02x07 - What's All That Got to do with Jesus Though?

Episode transcripts for the TV show "Gentleman Jack". Aired: 22 April 2019 –; present.*
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Historical drama set in the year 1832 in Yorkshire follows landowner Anne Lister who is determined to save her faded ancestral home.
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02x07 - What's All That Got to do with Jesus Though?

Post by bunniefuu »

- With Captain Sutherland.
- Oh, yes.

Curious woman, Miss Lister.

Miss Walker has requested
a division of the estate.

But he seems determined
to frustrate the process.

Why do people think they can ignore me?

It's as if I'm invisible.

The Priestleys have been
so objectionable to us.

But then here it is in black and white,

they have had three properties from us.

You have to be certain,
before we think any further

about changing our wills, that this,

here, with me, is what you want.

[KNOCK AT DOOR]

- He's here. It's him.
- Right.

- Don't. Say anything.
- What?

What do you mean, "don't say anything"?

- Why have we asked him here if...?
- Don't say anything aggressive.

I wasn't going to say
anything aggressive.

- I was going...
- We...

are dignified people.
Even in the face of...

Especially in the face of adversity.

We are good Christian folk,

and that one simple fact
must guide our every action,

and our every response
to the actions of others.

I know that. I do know that,
Eliza. But I don't think

- we need to mince words.
- [KNOCK AT DOOR]

[DOOR OPENS]

Mr Washington, ma'am.

- Sir.
- Mr Priestley.

- Mrs Priestley.
- Thank you for coming.

Oh! No trouble, ma'am, only
over the road at Crow Nest.

Washington.

I sent my note to you in your capacity

as Miss Walker's land steward,

and in view of the fact
that when I wrote to her,

the servant came back saying
she was in York until Monday.

That's right, ma'am. With Miss Lister.

And so we wondered if you could
throw any light on this for us.

Sent, I assume, before she left.

We are advised to vacate
the school premises.

Both my day school,

of which Mr Priestley is
a trustee, hence his presence,

and the Sunday school run by Mrs Batty,

who is being requested
to vacate her cottage.

- Her home.
- Ah...

Well, yes, I'm afraid it...

It does go with the job, yes.

Two of your little girls
attend my day school.

Suzannah is an assistant teacher!

And you knew about this?

There are other rooms in the
village, ma'am,

that would accommodate the day school
more than adequately.

Yes, there are,
and we will make use of them.

Why, though, Mr Washington? Why?

I don't entirely know, ma'am.

What do you know, Washington?

Well...

Mrs Sutherland and Miss Walker are
dividing the estate in two.

And there have been a number of
distresses and evictions

in anticipation of the division, and...

- that's as much as I know.
- Dividing it in two?

Yes. You must know as much
about it as me, Mr Priestley,

but, yes, when Miss Walker's
and Mrs Sutherland's

brother d*ed intestate,

the estate came to them both, jointly,

but there was no provision
for a formal division as such.

I suppose no-one ever imagined it
would happen. But...

So, yes, Miss Walker is now seeking

a formal,
itemised division of the estate.

Is she?

It makes sense.
Mrs Sutherland and Miss Walker...

They lead very different
lives... these days.

Well, well.

I am sorry if it's inconvenient.

And for Mrs Batty, as well. But...

I'm little more than a messenger.

[RINGS BELL]

Is there anything else I can...
help you with?

- I don't think so.
- [DOOR OPENS]

Thank you for coming, Mr Washington.

Mrs Priestley. Mr Priestley.

[DOOR CLOSES]

A formal, itemised division
of the estate.

And we all know who's behind
that one, don't we?

What is it we're signing again?

I-It's a codicil, George.

That says Miss Lister is authorised

to proceed with the division
of my estate if not completed

before the event of my death.

You're simply signing to say

you've seen Miss Walker and
Miss Lister sign their names,

- George. That's all.
- Just sign it.

The contents of the document
are immaterial.

All you're doing is witnessing

that these are indeed their signatures.

Which you know them to be

because you've just seen
them write them.

Oh, I see. Sorry. I'm with you.

As long as...

I just didn't want to, you know,

find out I'd joined the Navy
or something.

Thank you.

So that's that. And then

regarding your brother-in-law,
Miss Walker... Can I, er...?

I've written a letter
to Captain Sutherland,

which I'll send off to Scotland
in due course,

explaining that I'm now dealing with

the matter of the division
for you, and, um...

Well, let's see what comes back.

Mm.

What would be helpful,

as we get further into it,
would be to see a copy

of this deed of settlement from

between him and your sister,

to see what exactly
she did settle upon him.

- Do you have a copy?
- No.

But you've seen a copy?

No, it was only a reference
to its existence,

but my aunt confirmed it entirely.

Well, then perhaps I'll write
to your Mr, er...?

- Parker.
- Parker.

He's not my Mr Parker.

Parker in Halifax,

and see if I can get a copy from him.

And then the other matter,

these properties
your cousin, Mr Priestley,

has "acquired" from your uncle.

