"Ooh, Denise is in love!" "I fear we will all fall in love, Sam." "It's not for me to say what you see, sir, but I see pastry." "I see gravy." "Sam, these birds have come a long way." "At great expense." "So we must treasure them." "What I thought was, we'll price them so that we sell very few." "Moray, whenever I think I know you, I find myself chasing shadows." "If they are too cheap they will be as common as finches, sold on every street corner." "The idea is, we draw customers in simply to admire them." "What do you think?" "I say these lovelies should have their own counter, to begin with." "What a splash they will make." "The birds are to have their own counter." "Do you think it would be foolish of me to ask to be the lovebird assistant?" "Not foolish, Denise." "Marvellous." "When you have sold all of the birds you can take on glassware, then menswear, then underwear and over-wear and in-wear and out-wear." "Pauline, has something upset you?" "Oh, perhaps." "Who was it who helped you when you first arrived here wearing your dirty shoes?" "Now who is selling precious birds and who is selling buttons?" "You want to have the birds?" "Then you ought to speak to Mr Moray." "I would have to speak to Mr Moray but whenever I do that my tongue gets tied." "Then you'll have to content yourself with buttons." "Oh, you're right." "I will speak to him." "There he is now." "I must think what I am to say first." "Does he look different to you?" "I think he only appears different in your eyes." "Perhaps now that Katherine Glendenning is no longer to marry him you imagine you can catch him." "I could never think such a thing." "Do you imagine you can do to the rest of us what you've done to Burroughs?" "It'll take more than money to root me out." "Yes, that is true." "We should place the birds so they are visible as soon as the customers are walking through the door." "Yes." "Perhaps." "We could hang some cages from the ceiling, so they are looking down on us?" "Moray, are you going to tell me what is troubling you?" "Is it Burroughs?" "It is Katherine." "There is some kind of reconciliation, though I fear we play out the same cat and mouse game." "Then I suggest you put a stop to it." "You can, you know." "Settle down." "Katherine had every opportunity to accept Peter Adler's overtures." "But she didn't." "I wonder why!" "Moray, the woman loves you." "Let that be enough." "Let that be enough!" "Sir." "Mr Moray, sir." "The lovebirds, sir." "You like the birds, Pauline?" "Sir, buttons is not fair." "Oh, you would like the bird counter?" "I think it is a rather splendid idea." "Moray?" "Yes, yes." "Why not?" "Thank you, sir." "I will not let you down." "I will sell every bird and more." "If there is to be more." "There was a time when birds flew freely." "Edmund, shall I tell you my miracle cure for everything that ails you?" "I'd like to hear it, yeah." "Cheer up!" "I'm sorry about Peter." "It must have been rather embarrassing for you." "Oh, to be the source of gossip adds a certain... lustre to one's reputation, don't you think?" "It was foolish of me." "I convinced myself you would put up more of a fight." "How could I expect to compete with a man who established a home for foundlings?" "Moray, everything I have done to show you that I love you..." "I see it now." "It tells you that I cannot be trusted." "I chase you, or I run away from you." "Darling, if only I could show you..." "I am constant." "If I had the chance to prove to you..." "I have spent most of my life with no mother." "I know how to take care of a man." "I will be your haven." "I promise you." "Could it be different between us?" "Is that what you want?" "I long for peace, to settle my soul..." "Cheer up." "Arthur?" "You are like the ghost of a dog sometimes, skulking in doorways without a sound." "Clara... do you like Sam?" "Course I do." "Sam's his own fool, that's all." "Do you like Mr Moray?" "Arthur, why are you asking such questions?" "Do you like..." "Mr Jonas?" "It's not so easy to like a shadow." "Look, I don't have time for prattle when I could be enjoying a drink." "Papa, I will be fine by morning." "No, you won't." "I have watched you getting worse." "Katherine, what are we going to do about this?" "I have tried with Peter." "Honestly, I tried my very best." "I know you did." "Papa..." "Moray is only shy of marriage because of his