[scrubbing]
What's wrong with the lobster?
Her ladyship on her high horse again?
Shh!
[footsteps]
Call this a bleeding mayonnaise?
Well, I followed that recipe you gave me
exactly, madam.
In a pig's ear. It's curdled.
I'll tell you just what went wrong.
The oil you used was cold,
straight out the pantry, right?
When it got too thick,
you bunged in some vinegar,
then more oil, and beat it all up
together, right?
I was in a hurry.
I thought it would save time.
You can save time on most things,
not when you're making a mayonnaise.
I did my best, madam.
No, you didn't, Mrs. Wellkin.
That's the whole point.
Your mind wasn't on it.
I'm sorry.
I'll be more careful in future.
I'll pour it away.
Hold on.
Waste not, want not.
Fetch us an egg.
All right.
Now.
Ta.
Yep. One. Two.
Let me see your cloth.
Ta.
Right.
Now slow and steady does it,
and you can't beat too hard.
Excuse me, ma'am.
Mrs. Wellkin and me, we was wondering
if we could watch the procession.
Eh?
The queen's funeral procession, madam.
Ever so many kings and princes and that
will be there.
Oh. You can go and gawk
if you want to, see her off.
Won't you be watching, madam?
No. I take no pleasure
in funerals.
[bell ringing]
It's the front doorbell, ma'am.
Well, go and answer it then, Ethel.
You know it's Molly's night off.
Time to cool.
Here you are, Mrs. Wellkin.
You beat that.
And add the rest drop by drop.
And let's liven it up a bit, eh?
Where's the lemon?
Won't you please take a seat, major?
No, thank you.
May I offer you a glass of port?
No, thank you, Trotter.
As I said, I was just passing.
Ah. Shocking news.
Yes, indeed.
It must have been worse for you,
being so close to her late majesty
in the household, so to speak.
Yes. Of course, the end had been expected
for some time,
but death always takes us unaware.
Yes, I suppose it does.
Good evening, Mrs. Trotter.
Evening.
Major Farjeon was just passing, my dear.
He's just looked in for a minute.
It's always a pleasure.
Well, I have one or two little things
to attend to.
If you'll excuse me.
LOUISA: How are you, Johnny?
Oh, sorry. Sir John, isn't it,
since the new year?
Johnny will still do fine.
Thought you'd still be in the Isle of Wight.
I have been, yes,
but the lying in state ends on Saturday,
and hi--his majesty asked me to check
on the burial arrangements at Windsor.
It takes a bit of getting used to,
doesn't it?
His majesty.
King Edward, eh?
How is he?
He stood up to it surprisingly well.
Of course, he's not a young man.
He's waited longer than anyone else in history
to become king, nearly 60 years.
Yeah. I've heard him say he waited so long
sometimes he hoped it would never come.
Yes.
There are many who hoped it wouldn't.
Well, they better not say it near me.
Who are they anyway? Who says that?
Oh, many in society and in the government.
They see him only as a man of pleasure.
They don't realize how devoted he is
to his people and country.
So he must be careful not to give ammunition
to those who expect him to be unworthy
of his high position,
and that is really why I'm here.
He won't be calling for a while, eh?
Not for the foreseeable future.
Oh, come on, Johnny.
You don't have to go all round the houses.
Let's have it straight.
He asked me to say that he will always cherish
the fondest memories of your... kindness,
your friendship,
but in the new circumstances,
the special relationship between you
must regretfully be considered as over.
So I won't see him again.
Oh, no. No. He hopes you will still
meet again as friends.
Why, the lease of this house, of course,
is yours and all the furniture and movables,
and if in the future you're in any
financial difficulty...
Oh, no. He's been kind enough already.
I don't want money.
Times change.
Remember, in case of need, you can always call on him.
And now, please, don't bother to show me out.
Thank you for making my mission
so painless, Mrs. Trotter.
Oh, yeah. Louisa will still do fine,
and I hope we're still friends, eh?
You know, Louisa, after two weeks
of full mourning,
it's a blessed relief to spend
a moment or two with someone
as refreshing as yourself.
You've been taking lessons from him, Johnny.
Yes. Well, if you'll collect
his things together,
I'll send a valet round in the morning.
Well, old girl,
you tried all your life to change him.