The good news is that it looks like

the Blackcastle Waste at High
Sunderland is recoverable.

Really?

Mm-hm. And of course the
rents for the period

they've been removed from your estate

- would be recoverable too.
- Oh.

Now, the other two,
Longley Farm in Norland

and the house at Hall End in Halifax,

I'm afraid it may be too late.

According to the statute of limitations,

if your cousin has had
uninterrupted possession

for years or more

and no-one's raised any
objections within that time,

which at the moment
appears to be the case,

it's, unfortunately, something
you may have to accept.

But I...

But I've only just found out about it.

Well, I can consult counsel.

But surely if a person's only
just found out about a thing...

What's fair and what's legal

aren't always the same bedfellows

we might hope them to be, Miss Walker.

- Mm.
- Mm.

What do you know about
John Harper, Mr Gray?

The architect.

Mr Harper?

Well, yes, he's...

Parsons was on about him yesterday.

He came over to cut mine
and Miss Walker's hair.

I was telling him about
my great disappointment over this

local architect I've been bothering with

and he insisted that
John Harper was my man.

Oh, he's excellent.

He designed the whole
of St Leonard's Street here,

including the new theatre,
you must've seen it.

It's very elegant, and he's so young.

He's only ,

but widely regarded as
something of a phenomenon.

You must snap him up,
Miss Lister, if you can.

They all say he's destined
for very great things.

He's the most delightful young man.

I was... I was quite charmed by him.

I sent him a note, and he turned up

at our hotel at ten o'clock
sharp the next morning.

He only looked about .

And then the very next morning...

This was Thursday just gone.

He drove over to Halifax
in his carriage...

- We were still in York.
- Had a good look

- at Northgate...
- Anne sent a note ahead

to Mr Greenwood to give him
unlimited access...

And... Yes, yes, I did.

And he's delighted with it.

He understands my vision perfectly.

He thinks the whole enterprise has
every chance of success.

Is it going to cost a lot?

W-Well, it's not cheap. He's not cheap.

But then I shouldn't want
to build a cheap hotel,

and the returns will reflect
the quality of the investment.

He's built a whole street in York.

Oh, it's very fashionable.
We went to study it.

He's going to get back to us
with a proper plan in a fortnight.

Well, I'm glad you decided
against selling Northgate.

- I think this is a much better scheme.
- Thank you, Aunt.

If it works.

- Cordingley. How are you?
- Ma'am.

- Well, ma'am.
- How was your sister?

- Very well, ma'am.
- How's your leg? Your hip.

It's... It's... It's...
It's, you know...

Anyway, welcome back.

Miss Walker and I will have
our coffee in our little

- upstairs sitting room.
- Yes, ma'am.

A letter, ma'am, for Miss Walker.

Mrs Priestley's servant brought it.

"The dwelling house will be
given up at the end of June.

"The school rooms
I have given directions

"to be given up
to Mr Washington next week,

"along with the books and benches

"belonging to the Sunday school.

"This I sincerely hope you will be able

"to make arrangements to continue with,

"for the sake of the children.
Mrs Batty, who is unwell,

"informs me she wishes
to decline teaching

"after next Sunday."

Well, she's certainly got the message.

That'll teach her
to write anonymous letters.

I suppose I should've anticipated

having to find a new teacher
sooner rather than later.

Oh, we'll ask about.

And in the interim...

- we'll teach them.
- Will we?

Why not? You should open a new
school at Lightcliffe anyway.

A day school and a Sunday school.

We should take on a good schoolmaster,

a married man, with ambition,

whose wife can run the Sunday school,

and all at your behest.

She says she intends
to carry on her day school.

She says she can procure
a room in the village.

Free gratis, like she's had it from you?

- I don't know. I doubt it.
- I doubt it, too.

Has anyone ever given you
the least thanks

for the use of those rooms
all these years?

For the day school or the Sunday school?

Hm? No.

children attend the Sunday school.

Excellent. I'm sure we can manage that.

CAPTAIN SUTHERLAND: Unbelievable.

Your sister has now fully appointed

this Jonathan Gray in York

to deal with the division
of the property,

and he expects me to take on
a legal man too.

What is the matter with her?

She's found out about the settlement

that I made on you in .

Is that her?

She's anxious that there
should be no further delay.

What delay?

And now she knows it's you
she should be dealing with

rather than me, she thought
it would be better to...

She's ridiculous.

She thought it would be better
to put the thing more formally

into the hands of a legal man.

We are going down as soon
as we, you, can travel.

She knows that.

Mm-hm.

She did first raise
the matter in September,

so I suppose from her point of view...

Exactly. September.

It's less than...

nine months ago.

So from her point of view,

it could look like
we're dragging our heels.

I don't suppose it's occurred to her

that I'm just as eager
to get on with it as she is,

so that I can make a proper
settlement on our children...

without involving overpaid lawyers.

What's this?

About these properties.
High Sunderland, Hall End.

