The Buccaneers (2023) s01e05 Episode Script

[NAN] I love that England has
a night especially for bonfires.
And you always celebrate at Guy's?
[THEO] Every year. It's
always a huge party.
Where is everyone?
It's very odd no one's here to
see us in. And no other guests yet.
It's usually a rather raucous affair.
[GIGGLES] Oh, there he is!
Guy! Good to see you. We missed you.
[GUY] Here he is, fresh
back from New York.
Welcome. Both of you.
Everyone else is inside, so
We can't seem to locate
any of your staff.
Uh, where should my valets
Oh, yes, uh, upstairs. I'll show them.
[THEO] Nan?
We're all trying not to ask about the
Where are the servants?
Uh, it's just me here for now, you know,
while the work's being
done on the house.
[CONCHITA LAUGHS]
Oh, you're here! [LAUGHS]
- We've been to see the maze.
- Mabel couldn't even find the maze.
I'm looking forward to her trying
to find her way out of it. [LAUGHS]
[GUY] Right, so, Bonfire
Night was Mother's favorite.
Months of planning, a massive
feast, hundreds of guests.
And this is [STAMMERS] everyone?
Yeah, I've kept it intimate.
But I I couldn't let the day go by.
So, we'll all have to muck in,
but that was what it
was all about, wasn't it?
Mother always had us
chopping wood for fires.
Oh, I can help. I can chop wood.
Obviously the ladies aren't
expected to chop wood.
Why is that obvious?
I just meant they're usually in
the kitchen, making treacle toffee.
Which is much more appealing
than being out in the cold,
I've always imagined
Fine. We'll swap.
[BIRD WINGS FLUTTER]
[NAN] Are you Is everything okay?
Is it something I said?
You must be finding today really hard.
I'm sure the memories of your
mother, they must be, um
Stop!
You have You have to, um
Um, I'll just
Um, you have to put your
left hand on the bottom.
There you go. And then
Lower.
And then when you swing it
around, you bring it down.
Okay.
Around. [CHUCKLES] And
then you bring it down.
Okay.
- Okay?
- Yes.
And then swing more gently.
[SNIFFS]
[GRUNTS, PANTING]
- Very good.
- Yeah.
It's why I went ahead with it.
This weekend.
I love remembering her.
And the the pain of
remembering, I I cherish it.
Because what what I dread
is the pain of forgetting.
What was she like?
She was made of fire.
That's how it seemed.
Everything about her was energy.
And warmth. And unexpected.
Yet, she refused to
be to be less than.
My father never expected her to be.
They were They were
equals. They were best friends.
And I think that's what
I've always wanted too.
I've I've, um
Um Sorry.
Don't Don't apologize.
I ought to be getting
back to the Sorry.
["NORTH AMERICAN SCUM" PLAYING]
Is this done?
Well, don't you remember my
mother's trick for finding out?
- No! Jinny, stop! [LAUGHING]
- [JINNY LAUGHING]
- Oh, my God! [LAUGHING]
- We need to see if it's ready, Lizzy.
[SEADOWN] So this is
where the fun's happening?
Hey.
I'm no cook, of course, but that
does not look like treacle toffee.
[CHUCKLES] Well, it's marshmallow.
Mother used to make it
for roasting on the fire.
You'll adore it, I promise.
[WATER RUNNING]
[SMACKS LIPS]
Hmm. Delicious. [KISSES]
I just need to let it sit and rest.
[TURNS WATER OFF]
Sorry. Fly.
They should be gone
by the end of summer,
but there's always one or
two still hanging around.
Bothersome.
[KISSES]
[JEAN] Sorry, is this [STAMMERS]
[GUY] Lady Hopeleigh.
Uh, the front door was open and
there was no one to [SIGHS]
- Jean? What are you doing here?
- Um,
the invitation implied
it was a big party,
but it it seems you're renovating?
Am I very late? Or perhaps early?
[THEO] Ah. The guest of honor!
How nice to see you, Lady Hopeleigh.
Guy was just telling me how much
he was looking forward to your arrival.
Now, Jean [CHUCKLES]
has he not offered
to help with your luggage?
He's a brute, of course, but he
improves when you get to know him.
My apologies [CHUCKLES]
I lost track of time.
Theo, would you mind helping me?
Thank you.
Well, that was embarrassing
for everyone concerned.
I wouldn't have asked her if I'd
known it was an intimate gathering.
Why are you inviting
people on my behalf?
I thought you might want
to get to know her better.
You never wanted to.
Well, I'm a well-known idiot, of course.
Also, Jean's quite
lovely, don't you think?
