Lady Betty.
My cousin Charlotte.
An honor.
Let me introduce Miss Clarissa Harlowe.
Now leave us.
- Oh, but I - Leave us.
And don't presume to return
until you are expressly called for.
I know that nephew of mine.
Now come and sit down.
I want to talk to you.
There is no need for you to explain
who is at fault in this matter.
I know my nephew of old.
What I have to say to you
is not so much for his sake
as for mine,
for Charlotte's,
and for all our family.
We are very well aware of your virtues,
and when we heard that you and he
It seemed the best thing that could happen.
Such a strong moral example!
Such a steadying influence.
I did once hope so.
I once hoped I might be a humble
means of reforming his morals.
But not now.
Now my only resolve is to prevent
him from corrupting mine.
You are stronger than you think, my dear.
The insults you have suffered may be of
too delicate a nature to bear inquiry.
Yet since, happily, he did not
abandon all self-discipline,
and since he is now deeply, and,
I believe, genuinely penitent,
might we just this once, forgive him?
I say "we", because,
an offence to you must be an offence to Charlotte
and an offense to all virtuous women.
He needs you, my dear.
Only you can save him.
And how shall I save myself?
Oh my poor child.
You are so alone.
We must stay with you.
Let us stay with you, may we?
Do say yes.
You must ask Mr Lovelace.
He has engaged all the other rooms.
Fetch Morrison.
Air will do us good.
A walk on the heath,
now and then, a rustic sermon.
Would you object?
Do please say.
- As your ladyship wishes. - Excellent.
Ah nephew. We are staying.
Kindly see about our rooms.
Certainly.
Charlotte, you are the romantic.
You shall have the view of the heath.
Morrison, you must return to town.
We shall need night gowns, walking clothes, parasols,
- I have some letters in my private box. - Certainly. Morrison,
Private letters, I trust nobody with the key.
Oh.
And our jewels! There was the most dreadful
robbery on the heath just two days ago.
Ah, well.
Seems there is no help for it.
We have come unprepared for our country sojourn.
We must return to town and don our rural ribbons and bows.
We shall all go together.
You too my dear.
Oh no, I'll stay.
Nonsense!
She shall not deprive us of the
pleasure of her company, shall she Charlotte?
Morrison, you shall stay here and see about the rooms.
Really, my lady, I'm hardly dressed for visiting.
But you look charming.
- Doesn't she, Charlotte? - Yes!
So...unaffected.
Perhaps...
just...
there.
Ah, Mrs Moore.
It is Mrs Moore, isn't it? Yes, my lady.
Dinner at nine, if you would, for...
...how many are we?
For all of us.
Come, my dear.
There's so much I want to talk to you about.
How happy Lord Marchmont will be to see you.
Really he can talk of no-one else.
Miss Harlowe is his constant theme.
What a pleasure it must be to give so much joy to those you meet.
Where are we? Where are we going?
Is not this our way?
Fool of a man! I told him quite distinctly.
- Hey! - What treachery is this?
Why have you brought me here?
Is this the house you told me?
Nephew, what do you mean by this?
The fool misunderstood me.
But since we are here, I'll just ask if there are any letters.
No!
My dearest [unclear] so wild?
You can stay in the coach if you prefer.
We shall all stay in the coach.
Do not distress yourself, niece.
May I call you that? We shall stay with you.
Any letters for me, Dorcas?
Two sir, and a gentleman,
Mr Doleman, waiting above an hour.
- My dear, are you ill? - No. No, I am well.
I'm quite well. Won't the man drive on?
I'm quite well. Man, drive on!
But we must get out! Nephew, your lady will faint.
Girl, a glass of hartshorn and water.
My dear, you must step out. We must cut your laces.
- No, no. - Do not force her against her will.
Let the coach go on.
My dear, you are ill. I really think you must step out.
Just for a few minutes.
You will come to no harm, we shall stay with you.
Drive on!
Here, drink this.
It will calm you.
There now.
Give me your hand.
Fear nothing.
I will not stir from your side.
Trust me.
You are quite safe.
I will bless your footsteps madam
if once more you honor my home with your presence.
I am here, don't worry.
We shall only stay a few minutes,
just a few minutes.
Come, you, Sinclair, bring us some tea this minute.
We shan't stop long.
This instant.
Lean upon my arm.
How you tremble.
Sit here upon this chair.
