"There is a legend about a bird... which sings just once in its life... more sweetly than any other creature... on the face of the earth." "From the moment it leaves the nest... it searches for a thorn tree... and doesn't rest until it's found one." "Then, singing among the savage branches... it impales itself upon the longest, sharpest spine." "And dying, it rises above its own agony... to out-carol the lark and the nightingale... and the whole world stills to listen... and God in his heaven smiles." "For the best is bought only at the cost of great pain... or so says the legend." "Inside, everybody!" "You, priest!" "Don't you know about the curfew?" "A man is dying." "And what's this?" "His dinner?" "His family is very poor, his children are starving." "Meat!" "Chicken!" "We haven't seen this in months." "All we get is macaroni." "For God's sake, have mercy on them!" "Out whoring and drinking, more like." "All rotten priests are the same." "On your way, priest." "And don't break curfew again." "It's not much, but it will help." "Bring them out." "Dear God." "How many more?" "The Allies have landed in Sicily." "Mussolini can't last now." "It won't be long." "It will be long enough." "You are all welcome here." "And you can take this off." "You don't need it anymore." "It is the law." "It's a Fascist law." "This is the house of God." "lf there is a God at all." "He has forsaken us." "Perhaps it is we who have forgotten him." "This man seems to doubt the power of God." "So put your faith in me." "You're under my protection now, and no harm will come to you." "And you don't need this." "Follow me." "No." "There are too many already." "If the Fascists find out, what happens to me?" "This is my church." "I am responsible." "We are all responsible, Father." "I absolve you of any blame." "If the authorities find out..." "I'll say it was all my doing." "Go back to your dinner." "It's best you don't know." "Come along." "Come along." "Follow me this way." "Come along." "It isn't much, I know, but you'll be safe here for as long as you need to be." "Thank you from the bottom of my heart." "You are a saint." "No." "Far from it." "Please." "I'll try to find a doctor for you tomorrow." "Meanwhile, make yourselves as comfortable as possible." "Father, my grandson, Samuel... protect him." "And find a safe haven for him... if such a place still exists." "You can both live in that place." "I don't want to live." "I saw what the Nazis did... to his parents." "To my wife." "When I know that the boy is safe..." "I want to be with her." "I'll do what I can for him." "You swear on your sacred, solemn love of God?" "I swear on my sacred oath." "Now rest." "There are too many." "We have no food for them tomorrow." "I'll find some." "And we need some medicine." "I'll find some." "And you must rest, My Lord." "You put us all to shame." "No." "We must do what we can." "I'll do the rest." "I know these are difficult times, Ralph... but when the Holy Father says mass... his servant should not be late." "All across Europe, thousands of displaced people... are seeking some sanctuary from this ravaging war... and Holy Mother Church is doing nothing." "What has that to do with being late?" "We know that punctuality and obedience are not your virtues... but at least you could show some respect." "And, you know, we do whatever we can." "No, Your Eminence, we do as little as possible... because we don't want to offend one Great Power or the other... until we know which side will win." "Meanwhile, the homeless have nowhere to go... no future to look forward to, and no one to take care of them." "So I do what I can." "Are you going to be a politician now?" "Listen to me, Ralph." "Many people admire your work." "It has even been discussed with the Holy Father himself... and I think your future as a cardinal seems assured." "It's all I have hoped for you, ever since I've met you." "But... you cannot have one breath of scandal... not one hint of it..." "to taint your dazzling future." "What scandal?" "You know perfectly well what I'm talking about." "Your management of the great fortune of Mary Carson... which you brought into the Church, and which you are in charge of." "I've used this much for the refugees." "You cannot use any of it." "The money belongs to the Church... and you cannot use the tiniest fraction of it... for purposes the Church does not deem appropriate." "Saving human lives is not appropriate?" "Of course it is appropriate... and you know that." "But it is not up to you to decide." "It is not your decision." "What am I to do?" "My priests and I scrounge, beg, and steal... to feed the refugees for one night... never knowing whether they will starve the next." "Then we have to persuade the Church..." "to loosen her purse strings." "And when the war is over?" "Then they can go home." "Most of them have no homes now." "There are other countries" "Who don't want them, won't take them." "Then we have to use our political... diplomatic power... and convince them to change their policies... and to help find countries of refuge... for these unfortunate souls." "I'll do... what I can... if you give me your sacred word... now... that you will not use one penny more... of the Carson money." "I can't make that vow." "You must." "Not only for me, but for yourself." "You have not only friends here." "There are powerful forces lining up against you." "Let them do their worst... and then, at last, I'll know the truth." "Does God want me for my ability... or does the Church want me for Mary Carson's money?" "To tell you the truth, the Church definitely wants you for... your ability to do the Church's work." "And God..." "God..." "All he wants... is your faith." "I'll be careful, Vittorio." "There'll be no scandal." "I'll take it for a promise." "Come." "Turn her off, mate." "G'day, Mrs. O'Neill." "Bill, Tony." "Any luck?" "It's a waste of time." "It's dry." "There's no water here." "But this whole area is an artesian basin." "There must be water." "I'm at 3,000 feet." "The sheep cannot last much longer." "This drought's killing us all, Mrs. O'Neill... and the thing is, Tony's joined up." "He's off to New Guinea." "His mom don't want him to go, and that's a fact, but..." "I got to do my bit, Mrs. O'Neill." "Yes." "I know you're desperate for water... but we want to go to Sydney with him to see him off." "Who knows when he'll be home again." "All right, Bill." "Thanks anyway." "I'm sorry." "I'll come back on Monday, and take this lot down." "Good luck in New Guinea, Tony." "I'll say g'day to your brothers if I see them." "She needs a man around the place." "Women aren't cut out for this sort of work." "Old Mary Carson ran Drogheda good enough." "Mary Carson was different." "Miss Meggie's a lady." "...but when he retired in 1911... he thought his military career was over." "However, when the German invaders defeated..." "Now, Dane, we all know... that the present German Nazi leader is Adolf Hitler... but can you tell me the name of the allied Italian dictator?" "You there, Dane?" "Mommy!" "Mommy!" "Dane, come back here this instant." "You haven't finished school." "Justine?" "...so I thought we'd lost you both." "No, because it's boring." "Justine." "She can't hear." "Have you been studying as well as your brother?" "Yes, Mrs. H." "It's Mrs. Henderson, Justine... not Mrs. H. Mind your manners, thank you." "Then she asked me about Rome." "That's where your friend the Archbishop is, isn't he?" "That's right." "Does he know the Pope?" "I think he's met him a couple of times, yeah." "Any luck?" "They're not going to be drilling anymore, Mom." "Tony's joined up." "It's got to rain." "It will, dear, in God's good time." "After a week of it, we'll be wishing it'd stop." "Come on, you." "That's it for today, then, children." "Talk to you all again on Monday." "Over and out." "Why does she call me "children"?" "I'm not a child." "You are for just a little while longer yet, Justine." "Tell you what, why don't you go and make us a nice cup of tea?" "Why is it always me?" "Why can't Mrs. Smith?" "Because she's busy cooking your dinner." "Now, go on." "I have half a mind to go out and drill that damn well myself." "No, Meggie, that's men's work." "So is running this place." "I've been doing quite well at that." "Isn't right." "Your brothers should be here." "They're not." "Bob and Jack are fighting a war in New Guinea... so I'm afraid running Drogheda's up to me... whether you like it or not." "Why bother?" "We don't even own this place." "It belongs to the Church." "That's why we have to take care of it." "My daddy would find water if he was here." "The only liquid your father could find would be the beer at the nearest pub." "I'm sorry, Justine." "I didn't mean that." "Yes, you did." "You always do." "If you hated him so much, why did you marry him?" "Justine." "I'll take care of her, Mom." "You must guard your tongue, Meggie." "That girl shouldn't grow up believing her father is the devil incarnate." "Why not?" "It's true." "Then she has a point." "If it's true, why did you marry him?" "Mom, it's old ground." "Not to her." "And what's Dane to think?" "I mean, Luke isn't even his real father." "He'll hear you!" "No, he doesn't." "If anyone knew, it would destroy Father Ralph's position in the Church." "Mom, Luke isn't here." "Ralph isn't here." "I'm Dane's mother and father..." "and that is all he need ever know." "And you don't think blood will out?" "That boy already has his heart set on becoming a priest..." "just like his father." "He's a child, he'll grow out of it." "I hope so." "Otherwise, you'll lose him to God as well." "Please... just let it rain." "Dear God, please bring some rain to stop the drought." "And God bless Justine, and Grandma Fee... and Uncle Jack, and Mommy... and a very special blessing for my daddy, wherever he is." "Amen." "Right, into bed." "Do you miss your father, Dane?" "Well, I don't know him, so I can't really miss him." "I miss not having a daddy, though." "Yeah, I know." "Justine thinks you hate him." "Hate?" "That's a very strong word, my darling." "I don't hate your daddy." "Do you think he'll ever come back here?" "Why?" "Aren't I enough for you?" "Yes." "You're the best mommy in all the world." "Yeah, you say that now, but you know, one day... you're going to meet a beautiful girl... you're going to fall in love... get married, and have lots of babies... and then she'll be the best mommy in all the world." "No, I'm going to be a priest." "Priests don't get married." "You are much too young to be thinking about things like that." "Why?" "Would you mind?" "No, not if it's what you really wanted." "But it's a big decision to make." "Wait until you're much, much older." "All right." "Night, Mom." "Good night, my darling." "Sleep tight." "Don't let the bedbugs bite." "Don't let the bedbugs bite." "Good night." "What on earth are you doing?" "Just practicing for when I'm an actress." "It makes you look awfully grown up." "I am grown up." "Not to me." "You're still my little girl." "I do try, Justine." "I know you miss your father, but he's not here." "You always call him "your father." You never say "my husband."" "That's because I don't think of myself