The Thorn Birds: The Missing Years Page #8

As I was to Mary Carson.

Im sorry to have to probe,

but the court may do the same.

So, let's see if we can't get

Dane back to you, Mrs. O'Neill.

Thank you.

I lied to him.

After all the promises I

made to myself and to you...

that I wouldn't tell any more lies...

and I couldn't tell him the truth.

We both lied, to get Dane back.

You heard what he said.

lf anyone knew, if anyone found out

how much we have loved each other...

I shall lose Dane,

and I can't risk that.

Father Ralph. Is Mommy with you?

Not this time, Dane. Ive

come to talk to your father.

-Want to see me on my new pony?

-Sure.

Meggie wants legal custody of Dane.

Look, Father Ralph, he can jump, too.

The natural place for that

boy is with his father...

and Ill take it to every

court in the land if I have to.

You can't win, Luke. The

courts always favor the mother.

We'll see about that.

Now, if that's all...

you'd best be on your way. Cheers.

Justine, I need to talk to you.

You can't stay in your room forever.

I have some news about

your father and Dane.

-What's the news?

-You may not like it very much.

Im taking your father

to court to get Dane back.

-Why are you so horrible to Daddy?

-That's not fair, Justine.

Don't hate me.

You know, when I was your age...

I used to think your grandma

didn't love me. Well, I was wrong.

It breaks my heart to

think you feel the same way.

I just want to be happy.

We were happy, sort of,

when Daddy came back.

Till that priest showed up.

This has nothing to

do with Father Ralph.

And when we get Dane back,

we will be happy again.

I won't be, not here.

I want to be with Dad.

-After what he did to you?

-He didn't mean it. He loves me.

Justine, Luke doesn't

love either of us.

He does, I know he does.

Listen to me.

They may ask you some

questions in court...

so I want you to think

about this very seriously.

Remember all the things

Luke did when he came back?

He never paid you any

attention. It was always Dane.

Now, that is true, isn't it?

Just think about it, promise me?

It's all I ask.

Look, why don't you

have something to eat?

Or better still, come

downstairs and eat with us.

-Is he here, Father Ralph?

-Yes. He's helping me...

-Dane?

-Mommy!

Are you all right? Has

he been looking after you?

We're doing great. Aren't we, Dane?

Why don't you come

and live with us, Mom?

And Justine, and Grandma.

We'd have a great time.

Darling.

Luke.

Come on.

And is there no hope of reconciliation

with your husband, Mrs. O'Neill?

No, Your Honor.

Id have her back in a moment,

Your Honor, but she doesn't want me.

You hit me! I lost a

child because of you!

-What kind of love is that?

-That was an accident.

-You made me lose my temper.

-I warn you...

I will not tolerate

this sort of behavior.

This is a court of

law, not a farmyard.

Remember this:

I have to decide who is the

most suitable parent for the boy.

At the moment, I am not

impressed by either of you.

Why did you wait 10 years...

before making contact with

your family, Mr. O'Neill?

I didn't know that I had a

son until a few months ago.

She didn't even tell me

that she was pregnant.

I heard it round the tracks,

so I was pretty cut up about it.

I mean, what man...

wouldn't want to be a

good father to his own son?

Most men want to be good

husbands to their wives.

I was that.

I was saving to buy

a place of our own.

Isnt it true that you already

had the money to buy your farm?

You had $20,000 given to

you by your wife's family.

That was her money, her

dowry. I wasn't gonna touch it.

But you still took it.

You stole it from me.

I put that money into

an account under my name.

And I never touched a penny of it.

I offered it back to Megan,

but she refused to take it.

-Is that true, Mrs.

O'Neill? -Yes, but it--

Carry on, Mr. Gough.

Didn't you tell your wife...

that the only reason

you came back to her...

was for Dane?

That was a big part.

Perhaps the biggest.

But I still loved her.

And it was great. I thought

that everything was sweet.

Until that priest turned up,

and then everything changed.

Megan said it was over between us.

And I got mad...

and I said some things that

I shouldn't have said...

and I did some things

that I shouldn't have done.

Maybe.

Why do you think

the arrival of the...

-Archbishop de Bricassart, Your Honor.

-...priest...

changed your wife's mind?

I don't know.

He's always had some

kind of hold over her.

It's a Catholic thing.

So your son has been

raised as a Catholic?

Too right.

Look, I don't mind him

being raised a mick...

I beg your pardon, Your Worship.

But it's gone too far.

Dane is a good boy.

But they've got their claws

in him. The Church, I mean.

They even own Drogheda, his home.

He goes on about being

a priest all the time.

He needs his dad.

And you don't want

him to be a priest?

What father would?

Why are you not in uniform,

serving your country?

I would be like a shot, Your Honor...

but I did my back cutting cane,

and the army say they won't have me.

Tell me about your farm, Mr. O'Neill.

It's a bit rough and ready at the

moment. Hasn't been worked in years.

But with some hard work...

And with your bad back, you

would expect Dane to help.

Of course. I couldn't

manage the place on my own.

And his schooling?

There's a good school 20 miles away.

How would he get there?

He'd walk part of the

way and catch the bus.

-How far?

-Four miles.

There and back?

So you would expect the boy...

to walk eight miles a day...

do his schoolwork, do his

homework, and help you on the farm?

It would be tough. But

all country boys do it.

Most country boys have a

mother to take care of them.

-Who would do the cooking?

-Me.

-And the washing?

-Me...

till he was old enough.

And who would take care

of him if he got sick?

Me.

As well as managing the farm.

You'd be a very busy

man, Mr. O'Neill.

I think Mr. O'Neill

cooked his goose today.

He sounded like he only

wants Dane for child labor.

-More like a slave.

-Indeed.

Can I have a word, Archbishop?

Excuse us, please.

It isn't over yet.

You heard what Mr. Gough

said. You heard Luke.

I don't think it's that simple. I

don't know what the judge will say.

He's going to give

Dane to me. He must.

Why take the risk?

Why not end it now? Tell the truth.

Tell someone Luke

isn't Dane's father.

Because there's no need.

All this time, I wanted

someone to understand...

what my life with Luke was like.

You never believed me.

Now everyone will know.

The judge wants to

put you on the stand.

-Why?

-It's this Catholic thing.

Shook him rigid when he heard

about Dane wanting to be a priest.

Why, it shook me, too.

His Honor's real old-time

Protestant. He can't stand micks.

Begging your pardon, Archbishop.

Come on, Justine, we're going home.

Where's Justine?

She's not well. She's

not coming today.

But the judge might want

to ask her some questions.

She's sick.

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