold your tongue, sir!" "Hold my tongue?" "Don't tell me to hold my tongue!" "I'm not the fool you think me, Doctor." "Or you, Mr Gresham!" "I know what I'm owed and I know when I can call it in!" "Down to the last penny!" "Perhaps we should join the ladies." "No." "He cannot join the ladies, not in this state." "The rest of you go." "I will wait for the fly and take Sir Louis home." "Always happy to see the ladies." "Please apologise to Lady Arabella." "What for?" "What's the matter with her?" "I think I'll go through." "No, sir!" "You will stay here." "By what right do you speak to me in such a tone?" "Mr Gresham, please go to the others." "I knew what he was and I'm heartily ashamed for bringing him here." "Thorne, we will wait for the fly together." "And don't worry." "I've seen a tipsy man before tonight." "You should get started." "The train will be in at three o'clock." "Take Beatrice with you." "How can Aunt De Courcy help?" "Frank's mind is made up." "He won't be talked out of her now." "I agree with you." "There is no further point in talking to Frank." "Then why is she coming?" "Mayn't I entertain my sister-in-law?" "Lady De Courcy is full of ideas." "Isn't she just?" "And doesn't she like to share them?" "Perhaps we ought to set her on Sir Louis." "Hmm!" "Don't speak that man's name in my presence." "Where is he now?" "Boxall Hill." "Beatrice says he never went back to London after that frightful dinner." "How does she know?" "after that frightful dinner." "Mary Thorne told her." "There's another name I had rather not hear spoken." "Honestly, Mama, what with the Thornes and all the Scatcherds, we shall have to talk in a dumb show if you keep this up." "Have you ordered the carriage?" "I am glad to see you, aunt, but I don't see quite what you can do." "I may be useful." "You never know." "What about you, Alexandrina?" "Are you going to be useful, too?" "My cousin is making a mistake, but I have not much to add to it." "When is Frank coming back from Cambridge?" "Later today." "He's finished there." "Now I understand the urgency." "Can you explain what you mean?" "All in good time." "Ah, here we are." "I don't know what to say to him." "He's in such a rage against the Greshams." "Master Frank, in particular." "He rants and raves and drinks worse than ever." "I'm sorry to hear it." "He can harm the Greshams if he's a mind to." "I fear he has." "He's instructed that scoundrel, Winterbones, to sue Mr Gresham for the money." "And it's to begin the day after his birthday." "Do we know the cause of his fervour to be rid of us, when he has no need of the money?" "That's where I feel some responsibility." "I encouraged Mary to stay at Boxall Hill when she had been dismissed from this house." "I fear it allowed Sir Louis to... ..to fall in love with her." "He is quite as passionate in his desire to make her his wife as Lady Arabella was to be rid of her." "as Lady Arabella was Then the fault is shared." "We were the ones who made the village uncomfortable for poor Mary." "And now we are to have our just deserts." "How he must hate us." "Certainly, his anger against Frank is very great." "What's this?" "Ah, my boy." "You arrive at a melancholy hour." "It would seem that, on the day of Sir Louis Scatcherd's birthday, he will call in the debt." "But what has that to do with me?" "If he wants his money back, what am I to do with that?" "It is not quite so simple." "He is in love with my niece." "I cannot blame him." "He thought his offer would be irresistible." "And now the chance to render his rival penniless and landless is equally compelling." "I see." "Then clearly I must call on Sir Louis Scatcherd." "I don't believe there'd be anything to gain." "Why, Doctor?" "You say yourself he is in love with Mary." "If any man living can understand that, it is me." "If you insist, I will go with you." "But I do not share your optimism." "I hear Frank and Mary are to marry at once?" "So Frank says." "He's quite set on it." "Has Lady Arabella begun to accept the situation?" "No." "She must have come round at last." "You don't know my mother." "They cannot change their minds now." "She cannot hope they will." "She'll hope they will until they leave the church." "Is there no-one who might convert Lady Arabella?" "Not Mr Gresham?" "Papa is the very last man who could convince her of anything." "Mr Gazebee has a way with Mama." "Really?" "Oh, yes." "Mr Gazebee's quite marvellous with managing her." "He's blessed with such tact." "So everything in the garden is rosy." "The Countess de Courcy and the Lady Arabella Gresham." "Is your uncle not at home, child?" "He sent a message." "He has gone to Boxall Hill." "It is just as well, since it is to you we wish