Eternal Law (2011) s01e02 Episode Script

Is this the place? This is the place.
Awesome.
You can guide, you can advise, comfort, but you mustn't do it for them.
You mustn't intervene.
Mr Mountjoy gave them free will.
That's why it couldn't have been her.
Who couldn't have been who? Her.
Hannah.
You know my name.
Do I know you? Mrs Sheringham? THE Mrs Sheringham? This gentleman is going to be counsel for the prosecution.
You know what he is, and you're speaking to him like he's normal? Hannah's in the hospital.
I won't be temped.
I promise.
No! When you're better, get on the train.
Please.
Dad! Shit.
Shit.
Sorry.
I'm sorry I'm late.
Bloody roadworks outside Carlisle.
What's for tea, love? I'm starving.
Dad! Hey! Mwah! Can I help you? Jenny? Jenny! Jenny? Al? Where's your mum, mate? Jenny? 'Whenever human beings are in trouble, that's where you'll find them.
They may be tinkers or tailors, soldiers or sailors, nurses or bin men, or strangers in the street.
Perhaps even, and this is hard to believe, I know, lawyers.
They're here to help, to comfort, to guide.
' What you're saying is, you're giving up before we've even started.
We're not saying that, Mr Fenwright.
Just pointing out that judges All they do is make tea.
Reprehensible tea, I might add.
Always use freshly drawn water.
If water stands for a while, it loses oxygen.
I am not having this conversation.
And warm the pot first we're not animals.
Hello, little man.
What can I do for you? Please help my dad.
I don't care if she's a bloody woman! She walked out on my son and that's the only thing that counts! Do you have any idea what that lad has gone through? And you expect me to hand him over like the family cat.
Can I be of any assistance? A contested interim hearing, it's nothing to do with you.
These cowboys are saying I don't stand a chance, that judges nearly always favour the mother.
They're right, they nearly always do.
Zak Gist.
At your service.
We couldn't have kids of our own.
And to be honest with you, I could have lived with that, but Jenny, she said she needed a child to feel whole.
Bloody joke.
So you adopted Hal? After years of trying.
Luckily, we had this amazing woman at the agency Anna.
Otherwise, I don't think we would have made it.
Tell me about Anna.
Me and my wife, we're not remarkable people, Mr Gist.
But she said she saw something remarkable in us.
What went wrong? You'll have to ask Jenny that.
All I did was work my bollocks off and love my son as much as any man can.
Hal, why don't we go out for a little walk, shall we? She walked out on him without a by your leave.
A battered little boy.
And now she says she wants him back?! I'm not gonna let that happen, Mr Gist.
Your client left the matrimonial home, left the adopted child in her husband's care and has now changed her mind and wants him back.
She made a mistake.
Who hasn't? The point is that she loves her child very much and she feels her husband is using him as a weapon with which to punish her.
Interesting.
I'm sure you'll make a very persuasive case.
The thing is, Hannah, my criminal cases are piling up, and I was wondering if you would front this one for me.
Me?! I know you've only been here a short while, but no, I've been very impressed.
Thank you.
I won't let you down.
Mrs Sheringham.
Looking a complete picture, if you don't mind me saying.
Hello, Hal.
Are you missing your mum? Leave him alone.
Don't you worry, you'll be back with her very soon.
You're contesting the hearing.
In a manner of speaking, yes.
All right, Hal, come on, we're off.
You're a natural.
Did you never want children, Mrs Sheringham? Shouldn't you be preparing your case? Big day for Zak.
I hope he's in good shape.
It's a contested interim hearing he can do it in his sleep.
Big day for Zak.
Spare some change, please, sir? Most couples have nine months to get used to a baby coming, we had three days.
Not a helpless newborn, but a fierce, angry little two year old.
It must have been hard.
I underestimated how much I'd miss my mum.
Where's your mum? she emigrated to Australia with my sister.
I stayed here to be with Dave.
His mother OD'd in a Glasgow squat, so we knew we were getting a damaged little lad.
