The Thorn Birds: The Missing Years Page #7

to save the baby. Im sorry.

And Meggie? Mrs. O'Neill?

She'll be fine.

Im afraid...

Mr. O'Neill, I don't think she'll

be able to have any more children.

I could be wrong, and she should

see a specialist in Sydney, but...

She's resting now.

Mr. O'Neill, I think she

might like to see you.

Yeah, sure.

How are you feeling?

I didn't mean to hurt you.

I was angry.

You made me angry.

You'll be up and about in a few

days, and we'll be out of here.

Didn't the doctor tell you?

There won't be any more children.

-Yeah, he told me.

-Ill never be able to give you a son.

Don't get yourself all worked up

about it. Ive already got a son.

Ive got Dane.

Meggie wants to see you.

Some Catholic mumbo-jumbo, I guess.

Meggie, Im so sorry.

It's my fault. I was such a fool.

-You couldn't have known.

-I could have.

I was married to him, I

know what he's capable of.

There's no need for this now.

I so much wanted to

believe that he'd changed...

and that I could live with him,

because the children needed a father.

You should have

written to me, told me.

I just couldn't stand

the guilt anymore.

You have no idea how much

guilt a woman is made to feel...

when she leaves her husband.

You found the strength

to leave him once.

I was unfaithful to

Luke, and I lied to you.

Don't do this to yourself.

This is God's revenge, isn't it?

He's taken my baby.

My poor, sweet, innocent baby.

My baby.

Don't.

My baby.

Do whatever you want with me.

Do whatever you like with me.

You can have my faith...

have my vocation...

have my life.

But not her.

Don't play games with her.

Let her be happy.

Let her be happy.

Let her be happy.

It's not right, Justine. You

haven't been doing your homework.

Open your history book to Page 87.

Yes, Mrs. Henderson.

You've been on your feet all

morning. Why don't you sit down?

Im all right, Mom.

Really. I promise you.

Where's Ralph?

Went into town early to

talk to Father Hammond.

Did you tell him?

You must. You must put

an end to these lies.

You must tell Luke,

and you must tell Ralph.

No. The problem isn't with Ralph.

It's with Luke and me.

I can't tell Ralph about Dane.

But I can put the rest of it right.

I wish Ralph had never come back.

Look, don't blame Ralph, blame Luke.

He hit me. He caused this.

-So when will you be ready to go?

-Im not going, Luke.

Look, I did a really bad thing.

I should never have agreed

to us getting back together.

You seemed pretty keen on the

idea till that priest turned up.

This has nothing to do with

Ralph. This is my decision.

-You're my wife.

-I was your wife.

Whatever there was between

us was over a long time ago.

I realize that now.

-Is that your final word?

-Yes.

Im sorry.

-Dane.

-What do you want with him?

It's none of your business anymore.

Go to your room, get

your things packed.

-Where are we going?

-We aren't going anywhere.

-It's just me and Dane.

-Oh, no. You are not having Dane.

You try and stop me.

-You're coming with me.

-But I don't want to go.

You'll do as you're told. Get to

your room and get your things packed.

-You must tell him now.

-I can't.

-What about me? Why not me?

-I don't want you. Im sick of girls.

-All I want is my son.

-But I love you.

I want to be with

you. I don't like her.

-I hate her.

-Not half as much as I do.

You walked out on me once before.

I was a fool to trust you again.

-You can't just take Dane.

-He's my son, too!

All these years you kept him from me.

You never even told me I had a son.

That's why I came back when I heard.

You think I came back here for you?

You think I came back for your

nagging and moaning again...

and carrying on like Lady Muck?

I was prepared to put up with

you for the sake of the boy.

But all I want is him. Now,

I told you to go and pack.

-No!

-You'll do without, then. Come on.

For God's sake, Luke,

please, don't do this.

-You watch me.

-Daddy!

-Daddy, Im coming with you.

-You get back there with the other skirts.

Mommy, I don't want to go!

-Listen, please.

-Help me, Mommy!

-Take me with you, Daddy!

-As for you, go back to that priest.

-Meggie, tell him!

-You can't handle a real man.

Don't! No, don't!

Dane!

Mommy!

Luke's gone, and he's taken Dane.

-He can't do that.

-There wasn't much I could do to stop him.

Bring him back to me. Please

make Luke bring him back to me.

Come here, boy. Come on.

Ive been to the store, got you

some new pants and some shirts.

It's about time you were in long

pants, instead of those silly shorts.

This is a big adventure, two

blokes out here in the Never Never.

Why don't you go and

put those new pants on?

First long pants you've ever had.

They'll make you

feel like a new man...

for a new life.

All right, Dad.

Look, boy, I know you're

upset, but it's done.

-So try and forget the past.

-Ill never forget Mom.

No one's expecting you

to. You'll see her again.

But in the meantime, Dane...

make the most of it,

because Im all you got.

Look at you. Quite the

young man about town.

Two, four, six, eight.

Bog in, don't wait.

Can I say grace?

Well, you know, that

stuff gives me the willies.

lf you must.

-Is there no chance between you?

-How can you ask me that?

-You were going back to him.

-Because the children needed a father...

and because I was lonely.

So I went back to Luke,

but it wasn't for love.

When he hit me, when I lost the

child, I realized he hated me.

He didn't come back here for

me, he came back here for Dane.

lf he had taken Justine as well,

maybe I could forgive him...

but he broke her heart,

and she blames me for that.

Ive made such a mess of

things. What am I going to do?

First of all, we must

get Dane back to you.

Yes.

I don't want to be too optimistic,

but I think you've got a good case.

It would be easier if you and Mr. O'Neill

were divorced or legally separated...

but in most cases of this kind...

the court will usually award

custody of any children...

-to the mother.

-Thank God.

Of course, you had agreed

to go back to Mr. O'Neill.

-He attacked her physically.

-She is his wife.

She lost a child because of him.

And that will get a lot

of sympathy, of course...

but this is not a divorce case.

Dane's welfare will be the

judge's primary concern.

Is there anything you

haven't told me? Anything...

Im sorry to be personal.

Anything that might

reflect on you as a mother?

Any special friendships outside

the marriage, for example?

Luke does not approve of my friendship

with Archbishop de Bricassart.

I imagine he'll try and

make something out of that.

I don't think that

will get him very far...

unless there's more to

it than meets the eye.

There's considerably more to it

than meets the eye, Mr. Gough.

The eye cannot see

what is in the heart.

And what is in my heart

is pure and wonderful.

Archbishop?

I am religious counselor to Mrs.

O'Neill. I have been for a very long time.

As you were to Mary Carson?

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