need to be true to Helene." "It is a kind of honour in him." "I love him for it." "And it is beyond bearing for me." "I don't know that I can love any man after loving Moray." "He loves me, but... how long might it be before he is ready to marry?" "Perhaps it will be sooner than you imagine, my darling." "No more tears." "Sleep." "I want you to look your best tomorrow morning." "Denise, are you awake?" "I'm awake." "Oh, Pauline..." "I'm awake." "Now." "I can't sleep." "As soon as I close my eyes I see lovebirds." "What if I don't sell any?" "I might be back on buttons." "Or worse." "Oh, I shan't sleep all night long now." "But will you talk all night long, Pauline?" "I shall lie here until dawn thinking of birds." "Clara, captain the ship for half an hour." "Denise, accompany me, please." "What is it, Miss Audrey?" "What have I done?" "Sit." "Tell me." "What am I to tell you, Miss Audrey?" "I have supervised girls since before you were born." "I know love when I see it." "It never fails to disturb me." "The girl is either floating on a cloud of giddy pink delight, sadly, those are usually the ones who lose their position." "Or it comes as pain." "Who is he?" "Ma'am, I promise, I am not..." "I do not mean to be in love." "Oh, Lord." "It is Mr Moray." "I truly do not wish to feel this way, Miss Audrey." "And every day I try to stop myself." "I tell myself it is hopeless." "I try to push away the feelings." "But they insist." "They will not be quieted." "Oh, Lord." "I want you to listen carefully, child." "You are doomed." "Feelings are only feelings." "Feelings pass if we do not act on them." "If, however, you stray into that treacherous world of divulgence..." "I would never dream of telling Mr Moray." "You would not be the first girl who found herself overcome by the moment." "Let me speak most simply." "Whilst he is your employer you are free to be his pet, his "little champion" and he will foster your advancement." "One kiss and you will be a woman to him." "You will be as Clara is, permitted to remain but never to advance." "Any form of favour towards you would be tainted." "You have ambition." "I do not know what might become of such ambition in a woman, but I do know a kiss will destroy it." "What should I do?" "Devotion to a new cause." "The mission of denial." "Can you do that?" "Do you suppose it would be wrong for us to give them names, Pauline?" "I have already named most of them, sir." "This one's Bertie, and his mate's Sally." "Mr Dudley, I wonder if I might consult with you about a rather delicate matter?" "Yes, of course." "For the first time in all my years here I wish I were a customer." "I would take Sally and Bertie home with me." "If I could afford them." "Sam, might I practise selling a bird to you?" "I will try to persuade you to buy and you see if you are tempted or not tempted." "Right, go on then." "Right start at the door and walk in, go on." "Well, these birds, sir, are so pleasing that... to see them every morning as you wake up, so happy together, so lovely with their hopping about to delight each other." "These birds, sir, would make any heart glad to face the day." "I'll take a pair." "Really?" "No." "What do you think of Denise, Mr Dudley?" "She's a fine girl." "Keen to learn." "Fine." "What I mean is what do you think of her... potential?" "She'll do well." "Let me approach this another way." "When I was young I considered myself reasonably attractive." "You still shine, Miss Audrey." "Oh, thank you, sir." "Pauline has a pleasing quality, Clara a seductive attraction." "But, Denise..." "Is it my imagination or does this girl posses something in her which...?" "There is a quality about her." "A kind of essence." "As I feared." "As I so gravely feared." "Denise?" "Yes, sir?" "The lovebirds?" "Yes, sir?" "It occurred to me we might present goods for gentleman on the ladies' counters, for example, cuff links on the perfume counter." "And on men's grooming, we might present some of those hand-carved combs and silver purses for the ladies?" "Sir..." "So that couples might shop together." "What do you think?" "Why do you ask me, sir?" "Well, because you are my little champion." "We might decorate this store in the theme of love." "Love?" "Perhaps on the stationery counter we might display romantic cards and... scented paper." "What is it, Denise?" "Has something upset you?" "No, sir, I