Go on.
Before he arrived, we sat down and we gave each other our word that no matter what happened in our lives we would never turn our back on Hal.
He'd been shat on once, and while we had breath in our bodies he would never be shat on again.
And then she walks! So, you were tired and overworked and at your wits' end.
I made a mistake.
I know that.
But I love my Hal, Miss English, I love him.
And he needs me.
Then let's try and get him back for you.
Can they take my son away from me just because I'm a bloke? They can try.
Old leather, legal papers and damp ceilings God, I love it.
You're very confident, Zak.
Yes, I am.
Only you keep telling me how formidable an opponent Richard Pembroke is.
And so he is.
But when I feel like this, Tom, with a fizz in my blood and a wind in my jib, there's not a lawyer in the land who wouldn't quiver before me.
No.
She left.
She WAS going to leave, and then I thought wouldn't it be fun if she came and worked for me.
Makes no difference to me.
Zak.
You could no more resist that woman than can a moth a flame.
With very similar results.
Court will arise.
How impressive do you think you've been so far? On a scale of one to ten.
I was momentarily discombobulated.
You were trembling like a teenager.
If you can't even be in the same room as her I was taken by surprise.
Obviously that won't happen again.
Well, let's just hope that Mr Mountjoy didn't witness that wobble.
What if the dad is the baddie and the mum's the goodie? It's a contested hearing, not an episode of Bonanza.
Well, I'm just saying.
We'd be defending the wrong person.
The boy looked me in the eye and asked me to help his father.
It's as clear as Mr Mountjoy gets.
Enjoy it while you can.
I love you.
Je t'aime.
Until I get bored, and find someone richer or younger or with bigger mammary glands.
They're weird, humans.
I need a cast-iron character witness, that's what I need.
Check out Dave's friends, Tom.
People he works for, health carers anyone who could tell the jury that he's the best dad in Yorkshire.
What's the name of the woman he mentioned? Anna Atkinson.
She ran the adoption agency Mr and Mrs Fenwright went through.
Ran? She's taken early retirement.
I'll check her out.
I'll get it.
What is it? I have absolutely no idea.
Well, who's it from? Who do you think it's from? Perhaps he DID see a little wobble.
What's he up to? Putting Hannah here, manipulating me, now this.
What is it? I don't know what it is! But it's significant, you can bet your boots on that.
You wanted something to do find out what the hell it is.
Where are you going? You're a very fine woman, Mrs Sheringham, but you're not my mother.
Yeah, he talks the talk, your Mr Gist.
But he let that woman walk all over him today.
He'll be all right, Dad.
He promised me.
Tomato or brown, Hal? Hal? It's all right, you're gonna be all right.
You'll be all right, come on.
I think you've made an excellent start.
Thank you.
Unlike Zak Gist.
My God, the man was all over the place.
Don't be deceived.
Beneath Gist's bumbling exterior is a ruthless, devious lawyer.
He will say and do anything to win.
I can handle him.
I'm sorry, Hannah, I have to go.
Will you be all right getting home? Of course.
You'll be all right, son, we're nearly there.
Yeah? Are you OK? Where's A&E? My son's burnt himself.
Mr Gist.
Can I buy you a drink? How is he? Your son's fine, Mr Fenwright.
The iron wasn't up to full heat so it looks a bit worse than it is.
Thank God.
Can I ask how it happened? What are you suggesting? I have to ask.
He saw I was having a hard day and he wanted to help with the ironing.
All right.
Can I take him home? We're just putting a dressing on him, then he's all yours.
Dad! Hey, son.
Are you all right? Yeah.
Are you always as rubbish as you were today? Or are you trying to lull me into a false sense of security? Why didn't you go when you had the chance? You said you were going.
Mr Pembroke offered me a position in his chambers.
Not that it's any of your business.
You're a brilliant lawyer, a brilliant career ahead of you.
You know nothing about me! Is this a cheap shot at trying to unsettle me? No.
Good.
Because it won't work.
