The Buccaneers (2023) s01e02 Episode Script

1
Sometimes a person looks at you,
and immediately, you know
you'll remember it till the day you die.
In that long month on the road,
we saw every corner of Cornwall.
Every town, every beach, every landscape.
But real life was going on elsewhere,
and I couldn't avoid it forever.
Conchita had spent the last month
trying to be a mother,
while I had spent it wondering
how on earth to be without one.
You haven't replied to any
of your sister's letters.
Four weeks since we left London,
and you've not once been yourself.
Well, maybe I'm not who you think I am.
Well, Conchita will be glad
of a relaxing weekend without the baby.
The house she's taken in Runnymede
is simply beautiful.
A weekend, just you girls.
And Conchita can put her feet up.
Goodness, what a lady you are.
All I've ever wanted to be.
So, dancing first, Honoria,
or are you desperate to start gambling?
I'll start the gambling.
I bet during that handstand,
you remembered it's only four weeks
since you gave birth.
Oh, my God. It's Nan. Come on!
Whoa.
Oh, my gosh. Are you actually here?
- Are you real?
- I am.
- Or might you go again?
- I am.
- Oh, my gosh.
- How are you?
Wrecked. A whole person
came out of me, and I'm ruined forever.
But Minnie's divine, and nobody even
looks at you once you're a mother, so--
Anyway, let's get a drink before
we melt into a puddle.
Lady Wild Times keeping watch.
Hi, Honoria.
The elegance.
I have no idea why my brother
leaves home so often.
- Would you like a drink?
- No, thank you.
I mean, what are we supposed to do?
Conchita, I need to talk to you
about something.
Leaving so suddenly
when you promised you'd be here?
I am sorry I wasn't here when--
I was a mess. I just wouldn't--
- You should have seen the state I was in.
- Can we just please go inside and talk?
You can't think how much
we have to tell you, Nan.
The balls we've been to. The opera.
God. Opera's endless.
Mabel ripped her skirt and fell
on her face in front of lord somebody.
Well, Lizzy got bit by a spider
at the races, and Jinny's done nothing
- but dance with Lord Seadown.
- Three times, maybe four.
They're virtually engaged.
I mean, we're virtually sisters-in-law.
- Lizzy danced with Seadown too.
- Yeah. Once.
A whole weekend without mothers.
Now, we have the whole weekend
for whatever we like.
And as your chaperone, I insist
you behave exactly as I say.
First things first, down your drinks
and go down the lawn,
and spin as fast as ever as you can.
Go, go, go!
- Mother sends her love.
- Whose mother?
A whirlwind of fun, aren't they?
Look out!
Who's this? I thought it was just us.
Richard, what on earth are you doing?
Now she's calm.
Conchita.
Sorry to bring you all off course.
And you, such an accomplished rider,
Mr. Dawnly.
Well, look who it is.
Conchita, what are you playing at?
You're the one galloping
into our girls' weekend.
- You knew I was staying down the road.
- I'm here with my friends, Dicky.
- It's Seadown.
- Don't look.
Make a face
like I've said something smart.
But seeing as you're all here,
and we're all pretending
not to notice how sweaty we are
I hope we're not improper, Honoria.
- It's just, there'd be a fuss, that's all.
- There'd be more than a fuss.
It's one drink.
We're only being hospitable.
Dick, I'm sorry
Miles can't control his horse.
But as you well know,
when a creature's born wild,
they're never truly to be tamed.
Now, it's such a scorching day.
And the question is,
once we've all had our one drink,
what else might we do that's refreshing?
Come on.
Come on!
Come on, Honoria!
Hi, Honoria.
Yes, but if it were to get out
that we were here unchaperoned--
What must Lord Seadown think?
- We'll get a reputation for--
- For what? Not being miserable?
- Well, I'm happy with that.
- There would be an almighty row,
- and you know it.
- Jinny,
you do know I'm married, right?
I'm chaperoning.
I'm a pillar of respectability.
I mean, I guess Miss Testvalley's
in the lodge.
Since when were we ever shy of a party?
Girls, have you not noticed?
We're not them. We're Americans.
When did we ever care
what people think of us?
I mean, the English are so fascinated
by their history.
Well, we have a history
of being fascinating.
It's time that they learn from us.
I didn't bring any party clothes.
I virtually just bought night clothes.
I'm sure Seadown won't complain.
Mabel, I only danced with him three times.
- Or four.
- Or four.
Jinny, imagine the relief
if we're in that family together.