as married to Luke anymore." "You're not divorced." "You're Catholic, you can't be divorced." "And you must've loved him to marry him." "Oh, for pity's sake, Justine." "Yes, I thought I loved him once." "It took me a while to realize I was wrong... but he gave me you, so it wasn't all bad." "You're right about one thing:" "I do wish he was here." "That's not going to happen." "I'm sorry, but that's the way it is." "At least he'd love me." "And do you think I don't?" "You know, your father wasn't the man you think he was." "Wash that makeup off before you go to bed." "...on rural properties in Australia, as the two-year drought continues." "Overseas, Australian troops have gained more ground in New Guinea... but the Japanese continue to inflict heavy casualties." "And, following the invasion of Sicily... the Allies have announced that none of the Italian cities... including Rome, will be excluded from bombing raids... because of historical importance." "Meanwhile..." "They won't bomb the Vatican." "He'll be safe." "...is besieged." "It is being softened up... with fierce bombardment from sea and air..." "Sweet Mary, mother of Jesus... have mercy." "Take this burden from me." "I think of her... every minute of my life." "Let me forget her." "Let me serve you in peace." "I have repented my sin." "I will never see her again." "Only please, I beg of you... take this burden from me." ""Dead."" ""Dead, and never called me mother! "" "What are you laughing at?" "You." "You look funny." "This is a melodrama." "It isn't supposed to be serious." "I was very good." "Why do you want to be an actress, Justie?" "I love being other people." "I don't like being me." "I hate it out here in the Never Never." "No one to talk to, nothing to do." "You can talk to me." "Yes, but you go on about Jesus all the time." "It gets a bit boring." "I want to be like her, Aunt Mary Carson." "Rich and interesting." "She loved Jesus." "She must have." "She left all of her money to the Church." "She didn't really." "She left all her money to that priest Mommy's so fond of, Father Ralph." "He's an archbishop." "I bet there was something funny going on there." "I bet really she was in love with him." "You can't love a priest." "Yes, you can." "You can't marry one... but there's nothing to stop you being in love with him." "It's very romantic, being in love with a man you can't have." "Do you think Mommy ever loved Daddy?" "Probably, when they got married." "Why does she hate him so much now?" "He left her." "No, he didn't." "He was wonderful to her." "She left him." "Mrs. Smith told me." "I'd never do that." "I'd never walk out on a man if I really loved him." "I wish Daddy would come here." "I know he'd take me away from here, and we'd go to Sydney... and I'd become a great actress and look after him for always and always." "Grandma's home." "We'd better get cleaned up." "You know how she goes on." "Mom." "Mom, Mrs. Smith wants to know..." "Mom, are you all right?" "This is where you met Luke, isn't it?" "Where you courted?" "You should never have left him." "He's your husband." "Go back to him, I beg you, and have babies." "Have lots more babies." "Mom, what's the matter?" "Dear Mom... this letter will probably come as a bit of a shock to you." "It's hard to believe it was three years ago we all said goodbye." "I've seen a lot of action since then, Mom." "North Africa, Europe." "As you know, Mom, we've been shipped to New Guinea to stop the Japs." "We've been fighting pretty hard on the Kokoda Trail these past eight months." "The jungle's purgatory, Mom." "Anyway, some of the young blokes were caught in an ambush." "They were wounded pretty badly, held down by sniper fire." "Young lads, they were." "Been here since the beginning." "We couldn't just leave them out there to die, Mom... so me and a couple of boys, we went to get them." "That's what we're here for, isn't it, Mom?" "Well, we got to the blokes safely... and started leading them out of there... when the Japanese just came out of nowhere." "Like ghosts, they were." "They had us pinned down pretty good and, at first, we stood our ground... but we had to get out of there." "We were trapped." "So I just let loose." "I don't know what happened then." "I think I got a couple of them." "The thing is, one of them got me." "I'm all right now." "Some specialists have looked at me." "Nothing serious, except..." ""Nothing serious," he says." "Except he'll never be able to have children, ever." "If that isn't serious, I don't know what is." "At least he'll be out of the war." "He'll be home." "We need a man about the place." "Yes!" "Luke?" "What the hell are you doing here?" "How are you feeling?" "You want a cup of tea?" "I reckon you need one." "Some folk might say it was lucky I was passing by." "But then, gratitude never really was one of your strong points, was it, Megan?" "I put four sugars in there." "You probably had a bit of a shock." "And you're it." "There's some spares for the drill." "I'll see if I can get it going again." "There's no point, there's no water." "Who says?" "Bill Masters." "It's his drill." "Bill Masters couldn't direct traffic down a one-way street." "No, it's there, but two years without rain... it'll be deep, and we surely need it." ""We"?" "Figure of speech." "Every station from here to the black stump needs water." "So how are you feeling?" "I've got a lousy headache." "That's not surprising." "That's a nasty gash." "But I don't think there's any harm done." "You never answered my question." "What are you doing here?" "I had a bit of time on my hands." "I thought I'd come down and see my wife." "I haven't been your wife for a long time, Luke." "And I wanted to see my boy." "I heard around the traps I've got a son." "Why didn't you tell me?" "Because I didn't think you'd care." "You never took much notice of Justine." "Boys are different." "I've always wanted a son." "Megan..." "I'll do whatever you say, but I want to see my son." "You want some more tea, Grandma?" "No, thank you, dear." "I think I'll have a nap before dinner." "Here's your mommy home." "Who's that man?" "Go and get Justine, dear." "Tell her it's her father." "Daddy?" "G'day, Mrs. C." "Daddy!" "Daddy!" "That's what I call a real homecoming." "This is Dane." "G'day, Dane." "G'day, Dad." "Is it really you?" "It is!" "What a sight for sore eyes you are." "It's me, Mrs. Smith." "It's really me." "Lost a bit of weight, I see." "Mr. Luke, what a card you are." "You haven't changed." "A bit older and wiser, perhaps." "I like to think so, anyway." "How about you get back in that kitchen?" "I need a bit of feeding up." "Welcome home, Luke." "It's you that hasn't changed." "You're looking younger than ever." "Liar." "This is a bit of all-right, isn't it?" "I'd forgotten how charming he can be." "Yes, when he wants something." "Mom, he's too old for cane cutting, and he's looking for a meal ticket..." "and it's not going to be me." "You're too hard on him, dear." "A little Christian charity might not go astray." "I am not going back to Luke, Mom." "He never loved me." "He spent more time with his mates than he ever did with me." "What about the children?" "They need him." "So do you, only you're too stubborn to admit it." "I don't need anyone." "We all need someone." "I miss your father." "You can't tell me you haven't been lonely for the last 10 years." "I know what loneliness is." "Yes, I've been lonely, Mom, but not for Luke." "No, obviously." "You were unfaithful to him." "You've been pining for 10 years for a priest..." "a man you can never have." "I have his son." "His son needs a father." "Luke is not his father." "And I don't trust him." "Then change him, dear." "You're quite a witch, after all." "It was for you that Father Ralph broke his most sacred, solemn vow." "All tucked in?" "Good as gold." "At least the kids were pleased to see me." "Do you mind, Mrs. C?" "I don't mind you smoking." "But I do mind you calling me Mrs. C." "Fine." "Fee." "That's better." "It does my heart good to see you sitting there." "We need a man about the place." "You surely do." "Drogheda's not exactly looking its best." "It hasn't been easy, you know." "Most of the able-bodied men are fighting a war." "I think you've done great... considering you've had everything stacked against you." "But if you need help, I'm here now." "For how long?" "As long as I'm needed, or wanted." "That raises the question of where you'll sleep." "Mom." "It's all right, Megan." "I wasn't expecting to turn up here like the proverbial bad penny..." "and jump straight into the cot with you." "I'm glad to hear it." "I'll bunk down at the old shearer's quarters." "It's not very comfortable." "It'll be a palace compared to some of the places I've slept in." "Besides, all those feather beds up there, they make a man soft." "That's just what Jack used to say." "What do you think you're doing... coming in here, charming the pants off everyone?" "Not quite everyone, it seems." "I'm serious, Luke." "What do you want?" "Nothing that you're not prepared to give." "You're my wife, and they're my children... and I just want what I've always wanted: a little place of our own." "I want to settle down with my family." "Simple as that?" "Luke, you can't just ignore the last 10 years." "You can't just walk in here as if nothing's happened." "All those years, the kids needed a father, where the hell were you?" "You walked out on me, remember?" "And what about you, all those years?" "You can't tell me that you haven't needed a husband, wanted a man." "The real reason that I've come back here is to say that I'm sorry." "I apologize." "You were right, and I was wrong." "Look, I miss you... and I want you back." "I love you, Megan." "I always have." "What's this?" "That's your dowry." "There's $20,000 there, with 10 years interest." "I don't want it." "When you left me, you told me I could keep the money... so long as you didn't have to see me again." "Well... you've seen me." "Keep the money." "They can't do this." "The Allies are winning." "They can do what they want." "They're coming close to San Lorenzo." "I must go." "There's nothing you can do there tonight." "Keep calm." "You are safe here." "What is it, Grandpa?" "What's happening?" "It is the end of the world." "This is your doing." "This is God's vengeance for bringing them here." "You even brought Jews to a Christian place." "Father, that's enough." "I curse you." "What are you doing?" "Get back down there." "Go on." "You're safe here." "You're 20 feet underground." "This is the best bomb shelter ever built." "Why would you want to be out?" "What I told you is true." "This is your sanctuary." "Here, you're safe." "That's why I chose this place." "Now, go back to your places, all of you." "Go on." "I'm sorry, Father." "We did try." "Listen to me." "Listen!" "The bombs won't last much longer." "And you should be happy, they're American bombs... and that means the end of the war is coming closer and closer." "Good for the Yanks!" "That's the spirit." "I know you're all frightened." "I am, too." "But we're in God's hands now, and he's spared our lives so far." "Let's give thanks to him." "Should I pray, too, Grandpa?" "Pray, Samuel." "Pray