Love & Friendship Page #3

I have no notion of Frederica

being so contrary.

She seemed all Vernon milkiness.

But it confirms the rightness

of my plan. Did Sir James call?

- Several times.

- Excellent.

I followed your instructions,

scolding him roundly for making

love to Maria Manwaring.

He protested that it had

only been in joke.

You're right.

He's wonderfully silly.

But we must not let Sir James forget

with whom he's in love.

A man so rich and foolish

will not remain single long.

Sir James is so far from

having forgotten the Vernons,

I'm sure he'd marry either

of you in an instant.

I must go back to Churchill.

But I may need your help

finding a school

if Miss Somers

won't take Frederica back.

Under no circumstances will I

have Frederica at Churchill.

That's wise.

What do you mean?

The nearness of their ages,

her and Reginald's.

How unkind.

- Forgive me.

- Forgiven.

The fallacy of youth.

Isn't it rather clear that it is we,

women of decision, who hold the trumps?

Lady Susan?

Lady Susan Vernon.

How dare you address me, sir.

- But, Lady Susan...

- Begone, sir, or I will have you whipped.

- Outrageous.

- Have you never met him?

No. I know him well. I would never

speak to a stranger like that.

I hope you will see my friend Alicia.

She's an American from the Connecticut

branch of the Delancey family.

Well, though even the best bred

Americans don't sound particularly fine,

there's a freshness to her manner

I find rather tonic.

Her family were treated outrageously

there during the late war,

punished for their very

loyalty to the Crown.

Americans really have shown themselves

to be a nation of ingrates.

Only by having children can one begin

to understand such a dynamic.

Yes.

Susan, I've been looking for you.

The afternoon coach brought this note.

Perhaps Charles has

succeeded with Miss Somers.

Oh, it's as I've feared.

Miss Somers refuses to keep Frederica.

She says she must think

of her school's reputation.

Preposterous. I've never

heard of her school.

- Could that be them?

- What, Frederica?

Here.

Hello, hello. Here we are.

- Is this Frederica?

- Yes.

Allow me to introduce

our niece... charming girl...

uh, Miss Frederica Vernon.

Welcome, Frederica.

We've longed to know you.

My brother Reginald DeCourcy.

Hello.

Pleased to meet you.

Good afternoon, Frederica.

Good afternoon, Mother.

It's as I've feared.

Excuse me. I must go to my daughter.

Poor Frederica.

- Poor mother of Frederica.

- What?

The daughter is, I understand,

- a troubled girl.

- How do you so fear?

She hasn't had tea.

Could be a lack of nourishment.

Where is Frederica?

In her rooms,

practicing the pianoforte.

She practices quietly.

Don't look.

Frederica's watching us.

- Watching us?

- Through the window. Don't look.

How odd to be spied upon.

That's the parent's lot.

We bring these delightful

creatures into the world,

eagerly, happily,

and then, before long,

they're spying upon and judging us,

rarely favorably.

Having children is our fondest wish, but

in doing so, we breed our acutest critics..

It's a preposterous situation

but entirely of our own making.

- I marvel at your good humor.

- Well, what alternative have we?

It's the way of the world.

We must accept it with a smile.

Of course, when the little

ones are very small,

there's a kind of sweetness

which partially compensates

for the dreadfulness which comes after.

- You worry for Frederica's future?

- I worry for her present,

acknowledging that the responsibility

for securing her future rests with me.

[woman singing opera]

Go.

[laughing] Come on.

Pretty? You think so?

Yes. You don't?

No, I ought not to have said that.

In any case, beauty matters little.

It's vivacity and a lively intelligence

one looks for, even from the young.

[laughing]

Oh, I'm sorry.

Please excuse me.

I beg your pardon.

- What is it, my dear?

- James:
Miss Vernon!

He's here.

He is here.

Sir James is here.

- Who?

- I'm so sorry. Please excuse me.

James:
Oh, Frederica!

Fre...

Oh. Sorry

to come like this.

I... I suppose you weren't expecting me.

Sir James, allow me

to introduce my sister-in-law

Mrs. Catherine Vernon and her brother

Mr. Reginald DeCourcy.

- How do you do?

- How do you do?

How kind of you to ask.

Uh, excellent.

Truly, very well.

Thank you.

Uh, excuse my hurry in coming,

the lack of notice beforehand,

et cetera, et cetera.

The truth is I forgot to write.

Then it was too late.

Now I'm here.

Took the liberty of a relation,

hoping to be one soon.

I must say, you look surprised.

You were astonished

to see me, no? Not?

That's how it looked.

Yes. I was astonished,

and I still am.

Uh, an impressive establishment you

have here, sir. My congratulations.

Immaculate.

Mr. DeCourcy is

Mrs. Vernon's brother.

Very good.

It's her husband Charles Vernon

who has Churchill.

Churchill.

That's how you say it.

All together like that:

Churchill. Ha ha!

Oh, well, that explains a lot.

You see, I'd heard "church" and "hill"

but couldn't find either.

All I could see was this big house.

Ha ha!

Fine name, Churchill.

Marlborough, right? The general.

Showed the French.

- You must be very proud.

- No connection.

But I believe I have

heard it spoken of.

I... I think you mentioned it.

Churchill.

Yes, I think you did.

But, again, I heard "church" and "hill,"

and I couldn't see either.

But I realized I was in mistake

and now stand corrected.

Ah, happens

quite a lot. Ha ha!

Reginald, would you be so kind

as to take Sir James to see Charles?

I think you'll find

Charles very well versed

in the advanced agricultural methods

in which you've taken such an interest.

Oh, yes. Advanced agricultural methods.

Very much so.

Collins, who supervises Martindale

for me, speaks of them often.

A landowner of the current day

must know all sorts of things.

That is our role.

"Hello, Collins," I say.

"What advanced agricultural methods

have we today?"

Excellent.

Oh. There you are.

Are you asleep?

- No, Mama.

- Well, what, then?

You were hiding from me.

Please explain.

No.

My strange girl.

- What were you up to back there?

- What?

Rushing out before Sir

James entered the room.

I couldn't bear to see him.

Couldn't bear.

Ungenerous manner of speech.

Frederica, dear,

Sir James Martin is

a kindhearted young man

whose only offense seems to be wanting

to provide you with a life of comfort.

Have you nothing to say?

Dear, our present comfortable state

is at the most precarious sort.

We don't live.

We visit.

We're entirely at the mercy of

our friends and relations,

as we discovered

so painfully at Langford.

Here, you seem to have won

your aunt's affections.

I think I served you well there, for I

believe she'd do anything to spite me.

But such a dynamic

cannot continue forever.

- But Mama...

- But Mama.

I will not always be here

for you to contradict me.

If a life of comfort

such as Sir James has to offer

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