"Edmund's sitting up and drinking a little soup." " And Mr Turrill?" " He still has quite a fever." "Twister's a hardy old soul." "He's got plenty of life in him yet." "Old Farmer Morris left these for the Church Society tea party." "Oh, shall we have meringues, then, for the Church Society tea party?" "Well, I think the Church Society would prefer to have Queen Cake, Miss Lane." "My recipe has 18 eggs in one cake." "Queen Cake would be ideal, then, for the Church Society." "Ma'am, what is the Church Society tea party?" "There is no such thing." "It's Zillah's birthday." "Every year we throw a surprise party for her." "She prefers it that way, can't bear the idea of a fuss." "18 eggs in one cake, ha-ha!" "Sir..." "I hear that Edmund is recovering?" "That's right." "Twister ain't so good, though." " I am truly sorry, sir." " So you said." "You go poaching, lad, that's your business." "You start boasting about it to my son, enticing him on, then it's my business." "There ain't nothing I can do now except say how I regret what I done and tell you it won't happen again." "I'd appreciate you leaving me to my supper without having to listen to you scratching at your conscience." "Can you get a few days off at the end of the month?" "In fact, you must." "Had a letter from my sister." "My mum says to bring you home." " We'll go Saturday to Monday." " Phillip, I'm not sure that I can." " What do you mean?" " There's just so much going on." "Let's not talk here." "It's your pa, isn't it?" "He's turned you against me." "I respect what my pa tells me, of course I do," " cos more often than not he's right." " I knew it." " I have my own mind." " I don't believe you!" "Well, perhaps I don't need you to believe me." "I don't need the respect of a man, a boy, who can't accept that a girl can make her own decisions in life." "I am glad I found out what kind of girl you are before I took you home." "Oh, yes, Phillip." "But I would not care to be a disappointment to a boy's ma." "Is everything all right, Laura?" "Very impressive, if I am allowed to say so." "Emma, I..." "I wanted to ask you." "I don't mean to pry." "It's none of my business." "But how did you and Robert meet?" "Well, you know that, Miss Margaret." "He was engaged by a firm of builders restoring the churches here in the countryside." "By the time the work was finished, we had two children." "What I mean is, how did your friendship become, well," "more than a friendship?" "A man needs a little bit of encouragement, Miss Margaret." "How does a woman do that?" "Well... you hold him in a long, milk-eyed look." "Like this..." "Oh, dear." " That is very..." " You try." " Me?" " Go on!" "You can do it." "That's it." "And your hands should brush accidentally, so that the touch excites." " And perhaps a sigh or two..." " A sigh?" "Miss Margaret, I have every reason to believe you will be marriedby Christmas!" "I could have put a note into your private post bag, but since it is such a delicate matter I thought I might call on you." "And the delicate matter is...?" "Zillah's birthday." "Zillah's birthday celebrations have been many things, but never delicate." "I would be grateful if you..." "did not attend." "I know that Zillah loves you to turn up co-incidentally at the last minute, but this year..." "There will always be reasons why you and I should be in one another's company, and I feel that we have to be strong in our resistance." "Yes." "I understand." "But then I've always understood we must do things exactly at your bidding." "I will explain to Zillah that you were unable to join us." "It was at your bidding that we live like this." " Timothy, please..." " Tell me why, Dorcas." "We've been like this for years, we meet and we chat and we smile and..." "We're on our guard to be decent and polite," " we never say anything that matters." " Timothy, this is all past and gone and we should leave it well alone." "I don't believe what you told me then, that you don't love me." "I live my life bound by duty and obligation." "I didn't want any of this." "All I ever really wanted was you." "Tell me why you refused me." "Tell me the truth." "It was my father." "He told me it could never work." ""Love never crosses" " the great divide of social class."" " Those were his words." "Then your father was a bigoted, small-minded fool of a man." "Thank you." "At last something real between us." "You've no idea how much I've longed for this moment." "I ought to be in my bed." "I ain't letting you waste away up there." "Oh, Emma!" "I know he likes to speak in a strangled voice, likes to earn a bit of pity where he can, he can't help himself, it's always been his way." "But there's a real