with all your heart." "Pray for that priest." "He will be your salvation." "Our Father, who art in heaven... hallowed be Thy name." "Thy kingdom come." "Thy will be done... on Earth as it is in heaven." "Give us this day our daily bread." "And forgive us our trespasses... as we forgive those who trespass against us." "And lead us not into temptation... but deliver us from evil." "Amen." "Grandpa!" "Samuel, come here, boy." "Come here." "Hush." "Don't cry." "He's safe with God now, and you'll be all right, Samuel." "I promise you." "I swore to your grandfather that I'd keep you safe... and I will." "I will." "You promised me no scandal, and look what you have done." "Thousands taken from the Carson estate." "Believe me, it was a worthy cause." "You broke your word." "Food, yes." "Medicine, clothing, yes." "All that, the Church might forgive." "But money to buy passage to America... for some little boy" "He was a very special case." "It's always a special case." "Every case is special." "I agree with you, but if your enemies know about it... they will do everything in their power to destroy you." "Is that what the Church is?" "Intrigue, power, politics?" "Yes, that's what the Church is: power and politics." "And you should have learned that a long time ago." "In their eyes, you committed a crime." "The Church demands obedience to your vows." "Where was your vow of poverty when you used the Carson money?" "Where was your vow of obedience when you broke your word to me?" "And let's not talk about your vow of chastity." "And on top of everything... you neglected the fortune you're in charge of:" "Drogheda." "It's also the Church's property." "Your Eminence?" "Don't you know that Drogheda is devastated by drought?" "There is often drought in Australia." "Drought." "Perhaps you should see for yourself." "I'm going to send you back to Australia." "Not to Australia." "Vittorio, I beg you." "I warned you, but you wouldn't listen." "If this comes out, there will be a scandal here... and you are better out of it." "And there, you can discuss... the resettlement of refugees in that country after the war." "It would do much to repair your reputation." "Not Australia." "Please!" "Why not?" "Is there any temptation there?" "Then perhaps, like our Lord in the wilderness... you should learn to resist it." "Can he drive it yet?" "The boy's a legend." "Go on." "You're good." "Don't pet the dog before dinner." "There you go, Dad." "Great tucker, Justine." "Thanks, Dad." "Mom helped." "I just supervised." "You'll make someone a great little wife." "I'm not going to get married, not for a long time." "I'm going to be an actress." "My word, Dane, we're going to have an actress in the family." "She just likes showing off." "And what about you, boy?" "What do you want to be?" "A priest." "Is that so?" "And why's that?" "I don't know, I just want to." "I think that's a terrific thing... but having a wife and a family... that's a very special thing, too." "It's been hard on us all, not being together." "I bought a farm." "Put a deposit on it, anyway." "We could all live together." "And then you might decide that having a family of your own... is much better than being a priest." "It's been pretty good this last little while, hasn't it?" "Yes." "Too right." "And it will get better and better, I promise." "When can we move, Dad?" "When can we go there?" "That's not up to me." "That's up to your mother to decide." "But we'll talk about that after dinner." "Can you pass the salt?" "Pass the bread, Mom." "Yeah, good night." "Good night, darling." "Good night, Dad." "Good night, Mom." "Good night, Justine." "You don't play fair, Luke." "You come swanning in here like Father Christmas... making them think you're the most wonderful man in the world." "Well, I am." "Walk me home?" "Scared of the dark?" "No." "Scared of losing you." "This isn't going to work." "At least let me try." "You owe me that much." "And you owe it to the children." "Meggie?" "Mom!" "I'm going to Sydney." "What's happened?" "Jack's been sent there to see some specialist." "He says he'll be in hospital for a while." "I have to be there to see him." "Please, Mom, let me drive." "No, I've got to get used to it." "Now that you're going to be living with Luke on his farm..." "I'll be doing a lot of driving." "The children told me." "It's not definite yet." "Hopefully, you'll have more children." "Sons." "I already have a son." "What if he becomes a priest?" "Who'll inherit all this if Dane never has children?" "He can't inherit Drogheda anyway, Mom." "It belongs to the Church." "It's ours to care for, at least as long as we have sons." "And it should have been ours." "Your father and your brothers worked hard for this place." "It's the most spiteful thing Mary Carson ever did." "Just leave them there." "Thank you." "You sure you'll be all right, Mom?" "Oh, Meggie, I'm not a child." "Give my love to Jackie." "Hello, Meggie." "Ralph." "You're looking very well." "And you." "I had no idea you were coming." "It was all very sudden." "You didn't write." "You didn't telephone." "Ten years of nothing." "Only letters to Mom about Drogheda." "What could I say?" "That you missed me." "That you were coming home." "I mean, how were you going to get out to Drogheda?" "I'll be staying at the presbytery in town." "I was going to call from there." "Why there?" "Why are you staying there?" "I have a lot of Church business to take care of." "A lot of things have changed, Meggie." "Yes, they have." "How bad is the drought?" "It's over two years now." "We're running half the sheep we used to... which you'd have known if you'd read the reports properly." "For pity's sake, Meggie, stop the car." "Why did you come back?" "Because of the drought." "To see for myself." "Are you so unhappy I'm here?" "Yes." "No." "Ralph, 10 years ago you said you loved me... and even though I knew you loved God more, it didn't matter." "But then you left me." "You went back to Rome and I tried very hard to forget you... without much success." "I waited and I dreamed." "I didn't hear a word from you." "And now, just when I thought I'd found a way to live without you... you turn up, out of the blue." "Why have you come back?" "Why do you always come back just when I think I don't need you?" "I had no choice, Meggie." "The Church sent me." "I certainly had no idea you'd be at the station." "I had planned to keep some distance." "But now, seeing you..." "I can't let things be the way they were." "I'm going back to Luke." "You did very good." "But you, mate, you got to keep your head down." "You got to keep your head down near the horse's head." "You gotta talk to him like a friend." "Gotta let him know you're his boss." "Mom doesn't do that." "Yeah, well, your mom's always been a bit formal in the saddle." "Who's that with Mom?" "Trouble, that's who it is." "Dane, Justine, I want you to meet someone very special." "This is Archbishop de Bricassart." "He's come all the way from Rome." "Hello, Justine." "Hello, Dane." "Dane, don't be so prissy." "Justine, behave yourself." "Hello, Luke." "Thanks for helping out here." "I didn't do it for you." "I did it for Meggie." "I'll go and stable the horses." "I will, Dad." "No." "You stay here with your ma and... him." "Dane." "Yes, Dad." "Justine." "He's too cute!" "Have you ever met the Pope?" "Quite a few times." "What's he like?" "Dane, he's just a man." "In a white dress." "Justine." "It's all right, Meggie." "I'm used to it." "And it's true." "The Pope is a very special man." "The representative of God on Earth, but still, he's only a man." "We're all only men, trying to serve God the best way we can." "That's what I want to do." "Dane, that's enough." "That's a very big decision, Dane." "No, it isn't." "It's easy." "Don't argue with the Archbishop, Dane." "I'm not arguing, I'm agreeing with him." "You're just a nipper, and you're much too young... to be worrying about your future yet." "So why are you here?" "There must be more important things to do in Europe." "My superiors were concerned about Drogheda." "Why?" "Have I been doing such a bad job?" "You've been doing remarkably well... but the Vatican doesn't understand Australian droughts." "What are you going to do, pray for rain?" "Of course." "And there are other reasons." "The war in Europe is winding down, at last... and countless thousands of people are displaced, misplaced... and can't go home again." "They have no homes, or even countries, to go to." "We have to find other places for them to live." "Here?" "Some of them, I hope." "I've been sent here to try and negotiate with the Australian government." "They're coming here?" "They have to go somewhere, Luke." "Cripes, that's the last thing we need... is a bunch of reffos running around Australia." "Luke!" "I got no taste for this." "Best be on my way." "I'm sorry, Ralph." "Why don't people want the refugees?" "Because they're different." "And people don't like things to be different." "I used to come here when I was sad or lonely... when I needed to talk to you, to see you." "I'd close my eyes, and I'd dream of you." "And you'd always be here." "Always." "Just as you are now." "Is that what it's like with God?" "Can you walk into any empty church and just talk to him... like I came here to talk to you?" "I don't think God hears me anymore." "Why?" "What's happened to you?" "Perhaps it's the war." "Perhaps I don't want things to be different." "What do you think of Dane?" "He's a fine boy." "You and Luke must be very proud of him." "He wants to be a priest." "Stop him, I beg you." "I couldn't bear it." "Because of me?" "I lost you to God." "I don't want to lose Dane, as well." "Meggie, you never lost me." "You think I haven't wanted you?" "Every moment, waking, sleeping, praying... you've been in my heart and in my mind." "I need the warmth of someone real beside me... not the cold love of God." "Luke?" "He's changed, he wants to settle down." "I'm pregnant." "I'm going to have Luke's baby." "What?" "That's what you wanted, isn't it?" ""Marry Luke and be happy," you said." ""Settle down and have lots of babies."" "Well, that's exactly what I'm going to do." "I'm going to be a good Catholic girl... and have lots and lots of babies, Luke's babies..." "just as you said I should." "Oh, Meggie." "Hello, Luke." "You again." "For Meggie's sake, I think you and I should sort a few things out." "We've got nothing to sort out." "She's my wife, you're the intruder." "But she lives here." "Not for much longer." "Meggie's back with me." "She's going to have my baby." "Yes, she told me." "I'm very pleased for you both." "Drogheda is a wonderful place for children." "No, we're not staying here." "But there's no reason for you to leave." "Yes, there is." "You think I want this new kid growing up in this Catholic hothouse?" "Look what happened to the other two, to Dane." "The Church has never interfered with your life." "Maybe not the Church directly." "But you have, haven't you?" "So, I'm buying a place of my own." "Not much by your standards, but I think we'll be happy." "And she won't be here for you to come running back to... every time you need a dose of reality." "But you can stay on here." "I'll hire