Breathless

Hello, darling.

Hello, handsome.

Yeah, down there on the right.

Ah, Mr Powell. Come in.

Thank you.

Take five, Ernie, please.

Five bob a week, but they're lovely boys.

So...here we are, then.

This is my niece.

Our Megan Grieves. And this is er...

I'm Otto.

May I call you Megan?

So, when do you think you conceived?

Do you mind?

Thank you.

Aah... It's all right.

Ow. Sssh, ssh.

It's OK.

Thanks, darling.

Nothing so headless as a young girl coming to London for the first time.

Don't you count it?

Right. I need to get our young friend to a hospital.

Hospital?

Jean, I'd like you with Megan. Where's your telephone?

Hospital?

We might as well advertise why we're here.

Some idiot gave her a chemical douche.

That girl has nasty internal burns. I wouldn't be surprised if she was septic.

Otto, please. Charlie...

Go home.

I don't want Kathleen to come to hospital. Then she won't.

Please don't leave me.

I promise you.

Have you had a baby, miss?

No. No, I haven't.

But you are married.

Hello. Are you all right? Are you sure?

Richard Truscott!

Years go by and then suddenly you're everywhere.

Margaret. What an amazing surprise!

Can I get you a... Thank you.

..drink?

Well, if the walls could talk... There'd barely be a marriage left in London.

I don't like singles hovering at the bar. It can give the wrong impression.

Surely old friends get special treatment. None that I can think of.

Besides, old friends don't just vanish, do they?

What about your wife? Hm.

I don't have a - Oh, come on, Richie.

You're a doctor.

You're bound to have bagged yourself a pretty little nurse. Babies.

I do have a nurse at home. No babies.

And a terrible desire to undress you.

Chin-chin.

Jeannie? Is everything all right?

I left Richard a note saying I'd gone to the theatre.

Perhaps this isn't for you after the miscarriage?

Go home. I can handle this.

And leave you without a nurse carrying the can?

Sleep tight.

Well...good night, Mrs Powell.

Good night, Mrs J.

We have a friend. They should bloody well arrest the aunt.

Let me sort this. No. I'm not running away.

Never run away.

You all right? So what time was the ambulance called?

Sir?

Thank you for your help. Excuse me. Sir?

This gentleman was passing, enquired whether there was anything he could do.

Thank you. Very good.

If you'll excuse me, my patient's in the back of that ambulance.

Right. Good night, then. Hope it all works out. Thank you.

But I need your name, sir. Powell.

How old are you now, Richie? 30.

I'm old enough to be your mother.

I'd really rather not have her in my mind, if you don't mind.

Ow! Nearly there.

It hurts. Sssh, sssh, sssh.

I have to go now.

Please, please don't leave me.

All right.

North Wing One? Casualty admissions here.

We have a young woman.

Emergency admission, Sister. I'll go.

Megan Grieves.

Possible pelvic infection and vaginal bleeding after a potassium permanganate douche.

Thank you. I'm Nurse Wilson.

We'll get you something for the pain.

Consulting room, Nurse, and prep an irrigation if you'd be so kind.

Thank you.

Sorry. Coming here was not part of the plan.

Forgotten how much I missed it.

Yes, well, make yourself scarce before someone starts asking questions.

Oh. How did you enjoy the theatre?

Always get your lies straight, Mrs Truscott.

'Yuri Gagarin's single orbit of the earth...'

Charlie, dear. We had a late list in theatre.

You are the worst possible liar.

Why do you do it? I tell you what, I am famished.

You and Otto will be struck off. And in prison.

Seriously! Lily...please!

No, you, please, stop.

We need the money.

I could go back to work, at least until - Don't be ridiculous. You are my wife!

Besides, Lil, if Otto and I don't do it heaven help those poor girls.

"If Otto," "if Otto".

What about you, Charlie? What about us?

I thought you'd be fast asleep.

Er...I was worried. Where have you been, darling?

That junior consultants' dinner, remember? You know how these things drag on.

Mwah! How about you?

Er...the theatre.

Something jolly, I hope.

Yes. Very.

Jolly and long, darling. It is rather late.

Working nights?

Sir.

I'll make sure Sister gets those in the morning.

You have an odd habit of running away from me whenever I approach.

It could be that whenever you approach I have somewhere else I really ought to be.

You and Jean - Mrs Truscott...

..know each other?

Yes, we worked together. Briefly.

But I was surprised to see her here with one of your patients, sir.

(The police are here to see you, sir. Very good.)

For you.

In here, sir. Thank you.

Ah. Smoke?

Constable Weir here has it that you summoned an ambulance to -

19 Lexington Mews, yes. Why, Mr Powell?

That's entirely between me and my patient...

I'm sorry. Detective Inspector Thompson.

Yes, er...

Zealotry in the young can be tiresome but er...train a constable on the streets

and he reports what he sees.

For eg: you...carrying medical gas bottles from the premises.

I'm not in the habit of abandoning expensive equipment.

You are aware of Sections 58 and 59 of the Offences Against The Persons Act?

Again, what transpires between my patients and I is confidential by law.

And by law it is illegal to terminate -

I will give you this. The young woman - my patient - is out of danger now.

Oh. And her unborn baby...is also well.

Good evening.

It makes the lather light.

Daddy, it tickles.

Everything OK, Mrs J?

Yes, it's just the laundry, Mrs Powell.

Now, I once knew a chap,

who was doing this when he had the most almighty desire to sneeze.

Time for school, Thomas, darling.

Yeah, I haven't seen the chap!

I'm pretty sure he ran away to join the circus.

What have you been doing?

Daddy's been teaching me.

Well, I have a brand-new idea.

Thomas, why don't you stay with Mummy? You too, Otto.

Well, this chap has school, you have a bridge morning and I have half a million patients.

That bus won't wait, Master Powell.

Otto, I...

Elizabeth, are you all right?

It's difficult, this.

Yes, it is sometimes, isn't it?

You haven't forgotten tonight? No excuses, Otto - Jean and Richard are taking us out.

Don't be late.

Cold! Cold! All right.

I saw your parents yesterday at the hospital.

Why not just let them know you're all right? No.

He'll show up here soon enough.

He's a police inspector. They're...good at finding people.

When should we go to the station? We're not going anywhere, Dad.

What about your mother?

You don't know what Father's like.

Ever since my brother Stewart drowned, he...

It did him in, you know.

Anyway... Besides, I can look after you, can't I, Monty?

And I look after her.

I can.

Well, that's all right, then.

Miss Fairfax, please.

The GP said to pop in, so...here I am.

Now, Miss...Fairfax. Yes?

What seems to be the problem?

What can you feel?

Oh! Is this what they mean by giving your body to science?

Diagnosis, gentlemen?

Why didn't you call trumps?

Just call trumps. But I didn't think I'd need to!

I think sandwiches might be preferable to blood on the carpet, don't you?

Always call trumps, dear. And, please, in future, don't think.

Elizabeth, I wonder if I might have a little word.

Was Otto terribly late last night? He's usually -

Charlie was in the most... well, you know how he is.

Ah, Mrs J. You saint. Oh, they do look smashing!

One day the police - Lily, please, let's not always expect the worst.

You received Miss Grieves, last night?

Admitted for...? Inflammation, burning.

An attempted termination with potassium... Yes.

And is the subject of a police enquiry.

Who brought her here? Matron?

She came in an ambulance. Oh, for pity's sake, child.

I don't know who you're trying to protect.