to speak." "You know how fond we are of you." "Mary, can we not put an end to this ill-feeling?" "It all depends on one thing, you know, and one thing only." "Miss Thorne, do you consider yourself engaged to my nephew?" "Yes." "I do." "Let me ask you this:" "do you seriously imagine you and he can ever be husband and wife?" "Yes." "So you are set on holding poor Frank to a word casually given but now as binding as hoops of steel?" "And this family must lose its home and position, and Frank is to forfeit the future he has been brought up to enjoy." "And I suppose you dare call that..." "love?" "We both know Frank thinks he is honour bound to throw away his future." "Only you can give him back what his life might have been, by withdrawing from the field." "You know what I say is true." "Is the woman who prevents a man from ruining himself the one who truly loves him?" "Or the woman who holds onto him through thick and thin, cost what it may?" "How dare you come here without an invitation!" "I invited them, Louis." "At least, I am always pleased to see them both." "It's my fault." "I wanted to come." "Why?" "Because I cannot bear to be the cause of my family's ruin." "You are not the cause." "Your father's debts are the cause." "You would not treat him with such harsh measures were it not..." "Say it." "Master Frank is only trying to..." "Say it!" "He thinks your decision may have something to do with the fact that he is marrying my niece." "Why shouldn't he marry your niece?" "Or any other girl who's not afraid of life with a beggar?" "I don't see why we must fall out." "Do you not?" "When she takes the nothing that you offer her over the everything that I laid at her feet?" "Miss Thorne appreciated the care you took of her, Louis." "Silence!" "You unnatural woman, who prefers this wolf cub over your own child!" "Indeed, I do not!" "And you, Doctor Thorne, my guardian, who was so very anxious to guide me, but who couldn't control the sneer on your face when I told you my plans." "I didn't sneer." "I did not think you would suit each other." "Not suit?" "To take the niece of a country doctor and make her the equal of any lady in the county?" "Not suit!" "I'm sure Mary was very conscious of the honour you paid her." "Oh, was she?" "But she and I, we've grown up together." "We've known each other since we were children." "Well, you've not known me." "Not any of you!" "There's no Gresham or Thorne who would call themselves a friend of Louis Scatcherd!" "Sir Louis, there is no man living who understands more clearly the pain you're feeling." "No." "No, no." "No pity!" "I forbid it!" "I will not let you pity me!" "I will not!" "Joe, fetch my horse!" "Right you are, sir." "Joe, come back!" "You're in no state to walk, still less to ride!" "I warned you not to stop me!" "Now look what you've made me do!" "Oh, my Louis!" "I'll find her and get a proper answer!" "Argh!" "Mama is back from her errand with Aunt De Courcy." "But they are very tight-lipped about it." "I don't at all know why we were sent for." "I thought the question of Frank and Miss Thorne was settled." "I cannot help you." "Mama has been most mysterious." "No doubt we'll find out soon enough." "I might as well just say it." "Mr Gazebee has asked me to marry him." "What?" "He came to me yesterday evening, before dinner." "He told me he felt the warmest love, the most profound admiration, and the deepest respect." "Did he?" "Indeed?" "He was quite honest." "He owned that his ambition was to ally himself with a family above his own rank, as a way of advancing himself." "He wishes to enter Parliament." "Does he?" "I never thought Mr Gazebee was in need of a wife." "I never thought that before this moment." "I think we should be happy." "And were he to enter Parliament, there'd be no end of things for me to do." "Interesting things, worthy things." "It would be a full life." "I'm sure it would." "Although I would not have thought the wife of a politician, condemned to watch him scramble up the greasy pole, much to be envied." "So you do not approve?" "Augusta, think." "Do you honestly believe Papa would receive an estate agent as a nephew?" "Lord De Courcy has always been very kind to me." "And he is fond of you." "But there are limits for a man used to the etiquette of the Court." "You mean because Mr Gazebee works for his living?" "You say he's an honourable man, and so he is." "But so is Mr Scraggs, the butcher, or the man who cleans the billiard room." "They're clearly not dishonourable." "Does that mean they are fit to dine at the high table?" "So I must refuse him?" "My dear," "I did not agree with Mr Moffatt, but he at least possessed a large fortune." "What have we here?" "I know