Oh, it's, um...

Mr Priestley, somehow, years ago,

got hold of...

from my uncle, before
the estate came to my father...

My aunt used to talk about it, but...

Oh, I don't know. I never really knew.

And she's taking him to task over it?

She wants me, us,
to share the legal costs. Yes.

Curious.

What is?

All of it.

Everything.

The tone of her letters. The...

The way she has become so litigious.

I half imagined Priestley
was behind it, but clearly not.

Not if she's taking
legal action against him.

It's Miss Lister, isn't it?

I... I can hear her voice

through and through this letter.

All the letters we've had lately.

So... why...

would Miss Lister
push your sister so forcibly

for a division of the property?

Why would she suddenly be so...

"eager to expedite matters"?

Well...

why wouldn't she?

Miss Lister, she's a great one

for getting on with things and...

not putting off till tomorrow

- what can be done today.
- She's not her husband.

Perhaps her influence
is rubbing off on Ann.

Yes. It is. I agree with you.
I can feel it in her letters.

And it's no bad thing, surely.

I was rather pleased
with the tone of that.

She always sounds so much
happier and healthier

these days, getting on with her life,

engaging with the world around her,

rather than hiding away
and obsessing about herself.

My dear Ann.

By today's post
I am in receipt of a letter,

by your instructions,
from Messrs Gray Solicitors, York,

and I have also perused
your letter to Elizabeth.

The natural inference
deductible from both

pains me in the extreme.

There will be room for a bank.
But a good bank...

You state that in consequence

of the settlement
Elizabeth made in ,

she has "relinquished all
control over her property",

and therefore it seems
no progress can be made

in the division by further
correspondence with her.

From similar considerations

which prompted my wife to make the
settlement in ,

I assure you we have long been anxious

for a division of the property,

for we could make no definite
settlement on our children

while half the property

on which it was secured belonged to you.

This is so obvious

that I assure you I was most solicitous

that a partition should be offered

and also in a measure
so fair and equitable

that come what may,

neither party would have cause to demur.

That this partition
was never carried into effect,

if you recall, is due to you,

prior to your sudden departure
from us months ago,

having requested Elizabeth
not trouble or perplex you

with matters relating to business.

And since your return
to Halifax, you have not once

hinted at a wish to have
the property divided,

until this last September when you
suddenly intimated it

for the first time,

and in that same letter
also stated that you

had given Mr Washington instructions

to draw up a scheme of division.

Ah, Mrs Rawson and the girls.
How delightful. How are you?

I'm amazed you have the audacity
to show your face

in public, Miss Walker.

- I'm sorry?
- Not only the way

you've treated your family,
and your aunt in particular,

but this latest humiliation
you've inflicted on Mrs Priestley.

Over the Sunday school!

CAPTAIN SUTHERLAND:
Because Elizabeth is nursing,

she cannot properly go south
before the end of next month.

This I thought you understood.

She still hopes it would meet
with your concurrence

to postpone the division until
the period most convenient

- and desired by her...
- Thank you.

And certainly hopes you would not,

in the meanwhile,
involve her and her children

in usurious legal proceedings.

I won't write to Mr Gray
until I hear from you.

I have no objection
in the remotest degree

to you appointing him to act for you,

but I certainly will not
appoint a solicitor

to act for me in a matter
regarding which

there is no dispute.

If we are to act on Samuel
Washington's scheme,

which I sincerely hope we will,
why adopt legal measures?

I am aware all trades must live,

but the law is the last one

I would feel inclined to patronise.

Believe I am, my dear Ann,

yours most sincerely,
George Mackay Sutherland.

Knock, knock.

He's saying that he's been
itching to get on with

the division all along.
He... He's a liar.

And he's accusing me of
wanting to involve Elizabeth

and the children in
"usurious legal proceedings".

[SHE SCOFFS]

- It's not funny.
- No, you're right.

Men who hide
behind their wives and children

are not so much funny as absurd.

If you're still dwelling
on Mrs Edward Rawson's comment

in Nicholson's this morning, don't.

You asking the Priestleys
to vacate the school rooms

is none of her business,

and she only made herself look foolish.

Can you not mention that woman's
name in my presence ever again?!

Would you like me to pour
the tea, Miss Lister?

No. Go.

What have I asked you before

about not speaking to me like
that in front of the servants?

Are you going to help me write back
to him, then, or what?

My dear Captain Sutherland.

I have this moment received your letter,

and rejoice to find
that you are quite as anxious

for the division of the joint property
as I am.

- I fear...
- ANN: I fear you will not

serve much by being your own attorney,

but you will judge as you think best.

I myself feel persuaded
that in employing

Mr Gray to act for me,

I spare myself and others much trouble,

and adopt not only the best
plan, but the cheapest one.

[ANNE, DICTATING]
The deed of settlement of February

is so comprehensive

that all power respecting
the making good of titles, etc,

seems vested solely in you.

There is not, therefore,

any necessity in hurrying
my sister to Yorkshire.

