Mr Selfridge (2013) s04e08 Episode Script

Miss Brockless had the correct references, no? You know I have no choice.
Two weeks' pay.
This was because she worked on Josie's wedding dress.
I've created a new position for you - Managing Director, Oxford Street.
- You know me better than I do.
- I've always believed in you.
- Why did I ever let you go to Paris? Whiteleys? - That'll be part of it.
- It's beautiful.
- A palace.
- The police are looking elsewhere.
They've been looking in the wrong place.
Would you like me to dig, boss? Please.
- Good morning.
- Good morning.
May I get anything for you and your guest? Coffee, a pot.
Mr Dillon and I have been putting the hours in.
We just shook hands on Whiteleys.
You're looking at the youngest department store owner in London.
- That is quite an achievement.
- Thank you, sir.
Hm.
I could barely get past the door three months ago.
The English aren't immune to a whiff of fortune, which is fortunate for those of us who lack a title.
I don't have any more than I had yesterday.
I have nothing left now.
I've spent the whole of my life like that.
I put everything into the next project.
That's how I'll turn round Whiteleys.
Fortune favours the brave.
OK.
Perfect.
Hello, Mr Selfridge.
Hello.
I'm going to announce my purchase of Whiteleys, big launch.
I'd love you to come.
- My pleasure.
- Great.
(DING) Thank you.
Morning, Arthur.
Morning, Roger.
Everything all right? Well, I haven't spoken to him about it yet but I'm going to talk to the chief about retiring.
The place won't be the same without you.
It's the end of an era.
- Oh.
- I I know what you meant, dear friend.
Mr Dillon's accountants look like children.
- About as young as we were when we started out.
- I was never that young.
We've been through the financial reports and we are good to go.
- We can draw up the contracts tomorrow.
- It's a tight turnaround.
- All I need to know is if the company's solvent.
- Yes, it is.
- Then I'm happy.
- Well, I - Gordon, trust me, we know enough to go through with this.
- I was merely going to say - I'm with you, Pa.
- Great.
Excuse me.
- Ah, the chief.
- This is a big day for you, Mr Gordon.
I'm so pleased you and your father are going into business.
- If I can be of any assistance - I'll help with any business plan.
- We have everything under control.
Thank you, though.
- Thank you.
Marvellous.
I know you want this done quickly but we haven't had time to do a full assessment.
If there's a problem with suppliers, outstanding bills.
We don't have time for that.
Harry Selfridge can do anything.
Let's get on with it.
Miss Grove, can I help you? I was looking for Miss Brockless.
Her whereabouts are not your concern.
She wasn't here yesterday either.
Is she ill? - Miss Brockless is no longer employed by Selfridges.
- What? You heard.
Now back to Fashion, where you belong.
You've overstepped yourself.
You wait till my father hears about this.
I think you should speak to your father.
He's the one who dismissed her in the first place.
- Father.
- Meryl.
What on earth are you doing up here? This is senior management only.
Is it true you gave Tilly notice? - Tilly? - Miss Brockless.
Erm, II did.
- How could you? - (SIGHS) Meryl, I do not have the energy for your tantrum.
- I don't want a fight, I just want to know why.
- Sit down.
It seems Miss Brockless was let go by her previous employer due to inappropriate behaviour.
- What inappropriate behaviour? The term they used was 'scandalous'.
I gave Miss Brockless every opportunity to defend her reputation, but she wouldn't, or couldn't.
- So you just sacked her.
- It's best we put this matter behind us.
- She was my friend.
She was decent and fair, which is more than I can say about you.
This isn't simply a business acquisition, this is two great dynasties coming together in a historic union in order to provide the best possible service for customers around the world.
(FLASHBULBS CLICK) Surely you don't expect us to actually turn up and work for you? You've done enough damage already.
Your father'd be turning in his grave.
- Will you be renaming Whiteleys? - There's only one Selfridges.
Mr Dillon, will it be business at usual at Whiteleys? It's going to be business and more.
A business reborn.
(FLASHBULBS CLICK) - I couldn't be more proud of you, Son.
