The Duchess Page #4

Besides, it would only bore.

You don't have to please others

all the time.

It's what I've been brought up to do.

Difficult lesson to unlearn.

Would you permit me an observation?

I believe you do it

so that people will love you.

- What makes you say that?

- From what I've seen.

With your husband, your friends,

especially Lady Bess,

even the public.

I never thought of it that way before.

You make me sound so pitiable.

Georgiana.

I've gone beyond my brief. I apologize.

Please believe

it was only for your sake that I spoke.

Please, tell me what is wrong.

I fear I've done

some things in life too late

and others too early.

No, you haven't.

I'm sorry.

Thank you.

All right.

"All right"?

Do you love each other?

- Georgiana...

- Do you love Bess, Your Grace?

- Where is all this leading?

- I make no demands on him.

- And, Bess, do you love my husband?

- As I do you.

And so you intend to stay?

William has asked that I do.

You couldn't find it in your heart

to refuse him?

No.

Then let us make a deal.

- A deal?

- Yes.

I give you my blessing

if you will accept my feelings

for Charles Grey.

I didn't realize it at first.

I thought that perhaps

it was only a dalliance.

It can make me happy.

A deal? A deal.

I don't make deals.

Why would I?

I'm in charge of it all.

You know, I would call him out.

I would challenge him.

- I'd put a bullet in his head.

- William.

Be quiet. Are you determined

to make me a total laughingstock?

A man who cannot sire a son,

and then a cuckold?

William. Georgiana only asks

what we ourselves...

Be quiet, woman!

- Are you his whore?

- No.

But I can't see why you'd mind.

- You have Bess and three boys!

- Three boys?

Do you think

I can make those bastards my heirs?

Well? Do you?

William!

You don't know me in the least, do you?

Yes, I do. We're a bad match.

I asked but two things when we wed,

loyalty and a male heir.

The same as your dogs!

No, don't touch me! Don't touch me!

Get off!

Get off me!

Is this how you treat her?

Is this how you treat your whore?

No! No!

No! No! No!

No!

Come with me.

Charlotte, come with me.

No! No!

Give me a son.

Until then, stay here and do as I say.

I give you the winner.

Mr. Fox, the man of the people!

And I give you the weapon,

the Duchess of Devonshire.

Thank you.

Thank you, all of you,

for this reception today.

Today we have won the vote.

Tomorrow we define the future!

- Your Grace.

- Your Grace.

- Your Grace.

- Your Grace.

Your Grace.

- Your Grace.

- Your Grace.

Will Your Grace give me

the favor of a dance?

Steady, G.

- Fire!

- Georgiana!

Your Grace!

Her Grace's hair!

Do something!

Please put out Her Grace's hair.

Her Grace needs to rest.

As long as she follows

strict instructions

there should be no impediment

to the birth.

What are you talking about?

The Duchess is pregnant.

And there.

Thank you, Heaton.

Come.

Your Grace.

As per the terms of

His Grace's inheritance, this is for you

to spend as you wish.

Success at last.

Georgiana.

I, too, abhor this whole thing.

Twist or stick?

- Stick.

- Stick?

I'll stick, too, then.

Let's see.

You won. Well done.

Come on.

Come on.

Come on.

Mama, you forgot to deal.

- Your Grace.

- Mr. Grey.

- You are recalled from France?

- For a while.

No revolution yet?

No, not yet,

but it's only a matter of time.

- How is it you are here?

- I received an invitation.

I assumed it was on behalf of the Party.

I could not say no.

Of course.

I bore a son.

Yes.

His name is

William George Spencer Cavendish,

Marquis of Hartington.

We call him Hart.

You and the Duke must be very pleased.

We are.

The Duke has gone to London

to celebrate.

You have been missed.

Much missed.

- Ten on the Queen.

- Four on five.

And no more bets, please.

The losing card, four.

The winning card, Queen.

Jolly good. Eight on the three.

Put five on the five.

All of the fives have gone, G.

I think I'm too tired to play.

- Gentlemen.

- Your Grace.

Georgiana.

No one must know.

- You summoned Grey.

- Good night.

I was thinking about going to Bath.

Bess, you can stay here and look after

our husband whilst I take the cure.

Yes, William. Why not?

If G goes now, we can catch up with her

when you're free.

Well, if you must.

"The Duchess of Devonshire appeared

last week in Bath in a mobcap.

"Her Grace, ever since initiation

into the business of electioneering,

"has been much attached to the mobs. "

Very good.

So which one is your favorite?

- This one.

- Yeah.

In this one it seems

you've hit a winning streak, for once.

Very good.

And in this one you see...

Is that dress really an appropriate way

to attract voters?

You politicians know absolutely nothing

about fashion.

But if you were to really ask me

which my favorite was,

I'd say it was this one.

- Morning, Charles.

- Morning.

Good day to you, sir.

It's perfect. Thank you.

Thought we would surprise you, G.

I think you once said there wasn't

enough spontaneity in our marriage

or words to that effect.

Mama, what are you doing here?

So, have you seen

many of our circle in Bath?

Some.

The Cokes and Haverford

and Lord Wicklow.

Bunch of politicos, too, aren't there?

Meetings and such.

I believe.

Is Grey here?

By which I mean Mr. Charles Grey.

Rumor has it that he is.

- I won't give him up.

- Georgiana.

Everyone has a lover.

Bess is the lover of my husband.

If you had shown some discretion,

- it might have been different.

- Different?

The only good fortune is

it hasn't yet made it to the papers.

My dear, Grey is unmarried.

He has no wealth, no rank.

He risks nothing with this affair.

The hazard is all yours.

- Grey loves me.

- So does William.

Yes. I love you.

How?

In the way I understand love.

Georgiana, this has gone much too far.

It is beneath our dignity.

- All London is talking.

- Let them talk.

If Grey makes me a fallen woman,

well and good.

Now William may divorce me and

Bess becomes Duchess of Devonshire.

That will never happen.

I think I will leave you to it.

What follows now?

Are you going to tear my clothes off

and force yourself upon me again?

Why on earth would I do that?

I know that you've never thought much

of my manners or my intellect, G.

But, in fact, I never do anything

that serves no purpose.

I know precisely

what you two have together.

- We love each other.

- I do not doubt it.

He is a dreamer like yourself,

and you both dream of another world

that does not exist and it never will.

As for reality, allow me to enlighten you.

If you do not give him up at once,

I will see to it

that every home and every checkbook

in this country is closed to him.

He will be welcomed

neither in the halls of government

nor in its backrooms of power.

His dream of becoming prime minister

and your mutual fantasy

of a changed world will be dead as ash.

And you will never

see your children again.

Georgiana.

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