I shall always be delighted to see her,

but I earnestly hope that you

will be here before
the end of next month.

- I am much obliged to you...
- ANN: obliged to you

for your so kind consideration

in having complied with my request

to trouble me as little as
possible about business

during the time
I was recovering in York.

It seems Elizabeth must have
forgotten to tell you

that immediately on my return from
the Continent last year,

I wrote to tell her of the
perfect recovery of my health,

and that I was ready and desirous

to apply myself to business
immediately and diligently

and make up for lost time.

Is that her?

Seriously. I ask you. Is that her voice?

So... precise, so to-the-point.

She wants her moiety,
she wants her share...

Yes, of course, and she will have it.

I always intended to go along
with Washington's

original proposal
for the division anyway.

- Did you?
- Yes!

Subject to our visit. But that aside,

how much do we really know
about Anne Lister?

Hmm?

How much do you really know
about Anne Lister?

Ma'am, Mr Harper's here.

Mr Harper.

Miss Lister. How are you?

Oh, good Lord, look at this.

Look at this fellow
with his wheelbarrow.

The owls! Oh, and the monkeys.

And this little person wielding a mace!

I wonder what he's going to
do with that?

Extraordinary. And the colours.

Yes, it's...

I'm looking for the Lister coat of arms.

Not there.

The Waterhouses
put this window in during

the th century, just before
we acquired the place.

Some of the glass
is much older than that,

taken from some church or other

during the dissolution
of the monasteries.

So possibly older than the house itself,

which was built in .

Ah!

My uncle always maintained
this is very probably

amongst the oldest
stained glass in England.

The world.

This house is extraordinary.

Mm. It is.

It's in my blood, it's in my bones,

it's in my soul.

It's also inconvenient,
and draughty, Mr Harper,

compared to some
of my better friends' houses.

And if the mill chimneys

creep any higher
up the hill from Halifax

and the barbarians
come knocking on our door,

I've always fancied I'd sell up

and go and live quietly
on a hill above Grenoble.

Oh, don't ever leave Shibden,
Miss Lister.

Your better friends' houses
may be less draughty

and more convenient,
but this has true character,

and that's priceless.

And it suits you.

Where can I spread my papers?

This is thrilling.

I feel rather bilious.

It's spot on, it's... It's perfect.

It was only when I got through Leeds

I realised I'd left York
without eating anything.

Can I sit down?

Oh!

[RINGS BELL]

You can't not eat, Mr Harper.

- I just forget.
- Oh, I'm the same.

Could I have a small cup of tea?

You need a wife.

I live with my brother.
He's an attorney.

Well, that's no good.

Oh! Is he?

George!

Ask Mrs Cordingley to get Mr Harper
some breakfast, quickly.

Eggs, bacon, bread, butter... fruit?

Just a small slice of bread
and a thin scrape of butter

- would be more than...
- And bring us some tea.

Immediately. And bring the sugar!

We'll sort you out, Mr Harper.

This is...

Do you know, it's as though
you can see into my...

innermost thoughts and desires.

Oh, good.

Ideally, I'd find local merchants

for the stone and timber and so forth.

If you could recommend
people, that would be useful.

And local craftsmen, too.
Joiners, plasterers.

I know them all.

I'll meet anyone you consider suitable.

I always meet several people
for any one job

and then make a decision.
Suppliers and craftsmen.

All in consultation with you, of course.

I shall take on a site manager,

and he'll be here throughout the build,

he'll come to live in Halifax
for the duration.

Ideally a fellow called
Husband, if he's available.

I've worked with him a number of times,

I think you'll be pleased.
He'll be my eyes and ears.

When can you start?

I should think we could begin
clearing the site

for the foundations next month.

I'd like a ceremony. A public ceremony.

To lay the first stone,
a foundation stone.

Then all Halifax can come
and see what we're doing.

- Of course.
- Excellent.

Oh, and we must be clear,

before we get too giddy about it,

with the proposed shops,

the building costs will go up
to nearer the £ , mark,

which means you'd perhaps
be looking at an annual rent

of nearer than .

And only you know whether
Halifax is a busy enough town

to support something like that.

What's your impression of Halifax?

It isn't York.

Your clientèle would
predominantly consist of trade

and people passing through from one
destination to another.

But my impression is there's
no shortage of money here,

and increasingly so,

with all these...
creeping mill chimneys.

[SHE CHUCKLES]

You want to borrow another £ , ?

On bond, at %. The alternative,

which I'm inclining towards,
would be to sell

six of my Navigation shares now

and perhaps the rest at Christmas,

if I can get guineas each for them.

But you spoke so eloquently
less than six months ago

at the shareholders' meeting

about investing more money
in the Navigation.

So to sell your shares now,

might that not look
rather lacking in integrity?

No.

No, I don't think so.

Well... would it, could it not
look like you were...

jumping ship?

Really? How?

The Northgate Casino will have stabling

for upward of horses, Mr Parker.