I happened to bring some dresses.
Lizzy, you would look amazing in green.
Maybe you'll find someone
on your own tonight.
Imagine. Someone all my own.
Mabel.
Pour toi.
- I love it.
- It's gorgeous.
Nan, I have been feeling just awful
since that night. I wanted to--
Does Mother know that you told me?
No, of course not.
She'd be so horrified
about the whole thing.
You have no idea.
God, what was I thinking?
Suddenly it was all just
coming out of my mouth.
Are you apologizing for telling me
or for the 17 years of not telling me?
No, I'm apologizing
for my whole life, probably.
This is coming out wrong, Nan.
I practiced this.
I practiced this for weeks,
but I didn't have you to help me
by thinking of something funny
or smart to say
or always knowing
the right word to choose.
Nan, please say you'll forgive me.
You forgive people. It's what you do.
Well, you don't know me.
I don't know me. I could be anyone.
Hey, you are still Nan.
You're still my sister.
Let me help you, for heaven's sake.
Every time we giggled,
and every time we fought or lay in bed
and threw cookies up in the air,
you had a secret.
And my whole past is a lie.
And I have to tell Conchita.
And I have to tell mother. And I--
No, you mustn't tell anyone.
If anyone knows, if anyone finds out--
You say your past is a lie, Nan,
but your future, I mean, it won't exist.
- Our fu--
- But it's you who cares about that.
You've done this. You've ruined this,
and now you're asking me to what?
Just forget it. Just forget it, Nan.
It's like it never even happened.
I mean, what does it matter?
This isn't a quarrel about a ribbon,
Virginia, or being late to a party.
This is my whole life.
I feel hollow.
I am not the same Nan that I used to be,
and that's just a fact.
And you're only my half-sister,
so maybe you're only half sorry.
Nan.
- Conchie, can we please just talk--
- Nan, don't say I never think of you.
I have invited someone for you tonight.
What? This weekend wasn't
supposed to be about someones.
Nan, come on.
No. Why are you pretending
all this is an accident?
Dick is staying right next door.
And the embarrassing
runaway horse charade.
- I need to talk to you, just you and I.
- Just you and I. Just you and I?
Like when I was giving birth
and terrified and alone.
Shouting for you. Screaming.
And you were on a beach.
I so desperately wanted to stay.
But I really need to talk to you.
- Nan, please just-- No, you listen to me.
- If you could just give me a second--
Any minute now,
you'll be back home in New York,
and I'll be back at that house with those
people and those walls and those silences.
Yes, I planned this weekend.
And England will be horrified, of course.
But that's perfect for England.
They love being horrified.
Everything Dick adored about me,
his family now loathe.
You've seen English girls.
They just nod and obey and do embroidery.
We're like a whole other species.
But I love him, Nan.
I so love my husband.
And if I can't make him love me
the way he used to,
to remember who I am
and not just look at me
with disappointment,
then I shan't survive this.
So, will you help me?
Ever since the baby, I've just been so--
Anyway, I'm-- I need to make tonight work.
Goodness, Nan. Thank you.
Thank you so much.
We must keep our heads up
and our drinks down, mustn't we, darling?
Yes.
Mabel, Lizzy, Jinny.
You look divine, Mabel.
You look beautiful. You all look gorgeous.
Girls, isn't this just like old times?
Don't worry, I'm a married woman now.
And a mother.
So tonight will just be a quiet,
grown-up gathering.
Sophisticated and low-key.
Did you do it?
Look at Jinny, she's got
the whole room in her pocket.
Listen, Dick, even your sister's
having more fun than you
Come on.
Dick, your wife's got the moves.
I've seen her moves.
Not recently, you haven't.
And I've been working on a new one.
Everybody, look!
Conchita's doing her move!
Look and learn! Be the party!
Please? Fine.
Hello, love.
Are you gonna offer me one of those?
A drink?
Well, I don't know. What else is on offer?
In England, Miss St. George,
we find presumption unappealing.
- You're very beautiful.
- My nose was--
I'm sure you know that
from the admiring glances on every side.
Might I hope for a dance?
It's so hot. Can we go outside?
Darling, go out to the garden.
I'll be there soon.
He actually came.
Who?
The neighbor, Guy Thwarte.
He practically begged for an invitation.
Theodore, Miss Hopeleigh
is interested in nature.
You saw a
- Didn't you, Jean?
- A hedgehog. I did. Yes.
And was it prickly? Or
Yes. Very prickly.
Perhaps you might embroider it,
if I know you.