There.
The tea will be here soon.
I'm sure it will revive you.
It tastes strange.
It's the London milk.
You must rest.
Likewise,
I shall come back in a few minutes.
Don't leave me.
Don't.
Rest.
I shall return before you know I've gone.
Well, nephew, she's all yours.
It's up to you now.
Can you play your part as well as we played ours?
Bravo, Polly, you were magnificent.
So convincing.
Almost as good as our matchmaker here.
Where's Lady Betty?
They will be here this instant.
I'm so thirsty.
Throat's parched.
Here, drink this.
What is it?
Why am I still here?
- Oh, Lovelace. - Oh, my angel!
- Why this wildness? - Let me go.
Take me out of this vile house.
And what, pray, madam, has this house done to you?
Let me tell you, madam,
I am amazed at the freedoms
you take with my character!
God help me!
Who will protect me?
My dearest love.
No.
No!
What did you drag me here for this time.
The trial is over.
Clarissa lives.
You savage.
How could you?
This'll not be the end of it.
If I was her brother I'd hunt you down!
I will not rest until this violation
has claimed the blood of one of us!
What further evils are reserved for me?
I find I am your prisoner.
Madam.
Clarissa.
I am truly,
truly sorry.
Don't touch me.
I love you.
Some new stratagem?
- Believe me. - Again?
As I believed Captain Tomlinson
and Lady Betty?
How you all must have laughed.
Such a witty masquerade.
Let me make amends.
What?
Can you blot out the past week?
Am I, or am I not,
at my own liberty now?
Or is the pantomime not yet over?
"Once subdued, always subdued."
Is that not one of your maxims?
"Every woman is at heart a rake."
Well?
Do you think to make me your whore?
No.
My wife.
What?
Marry me.
Never.
I warn you, do not make me desperate.
My patience is not inexhaustible.
No other man will have you now.
Depend upon it madam,
you shall be mine.
Yours?
My soul is above you, man.
Urge me not to tell you how sincerely
I know my soul is above you.
I would not bind myself in covenant with you
for a thousand thousand worlds.
More of her nonsense.
Never heard of such a doings in my life between
a chicken of a gentleman and a tiger of a lady.
She's new to it.
Leave her to us.
We'll show her the way.
Why on earth did it take you so long?
She's not getting any comfort from me.
She's one of us now.
She can use her airs and graces
to satisfy some of our young gentlemen.
"Didst ever see a license, Jack?
Can there be so much harm done if it can be
so easily repaired by a few magical words, as
'I, Robert, take thee, Clarissa.'
and 'I, Clarissa, take thee, Robert.'
and all of the rest of the for-better-and-for-worse hocus-pocus."
Stop.
Stop there.
You must not go out, madam.
- How dare you. - Oh, no.
- Mr Lovelace! - I will go!
You have no right.
This is your doing.
You authorized these women.
What right have they, or you, to stop me?
My dear, you are not well.
Indeed, man, I am sick of you!
- Let me go. - Compose yourself.
For your own sake, compose yourself.
Depend upon it, madam,
this is not the way to avoid the evils you dread.
Stay there.
Stop where you are.
Don't touch me.
You fiend.
I will do it.
I'm not afraid to die.
The law shall be my refuge.
The law.
"Oh Jack,
whose triumph now?
Mine or hers?
A woman's tears used to be to me like oil upon a flame.
How can I say the trial is over
when the will, the consent, is lacking?
I can never, never let her go.
My old fool of an uncle, Lord Marchmont,
is dangerously ill.
I must hover dutifully at his bedside
or pop goes my inheritance.
Watch over my charmer for me, Jack.
The Sinclair girls are savages.
Vow for me, swear for me,
bind thy soul to her for my honor.
For I have told her we will marry upon my return."
Muslin?
I wanted silk, Miss Lyons.
With ruffles here and here.
And a big bow!
I was told it was to be a private ceremony.
Everything very simple.
No frills.
You can take the dress off now, madam.
I was told the bride is rather a Puritan.
Oh, her. Nobody minds her.
Mr Lovelace is paying, and
Mr Lovelace likes a show.
Miss Lyons, where are you going?
Miss Clarissa Harlowe?
Yes?
- Who are you? - You must come with us.
- What do you mean? - We have a warrant for your arrest.
That's right, my dearie. Such handsome lodgings.
Who did you think was going to pay for them?