I wish I'd have brought
the plans to show you,

I mean, they're splendid.
Mr Harper has excelled himself.

Would I be investing so
heavily in a coaching inn

if I was worried about
the arrival of the railways?

No, the railways will arrive
in Halifax last,

Mr Parker, for the same
reason the canals did.

Because, like Rome, Halifax
is built on too many hills.

No, I'd be taking from
one sound investment

to fund another.

Whoa!

George?

- Where's George?
- Ooh! I don't know, ma'am.

Tell him to deal with the
britzka and Smiler and Merlin.

Ah.

Mr Washington's helped me
come up with five different proposals

to send to Captain Sutherland,
as you suggested,

all based on his original proposal
for the division.

I merely pointed out
to Miss Walker that if she sent

Captain Sutherland just the one proposal

he'll no doubt find fault with it,

quibble, and drag his heels again,

whereas if he's presented with a choice,

he's more likely to engage
with the thing,

and, hopefully, plump for one of them.

Tactics.

Not that it's got anything
to do with me, obviously.

The only really significant
amendment I've suggested

is putting either John Farrer's
field or Bouldshaw Farm

and Clough in Lot .

They're both worth £ , , give or take,

and it seems to go some way

towards balancing
the two lots up more evenly.

Well, as I say, nothing to do with me.

Then we can either draw for the lots

or I can make it clear to him
that I would prefer Lot ,

being made up of one
contiguous piece of land.

- It would make sense.
- Whereas Lot

is made up of parcels of land
here, there and everywhere,

Lindley, Golcar, Saddleworth.

Which would make very little difference

to Mr and Mrs Sutherland,
being so far away.

As long as it's managed.

Well... Again, if it was me,
which it isn't,

I'd give him the choice.

Say that you'd prefer Lot ,
for reasons of contiguity,

but if he'd prefer to draw lots

you'd be perfectly happy
with that as well.

And I'd put Bouldshaw Farm
and Clough in Lot

rather than John Farrer's field.

It's got coal in it.

Are we all set for Sunday
again, Mr Washington?

Yes, I am. I'm quite enjoying it.

I'm wondering if
I've missed my vocation!

[SHE LAUGHS]

"Now, the road from Jerusalem to Jericho

"is steep and treacherous,"
Jesus explained,

"full of desperate men and thieves."

Perhaps the traveller didn't know that,

or perhaps he did, but he had
to make his journey anyway.

What do you think, Hannah?

Yeah.

Yeah.

The sun was hot
and the traveller was tired.

He was only five miles from Jericho

when, suddenly,
he found himself pounced upon.

He was beaten mercilessly,
stripped naked,

robbed of his few belongings,

and left for dead
at the side of the road.

"Surely the priest will help me,"

the poor man thought as he lay helpless

and bleeding in the road.

But the priest walked past him

as though he hadn't even
seen him. Emily.

Emily, don't do that, you
might get your finger stuck.

Some time later, a Levite approached.

"Surely the Levite will
help me," thought the man.

But as the Levite got closer,

he crossed to the other side of the road

and walked quickly away.

The bastard.

Next came along a Samaritan, on a horse.

"Oh, no!" thought the poor man.

"The Samaritan is a foreigner
and my enemy.

"He will never help me."

And then Euclid postulated,

and this isn't as complicated
as it sounds,

if a straight line intersects
two other straight lines,

and so makes the two interior angles

on one side of the first line

less than two right angles,

then the other two straight
lines will meet at a point,

if extended far enough on
the side on which the angles

are less than two right angles.
Yes? Yes? Yes.

And so, from these five
postulates or axioms,

Euclid deduced
a greater number of theorems

or propositions. Yes, Charlotte?

What's all that got to do
with Jesus, though, sir?

- GIRL: Miss!
- CHARLOTTE: Miss.

Well, Euclid believed, as I do,

that the laws of nature

were but the mathematical
thoughts of God.

God created the world and every
magical, majestic thing in it,

and do you know something, Charlotte?

The leaves, the trees,
the birds, the bees,

all of it, at some level,
comes down to mathematics.

Mathematics is the basis of everything.

Everything in Creation.

Isn't that extraordinary?

- [THUMPS DESK]
- The thoroughness of God's planning.

[QUIETLY] Me and Henry Hardcastle
once saw her snogging Miss Walker!

Right.

I was thinking about a trip to London.

A holiday, before the work
at Northgate really begins.


I could see some of my friends,

and I could finally get my travelling
carriage back from Baxter's.

We could make some enquiries

about a proper master
for the day school,

and you could consult a doctor,

a really good doctor, about your neck.

I'd like that.
I'd like to go to London again.

Hopefully,
this business with the Sutherlands

will be settled by then too.

I'd like to meet your London friends.

[GASP NEARBY]

Did you hear something?

[GASPING]

Do you think someone's spying on us?

- Here.
- Oh!

[PANTING]

[THEY GASP]

Stay.

- Er...
- What, what is it? Ooh!

Go home.