erm..." "Only I had a falling out with one of the girls, about the bird counter." "Ah, yes." "Pauline." "She is rather keen to shine." "Mr Moray, sir?" "Feathers." "Feathers?" "Yes, feathers." "They might be our theme for Ladieswear, since those delightful little winged charmers are attracting so much attention." "Ah, yes." "Feathers." "Of course." "Thank you, Miss Audrey." "Denise, perhaps you might help me plan a resplendent display of plumes?" "Come along." "Now, you throw this into the first square." "This game was handed down to me by my father and came from his father before him." "Now, you must land it inside the square." "Single squares, one foot." "Double squares, two feet." "Off you go." "What is it, lad?" "When I were a boy I jumped like Billy-o." "If you sold your shop what would you do?" "I'm not selling." "Who said I was selling?" "No-one did." "But if you did, like Burroughs did..." "I'm sot selling." "Never selling." "Would you just leave?" "Never come back?" "Like Burroughs?" "Why would I do that?" "This street is all I've ever known." "It's just I don't think Burroughs wanted..." "What's Burroughs to do with a game of peevers?" "Now, I've been told to cheer up and that I will." "Watch." "Will you be joining us on the Sunday walk this week, Denise?" "Best day there is for a walk, a Sunday." "That's mostly because we're at work every other day." "And it's a good way to get rid of a sore head." "Not that I ever have a sore head." "I sold a bird!" "I said, "madam, these love-creatures will bring you such happiness." ""More than happiness." "Joy." ""Every day of your life, madam." Mr Moray saw me." ""Every day will begin with a picture of heavenly joy."" "Pauline, you are a triumph." "Have you sold Sally?" "Tell me you haven't sold Sally and Bertie." "Er, no, sir." "Not Bertie nor Sally." "I said they weren't the best ones." "I only became aware of this because he is a customer at the bank." "Conrad Jessop." "By Friday week he'll own the lease on every property on the street." "My buying the barber-shop has alerted him to my intentions, so now I have to go to him if I wish to expand further down the street?" "It's worse than that, Moray." "I'm breaking every principle of banking practice by bringing this knowledge to you." "Jessop intends to buy up all the leases on both sides of Tollgate Street." "The Paradise?" "He'll be your landlord." "Once Jessop owns the Fee Simple, he's not going to sell a single lease to you at any price." "He'll rent." "On short terms." "You will be at his mercy." "The more successful you are, the more he'll squeeze you." "As you grow, you'll dread his very name." "I am thankful that you have forewarned me, your Lordship." "Though I suspect you wished to do more than give me notice." "I could purchase those leases." "Is that your purpose?" "My business is banking." "I have no wish to take on a property portfolio at my age." "Then I am left to deal with Conrad Jessop." "Suppose I were to increase your loan?" "That way you might purchase the Fee Simple yourself." "You'd be landlord of the whole street." "When the leases on the smaller shops expire, you can refuse to renew them." "It would have to be a substantial advance, your Lordship." "I see no other way to overcome this... impasse." "And you would be willing to do that?" "For you." "New boots?" "For me, sir?" "Why me, sir?" "How old do you think I am, Arthur?" "I don't know, sir. 100?" "Almost." "I won't last for ever though, son." "I see you." "You're not a counter-jumper like Sam." "You see things." "Like I do." "Mr Moray will need you." "Do you think you can do my job after I've gone, Arthur?" "That would be a fine thing, sir." "I will tell you the things that I notice and you can tell me the things that you notice." "Does that sound fair?" "So what we have to do, Arthur, is notice when a person has something on their mind." "Do you have something on your mind?" "Nothing, sir." "Hold your hand up, son." "Look at mine." "Dead still." "A man with nothing to hide." "Show me your hand, son." "Do you have something on your mind, Arthur?" "Yes, sir." "You want to tell me what it is?" "Let me help you... is it Burroughs?" "I saw him get into your carriage, sir, on the night he vanished away." "Good lad." "Now, it's not so wise to spend your time with Edmund Lovett." "He's not Mr Moray's best pal, is he?" "I