you to manage the place." "I'm not slaving the rest of my days working for some mick in Rome." "Meggie's brothers can break their backs running this place for you... when they get back from the war... but I'll have no part of it." "You conned old Mary Carson into giving you this place... and I'd love to know the truth of that one one day... but it's all yours now... lock, stock and barrel." "And I wish you the joy of it." "But I keep Meggie." "My Lord." "Why don't you call me Ralph?" "Because you're an archbishop." "Pretend I'm not." "Not here." "It's one of the last waterholes left... because of the drought." "The wild animals come here at sunset to drink." "I love it here." "Do you like being a priest?" "Sometimes I find it very difficult, Dane." "I seem to spend my life searching for God." "Father Hammond, my teacher, says God is here." "They say God is everywhere." "Yes, but especially here." "You're very lucky, Dane." "Not everyone has this." "You said he was everywhere." "You sound like a Jesuit." "I'm going to a Jesuit school in Sydney in a couple of years." "At least, I was." "Now Dad's come back, and he isn't too keen on it." "What's all this about you wanting to be a priest?" "Everyone says I should wait until I'm older to decide..." "but I don't know why." "You're very young, and you'll change." "In a couple of years, things will happen to your body... and you'll start getting interested in girls... and that's a very big problem for a priest." "I know about girls." "I've seen the animals." "I know what goes on." "You may know certain facts, but you can't know the feeling." "That doesn't happen till later." "I fell in love once, and my whole life has been a battle... to decide if I love her more than God." "But you wouldn't leave the Church." "No." "No, she deserves the best that life can give her... and I don't think that's me." "So it's all right?" "I wish it were that easy." "Look." "Where's the ward?" "Thank you." "So silly, all this rain here in Sydney... and 1,000 miles away, we're desperate for one drop." "Now, what did the specialist say, Jack?" "Same as all the others." "You ain't going to get any grandsons out of me, Mom." "Half a man, that's what I am now." "Don't talk like that, you can still have a fine life." "It was never very important before, getting married, having kids." "Plenty of time for that, I thought." "Any bloke can do that." "That's the easy part." "I was wrong." "I'm sorry, Mom." "Don't be silly." "I know how much you wanted grandchildren to carry on the family line." "I have grandchildren:" "Justine and Dane." "Yeah, but they're Luke's kids." "They're not Clearys to carry on at Drogheda, are they?" ""Sons," you always used to say." ""Sons are what a mother cares about."" "All your sons have been a disappointment to you." "Stu's dead, Frank locked up for the rest of his life... and now me." "My sons have been my greatest joy." "Momma..." "It is God's will, dear." "We must trust in him." "What is it?" "It's Luke." "He thinks you're encouraging Dane to become a priest." "I won't be a problem much longer." "Why?" "Because you're leaving... and when you all move away, he won't have to see me again." "But I'll still see you." "No, Meggie." "Sooner or later, I'll be going back to Rome, and... you two have a life together that doesn't include me." "We can still see each other while you're here." "You're part of my life." "I'm part of your past." "You've chosen a new life with Luke, which is right and proper... though I don't think it'll be easy for you." "The last thing you need at the moment is me." "I'm upsetting you, making Luke angry... and hurting myself." "I didn't want to come back here." "And when I had to, I swore to myself... that I'd see you as little as possible." "What a fool I was." "What I really wanted was for things... to be as they always had been between us." "But you're right." "Too much has changed." "Go with Luke... and find as much happiness as you can." "Well, here we are." "Home sweet home." "It's fine." "Where's all the livestock?" "There ain't none yet." "This place hasn't been worked in years." "That's why I picked it up for a song." "We'll get some stock cheap... and we'll have it looking like a farm in no time." "Come on, Dane, let's find a creek." "Of course, it needs a bit of fixing up, but..." "It's a great big kitchen... and the stoves come off the hearth." "I'll get you a new one in a couple of years." "A bit of soap and water, you won't even know the place." "You can hang the baby's things up here." "And look." "We can put Justine in there... and Dane can go in here." "And this..." "And this is us." "So, what do you think?" "It's awful, Luke." "It's not that bad." "It is." "It's terrible." "It's gonna take months to make this place livable." "When it does, we can put the cot there for the little one." "And then, when he gets bigger, he can move in with Dane." "So what's the bed like?" "I don't know." "You try." "I'm going to go make a cup of tea." "Well, this is the life." "All the family together." "What are we gonna do about school, Dad?" "Will we still use the wireless?" "At least you'll be going to school in Sydney next year." "I have to wait another two." "Dane, your father doesn't want you to go to Sydney." "He needs you here on the farm, you see." "There's a school at Gladstone, 20 miles away." "It's a good school for country boys." "Is it Catholic?" "No." "Then why do I have to go there?" "Because your father says so, darling." "But I'm going to be a priest." "No, you ain't." "If you feel the same when you leave school..." "we'll talk about it then, all right?" "No, we won't." "It's not for now... it's for always." "He'll never be able to have children." "Never have sons." "He'll never know the beauty of God's greatest gift." "How can you do it?" "How can you possibly choose a life like yours?" "How can you not want to have children?" "I wanted to make the sacrifice... to prove my love for God." "You have every right to be here, of course." "But you must know, I would much rather you weren't." "You think I don't know about you and Meggie?" "Mary Carson knew." "She knew it the moment she saw the two of you meet... all those years ago." "And I think I always knew it, too." "But I didn't want to believe it." "And now, just when I thought everything was over, you had to come back." "Fee, I'm a priest." "There's nothing between us." "Then either I'm a fool, or you're a liar." "No, you're not a fool, and I'm not a liar." "That's all over now." "She's chosen Luke." "She chose Luke once before." "Look what happened then." "Do you really think Meggie doesn't love you?" "She doesn't want Luke." "She wants a father for the children." "She wants you." "And all you would have to do is to say the word, one word... and she would be with you in a heartbeat." "I can't." "I am nothing, I have nothing." "Is that what you told her?" "Don't do to Meggie what you did to Mary Carson." "Don't destroy her with love." "Grandma!" "You should see the new farm, it's awful." "But Dad's going to fix it up." "How's Uncle Jack?" "When's he coming home?" "Not for a while, dear." "You're still here?" "He won't let me be a priest." "That's enough." "You don't discuss family business with strangers." "Ralph is not a stranger." "He is to me." "I'd like to hear what the boy has to say." "No." "Dane's my son, and I'll bring him up my way." "I don't want you interfering with his education." "I want you off this place." "This is Church property, Luke." "And the Church demands that I be here." "I'll stay as long as they need me." "Then we'll get out of your way." "My family and I will be out of this place by the end of the week." "What?" "And if I ever catch you sniffing around my boy... or my wife, or anything else of mine..." "I'll break your bloody neck." "Luke, please." "Luke, we cannot go to the farm, not yet." "There's too much to do." "We're getting out of here." "There's a curse on this place." "There's no running water, the house is falling down." "So we'll have to rough it for a while." "But I'm not going to be lorded over by some snotty-nosed priest." "He's just trying to help." "I don't want his help, I want him out of my life." "I want him out of Dane's life, and I want him out of your life." "I'm not going, Luke, not until the farm is ready." "You're my wife and you'll go where I say." "You don't own me!" "This is the same as last time, me dancing to your beck and call... stuck in some dump somewhere, never seeing you." "It's him, isn't it?" "That priest." "Don't be ridiculous." "I never understood before, but I do now." "So how many times has he had his grubby hands on you?" "Don't you ever say that!" "Luke!" "I'm sorry." "The baby, Luke, the baby!" "Mr. O'Neill... there was nothing we could do to save the baby." "I'm sorry." "And Meggie?" "Mrs. O'Neill?" "She'll be fine." "I'm afraid..." "Mr. O'Neill, I don't think she'll be able to have any more children." "I could be wrong, and she should see a specialist in Sydney, but..." "She's resting now." "Mr. O'Neill, I think she might like to see you." "Yeah, sure." "How are you feeling?" "I didn't mean to hurt you." "I was angry." "You made me angry." "You'll be up and about in a few days, and we'll be out of here." "Didn't the doctor tell you?" "There won't be any more children." "Yeah, he told me." "I'll never be able to give you a son." "Don't get yourself all worked up about it." "I've already got a son." "I've got Dane." "Meggie wants to see you." "Some Catholic mumbo-jumbo, I guess." "Meggie, I'm so sorry." "It's my fault." "I was such a fool." "You couldn't have known." "I could have." "I was married to him, I know what he's capable of." "There's no need for this now." "I so much wanted to believe that he'd changed... and that I could live with him, because the children needed a father." "You should have written to me, told me." "I just couldn't stand the guilt anymore." "You have no idea how much guilt a woman is made to feel... when she leaves her husband." "You found the strength to leave him once." "I was unfaithful to Luke, and I lied to you." "Don't do this to yourself." "This is God's revenge, isn't it?" "He's taken my baby." "My poor, sweet, innocent baby." "My baby." "Don't." "My baby." "Do whatever you want with me." "Do whatever you like with me." "You can have my faith... have my vocation... have my life." "But not her." "Don't play games with her." "Let her be happy." "Let her be happy." "Let her be happy." "It's not right, Justine." "You haven't been doing your homework." "Open your history book to Page 87." "Yes, Mrs. Henderson." "You've been on your feet all morning." "Why don't you sit down?" "I'm all right, Mom." "Really." "I promise you." "Where's Ralph?" "Went into town early to talk to Father Hammond." "Did you tell him?" "You must." "You must put an end to these lies." "You must tell Luke, and you must tell Ralph." "No." "The problem isn't with Ralph." "It's with Luke and me." "I can't tell Ralph about Dane." "But I can put the rest of it right." "I wish Ralph had never come back." "Look, don't blame Ralph, blame Luke." "He hit me." "He caused this." "So when will you be ready to go?" "I'm not going, Luke." "Look, I