- Thank you, Mother.
- It feels like a new beginning.
- It is.
Big day for you.
Step-up from your little trusts.
Those little trusts have made a lot of people a lot of money.
They're not the only string to my bow.
You and Victor Colleano promoted that boxing match.
- Do much business with him before he died? - Not a lot.
- Why? Did you fall out? - Why on earth would be interested in him? I'm investigating his death.
They say he'd made a lot of enemies.
I wondered if you were one of them.
What are you insinuating? No, what are you insinuating? Everyone knows he consorted with gamblers and criminals.
- Calm down, I'm only asking.
- Ask somebody else.
Calm down, Jimmy.
You're walking yourself to the gallows.
I can handle men like him.
(TAKES A DEEP BREATH) Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't those documents confidential? I was merely that is I was (SIGHS) Guilty as charged.
I'm just used to looking after the chief's interests.
Feeling a little left out, are we? Come on now.
We just have to accept that the chief operates in a wider world we have no part in.
Perhaps you'd like to explain what the Whiteleys floor plans are doing spread out on your desk? Hm? What are you - Go away, ma'am.
- I just want to talk to you.
Stay there.
- Is she yours? - Whose else's would she be? I take it this is the reason why you lost your previous position? You don't know anything about me.
So put me right.
(KNOCK ON DOOR) Oh, Mr Crabb.
What can I do for you? Mr Selfridge, I have a confession to make.
I've read the documents supporting the purchase of Whiteleys.
That's my personal business, Mr Crabb.
- That's a serious offence.
- Oh.
- Oh, I feel terrible.
I promise you - I'm teasing you, Mr Crabb.
How very droll.
Whiteleys accounts are, to be frank, a mess.
I had to fire the chief accountant, one of Whiteleys old boys.
It's quiet here at the moment.
I'd be happy to pop to Bayswater and see if I can impose some order on the chaos.
I'm not sure what the Selfridges board would say about that.
I won't tell them if you won't.
Thank you, Mr Crabb, I would appreciate that.
(CLEARS THROAT) - Yes? - Arthur Crabb, I'm from Selfridges.
- I did call.
- Yes.
Good afternoon.
Would you be so good as to point me in the direction of Accounts? Of course.
Is there anything I can do to help? A cup of tea, please.
A strong one.
Can I help you, Mr Towler? No, sir.
I'm fine.
Jolly good.
(SIGHS) - (RATTLING) - Please don't lock up, I'm still here! - Mildred.
- If the mountain won't come to Muhammad.
It's only a cold collation.
A little ham, beef, tomatoes from the greenhouse.
Look at you, all alone in the dark.
- Haven't you done enough for Harry Selfridge? - It's become a habit.
I don't seem to be able to stop myself.
You're too good to him, I've always said.
Oh.
(SNIFFS) And you're too good to me.
Hm.
Here, have some tea.
- Oh, Arthur, I'm so sorry.
- No matter.
You couldn't possibly make it any more chaotic.
Is something the matter? (CLEARS THROAT) You were late home yesterday, Meryl.
Is Fashion keeping you busy? I I visited Miss Brockless.
Oh, and how is Tilly? Pretty desperate, which is understandable seeing as Father sacked her.
What? Well, when did this happen? This isn't appropriate, particularly in front of the children.
- I don't mind.
- She had a baby out of wedlock.
- Did she? Did you expect her to talk to you about that? I was thinking of Selfridges reputation.
What's that got to do with it? Work was hell, thanks to Miss Ellis.
She was engaged to the father.
When his parents found out, they packed him up and shipped him off.
It was only afterwards she realised she was pregnant.
You and I can hardly judge.
That was different.
- What was different? - That is quite enough, Ernest.
- I didn't do anything.
- I know.
I'm sorry, I should never have said that in front of your children.
I have to go to work.
I thought you said you were going to retire? I've been at Selfridges for 30 years, I can't walk away in a day.
Have you told Mr Selfridge yet? Not yet.
But I will.
I'm beginning to get a grip on the situation.
I'm afraid it's not good news.