what I must do." "Thank you, Alexandrina." "Take a horse from the stables, ride to my house, and tell Mary what has happened." "I'll bring Lady Scatcherd home with me in the carriage." "Will she want to leave Sir Louis?" "He will not be Sir Louis then, but only a shell of what he once was." "You think there's no hope?" "There's none whatsoever." "His lung was punctured in the fall." "His struggle will soon be over." "A sad death to end a sad life." "I wonder if his words were true and I failed in my duty towards him." "You did your best." "Sir Louis Scatcherd was damaged beyond repair before you laid eyes on him." "Even so, I should have done more." "I could have done more." "Doctor!" "Come quickly!" "GO." "Tell Mary everything." "Dr Thorne!" "Rest, Sir Louis, I beg you." "Will you do something for me?" "I will do anything you ask." "Only this." "Please tell Miss Thorne that I hope I did not offend her." "She thought me a buffoon." "I'm sure she did not." "No, she did." "She did." "But tell her..." "I didn't mean to be offensive." "If I misjudged, it was not deliberate." "Please don't talk any more." "Save your strength." "But for what?" "Dr Thorne?" "For what?" "Come and sit by the fire." "Mary will have your room done in no time." "How proud you must be of her." "I am, Lady Scatcherd." "Before you go up," "I want to take advantage of her absence to talk about something which may be painful." "I am in so much pain now, a little more will make no difference." "Very well." "I hope you can forgive me." "But do you know the next heir to Sir Roger's fortune?" "No." "Sir Roger never told me." "You know his sister Anne had a daughter before she left England?" "You know his sister Anne had Of course I knew." "She wanted me to have her." "But that was before I went to nurse Master Frank." "And I was struggling to feed myself and Louis." "Do you know what happened to the baby?" "Do you know what happened She died." "So Anne told Sir Roger." "Huh." "How did you get this?" "I knitted this shawl." "I gave the medal to Anne's child for luck." ""I, Anne Scatcherd, give my baby daughter, Mary, into the charge of her late father's brother," "Doctor Thomas Thorne of Greshamsbury."" "But that was..." "Me." "I am the man that gave the child shelter." "Sir Roger and Sir Louis's heiress is Mary Thorne." "Mary?" "Oh, but did Sir Roger know it?" "Yes." "He knew she was his niece and he gave her his blessing." "Then I think I can bear the pain." "Janet, where is my uncle?" "Please, let's say no more." "Dear Lady Scatcherd, I'm so happy to see you here." "Everything's ready if you'd like to go upstairs." "Janet will take you, and I'll be in to say good night." "Thank you, my dear." "Thank you." "If you'd like to come this way, Lady Scatcherd." "Was it very terrible?" "It was pitiable." "It was more pitiable than you could know." "I bore him no ill will." "May he rest in peace." "And now we must do everything we can for his mother." "Mmm." "Uncle..." "I had two visitors while you were away." "From Lady Arabella Gresham and Lady De Courcy." "The Countess De Courcy in this house?" "Heavens." "I have decided to give Frank up." "What?" "Please don't argue with me." "I was persuaded I was being selfish in holding onto him." "My dear," "Lady Arabella and Lady De Courcy are a pair of snobbish, selfish old crones." "That may be true." "But that does not make everything they say untrue." "When will you tell him?" "I told him this afternoon." "When you sent him with news of Sir Louis." "How did he take it?" "He refused to accept it." "But that will pass." "And he will be free to do his duty." "I doubt that." "I won't change." "I think you will." "Come on." "We'll take a new look at things tomorrow." "So Sir Louis is dead and we are cast adrift again." "But I pity him." "That is not my only reason for coming here this morning." "Lady Arabella and her sister-in-law paid a call on Mary yesterday." "Oh, dear." "Before I tell you the substance of their conversation..." "It is not hard to guess." "Maybe not, but will you answer me one thing?" "What is your real objection to the union of Frank and Mary?" "Simple." "What would they live on?" "So, if that difficulty were got over, you would not refuse your consent because of Mary's birth?" "I do not believe I am entitled to refuse my consent, anyway." "But if you are asking, then no." "You did not, after all, object to Miss Dunstable." "There is no point in pretending money does not wash away many sins." "Well, then I am happy to tell you that Mary's sins are washed quite clean." "What?" "The £100,000 owing on the Greshamsbury estate..." "Don't remind me." "..belongs to Mary Thorne." "So does Boxall Hill, and much, much else besides." "I