- [thump on window] - [group chuckling, distant]
[thump on window]
[indistinct shouting]
["Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" playing]
[all laughing, exclaiming]
[thump on window]
[Theo sighs] I'm calling us the winners. Joint winners.
- Joint snowball champions. - [chuckles]
- Look who's arrived. - Yes. Here I am. [chuckles]
Your Grace.
Delighted you could make it. And did you arrive with--
[chuckles] Finally, the fun's here. I see Guy's looking after you.
[Jean] Oh, we're looking after each other.
[Theo] Welcome, both of you.
Does Mother know you're here? [speaks indistinctly]
[continues, indistinct]
And thank you for taking care of my best man.
Is that what I am?
Well, I hope so. [chuckles]
Who else would do it? My mother in a tailcoat?
[chuckles]
Come here. [chuckles] Thank you.
[Theo] Right. It's Christmas Eve. Let's spend it with the ones we love most.
["North American Scum" playing]
[both mumbling, chuckling]
Are any of them actually alive in there?
[both chuckle]
You know, Miles is funny and charming.
And he has that penniless second-son-thing of having to marry money.
That's exactly what I look for.
You know, Mother will haul us home next month
if you're still horrifyingly unmarried.
Oh, it's Christmas. It's no time to think about home.
- [chuckles] - And if you wanna stay so badly,
why don't you marry him?
I love you!
You know they're waiting to see if we get into an argument?
Can nobody understand "amicably apart"?
Should we just pretend to get into a fight,
- for the drama? [chuckles] - [chuckles]
I could grab your hair.
I'm sorry. I didn't-- I didn't-- I didn't mean it like that.
I think we both know who likes to have their hair pulled, Dicky.
[chuckles]
Mabel! [chuckling]
[Mabel] No!
[all chuckling]
[Jinny coughing]
I love you, Jinny.
I love you.
Sounds like Conchita.
I wish we could spend Christmas on our own.
With your friends...
sometimes you're not as easy to love.
Oh, I'm sorry. I--
Jinny.
Only us.
- Only us. Always. - [chuckles]
[inhales sharply] Now...
what are you gonna wear?
[Jinny sniffs]
[sniffing]
Round off the edges, and don't leave yourself undefended.
Snowballing.
[chuckles]
Vital to have rules, as so often in life.
If your gloves need drying...
May I?
They say a glove
can be a useful tool for communication.
"I'm engaged."
"I wish I were with you."
"Would you pass me those nuts?"
- [laughs] - [chuckles]
[Nan] Yeah.
I prefer speaking plainly rather than in code.
Take plenty.
Christmas is a time for keeping our families tight
- and our corsets loose. - [chuckles]
- I barely fasten mine. - [chuckles]
What a pleasure to have you with us this year.
Of course, Theodore is only truly happy near his beach and studio,
in what I call "extravagant isolation."
Though somehow this year,
despite Scotland being a very long way from Cornwall,
there's a smile on his face, which I can only assume is down to you.
One Christmas, he set up his new train set under his bed,
and we didn't see him for three days.
The servants had to leave plates of food for him, like a cat.
[chuckles]
He was 23.
[chuckles]
Six or seven, I believe.
Best Christmas of his life, he's always said.
Till this year, I suspect.
You've pleased him more than I could ever have imagined.
Oh, he pleases me too.
I mean, we just-- We-- We enjoy each other's company.
[Mabel] And what shall we call our snow child? [chuckles]
- Hmm. He looks like a lord. - Lord Snowman.
- That's his name. [chuckles] - [chuckles]
I think we make a pretty good team, you and I.
[Lizzy] Jinny! Come play with us!
- Faster. Come on. Giddyup. What is this? - [Lizzy] I'm not weak. [chuckles]
- Oh, come on. - [Conchita] What is this, Lizzy?
- [Lizzy] I'm no-- [grunts] I'm not weak. - [Conchita] Come on. Faster!