owe you an apology, Moray." "Well, I can't imagine why, sir." "I stood in your way with Katherine." "From the beginning I have signalled my uncertainty, issued warnings, "If you break her heart, I'll ruin you"." "No wonder you hesitate." "I was wrong." "I wish now to offer you my blessing, indeed, my encouragement, to speak to Katherine." "Sir... why have you, er...?" "You behaved quite admirably, Moray." "It all makes sense to me now." "I slept well last night for the first time in weeks." "Katherine is contrary, but she clearly loves you and it is time her father respected that." "Besides, you and I, Moray, we're as good as partners now." "Once you've bought those leases, you've nothing to fear." "You can rest at ease, knowing that nothing can threaten the existence of your business." "Gentlemen, I'll detain you no longer." "What did he want?" "He gave me his blessing... to speak with Katherine." "That is no small thing, Moray." "If ever there was a forbidding father." "To have Glendenning's favour... surely you can see what is right before you?" "Every way you look at it, Moray, it is what you must do." "Wake up, man!" "Before it is too late." "Customers come through that door and here you are, Pauline." "I mean what could be better?" "The birds do look pretty, but what I am learning is, they're so clever." "Sometimes I think they are cleverer than me." "The birds look at me now like they know me." "I've never seen you looking so happy." "I shall be on this counter until I marry." "I've heard tales of birds sitting on men's heads." "Standing on their hands." "Wouldn't that be something?" "If customers were to see me standing here with a bird on my head..." "I'd be careful, Pauline, I wouldn't do that." "I shall be the main attraction of The Paradise." "I..." "I wouldn't be..." "Oh, no!" "Oh, Sam!" "Oh, no!" "Oh, Sam!" "Oh, no!" "Don't worry, I'm sure she's not gone far." "Sally?" "!" "She might come back of her own accord." "Where's she gone?" "I can't see her." "We'll get her back, don't you worry." "We'll get her back." "Oh, no." "I'm told those birds can live up to 15 years." "It seems such a shame, sir, to keep them in cages, when I reckon they'd roast up a treat." "You have new boots, Arthur." "From Mr Jonas, sir." "That is most kind of him." "He is teaching me to be like him, sir." "He must think a lot of you." "Yes, sir." "I suppose so, sir." "Only, I've never known Mr Jonas favour anyone before." "Why would he favour you?" "I don't know, sir." "You look so afraid." "What is there to be scared of?" "What has Mr Jonas said to you?" "Can I go now, sir?" "Arthur." "You can come to me at any time." "You can tell me what it is you are afraid of." "You're safe with me." "Will I have to tell Mr Moray and Mr Dudley what has happened?" "You cannot admit anything." "They will have no choice but to dismiss you." "That bird is worth five guineas." "What else is there?" "We have to get the bird back." "It has vanished." "It can fly." "It might be miles away by now." "It will be somewhere." "It has to be found." "But they will see that it is gone." "We'll cover up the fact that it is lost until we find it." "There will not be a day, not one single day, when you regret this, darling." "I will not permit it." "I will spoil you with love." "Dudley, I have some news." "You can claim all of the credit." "What are you doing here at this time of night?" "I have been waiting to speak with you." "What is it that's troubling you?" "Young Arthur." "He's afraid of Jonas." "Is that it?" "We are all afraid of Jonas." "He wears an air of menace like a shroud." "It is all part of his success." "It's what makes him so useful to us." "He bought the lad some boots." "Why does that disturb me?" "It seems to signify something to me, and I can't quite grasp it." "Hmm." "It is best to leave Jonas to me." "You two always manage to grate at one another." "Are you suggesting it is my personal sensitivity to the man?" "Speak to Arthur yourself." "See his fear with your own eyes." "I will speak with Jonas." "Go home." "You have a family." "I will deal with Jonas tonight." "What was your news?" "Arthur saw Burroughs getting into a carriage with me on the night that he vanished." "None of this was of your making, Mr Moray." "It was his." "Burroughs." "He was intent on ruining you." "To tell his tale." "How he came into the store, Sunday