Maxton Hall: The World Between Us (2024) s01e05 Episode Script

In 1882, meteorologists invented
a new way to measure wind force.
The Beaufort scale.
It has 12 classes and ranges
from total calm to hurricane force.
A storm that takes away your vision
and makes the rest of the world disappear.
If I'd known that a storm
could feel like this,
I would have watched for it earlier.
So this is what it looks like
when you know what is expected of you?
If I were Headmaster Lexington,
I wouldn't be happy
that the organizer of my party
allowed herself to be so distracted,
while things in the hall
are completely out of control.
You should go take a look.
Okay.
Let's go.
Get in the car. Now.
Hello.
Lydia.
Maxton Hall
THE WORLD BETWEEN US
BASED ON THE NOVEL "SAVE ME"
BY MONA KASTEN
A blown fuse?
You could say that.
Ruby, Lexington at ten o'clock.
Sir, one of the power cords was loose.
The electrical system isn't very modern.
I thought you had slipped up again.
But the gala is a success,
donations are coming in,
and the guests are still fully dressed.
I have already forwarded the original
to Oxford's admissions office.
It will be attached to your application.
Thank you, sir.
Miss Bell.
"Ruby Bell, who has attended
our institution for two years now,
"is not only an outstanding candidate
for Oxford University,
"she would be an asset"
Okay. Let's take a committee group photo
for the Hall of Fame.
What you did was the greatest affront
I have ever had to endure from you two.
You wait for the most important moment
of the decade for Beaufort
to pull a twin-swapping stunt
like something out of a goddamn B-movie.
After everything we went through
because of you,
you have the audacity to show up tonight
to represent our company?
You know that I know everything
about the line.
I had the speech down perfectly.
That doesn't change the fact
that everything you touch ends up ruined!
When you were little,
you always wanted to be number one.
But you've never understood
that it requires discipline.
Without me, there would've been
no press conference.
You're lucky that I intercepted you
before you walked into the press room
and destroyed the only good thing
you've ever done for this family.
Which brings us to you.
Our Casanova.
Our self-proclaimed Romeo,
who doesn't care about family matters
if they don't fit into his schedule.
Who comes crawling on his knees
about his damn lacrosse practice,
but can't obey for one evening
when we're all counting on him!
What's the matter?
Do you have something to say?
To Ruby and to Oxford!
Oxford!
I can't believe you got your letter
of recommendation from Lexington.
Yeah. I got mine from Miss Hugh.
I really had to suck up to her.
I'll be right back.
Oh, yeah, sure, Ruby.
See you later, Ruby.
Mr. Sutton.
May I?
Yes, of course.
I don't think I ever thanked you.
Thanked?
Me?
I wouldn't have made it through
the first week here without you.
You were always a role model for me.
An Oxford scholar
from an even smaller town than mine.
I won't give up
until I've gotten to where I want to be.
I promise.
Well, James. What's it going to be?
Do you only open your mouth
to stick your tongue down
your new little girlfriend's throat?
How do you envision your future
with this person?
Do you want to move to this hovel
in Gormsey
and push your father-in-law around
in his wheelchair every day?
Are you having her followed?
This girl will never be more
than a gold digger
who would rather sleep her way to the top
than achieve something herself.
- And I will not allow
- Shut up.
Excuse me?
If you say one more word about Ruby
May I speak to my son?
I've done my research on Ruby Bell.
I know that due to his disability,
her father relies on his wife's income.
I know that her mother's account
is overdrawn every month
because her shabby bakery
doesn't make any money.
I know that her sister violates copyrights
with some pictures on her blog.
And that the house they live in
still hasn't been paid off after 18 years.
You will never speak to this girl again.
It only takes one call from me
and she loses her scholarship.
I can make sure that her family
has to look for social housing
and that Oxford slams the door
in her face.
I will destroy her life.
RUBY - Did you get home okay?
I hope your Dad wasn't upset.
Read - yesterday, 23:58
- Can I vacuum in here quickly?
- Yes.
There they are. The incomparable
and unforgettable Beaufort twins.
Lydia Beaufort looks outrageously good
as always.
I hope she has a license
for that deadly stare.
Later, idiots.
Yes.
O Captain! My Captain!
Did Elaine go crazy
or did Alistair beat you up?
- I walked into a door.
- I see.
I heard you were at the gala yesterday.
Why didn't you stop by?
We got wasted in the library.
We'll make up for it. How about tonight?
Cyril looks like he needs it.
Tell me about it.
Yes. We'll take off after fourth period
and start planning.
As long as it isn't like last time.
Can we talk?
Here? At school?
- In front of everyone?
- I mean later. At your house.
Not interested.
Come on. Please.
Guys!