Come on. Giddyup, Lizzy. Come on.
- Jinny, come play with us! - [Conchita] Oh, Jinny's here.
Where have you been hiding? Come on. [laughing]
Oh, Lizzy. [laughs]
Why don't you get on, and I'll pull you.
You've got the strength of an ant. [gasps]
- [yells] - Oh! Are you okay?
- [Lizzy] Yeah. It's all right. I'm fine. - I'm so sorry. Let me help you get up.
- I'm so sorry. Are you sure? - [Lizzy] I said-- I'm fine, really. Yeah.
[Conchita grunts]
- No... [stammers] ...I-I-I-- - [Conchita] Oof.
[Lizzy sighs]
No, I don't need any-- any help. I'm--
[Seadown grunts]
[Conchita] Wow.
Look how big and strong your husband is, Jinny. [chuckles]
Oh! You're so... [speaks indistinctly]
All that Jinny wants,
all we both want,
is to have a wonderful first Christmas together.
And I know she'd feel very upset if there was any kind of fuss.
Don't you think?
[Lizzy crying]
I was hoping to see you earlier.
Hmm. Yes, I thought during all that snowballing and whooping
you were probably really looking for me.
That evening, after we'd been at the boathouse, I was awful.
I'm so sorry. My mouth sometimes--
I don't know anything about your mouth.
Well, I feel terrible.
- I-I shouldn't have-- - It was entirely new for me.
What happened.
What we did.
What I felt.
All of it. It was all new.
And I'm so sorry that I... [breathes shakily]
I felt it too.
Happy Christmas.
It's a silly--
Probably.
The two of them, they reminded me of--
I-I mean they do not do what we did, those two. Not even slightly.
Which is bad luck for them, actually.
But that would be a different kind of music box.
I just-- The way they seemed to be together...
Anyway, um...
Lizzy and I will have to go back to New York soon.
And actually, I've thought of a way to stay,
but in case my plan doesn't work out...
- [stammers] - Good luck, Honoria.
[Lizzy] You remember we were playing sardines, looking for Mabel?
It was a time when Seadown was--
He was very focused on me.
We went into a bedroom to look, and I thought--
You went into a bedroom?
He told me to undress.
So I did.
I was naked.
I lay on a bed.
I didn't know what I was supposed to do.
[clicks tongue]
What did he do?
After a while, he left.
[inhales shakily] He sent in a servant to tell me that he wasn't coming back.
I was humiliated.
Which was the idea, I suppose. To make me feel worthless. And it worked.
I wanted to be alone with him, I think.
Perhaps, I even wanted to kiss him.
I was so ashamed.
- Why-- Why are you telling me this now? - [sighs]
I'm worried about you.
You said yourself that he sometimes wants you to be something that you're not.
- No, stop saying it. Stop it. - I know. I know you wanted a husband.
- We were both told to want that endlessly. - No. I love him.
- Okay, it's not just-- - But I don't think
that he loves you the way that you hope to be loved.
[inhales sharply] So you're not saying that James forced you into that room?
Did he force you to take your clothes off?
Did he rip off your dress?
Did he push you onto the bed?
That's not what I said.
He didn't make you do anything.
And when you undressed, he left, like a gentleman.
Lizzy, if you regret debasing yourself, well, that's hardly James's fault.
But he is my husband.
He chose me, and I will always choose him.
["It's Not Just Me, It's Everybody" playing]
[Miss Testvalley] Wakey-wakey.
Who doesn't enjoy a Christmas nap?
Essential.
Thank you.
For being here. And for looking after everything.
[Minnie coos]
Here's my girl. [grunts]
Oh, my little treasure.
There's my girl. Hmm?
[chuckles]
[sighs]
[breathing deeply]
[exhales sharply]
[knocking, door opens]
Wrong room?
[breathes deeply]
I've been trying to learn how to be less reserved.
You are not reserved.