Beautiful, and from a
very respectable family.
Why wouldn't you want
to get to know her?
It's not as though you're
getting to know anyone else.
[SIGHS]
[SIGHS]
[GUY] So, this will be your room.
I, uh, hope you find it comfortable.
[CHUCKLES] Thank you. [CHUCKLES]
So, I'll, uh, see you downstairs?
[STAMMERS] Perhaps you
might give me a tour
before we rejoin the others?
I'd love to see the grounds.
I'm afraid I've Still have
preparations to make for the bonfire
- Of course!
- With it just being me
- There's a lot to do, and [CHUCKLES]
- [GUY] Quite.
- Well, I shall, uh
- Yes, please. [CHUCKLES]
[SIGHS]
[MABEL] So, just to be clear,
this Guy invented bonfires?
No, he tried to blow up
parliament with a bonfire.
- Is that right?
- No.
There was no bonfire then,
it's just how we celebrate now.
Why would we celebrate
blowing up parliament?
He didn't actually manage to blow it up.
Hmm. Most English thing ever.
- He was bad at it. So, let's celebrate.
- [CHUCKLES]
I hope Jean's all right. She
seemed a little uncomfortable.
I'm sure Guy's made her feel at ease.
He seems to be giving her a
thorough tour of that bedroom.
[CHUCKLES]
Why'd you let Jean think
the invitation came from Guy?
Well, I doubt she'd have come
had she known it was from me.
And just because I didn't want her,
doesn't mean Jean isn't
a good choice for Guy.
She's not a hat that you can toss around
just because it doesn't suit you.
- No, no, I know. I just
- It's humiliating to show up uninvited.
Well, no more humiliating than
facing another season unmarried.
W-Why are you getting
so upset about this?
Look, Guy's my dearest friend.
Don't we both want him
to be as happy as we are?
Yes, of course. And I want
Jean to be happy even more.
Then what exactly is the problem?
- Hi.
- Oh. [CHUCKLES]
- Hello.
- Sorry. [STAMMERS]
- I suppose Minnie'll be, uh
- Miss Testvalley says Minnie's
[CONCHITA, RICHARD CHUCKLE]
I told the others you were
on holiday in the countryside.
Uh, because [STAMMERS] I
thought it better not to tell the
the truth
about you and Minnie moving out.
Yes, of course. [CHUCKLES]
Probably for the best.
But I can still come
and visit next week?
- Yes, come anytime. Come to the house
- Anytime that's convenient for you.
You can come in the morning
when she's having breakfast.
There'll be dribble
everywhere, of course.
Well, you'd better stop
your dribbling then.
[CHUCKLING]
[SUCKS]
[FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING]
Ah. [CHUCKLES] I was
looking for an escape.
But I see you've already
secured the best spot.
There's room for another.
[GUY SIGHS]
Isn't it utterly divine?
- Mmm.
- Mmm.
[SIGHS SHARPLY]
Mmm.
Feeling full is just the greatest
of all feelings, don't you think?
[EXHALES DEEPLY] It is a good feeling.
[CHUCKLES]
But what about love?
You only think love is better because
you've been full your whole life.
It's different for us.
Americans?
Women.
We are taught to be hungry.
To ignore that ache, so that
you may be as small as possible,
small enough for a man to notice you.
But it makes no sense. [SUCKS]
Disappearing to be seen?
Not a bit.
I can't tell you the relief,
since I've stopped trying
to attract a husband.
The relief, and also
the sweets. [SMACKS LIPS]
Well, whatever's made you stop,
I'm glad it's making you happy.
I'm not sure I am.
There was a man
that I trusted and I shouldn't have.
He, um
He made me feel ashamed. And afraid.
And I don't know how to change that.
- Someone here in England?
- No. No.
Back in New York.
If I may
I think you may already have the answer.
You didn't say you
did something shameful,
you said he made you feel ashamed.
He did.
[SNIFFLES] And I've been carrying
that shame with me ever since.
[SNIFFLES, SIGHS]
But [BREATHES DEEPLY]
I guess, perhaps that
shame, it belongs to him.
And it's not mine to keep.
It's my choice to
Just to let it go. [INHALES DEEPLY]
[HONORIA] Oh, sorry,
Jean, I was just, um
I heard you'd arrived. I
thought you'd be with Guy.
[CHUCKLES] He had no
idea I was even coming.
Oh.
I thought Guy's invitation odd.
I was in no hurry to accept,
but my mother got wind and
- I'm sure you know how that goes.
- [CHUCKLES] Yes.
Comes to something when even the men
you aren't interested in
can't get away fast enough.
Then Guy's a fool.