I'm going to kick your bottom, Mr Gist.
Is this really the right place for you? That's all I'm saying.
As good a place as any.
And for the record, I'm not as interested in having a brilliant career as I used to be.
Your round, I believe.
I'll see you in the morning.
You adopted a child from a very troubled background.
You knew he would need tremendous love and support from both of you.
Yes.
Both of you.
But you're away for weeks at a time.
I had to be.
Leaving all the child rearing responsibilities with your wife.
She left him.
She was shattered.
Distraught.
I was about to say how could you not have noticed, but of course you were never there to notice.
I'm really sorry, your honour.
I've only done it again set off from chambers for an interim residence hearing, taken a wrong turn, and ended up in this poor man's murder trial.
Mr Fenwright is not on trial here, Miss English.
Nor is Mr Fenwright a judge.
He doesn't get to say where Hal lives, or who he lives with.
Mrs Fenwright left the family home.
She left her husband.
She left her son.
I suggest it's not the hardest decision you'll ever have to make, your honour.
Beautiful day.
Do you remember Hal Fenwright, Anna? What? That's Hal.
You once played a very big part in his life.
Hal! He needs your help, Anna.
One more time.
We're representing Dave Fenwright since his wife walked out on him.
Hi.
What was your opinion of Dave? You want me to take sides in a custody hearing?! No, wait! You people make me sick! I've seen you bamboozle decent people in court, rip kids away from their parents! No, we're just trying to work out the best future for Hal.
I like Dave.
I like them both.
He wrote the most beautiful letter I've ever read.
You must have had the most fantastic job.
I mean, putting lost kids with new parents.
Top job.
Tell us about the letter.
He wanted it to go in with their application.
The reasons why he and Jenny wanted to adopt.
It made me cry.
How stupid does that make me? Could we see the letter? No, that won't be possible.
Anna, please, we need it.
You can't have the letter! Do you know why I've taken early retirement? Because I'm sick of it! Sick of messing about in other people's misery.
- Good luck, Hal! - Bye! Are you interrupting my hearing, Mr Pembroke? Only in the interests of the child, your honour.
Is that really necessary? Is this a private meeting, or can anyone join in? He'd do the same to you.
Your honour, we would like to request that, for the duration of this hearing, the child be made the subject of an interim care order.
Social services are, I believe, ready to make the application.
Your honour Sit down, Mr Gist.
A what application? They'd foster Hal out.
No, no! Never! Your honour, this is preposterous.
Mr Fenwright is the child's father and the child will reside with him.
It may be that Mr Fenwright will be under added pressure for a day or so, and the child's best interests Are you seriously suggesting that social services wrench this child from its one remaining parent?! No! Control yourself, Mr Fenwright.
I'll take him.
It doesn't work like that, I'm afraid.
Your honour, there was an incident last night.
What sort of incident? Apparently, Mr Fenwright was distracted and the unattended child pulled a hot iron down on himself.
What?! There may have been alcohol involved.
That is a lie! I've got a full report here from A& E which I, of course, have handed through to social services.
Where is Hal? Where is my baby? Nowhere near you, you mad cow! You hurt him, you idiot! Dave! They're gonna take him away from you! Can't you see that? Mr Gist, where is the child now? You don't have to lower yourself to his level.
You're better than that.
Stop talking like you know me.
You would have done the same.
I wouldn't have done the same.
Are you happy now? This is your fault, not mine! He'll be with strangers tonight! This is your doing! Is this your human love? What is going on here?! I'm sorry, Hal, it won't be for long.
It's her doing.
Hal, how are you feeling? You got burnt, baby.
Hal, I'm sorry.
You promised me.
Excuse me! Excuse me.
Do you know this trucker, Dave Fenwright? We're looking for a character witness.
Definitely not, no.
Sorry.
"Please help my dad.
" That's what you said, Hal.
Not "help me" or "help my mum.
" You didn't help him, did you? Was it hard for your dad when your mum left? Did he cry? You don't have to protect him, Hal.
Not from me.