Imagine being a hedgehog on this estate.
Just hedge-hogging around, not realizing
you're in the presence of a duke.
Would you excuse me?
How? How can you be--
Conchita insisted.
Although, I must say, if I'd known
Nan St. George was going to be here,
I'd have worn protective headwear.
Hello.
I just want to see the garden.
Sometimes you just need to breathe,
don't you?
I've missed you.
I've missed us.
Just being near you.
Being able to talk to you.
I know. Ever since Minnie,
we just haven't had the--
Our little girl.
We have a baby.
A baby.
Conchita, let's do your move together,
shall we?
Seadown's hardly noticed me. Please?
Let's do it, the both of us, together.
- Come on. Please. Please, Conchie.
- Darling, you're drunk.
- Okay. Wait.
- Everybody, we're doing the move.
Conchita, we've seen your moves,
sit back down.
We're doing the move.
- Yes.
- Shall we, Conchie?
Yes.
He's still not looking.
Hey, darling, let's get you a drink.
You're still the beautiful one, okay?
Isn't she wonderful?
All right, guys. It's time. Sardines.
Mabel! Mabel! Mabel!
It's time! Sardines!
You're the best at hiding.
You hide first! Come on!
Okay. Let's go.
Has anything--
Since I last saw you,
has anything happened?
What do you mean?
You seem more still.
You're the first to notice.
How are you?
With your mother and everything?
I'm sorry, there is no "and everything."
How are you?
Everybody just goes on with life.
It's hard to accept them laughing
and smiling, isn't it?
Yeah.
And sometimes the thought of everyone
dancing and joking and talking about
cheese or whatever--
I do like cheese.
I mean, obviously that's a bad example,
but--
Yes. Good.
Your mother suddenly
not being there though, it is--
Sometimes the memory bubbles up.
Not having a mother, it's--
Yeah.
- Don't come in.
- Jinny?
You didn't lock it.
Yeah, well, would it stop you if I had?
Are you-- About Seadown and everything?
It's fine.
Only, he asked me to dance. He asked me.
And I would never
if I thought that you and him were--
Of course not. It's fine.
Because that comes first to me,
of course, our friendship.
Look, we're not engaged.
I'm not engaged to him,
as my mother reminds me
every four minutes.
The thing is, we don't know, do we?
We never know.
Jinny, what if this is our love story?
Mine and his.
Well, it's up to Seadown, isn't it?
In England,
they find presumption unappealing,
so he'll decide.
And I guess it depends whether
he's interested in beauty and charm or
Or what?
Well, whatever it is you're offering.
Girls! Sardines! Where are you?
We're all looking for Mabel.
Girls! The games are starting.
Mabel, we're coming.
- Come on.
- Downstairs.
Lizzy!
Where's that naughty sister of yours?
Can't you control her?
Mabel's the queen of hiding in corners.
Where did she go? Upstairs?
Hello.
I've been pretending
to look for your sister.
Have you?
I'm afraid
I've really been looking for you.
Well, maybe we should look together.
I like the stillness too, you know.
We've established, I hope,
that I'm a big fan of
the dropping-shoes-in-cakes
and climbing out of buildings
and the rest of it. Big fan.
But just strolling
and being still is also
I haven't climbed any buildings lately.
Does this look like
the sort of place Mabel might hide?
Well, perhaps we ought to check.
Nothing.
Do you wanna close the door?
You found me.
Sit over there.
- Do you wanna to sit here?
- Take off your dress.
It's not actually even my dress.
- We didn't know anybody else would be--
- Do you want to?
Take it off.
Take it off.
Slower.
I feel like you speak
a different language,
Conchita and the rest of you.
Loud.
That's Conchita's language.
It's like she's fearless.
She's magnificent.
Do you loathe her?
No.
But I don't think she understands
somebody choosing to be alone
any more than she understands
what a lord is.
Richard?
Well, he's just a man.
Conchita's herself.
Extraordinary to know
what that even means.
I think one day you just figure it out.
Was that your sister?
She's too busy
fighting Jinny over your brother.
What? Seadown?
They don't know him.
Well, I hear he's an enigma.
He's a monster.
Don't move a muscle.
London was over for me
when you went to Cornwall.
Was it?
Completely.
It was irrelevant since the person
I wanted to share it with was gone.
Well, that person from before,
from the ball, and so on,
she might actually be gone.
Hello. What are you--
- Watch out. Hide.
- I was looking for you.
What are you playing at, Laura?