did a really bad thing." "I should never have agreed to us getting back together." "You seemed pretty keen on the idea till that priest turned up." "This has nothing to do with Ralph." "This is my decision." "You're my wife." "I was your wife." "Whatever there was between us was over a long time ago." "I realize that now." "Is that your final word?" "Yes." "I'm sorry." "Dane." "What do you want with him?" "It's none of your business anymore." "Go to your room, get your things packed." "Where are we going?" "We aren't going anywhere." "It's just me and Dane." "Oh, no." "You are not having Dane." "You try and stop me." "You're coming with me." "But I don't want to go." "You'll do as you're told." "Get to your room and get your things packed." "You must tell him now." "I can't." "What about me?" "Why not me?" "I don't want you." "I'm sick of girls." "All I want is my son." "But I love you." "I want to be with you." "I don't like her." "I hate her." "Not half as much as I do." "You walked out on me once before." "I was a fool to trust you again." "You can't just take Dane." "He's my son, too!" "All these years you kept him from me." "You never even told me I had a son." "That's why I came back when I heard." "You think I came back here for you?" "You think I came back for your nagging and moaning again... and carrying on like Lady Muck?" "I was prepared to put up with you for the sake of the boy." "But all I want is him." "Now, I told you to go and pack." "No!" "You'll do without, then." "Come on." "For God's sake, Luke, please, don't do this." "You watch me." "Daddy!" "Daddy, I'm coming with you." "You get back there with the other skirts." "Mommy, I don't want to go!" "Listen, please." "Help me, Mommy!" "Take me with you, Daddy!" "As for you, go back to that priest." "Meggie, tell him!" "You can't handle a real man." "Don't!" "No, don't!" "Dane!" "Mommy!" "Luke's gone, and he's taken Dane." "He can't do that." "There wasn't much I could do to stop him." "Bring him back to me." "Please make Luke bring him back to me." "Come here, boy." "Come on." "I've been to the store, got you some new pants and some shirts." "It's about time you were in long pants, instead of those silly shorts." "This is a big adventure, two blokes out here in the Never Never." "Why don't you go and put those new pants on?" "First long pants you've ever had." "They'll make you feel like a new man... for a new life." "All right, Dad." "Look, boy, I know you're upset, but it's done." "So try and forget the past." "I'll never forget Mom." "No one's expecting you to." "You'll see her again." "But in the meantime, Dane... make the most of it, because I'm all you got." "Look at you." "Quite the young man about town." "Two, four, six, eight." "Bog in, don't wait." "Can I say grace?" "Well, you know, that stuff gives me the willies." "If you must." "Is there no chance between you?" "How can you ask me that?" "You were going back to him." "Because the children needed a father... and because I was lonely." "So I went back to Luke, but it wasn't for love." "When he hit me, when I lost the child, I realized he hated me." "He didn't come back here for me, he came back here for Dane." "If he had taken Justine as well, maybe I could forgive him... but he broke her heart, and she blames me for that." "I've made such a mess of things." "What am I going to do?" "First of all, we must get Dane back to you." "Yes." "I don't want to be too optimistic, but I think you've got a good case." "It would be easier if you and Mr. O'Neill were divorced or legally separated... but in most cases of this kind... the court will usually award custody of any children..." "to the mother." "Thank God." "Of course, you had agreed to go back to Mr. O'Neill." "He attacked her physically." "She is his wife." "She lost a child because of him." "And that will get a lot of sympathy, of course... but this is not a divorce case." "Dane's welfare will be the judge's primary concern." "Is there anything you haven't told me?" "Anything..." "I'm sorry to be personal." "Anything that might reflect on you as a mother?" "Any special friendships outside the marriage, for example?" "Luke does not approve of my friendship with Archbishop de Bricassart." "I imagine he'll try and make something out of that." "I don't think that will get him very far... unless there's more to it than meets the eye." "There's considerably more to it than meets the eye, Mr. Gough." "The eye cannot see what is in the heart." "And what is in my heart is pure and wonderful." "Archbishop?" "I am religious counselor to Mrs. O'Neill." "I have been for a very long time." "As you were to Mary Carson?" "As I was to Mary Carson." "I'm sorry to have to probe, but the court may do the same." "So, let's see if we can't get Dane back to you, Mrs. O'Neill." "Thank you." "I lied to him." "After all the promises I made to myself and to you... that I wouldn't tell any more lies... and I couldn't tell him the truth." "We both lied, to get Dane back." "You heard what he said." "If anyone knew, if anyone found out how much we have loved each other..." "I shall lose Dane, and I can't risk that." "Father Ralph." "Is Mommy with you?" "Not this time, Dane." "I've come to talk to your father." "Want to see me on my new pony?" "Sure." "Meggie wants legal custody of Dane." "Look, Father Ralph, he can jump, too." "The natural place for that boy is with his father... and I'll take it to every court in the land if I have to." "You can't win, Luke." "The courts always favor the mother." "We'll see about that." "Now, if that's all... you'd best be on your way." "Cheers." "Justine, I need to talk to you." "You can't stay in your room forever." "I have some news about your father and Dane." "What's the news?" "You may not like it very much." "I'm taking your father to court to get Dane back." "Why are you so horrible to Daddy?" "That's not fair, Justine." "Don't hate me." "You know, when I was your age..." "I used to think your grandma didn't love me." "Well, I was wrong." "It breaks my heart to think you feel the same way." "I just want to be happy." "We were happy, sort of, when Daddy came back." "Till that priest showed up." "This has nothing to do with Father Ralph." "And when we get Dane back, we will be happy again." "I won't be, not here." "I want to be with Dad." "After what he did to you?" "He didn't mean it." "He loves me." "Justine, Luke doesn't love either of us." "He does, I know he does." "Listen to me." "They may ask you some questions in court... so I want you to think about this very seriously." "Remember all the things Luke did when he came back?" "He never paid you any attention." "It was always Dane." "Now, that is true, isn't it?" "Just think about it, promise me?" "It's all I ask." "Look, why don't you have something to eat?" "Or better still, come downstairs and eat with us." "Is he here, Father Ralph?" "Yes." "He's helping me..." "Dane?" "Mommy!" "Are you all right?" "Has he been looking after you?" "We're doing great." "Aren't we, Dane?" "Why don't you come and live with us, Mom?" "And Justine, and Grandma." "We'd have a great time." "Darling." "Luke." "Come on." "And is there no hope of reconciliation with your husband, Mrs. O'Neill?" "No, Your Honor." "I'd have her back in a moment, Your Honor, but she doesn't want me." "You hit me!" "I lost a child because of you!" "What kind of love is that?" "That was an accident." "You made me lose my temper." "I warn you..." "I will not tolerate this sort of behavior." "This is a court of law, not a farmyard." "Remember this:" "I have to decide who is the most suitable parent for the boy." "At the moment, I am not impressed by either of you." "Why did you wait 10 years... before making contact with your family, Mr. O'Neill?" "I didn't know that I had a son until a few months ago." "She didn't even tell me that she was pregnant." "I heard it round the tracks, so I was pretty cut up about it." "I mean, what man... wouldn't want to be a good father to his own son?" "Most men want to be good husbands to their wives." "I was that." "I was saving to buy a place of our own." "Isn't it true that you already had the money to buy your farm?" "You had $20,000 given to you by your wife's family." "That was her money, her dowry." "I wasn't gonna touch it." "But you still took it." "You stole it from me." "I put that money into an account under my name." "And I never touched a penny of it." "I offered it back to Megan, but she refused to take it." "Is that true, Mrs. O'Neill?" "Yes, but it" "Carry on, Mr. Gough." "Didn't you tell your wife... that the only reason you came back to her... was for Dane?" "That was a big part." "Perhaps the biggest." "But I still loved her." "And it was great." "I thought that everything was sweet." "Until that priest turned up, and then everything changed." "Megan said it was over between us." "And I got mad... and I said some things that I shouldn't have said... and I did some things that I shouldn't have done." "Maybe." "Why do you think the arrival of the..." "Archbishop de Bricassart, Your Honor." "...priest... changed your wife's mind?" "I don't know." "He's always had some kind of hold over her." "It's a Catholic thing." "So your son has been raised as a Catholic?" "Too right." "Look, I don't mind him being raised a mick..." "I beg your pardon, Your Worship." "But it's gone too far." "Dane is a good boy." "But they've got their claws in him." "The Church, I mean." "They even own Drogheda, his home." "He goes on about being a priest all the time." "He needs his dad." "And you don't want him to be a priest?" "What father would?" "Why are you not in uniform, serving your country?" "I would be like a shot, Your Honor... but I did my back cutting cane, and the army say they won't have me." "Tell me about your farm, Mr. O'Neill." "It's a bit rough and ready at the moment." "Hasn't been worked in years." "But with some hard work..." "And with your bad back, you would expect Dane to help." "Of course." "I couldn't manage the place on my own." "And his schooling?" "There's a good school 20 miles away." "How would he get there?" "He'd walk part of the way and catch the bus." "How far?" "Four miles." "There and back?" "So you would expect the boy... to walk eight miles a day... do his schoolwork, do his homework, and help you on the farm?" "It would be tough." "But all country boys do it." "Most country boys have a mother to take care of them." "Who would do the cooking?" "Me." "And the washing?" "Me... till he was old enough." "And who would take care of him if he got sick?" "Me." "As well as managing the farm." "You'd be a very busy man, Mr. O'Neill." "I think Mr. O'Neill cooked his goose today." "He sounded like he only wants Dane for child labor." "More like a slave." "Indeed." "Can I have a word, Archbishop?" "Excuse us, please." "It isn't over yet." "You heard what Mr. Gough said." "You heard Luke." "I don't think it's that simple." "I don't know what the judge will say." "He's going to give Dane to me." "He must." "Why take the risk?" "Why not end it now?" "Tell the truth." "Tell someone Luke isn't Dane's father." "Because there's no need." "All this time, I wanted someone to understand... what