morning." "How he found you standing over your wife's body." "She fell, by accident." "And what he heard you say." "What have I done?" "Any man might say such a thing." "Helene fell." "I did not kill her." "She... she fell." "I know that, sir." "But your innocence would not protect you from Burroughs' accusations." "If you gave him what he demanded, he would have wanted more, he would have gone on, hounded you with slanders, threats to ruin your reputation, destroy all that you have created." "Why should this man be permitted to feed on suspicion and gossip?" "I know what they whisper about me." "What if I deserve the things they say?" "No, sir." "Why was he permitted to dishonour your wife's memory?" "I am a fool to think that I could live again, to believe that I could settle." "The boy does not appreciate the meaning of what he saw." "He has made a friend of Edmund Lovett, but he will say nothing." "This business will pass, sir." "Is the world on fire?" "Mr Lovett." "What right have you to hammer on my door before dawn?" "The chalk writings on the ground, outside of The Paradise." "What writing on the ground?" "What are you talking about?" "When Mr Moray comes down he will see what you have scrawled on the ground and this time I am sure he will fetch the constable." "You cannot make such a charge." "Fetch the constable." "Fetch him." "Who saw me do this, eh?" "No-one." "I've done nothing." "What are you doing?" "You have no right." "This is my shop." "What will your niece think of this?" "What sort of madness is this?" "This is my shop." "You will leave now." "You cannot even provide work for her." "The whole street knows it." "Denise knows it." "Now you bring shame on her." "I'm so sorry." "I don't know why I..." "I'm sorry." "You are a dangerous man, Mr Lovett." "Heavens, Mr Jonas!" "What has happened to you?" "I am sorry to come to your door." "Will you assist me, Miss Audrey?" "Who did this to you?" "Edmund Lovett." "Why would Edmund... why would Mr Lovett do such a thing?" "Miss Audrey, may I take you into my confidence?" "You and Edmund Lovett were close once?" "That was a long time ago." "Since his niece came here he has been a man crazed with anger." "A man who can lose all restraint." "I fear for his sanity." "Do you see my point, Audrey?" "What might he become capable of?" "Will you speak with him?" "Can you... counsel him, how can I express it?" "Encourage him to remove himself from the street?" "For his own sake." "Why does he not bring the constable?" "I'm ruined." "No more than a criminal." "Why would you do such a thing?" "He accused me of scrawling slanders on the ground." "Oh, Uncle, I feared something like this might happen." "But that is not why you took your fist to him, is it?" "He said it was shameful..." "I could not provide work for my own niece." "I..." "I could speak to Mr Moray." "Plead on your behalf?" "No." "Not that." "Never that!" "Oh, Edmund..." "I will call on you this evening." "Come along, Denise, we must get back." "Why does he not bring the constable?" "Yes?" "Mr Jonas, sir, I would like to apologise." "My uncle has been anxious just lately." "But he promises me it was not him who made those marks on the ground." "Any man would deny it." "I believe my uncle, sir." "No man, not your uncle, nor any man shall cast a shadow on that lady's grave." "You told me when I first came here, that it was forbidden even to speak of Mrs Moray." "Sir, why is Mr Moray's grief so tender?" "I came to this city having given up hope in other cities." "I heard there might be work here, at The Paradise." "I came to the tradesmen's entrance and they turned me away." "A man with only one arm is not considered much use to anyone." "Then, by chance, I met Mrs Moray on the street." "Wherever I called I was met with questions." "Who are you?" "Where are you from?" "Why are you here?" "All leading to one question, how did you lose your arm?" "Helene asked me nothing." "She saw my need and took pity." "Yet there was no pity in her face." "She asked me to help her with some parcels." "She asked me to help her... and the rest of the day is a fog to me." "She persuaded Mr Moray to give me work." "I was given a uniform and some rooms." "I barely saw her after that." "Three weeks later she was dead." "Oh." "Mr Jonas, sir, I am so sorry." "I can understand why you would take of fence at