_

_

[ANN LAUGHS]

_

_

Well, then, you leave me no choice.

Because I will not have
a disrespectful household.

_

_

He's only !

- How old's she?
- .

- That's...
- I know. I know.

What do you want me to do?

I'll write to Mr Thomas at
the servants' register in York,

but... Oh, I don't know.

It took me long enough to find him!

I can't start seeing to Father's...

- personal needs, it's...
- No!

No, no, no, no. I certainly can't.

It's not ideal, but we must

keep him on as long as it suits us

and in the meantime, be on
the lookout for someone else.

And not a word to Aunt Anne about
this ridiculous business.

Ah. Aunt. You've found them.

These are Mr Harper's plans
for the Northgate Casino.

I thought everyone might like
to have a look at them.

Father? And then I can
address any questions...

No, thank you.

Or observations anyone might have.

Take no notice of your father.

He just thinks you might ruin yourself.

And all of us.

Oh, look at that.

Oh, that's the front door,
Miss Lister...

Aunt.

Aunt... with the Lister
coat of arms above it.

And look at this.

Above the fireplace,

your family motto,
justus propositi tenax.

Just and true of purpose.

- Just so.
- Humbug.

Shall we sit down?

Yes, let's.

Very good.

Do you know, I always
want to say "bumhug"

whenever anyone says "humbug".
I don't know why.

[THEY LAUGH]

The only anxiety I have
about Northgate, Father,

is getting it licensed,

what with Christopher Rawson
being so difficult.

I did speak to Washington about it.

Well, Christopher Rawson isn't the
only magistrate in Halifax.

Yes, but I need two signatories and
if he gets wind of it...

What about Colonel Dearden and his son?

Aren't they both magistrates?

Mm.

Well, send him a note.
Ask him to pop in.

Oh!

Oh, thank you.

This is impressive, eh?

And certainly would be
a great boon to the town.

Another good inn with
a large handsome room

is just what we need.

I intend to call the large room
the Casino.

Oh!

The enterprise may not make
a great profit,

at least not in the first year,

but then mercantile speculation
is not my aim.

I want to take a pride in the thing

and do it for the good of the town.

The whole enclave will be elegant,

and even, dare I say it, fashionable.

Well, I can't imagine there'd
be any reasonable objection

to granting you a licence.

I can certainly answer
for myself and for my son.

Of course, I'll have to consult

with the other magistrates
on the matter.

But I only need the two signatures?

Oh, yes. Yeah.

Well, strictly speaking.

Um, while I'm here...

Yes?

Could I trouble you for a subscription

to Mr Wortley's brother's fund
for the West Riding?

- Mr Wortley's brother?
- John.

You may not yet have heard.

There'll be no by-election in the town.

It seems that Charles Wood
has turned down high office

specifically in order to avoid one.

He's taken some more lowly
role in the Admiralty,

whereas Lord Morpeth has been made

Chief Secretary for Ireland,

so John Wortley will contest
him for the West Riding.

Mm.

But, so...

Does that mean Mr Rawson
won't be standing for Halifax

- after all, then?
- No.

So, um, could I put you down for £ ?

I've got seven or eight other
people of good long standing

in the town down for .

I shall turn over the leaf and give .

Can I not persuade you
to give , Miss Lister?

Had Mr Rawson still been standing,

he should have had every
vote I could influence.

I told him that to his face,
and I meant it.

But the fact is, he doesn't behave
handsomely towards me.

Over my coal. And I'd hate

to spend significant money
on Northgate only to find

my attempt to license such a worthy
public endeavour

blocked by him on no more than a whim.

So you could put me down for ,
Colonel Dearden, but...

I will need my licence.

[HE CHUCKLES]

You'll have your licence, Miss Lister.

Any sign of rain, young man?

Not at the moment, sir.

_

Go on.

_

_

_

_

_

_

_

_

_

How big is this farm?

[MUMBLING NERVOUSLY] acres.

Speak up!

acres.

Mm.

Imagine, Matthew, if you were
to be parted from Eugenie for,

I don't know, two years.

Do you believe that you would
feel the same way

about... marrying her?

I dare say.

You dare say?

If nothing happened.

Like... what sort of thing?

If, um... If Eugenie
felt t'same way, too.

Well, Matthew, I only hope you've
thought the thing through.

I can't quite see Eugenie
amongst pig tubs and cattle,

but you must judge for yourselves.

If I were to just leave,

ma'am, please, would you
let Eugenie keep her job?

You going or staying makes no
difference as to what happens

to Eugenie, Matthew. But...

now I know your intentions are to marry,

Miss Marian and I will
think about what to do.

You do know that letter

hasn't got a postmark on it, don't you?

Mm. It's dated the th.
I only gave her notice

on the evening of the th.

- [SHE SIGHS]
- They're transparent.

They've got us over a barrel.

It's so hard to get people these days.

So how's it been left?