my life with Luke was like." "You never believed me." "Now everyone will know." "The judge wants to put you on the stand." "Why?" "It's this Catholic thing." "Shook him rigid when he heard about Dane wanting to be a priest." "Why, it shook me, too." "His Honor's real old-time Protestant." "He can't stand micks." "Begging your pardon, Archbishop." "Come on, Justine, we're going home." "Where's Justine?" "She's not well." "She's not coming today." "But the judge might want to ask her some questions." "She's sick." "In any case, I think it might be better if the judge doesn't talk to her." "What is your relationship with Mrs. O'Neill, Archbishop?" "I've known Mrs. O'Neill since she was very young." "Since she first came here many years ago." "I advise her on religious matters." "And what is your relationship with Drogheda?" "The Church owns Drogheda." "The Clearys manage it for the Church." "The Catholic Church owns all of Drogheda?" "Yes." "How so?" "The property was left to the Church by Mary Carson, who owned it." "Left to you." "What does Mr. O'Neill mean by that?" "The Archbishop was Mary Carson's religious advisor as well." "She left the property to the Church... so long as the worth and ability of Ralph de Bricassart is appreciated." "So, you would have a considerable personal interest... in what happens at Drogheda?" "Not in the day-to-day running of the place." "The Clearys do that very well." "But we do have an interest, of course." "It's more than an interest." "You're always poking your nose in." "Mr. O'Neill." "Please." "Having control of such an enormous property... must be helpful to your career." "Being a priest is not a career, Your Honor." "Nevertheless, the Church continues to appreciate... your worth and ability." "I hope I've been of service." "What is your Church's position regarding..." "Mr. and Mrs. O'Neill's marriage?" "It is the position of the Church that their marriage is sacrosanct." "So you would advise Mrs. O'Neill that her place is with her husband?" "Yes." "And she chooses to ignore you?" "I only advise." "And do you also advise Dane on religious matters?" "I hardly know Dane." "I've spent very little time with him." "But you have spoken about religion with him?" "Briefly, yes" "Do you see what I mean?" "The micks have really got their claws" "Mr. O'Neill, I appreciate that you're representing yourself." "So you are aware of Dane's desire to become a priest?" "Yes." "And have you tried to discourage him?" "I have tried to point out the disadvantages... the sacrifices he must make." "So you have, in effect, advised him on religious matters?" "I have briefly discussed God with him." "See what I mean?" "Do you have an attitude to Dane's desire to become a priest?" "Of course." "Are you able to share that attitude with us?" "A calling to the priesthood is a sacred thing." "If it's a true vocation, it's the greatest gift I can imagine." "Even at his age?" "He is very young... but there have been saints as young as he." "There have indeed, Archbishop." "That will be all." "Thank you." "I'll go and see how Justine is." "I'm sorry, Meggie." "It was an unfortunate line of questioning." "You've broken all your other vows." "Why do you have to be honest at my expense?" "Because this is too important." "More important than Dane coming back to me?" "You heard the judge." "You know what he thinks about Catholics." "I couldn't lie." "I couldn't lie about Dane." "He's not going to become a priest." "He's a little boy growing up here, miles from anywhere... and the Church is magical to him." "God's his friend, someone to talk to when he's lonely." "But he'll grow out of it." "He'll want to get married and have children." "I couldn't lie." "Damn you." "There you are, at last." "I've got dinner on and a nice cup of tea." "Mrs. Smith, where's Justine?" "She's not in her room." "No?" "She took off early this morning, just after you left." "Didn't you know?" "No, we didn't know." "But where the devil could she be?" "It went very well today, Dane." "The judge doesn't like Catholics, does he?" "Not much." "Nor do I." "Then why do you love me?" "Because you're my son." "And I'd love you no matter what." "Looks like we got visitors." "Justine!" "Dane!" "Hello, Dad." "I've got dinner ready." "What are you doing here?" "Stupid." "You're gonna ruin everything." "No, it's all right." "I'm gonna make it all right." "You'll see." "Yeah, well, maybe you can help after all." "That's a young girl." "Now, what's for supper?" "Why did you run away from home, Justine?" "Because I wanted to be with my daddy." "Don't you love your mommy?" "No." "She's never loved me." "She's never cared about me." "Never been interested in what I wanted." "That is not true." "Drogheda doesn't feel like home." "I wanted a proper home, a proper family." "So you were happy when your father came to Drogheda?" "Yes." "He was wonderful to us." "Even Mom was happy... till he showed up." "Then Mom changed." "She didn't seem to care about Daddy anymore." "She wanted to be with the priest." "She spent all her time with him, whispering to him, hugging him." "She started having rows with Dad." "And then she said we weren't gonna move to the farm." "We had to stay at Drogheda without Dad." "I didn't want that." "I just want to be with my dad." "I don't understand why she doesn't love him." "I do." "Tell me, Justine... how do you feel about your religion?" "I don't have a religion." "I used to be Catholic." "Not anymore." "I can't stand it now." "They're always ramming it down my throat." "Mom, the nuns, and now him." "That is not true!" "It's worse for Dane." "They're trying to force him to be a priest." "Why do you say this?" "He doesn't want to be..." "You see what I mean?" "It's not true, Justine." "You're lying!" "Why are you lying?" "That's gone far enough!" "All his life he has never had a father." "I brought him up on his own." "I never heard from Luke, from my husband." "But Dane has been given love and affection... and my two brothers have been like a father to him." "For nine years..." "For nine years he ignored Dane... just as he completely ignored Justine." "You walked out on me, remember?" "Mr." "O'Neill." "I never even knew that I had" "I will not warn you again." "The marriage was over." "Be that as it may, do you not think... that a man has the right to know that he has a son?" "Would you tell His Honor why you won't go back to your husband?" "Because he was violent toward me." "Because of him, I lost the child I was carrying." "And I won't be able to have any more." "Is this child Mr. O'Neill's child?" "Of course." "I have no more questions, Your Honor." "Would you like a little break, Mrs. O'Neill?" "No, thank you." "Mr. O'Neill, do you have any questions?" "Why did you leave me?" "Because you neglected me and you ignored your children." "Dane wasn't even born when you walked out on me." "Justine was." "You didn't even want to see her." "She was two years old before you even set eyes on her." "Because I was so busy working." "As Your Honor is very well aware, this is not a divorce case." "Quite right, Mr. Gough." "I don't see any value in going back over your marriage, Mr. O'Neill." "We are agreed that there is an irreconcilable breakdown." "I'm not." "I loved my wife and my child, my children." "And I took my duty as a husband and provider very seriously." "I tried to look after their future... and I will not have my boy become a priest!" "You weren't even there!" "All these years you haven't cared what your son wanted to be." "Why do you care now?" "I didn't know I had a son." "He lied to me." "He came back after all those years and he said he wanted me." "He didn't want me." "All he wanted was Dane." "He lied to me and then he hit me." "What happened right before I hit you?" "Right before?" "We had an argument." "Why?" "Because I wouldn't move to the farm." "And what did you do?" "Nothing. l" "No." "What did you do?" "I believe I tried to hit you." "Mr." "O'Neill." "She made me" "I will not allow that behavior in this court!" "Violence is not an answer to your marital problems." "There is nothing that Mrs. O'Neill could have done... that would justify what you did to her." "I warn you, outbursts of this kind do nothing to help your case." "Now, if you have any further questions... you'll ask them in a gentlemanly manner." "Otherwise, sit down." "No, I'm through." "I am extremely sorry... for the loss that you have suffered, Mrs. O'Neill." "That will be all." "Thank you." "Thank you." "I find myself... in an extremely difficult position." "The only way I can see to resolve it... is to ask Dane some questions in private." "Mr. O'Neill, do you have any objection?" "No, Your Honor." "Mrs." "O'Neill?" "No." "Do you love your mother, Dane?" "Very much." "And do you love your father?" "I don't know him very well." "I love the idea of having a father." "Do you like living with him?" "Sort of." "He's very good to me, but..." "I miss my mom." "If you could choose... who would you rather live with, your mother or your father?" "If I say Dad, then my mom would be upset." "And if I say Mom, then my dad would be cross." "I suppose that's why you've got to choose." "Can't you give me any idea?" "My dad isn't too keen on my being Catholic... so it would be better if I lived with my mom." "We're going to lose him." "You know that, don't you?" "And it's so easy." "You only have to tell the truth." "I can't do that to Ralph." "You love him so much, you'd risk everything for him?" "Don't make it worse for me." "He is not going to give Dane to Luke." "He can't." "If he does?" "I don't know." "I don't know anything anymore." "I watch Dane with Luke, and I see that he's happy." "They say he needs a father more than anything in the world... and I wonder if Luke isn't right." "Maybe he does need a stronger guiding hand than mine... because if I'm not very careful..." "I'm going to lose Dane, no matter what the judge decides... to Luke or to God." "Dane, what does the Pope mean to you?" "He's the head of the Church, and the representative of God on Earth." "Do you believe everything he says?" "Yes." "He's infallible." "He speaks for God." "And you love your king and country?" "Yes." "Now, if your king were to tell you to do something... to fight for your country... and the Pope wanted you to do something else... who would you believe?" "Now, you promised to tell me the truth, Dane." "Who would you obey?" "Your king and country, or the Pope?" "God." "This has not been an easy decision for me." "As a general rule..." "I believe that the best home life... for any child of separated parents... is with the mother." "However... this may not be true in Dane's case." "It is unfortunate that the boy has been brought up... in such a hotbed of Popery." "Your Honor." "I mean no personal disrespect, Archbishop... but I'm sure you'll agree... that Dane has an obsession with his religion." "I think Dane is a very sincere young man, Your Honor." "Yes." "So do I." "But what Mrs. O'Neill cannot provide... and what Dane so clearly needs... is the strong, guiding hand of a father." "Dane's obsession, in my mind... is unhealthy in one so young." "I think we need to undo some of the damage that has