fever got hold of him." "Look, Twister's had plenty of sickness, Queenie." "He always picks himself up." "Well, it in't the fever that scares me so much" " as them shadows in his eyes." " Queenie!" "I've looked at them tea leaves four and five times a day, and they keep telling me the same story..." "Stop that now." "That's superstition." "It means nothing." "We're gonna get Twister back on his feet and put no store by what's in the bottom of a tea cup." "Twister, we're gonna have you up and putting a few bits by for when Banbury Fair comes around in the spring." "Ma, tell her I should be in my bed and not sat here shivering." "I ain't your ma, Twister." "I'm, I'm Emma." "Emma Timmins, your neighbour." "I know you in't my ma." "Do you think I'm a half-wit?" "My ma's gone." "I'm just foxin' with you, that's all." "You wouldn't be shivering if you kept that blanket round you." "If you were my ma, and I ain't saying you are, but... suppose you were... trying to trick me?" "Now why would I wanna trick you?" "To take me with you!" " Miss Lane, has something happened?" " Everything and nothing." "You take your break now, I'll mind the shop." "Miss Lane, we have the most terrible crisis on our hands." "We have been delivered the wrong lace for the christening gown for Lady Adelaide's little one." "We must procure the finest lace if we are to secure the commission." "Miss Lane, you look unwell." "I am fine, ladies." "Miss Lane, you are self-evidently not fine." "Ladies, if you'd like to give me your message," "I'll pass the telegram on at once." "Er, Miss, er..." "Miss Ellison..." " Oh..." " Yes?" " Miss Ellison..." " Yes?" " On Saturday..." " Yes." "Since it is Zillah's birthday, which no-one must mention," "I wondered..." "Something the matter, Miss Ellison?" "You seem rather distraught." "You look like you might faint." "I'll fetch you a glass of water." "Oh, yes..." "Zillah's birthday." "You are invited." "You will tell me." "I am the Underkeeper and you must respect my position." "I respect the man, not his title." "What is the problem here?" "Sir, there's been poaching on the estate and I've good reason to believe that Mr Timmins' son was on the grounds at night." "Edmund was on the grounds, sir, but he took no game." "If Mr Timmins says his son has not been poaching," " then that is good enough for me." " Your Lordship, the lad knows," "Mr Timmins knows who the thief is." "Mr Timmins is not employed as my gamekeeper, it is not for him to keep an eye on who is poaching." "Sir, if you let this pass then every poacher in the county will believe the estate is easy pickings." "Timmins, do you know who's been stealing my birds?" "Sir, I am grateful for the work you have given me..." "Say what you have to say, man!" "I have no problem with who you are or what you are, sir." "But a bird in a wood has been welcome food for poor families long before there was such a thing as a squire." "Collect up your tools." "I will have you paid off." "Oh, Alfie!" "Can't you play a catchy tune?" "In't you got no "Pa's Coming Home All The Bills Will Be Paid" kind of melody?" "Oh, I named you right, didn't I?" "'Alf a smile, 'Alf a job, 'Alf a tune..." "You might notice once in a while that the world doesn't turn around you, Ma." "Other people have feelings, too." "I've started!" "No, I mustn't." "I've got to hold on." " What do you mean, hold on?" " For your pa, of course!" "Oh!" "Ah!" "Oh, it's subsiding." "Oh..." "I'm determined to pass this babe into his arms the minute it's born, just to see the look on his face." "There it is again." "Do you suppose that Queenie would have a remedy to extend my time?" "Ma, what are you talking about?" "Ah!" "There it's going away, it's going away." "False alarm." "I'm fine." "Oh, I'm fine." "That's a blessed relief." "I'm thinking that if your pa goes all dewy-eyed over his child, it might keep him here and have him leave off the sea as a way of life." "So I must hold on." "I got to cross my legs and pray, and I in't never been much good at neither of them!" "Ooh, fetch your ma a drink, Alfie." "What feelings?" "You said other people's feelings, what feelings?" "Robert Timmins won't even have me in his company." "Well, Emma told me that Edmund's on the mend." "And Twister will be on his feet in no time." "He's fond of a bit of play-acting." "Give it a couple of days and all will be forgotten." "Perhaps not so easily forgiven." "You're home early." "You can feed the pig and fetch the water before you pick up that newspaper." "Today in't pay day." "Job's done." "But you said you had more'n a month work." "Now there in't." "Robert Timmins, are you gonna tell me what's going on?" "The Squire has decided