[SHE SIGHS]
Well, I'm taking at face value

their claim that
they want to get married,

although I don't believe that
for a second,

and I've retracted Eugenie's notice

on the understanding that
Matthew is looking for a job

and when he finds one, they'll marry.

Do you think the other
servants know about it?

- [SHE SIGHS]
- I don't know.

I'm so glad we've decided
to go to London.

It'll be the perfect tonic.

You've had too much tiresome
nonsense to bother with,

with this wretched division business.

It's silly, but...

What? What is?

I always imagined that one day

I might meet lords and ladies,
in London.

I mean, I know
we have to be careful, but...

I might meet one or two, one day.

Mightn't I?

Mm.

One day...

- if you're very good.
- Mm.

CAPTAIN SUTHERLAND:
As you state you will take

Lot as drawn up in Washington's
original proposal,

provided you get
Bouldshaw Farm and Clough,

- I agree to this proposal...
- "...agree to this proposal,

"and consider therefore the
division formally concluded,

"and I assure you, my dear Ann,

"that I sincerely rejoice that it is."

Very good. I'm surprised he's
agreed to it quite so readily,

but happen he wants to get on with
it just as much as you do.

Hm. Or he wants to seem
as though he does.

And then there's this next bit,

"As we expect being south as early
as we can leave home,

"I hope you will have no objection

"to allowing the amendment
to the titles to wait until then."

You see, he's procrastinating,
he's still not

signing anything.

Well, it's a step forward.

You've got his agreement
in writing, at least.

Mm.

Oh, and I called in on
Mr and Mrs Priestley again yesterday.

BOTH: Why?

Well, I had a note from him
asking me to.

So... But he wanted me to tell
you that he intends to give up

the waste at High Sunderland
without hesitation.

Really?

So that's good news.

There won't be any sort of
legal wrangle over it.

Right. Shall I see you down at
Tillyholme stile then, ma'am?

Mr Holt and the Mann
brothers'll be there already

and they won't want to do
anything without you.

Yes, you go. I'll follow you down.

- Sorry, sir.
- Sorry, lad.

Clearly, he knows he should
never have had it

in the first place.

Giving it up so easily.

- It appals me how lax...
- Fasten your buttons properly!

Sorry, ma'am.

Sorry, go on.

How lax and... profligate

my family have been with our property

when I see how particular
you are with yours.

Coal, stone, hotels,

you make every square inch
of your land work.

Well, then, you must
take example from me

and make yours work so too.

I am... I am doing, I-I'm going to.

And that's why I won't stand for

any more of this... nonsense.

What's the matter?

He says I knew about the deed of
settlement in .

He says he told me all about it

and I've obviously forgotten.

He didn't.

Hm.

Parker's coming at four this
afternoon, I'd better get on.

What time do we expect you
back from Hebden Bridge?

Oh, I don't know.
I suspect it'll be a wasted trip.

I don't think anyone wants to take
over the Sunday school.

[CLOCK CHIMES]

[FOOTSTEPS]

Ah! Mr Parker.

Well, how...
How are things on the estate?

Oh, we are winning, I think,
one way or another.

Mr Holt thinks this time
next year my collieries

will be the best hereabouts

and will pay off
all the expense incurred

within the first three years
of production.

Hm?

Er, not for me.

- What have you got for me?
- I've got notices

against trespassers sh**ting
and hunting on your land

which all need signing.

And I've got two notices to quit,

one for Mr Carr for those
acres that you need back

down at Wellroyd.
Those need signing too.

Then regarding selling
your Navigation shares,

well, I've asked around.

Mr Robert Waterhouse
has no objection to taking

the six that you're offering for sale,

but he won't give guineas.

He will, however, give £ .

No-one will give guineas.

Mr Abbott tells me
that Mr Louis Alexander

has had three of his shares
on sale for some time now

at guineas apiece,
and they've not sold.

I hope no other names
were named in the matter.

But I thought...

Is he not soon to be family, Mr Abbott?

No.

And if he is, well then,
I've made it clear to Marian

that she and I... That'll be it.

Oh. Oh, I'm sorry.

No, no other names were named.

I'll take Mr Waterhouse's £ .

Anything above £ is clear
gain as far as I'm concerned,

and it's better this way.

Borrowing would cost me
% in the first year.

No building would pay for that.

Miss Lister.

Anne.

Is this whole enterprise not a risk?

Yes, of course.

Of course it is.

[BOTH LAUGH]

[HE CLEARS THROAT]

How's Miss Walker?

Oh, she's out.
She's ridden to Hebden Bridge

to speak to a possible candidate

for the Sunday school.

I, er, had a letter yesterday.

From York, from Mr Gray,

who's acting for Miss Walker
in the matter of the division

- of the joint property.
- That's right.

He's requested from me a copy

of the settlement between
Captain and Mrs Sutherland.

He's sent me a letter
from Captain Sutherland,

which he believes is sufficient
authority for me

to send him a copy of
the settlement, and I...

I don't think it is.

It's rather vague about
"affording every possible assistance".