anyone..." "Any man who stands against the memory of that woman, stands against me." "Mr Dudley, sir, the blue satin we brought in two weeks ago, it's not selling." "I think it's over-priced." "Will you take a look at it for me, sir?" "Just a minute, Sam." "Have you had an accident, Jonas?" "It is rather unsightly, sir." "I will make my presence scarce so as not to disturb our customers." "How did you do such a thing?" "Your concern is appreciated, sir." "It will be well again soon enough." "Did you fall?" "As you know, sir, I never take a drink." "Jonas, I am your manager." "I am asking you how this came about." "I am here, sir, on the floor, fit for work." "Why do you refuse to respect my authority?" "If I may?" "I do not doubt your authority, Mr Dudley." "Customers approach us, sir." "I will remove myself, as I promised I would." "You will tell me, do you understand?" "You will tell me what the cause of this is." "I was attacked, by Edmund Lovett." "Yes... yes!" "Mr Moray, sir, I would like to explain my uncle..." "Mr Moray?" "Sir, what is it?" "I try to live in a world without feeling, Denise." "I wish to feel... nothing." "Please do not punish yourself this way." "I have spent three years refusing love..." "Until I find that all I can do is... pretend." "What have I done?" "Please, Mr Moray." "Will you call me John?" "I long to be called by my name." "John..." "I love you, John." "I cannot help myself." "I promised myself I'd never tell you." "But I love you." "I love you so that I cannot sleep and I cannot think and I cannot remember my own name half the time." "Mr Moray, sir, Mr Jonas has been attacked, sir." "Attacked?" "Sir, Mr Dudley is shouting at Mr Jonas." "Please, sir, you ought to come." "Girls, ask yourselves, is every corner of Ladieswear sumptuous?" "And if not, then ask yourselves, why is it not sumptuous?" "Yes, Miss Audrey." "Clara, captain the ship for a short while." "Girl, you will contain yourself!" "Edmund Lovett is as placid a man as I have ever known." "He has been railing against us for months." "Moray, ask yourself, what was Jonas doing in Lovett's shop at that hour?" "Why do you have this blind spot for this man?" "Jonas is beyond himself." "Something is wrong, and I intend to find out what it is." "Darling, have you told Dudley our news?" "Katherine, this is not the moment." "Good morning, Miss Glendenning." "We are hoping to announce it today." "Then let me be the first to congratulate you." "Thank you." "Katherine, please, might I have a moment with Dudley?" "Nonsense." "If you will excuse me." "Your happiness is far more important than the business of the store." "All is not lost, I am sure of it." "Clara has erred and remained." "You must as quickly as possible show Mr Moray that you respect him as your employer." "Make clear to him that you know your place." "Miss Audrey, I believe that John feels as I do." "John?" "Who is John?" "Mr Moray." "He looked at me in such a way..." "I would never have imagined that such self-deception might come from you." "You are a shop girl." "I know what I saw..." "please believe me?" "Oh, child, I believe that you saw it." "Love." "Devotion." "A magical union beyond description." "But that does not mean it was there." "This is the moment which will decide your life." "You can turn back now and do as I have suggested." "Or you can go on, along a path that can only bring suffering and heartbreak." "It is for you to decide." "Arthur, where is Mr Jonas?" "He's nowhere to be found, sir." "I have looked and I have looked again." "Perhaps, Moray, if you will permit me to take this opportunity to share your wonderful news?" "Yes." "Yes, of course." "Ladies and gentlemen, if I can have your attention, please?" "Mr Moray and Miss Glendenning will today announce their engagement to be married." "I am sure you will all join me in wishing them as much happiness as they can bear." "Miss Glendenning, let me be the first to congratulate you." "Thank you, Miss Audrey." "Sir..." "I've no right to ask you this, sir." "One night of holding you, I know it does not give me liberty to dare." "But do you love her?" "Clara..." "Forgive me, sir, but as you stood beside her today," "I looked for it, I believe I wanted to see your happiness, but I couldn't find it." "Now if you tell me I am wrong..." "What you say is true, Clara, you have no right to ask such a