I am no longer the man for the task." "With a little help from his Underkeeper." "This is about Edmund and the poaching, isn't it?" "I have a right to know, Robert." "Then I'll tell you, though I know it will only make things worse." "I refused to give him the name of the poacher." "Oh, Robert." "I don't blame him." "He was in a position where he had to act or look a fool." " You were so proud of that work." " Would you prefer I gave Alf's name?" "It's our only income." "Not a word of this to Alf, you understand?" "Emma!" "Can you spare a crust of bread till morning?" " Can't you provide for yourself once?" "!" " Don't fret." "Any day now, my Walter will be home." "And the bills will be paid, and the Arless household will be enjoying the best of times." "There is no denying what I saw." "I cannot know what you truly feel now." "I can only know what I feel." "And to me, what I have to give" "seems to be enough to fill a man's life." "And I am past being angry, or jealous." "Or fearful." "I just want to know what we are going to do about this situation." "Laura..." "I came to apologise." "We both spoke hastily." "No." "I mean about your pa." "His work at the Manor." "I shouldn't have made such an issue of the poaching with Sir Timothy, making it all about him knowing the culprit." "What happened?" "Your pa has been dismissed from his work at the Manor." "Phillip White, I wish I'd never met you." "I wish I'd never laid my eyes on you." "My pa has longed for that kind of work, and he has struggled in ways that you cannot imagine to get a place." "I don't even know why I'm talking to you." "I can't even bear to look at you." "There are days when I stand here, girl, and it's Miss Lane" "I can see and hear before me." "Like the years didn't go racing past, after all!" "You're looking better, Twister." "Come closer." "When I close my eyes," "I can feel my ma taking my hand, leading me over to the other side." "Don't say such things." "You just need a bit of building up, is all." "Queenie'll soon have you on your feet." "Twister," "I brought our Edmund to offer his thanks himself." "Marvellous." "Since I have strong young men here... perhaps you could help me over to the window?" "I just want to see my garden, for one last time." "I have something for you," "Edmund." "You will notice a handsome chain of beads, that's seen me through many a good year." "It's your turn now." "I can't let him take that off you, Twister." "And here's my old belt for you, Robert." "That'll keep more than your trousers in place." "And Alfie..." "Here..." "A fine old hat is the makings of a man." "There." "Now" "I'm at peace with my little corner of the world, if you just sit me down... again," "I'll rest my eyes... for a minute or two..." "It's good to see you improving so quickly, Edmund." "It's time to get you home, it's enough." "Go easy on him, Robert." "Alfie's a good lad." "I know what kind of a lad he is." "It's not my old hat he needs, more like your respect." "Sometimes we must go through the worst in order to reach the best." "When Alf learned that Pa had lost his position, he knew what he must do to win back my father's respect." "Adelaide saw us together." " Oh, Timothy, the damage we have done!" " Yes, and go on doing." "I look at Laura and the way she deals with her affairs, and..." "I sometimes think that she is more mature than I." " If we try not to see one another..." " It's past that now." "Dorcas..." "I came here to tell you that I love my wife." "And to mean it." "To face you and to tell you that..." "I want to be happy with Adelaide." "I have looked at you for so long and have seen the young man you once were." "My young man." "But you are not him any more, are you?" "Miss Lane knew that she had made Lady Adelaide's life intolerable." "She must have decided in the night that something must change." "Something must be done and she must be the one to do it." "Oh, Miss Lane," "I-I think we may need some more sherry for the Church Society's tea party." "Yes, I do believe the Church Society requires plenty of sweet wine." "I'll order some today, Ma'am." "Now that we are all together," "I have something I have to tell you." "Something that concerns you all." "I wish I could find a less... brutal way to deliver this news." "But I can't see how." "I am selling the Post Office and the Forge." "I have received an offer from a good and respectable buyer," "Mr Blakestone, the Postmaster in Ingleston, which I found unable to refuse." "I will ensure that your positions are secure, those of you who wish to stay on." "But, Ma'am, what will you do?" "I intend to travel abroad." "I have always had a taste for the exotic." "I realise this