World Without End

I hope France turns out to be worth it.

Lord William is ill and needs a potion for indigestion.

- Has he been poisoned? Is it witchcraft? - What did you give him?

- Nux vomica! It's mild! - Caris Wooler, you're under arrest

for suspicion of murder and witchcraft.

I will strip her and examine her for the Devil's mark.

- Don't you touch her! - Stop this insanity!

Confess and claim sanctuary within the convent.

The wimple and veil will protect you from everything.

Seven hellish years of war for this.

The French have us surrounded, Majesty.

They are attacking us constantly.

From three sides, not four!

Get us across the forsaken river and we can get our army home!

But we cannot cross the Somme, Sire.

So we sit here, fighting off their forays, and starving through the winter?

Majesty, the French have burned all the bridges.

- There's no way to cross the damn river. - There must be a ford.

The French are still well supplied, but the farms

- are across the river. - It stands to reason--

Enough! Enough!

The question remains.

How do we cross the Somme and get the army

back to England?

Anyone?!

- The river is narrower at Abbeville. - The French know that too.

- They will expect us there. - Not if we get there before them.

- How long a march? - Three days. - At least.

Force it. Get us there in two.

Look! Look!

Ma, there's a man making fire over there. Can we go and see?

Yes, but watch out for your brother.

Keep an eye on them.

- I'm off to find Caris. - They're old enough

- to be on their own. - Keep an eye on them.

Ladies and gentlemen,

come to the best in Kingsbridge!

He uses this to make fire. I saw.

- Sam, be careful. - Don't be a baby, David.

Damn it!

Maybe it is magic.

What do you know? Come on,

- I'm hungry. - Ladies and gentlemen!

What are you doing in my oven, boy? Stealing my pies?

Hold it still, boy. Hold it still.

And Wulfric? How is he?

Angrier than ever.

We work the land that is rightfully Wulfric's,

but Perkin pays us nothing but food.

That's despicable.

It makes Wulfric a misery to live with.

If this is Love, it's...

it's a lot different than I ever dreamed it would be.

Gwenda! Sister Caris! Gwenda!

Come now!

Hold him. Hold him still.

I know. I know, I know.

- Why didn't you watch him?! - He snuck away.

- You said you'd keep an eye on them! - Gwenda, not now.

All right, all right. I know.

Oh, God.

We're going to need a poultice of Spanish aloe.

Well, in the worst case

he'll have a nasty scar he can show his own children

to warn them not to steal meat pies.

Thank you.

Sorry to keep you waiting, Gregory. How may I help you?

- And who is this? - Sister Elizabeth.

I was told you wished to see our treasurer also.

Ah yes, thank you, Mother.

I have some very sad news.

I've come from the deathbed of your cousin

- Marilyn Smith in Hereford. - Oh, dear.

God rest her soul. Was she in much pain?

It was a gentle death.

A priest was with her when I arrived. She sent you...

this.

150 gold coins that she bequeathed to the convent. There was no time

to draw up any paperwork, she was fading fast. - God bless Marilyn.

If you think this hurt,

just imagine what hell is like.

Come on. Nothing more to see. Go and get some fresh air.

Come on, David.

Try not to leave him this time.

Thank you again.

Thank you for herbs.

- What are you writing? - An account of what we did.

I always keep a record of the visitors.

That way, if they come back, I know how I treated them

and what works and what doesn't.

Come, have a look.

This is some of our most valuable treasures

- that we have. - Books?

Foreign books.

Filled with the most incredible knowledge.

- I got them from a Spanish trader. - That's Spanish?

It's Latin, translated from the Arabic.

These writers are physicians.

They know more about the healing arts than we do.

And it's all in these books.

It's amazing.

Are you sure they're not written by the Devil, hmm?

Quite sure.

I keep telling her

she should write her own book.

Compared to these people, I don't know anything.

- But yours would be in English. - Sister Caris,

may I have a word?

I'm proud of you, Caris.

I know this was not your first calling,

- but you've made a very fine nun. - Thank you.

So I'd like to reward you by giving you even more work.

As you wish.

God has blessed us with the funds

to build your hospice.

- Holger! Holger! - Luke Webber!

- Are we gonna be in England soon? - Nearly there.

Your papa and mama in Kingsbridge will be glad to see you, huh?

Thank you.

Give the men a rest. Feed them.

When the train arrives, we'll cross the river.

Very well, Sire. Break ranks!

They said it couldn't be done. I can practically smell England, we're so close.

Praise God, we're almost home, Sire.

They've outflanked us.

They've outflanked us.

Your Majesty!

Your Majesty! The French. They've outflanked us.

They hold the northern part of the river.

So now we're totally surrounded.

Damn them to hell!

- Congratulations. - Oh! Prior, you startled me.

Gregory Longfellow just told me he brought a bequest.

Good news. May I see?

Mother Cecilia's cousin will certainly have a fine room in heaven

- with all the prayers she's bought. - Hmm.

Has she said how she intends to spend it?

Yes, indeed. I'm expanding

Sister Caris' hospice.

You've had some time in which to build your palace,

Prior, but it seems you prefer

hoarding silver to spending it.

Conserving it, Mother.

It would be an act of ungodly hubris

to start a project that I'm unable to complete.

How saintly.

Now if you wouldn't mind?

Thank you.

Lock it up tight, Sister.

Thieves are everywhere.

He'll be fine tomorrow.

Where's Wulfric?

Wasting money we don't have.

He does love you, Gwenda.

As much as you love him.

Caris?

Do you miss Merthin?

I think of him.

But Mother Cecilia does her best to keep me thinking of someone else.

Who's that?

God.

Thank you.

Are you all right?

You seem distant.

I saw Brother Thomas and Brother Matthias together.

What do you mean?

They were together. In bed.

Godwyn must never find out.

Do you approve?

It's considered a mortal sin.

But they're good men.

They don't deserve Godwyn's punishment.

I agree.

It's not as if they're betraying wives.

And I wonder if God really minds

if it's for love?

Someone to see you, Sister Caris.

- Signor Caroli! - Hello, Caris.

How good to see you. Have you returned for some of our wool?

The finest in the world.

And how does Florence fare? Are you safe?

From The Great Mortality?

Is it true what they say? That you go to bed well and wake up dying?

An exaggeration perhaps, but yes,

it can be quick. Though it doesn't like the cold,

so you are safe here in England.

I brought you a letter.

From Merthin.

Thank you.

"Dearest Caris.

"I am living in Florence, married, and blessed with a child.

"I'm a builder here,

quite a successful one."

- Lolla lulina! - Papa!

"And though I love my wife and daughter,

"you continue to hold a special place in my heart.

"I have drunk far too much wine tonight,

"else I could never have written this.

"But Signor Caroli, I know, is travelling to Kingsbridge,

"which gives me a perfect excuse