It's a chaperone's job not to play.
What are you doing?
You told me to hide.
Are you waving at someone?
- No, this?
- Yes.
This is casual.
This is how I stand when I'm casual.
You're breezy.
Do you want some help?
Yes, please.
I'm sorry.
Why?
You just make me want to apologize.
For having your arm stuck on a trellis?
Nan, I've never met anyone
I find it so easy to be honest with.
Isn't that strange?
Shall we go to bed?
Maybe we can do better than that.
- What's better than bed?
- Come and see.
What is it, Nan?
Just Jinny blurted something out and
It's all just been too enormous,
and I just don't know what do with it all.
Might I help?
No, nobody can.
And Jinny said I mustn't tell anyone.
Anyone I tell will think less of me.
Well,
I think I've made it very clear already
that my opinion of you
is really very high.
Also, I have a little experience
of the world thinking badly of me.
Do you?
We've all done things we're not proud of.
My mother isn't my mother.
It's all ridiculous.
The fact is that
I am not who I thought I was.
Mother
Mrs. St. George, she forgave my daddy,
out loud at least, as she always does,
and she took me in.
But I don't know the full story.
Jinny just let it out,
and she's known this entire time.
They've all known this entire time.
That's almost the worst part of it.
The lying. The conspiring to lie.
The whole lot of them.
So, your birth wasn't--
Your mother and father weren't--
And people will judge
because that's just what they do.
But it's the secrets.
It's the whole life's worth of them.
I remember there was this girl
back in Saratoga,
and her name was Amy Fairchild,
and she was born out of wedlock,
and so the names that she got called.
But it was also
partly because of her hair,
which was all over the place,
and it wasn't helping her.
But there was just this face that people
pulled when her name was mentioned.
And at parties, she would sit at the side
and there was a circle around her
that no one would step into
because we all knew
what her life would end up being.
And she would never be normal
because how could she?
And now that's just-- And now that's me.
I am Amy Fairchild,
and some days
I can't be bothered with my hair,
but other days, I can spend hours at it.
But we're just all different, aren't we?
I am so sorry. I shouldn't have just--
S-- I'm--
- I didn't want you to feel that I was--
- Of course not.
It's fine.
- Should we just--
- Yes, it's getting late.
I should probably go. Yeah. I think we--
I think we should.
Lord Seadown has gone to bed.
He asked me to tell you
he'll see you at breakfast.
You've been practicing your moves.
Finally,
England's what I hoped it would be.
I don't wanna be Amy Fairchild.
Then don't.
Though you did bring a hairbrush,
didn't you?
It's looking a little
Oh, Nan.
We know together now, at least,
and I am entirely sorry.
I'm not just half sorry. I am fully sorry.
I'm blue with it.
Don't be blue
it'll clash with your dress.
Who was it if it wasn't Mother?
I don't know.
No, really.
There was a letter.
I was looking in Daddy's desk
for barley sugar,
but I just read bits of it.
I didn't see a name.
Just insults for Daddy and
arrangements for the money
that changed hands.
They bought me?
Yeah, well, Mother near exploded
when she found me looking at it.
Nan, I mean it,
if you talk to her, she'll--
- I mean, she'll--
- I won't.
Let's just close the box, all right? Yes?
Just not tell a soul,
and it'll be just like before.
Oh, Nan. I'm sorry.
- Morning.
- Morning.
Morning.
Nothing's real when you're away from home.
I knew it. I knew it, is the awful truth.
Before the wedding, I suspected
I would spend the rest of my life
apologizing for Conchita,
and I should've listened to my gut.
I think the fact is,
there are women and there are wives.
And New York was amazing,
of course it was, but it was pretending.
It was just like this is, pretending.
Pretending every day.
And in real life,
I just think Mother's right.
Conchita just doesn't fit.
And she never will.
But she's like an addiction.
And I'll love her my whole life.
I'll never stop.
I mean, how could I?
Anymore than I could stop breathing.
Nan, darling.
Last night
were you watching Dick's face
as I was dancing?
He did love it, didn't he?
What's wrong?
I'm not the kind of wife
that needs him to notice my new gloves.
Of course not.
Or sit adoringly watching me sleep.
But I do watch my baby as she sleeps.
God.
Nan, ever since she was born,
I've been such a mess.
You know, she needs me,
and they won't even let me be with her.
And also, everything hurts,
and I just feel so--
Have you talked to Dick?
Oh, Go--
I want him to desire me, not pity me.
Certainly not the absolute worst,
be ashamed of me.