comes as a... tremendous shock to you." "But I know in my heart this is the right time for me to do this." "If any of you wish to ask any questions, or voice any..." "any anxieties..." "Thomas?" "I have no such anxieties, Ma'am, for I do not believe it will come to pass." "I would appreciate it if you did not bury your head in the ground, and accept that my decision has been made." "Your will is one thing, Ma'am." "The Lord's will is what we live by." "Matthew?" " Zillah?" "Do you have anything to say?" " I do!" "I say it's about time!" "Ma'am, this doesn't seem right, so suddenly." "Why?" "I have given you my answer, Laura." "I want to travel." "I ask that you accept it." "Alf!" "Alf, stop." "I won't let you do such a foolish thing." "You've lost your work at the Manor." "I can tell Sir Timothy what he wants to know and then he has no quarrel with you." "Alfie, there's a dozen ways of looking at this." "I don't have enough fingers to point at the ones to blame." "I want to be able to look you in the eye again, sir." "You've done enough for that." "You've stood up, you've offered to take responsibility." "Your ma is just out of prison." "Do you want your brothers and sisters see you go the same way?" "Would you do that to them?" "They look up to you." "Would you throw that back in their faces?" "Enough harm has been done." "Now I have a bag of tools." "I have skill will get me work." "I always find work." "Come home, son." "Let's put this behind us." "More... feminine?" "Yes." "Please." "I am not sure about style and everyone says about such things, "You must ask the Miss Pratts."" "We can give advice, of course..." "Might I suggest the approach best suited might be one of... transformation?" "Thank you!" "Perhaps we could take one small step at a time?" "Shall we begin, Ruby?" "What on earth...?" "Miss Ellison, why might a reverend's daughter suddenly feel the need to make herself appear more... well-favoured?" "Simply..." "How sad it is Miss Lane has decided to leave us." "Leave?" "!" "Old Blakestone might think he's finally got his hands on the Candleford Post Office, but" "I shan't lose a minute of sleep worrying." "Thomas, is this not the first time that Mr Blakestone's made an offer for the Post Office?" "Once a year these past seven years." "She's no more interest in selling to him than she would in feeding her foot to a hungry dog." "Then why has she accepted his offer?" "That's where you're falling short, young Laura." "This is a mere aberration." "Miss Lane will not sell." "No." "Miss Lane is this Post Office and this Post Office is Miss Lane." "There the matter begins and ends." "Miss Ellison..." "You, er, you are not yourself." "I bought a new dress." "It does seem to be a different sort of dress." "Yes." "It's a wonder more than one person can work in this sorting office, it's so small and cramped and small." "Is that Miss Lane calling me there?" "Well, I'm all done with Phillip." "Seems that everyone has a price to pay for this bit of poaching." "I hope those birds tasted good." "I was already decided." "Phillip's not right for me." "And I don't want to be thinking of things so soon, so young." "I just want my life to stay as it is." "If you want to persuade Miss Lane to change her mind, don't plead with her and don't rail against her." "Just lay out a good cause before her as to why she should reconsider." "Don't force your point, just make it clearly and leave it with her." "Well, that's all good advice, Robert Timmins." "Will you be taking some of it yourself?" "Ma'am, it may not be my place to intrude in your affairs..." "Oh, dear." "I hope I haven't been teaching you in the dark arts of meddling, Laura." "I just can't help wondering if you've properly considered your staff and your customers," "and how much we all want you to remain." "That is sweet of you." "But I have given a good many years to selling postal orders, now I have a fancy for something a little more stimulating." "But you love it so, Ma'am." "You've said so yourself." "When your father died, all the customers with their foibles and their secrets, bringing their affairs into the post office." "I can see I will have to be a little more careful what I say to you, Laura." "Are you writing it all down in that journal of yours?" "I will not deny I said those things." "But attitudes change." "I change." " Now I want something different." " Because your decision is so sudden." "Perhaps you should take more time to consider..." "I appreciate your concern." "You have made your point clearly and forcefully." "Now..." "No!" "Ma'am..." "Please, listen." "There must be a reason..." "It's the baby!" "It's Lady Adelaide and her baby." "I know