Death and Nightingales

"Poisons."

"Belladonna, a preservative against scarlatina."

"Aconite..."

"Arsenic..."

"Ergot..."

"Oil of bitter almonds..."

Drink.

Beth, please...

I, I promise I'll conduct myself

as honourably as any man in Ulster from now on...

Drink.

I'll make amends.

It's too late.

I'll never lay a hand on you again, Beth, I swear.

Jesus mercy...

Forgive, forgive a wretched sinner...

Sir.

Sir.

Oh, you poor beast, poor beast...

You'll be alright.

A dowry, love. Yes, a dowry.

What's a dowry?

It's what a girl gets when she marries.

I got a longhorn bull calf...

and Corvey Island.

Salmon swim up past there up from the sea

and there's wild goats and a herd's bothy and a hidden garden

and when the sun is shining on the lough

it's like... gold

or silver or diamonds, or velvet at night.

Someday it'll all be yours.

The heartbreak of this place?

Love it and hate it like no place else on Earth.

Tomorrow I leave it forever.

When there were no fields here

before the Greenes and the Brownes, and the Winters and the Somers

the rat-poor robbers with nothing-names came here to rob us of what was ours

Maguire was a proud name.

And it still is.

Oh, there's pride there, to be sure and sweet bugger-all to prop it up.

Why must you go on and on at me like a bloody fish woman?

Who are you to look down on a fish woman?

I look down on no one.

Oh, no, but some spunky boy-o looked down on you once, that's for sure.

Or did he come from behind? - Stop! Stop! For God's sake! I...

I have begged your forgiveness over and over again for that one mistake.

"Mistake!"

"Mistake!" That's a nice word for it!

To walk up the aisle with me to wed, knowing you carried another man's child!

When you knew the love I had for you...

I should have listened to my father.

"Marry one of your own faith." Not some treacherous slut of Rome!

Have mercy on me, Billy, for the sake of the child if nothing else.

That child is not my daughter!

She's not kin to me and she will not inherit, do you hear me?

She will not inherit.

I'll disinherit her.

Do you hear? I'll disinherit her.

Neither she nor her kind will ever cut my trees, milk my cows

pluck my apples, quarry my stone, or plough my acres ever!

"My, my, my, my, my!"

You stole it from us and you know you stole it.

I'm not stopping you now! On you go, woman, back to Tirkennedy

back to your own people!

A midnight scholar.

What were you hunting for in the Queen's English?

"Disinter."

What does it say? Read it out.

"To dig up things, especially from a grave. To unearth."

To unearth things that are best left buried.

Undisturbed. It's a good word.

What word were you really looking for? And don't lie to me.

I hate lies.

Disinherit.

Sweetheart.

Yes, sir?

Did you find it?

Yes, sir.

And you believe I'd disinherit you?

I don't know.

Bring the lamp.

And that is what put the shine on this place a hundred years ago.

French gold.

Poof!

Fifteen thousand beaver pelts stolen by my father's granddaddy

from the French...

who stole it from the poor auld Cree Indians.

Fifteen thousand pelts

sold for five boxes of gold, one for each of the crew

but two for Captain Winters.

Now, you mind your step... you bide your time...

and you play your part...

this could all be yours.

This and what I've added.

Miss Beth?

Miss Beth? - Coming.

Did you sleep all night in your clothes, miss?

Oh, no, no, I'll explain when I come down.

Today's the day, miss.

What?

Oh, Mercy, you shouldn't have.

Mercy, it's too much.

Many happy returns of the day, miss.

Yeah...? Yes?

I've your hot water, sir.

Hold on, Mercy. Hold on.

Is Miss Beth up?

She's in her room, sir.

You know what day it is?

I've give her something already.

You're a good girl, Mercy. I'll be down directly.

Oh, Jesus, it's wee Jimmy.

Well, this is an honour. Your Catholic Bishop of Clogher is here.

Beth! Bishop Donnelly's here.

Welcome back to Clonoula, my lord.

When I was curate here, you called me Seamus or Jimmy. I'd prefer that.

What brings you here, Jimmy? - Elizabeth.

You remembered? - Course.

You'll stay for a bite of breakfast?

If it's not too much trouble. - Mercy!

Lay another place. The best ware.

Yes, sir. - It's Mercy Boyle, isn't it?

Yes, my lord.

You have a lovely name.

Mercy.

Will you bless my brother, my lord? - Of course. Where is he?

He's in the kitchen. I'll get him. - No, no, I'll go to him.

From this window twelve months ago I first saw him.

Who could he be?

What is he doing here?

A merchant from Dublin or Belfast?

A new French or Italian mason at the quarry?

Yes?

Is the boss about?

He's away till Thursday.

I'm Liam Ward of Brackagh.

Tom Ward's nephew? - That's me.

You have a problem, Liam?

Aye, an old fool of a cow in a bog hole

and no manbody for miles about to help pull her out.

They're all at hay.

Do you not have a horse?

I do, but I've... I've loaned her to a neighbour.

We've a big pony here, you're welcome to him.

Do you have someone to lead him?

I'm free. I can lead him for you.

I'll do what I can to get her back feet up.

Don't give him his head... he could break her neck.

I know what to do.

C'mere.

Come on.

She's very chilled.

I think she's dead, Liam.

Liam, she's dead.

When did you see her last?

Yesterday.

She could have been in there all night.

Likely she was.

She was agey.

It's a loss nonetheless.

I'm beholden to you, miss.

I answered to Liz at school, to Beth or Betty hereabouts.

Would it be forward to ask you back to the house, Beth, or backward not to?

A cup of tea would be welcome.

Would a mug do?

Just as welcome.

Silk?

This was your uncle's house?

Yes.

Where are your parents?

My mother's in Monaghan Asylum.

I'm sorry.

She doesn't know anyone this brave, while.

And your father?

When I was 12, he walked out one night

for good or bad.

He never came back.

Growing up, I used to think that this townland, Brackagh

this cottage by the shore, were a kind of faery land...

I still do.

Try living here.

You know I'm Catholic too.

Yes, I do.

The long-tailed lads look to be more fun than the boy with the showy heart.

Do I understand what I'm risking tonight?

Am I in my right mind or just foolish?

Do I love Liam Ward?

I'm besotted, a moth to the candle, a rabbit in a hawk-shadow.

But do I love?

Do I hate Billy Winters enough to take such a risk?

Do I hate him at all?

- You're halfway to heaven. - The dog days of summer.

Dear God in heaven. It's uncanny.

Heart-breaking.

You're the living replica of your poor mother.

What are you now, Elizabeth, 22?

Twenty-three. - Of course.

And how do you propose to celebrate the day?

Making butter, bringing food to the men in the bog.

And there's a pig to be killed.