Several suppliers refuse to do business until several outstanding debts have been met.
What the hell have those Whiteley brothers been up to? Contact those suppliers and extend our credit.
- Let them know Whiteleys is under new ownership.
- I've already tried.
- They won't be moved.
- All of them? - I'm afraid so.
The fact you're new owners makes them believe there's new resources.
They'll only accept cash payment.
- They want their balance sheets cleared.
- That's ridiculous.
I'm surprised the accountants didn't bring this to your attention.
- Um - We need to find out the state of our store.
What about the other stock rooms? This room leads to the store room.
He's right, we're almost out of stock.
I don't have any more money for this.
So what's the answer? - I've used up all my contingency.
- None of us have spare cash.
And if we can't get credit then we can't get stock.
- No stock and we're out of business.
- We'll find a way to solve this.
Good morning.
Madame Rennard.
Miss Ellis, I wonder if you could furnish me with Tilly Brockless' address? - I'm not sure I hold it.
- It'll be in the staff ledger.
I need it so I can reinstate her.
So you're happy for some girls to get special treatment, are you? It seems to me you and your girls have been giving Miss Brockless VERY special treatment.
Miss Brockless did not fit.
If you insist on overruling me on this then I'll have to consider my position.
- Very well, I accept.
- What? - Unless I'm mistaken, you just tendered your resignation.
- That's certainly what I heard.
- I've done nothing wrong.
Then you'll know how it feels.
- Keep your head down.
- I never did nothing, it was all you.
- Oh, really? - Yes.
Mr Grove, are you quite well? Oh.
It was my daughter that discovered Miss Brockless was the victim of a bullying campaign.
It's my duty to put the situation right.
I'm sorry, but you're in no fit state to go anywhere.
I know Miss Brockless.
Why don't I go and see her? Thank you.
Meryl was only standing up for what is right.
- I'd hate to let Meryl down.
- I'm sure I can persuade her to return.
Thank you.
Fourth floor, please.
(DING) Thank you.
(GROANS SOFTLY) (BREATHES HEAVILY) Oh, Mrs Grove.
- Oh, how are you? - I'm quite all right, I just had a bit of a turn.
- He collapsed.
- What? I'm feeling much better.
Thank you.
Roger Thank you, Miss Plunkett.
Roger, what's going on? I think I've been leaning a little too heavily on my medication.
Well, how much have you been taking? Well, I needed to finish my work.
But you said you wanted to retire.
I did, then the chief bought Whiteleys and I saw him starting a new chapter and I confess, I wanted to be a part of it.
Oh.
So I've been devising a business plan.
It's stupid, I know, I shall never go there, but it made me feel like I had a future, too.
Ridiculous.
I shall retire today.
Has Mr Selfridge seen this? Mrs Grove, I don't think we have enough time for this.
Please, just two minutes.
Mr Grove has been working on a business plan to reinvigorate Whiteleys.
I think you should look.
Thank you.
(CLEARS THROAT) Chief.
The first thing I'd change is the layout of the store.
It's an elementary mistake to lead in with menswear, as we know.
It's the women who lead their husbands into the store.
- (CHUCKLES) - So by rearranging Perfume, Cosmetics and Stationery we can place Accessories on the floor and then this area, which is completely unused, could be for cross-promotion display.
So four departments on the ground floor as opposed to three.
- Very impressive.
- We could single some departments out for a daily sales review.
Perhaps, er, Perfume? Accessories has the broadest range of suppliers.
It could provide the fastest picture of the store.
I wish you all worked for Whiteleys.
Fantastic.
With all you by my side, I feel I can do anything.
Actually, my wife is insisting that I retire, and she's right.
It's high time I started to slow down.
- It's such a shame, Mr Grove.
You'll be sorely missed.
- Indeed you will, by none more than me.
- Selfridges has been my life.
I shall miss you all very dearly.
Perhaps you would consider acting as an advisor to Whiteleys and help us implement some of these ideas? - As long as it were no more than one day a week.
- Of course.
I could probably manage two.
- Jimmy.
- Hm.
- I haven't had a chance to congratulate you on Whiteleys.