it." "And it's not right." "You cannot let this happen because of Sir..." "Laura, that will do." "You have no right to suppose that you know my motives better than I do." "You are a child." "You know nothing." "Nothing!" "I know that I cannot let you do this, Ma'am." "You cannot stop me." "You will make no more mention of this to myself nor anyone else." "Do you understand?" "Yes, Ma'am." "How many more times will I bring you your hot milk before bedtime, Ma'am?" "Not many." "You enjoy your foreign travels." "Thank you, Zillah." "I will be sure to send you a postcard." "Oh, no need to do that, Ma'am." "When you're gone," "I'll be dead and in the ground within a week." "Nonsense!" " You'll outlive us all, you know it." " Oh!" "I had to speak to someone." "And there was only one person who I believed could reverse the situation." "Perhaps it was a streak of defiance in the Timmins' blood." "Perhaps I could not bear the thought of what Miss Lane was planning." "She can cry out there just as well as she can cry in here." "It's not the crying that put this mood on you, is it?" "I've walked just about every mile in this county in search of work." "They all heard how the Squire dismissed me, and they do love their Squire around here." "I offered prices for fixing crumbling gateposts they would have snapped my hand off for a few days ago." "Well, that just means that for a time, your choices have been taken away about the kind of work you do." "Robert... it will pass." "I will not have my reputation taken away at the whim of a man never done a day's labour in his life." "It makes no sense, Dorcas." "The way I see things, it makes absolute sense." "I can find no other way out of this predicament." "You and I have put Adelaide in an intolerable position." "Timothy, I can't let you blame my father for what happened between us." "I lied to you." "I told you I didn't love you when I did." "We spent all of our young life together, but when it came to marrying you..." "I thought that if you married a girl from the post office, it would be the ruin of you." "I don't want you to sign this contract." "You will regret it if you do." "This agreement is binding." "If you put your signature to this, the post office will no longer be yours." " I understand." " Do you?" "Tell me you will at least give it some proper consideration, a few days, perhaps a week, before you sign." "Thomas, can you put this in the mailbag for collection?" "Yes, Ma'am." "It is not my job I want back, sir, it is my reputation." "And how may I do that?" "Write me a testimonial to say you are contented with the work I have done at the Manor." "And with the character of the man who performed the work." "Very well." "A word of advice, Mr Timmins." "You could have kept your position if you'd had the good sense to hold your tongue." "I understand, sir." "I know people who've survived their whole lives by holding their tongues." "I have seen what it's made of them." "I've often envied you, you know." "Yes." "You have certain liberties that I could only dream of." "To be true to yourself, and not just your position." "I know what you think of me, and what I stand for." "But I also know that all you see before you are the clothes, the privilege and the history." "And yet you fail to see, you refuse to see the man, Mr Lane." "I'm sorry." "I meant, Mr Timmins." "That is what I heard you say, sir." "Mr Timmins." " So suddenly?" " So secretly." "We have every right to be concerned about your mental circumstances." "Wouldn't you agree?" "Well," "I admit I have arrived at my decision, shall we say, boldly." " Sudden decisions..." " Have sudden causes." "It might seem." "If we are to assume that your condition is not economical... and your haste is not due to something... medical... then we are left to presume that your condition... is emotional." "Ladies... why should you take an interest in whether my motives are... economical," "medical or emotional?" "We have so much in common, Dorcas." "Unattached women of some standing." "We comprehend your plight, whatever it might be." "And might offer some fellow feeling." "Guidance." "If you would share with us the nature of your predicament..." "Ladies..." "I shall miss you." "We'll go." "You and I, just go." "We'll live in London." " But how can you leave the...?" " All will be well here." "You know I have brothers who would like nothing better than to take my place." "You'll do that for me?" "It is what I want, Adelaide." "That can go against the wall, Matthew, as we did last year." "Oh, you have excelled yourself this year, Zillah." "Thank you." "Let's hope the Church Society bring a healthy appetite with them." "Thomas, if this is