Did he cry? Why do you think he cried? Because he loves her.
Because he loves her.
One minute they're madly in love with each other, then they're in court screaming at each other.
It makes no sense.
Human love doesn't always make sense, Tom.
But can it be of any real quality, any real value? I believe it can.
Slight change of plan.
Mr Mountjoy wants us to get Hal's parents back together.
They can't stand each other.
He's irritating like that.
So, what have we found out from Dave's friends and colleagues? Nothing much.
Keeps himself pretty much to himself.
He just works.
There must be something.
This Anna woman? Thank you for the beautifully laundered shirt, Mrs Sheringham Yes, that as well.
It has been several millennia, about time you learnt how to do it.
I can do my own ironing! Now, please.
Anna Atkinson is worn out from years of working with human unhappiness.
But is she useful? She says that she has a letter that Dave wrote to the agency.
I'll talk to her.
I have talked to her.
She's damaged, she doesn't want anything to do with us.
I can be very persuasive.
Don't you dare intervene.
Of course not.
It's not allowed.
Watch out for the motorbike.
He's his own worst enemy.
Who was he, Mrs Sheringham? Your person.
Don't ask that question again.
Please.
He insists he wants to spend the day with you.
Is that all right? You must have seen a lot of unhappiness in your life, Anna.
Don't you people understand the word no? You've seen children taken away from their mothers, barren couples begging you for help.
I mean, who wouldn't retire early? What do you want? Are you a trusting person? No.
I'm gonna show you something completely ordinary, completely extraordinary.
If you'll trust me.
And then you'll leave me alone? Then we'll leave you alone.
You have my word.
Why have you brought me here? You were put on this earth to help people, Anna.
Which is, God knows, a blessing and a curse.
You're mad.
Some things you can't run away from.
People need you.
Help me.
A bit of help wouldn't go amiss.
Judge Clacy, are you quite happy with the adjournment? What adjournment? You haven't been told? Miss English has some new information she wants to share with me.
It's inconvenient, obviously, but where there's a child involved I know nothing about it.
You asked for an adjournment? On my behalf? I have a plan.
How bloody dare you? I'm trying to build up my reputation and you If you'd just listen.
I have a theory that it's love, not hate, that is at stake here.
What do you know about love, you weirdo? As much as you.
Is that right? I'll tell you what love is.
Love is waiting for a man who never showed up.
Fight? What larks! This man has told the hearing judge that I asked for an adjournment.
Did you? No! Naughty, naughty.
What are you up to, Gist? I just think the kid deserves two parents, not one.
And you're going to fix it with tea and sympathy? It's worth a try, isn't it? We are lawyers.
I think it's a splendid idea.
What? Well, if there's any chance that the couple could be reunited I think we should take it.
Really? What have we got to lose? If this is some pathetic ruse The two of you hunkered together, talking about love and relationships.
Give up, Pembroke.
What's it like being young, Hal? I mean, can you actually feel your bones growing? Sort of.
.
sort of creaking? That would be freaky.
We're meeting here today to see if we can make some progress away from the harsh light of the court.
Any time you want to leave, just say so.
That's not enormously helpful, is it? Is she dropping her claims on Hal? No, she is not.
Then there's nothing to talk about! There's your son to talk about.
Before we discuss differences, let's talk about what you have in common.
Nothing.
Once upon a time, you were in love with each other.
Once upon a time I believed in fairies.
Don't talk to her about love! She doesn't know the meaning of the word! She is cold! She's frigid.
And you're vindictive! And you're cruel! You're a bitter little man.
Where are we going, Mrs Sheringham? It's a surprise.
Hal was angry, he was frightened, and he took it out on me.
He wouldn't eat, he wouldn't sleep, he cried all day and half the night.
It's called being a mother.
If I'd have had my mum with me - Please.
- I'm sorry, but this is a farce.
I did my best! I held him when he cried, I cleaned his grazes, I stroked his back.
I loved him.
And in the end, he loved me.
Then why did you leave? I was so tired.