You were the beauty of the
season. Everyone said so.
Haven't you heard? That's
not nearly enough anymore.
I watched my older sisters
play the marriage game.
And I didn't just learn
the rules, I perfected them.
Then they arrived, the
Americans. And the rules changed.
Now, men like girls who challenge them.
And they want their
wives to be confident.
My whole life, I've been
told to make less noise.
And now everyone's wondering
why they can't hear me.
I couldn't bear it
when they came at first,
saying every thought out loud
and giving in to every whim.
But when was the last time
you laughed like they do?
[CHUCKLES] Not since I
was a child. [CHUCKLES]
[CHUCKLES] I used to think that they
needed to be taught how to behave.
And now?
I wonder if it's us who
need to learn how to live.
[CHATTERING]
[CHATTERING CONTINUES, LAUGHING]
[GUY] Right then, the rules are simple.
First to the center finds the torch.
Whoever finds the torch
lights the bonfire.
Girls, you're all gonna have a
head start, as it's your first time.
Any questions?
Yes. Mabel would like to
know where the maze is.
- [CONCHITA, MABEL LAUGH]
- [JEAN CHUCKLES]
[GUY] And
go!
This way, come on. [LAUGHS]
[CONCHITA] This way.
Jinny, I know a way
out. The house is empty.
Take this, wave it above the
hedge and I'll come find you.
Then we can sneak off together, yes?
[HONORIA] Mabel?
I've thought about you
since that night at Tintagel.
Lady Honoria, are you flirting?
[CHUCKLES] You are.
I'm delighted for you.
[CHUCKLES]
Do you feel a sneeze coming on?
[CHUCKLES] No.
James wants me to wave it
above a hedge so he can find me,
and we can sneak off together.
How romantic.
Though honestly, selfishly,
I would be a little sad.
We so rarely get to see
each other these days.
- I know, almost never, in fact.
- And time is just going by so quickly.
Before you know it,
I'll be back in New York.
And James and I have
all the time in the world
to spend together at home.
Suppose there's always a chance you
might just drop the handkerchief.
Accidentally, of course.
No, I wouldn't. [SIGHS] I couldn't.
And go!
["REBEL GIRL" PLAYING]
- Let's do it.
- Stay back!
- I mean it.
- [CHATTERING]
[FOOTSTEPS]
[NAN] Hello?
Is there anyone there?
Me.
Nan?
Are you alone?
[GUY] Yes.
[NAN] Good. [SIGHS]
Is it?
[SIGHS] I just
Well, I was just thinking
about what you said earlier
about your mother and
father's marriage an-and how
and how they were equals,
and how you want that for yourself.
- Yes?
- And what you said you wanted
out of a marriage is a best friend.
And friends, they're
supposed to be relaxed
around one another, aren't they?
And they're supposed to be excited wh
About when they see each other,
and when they're with each other.
They're never supposed to
be awkward with one another.
And I just don't think you
and Jean are best friends.
What have you ever
laughed about with her?
What have you ever shared with her?
I don't think it makes any sense
for the two of you to get married.
I'm not thinking of marrying Jean.
I'm not marrying anyone. Why are
you so interested in marriage?
- I'm not interested in marriage.
- But you're getting married.
[SIGHS] Yes.
Despite everything I put in my telegram.
So, I'm I'm not sure
- why you're so bothered about what
- Wait, what telegram?
The telegram.
- You didn't get a telegram in New York?
- No.
No, I didn't get any sort of telegram.
What did it say?
Stay there.
[BREATHING DEEPLY]
[PANTING]
Oh [LAUGHS] goodness!
Nan, these mazes, it's like they
don't want us to find our way out.
What is it? What's wrong?
Oh! Nan?
- [JINNY] Quickly.
- [LIZZY GIGGLES]
- [JINNY] Do we go right to the end?
- [LIZZY] It is. It's right. I told you.
[CHUCKLES]
[JINNY, LIZZY GIGGLING]
[JINNY, LIZZY GIGGLE]
Ah, for goodness' sake!
Has there been a single
year you haven't won?
[CHUCKLES] You're right, of
course. It's not a fair fight.
[SIGHS] I know this maze
as well as I know Guy.
Of course. [SIGHS] Who
could have predicted?
What? Every year?
We'll have a drink, shall we?
To celebrate before
I burn Guy to the ground.
[CHUCKLES]
What a good decision
we made, my darling,
to put this lake in our stately home.
- [LAUGHS]
- Oh, it was the perfect choice.
- You, my dear, have impeccable taste.
- [LAUGHS]
Those curtains you chose
for our parlor are a delight.