Keep away. Don't let her near me!
A hundred and fifty pounds is no small sum to lose
by a young runaway who would have bilked her lodgings!
- Permit me, madam, to - No.
No, go away.
I beseech you madam, please,
let me take you from this terrible place.
Are you...
I think your name is Belfort.
Yes, it is.
And a constant admirer of your virtues.
No.
Leave me.
I will owe no obligation to a friend of his.
You owe
no obligation to anyone.
The debt is paid.
The arrest was false, madam.
Please.
I have my coach outside.
Are you to be my keeper now?
I would as soon die here as anywhere.
Here.
Take this.
It's all I have left.
If you wish to help me,
take it and pay my jailer the price of these lodgings.
Just keep enough for my decent burial.
- Madam, - Take it!
Why won't you take it?
I have no one else to ask.
Why should marriage be a life sentence?
Why shouldn't men and women do as birds do,
and change partners every year?
Once I am in Parliament I shall
introduce a bill for annual marriages.
What a splendid reform.
Eradicate any number of capital sins at a stroke.
Rape, adultery,
- Bigamy! - dueling,
Murder.
No more domestic bondage,
marriage would be a perpetual honeymoon.
What glorious variety!
The freedom of choice.
Everyone would be married a dozen times at least.
The churches would be the principal marketplace for the fair sex,
congregations would swell,
in short, a total improvement in morals,
manners, and happiness of both sexes.
How does Miss Clarissa Harlowe, sir?
I have not seen Miss Harlowe for some days.
If what we've heard is true, sir,
you have much to answer for on her account.
That lady has so much virtue and so much delicacy
that little sins are great ones in her eyes.
No-one who knows Mr Lovelace believes he can commit little sins.
You are very good to me, Miss D'Oyley.
Indeed, sir, I am not.
There would not be an old maid left in Great Britain and all its territories.
What an odd soul must she be
who could not have her twelve-months trial.
You could distinguish types of women like flowers.
Some are annuals,
and some, perennials.
- I must talk to you. - Not for a kingdom!
Please!
- Only you can speak for me. - Speak for you?
I abhor you, vilest of men! I detest you!
You cannot call me anything worse than I call myself.
I have indeed been the vilest of men, but not now.
Believe me, please!
- But ten words in private. - Not one!
Have you no idea that your actions have caused Miss Harlowe to be imprisoned?
Is everything alright?
I asked but ten words of Miss Howe, sir.
Please, be a witness.
- And you, madam. - Hear, Anna, what he has to say to you.
To get rid of him, hear his ten words.
Lady Elizabeth Lawrence
and Miss Charlotte Montague.
My Lady Betty.
Impersonate me with your strumpets!
You are a disgrace to the name you bear
and a traitor to all around you!
"My dearest sister,
if I did not think my state of health most precarious,
I should hardly dare to write.
It is with trembling that I beg you to intervene with my father,
to revoke that heaviest part of the heavy curse he laid upon me,
which relates to the hereafter.
As for the here,
I have already met with my punishment."
For God's sake,
your father's curse must be lifted.
But she was warned.
She was advised,
her duty was made plain to her.
But our sister chose to place her own selfish inclinations
above all sense of prudence or responsibility.
We can hardly pretend surprise at the result.
What, no pity?
We only wish her conduct had made her case more pitiable.
But it was of her own seeking.
If what she says is true, then she must prosecute.
It is her duty.
Nothing would be had in her favor unless she does.
A modest woman, however just her case,
must surely shrink from the exposure of a public inquisition.
Then if she dare not prosecute, she must marry the fellow.
A husband
makes a charming fig leaf
for a wife's little failings.
I cannot.
You must try.
A little bread and water is all I need.
Come madam.
Resolve to do all in your power to get well,
and you'll soon be better.
No sin attaches to you.
Read it.
St Augustine.
I have already done so.
The City of God is my soul's ease.
"Bodily chastity is not lost,
even when the body has been ravished,
while the mind's chastity endures.
Therefore when a woman has been ravished without her consent,
and forced by another's sin,
she has no reason to punish herself
by a voluntary death."
Death is not a punishment,
death is my friend.
The only real dishonor is compromise and self-betrayal.
That is my independence.
"My dearest Anna,
truest friend,
do not grieve for me.
Adversity, you once told me, is my shining-time.
And so I believe it is.