the effect Miss Ellison has upon you," "I'm beginning to wish I hadn't encouraged her." "What are you standing there like that, like a sail in the wind?" "If you think I'm doing all this work myself..." "I ain't having it!" "Caroline!" "Mrs Arless, you should be at home and resting." "I was, but as much as I'm sitting around and my body is still, my mind is running around." "I'm desperate to know if there's any word from my Walter and when I can expect him home." "We haven't received anything yet, I'm afraid." "My problem is I have no patience." " And neither does this one." " Mrs Arless, are you started?" "Oh, ain't nothing to worry about." "It's no more than anxiety." "Twice a day I have a false alarm." "We must arrange a ride back to Lark Rise for you." "No!" "I shall..." "Oooh!" "go as I came." "In the back of a..." "Aaah!" " milk cart." " Are you sure it's a false alarm?" "I'm certain of it." "Definite." "I am holding on till my husband's return or my eyes in't blue." "Oh, my eyes in't blue!" "Oh!" "Oh...!" "Laura, fetch Dr Ingrams!" " We must get you to bed at once." " No, no." "I'm holding on." "I in't having no baby till I'm ready." "I suspect this baby may have other ideas." "I think I will go up now, my dear." "No!" "You stay there where I can keep my eye on you." "Queenie..." "I don't wish to defy you, but the time has come." "I'm not afraid." "I'm ready." "If you will help me up the stairs," "I will lay me down just one last time." "You be of good cheer, my girl." "Perhaps a bit of an old tune to carry us up the stairs..." "I know." "# I stood amongst the # # gold corn #" "# Alas!" "No more, I knew" "# To gather gleaner's # # measure #" "# Of the love # # that fell from you... #" "Ma'am!" "Dr Ingrams has been called out to Ingleston." "He's not due back until nightfall." "That's all right, Laura." "We have no urgent need of him now." "Zillah and I managed just fine." "A girl." "My darling?" "Twister?" "Tom?" "Alf!" "Alf, your ma has a child!" "A girl!" "She was born in the post office!" " Laura, we haven't fallen out, have we?" " Why would we fall out?" "I've been such a fool." "Caused all sorts of trouble." "You'll always be my Alfie." "My dear friend." "She's adorable." "Zillah had her best frock, pressed and ready to welcome the guests to her surprise birthday party." "Bees, your master's dead and now you must work for your missus." "Bees, bees, your master's dead and now you must work for your missus." "I was pulling on my trousers and I fell over." "D'you know, my dear, the fever's gone and I feel more agreeable than I have in years!" "Something upset you, my dear?" "Kind friends!" "As you can see, the way of things with me is much improved." "I was wondering if I could ask of you to consider... that which was handed over in good faith...?" "I am restored to life!" "You old duffer!" " In't she the beautiful one?" " What will you call her, Caroline?" "Patience." "Patience!" "Miss..." "Ellison..." " Miss Margaret..." " Ah!" "Margaret... your eyes are poetry." "Thomas Brown, you surprise me." "I..." "I don't wish to be overly forthright." "I feel I might be..." " In love?" " Yes." "The signs, wonders that the unbeliever might never understand." " Dorcas, I've come to say goodbye." " Well, it's a little early..." "No." "I'm leaving." "Adelaide and I are going to London." "I want to live the life I have, not the life that slipped out of reach." "If I go to London, if... if I give myself to this for a year, perhaps more, then I believe I can convince Adelaide that I mean it." "Yes," "I believe you can." "And you can remain here at the post office." "Yes." "Yes, I can." "You go now." "Emma..." " I am in an impossible bind." " You don't want to leave." "I signed the contract." "I posted it." "Everyone warned me not to." "Can you not reason with Mr Blakestone?" "He's been coveting the post office for many years." "If I may be so bold, Ma'am..." "The situation's not so beyond recovery as it might appear." "A contract is only binding if it is in the possession of both parties." "I took the liberty of withdrawing it from the collection bag." " Why on earth did you do that?" " It was my belief this is God's will." "I hope you'll forgive me." "Forgive you?" "Thomas Brown, I could kiss you!" "If you're to continue to be my employer, Ma'am, that might not be advisable." "Well, Laura... it looks as if my travels will have to wait." "And everything will return to exactly as it was." "Ma'am, I think Zillah is drunk." "I'm afraid, Laura," "Zillah is not drunk." "It takes time and sorrow and experience to teach us the worth of the things that truly matter." "The deepest joys of life are here." "Right here." "Walter!"