The only way you could do it was by popping off.
So you're free?
Yeah.
I can't tell you I've prayed for it.
Yeah. I'm relieved, too, in a way.
Louisa, if we could...
Not tonight, love.
We'll talk about it some other time.
Not now.
I'll see you in the morning.
Ahem. It was up to Louisa.
She didn't, uh...
She didn't want anything more from him.
I hope your settlement was generous.
How much did you get?
Uh, nothing.
Nothing?
You're too soft, augustus.
That's always been your trouble.
You should have dealt with it.
You should have got something out of it
to make up for the humiliation.
You'll never stand up for yourself.
Listen. Norah, will you listen?
All I can feel is that I'm glad it's over.
I have Louisa to myself.
She's not the way you think.
There's no one else like her.
She's not fast or flighty.
If she was, I wouldn't have stuck it...
parties, grand living,
all that sort of thing.
She...she don't care for them,
not for herself. She's not after that,
nor money, nor jewelry.
Then what is she after?
I don't know. I wish I did.
Even, well, the other side of it,
she don't seem to care much
for that either, not even with him,
with a prince.
They're more like pals.
Hear them laughing.
He could be natural with her.
It didn't happen very often,
and in between, I was with her,
just the two of us.
But she was never your wife.
[door opens]
What you know?
NORAH: Good morning, Louisa.
What brings you round?
Surely I can visit my own brother.
It seems to me the last words
I heard you say was,
"I shall never darken this doorstep again."
That's just Norah's way, my dear.
That's how it is in families.
It doesn't mean anything.
She has to speak her mind, you see.
Oh. I see.
Well, let bygones be bygones, eh?
I don't mind people speaking their minds.
I've been known to do it meself.
One thing, I'll say, though,
when people speak their minds,
I like them to stick to it,
whatever it is.
And in future, I see they do.
AUGUSTUS: The news from the cape seems better.
Oh!
Kitchener has pushed de Wet and his army
right back across the Orange River.
Hooray!
Louisa's brother Arthur's out there.
You must be longing for him to come home.
Not much. Boers can keep him
as far as I'm concerned.
No doubt he'll turn up one of these days,
looking for a handout.
I was wondering
what you were going to live on now.
Now?
This must be an expensive house to run.
We'll manage.
But how? If you ask my advice...
I never do when I know I'll get it anyway.
You mind your business, we'll mind ours.
And if you're stopping for lunch,
I better make sure there's something in.
Norah, please don't leave, honest.
You married beneath you.
You were one of the youngest
butlers in the country, highly thought of
in a fine position with a great future.
She put an end to that.
She dragged you down.
Well, you always were too trusting.
One thing's clear. If you are to have any hope
of leading a normal married life,
you must put your foot down.
There's the cod we was gonna have tonight,
and there should be enough
on that joint of ham.
Yes, madam.
I could dice some carrots and turnips
to go with it and some veloute potatoes.
Plain boiled, Mrs. Wellkin,
and make a parsley sauce.
That will do fine.
Yes, madam.
Soup smells good.
Oh. It's Ethel's making, madam.
She's keen to learn cooking.
I hope you don't mind.
Oh. I'd be the last to do that.
How long was you married?
Nearly 9 years, madam.
In service together, were you?
No. He was a regular in the army.
His regiment was one of the first
to be sent to South Africa.
He died out there, did he?
On the way.
He caught fever on the troop ship.
He was dead before they ever reached
Cape Town.
Do you miss him?
Yes, I do.
He was a good man, very good to me.
Only thing missing was children.
Just didn't seem able to have any.
May be just as well, eh?
Ethel, dice some carrots, will you?
Oh, ma'am.
Yeah.
There's a person been waiting to see you.
What kind of person?
Young. Servant girl, sort of.
Where is she?
Walking up and down in the street.
In this cold?
Why didn't you bring her in?
She won't come in, ma'am.
Well, why didn't you come up and tell me before?
I didn't like to. I thought...
Well, go and get her now.
She must be frozen to death.
LOUISA: Mary!
Why didn't you say who you was?
Why didn't you come in?
Miss...
Here. What's up?
Come sit down, girl.
Now, sit down there.
Are you in some kind of trouble?
You're frozen to the bone, girl.