What do you think? Are you in?
- You want to party again?
- Yes.
- I'm still wiped out from yesterday.
- Your date went well then?
This is our last year together.
What was the plan again, Cyril?
- Party hard all the time.
- What? I couldn't hear you.
- Party hard all the time!
- Exactly.
Let's have fun.
Are we going to party or what?
There he is.
That's the James Beaufort I know.
Where have you been hiding him
these last few weeks?
He grew some balls again.
- Is everything okay with you?
- Everything's really shitty. And you?
I'm ignoring my secret boyfriend
so he'll give me the attention I deserve.
- Is it working?
- Sure, we're getting married tomorrow.
Lydia?
Is everything okay?
Yes.
What happened?
I have to go to class.
Let's run away.
- What?
- You said you would run away with me.
You'll get a diploma somewhere,
and I'll get a job.
You didn't want to.
- You said that
- Forget what I said.
- I can't take it anymore.
- You say that now.
- Later you'll talk about responsibility
- I love you, Lydia.
- That doesn't change
- I love you, Lydia.
- You love this job.
- I love you, Lydia.
Let's get out of here.
Where to?
You pick.
You've gone crazy.
Come to the cafe at five on Thursday
and we'll discuss everything.
- Ruby? Hello?
- What?
I said that Oxford is sending out
invitations for the interviews.
Jessa already got hers today.
- Really?
- Yes, Jessalyn.
Are you okay?
Maxton Hall!
Mr. Hughes, may I use the bathroom?
Always keep moving!
Come on.
James.
Your girlfriend is here.
Ruby!
- Get behind him!
- Keep it up!
Go, go, go! Keep moving! Move some more!
Well?
Can you take that thing off?
- What's wrong?
- What do you mean?
You're being an asshole.
Am I?
Stop playing dumb
and tell me why you're ignoring me.
Keep it up!
Was that the plan?
Make a move on Ruby
so she puts in a good word with Lexington?
Go, go, go!
What happened that night?
- Nothing.
- Did your father flip out?
Did he do this?
Don't think that you know anything
about my family.
What?
Did you think we would run hand-in-hand
through meadows?
It was just a kiss.
It was more than a kiss.
You didn't really believe
that someone like me
would be interested in someone like you,
did you?
Why are you acting this way?
I'm sorry if you didn't understand
what this was.
But it's time for us to go back
to the way things were, Robin.
Go. Yes. Very good.
Let's go, boys! Go!
Ruby.
Can you come here?
What is it?
What's this?
Honey?
- I can't.
- Don't leave.
I want you to stop this.
It's for a stair lift.
- I don't need much more
- I don't want your money.
Honey
You already have so much on your plate.
This is our responsibility. Not yours.
Then was it all just bullshit?
Don't we work together as a family
and help each other out?
Of course we do.
I won't have you slaving away for me.
So I can't contribute?
No matter how much I want to,
or if it's the only thing
I can do to make up for
Make up for what?
Don't pretend it's not my fault
you need that lift in the first place!
Ruby?
Everything okay?
- James! Hey.
- Hey.
Come on, stand up.
Come on.
Come on.
What happened?
Wren. It was Wren at lacrosse.
- It was a stick. He hit me with a stick.
- Oh, God.
Come on, I'll take you to bed.
Yes?
Have you ever wished
you were someone else?
I think everyone does, sometimes.
Were you unhappy?
I
I was unhappily in love.
I think everyone reaches a point in life
where they more or less know who they are,
and they stop going after things
that don't fit.
I threw myself into my work.
I became a mother.
And him?
He followed a different path.
Sometimes, people make each other unhappy,
no matter how much they love each other.
And it's better
It's better to let go.
What if letting go hurts too much?
You can handle more than you think
if you believe you're doing what's right.
Try to get some sleep now, okay?
Good night.
Right on!
I'm invited.
- Are you okay, Ruby?
- Yes, of course.
Still no letter?
Hey, I don't know anyone who worked
as hard on their application as you did.
You'll get an invitation.
You just have to be patient.
Breathing helps too.
Thank you.
Hey.
There's our little mermaid.
You're handling your rejection well.
I'm sad that I missed it.
They say it was very dramatic.
"James.
"James. Why?
"Why can't we be together?
"James"
You know, whoever didn't know
from the start that it wouldn't work out
isn't just blind, they're stupid.
You can have him.
He's all yours.
Are you okay?
We should focus on the material now.
We don't all have a teacher friend.
The relationship between Graham and I
isn't what you think.
I don't think anything.
You think I seduced my teacher.
Or that he seduced me.
Considering that I came to you first
after Ruby caught us,
it's strange that you never once asked
what was going on between him and I.
