Love & Friendship

Langford.

Langford.

If only it hadn't been for Langford,

how happy we might have been.

Manwaring!

Manwaring, don't turn your back to me, please!

- I can't bear it! - Lady Susan!

Frederica!

Wait! I beg you!

Catherine, a letter.

It seems lady Susan will finally visit.

- In fact, she's already on her way. - What?

Lady Susan Vernon?

Congratulations on being about to receive the most accomplished flirt in all england.

You misjudge her, Reginald.

How so?

Well, like many women of beauty and distinction,

our sister-in-law has been a victim of the spirit of jealousy in our land.

- It's jealousy? - Yes.

Like anyone, Susan might be capable of an action

or a remark which is open to misconstruction,

but I can't help but admire the fortitude

with which she has supported grave misfortune.

Excuse me. I spoke out of turn.

Why would lady Susan, who was so well-settled at Langford,

suddenly want to visit us?

What reason does she give?

Her anxiety to meet me and to "know the children."

It's never concerned her before.

Your ladyship.

Susan. Come, hurry.

My dear, such haste. How curious you are.

Mr. Johnson's carriage is about to come into the street.

Surely that must happen often?

- You didn't receive my letter? - Letter?

Mr. Johnson forbids my seeing you.

Well, that's preposterous. By what means "forbids"?

He threatened the severest punishment imaginable,

sending me back to Connecticut.

To be tarred and feathered?

He claims to have important business at Hartford

and threatens to settle there if our connection isn't entirely severed.

And for what possible reason or pretext?

His former ward, Lucy manwaring, wrote to him.

Did she?

- A horrid woman. - I know.

Deranged. If she were going to be jealous,

she should not have married such a charming man.

I recall thinking, as I approached Langford,

"i like this man. Pray heaven no harm come of it."

I was determined to be discreet, and I have been.

Admitting no one's attentions but manwaring's,

avoiding general flirtation entirely,

except for a little notice bestowed on sir James Martin.

But if the world knew my motive there, it would honor me.

- Martin? - Sir James Martin.

Of martindale. Vastly rich, rather simple.

Ideal.

Miss Maria manwaring has set her cap for him,

considering such an income too large not to be shared.

But with a little notice,

I detached him and soon had him in love with frederica.

If my daughter were not the greatest simpleton on earth,

-she would be engaged to him now. - What?

She refused him.

A baronet with 10,000 a year. It's all so provoking.

But where will you live?

If there were another place open to me, i would crawl there on my knees.

The worst spot this side of the ocean.

A country village. Churchill. My brother-in-law's seat.

Mrs. cross, a gentlewoman in straitened circumstances,

will come with me as my companion,

to pack and unpack. You know, that sort of thing.

And as there's an element of friendship involved,

I'm sure the paying of wages would be offensive to us both.

My brother-in-law, Charles Vernon, is very rich.

Once a man gets his name on a banking house,

he rolls in money.

So it's not very rational for his lady to begrudge the sums he's advanced me.

Decidedly irrational, not rational at all.

I have no money and no husband.

Though, in one's plight, they say, is one's opportunity.

Not that I would ever want to think in opportunistic terms.

Oh, certainly not. Never.

Churchill coming into view, your ladyship.

Heavens. What a bore.

Yes. Decidedly boring.

Charles.

- Susan, welcome to Churchill. Exceptional reception.

Mrs. cross.

Mrs. cross, Charles Vernon. Welcome to Churchill.

- Charming. Yellow suits you. - This is Frederic and Emily.

Good afternoon, Frederic. Very pleased to meet you.

Mrs. cross is a friend of lady Susan and should be in the adjoining room.

No reason to complain of Mr. Vernon's reception.

I'm not entirely satisfied with his lady's.

- No? - No.

She's perfectly well-bred, surprisingly so,

but her manner doesn't persuade me she was disposed in my favor.

As you might have noticed, i sought to be as amiable as possible.

Exceptionally amiable.

In fact, entirely charming. Excuse me for saying so.

Oh, not at all. It's true.