Four years of bringing up Hal, on my own, day after day after day.
That night, he heard his dad's brakes come on and his face lit up like a light.
You were jealous? It's Something just clicked in my head.
I had to get out of that house.
I had to get away.
I had to get myself right, and I've done that.
And I want my son back.
Let's try a different tack.
Jenny, tell me the happiest day you ever spent with Dave.
A marriage counsellor too.
Is there no beginning to your talents? It was the day we got Hal.
Good.
That's good.
And the worst? The day I left him.
It must have been hard to leave like that, Jenny.
It takes a certain sort of courage.
Whose side are you on? You say that, but I imagine it's harder for the one left behind.
Thank you.
Did you know where she'd gone? No.
Did you wait for her, then look round the streets for her? She might have been knocked down.
Murdered.
Did you phone the police, sick with worry? Yeah.
I told you I wasn't in my right mind.
I didn't want anyone to suffer.
Of course not.
If you could have done it differently, you would have.
Yes.
Why don't you stick to matters of the law, Mr Gist, you don't know what you're talking about.
Have you cornered the market in suffering? We're not talking about me.
Maybe there's a reason he didn't come back.
Maybe he was plucked away, forcibly taken.
And is now riven with guilt, which he shouldn't feel, because it wasn't his fault.
What on earth are you talking about? You like cricket, Mrs Sheringham?! I do.
Always have.
Can I have an ice cream, please? Yeah, course you can.
Get one for Tom.
It'll be his first.
You've never had an ice cream? It's where I met him.
My friend.
He sat in that seat you're sitting in, and asked me if I'd lend him my score card in exchange for a cup of tea.
At lunch, Yorkshire were 101 for two.
By tea, they were 274 for six, and I was completely in love.
I went to see Mr Mountjoy.
You actually saw him? I told him I wanted to give it all up to be human.
I've heard about it, of course.
Everyone has.
He made it very clear that if I did there'd be no going back.
And where is he now, Mrs Sheringham? Your person.
Billy.
His name was Billy.
Where is Billy? When we got married, we had plans to have a family.
And you were happy? And then Billy started getting these headaches.
And we went to see his doctor, and six months later, Billy was dead.
Mr Mountjoy did that?! No, not Mr Mountjoy.
I asked to become mortal.
Take my chances.
I have no-one to blame but myself.
Catch it! Tom.
Give them the ball back.
Was it worth it, Mrs Sheringham, to give up eternity for human love? I don't regret a second of my time with Billy.
I do regret letting Mr Mountjoy down.
Hugely.
It's one of those horny dilemmas, isn't it? Yes.
Yes, I think it is.
Mr Gist will make it all right, won't he? He'll do his very best.
He's my son.
He's coming back with me.
He doesn't even like you! Cos you've poisoned him against me! You did that all by yourself! Happy now? I thought you'd prefer this to slugging it out in court.
Obviously I was wrong.
Your default position, I suspect! Calm down! Jenny! Bitch! Jenny! There are three options open to me.
Keeping Hal with his adoptive father, the respondent, removing him from his adoptive father, and placing him with his adoptive mother, the applicant.
The third option is one I would turn to with a very heavy heart, which is the local authority becoming the applicant.
Al would stay in foster care.
No.
Mr Fenwright, any person attending a hearing like this is, by definition, under a great deal of stress.
However, I have to say that I have found your behaviour churlish, aggressive, and secretive.
This one's similar.
Look.
What's that language? Russian.
Normally, of course, one would look to keep a child with its mother.
I have no doubt that you love your adopted son, Mrs Fenwright, but YOUR behaviour, culminating in leaving him behind without warning, or consultation, or any sense of where you had gone This hearing has been an unedifying spectacle.
And I suspect you have not been well served by those you should expect to be well served by.
In the circumstances, I am left with little alternative but to safeguard Hal's well being and make an order that he remain in the care of the local authority.
No.
Please.
Has my court become a bus station and nobody thought to tell me?! Sorry.
