Dickensian

This had better be worth waking me for.

Mr Jaggers said I was to put it direct in your hand

and leave nothing to chance, sir.

Boy?

Yes!

It means nothing to you, does it? The ruinous state our family is in.

Of course it does, but Papa assures me that there is a way through. And of course, you believe him,

because then you may continue to dance through life,

unencumbered by bitter realities.

Honoria?

I trust Papa.

You have made me look like a liar, Papa.

We shall be cold for the rest of the week, then.

I will reverse our fortunes.

And in the meantime, we shall all wrap ourselves in blankets

and tell each other that there is nothing to worry about(!)

Scraping, like a miser?

Scraping, scraping, scraping!!

You could have been married, Frances, and far away from this.

You chose to break your engagement

and now you are here - a mouth to feed!

So maybe, it is you that's the problem.

Mr Scrooge sir, it is nearly time.

Every second has value, Cratchit.

NOW it's time.

Nothing but good mahogany can keep in the stench of a putrefying corpse

and Marley left no provision for such a coffin.

Jacob Marley left no provision for a coffin at all,

or, indeed, any funeral.

It's the common pit for him, I'm afraid.

Well, then. There's an end to it.

Mr Scrooge, sir, are we not going along, to say a few words?

Rest in peace, amen.

Oh, Mr Cratchit, sir? Oh, John.

There is no need for "sir" or "Mr Cratchit".

I told you, "Mr C" or "Bob". I prefer "Bob".

I was hoping to have a talk with you, sir - Bob, before tomorrow.

Getting cold feet about the wedding?

No! No, sir, my feet is blazin' hot! My feet is a furnace!

I just thought - man to man, just us two -

I could buy you an ale, sir, Cratchit, mister?

That's a splendid idea, John... Cratchit! ..but not right now.

Another time.

Your order, sir.

Thank you.

You're a fine cook, madam.

Thank you, sir.

Can't show 'em your fear, the law.

Cos they'll twist you - twist your words, twist it all.

That's what they do.

No fear.

She'll be late. Don't be late. Go. Go!

Be easy in yourself and in your manner - but not too easy.

Helping the law without helping them, hm? Go.

No fear, Nancy.

Don't give 'em nothing!

Champagne and Cognac for the Havisham party.

I'll take that.

What do you think?

It's beautiful, Honoria.

Isn't it perfect? You will look so lovely tonight.

Mary told me you were awake all night - again.

I've only had a few days to learn everything I can about the brewery.

And now, I have it all, up here.

So, if the shareholders want to question me about hops, or malt,

or harvest, or import costs, or distillation,

I can give them chapter and verse. It's a party, Amelia.

No-one's going to want to talk to you about hops.

No-one's judging you.

I'm a woman in a man's world. Of course they'll be judging me.

And Father, too.

They'll think he'd lost his mind, leaving the daughter in charge.

But I will not have that. Well, why shouldn't you be in charge?

A woman rules our country, our whole Empire.

Think of her, Queen Amelia

That's better. Come on, I'll walk with you.

Come along, Jip.

I don't break bread with bluebottles.

How did that happen?

Oh, Marley did it.

Why?

Well, why does any rich man hit a poor woman?

Because he wants to, and he knows he'll get away with it.

Come, now.

A man doesn't hit a woman for no reason.

You don't know men the way I do.

Miss Nancy, you were the last to see Jacob Marley alive.

No, that'd be his killer.

One of the last. What did you talk about?

Well, I weren't there for conversing with, was I?

Mr Fagin wouldn't be happy with this now, would he?

Being your protector.

This ain't nothing special.

Our lives are different from yours.

Well, Mr Sikes would be upset.

Him being your young man and a hothead.

Bill dropped me home, then went out drinking.

I didn't ask you where he went.

Have you been tutored in your answers?

You think Mr Sikes could kill a man?

You pin this on Bill to get an easy result,

you'll be missing the real felon.

I'm not pinning anything on anyone. That is not my way.

I just want the truth.

You can trust me.

You don't believe me?

Right, Marley dies,

and here's you, with your books and your maps and your questions,

but girls like me are found dead every day and who cares?

I've no cause to believe or trust the law.

I'm going to be the one to change that, miss.

Is there something you want to say?

No-one's listening. It's just me and you.

So, if there's something you want to say...

There ain't nothing. I'm done.

Take the pie.

Eat it at your leisure.

And he ain't my young man - Mr Sikes.

I don't have a young man.

I just have a lot of old ones.

Just one piece of cake? The gallery at Greenwich?

No, we shall faint... Very well.

Miss Barbary?

Miss Frances.

Sir Leicester.

What a surprise!

This sounds important, Jaggers.

It is. Let me guess -

the shareholders refuse to trust my sister with their money,

as I told you they would.

I am ready to take my rightful place.

Arthur, the New Year reception is going ahead

and I would very much like you to be there.

Oh, of course you would.

But my absence will scream.

You think anyone will invest in a woman?

In you?

If you have a brewery at all within six months, I will be surprised,

and you will have no-one except yourself to blame!

I wonder if you might allow us some privacy?

Now, you are going to give me a talk.

But what can she do?

Take away my meagre 10%?

It is guaranteed to me, she has no leverage.

You're quite correct. Your sister cannot take away your money.

Exactly. I can.

Your father's will.

I urge you to read the codicil.

Should you behave in a way that is damaging to the property -

by which is meant the business -

I am empowered to take away the means by which you live

and cede them to your sister.

All monies.

You see his signature.

You forced him to this!

No, your father was never forced into anything.

You will attend the reception. You will stand by your sister.

You will act in a manner appropriate to your name and status.

...Or you'll cut me off without a penny?

Let me go destitute?

Or I will exercise the codicil.