thing." "Denise, don't you want to wish Mr Moray well?" "This is the happiest day of his life." "He told me so himself." "Isn't that right, sir?" "I am very glad for you, Mr Moray." "Mr Moray, sir, what are you doing in Ladieswear on a day like today?" "I'm sure you have plans to make, celebrations to attend to." "Today is not a day for small matters." "You must go and be with your betrothed!" "Go, please, go!" "Come in." "How are we to put an end to this, Clara?" "Mr Moray told you?" "You know I don't want to lose you from The Paradise, and I believe you wish to remain." "Do you imagine I want to trick him into marrying me, or some foolish fancy like that?" "You fell pregnant once." "Huh..." "Well, it's true what they say... there are no secrets in The Paradise." "Can you see, Clara, I am only trying to find what is best for you?" "Well, if I'd had a father like you perhaps I wouldn't be the woman I am today." "Moray does not love you." "He will never..." "I know." "I know." "Then you will cease from pursuing him." "I hope I am absolutely clear to you." "No more." "Whatever happens, Clara, if you wish to keep your position here, you will restrain yourself and you will not seek out Mr Moray." "Do you understand?" "Do you understand?" "You were the gentlest man I ever knew." "Too gentle for you own good." "People took advantage of you." "I often wonder if I took advantage of you." "Never." "Are you drinking, Edmund?" "What a thing to say." "Why would you say such a thing?" "To do that to a man, something is wrong." "Do you see?" "Yes, something is wrong." "The Paradise is wrong." "It is Moray that is wrong." "Look down the street, across the city." "Who else behaves as you do?" "Well, what am I to do?" "Lie down?" "Submit?" "Retreat?" "Yes." "Now." "Now is the time for you to accept." "Before you destroy yourself." "Did he send you?" "Did Moray get you to persuade me?" "No." "Mr Moray did not send me." "You frighten me, Edmund." "I've learned my lesson." "I will contain myself." "I will not let myself get too easily riled." "I know I'm defeated." "That's what makes it so unbearable." "I would sell but there would be no-one to buy but Moray." "I cannot do that." "Mr Moray is only a monster in your imagination." "Edmund, can you picture yourself set free from this daily battle?" "If you continue, it will get worse." "That is the only way it can go." "You are doing this to yourself, not Mr Moray." "Let it go, Edmund." "Let it go." "I have decided, Mr Dudley, that I cannot remain at The Paradise." "But it may be determined, Denise, that this unfortunate business was not of your uncle's making." "Your kindness is appreciated, Mr Dudley, but, there will be other instances, I feel sure of it." "The situation is too fraught with difficulties." "If I were to speak to your uncle?" "Sir, if I were to stay, every day I would be wondering when this situation might inflame again." "I am sorry to leave." "Truly." "But you said yourself your uncle's shop could not support you." "We'll find a way to survive." "But you're part of The Paradise now, Denise." "I'll still see you." "I will just be across the street." "I promise." "It makes no sense to leave because of something your uncle's done." "Clara, can we be friends now?" "Please." "It would mean so much to me." "It was you that said that it is the chance of where you are born that gives you a bond." "Can that be our kinship?" "Shop girls." "I so dearly want to be your friend." "I suppose there will be a position in Ladieswear now." "Denise?" "What are you doing?" "Denise?" "We are together now, Uncle." "Family." "As you wished." "As I wish, too." "No, Sam." "Pauline, have you sold Sally?" "Pauline, answer the question." "Not sold, sir." "Then where is she?" "Gone, sir." "Flown away." "I opened the cage to stand her on my hand and the door was open and she flew away." "It took courage to admit that." "Let's see what we can do." "Am I not dismissed, sir?" "I spoke to a man up at the Old Moor, he knows all there is to know about birds." "I think we can get her back." "It's my doing, isn't it?" "I am the reason you left, the reason you have no job, no money?" "Uncle, I don't suppose you will understand, but I promise you it is not so." "I left The Paradise because..." "Because it pained me to remain there." "If Bertie is pining, Sally will be too." "Sally!" "Sally!" "Best not