would say that her fortune is approaching half a million pounds." "I don't understand what you're telling me." "Mary is now in possession of Sir Roger Scatcherd's money?" "She is." "Her mother was Sir Roger's sister." "You must tell Lady Arabella." "Say I have sent you in to treat her." "And then tell her the news." "I will." "This is very surprising." "Mr Gresham asked me to look in and see how you are." "Please do not trouble yourself." "I am sure you have more than enough to concern yourself with." "Lady Arabella is very tired." "I spoke to Mary before I came out." "Oh, yes?" "She has taken your advice and given Frank up." "She has?" "Really?" "Then, Doctor Thorne, we have no further need to quarrel." "Thank you for this news." "Thank you." "What a sensible girl." "She is a credit to you." "I confess I'm sad they're not to marry." "Maybe." "But Mary's good sense has taken her to the right decision." "No, I am sad because... ..I should have liked Greshamsbury to be saved." "I do not understand you." "Ha, ha, ha!" "Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!" "Hee, hee, br..." "Ha, ha!" "To me?" "To you." "Anne Scatcherd was your mother." "You are Sir Roger's niece and Sir Louis's first cousin." "But do you mean Boxall Hill is mine?" "Boxall Hill and Greshamsbury and plenty more besides." "Plenty." "Does Frank know?" "I have told the squire and Lady Arabella." "So he will know by now." "A carriage has arrived, Doctor." "That's sooner than I was expecting." "I suppose Lady Arabella is eager to make amends." "How shall I face her?" "You don't have to see her at all." "Oh, yes, I do." "Hmm." "Good afternoon." "She's in the library with Dr Thorne." "Mary." "Dear, dear Mary." "How do you do, Lady Arabella." "My daughter, my child." "My Frank's own bride." "Can you forgive me my anxiety over my son?" "Lady Arabella..." "I know how it is." "You judge me that I fought like a tigress protecting her cubs." "But would you not fight to defend your child from the storm?" "Very possibly." "Shall I rend my garments and throw myself down into the dust, to show you my remorse?" "Mama, if you would stop your gushing for a moment," "I believe Mary is entitled to a word on the subject." "But I wish to make..." "Hush, my dear." "Frank is quite right." "Mary, we have behaved very badly towards you in the past, and there is no need for you to pretend otherwise." "That is all over now." "I will not criticise a mother for loving her son." "But I hope you will not criticise me for loving him, too." "Of course, now that we are no longer engaged..." "What?" "We broke it off after you begged me to do so." "Oh, no!" "That was before." "Frank, what are you thinking of?" "I order you to marry this charming girl!" "You order me to marry Mary, Mama?" "As I always would have, if only circumstances had been different, which they now so happily are." "Quiet, Bell, you have got off lightly." "Let us leave Mary and Frank to settle things between them." "I'll see you out." "But I..." "Sh!" "I don't understand." "Are they not to marry?" "I do wish you would explain..." "Will you follow your mother's orders?" "Very willingly." "If you'll allow it." "I had intended to go away... ..to help you forget me." "That would never have worked." "I should have pursued you to the ends of the earth." "But now I won't have to." "No." "Now you won't have to." "That was an excellent wedding breakfast, Lady Arabella." "We wanted to do things properly on this happiest of days." "And so you did." "How lovely Mary looks." "A vision of youth and beauty." "Oh, thank you." "Frank, we expect to see you both at Courcy Castle the moment you come back from your wedding journey." "We shall be there, Uncle." "And they have a wedding of their own to celebrate." "Who's getting married?" "You, Porlock?" "No." "Alexandrina." "She is to marry Mr Gazebee in December." "I hope you don't regret your chance to enter on the arm of the groom." "Certainly not, Doctor Thorne." "I am happy where I am." "When will you return to America?" "You think I should be done with my husband hunting, then?" "Is it hunting or drag hunting?" "What do you mean?" "With you as the lure," "I sense plenty of excitement in the chase, but no chance of a kill at the end of it." "While you prefer to catch your quarry, Doctor Thorne?" "I prefer a proper resolution, Miss Dunstable, yes." "I hope you won't hold that against me." "On the contrary, Doctor Thorne." "Quite on the contrary." "Oooh!" "Here's a happy ending for you, Doctor Thorne." "Any number of happy endings." "Just as you like." "And I'm glad of it." "Now, what do you say we take a turn around the floor ourselves," "Miss Dunstable?" "I should be delighted, Doctor Thorne."