Not in the family way, are you?
Did you get the push from Lord Henry's?
No. I walked out, ran away!
Oh, Mary, when?
Two days ago.
When did you last eat, eh?
Yesterday.
You warm yourself.
Get us a bowl, Ethel, quick.
Where you been sleeping, eh?
Rough. Under the railway arches,
but there's awful people there.
I was afraid to go back.
Why didn't you come straight here?
I did. I walked past
and hoped you'd seen me.
I was afraid to come in.
Oh. You silly herbert.
Here. Get yourself around this.
Now mind, it's hot as a jockey's breeches.
Now, take it slow. Don't scald yourself.
I don't understand why you didn't
just knock at the door.
Ivy said you was all different,
that you wouldn't want to see anybody
you'd been in service with.
Oh. Did she now?
She said you was a grand lady
and you wouldn't want to be reminded.
There's some people I don't want
to be reminded of.
Poison Ivy's one of them.
Miss, it's never been the same
since you left, you and Mr. Trotter.
They made me do everything...
..washing, cleaning, fetching, and carrying,
and Ivy hit me for being slow,
and sometimes, I got so tired...
And you didn't dare tell Mrs. Catchpole, did you?
Oh, no, miss.
Oh, Mary.
I'm so glad she came to you.
Poor girl. I couldn't think
what had happened to her.
And your kitchen maid Ivy's been up
to her old tricks again, Mrs. Catchpole.
Oh, dear.
What are you gonna do about it?
What can I do?
I've not been well.
This house has been so difficult to run
since you and Mr. Trotter left,
and then Monsieur Alex.
We've had a series of cooks
on a month's trial each,
two quite good but only competent.
Oh, well, that's enough of my worries.
Please do sit down.
I'm so glad things worked out well for you.
I expect you were provided for.
Mm. I have a house
in one of the best parts of town,
servants look after me, bit in the bank.
And a devoted husband.
Yeah.
Most women would envy you.
Well, they'd be wrong.
I knew it was wrong from the start.
When I realized what was behind all that attention,
all that special sort of kindness
I had from the prince,
it's not that I wasn't flattered.
I was--I was quite cocky for a while,
but the price was too high, Mrs. Catchpole.
Knowing the prince must have,
well, helped you professionally.
Helped me? It's finished me.
I've become too exclusive, ain't I?
"By royal appointment."
Nobody really thinks of me as a cook no more,
and that's what I am.
I'm a master cook.
Yes.
And it's not just the name.
It's not the big success that makes your name.
It's going on and building up
your reputation.
It's the doing of it, the atmosphere,
the ingredients, and the contrasts
and making everything perfect.
What do I do now?
I order meals for a husband
who don't much care what's served up
in front of him as long as it's on time.
It's driving me barmy.
Yes. I understand, my dear.
Um, ahem, Lord Henry is giving dinner
to the King of Portugal next Tuesday.
He stayed on for a private visit
after the funeral.
Old Carlos is no problem.
He likes good, no-frills English cooking
and lots of it.
You give him oyster soup, halibut, lark pudding,
venison pasty, 3 kinds of roast,
and he's happy.
You see? Who else could have known that?
Lord Henry will probably get a decoration
out of it, you know.
And so might you if you came back
and cooked dinner for him
just for the one night.
How many guests?
20.
Yeah. Tuesday's not much notice, is it?
Here. We're forgetting about why I come here.
What about Mary?
Say yes, and I'll promise
she's taken back.
Don't worry.
I'll cook your dinner for you,
and I'll keep Mary meself.
If I'm going back cooking, I'm gonna need someone
to help me, ain't I?
You'll never believe the change
in that place, Gus.
They've only really learned
to appreciate you in your absence.
Hmm.
It will be funny being back
in the kitchen at Lord Henry's,
where it all started, eh?
I don't--I don't want you to go there again.
Eh?
I won't have my wife occupying
a menial position.
Oh.
I mean it, Louisa. I won't--I won't have it.
Well, Mrs. Catchpole only asked me
to do her a favor, Gus.
Then she should ask me.
Must I remind you that you are my wife?
Do you think I have to be reminded?
I haven't finished talking.
I'm talking to you.
We have to discuss our future.
Oh, not now.