been done." "But I don't know that Mr. O'Neill can provide properly for the boy." "I believe that Dane's best interests are probably served... by sending him to a foster home for a period of time..." "No!" "Mommy!" "...by making him a ward of the court." "No, please." "Please, no." "Mrs. O'Neill." "No, Mommy, don't let them take me." "I'm attempting to be fair." "Is there anything you wish to say, that might change my mind?" "No, I..." "Tell him." "Only that I'm his mother." "I gave birth to him, I've loved him all his life." "I know him better than anyone else in the world." "You say that he has had too much religious influence." "Well, perhaps, but it's not been unkind." "Dane's been free to decide what he believes for himself." "None of us wants him to become a priest." "Why would I want that?" "I want him to grow up strong and healthy... to find a wife and have children of his own... if only, selfishly, that I might have some grandchildren." "But if his vocation is to become a priest... then none of us have the right to take that away from him." "Not Luke, not you, not I." "Not anyone." "Please, you can't send him to strangers who don't know him, who don't love him." "Please." "Believe me, Mrs. O'Neill, I think you've done a sterling job... under very difficult circumstances." "But before the boy is much older..." "I believe he needs a sense of balance in his life." "Very well." "If you won't let me have him, then give him to Luke." "At least they know each other." "Very well." "I award custody of the boy, Dane O'Neill... to his father." "No, you can't do that." "Mom." "Because..." "Because Dane is my only grandson, perhaps the only grandson I'll ever have." "Please don't take away my hope for the future." "I am trying to give you hope for the future, Mrs. Cleary." "Mr. O'Neill." "Do not treat this lightly." "Do not abuse the boy." "Children are not property... a way of getting free labor for your farm." "I will want to see Dane's school report... and I will want to be certain that you are caring for him properly... before I let this arrangement continue." "But me, what about me?" "Your case is not in my purview, young lady." "But it's not fair." "I want to be with my daddy." "This court is adjourned." "I will come and see you whenever I can." "But why does it have to be like this?" "Why can't we all be together?" "Dane, you know why." "You were so brave in court." "Why won't you come and live with Dad?" "You're married to him." "I can't." "I just can't." "Why?" "Don't you love me?" "With all my heart." "Then why?" "Please don't cry, please." "We have to go." "It's a long way." "You have to go with Daddy now." "But be brave, and I will come and see you as soon as I can." "Come on." "I don't want you." "I want my mommy." "It's a bit late for that now, sport." "Didn't have to be like this." "It could have been so easy." "Come on." "We should get you home." "I want my son back." "God has had enough from me." "Make him give me my son back." "Hello, everybody." "Jack." "Welcome home." "Good to see you." "Put a smile on your face, girl." "They only shot off my privates." "It's not the end of the world." "Good to see you, everybody." "Luke's determined to keep the boy, then?" "And he has the court on his side." "You done well with the place, Meggie." "Can't have been easy." "It wasn't." "It is wonderful to have you back to take charge again." "I'd have come back sooner if I'd known how bad things are." "How long since you've had rain?" "Why didn't you come back sooner?" "I phoned the hospital." "You were discharged last week." "I was expecting you then." "Where did you go?" "I went to Melbourne." "Went to see Frank." "Look, Mom, we all know he's in for murder." "But he's my brother, and I wanted to see him." "How is he?" "He's very sick." "It's pneumonia." "It's bad news, Mom." "The thing is, he might not live." "Looks like rain in those clouds." "We haven't had rain here for two years." "We need rain." "Somebody should've told me." "I am his mother." "I have a right to know." "Almost everyone I love is buried here." "Dane isn't dead, Meggie." "A terrible thing has happened, but it's not the end of the world." "You'll still see Dane." "You're still his mother." "And in a few years, the court order will expire... and then you can have him with you again." "But you can't stop living until then." "You have to go on and make the best of it." "You can't know what it means to a mother to lose a son." "Look at Mom." "She went on living." "She didn't give up just because her son Frank went to jail... and she won't now." "Even if Dane were dead... even if some terrible accident had happened... you'd grieve, but you don't stop living." "Is that what you told the mothers in Rome... who lost their sons fighting?" "Did you tell them to be happy because their sons are with God?" "At some point in the war, I lost my faith." "In all that suffering, I couldn't see God's purpose." "I couldn't understand how he could let such evil happen." "I began to doubt." "My superiors sent me here to work for the refugees." "But in the end..." "I had to see you." "I thought perhaps you might still love me." "Perhaps?" "I thought perhaps you might still want me." "You might want to make a life with me." "You never told me this." "You were going back to Luke." "You were going to have his child." "Do you think that mattered to me?" "Do you think I wasn't longing to hear you say those words?" "Perhaps, if you'd told me... none of this would've happened." "Perhaps, if you'd been honest, I'd have told Luke to leave long before." "Perhaps, if you hadn't lied to me, I would still have my son." "I didn't lie to you." "You didn't tell me the truth." "Meggie, my list of sins is long enough." "Besides, I had nothing to offer you." "You don't think love is enough?" "Ten years, Meggie." "How could I be sure you still loved me?" "How could you not be?" "All my life I've loved you." "Sometimes I hated God because he took you from me... but always my love for you was stronger." "Suddenly, I'm not so sure." "So are you going to tell me what's wrong?" "Why won't you let me see Mom?" "You gotta get used to this situation, Dane... and I don't want her upsetting you." "But she's my mom." "And I'm your dad." "And you'll do as I say." "Now come down." "All right." "You can stay up there all night, if that's what you bloody well want." "But there's a storm coming, so if you don't want to get wet... and if you're hungry, and if you want to sleep in a comfortable bed... you'll come down." "Otherwise, I'll give your tucker to the dog." "Blue." "Come here." "I got a nice big piece of steak for you tonight." "Yeah, Dane's piece." "Come on." "My dearest Frank." "It's the rain we need, but it's going to be bad." "There could be some flooding." "Where's Justine?" "She's in her room." "You better get her down." "We'll need all the help we can get." "I'll fetch her." "Seen Mom?" "She's with Mrs. Smith, isn't she?" "Justine, open the door." "What for?" "I want to talk to you." "Your mother isn't here." "So, you're gonna spend the whole day up here... moping about how unhappy you are, and what a mess your life is." "That's my business." "There are a few other things that are your business first, young lady." "You can ride, can't you?" "Yes." "Then get changed into your riding clothes and put this on." "What if I don't want to?" "Justine, you're a country girl... and your family runs this station." "It's been good to you." "It's given you security and a safe future." "When you're old enough to go out on your own... you can do whatever you want, but right now Drogheda needs you." "Why?" "As you well know, there's a storm coming... and half the hands are useless... and animals are going to die unless you get off your fat behind." "It's not fat." "Maybe not, but it sure is lazy." "And we need your help." "Are you going to help us, Justine?" "Not for your mother or for me... but for yourself and Drogheda." "If you put it like that, how can I refuse?" "You would make a good actress, you know." "You sure had me fooled." "Young Billy!" "Boys!" "You got them horses ready?" "Yes." "Right, we've got to get everything up to the top paddock." "Let's go!" "There's a strong filly!" "Move it!" "Get on!" "Move on!" "Move!" "Get in there!" "It's so very beautiful." "God in all his glory." "I thought you didn't believe in God anymore." "We'll never make it back to Drogheda now." "There's a boundary rider's shack on One Tree Hill." "We'll go there." "What about the others?" "They'll be back at Drogheda by now." "Come on." "Dane, hold that gate!" "I've got it, Dad." "Go on, get up there." "Come on, Blue, get around back!" "Get up there!" "Move your behinds!" "Come on, Blue!" "Get around back." "Come on, boy!" "That all, Dad?" "No, I can't find that blasted ram." "And that bugger cost me a fortune." "Can't be too far away." "You get your horse." "Come on." "Giddap!" "Blue, get behind!" "Sorry if it's a bit rough and ready, but it's only used in emergencies." "At least we won't starve." "It's safe and dry, anyway." "I'll see if I can get a fire going." "Here's your dinner." "It's Bully Beef." "Gourmet treats." "You know, I lied to you the other day." "I've never stopped loving you." "I never could." "It's just I'm so confused." "I don't understand what you want from me." "I don't know what I want myself... except..." "Giddap!" "Blue, come on!" "Dane!" "It's a waste of time." "It's nearly dark." "We won't be able to see." "Over there!" "Told you!" "Dane, be careful!" "Dane!" "Giddap!" "Dad!" "Dane!" "Dane!" "Go on." "Dad!" "Help!" "My leg!" "Over here!" "Dad, over here!" "Hold on, Son!" "Hold on!" "My leg!" "Over here!" "Hold on." "Hold on." "Dad, help." "Dad, my leg hurts." "Wait there." "Hang on." "Okay." "All right." "You'll be fine." "Here, drink this." "The sugar's 'cause you've had a bit of a shock, and the whiskey... well, why not?" "What about the ram?" "I'll go back in a tick." "He's in the bushes." "He's not going anywhere." "It's broken." "It's not that bad, it's a clean break, but it's going to have to be set." "Now, you trust me?" "Yeah." "Good man." "Now, it's going to hurt." "All right." "So have another swig of this... and you can say a prayer if you like." "I've never done this on a person before, only a dog." "You ready?" "Morning." "Morning." "Stay there." "You get breakfast in bed." "It's baked beans and Bully Beef, I'm afraid." "That's the best I could do." "Smells marvelous." "I'm starving." "Last night was wonderful." "Yes, it was." "We got lots to do." "We need to find some feed for the horses, and I'm sure Blackie's starving, too." "Mrs. Cleary, I'm afraid he doesn't want to see you, ma'am." "What do you mean?" "Why not?" "He wouldn't say." "He was very determined." "But he must." "I'm his mother." "He can't not see me." "I'm sorry." "There's nothing I can do." "He can be difficult." "They get like that sometimes." "Probably feels he's let you down." "I'm his mother." "I'm sorry, ma'am." "How is he?" "He's not very well at all, I'm afraid." "If he won't see me, does he need a priest?" "Father Donovan's giving him last rites now, ma'am." "I'm going to miss this place, Bully Beef and all." "I've been happy