It's not like
we tell each other everything.
We wrote each other emails. For months.
He was the first person I met
who was into me before knowing my name.
I only knew that he was a trainee teacher.
Nothing else.
He was the first person I talked to
when I woke up,
and the last person I said good night to.
I don't know what I expected
the first time we met,
but all of a sudden
there was this man in front of me.
I knew that Dad would make my life hell
if it ever came out.
But part of me knew it didn't matter.
I loved him before I ever set eyes on him.
When we found out that Graham got the job
at Maxton Hall, we knew it couldn't go on.
The situation that Ruby barged in on
was sort of a relapse.
You allowed yourself to have feelings.
Rookie mistake.
- We're pretty pathetic.
- Emotionally crippled and totally useless.
A disgrace to the name Beaufort.
Yeah. At least we're not alone.
No.
We're not.
I promise you that.
James.
Are you joining us?
GRAHAM
Where are you?
Did you have a nice day?
My shortbread pyramid
was 20 stories high today.
I broke my own record.
- I'm sorry that I
- Me too.
I
I thought a lot about what you said.
Our family is really outstanding
in many respects,
but not when it comes to talking
about painful things.
I wanted to thank you for doing it.
After the accident, we were so focused on
carrying on,
that we never really talked
about what happened.
But the accident didn't only affect me.
It also affected all of you,
and it had consequences for all of you.
It wouldn't have happened
if I didn't exist.
You don't know that.
And then you wouldn't exist.
What good are my stupid feet,
if you're not here?
That is my fate.
This my own path.
And my life
My life is fulfilled.
And I am grateful for every second.
Standing or sitting down.
Okay?
I still want to contribute
to the stair lift.
Spend your money on teenage stuff like
movies, parties and stuff.
I'd rather be able to throw you out
of my room, like a teenager.
Okay. Deal.
- Ruby?
- What's going on?
This came for you.
- Go ahead!
- Read it out loud.
"Dear Ruby Bell, we are pleased
to inform you that you"
Okay, show me what you have.
You're lying on it.
Oh.
Well?
Ten out of ten Oxford points.
I wrinkled it. Let me iron it real quick.
I know this would be
the perfect time to get revenge,
but luckily for you,
I love you too much for that.
Here.
Someone wants to buy
the we'll-never-talk-about-it-again dress.
- You fixed it?
- I'm hoping it goes up to 500.
Then we could buy dad the lift.
No!
I brought you something for keepsake.
I'm sure it will bring you
as much luck as it brought me.
Your grandfather would be proud of you,
and so are we.
Is a thanks too much to ask for,
or at least some respect?
Thanks for a few more pounds
of sentimental weight
and expectations on my shoulders.
Anxiety is part of every big step.
Next year, when you walk across campus,
you will laugh about how much you worried.
- You'll like Oxford, I promise.
- What if I don't?
Would that change anything?
- What do you mean?
- What if I hate university.
Or say I want to quit.
That I don't want to be the poster boy
for Young Beaufort.
That I don't want anything to do
with the company.
What then?
You have access to one of the world's
best universities.
To the leadership of one of the country's
most reputable businesses.
It's a safety net
that will always catch you.
You have the chance
to become one of the best.
You don't understand how lucky you are.
Happiness isn't the same for everyone.
You said it yourself.
Okay.
If this isn't what you want,
then what do you want?
The chance to find out.
James, you're still so young.
I don't want you to regret throwing away
the opportunities we've given you.
I never understood my parents either,
and today I am eternally grateful to them.
Because Beaufort is my home,
my history and
And so it should automatically be mine.
Your parents went to Oxford, so did you,
and now I have to go to Oxford too.
You took over the company.
I have to take over the company too.
You can go ahead and leave.
I won't step out of line.
It's not in my genes.
Is everything okay, sweetie?
Whole books are written
about the calm before the storm.
But hardly any about what comes after.
The moment when the noise around us dies
and we're left alone with what we've done.
And a deafening silence.
There are people who carry around
a kind of compass.
People who say the right thing
at the right moment.
Do the right thing.
And feel the right thing.
These people find happiness.
No matter what life throws their way.
Yeah, so for registration
you just go through there and keep left.
And then you're there.
Okay, cool. Thanks.
Sorry.
Do you need help?
No, thank you. I'll manage.
Come on.
Thank you.
No problem.
Are you here for the interviews?
- The dorms are
- Across, and then turn right.
- Thanks.
- You're welcome.
Nice to meet you.
Then there are the other kind of people,
whose compasses are broken.
Who decide on the wrong thing
at that moment.
And the only way to stay sane is
to keep looking ahead.
Never backwards.
A surefire method. If you can stick to it.
Creative supervisor
Claudia Zie