Perhaps, I'm riddled with secret shyness.
[chuckles] I saw your knickers before I saw your face.
[both chuckle]
Honoria.
Is there, perhaps, a man who's caught your eye?
No, there's no man.
You know,
confidence is not just ribbons or flowers in your hair.
There's a kind of glow that comes with understanding yourself.
Which I believe you have.
And it's absolutely beautiful.
[both chuckle]
And underwear helps, of course, too.
- [chuckling] - Fantastic underwear.
[both chuckle]
You know, Richard is unhappy all the time without you.
Well, we're both entirely miserable.
But he could have me back in an instant if only he chose to let go.
Of what?
Whatever's holding him back.
I was just eating a walnut.
I'm happy for you.
- And I've got mulled wine. Mmm. - Mmm. Big day.
- I'm here with Theo. - Your fiancé.
And you're here with Jean.
Have you brought me in here to confirm the facts?
I don't wanna talk about what happened when we--
[Guy] Well, let's not then. Absolutely.
[Nan] Sometimes I feel very panicked about the idea
of trying to fit the whole world into one lifetime.
Do you know what I mean?
I had one of these. [sighs]
I put pins in every place I wanted to visit.
And where do you wanna go now?
[Guy] A million places.
But recently, I can only concentrate on one of them.
I want to make clear...
before we met,
I did think, briefly, a rich bride might be the answer.
To save the house.
Perhaps, like a fool, I thought it might save my mother.
But that was before I met you.
Nan, when I met you, it was immediately, entirely real.
In any case, our house is gone.
My mother's gone.
[scoffs]
And the telegram? The lost telegram.
What did it say?
It said...
"Enjoy your trip with your fiancé. And, perhaps, I'll see you one of these days."
Well, Jean seems really lovely.
[Guy] She really is, in fact.
Yeah, she's full of surprises.
And I hear her family has money.
So, perhaps, your wish might come true after all.
Theo will be looking for me.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. [laughs]
[cooing]
[Richard] Look how strong you are. [exclaiming]
- Yes. [chuckles] - [Conchita] Hey.
- Oh, sorry. It's your turn. I-I can leave. - [chuckles] No, stay.
You know, Minnie adores this ball.
- Look. - [gasps]
What's that? What's that?
- She loves it. I don't know why. - It's her favorite ball.
- It's her favorite ball. [laughs] - No, you can't eat it.
Minnie, Minnie. Minnie, careful.
- [cooing] - [both chuckling]
[Richard, Conchita chuckling]
- [Conchita] Good girl! [chuckles] - [Richard] Well done.
[Richard, Conchita chuckling]
- [Richard, Conchita, indistinct] - [chuckles]
I like your flower, Lady Honoria.
Oh.
It must feel strange, Miss Testvalley,
to spend every Christmas with someone else's family.
Well, that's the job.
And I pride myself on being more than simply--
- Oh! You're indispensable. - [Miss Testvalley sighs]
You were the only governess to attempt to teach me French.
Bien sûr. [chuckles]
Not easy to find new horizons in that house.
But Richard's married now.
He has a real chance at happiness.
And freedom.
Merry Christmas.
Why did you ask me to marry you?
You'd ignored me the previous night when we were all playing games.
Then-- Then in the morning you appeared with a ring.
Virginia, I don't find it easy to show warmth.
You've met my family.
At Runnymede, I was trying to win the hand of the most beautiful woman in the room.
You make me nervous.
Only you.
I-- [stammers] I have to say this out loud.
Lizzy said that when we were all playing games, the two of you...
upstairs...
[scoffs]
So, that's it? I'm nothing to you?
[gasps] James, please.
I told her that I didn't wanna hear it.
I told her that you would never do it.
I told her that I would always choose you ove-- over anyone.
[sighs]
- Mmm. Have you tried these? - [Miles sighs]
- [both chuckling] - [Miles gasps]
Thank God you're here.