Now! We keep putting it off.
We can't put it off any longer!
All right. Let's hear
what Norah had to say.
I knew I'd get it sooner or later.
We have to take stock.
We have no income, we live in a house
that's far too big for us.
Do you want to sell it?
No. Of course not. It's our only asset,
all we got out of...
we should use it.
Oh, yeah? How?
In the most sensible way.
Let the spare rooms.
Own a boarding house?
No, no, no.
Private rooms for gentlemen.
You get all huffy about me occupying
a menial position,
and you want to let off our rooms
to strangers, go skiving around
after them?
We have servants to do that.
Don't you see? It would give us
our independence, a chance to keep up
our station in life.
Which do you fancy, St. Pancras or Waterloo?
I'm serious about this.
All right then. Let's be practical.
Now how much would we get out of letting
3 or 4 rooms?
Precious little.
There's no money in it, Gus.
We budget carefully,
and we wouldn't need Mrs. Wellkin
with you doing the cooking.
Over my dead body!
What? Slaving away in this place
day and night for a handful
of moldy lodgers?
Look. I'd earn more out of one booking night
at Lord Henry's than we'd get out
of 10 lodgers in a month.
You don't know you'll get any bookings,
and this will be regular, steady.
Norah says...
Well, Norah can go...
My sister is only concerned for our welfare.
Welfare my aunt Fanny.
She wants to know you're good for a touch.
My sister is part of my obligations.
My mother would expect it.
I'm sick and tired of hearing you and Norah
go on about your great connections.
Can't even put a name to them.
I'm sorry, love, but if you want me
to face facts, then you've got to
face them, too, right?
I know it's difficult for you.
You're a butler by profession.
You can't very well carry on a living
in your own home,
but it's different for me, isn't it?
I'm a cook. I can go anywhere,
and I'm willing to work hard
with your help,
and we'll try and make a go of it, eh?
I won't have you going to other people's houses.
What do you mean?
Meeting other men.
They take advantage at those house parties,
and women are fair game.
I know what goes on. I know what happens.
Do you think I'd let it... ever again?
You're my wife.
Oh! You keep doing that.
Scares the life out of me.
Don't you ever knock?
Sorry. I'm sorry.
I had to... I had to see you
to apologize.
I didn't mean to imply...
I wanted to say that we're just starting,
everything is just starting now.
The past, it's over.
I draw a veil over it.
What do you expect me to say?
"How decent, how generous"?
I'm prepared to forgive.
You're offering me forgiveness?
You're prepared to forgive me?
You knew what was gonna happen, Gus,
as well as I did.
I married you.
I was married off to you
to make me available to him.
I wanted you.
I'd have done anything,
anything to get you, anything.
I just wanted to be with you.
You knew how it would be,
and I fought against it, didn't I?
I kept waiting, hoping.
No one will believe what it's been like
never knowing when it would end.
I thought maybe once he had let you go
we'd have a chance, we'd be together.
Well, we are.
I mean, really together,
man and wife.
I thought maybe, all this time,
maybe you'd get to like me a little,
maybe be ready to settle down,
maybe realize I could make you happy,
and I could, Louisa.
I know I could make you happy.
We get along fine. Nothing's changed.
I don't mean it like that.
I want you, Louisa.
But we had a bargain, Gus.
I told you straight I didn't love you.
I still don't.
I'm fond of you, love.
I don't belong to you or no one.
If things is gonna change between us,
it will only happen gradual.
How long do I have to wait?
I can't say that.
We'll have to see.
It's no good unless you stay at home.
If you're gonna go working out
in other people's houses,
I won't be able to stand it...
There's not gonna be no one else.
I'll never know that for sure.
You're so precious to me, Louisa.
I'm jealous. God help me,
I get so jealous.
Here, Gus.
I love you.
Try to... try to love me.
You're kind to everyone.
Be kind to me. Steady.
Let me. Please!
Be kind to me.
Gus, let go of me!
I want you. It's my right.
I've waited. No!
Gus, let go!
Just this once. Just now, please.
Ohh!
It can't mean that much to you.
I'm your husband. It's my right.
You can force me, Gus. You're stronger than me,
but if you do, it will be the only time.
You'll never see me again.