- [LAUGHS, GASPS]
- [LAUGHS]
Home sweet home.
[MABEL] It's a bit smaller
than I remember. [CHUCKLES]
[HONORIA] But exactly what we need.
It's getting quite late.
Perhaps we should retire.
Are you sure you're ready?
For retiring?
Quite sure.
[HONORIA CHUCKLES, SIGHS]
- And what do you think the telegram said?
- I don't know.
Nan, you do know. You absolutely know.
He wouldn't send a secret
telegram halfway across the world
to tell you what he had for breakfast.
Maybe he would, because we're
friends, and we're good friends.
Although, there was this moment
when we were chopping wood,
and [STAMMERING]
it felt like something.
And it's just all so confusing.
I just don't [SIGHS]
I really tried to stop it but
I saw him with Jean and it's
- And you were jealous?
- No, of course not! [SIGHS]
- Maybe.
- Oh, Nan. Oh, Nan, I knew it. I knew it.
[CHUCKLES, GASPS] Are you
in love with Guy Thwarte?
I can't be. This is all
He makes me angrier than any
other person in this whole world.
- Yes, sometimes we laugh
- [CHUCKLES]
and it's sometimes
that breathless laugh.
But in between those moments of joy,
there are so many more of
aggravation and irritation and
- Nan, what you're describing is love.
- No, love is calm. Love is stability.
Love is a heart attack.
Love is the best and
worst of everything.
Love is hating someone with
every inch of your soul,
yet spending even a minute without them
is the worst pain you've ever known.
Conchie, you have to tell
Dick that you still love him.
Nan, this isn't about me and Dick.
This is about you and Guy and
And Theo. Theo, we're
about to get married
- and that's what makes this so
- Are you certain?
- Are you quite certain?
- I thought so. I
[SIGHS] How can you ever be certain?
The way he talked about Jean today
was like she was a possession.
- And meanwhile, Guy He is just
- Oh, he's so charming.
- Yes. [SIGHS] Yes, and he's so easy.
- Considerate.
- He's one of us.
- And how infuriating is that? [CHUCKLES]
[LAUGHING]
What business does Guy have
sending me telegrams about
[LAUGHS] About how he loves you?
- Yes! How dare he?
- I know.
Because that's all I can
think about. And I need to know
what is in that stupid telegram.
I think you do. Um, Nan?
Just be careful. And And be sure.
It is kind of exciting, though. It is!
[SQUEALS] Yes! [LAUGHS]
[CHUCKLES]
- [JINNY] Lies, Lizzy Elmsworth.
- [LIZZY LAUGHS]
- [JINNY] You are a liar.
- No, no,
I remember it like it was yesterday.
Johnny Baldwin claimed that
he could do more cartwheels
than anybody in the whole of Saratoga,
and you simply had to prove him wrong.
The whole town saw your undergarments.
No, I'd never do such
a thing. I'm a lady.
A lady that can do 13
cartwheels in a row
- [LAUGHING]
- practically 14. [LAUGHS]
[GROANS] James will be so
furious I ran away, but
it's been so worth it.
[BREATHES HEAVILY]
[EXHALES SHARPLY]
[CHUCKLING]
[INHALES SHARPLY]
[CHUCKLES]
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
- [NAN] What did the telegram say?
- [GUY] Excuse me?
Well, of course, as so often, you're
in every way quite intolerable.
Where do you find the audacity?
- I am engaged to your best friend.
- That is not in any way news to me.
Happily engaged, I should add.
Why should I even speak to you?
After you left me at Runnymede.
I told you my most precious secret
and you couldn't run away fast enough.
But I came back to apologize.
I came back almost immediately,
and you were already engaged.
Well, how convenient.
[BREATHES HEAVILY] You
caused all this confusion
with the wood chopping,
and with grand speeches about
how you wanna fall in love
with someone who's your
equal. How dare you?
- Nan, listen, I [STAMMERING]
- No, it's too late.
Where was all of this these feelings
and the confusion when we first met?
When you climbed out
of a window above me?
- Yes!
- When we danced down a staircase?
- Yes!
- When we looked at each other.
When we laughed.
When it felt like we
immediately knew each other
and that anything was entirely possible?
That together, we could go
anywhere, or-or do anything.
It wouldn't matter if we
were in a palace or a tree,
as long as we were laughing
and-and dancing and kissing
and discovering and-and kissing again.
When I realized, Nan, that I
am desperately in love with you.
And I have been since the
first second I set eyes on you.
- Nan! Nan, wait.
- [NAN BREATHING SHAKILY]
Nan. Nan.