Oh, we'd be lost without each other.
The others just don't understand us.
We're free spirits. [chuckles]
Not free for long.
My parents are planning to marry me off to some rich bore.
If only we could both find spouses who'd just let us do as we please.
Miles...
[Duchess of Tintagel] Uh. Somebody who's a-- a woman.
- Florence Nightingale. - Mm-mmm.
- [Guy] Waiter... uh... - [Duchess of Tintagel] Um, pouring...
- a chemist. A scientist. Uh... - ...uh, a doctor...
- uh, bar-- bar-- barman. - [Duchess of Tintagel] Um, tea.
- Cup of tea. Uh, me. I'm a window opener. - [Theo] Honoria. Honoria, uh...
- Honoria. - Oh! It's Mr. James Bullman.
Who?
Mr. James Bullman, he delivers the milk to my parents.
[chuckles]
If we knew him,
- I'm sure it would have been very good. - Oh, I just--
I didn't know anybody. He normally delivers...
- [Miles] Everybody, can I just-- - ...the milk to my parents.
Mabel Elmsworth, this may be rather sudden.
But, sometimes,
something just comes along that makes such complete sense.
Will you marry me?
[gasps] And stay in England as your wife?
That would-- I believe it would be absolutely perfect.
- [both chuckling] - [guests applauding]
Well done. Just right.
Mabel, what on Earth?
It works for us all. Now, Mother can't drag us home.
But...
Mabel, you don't actually-- You don't love him.
No. I mean, no more than he loves me.
But which married couple can honestly say they're in love?
[dramatic music playing]
[Jean sighs] Could you bear it?
Waiting all that time.
I mean, it's practically Boxing Day. [chuckles]
Happy Christmas.
[chuckles]
It's cheese.
- You are a very surprising woman. - [Jean chuckles]
I've been dreading Christmas this year.
You've made it so much--
Would you like to go for a ride tomorrow?
Miss Christmas lunch and avoid the madness.
[sighs] I'd like that very much.
- Will you bring your cheese? - Cheese is the main event.
[knocks on door]
[Jinny] James?
James?
James, I'm so sorry.
What can I do?
All I ever do is make you quite certain of my devotion to you.
I trust you. With everything in my life, you are my life. I have no secrets.
Can you say the same?
It's hurtful that you never give me cause to believe you trust me.
I do. I do trust you. I choose you.
Yet, you hang on to these childish notions
of being a sister, and a daughter, and a friend,
whispering with them about God knows what.
How do I know you truly love me?
Without reservation. How do I know you value me above all others?
Prove it to me.
Please.
["Little Saint Nick" playing]
This is how things should be.
I've been waiting for you.
[sighs] I'm going to be a better man.
I promise. I'll show you.
You just have to show yourself.
- [knocking on door] - Ugh.
- [chuckling] - Don't answer it.
We have to. [chuckles]
[clears throat] Come in.
- Merry Christmas, Lady Marable. - [Conchita] Merry Christmas.
- [Miss Testvalley] Lord Marable. - [sniffs]
I've come to say my goodbyes.
I've been offered a position in Cornwall, which I've accepted.
You're leaving? But it's Christmas Day.
I'm afraid I'm required urgently.
My carriage is being prepared.
[Conchita] What can we do? How can we persuade you--
I'm afraid I'm quite decided, Lady Marable.
I wish you both good luck, and I should be glad to have news of you all.
But I think it's time to move on.
For all of us.
Minnie will be dressed and ready whenever you are.
[knock on door]
Your Grace, Merry Christmas.
I hope you've had a really wonderful s--
I'm going to ask you to pack your bags and leave immediately.
[chuckles] Oh, is this-- Are you--
I've recently been made aware of your predicament.
Your being the product of your father's indiscretion.
We'll make it public your father is unwell,
and you had to return to America.
By next season, I'm quite sure everyone will have forgotten--
Wait, wait, wait. But how do you-- [stammering] Who told you?