to call out, Pauline." "You'll frighten her." "What do we do now then?" "We wait." "It will be all right, Uncle." "We will make a living." "It is not so easy now." "We will find ways to be different from The Paradise." "Look." "Stay quiet now, let's wait for her to come down." "I've noticed one or two men... some men... there's a fashion for men to wear neckties instead of cravats." "I wonder..." "You want me to make neckties?" "I'm a dressmaker." "How many dresses have you sold this week?" "This month?" "You are the finest dressmaker in this city, as far as I can see." "But we need to earn a living." "People will be more willing to part with a small amount of money, what they might have in their pockets." "What they can afford when the impulse takes them." "Neckties." "Well, I will make as splendid a job of making them as any man." "We could display them out on a table outside of the shop." "What, on the street?" "Isn't that no better than a market stall?" "Perhaps." "But it will put food in our bellies and we might earn enough to paint the front of the shop if we work at it." "We could make pillow cases..." "Pillow cases?" "!" "Embroidered." "Uncle, will you trust me to steer things along for a little while?" "I will." "Mr Dudley, I would like to go back to haberdashery." "But, you love the birds." "Buttons don't fly away." "Birds are a passing fancy." "Ribbons and notions, they'll keep us in business for years to come." "She insisted." "She would brook no reason nor imploring." "Thank you, Dudley." "Are we to take on a new girl, sir?" "Yes." "Of course." "I have a boxful of applications." "Perhaps we might wait a day or so." "As you wish, sir." "Jonas, if I might speak with you, please." "You did this, didn't you?" "You caused Edmund Lovett to attack you!" "You said yourself you were fearful of what he might do to lash out at you." "I did not ask you to do this." "You did not need to ask, sir." "How dare you!" "You cannot do this to me, do you understand?" "What makes you think you can take another man's life?" "My duty, sir, is to protect you." "It is what Helene would have wanted." "She is not here to be your guardian, sir." "So now it is my obligation to repay that good lady." "No more, do you hear me?" "This has to stop." "It's not fair." "It's not right." "Denise was so good at her job." "Girls leave here all the time, for their different reasons." "I said I would help her, I said it would all be all right." "How can you make it all right?" "What business is it of yours, Sam?" "Because I want to be a friend to her." "We are all a friend to her." "She is gone and that's that." "I tried to persuade her to stay." "I am sure you did your very best, Mr Dudley." "We'll miss her." "We will." "Neckties?" "Yes, sir." "What a good idea, Denise." "Thank you." "I don't know many men who wear neckties." "In fact, I am the only man I am aware of who prefers them." "I have seen... some men wearing them." "Oh, well, I am sure it will catch on." "May I buy one?" "Of course." "You did not have to leave, Denise." "I did not wish to remain." "Will you come back to me?" "No, sir." "Not now." "Suppose I were to implore you?" "Why would you do that?" "Because you are my little champion." "You let me make a fool of myself." "You let me kiss you when you are engaged to be married." "You let me say those things." "I had my reasons." "I had my reasons for Katherine." "It all happened so... suddenly." "I cannot find the way to undo this, Denise." "When you kissed me..." "You are to marry Katherine Glendenning and that is all that matters." "Yes." "And I am sorry." "That matters too." "Edmund." "I wish to offer my apologies, for the incident with Jonas." "What sort of trick is this?" "You apologising to me?" "He had no call coming into your store at such an hour." "He had no call forcing an argument with you." "I'm sorry." "Well, I am the one to be sorry." "I am the man who raised his fist." "I'm grateful there is no charge brought against me." "If it is success here that you want, then I shall give it to you." "Tollgate Street Traders." "Competitively priced, tradition and quality." "I think I could sell you anything." "Midnight Ink." "The perfect cloth, for my wedding dress." "I have an idea." "There is a fabric called Midnight Ink." "She is selling my wedding dress." "Stop this!" "You cannot have everything your way."