And my question is,

in my position...

would you send it...

or even an extract from it,

without a more clear yea or nay
from Captain Sutherland

about the specific document in question?

I have not a word to say on
the matter, Mr Parker.

Why are you asking me?

I suppose because it's...
It's delicate. It's, er...

- It's complicated.
- Surely the solution would be

to write to Captain Sutherland yourself

asking for his permission
regarding the document.

Yes... Yes.

Yes, that's...

That's what I shall do.

Am I missing something?

You...

Your family...

are very good, very old,
very valued clients

of, er, Parker & Adam.

And now that Miss Walker
is here as your... companion,

I suppose the anxiety is

I'm going to find myself between a rock

and a hard place in the matter
should it become problematic.

Why would it?
It's a simple enough division,

and he's already agreed to it.

Mr Gray implied that
Miss Walker was angry.

To have discovered the settlement.

- Mm.
- And there was

a further implication that I
had not acted professionally...

in the matter.

With her family being opposed to it,

and with the settlement
appearing to go so much

against the wishes in her father's will.

But I can assure you, Miss Lister,

this was very much what
Mrs Sutherland wanted,

there was certainly no underhand
collusion on my part,

and nothing I did was unprofessional,

and Miss Walker herself knew...

perfectly well what was going on
at the time,

just as the rest of the family did.

Captain Sutherland made it
abundantly plain to her.

She says not.

Well...

she wasn't well.

Well, then,

how odd of him
to burden her with it. Hm?

Anyway, it barely matters.

What's material is that we now know,

she now knows, that it's him that
she should have been dealing with

all along, and not her sister.

Indeed.

- Well, then.
- As you suggest...

- I shall write to him.
- Yes.

And do leave me out of it.

It really has nothing to do with me.

ANN: My dear Captain Sutherland,

I am glad that by your agreement

to one of my proposals,

the division of the estate
is so easily arranged.

I am anxious that no time should be lost

in preparing the deeds.

I have, for some weeks,

had the deed box here
with me at Shibden Hall,

I shall go to York as soon as
I hear from Messrs Gray,

- with all the necessary papers...
- ANN: with all the necessary papers,

of which Mr Parker,
or anyone you think proper,

may come here and take a catalogue.

I hope the papers
will be ready for signing

before the end of the month.

But should you not be able to come
to Yorkshire so soon,

then surely the papers
can simply be sent to you

for your signature.

[FOOTSTEPS]

This gets more and more...

What? What?

The deeds!

The Crow Nest deeds have...

for some weeks, been at Shibden Hall.

- Why?
- Your sister!

Is being played for a fool!

It's bizarre. No. It's beyond bizarre,

it is sinister.

I tried to protect her.
And this, this...

[SHOUTS IN FRUSTRATION]

My dear Parker.

I acknowledge receipt of your...

My dear Parker.

I acknowledge receipt
of your letter of the nd.

My dear Parker. I acknowledge receipt

of your letter of the nd of June

and in reply I have no
objection to furnishing Mr Gray

with the copy of the deed alluded to.

In fact, I am most anxious,
as I invariably have been,

to afford every assistance
in endeavouring to have

the property of
the late Mr Walker fairly

and amicably divided.

I have stated repeatedly
that Mrs Sutherland and I

would proceed south
and arrange the whole matter

as immediately as the season
and her health would permit,

and when the titles
could be given to both parties

to whom they were apportioned.

I requested that the boxes
containing the deeds

should remain until then in the bank
where I had placed them.

I find instead from a letter
received just this morning

from Miss Walker that the deeds have
been taken from the bank

and have for some weeks
been at Shibden Hall.

I do not blame Miss Walker for this,

but those who, from selfish,
wicked and unnatural motives,

endeavour to bias her mind.

Miss Lister states for Miss Walker,

for I am certain she would never do so,

that the object in employing
Mr Gray is with the view

not to perplex and mystify
but to simplify.

This is, I trust, some att*ck on you.

As our properties
and Miss Lister's join,

I cannot help expressing
my extreme upset

that the titles have been there,
at Shibden Hall,

which I should of course

have decidedly objected to had I known.

What is going on, I know not.

But the moment our little boy
is over the whooping cough,

I shall, and Mrs Sutherland
if all is well,

visit Miss Walker,

and this I hope in the course
of a very few weeks.

My feelings I impart to you
in the strictest confidence.

Yours most sincerely,
George Mackay Sutherland.


♪ Behind her back she's Gentleman Jack ♪

♪ A Yorkshire lady of renown ♪

♪ Ever so fine, won't toe the line ♪

♪ Speak her name, gentlemen frown ♪

♪ At Shibden Hall she had them all ♪

♪ The fairer sex fell under her spell ♪

♪ Dapper and bright ♪
♪ She held them tight ♪

♪ Handsome Anne seduced them well ♪

♪ Jack-the-lass, Jack-the-lass ♪

♪ No-one likes a Jack-the-lass ♪

♪ The code is cracked ♪
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