Theo will be hurt, of course.
But he'll see entirely your union isn't possible.
But only yesterday you said
how much he loved me and how much I please him.
This is not about anything as trivial as love, Annabel.
If you were to marry my son,
you'd destroy 500 years of civility and sacrifice.
Heredity, I'm afraid, is not one of those silly games you're fond of.
But no one knows. No one has to know. We don't have to tell anyone.
[Duchess Tintagel] I'm as sorry as anyone that you lied, Annabel.
I know you come from a country
where people aren't burdened by the rules of propriety,
but in this country, that kind of behavior is quite inexcusable.
I fully expect not to see you again.
["Yo! My Saint" playing]
[Richard] Laura.
Please don't go. Stay.
You're doing a fine job of standing on your own feet, Lord Richard.
Your own family.
No need for old attachments.
Minnie will miss you terribly. So will Conchita.
Not a moment of this is about Conchita.
She's just the latest in a long line of people who will never understand us.
Did you tell her?
- Happy Christmas? - No. No.
About me. About my mother.
Nan, of course not. I told you I wouldn't.
But you're the only other person that...
I may have wondered about telling once, but when I said I wouldn't, I meant it.
And after everything-- All this being pulled into rooms and...
So, if the duchess knows, does that mean...
I'm not getting married. You can be quite certain of that.
And how do you feel?
How do you feel about not getting married?
Relieved.
I didn't expect to say that.
I have to go and tell him.
[stammers] Nan.
Jinny.
Jinny did what she thought was best, Annabel.
As she always does.
I will never forgive you.
Not ever.
I will lose everything just because you are--
What Jinny wants most of all, Nan, is to avoid embarrassment.
- So if you'd leave quietly-- - Is that what you want? Honestly?
I'm sorry. Truly, I am. I--
But, um, your shame is-- is not my fault.
[scoffs]
A marriage shouldn't be based off of lies. You're right.
And nor should a life.
Who did you tell?
The duchess has been good enough to welcome us for Christmas, my love.
It's absurd to think this would've remained secret.
Better to play it out quickly, without fuss.
If your sister doesn't trust you to do what's best,
I'm afraid it's only further proof that you've grown apart.
Annabel, as discussed, you won't be joining us. Sit down, Theodore.
- Everybody, shall we? - Please. Your Grace, I have wanted--
I have had enough of being frightened,
and I have something that I wanna say out loud.
I'm illegitimate.
My father was unfaithful
and Patricia St. George is not my natural mother.
Although, I've come to believe that motherhood is much more than blood.
And in these last few months, I have felt a million things,
but what I refuse to feel any longer...
is shame.
And that might be American, and that might be brash.
And maybe I should've signaled it with a glove
and hoped that no one would see.
But I am proud to have survived the revelation.
I am proud of my mother.
And I am proud to be...
I'm proud to be.
I'm really sorry for having lied to you.
I was afraid.
Sometimes the more desperate you are to tell somebody something,
the harder it is to say.
But I'm really sorry for having embarrassed you,
and I'm really sorry for having ruined Christmas.
It looks like a lovely lunch.
[Theo] You're quite right, of course.
This entire display has been incredibly American.
But I happen to be very much in love with an American.
I know more than most that we can't choose how we're born.
But we can choose who we are and who we love.
I choose being a person who loves you.
I loved you the moment I saw you, and I will never stop choosing you.
Annabel St. George, you are the woman I want to marry.
That'll never change.
And if necessary, though I know it can be crowded up there on Christmas Day,
I will shout it from the rooftop.
I love you, Nan.
[Jean] I was worried you'd changed your mind.
I haven't. [sighs] Not a bit.
Let's make Christmas less complicated.
Theodore, we need to talk about this in private.
Whoo. [chuckles]
[Lizzy] Whoo-hoo!
[Mabel chuckling]
["Lean In" playing]