Nan, just Nan, please, let's just
- There you both are.
- [GUY PANTING]
I was just showing
Nan the walled garden.
Oh. [CHUCKLES] Your
mother's favorite place.
Lizzy and Jinny still aren't back yet,
so we were just about
to start a game of poker.
- Are you in?
- Oh. [BREATHES HEAVILY] I don't know.
No obligation, of course.
I-I know it's more of a
risk for some than others.
Financially.
Nan, you'll play though?
You're not having to
be careful with money.
- I'll play. [BREATHES HEAVILY]
- Oh. [STAMMERS] Excellent.
Yeah. Yeah, I suppose
Excellent.
[GUY SIGHS]
[SIGHS]
- I can always help you out if
- No need.
You know, I have a
15-year winning streak.
You've beaten me every
single day of our lives
[SWALLOWS] in a number of ways.
Doesn't mean you always will.
[INHALES SHARPLY]
[SCOFFS]
A lot of money. Congratulations. I'm
I'm glad it worked out for you.
Perhaps now you can hire some
of your old servants back.
I think we all know
they're not on leave.
- Theo.
- Or maybe you could even stop looking
for that rich American
bride you've been after.
That was your plan, wasn't
it? When you went to New York?
Save the family fortunes
with a wealthy match.
[THEO SIGHS]
Isn't that right?
But [CHUCKLES] all you
needed was a few lucky hands.
I haven't put my cards down yet.
I win.
Which is strange, because it feels
like I have absolutely nothing
at all.
["INTO THE DARK" PLAYING]
To remember Guy Fawkes
and his failed betrayal.
I am an idiot, of course, for
believing you when you said
you wanted a partner and not a wife.
And for thinking that you saw
the world the same way I do,
when all you were doing was just
telling me what I wanted to hear.
- God, no. Nan [STAMMERS]
- But the worst thing
is you could only do that
because I trusted you again.
I told you things I haven't told anyone.
I thought we were friends,
and for a brief moment, I was terrified
that we were something more.
The truth is, we're neither.
- I'm so sorry. [BREATHES HEAVILY]
- Why are you sorry?
I left. I let you down,
as I as I so often do,
- and [SNIFFLING, CRYING]
- Hey.
- You never let me down.
- [CRYING]
No need to cry, Jinny. I hate
seeing you like this, come on.
- Come here. Come here.
- [SNIFFLES, SIGHS]
[SNIFFLES]
- Go and say goodbye to your friends.
- [CRIES]
I'll see you in the room, and we
will talk this all through, yes?
- Okay.
- Okay.
- Go on.
- [SNIFFLES]
I wish you'd told me.
Your mother's portraits.
I wouldn't have let you sell them.
It's not just the portraits, Theo.
It's the whole house.
I've lost everything.
That's what this
[SWALLOWS] party was for.
To say goodbye.
I can I I can help.
I can't keep taking from you, Theo.
And I won't.
Jean really is a lovely girl.
[SIGHS]
[HANDLE CREAKS]
[LOCK RATTLES]
[KNOCKS]
James?
[KNOCKS]
James?
I'm so sorry, James.
Please let me in. Please?
Is everything
You left.
I thought we'd be missed.
You make me brave.
I mean it.
You're the bravest person I've ever met.
I walked out. And I left you.
I'd expected that you wanted
to go back up to the house,
just before our children
return home from school.
- [CHUCKLES]
- Honoria.
You know how little William
loves to play the piano,
- so
- Honoria, stop it! Please, stop it.
Why?
Because it's ridiculous. It's stupid.
As if we could ever
actually have children.
But it's just a game.
Do you not understand?
Our whole lives are pretending.
Every single one of my friends
gets to dance and giggle
and hold hands in public the
whole time, and nobody minds a bit.
They don't have to be brave.
They They get celebrated.
They get a ring a-and a party,
and they have parents that
can bear to look at them.
Honoria, this isn't
new to me. None of this.
And in fact, it bores
me. Pretending bores me.
[DOOR OPENS]
[DOOR SLAMS]
Nan [STAMMERS]
I wanted to apologize.
Somehow I haven't been myself today.
You haven't?
Th-The way I-I treated Jean,
and-and those things I
said after the poker game
That's not who I want to be.
The truth is, I-I've always
been a little jealous of Guy.
He's so effortlessly likable
because of who he is, not what he is.
My life is entirely
power, but no control.
And this love, the
way I feel a-about you,
its power, its strength
[BREATHES SHAKILY] is overwhelming.
I'm out of control of it
and utterly terrified of
Of losing you.
[FLAME HISSES]
["INTO THE DARK" PLAYING]