Your honour, some new evidence has been brought to my attention.
It's too late for that, Mr Gist.
It's the letter Mr Fenwright wrote to the adoption agency.
Miss English? Let us hear the letter, your honour.
"To whom it may concern: My wife cannot have children which means I cannot have children, as my wife and I are one and the same.
Jenny is a very modest woman, and would not write the words I am about to write.
Dear child, wherever you are, or whoever you might be, no matter how lonely or damaged or difficult you might be, a wonderful mother is waiting for you.
She has so much love to give, she is so generous, and will be so loyal.
She is waiting here for you.
And as for me, even though we have never met, I tell you now I will love you forever.
Give us the gift of your life and I will be the best father I can be.
I will never give up on you.
We will never give up on you.
" I want this to stop.
Now.
Jenny.
They're just words, Jenny.
Your honour, I withdraw the application.
You know what this means Dave will have Hal.
Jenny.
Jenny.
I meant every word.
Every word.
Anna! Anna! What do you want? You're an angel.
Thank you, Mr Gist.
I don't know exactly how you did that, but We're gonna go and talk access.
Good.
Hal wants to give you something.
I mean, he normally draws military hardware, not birds.
They're not birds.
I know what they are.
Bye.
Miss English, thank you so much for all your help.
You're welcome, Jenny.
That was an interesting couple of days, Mr Gist.
Yes.
I apologise if I've been a bit hysterical.
What with being shot and getting a new job You've got nothing to apologise to me for.
This is where you say you're sorry too.
And promise to be a little less weird in the future.
I'm sorry, too.
I've decided that you and I are going to be friends.
Can I buy you a drink, friend? No, thank you.
Right.
OK.
Well, I'll I'll, I'll see you around.
Sir, sir, spare some change? Sure.
Do you think they'll get back together? They might.
I hope so, for Hal's sake.
And you, Zak, are you all right? I don't think I can do this.
I think I have to be with her.
A little boy is with his mum and dad tonight because you're not with her.
Now remember that.
So what did you slackers do while I was covering myself in glory? We went to a cricket match.
Cricket?! He can barely tie his own shoelace, he won't understand the nuances of cricket.
I understand a lot more than I did.
English, please.
Sorry.
This is a Russian clock, built in a factory on the outskirts of Moscow in 1959.
Why would Mr Mountjoy send us that? Well, that's Khrushchev in the Soviet Politburo.
October 28th, 1962.
The last day of the Cuban Missile Crisis.
The what? You have to know this stuff! The day the Russians and the Americans nearly blew the earth to kingdom come.
This actual clock once ticked down to Armageddon.
Is it a gift? He doesn't do gifts.
It's a warning.
It doesn't work anymore.
I don't think any of us ever want to see that clock work again.
What's he up to, Mrs Sheringham? I've got a bit of a busy time of it coming up.
That's great, Dave.
I'm in Scotland Monday to Wednesday.
My mum was gonna have him, but you can.
Thank you, Dave.
Would you really have given it all up for her? In a heartbeat.
But they're so messy, and changeable, and contradictory.
And they have missiles.
Then why didn't you? Mr Mountjoy was very persuasive.
I truly believe that if another of us falls he'll leave them to their own devices.
This old world will spin on without us.
How do you think they'd cope? Educated guess? Pestilence, war, famine and death.
We'd better not fail, then.
Might be wise.
Are you all right now? Solving that question brings the priest and the doctor in their long coats running over the fields.
Hal's got fireworks in his picture.
He has, hasn't he? What are you doing? Zak, you know we're not allowed to do anything.
It's the middle of the night, he'll never know.
A few of us are going out tonight.
Well count me in.
I can't have fun with people my own age? So Jude's 14 billion years old as well, is she? Some seem to think he's a hero around here.
But I think Mike Stein is a bully.
Mr Stein is being charged with ABH?! Prosecution are recommending a new charge of attempted murder.
What?! You can't.
He's a pensioner! If I want to go I'll go! They'll arrest you.