Thank you, Mae.
And how's everything else with you? You seemed a little, erm, shaken up by that journalist at the launch.
- Everything's fine.
- It didn't look fine.
He was just asking about my business.
Sorry, I've got to dash.
(GROANS SOFTLY) - All right? - Yes.
Oh.
May I get you anything? I have everything I want.
- Hm.
- Ah.
Thank you.
- I'm not coming back.
- Oh.
Have you found something better? I will.
Your friend Meryl fought very hard to get you reinstated.
- I didn't ask for her charity.
- No, I think you call it loyalty.
Yeah, well, I'm not going back there, with everyone judging me.
- Who's judging you? - You, for starters.
I spent five years on the stage.
Do you think you're the first girl I've met left holding a baby? - You were on the stage? - Not a very respectable one, at that.
- What about Miss Ellis? - She no longer works at Selfridges.
You're very talented.
It would be a shame to see all that go to waste.
I'll hold your position open until the morning.
(CAR DOOR CLOSES) Hello? He's gone.
He's gone.
(SNIFFLES) I should have been here.
I was so stupid.
I thought we had months.
It was very quick.
He just fell asleep.
The last thing we did was fight.
He loved you and he knew you loved him.
(KISSES HAND) Yes.
I'm sorry? Thank you.
(THEY TALK SOFTLY) Roger's gone.
What do you mean, gone? He passed away this afternoon.
What? MR CRABB: Mr Grove was very ill.
It's something he bravely chose to keep to himself.
Mr Grove worked here from the very beginning.
His labours are in every brick of this building, every department, every display.
He was as much a part of the store as my name.
He was my friend and part of the the wider Selfridge family to which we all belong.
(SNIFFLES) I came as soon as I could.
Mr Selfridge, you didn't have to.
What else was I going to do? How am I going to look after them? I don't know the first thing about being a mother.
You just have to be there.
They're at sea, they just need something to cling on to.
We wasted so much time and danced around for years, Roger and I, yet we had so little time.
But you were together in the end.
That's what matters.
(SIGHS) We certainly knew when Roger was in the building.
Yes.
However much I liked Mr Grove, I used to be terrified of him.
Really? He was always delightful to me.
He used to give me sherbets from the cafe.
This is when I first went to work at the store.
Roger had mellowed considerably by your time.
I don't think he cracked a smile once in the first year, right, Mr Crabb? I seem to remember there wasn't a great deal to smile about.
We almost didn't open, several times.
And we wouldn't have if it weren't for him.
I remember those days.
I was a lonely assistant.
- I used to hide from Mr Grove when he came down.
- You didn't.
- I did.
He must've thought I was hopping the work.
(POLITE CHUCKLING) - Mr Grove.
- ALL: Mr Grove.
Thank you for coming.
I've arranged for my car to take you home.
- We don't want to be any trouble.
- I think just this once.
Thank you.
- Thank you, chief.
- You're welcome.
I'm going up.
That was a lovely evening, Pa.
Good night, sweetheart.
- Good night, Mae.
- Good night.
Thank you.
I should be going, too.
Don't.
If I stay longer, people will talk.
I don't want to be alone.
That's not a very flattering reason to ask a woman to stay the night.
I mean it.
Stay with me.
We've entrusted our brother to God's mercy and we now commit his body to the ground.
Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust in sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life through our Lord, Jesus Christ, who will transform our frail bodies that they may be conformed to his glorious body, who died, was buried and rose again for us.
To him be glory forever.
Amen.
ALL: Amen.
- (CRIES) - It's OK.
Don't cry.
Mae, wait.
Let me accompany you.
Harry, we can't do this.
I'm your employee.
For heaven's sake.
We both have our reputations.
I don't care about that.
I know what I feel.
Then you must know how I feel.
The last few days have been awful.
- It's hard to even think clearly.
- Let us at least talk - No, not now.
I need to offer my condolences.
- Josie.
- Mae.
- I am so sorry.
- Thank you.
And Meryl, I saw your father not long before he died.
He clearly cared about you very deeply.