I would have never gone to Cornwall
if they hadn't made me.
I know, Nan. Okay? I know.
I just need a new plan, and that's that.
Till then, I shall be all smiles.
He mustn't see he's breaking me.
Listen, Nan,
when you start looking for someone,
if that day ever comes,
try to find someone
who doesn't want you to pretend.
Someone I can trust
and tell my secrets to.
Who listens.
And someone who understands
what I need to hear.
Darling Nan, I do love you,
but I think you might have to lower
your expectations.
Just a tiny bit.
Hey, can we talk?
Look, it's all right. It's fine.
No, but it's not what--
Listen, it doesn't matter. Really.
- Of course he'd choose you.
- He didn't, though.
Nothing happened.
It's never gonna be anything more than--
Look, it's over.
- That was shocking.
- Not bad.
Champagne. It's 11:00 a.m.,
we've waited long enough.
- Yes, we have.
- Well done.
It went early!
Did you see that, Dick?
Yeah, I'm afraid my husband
doesn't know how to satisfy me
when it comes to my morning champagne.
Miss St. George.
May I?
I've enjoyed, Miss St. George,
the opportunity of making
your acquaintance these past weeks.
I've long waited to meet someone who
might put me in a marrying frame of mind.
Might you--
Might you agree to be my wife?
- Do you mean it?
- I mean it entirely.
- Then yes.
- Yes?
I agree. I quite agree.
It's fine.
You will ask me again
when Mother's nearby to hear, won't you?
Nan.
Congratulations.
Surprise.
Nan, I'm getting married!
- Conchita.
- Congratulations!
- We're gonna be wives.
- Oh, my God.
Jinny.
I am so glad that you are back to yourself
after last night's silliness.
Yeah. Back to normal.
- Can you believe it?
- Good.
I told you
Champagne.
And I'll have a sister-in-law.
Jinny and I will be sisters.
- I hope you don't think--
- Are you sure you--
Congratulations, Jinny.
A lord.
- I'm sorry that I--
- No
I am.
I'm sorry.
But listen.
After everything, I wonder if Seadown--
I mean, I wonder if--
When you're imagining
how it might be to be married to him.
Well, I shall marry him and report back.
Right.
Are you sure?
You're really sure?
- Nothing happened last night.
- Nothing happened.
That's what you said.
I just--
I would so hate for you
to be disappointed.
Don't spoil it for me, Lizzy.
After all this time,
it's usually Nan overshadowing things,
but she's been quite wonderful, in fact.
Can't you just be pleased for me?
At least for today?
Theo.
Hello there.
Hello. What are you doing here?
This is very unlike me indeed.
I tracked you down
all the way from Cornwall.
- Meet me at the gate.
- Okay.
Sir, madam, you have to come.
The Duke of Tintagel's carriage
is on the drive.
The Duke? What's he doing here?
Poor Jinny.
He turns up just as she's off the shelf.
- Quick, let's go.
- Let's go.
Why would the Duke be coming to Runnymede?
Where's Nan?
- Oh, my God.
- Come on, Conchita.
- How are you, actually?
- I'm well. Much better now.
- I struggled to find you at first.
- Yes.
Where have you been?
Just there.
At my friend's endless party.
And if they were here with us now,
your friends,
who would you tell them I was?
Well, just an artist friend of mine
who likes skulking round hedges.
You'd be within your rights
to have me arrested.
Perhaps, but I am--
I'm impossibly pleased to see you.
So, let's just go for a walk first,
and then maybe I'll call
the authorities afterwards.
Nan, I need to-- Please--
You said you wished
you could stay in Cornwall forever.
I did.
- And you're not interested in fuss?
- Not one bit.
Which is very unusual, I find.
Girls I generally meet don't think
or talk so freely or so passionately.
And they wouldn't care for me
being just an artist.
- Particularly a bad one.
- You're a wonderful artist.
The fact is, I--
I must speak,
before everyone comes and it's all ruined.
I could pretend I was just passing today
or had some kind of garden fascination.
But the truth is,
I set off from Tintagel at first light
with a quite deliberate intention.
This is ridiculous, of course.
And I apologize,
the speed of it and everything.
But I have to.
It feels essential.
I think you're extraordinary. Truly.
And on the beach, the two of us had this--
Well,
it felt perhaps like you felt it too.
Maybe.
And if we agreed
that we might always swim in the sea,
hiding from life's nonsense,
not caring what anyone else thinks
Might you do me the honor
of being my wife?