Love & Friendship Page #9

Could we invite one of her teachers to

Churchill to continue her lessons there?

What a kind thought.

But these are London's

most sought after Masters.

No invitation to a country retreat,

even such a delightful one as Churchill,

would be in their power to accept.

Perhaps a private tutor.

Might I confess something?

Frederica and I have become

such great friends,

it would be hard for

me to part with her.

You might have noticed

for a time there was a...

strange tension between us.

That is now happily disappeared.

Excuse me, are you well?

Sorry, we so set our hearts

on Frederica's return.

I understand completely.

She's become an agreeable companion.

Even her tendency to extreme quiet

I've grown to find rather soothing.

But there is one

factor that concerns me.

Does she look quite well?

- Oh, yes.

- That was your impression.

London's vaporous air is not, I think,

healthy for her.

- Does she not seem pale?

- She does.

The London air, these smoky gasses

cannot be salutary for her.

Fresh country air is

what the young require.

Yes, how curious they are.

Does not the town's dank air

favor the spread of influenza?

The influenza in London?

Several cases have been reported.

It is, after all, the season for it.

Of all the disorders in the world,

the risk of influenza contagion

is the one I dread the most

for Frederica's constitution.

Shouldn't we consider, then,

removing her from this danger?

What you say does give me pause.

But it would be such a hardship to

lose my daughter's companionship

just when I've grown to rely on it.

And, of course, her studies.

[ sighs ]

Congratulate me, my dear.

Frederica's aunt and uncle have

taken her back to Churchill.

I thought you'd grown to

enjoy Frederica's company so.

Comparatively. A bit.

But I'm not so self-indulgent as to want

to wallow in the companionship of a child.

Alas, I fear this is our last meeting.

At least while

Mr. Johnson is alive.

His business at Hartford

has become extensive.

If I continue to see you, he vows

to settle in Connecticut forever.

Oh, you could be scalped!

I had a feeling that the great word

"respectable" would some day divide us.

Your husband, I abhor, but

we must yield to necessity.

Our affection cannot be impaired by it,

and in happier times when your

situation is as independent as mine,

we will again unite.

For this, I will impatiently await.

I also.

May Mr. Johnson's next gouty

attack end more favorably.

[ chuckles ]

[ chattering ]

Thank you.

Do you know where Frederica is?

Lady Susan's written to her.

Oh.

Frederica?

Frederica, a letter from your mother.

Thank you, Aunt Catherine.

What does she say?

She's written to you herself.

My mother and

Sir James Martin have wed.

What?

How could that happen?

How could they possibly marry?

To what do you refer?

Both were free to do so.

He a bachelor, Susan a widow.

Sir James Martin is a fool.

Well, a bit of a rattle, perhaps.

A bit of a rattle?

He's a complete blockhead.

Well, there are three possible

explanations as I see it.

First, perhaps Sir James has

more merit than we've allowed.

No.

Well, second, perhaps in order

to secure your future, Frederica

your mother found it necessary

to make a prudent match herself.

That could be the case.

Mama has always been

concerned with my future.

And the third possible explanation?

That she came to love him.

There is a saying:

"the heart has its strangeness"

or words to that effect.

The heart is an instrument we

possess but do not truly know.

Human love partakes of the divine,

or at least it has in my case.

You'll find it in

the writings of Rousseau.

Julie.

Or The New Heloise, I think.

I'll will confirm the citation,

if you're interested.

I just find it incomprehensible that so

brilliant a woman could marry such a...

pea brain.

Or peas brain.

- It happens all the time.

- It strains credulity.

Certainly, as you said,

Sir James is no Solomon.

But if she can give Lady Susan

the happiness and security

which the sad events of

recent years deprived her of,

then he is someone that I,

and all of us, should value.

I very much agree, Uncle.

We all should.

I wish them every happiness

in their life together.

Congratulations, sir,

on the match I long favored.

There's a rightness to

your being together.

Not that any man could

really deserve Lady Susan.

I agree most heartily.

And I've pleasure is adding double

congratulations are in order.

What?

The most beautiful woman in

England, present company excepted,

will soon be the most beautiful mother.

Yes, I'm to be a father.

Marvelous.

You certainly don't delay matters.

Congratulations, sir.

Yes, the very morning

after the wedding,

Lady Susan hinted at the happy news

which was shortly confirmed.

Truly marvelous.

I'm as proud as you can imagine.

[ sobbing ]

What's that?

Such a burden.

When Lord and Lady Manwaring separated,

Mr. Johnson, who is Lucy Manwaring's

guardian, invited her to live with us.

Really?

What upsets her?

The separation, still.

- She goes on about it.

- What?

This carrying on about a

marriage that ended weeks ago.

If a woman fails to please her husband,

why go on about it,

advertising one's failure?

Why announce to the world

that the man who knows you best

would rather be with someone else?

It seems as if

Lady Manwaring has failed

to consider the difference

between the sexes.

For a husband to wander

is not the same as vice versa.

If a husband strays, he's merely

responding to his biology.

That is how men are made.

But for a woman to act

in a similar way is ridiculous.

Unimaginable.

Just the idea is funny.

[ laughs ]

Couldn't agree more.

Quite funny.

I rather blame Lady Manwaring's

scene-making for driving her husband away.

But her loss has been our gain.

As a result of the trouble

her solicitors caused,

we've had Manwaring stay

with us these past weeks.

That's not inconvenient?

Not at all.

Capital fellow.

Couldn't get on better.

Loves to hunt.

Small and large game.

Excellent, excellent to have a guest.

And the talk that comes with it.

Of course, Lady Susan's sharp,

but it's easier to talk with a fellow,

particularly one who shares

one's interests.

Before long, we'll have another guest.

Frederica?

No, of course.

The baby!

Manwaring?

Manwaring?

Have you seen my husband?

What have you been saying, tell me.

How is he?

Well, Madam.

Very well, I believe.

Couldn't be better.

[ sobs ]

- Tea?

- Quite.

Oh!

Look up!

Ah, so, here's the church.

But where's the hill?

Don't see it.

Doesn't seem to be one.

Strange.

Odd.

[ church bells ringing ]

[ people cheering ]

God Bless you all!

[ chattering ]

Please excuse me.

Your mother must be very proud.

And I am enormously grateful to her.

Without her efforts, I never

would have found such happiness.

Do excuse me.

And bearing false witness?

Oh, no, that would be the ninth.

You must be most proud of Frederica.

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