What are you talking about? He reinstated Miss Brockless because of you.
It was very important to him.
He thought the world of you, my dear.
Oh, my dear Meryl.
I was such a spoilt brat.
No, you were difficult and stubborn and you stood up for what you believed in, just like him.
You are your father's daughter, Meryl.
He's in everything you do.
He was so proud of you.
And so am I.
I hear you've got a car, Ernest.
It's a Roadster.
I have a model of it.
- Why don't you show me? - It may not be the right time to play with toys.
I'm sure it'll be fine.
I used to look after Ernest for a little while.
You'll be a great father.
I'm not sure I know what that means.
Mine wasn't much of a role model.
Mine wasn't around at all.
Doesn't mean we have to repeat their mistakes.
You have a lot to look forward to.
Sounds like I'm not the only one.
They say with Whiteleys you'll have a mile of windows in London.
Hm.
Madame Rennard.
Joe Tooby, London Herald.
- I wondered if I might have a word? - Hardly the time.
- How well do you know Jimmy Dillon? - I've just been to a funeral.
I'm investigating the death of Victor Colleano.
I asked Mr Dillon and he acted like I was accusing him of something.
Were they enemies? Wait, you asked Jimmy about Victor at the Whiteleys launch? Yeah.
Why? No reason.
I'm going to find out what happened, so you may as well talk to me now.
- He'll be missed.
- He was a good man.
Thank you so much for coming.
Bye.
George.
(WEEPS) - Josie.
- No, Meryl, you shouldn't have to see me like this.
You don't need to be strong for me.
Why don't we just try and be there for each other? I found myself drawn here.
It's hard to believe.
We were here with him just the other day.
We should do something with his model.
Put it under glass.
The best thing we can do to commemorate him is to put his ideas into action.
We need to find a way of buying stock first.
I think I have an answer to that.
You could sell sand in the Sahara, but you still need sand.
Selling the provincial stores to property developers means we have warehouses full of stock with no stores to put it in.
This'll be a temporary fix, but we can sell the stock to Whiteleys.
So the stores no longer need to pay for storage and won't be lumbered with last year's merchandise.
- Everybody wins.
As Chief Executive of those stores, I'm happy to offer Whiteleys credit.
What are we waiting for? The stock needs to be on the shelves by opening time.
Not a word to anyone.
Come on then, lads.
Our suppliers wouldn't be happy to hear about this.
- You Selfridges are incredible.
- We're just getting started.
(BELL RINGS) Well, this is a pleasant surprise.
Come in.
Can I get you a drink? I'll come straight to it.
Why did you lie to me? That journalist.
You told me he just asked you routine business questions.
- He did.
- He asked you about Victor.
- Yes, my business with Victor.
He told me he specifically asked you about Victor's death and that you reacted suspiciously.
- You think I had something to do with it? - Did you? - How can you think that, Mae? - I've seen your temper.
Yes.
I blow up once in a while and I'm not proud of it.
But do you really think I'm capable of murder? (EXHALES DEEPLY) I'm sorry, Jimmy.
I know we've had our differences, but you've been closer to me than anyone.
Victor's death, it's upset me so much that I I don't know what to think any more.
(SIGHS) That reporter works for Lord Wynnstay.
He's after anything he can smear Harry with.
I'm his business partner, I'm fair game.
If they blacken my name, they bring him down.
You know what the press are like, Mae.
I'm sorry to say it, but you're helping them stir up trouble, for me and Harry.
Mae, have you thought what this could do to him? Just how damaging it could be? Oh, I'm so sorry, Jimmy, I shouldn't have come here.
Good night.
(DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES) Now Whiteleys is on an even keel I need to leave it with you a while.
We haven't balanced sales against the flow of stock.
We'll have to close in three days if we can't restock the shelves.
Mr Crabb told me he asked you to come back.
Now I'm asking.
- Why have you been avoiding me? - I'm not.
- I'm not blind.
- Even since we spent the night together.
- Argh! Your wife's gone into labour.
- Anything on Harry's new business partner? - I'm still digging.
Unless it's rock solid, shut it down.