Never prefer a libertine to a man of honor.
You see I'm better at giving advice than taking it.
Mr Hickman is a man of honor.
You must marry him.
Farewell beloved friend,
your Clarissa"
One pair of steps, is it not? I've found her.
Who's there?
Lovelace.
Is she here?
Get back!
- Jack, - Stop!
Do you want to kill her?
- Let me pass. - Never!
Not one word.
I warn you,
I am in earnest!
So am I!
I will not draw, sir.
I will have her, my heart is set on it.
I will have her, even on her deathbed.
Then you'll have to kill me first.
Was Lovelace here?
He's gone now.
Can he never leave me in peace?
Will he pursue me to the grave?
Wait.
"Mr Lovelace,
I have good news to tell you.
I am setting out,
with all speed, for my father's house.
I hope he will receive his poor penitent
with a goodness peculiar to himself.
I beg you sir,
do not disturb or interrupt me.
I beseech you do not.
I pray you may so redeem yourself that
we may, one day, meet again in His presence."
Mr Lovelace.
I've a new face for you.
A peach,
just to your taste.
This way.
She's new to the game, and must be waited on.
Oh, Mr Lovelace,
my soul is above you.
But my body!
There.
Set it down.
What shocking sight is this?
Why shocking?
Are we shocked in church to see the monuments of our ancestors
with whom we hope one day to rest in peace?
See!
My palace.
Proud to the last.
Dig a hole deep enough to conceal this unhappy body,
for I fear that those who would not stir to protect me living
will move heaven and earth to avenge me dead.
He begs you on his knees.
Just one last time to see him.
To forgive him.
No.
How can he ask?
How can you?
He has my forgiveness,
tell him that.
But I cannot, cannot see him.
Tell him,
I not only forgive him,
but if my suffering could in any way atone for his sins,
my last tears should fall on his behalf.
I could have loved him.
- A week! - At most.
- It cannot be longer. - Oh, Clary!
Oh, my child!
All she asks, is that the curse be lifted from her,
and that she may have your blessing.
- Is this another one of her fetches? - James!
No child should be forgiven who has so
flagrantly defied the most indulgent of parents.
Are you, sir, to be taught, by an unfeeling son,
to forget you are a father?
God forbid she should be quite lost.
Let me go to her. Let me bring her home.
No!
If she ever enters these doors again, I shall leave.
Then leave!
The child has suffered enough.
Do not be sad.
I am not sad.
Rejoice with me,
that all my worldly troubles are so near an end.
Mr Belford.
Bless,
oh, bless you all.
Oh come,
blessedly, Lord Jesus.
I will have my revenge on them!
I shall sweep away every last vestige
of the Harlowe tribe from the face of the earth!
What hecatombs shall be offered up to my Clarissa Lovelace?
Starting with yourself.
You betrayed her.
Take care, Jack,
I love you like a brother, though I warn you,
- do not provoke me. - You violated her,
- you killed her. - No!
Don't play the moralist with me.
A rake's a rake, Jack.
We're two of a kind, you and I.
Always hunted as a pair,
I only seem more wicked, because I am handsome,
and you are ugly. Some poor frightened,
poor soul always throws herself into my paws,
- not into yours. - Have you learned nothing?
What is there to learn?
Is death the natural consequence of rape?
You are not so innocent, my friend.
You knew my plans,
every detail, every stratagem,
every disguise.
And what did you do?
How did you try to save her?
But as guilty as I am,
more,
at least I don't pretend to piety.
Is this some pretence?
Bet you virtue I did not offence!
Jack!
Lovelace!
Well done, Jack.
You have avenged her well.
One man cannot have every woman worth having.
God have mercy on your soul!
Clarissa...
...let this redeem my sins.
Dearly beloved, we are gathered here
in the sight of God, and in the face of this congregation,
to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony.
Therefore, if any man can show with just cause
why they may not be lawfully joined together,
let him speak now.
...and these leases, inventories, tenancy agreements,
- The rents are mine! - Not in law.
- Do you wish to litigate? - Do you wish to withdraw all your estates?
- Yes, everything. - But we'll be ruined!
Why should we pay the price for Clarissa's willful stupidity?
And I fail to see what making me a beggar does for my sister's reputation!
I should have thought this was a time to pull together!
Exactly!
Money will never pay for what we've done.
This family is broken.
Greed has destroyed its own heart.