here." "That's what you said at Matlock Island, but you had to leave." "This time, I'm not sure I want to go." "Ralph, all your life you've been so sure what you wanted, what you believed in... that I can't bear to see you in doubt." "I don't know what's real anymore." "I don't." "In Rome, before the war, I had a worthwhile life." "I thought I was doing some good for the world, for God." "And then the war swept over us, and God disappeared." "And now nothing makes sense anymore." "But the refugees, I thought" "Yes, working for them..." "I feel I have a purpose again." "But even that puts me at odds with God." "With God or with the Church?" "Both." "If I left the Church, I'd have nothing." "You understand that." "You're a priest." "You have nothing now." "I've never loved you for what you have." "I love for what you are." "And I love you... so much." "That I know." "If you want me just as I am... foolish, misguided, dirt-poor..." "I'm yours." "I've waited my whole life to hear you say that." "No." "Meggie..." "I'm offering to give up the priesthood." "And do what?" "Shear sheep?" "Why not?" "No, Ralph." "When I'm beside you... it's as close to heaven as I can imagine." "But even when you're making love... it's as if you're trying to reach something beyond me." "Look, it's a wonderful idea... the two of us living together in the wilderness." "But it's not what you really want." "What I want is you." "We can always come back here for a few days." "Depending on how long you stay." "If you won't have me, either... then I really don't know what I'm going to do." "I do." "You're going to help me get these sheep back to Drogheda." "Dane!" "Got a visitor." "Gran." "Dane." "Darling, what's happened?" "Broke my leg." "It hurts like anything, Gran." "Gran, it hurts." "Take me home." "Please, take me home." "I want Mom." "There, there, darling." "It'll be all right." "Gran's here now." "She'll make everything all right." "There." "He's sleeping now." "Doctor gave him a sedative." "Put the leg in plaster." "Said you did a very good job..." "setting the break." "That's a wonder." "Never actually done it on a person before." "Only on me dog, Blue." "You've got a lot to do here." "Yeah, heaps." "But I want to make a go of it, for Dane's sake." "He's my son, and..." "I can't manage the place on my own... and the boy doesn't seem much interested." "I'm not surprised." "He wants to do something else with his life, doesn't he?" "We'll work it out." "You'll break Meggie's heart." "Like she broke mine." "She didn't break your heart." "She was a pretty girl and a good catch, but mostly what you saw was her money." "I offered her that money back, like I told the judge." "Only 'cause you knew she'd never take it." "I'd be surprised if you even had the money." "Did you spend all of it?" "All of her dowry?" "Well, I kept a few quid." "Enough for the deposit on this place, anyway." "Just as I thought." "You know, you were clever, Luke." "Maybe a bit too clever for your own good." "Everything you did when you came back to Drogheda... was part of a plan to get Dane." "And I got him, too." "Is that such a triumph?" "My first son, Frank... was not my husband's child." "When Frank found out, he ran away and got in with bad company... and ended up killing a man." "And I never saw him again." "He died in a prison cell... and I didn't even have a chance to say goodbye." "Don't let that happen to Dane." "It can't." "It's different." "Dane'll never turn bad like Frank... because I'll always be there for him, like a good father should... to teach him right from wrong." "But you're not his father." "If I'm not, I'd like to know who is." "Can't you guess?" "That bloody priest." "I'm going to kill him." "I'm going to break every bone in his body, I swear." "So why didn't she tell the judge?" "He never would've given Dane to me if she had." "To keep Dane, she would've had to destroy Ralph... and his life in the Church." "She gave away the boy she loved for the sake of the man she loved." "Still, it makes sense, doesn't it?" "Now we know why Dane's so keen on God." "Does Ralph know?" "No." "And you must never tell him." "It's no wonder she never told me we had a son." "So how does it feel, Fee?" "Having a lying bitch for a daughter and a fornicating priest as her lover?" "It's in the past, Luke." "We've all done things we regret." "Ain't that the truth?" "Biggest mistake I ever made was marrying her." "Let me take Dane away." "I beg you." "Let there be an end to this, now." "You tell his dad to come and see me." "You promise me you will never tell Ralph or Dane the truth?" "Why would I promise a thing like that?" "Because if you do..." "Ralph will be forced to leave the Church, and he will marry Meggie... and they and Dane and Justine will be a family." "And you will have nothing." "Well, we can't have that, now, can we?" "All right, Fee." "I promise I won't tell a living soul." "But I want to speak to that priest." "Meg, Justine!" "Mom's home!" "We were worried about you, Mom." "I'm quite capable of looking after myself." "Are you all right?" "What have you been doing?" "I've been trying to come to terms with Frank's death." "But that was two days ago, Mom." "Where have you been?" "I went to see Luke and Dane." "Why?" "Because Luke is my son-in-law, and Dane is my grandson." "Is that reason enough?" "I tried to persuade Luke to give up Dane." "He wouldn't." "He wants to talk to Ralph." "To me?" "Mrs. Smith, I would love a cup of tea." "And so the spark ignites the fuel and then forces the piston down." "Hello, Dane." "Luke." "Father Ralph!" "Father!" "Just hold your horses." "You'll have plenty of time to talk to him." "How's the leg?" "Getting better." "I've been through the war, as Dad says." "So what can I do for you?" "I thought you wanted to see me." "Yes." "Just this once." "And then I never want to see your face again." "Dane, take a good look." "Now, is that what you want to be?" "A namby-pamby priest in a woman's dress... like this gutless wonder?" "Is that why you got me out here?" "To call me names?" "Partly, yes." "I'd hoped it was more serious." "I'd hoped you were going to give Dane back to his mother, where he belongs." "Is that what you want?" "That's what Meggie wants." "And you?" "I want what Meggie wants." "I'll bet you do." "I'll bet... you're an expert at what Meggie wants." "You shouldn't say things like that in front of the boy." "Why not?" "Why shouldn't the boy know what his mother is?" "And what you are?" "All right, you've had your fun." "Now, for God's sake, let the boy go." "Make me." "I don't understand." "You want the boy?" "You fight for him." "I'm a priest, Luke." "I don't fight." "If you don't fight... you don't get the boy." "No!" "Stop!" "This is stupid." "Dad, stop!" "I will not fight!" "A real man would." "No!" "Father!" "Hit him, Father!" "Hit him!" "Now you get out of here." "I won't fight a man that won't fight back." "But that settles it." "The boy is mine." "Dane, you come with me." "Father!" "No!" "No!" "The boy... is mine." "Dane?" "Mommy!" "Dane!" "Thank you." "This is an odd place to pray." "God is everywhere." "Our Lord was born in a stable." "And I needed somewhere quiet." "Dane prays here, too." "We all use it for different reasons." "I pretend it's a theater sometimes... filled with people cheering my performances." "And Mom used it as a ballroom and danced with Dad." "Why did you have to come?" "We were happy until you came here." "Justie!" "Mom was gonna go back to Dad... and he was gonna love me, even if Mom didn't." "But you stopped that." "That had nothing to do with me." "No?" "Funny that it all went wrong just when you showed up." "And then, when Dad didn't want me and took Dane..." "I was sad at first." "But then something else happened." "What was that?" "I thought, "lf Dane isn't here..." ""Mom will have to love me."" "But she didn't." "And she won't now, because you interfered again." "I did what had to be done, Justine." "Dane would never have been happy." "But I might have been." "This was my chance of happiness with Mom... until you got Dane back." "I thought you loved Dane." "I do, with all my heart." "But everyone loves Dane." "There doesn't seem to be any left over for me." "Justine, that's not true." "Isn't it?" "I saw you when you came back, all beaten and bloody." "Did he put up a good fight, my father?" "To stop you taking Dane... because he loved him?" "But nobody loves me." "Justine thinks that you don't love her." "I know." "I don't know how to tell her that I do... not in any way she'll believe." "I see so much of myself in Justine... and too much of Mom in me." "When I was a little girl... back in New Zealand, before we came here... we were very poor." "I remember I was about four or five years old... and there was a doll in a shop window." "I used to go and look at her every day." "I even gave her a name:" "Agnes." "She was pretty, with golden hair." "I wanted her so much." "On my next birthday, Mom gave me Agnes... all wrapped in brown paper." "Don't know how she could afford it, and I didn't care then... because she had given me the most perfect present I'd ever had." "So, you see... it didn't matter that she never told me she loved me, ever." "'Cause just once... she'd given me the most beautiful thing in the world." "I've never been able to find quite the right doll for Justine." "So you're going back?" "To Sydney." "The government has finally agreed to an inquiry... into refugees and stateless people." "Of course, I have to be there." "And then on to Rome." "Have you found what you were looking for?" "Oh, yes." "I found that loving you... is a blessing, not a burden." "And in fighting for Dane..." "I discovered a strength I never knew I had." "And it's the duty of the strong... to protect, to fight for those who can't fight for themselves... especially children." "That's why I have to go back to the war." "That's where my work is." "I haven't found God." "I wish I understood this God that you love so much." "I wish I did, too." "At night, I look at the infinity of stars... and I feel... something beyond mortality." "I don't know what it is... but I have to find out, or try." "I don't care what's out there." "God is love, and love is here." "What are you reading?" "Hamlet." "I'm learning Ophelia's mad scene." "May I?" "You really do want to become an actress, don't you?" "It's all I've ever wanted to do." "Justine, I wanted to tell you I'm sorry." "Come here." "Look, I know the last few months haven't been easy for you." "All that business with your father, and..." "I am sorry things turned out the way they did." "I'd like to try and do something to make it up to you." "How soon can you start acting school in Sydney?" "I can't till I'm 16." "But if you were in Sydney... you could go to acting classes, or maybe see some theater." "You mean" "Look, the thing is..." "I don't want you to think that I'm trying to get rid of you, or anything." "I don't want to hurt you anymore." "Mom, don't be silly." "I wouldn't think that." "Going to school in Sydney is the best present you could ever give me." "Better than a pretty doll?" "Mom?" "Never mind." "Just be happy." "Thank you." "All aboard!" "I love you."