The Buccaneers

Oh, I'll grab that. Thank you.

Excuse me.

Sorry.

Excuse me.

Mother, why are you sneaking around?

It's starting soon, and he's not here.

Nan, Lord Richard's not here.

It's fine. Go downstairs.

Well, how can it ever be fine?

- Is Conchita dressed? - Yes, quite dressed. Go downstairs.

I was never supposed to be the main character.

Always more than glad

- to let Jinny, my sister... - Oh, he'll come.

And my friends compete for all of that.

Because I know he'll come.

Girls are taught to believe that if a story isn't a love story,

it's a tragedy.

- And I had no interest at all... - What if he doesn't?

In being involved with either one of those.

The whole world knew that my best friend's was a love story.

A whirlwind romance with a handsome English lord

can only be followed by a huge society wedding,

to make entirely certain

anyone not envious of Conchita yet, soon would be.

But nobody's jealous of a bride whose groom has failed to show.

Anything?

- Nothing. And downstairs? - Well, the guests have barely noticed.

- But today was supposed to be... - Conchie, he will come.

The most beautiful day... And the whole world is here.

Gosh, I hate him. You have no idea how much I loathe him.

God.

Of course, I love him. I know I love him. I love him.

I just... I should have known.

Last night he just seemed so much further away.

Richard's never further away

- than just right here. - Oh, Nan.

I should have told him, shouldn't I?

But I don't want him to marry me because he has to,

I want him to marry me because he adores me.

Yes.

I'm ruined.

Where is he?

- Most of the guests are already on their... - It'll be fine.

What if we just started putting on the dress,

- and then he'll get here any second... - No, Nan. I just don't know.

- What are we gonna do? - I'm gonna go get it.

No, Nan, you idiot.

- What are you doing? -

Stop. What are you doing?

- Nan, you're insane. - I'll get it.

- Oh, my God. - What is she doing?

That girl!

I'm not escaping or anything.

- No! - Oh! Oh, I'm sorry.

Are you sure you ought to...

- I got it! I got it! - Yes! Yes, Nan!

Nan, you look an absolute fright.

That's always what you wanna hear.

Come inside! The wedding!

- Yeah, my wedding. - Yes, there's a wedding.

- And nobody likes to talk about it. - Come in and clean yourself up!

- For the wedding. - Oh, you heard about that.

Apparently you can't be too clean for a wedding.

- Yeah. - What a fuss everyone makes.

Do you want to get married?

No... I'm not... I didn't... That wasn't...

That wasn't a proposal.

- Nan. Come on, Nan. I need you. Let's go. - Annabel, do stop causing a commotion.

Tricky things, mothers.

That's not my mother. That's my governess, Miss Testvalley.

- And come inside, please. - Yes.

I really do need to...

Oh, Nan, look! He's here. It's Dick's carriage.

Oh, of course he's here!

- Nan, come on! I need to get dressed! - He's here!

- I'm getting married! -

Nan.

Listen, don't say a word.

I've not slept a wink all night. I need you to give this to Conchita.

No. And I don't believe you want her to have it either.

There's not an ounce of bad in Conchita.

No, of course not, but it-it's only my parents.

Don't say parents.

They wouldn't want to come, of course.

I'm nothing but trouble at the best of times.

Well, hasn't this summer been the best of times?

- With Conchita? - Yes.

I've never known times like it. But will she work in England?

Will she fit in?

Conchita's not someone that goes unnoticed.

- She's like the sun. - Mm-hmm.

- And today, it's just s... - Today's just for show.

Conchita's father is in love with you being a lord

and for all of New York to see how much money he's made.

Conchita's in love with you.

Gosh.

Yes. And your parents want you to do what?

I don't know. Go home and start acting sensibly, I expect.

- Oh, God, Nan. She's a miracle. - Yes.

- I get drunk on her. - Yes! It's you and Conchita.

Who wants to act sensibly? And who wants their life to go unnoticed?

Wh... Where are you going?

Inside to marry my beautiful...

...wonderful wife!

- - Nan,

you tell Conchita I love her.

Oh, she already knows, you idiot.

Driver, front entrance, please. I'm getting married.

You are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.

Apart from Jinny.

And Lizzy.

And the poodle.

Well, then you're in my top five.

- Top five? - No, top six, for sure.

Oh, of course you have no interest at all in being admired.

Well, I have no interest in the man doing the admiring.

- I can admire myself, can't I? -

Oh, you're complicated. We're complicated.

- -

- It's fine, I'll pick... - Conchita, you look so beautiful.

Oh, you look amazing.

- Girls, here is to a new world. -

- Marriages, men, parties. -

- Not particularly in that order. -

Which comes first?

Which comes first?

Darlings, we always come first.

- Always. - Always.

Shall we swear on it in blood or champagne?

- Champagne! - Of course!

Good luck.

You won't forget me when you go to England, right?

- Who are you again? -

- - Whoo!

Wow.

Whoo-hoo!

Whoo!

- Be the party. - We are the party.

- -

I need to take these garters off. It's so scratchy.

- Ladies. -

- - Ooh, sorry. Sorry.

Meet me.

- Oh, sorry. - Sorry.

I keep bumping into people on staircases.

Yes. Well, it is a hazard when you dance on them.

Yeah. Well, I'm generally a strictly walk-down-stairs man.

Perhaps a little skip,

if there's something at the bottom I'm particularly pleased to see.

It's the worst timing of my life, but I've really got to go.

- Where you going? - Home. M-My mother's going to die.

Sorry, I can't believe I'm saying that out loud.

And not that doctors always, you know...

They hardly ever know anything.

Anyway, I couldn't get a boat before tonight,

no matter who I begged. But I've really gotta...

You'll get home, and your mother will be delighted to see you.

If only you could come with me.

I did. From... From there to here.

Our first trip.

By the way, I'm Nan. Nan St. George.

- Bye then, Nan St. George. -

We're here. We're right in it.

- And it only took five years. - Yep. Only five short years.

My dear, when we were neighbors back in little old Saratoga,

who could have thought...

That when we moved here, you'd be right behind us.

That unbred laugh.

Sweetheart, you are here now.

Enjoy.

Ladies.

Well, I guess over here is the best view of the party.

- - Look. It's Mrs. Paramore.

She's here. Oh, look at her dress.

Oh, Mrs. Paramore.

We were hoping to catch you in regards to invitations to the Assembly Ball.

I'm Mrs. St. George, Mrs. Paramore.

And this is my Jinny. One of the bridesmaids.

- And my Lizzy. - Oh, yes. St. George.

- The family from Saratoga. - We live in the city now.

- My husband did awful well at the stock... - Good for him. Good for all of you.

Mrs. Closson,

- your canapés are fit for a lord. - Oh, why thank you.

I'm sorry, Mother, was I supposed...

- No. You did just as you should. - Mrs. St. George,

I'm afraid you can't attend a New York ball of any kind this season.

- Well, I see no reason, now th... - My mother...

Lady Brightlingsea.

Why, yes, of course.

Yes. My mother, um, she insists that I invite you and your daughters,

Conchita's bridesmaids, to London.

London?

London, London? England?

- All of Conchita's bridesmaids? - There was talk, Mrs. Paramore,

that for certain girls of refinement, New York has become too limited.

- Very limited, I quite agree. - Yes, I quite agree too.

And there's an urgency...

The start of the season.

In order that Jinny and the other debutantes

may be presented at the Debutante's Ball.