I wanted her to be delighted with me, but I didn't succeed.

I can't understand it.

It's true I've always detested her

and that before her marriage, i went to great lengths to prevent it.

Yet, it shows an illiberal spirit

to resent for long a plan which didn't succeed.

Decidedly illiberal. Not liberal at all.

My opposing her marriage

and then later preventing her and Charles from buying Vernon castle

might have given her an unfavorable impression of me.

But I've noticed that where there's a disposition to dislike,

a pretext will soon be found.

- You mustn't reproach yourself. - I shan't.

The past is done. My project will be the children.

I know a couple of their names already.

And I've decided to attach myself to young Frederic in particular.

Taking him on my lap and sighing over him for his dear uncle's sake.

Come in.

Mrs. Vernon's compliments, your ladyship.

She asks if you and Mrs. cross would join her for tea.

With pleasure.

Mrs. cross would prefer her repose, but thank Mrs. Vernon.

I'll join her directly.

Yes, Frederic, I see you have quite an appetite.

You will grow tall and handsome, like your uncle and father.

Frederic, be good.

Don't touch that.

Frederic, be careful!

- Oh, I'm so... I'm so sorry. - No, not at all.

Such a family resemblance. Rather moves me.

You'll want to change.

No, no, let's have our tea while it's still warm.

Mrs. cross is a genius with fabrics.

- Are you sure? - Oh, yes.

How much Frederic reminds me of his dear uncle.

Do you think there's a resemblance?

Oh, remarkable. The eyes.

Weren't Frederic Vernon's eyes brown?

Well, I refer more to the shape and slope of the brow.

Oh.

I must thank you for this visit.

I'm afraid the short notice must have come as a surprise.

Only because I understood you to be so happily settled at Langford.

It's true lady manwaring and her husband

made me feel very welcome,

but their outgoing dispositions led them so often into society.

I might have tolerated such a life at one time

but the loss of a husband such as Mr. Vernon cannot be borne easily.

To stay with you, here, at your charming retirement

became my fondest wish.

I was happy to have the chance to meet.

Might I confide something?

Langford was not ideal for my daughter.

Her education has been neglected, for which I fault myself.

Mr. Vernon's illness prevented me from giving her the attention

that both duty and affection required.

I've therefore placed her at this excellent school miss summers keeps.

I trust frederica will visit soon.

Well, a visit, as delightful as that might be,

would represent so many hours and days deducted from the grand affair of education.

And I'm afraid frederica can't afford such deductions.

But she'll come for Christmas?

Alas, no. Miss summers can only give her the concentrated attention she requires then.

-L'm so sorry. - Not at all.

But if you'll excuse me, I'll give it to Mrs. cross,

who, when rested, craves activity.

Once she's applied her genius to it,

all traces of little Frederic's interesting design will disappear.

The fees at frederica's school are far too high to even think of paying.

So, in a sense, it's an economy.

Yes, well-arrived with her friend Mrs. cross and upstairs resting.

I confess to curiosity to know this lady, see first-hand her bewitching powers.

Is she as beautiful as they say?

- You worry me, Reginald. - Doni

I understand lady Susan possesses a degree of captivating deceit,

-which might be pleasing to detect. - You truly worry me.

Good evening.

What charming expressions.

Susan, um, let me introduce my brother, Reginald decourcy.

Reginald, may I present Frederic Vernon's widow, lady Susan,

and her friend, Mrs. cross.

Delighted to make your acquaintance. Your renown precedes you.

I'm afraid the allusion escapes me.

Your reputation as an ornament to our society.

Oh, what you say surprises me.

Since the great sadness of my husband's death,

I've lived in nearly perfect isolation.

To better know his family and to further remove myself from society,

I came to Churchill.

Not to make new acquaintances of frivolous sort,

but of course I'm pleased to know my sister's relations.

I take it you are finding Mr. decourcy's society more pleasurable?

To some degree.

At first, his conversation betrayed a sauciness and familiarity,

which is my aversion.

But since, I've found a quality of callow idealism

which rather interests me.