[sobbing]
[door shuts]
[sobbing]
Well, the dinner was a triumph,
thanks to you.
His lordship was ill all yesterday.
Ill?
He couldn't let his principal guest
eat alone, but King Carlos
had so many helpings,
his lordship nearly passed out.
Still, he asked me to thank you
most particularly.
I won't beat about the bush, Louisa.
His lordship was overjoyed to hear
that you were available again,
and he's asked me to offer you
the position as cook here
at the same salary we paid Monsieur Alex.
I...now don't think I'm not grateful...
Now don't refuse till you think about it.
He'd expect you to work for him
only during the season.
The rest of the year you'll be free.
And he's prepared to take Mr. Trotter back
as his London butler on the same terms,
living out.
Blimey O'Reilly!
You'll want time to think about it,
of course.
No. No. It's a generous...
it's a more than generous offer,
and I am tempted,
but, well, you see, Mrs. Catchpole,
if I'm ever gonna make a real go of my career,
I can't work for just one person.
I wouldn't be me.
I'd be Lord Henry's cook, wouldn't I?
I can't go backwards.
I was afraid you'd say that.
Of course, I don't know that anyone else
is gonna want me.
Oh. I've had some inquiries.
Lady Padgett's housekeeper asked
if you were available again.
Lady Padgett?
And several of the people
who were here for the dinner
for Dom Carlos.
I've made a list.
Sir Ernest Castle, Admiral Fisher.
Crikey! There's half the brass here.
[hoofbeats]
There you go.
[door opens]
[footsteps]
[door opens]
What the bleeding hell is this, eh?
It's obvious, isn't it? I've decided to go ahead.
Oh. You have, have you?
It makes sense!
Our savings won't last forever.
We need a regular income to keep our heads
above water.
We're not in the bleeding navy.
We've already discussed this idea
and decided against it.
You decided.
"Rooms for gentlemen."
Discreet, Louisa. Only for the best people.
Out! Out!
We'll ring you when you're wanted.
Now, see here!
Don't you "See here" me.
I don't understand what you're objecting to.
That's what worries me, Gus.
Always on about your dignity,
your position in life.
When you start putting signs like that up,
you're throwing it away.
I want us to be independent.
You was ambitious, ready to work, you were.
Now you won't lift a bleeding finger.
This whole idea is a way for you
to sit at home and do nothing.
But that's what I want.
I want us to be here together.
Gus, I've told you.
I'm starting up me business again.
I've asked you to help me run it.
I'm not a kitchen hand.
Oh, come on. There's other ways
you could help, and me prospects
are looking up now.
You're a good cook, Louisa,
there's no denying that, but it's time you learned
how to be a housewife!
I'm not an housewife,
nor an housekeeper, nor an house anything,
and let me tell you, when my business
really gets going, it's going to bring in
50 or 60 quid a week,
and that goes straight into the bank
for you and me, for the both of us.
£60?
Yes, and we don't need to let rooms
because I deal with the real best people,
and some of them are gonna come here
to consult me to make bookings,
which is another reason why
I don't want this staring them
in the face.
Put that where the monkey put the nuts!
LOUISA: Hurry up with them sauces, Mrs. Wellkin.
The cab will be here in a minute.
Yes, madam.
All right. You got everything in there, Mary?
Yes, ma'am.
Good. Well, we're just about ready.
Don't know how we managed it all in here.
There's a limit to how much
we can make and take with us.
Need a bigger kitchen, madam.
Yeah. That we do.
Right. Now, Mary, you take the implements,
Mrs. Wellkin, you take the sauces,
and both of you manage the hamper.
Yes, madam.
What--what about the master?
Oh. Left something cold for him.
Hang it. Where's the patties?
I'll fetch them, ma'am. They're in the pantry.
Oh, thank you, Ethel.
I could carry them out to the cab, as well.
Oh, would you? There's a good girl.
Please, ma'am, I could do so much more.
I've been watching how you do things.
In your own time, eh?
Oh, please, ma'am, please.
I've heard you say you need
another pair of hands.
Well, I know there's a lot to learn,
but I am quick and...
Ethel, turn round. Slowly.
Yeah. You're not bad-looking.
Quite presentable.
If you could pick up a bit of style
and control yourself, I might be able to use you.
Oh, ma'am. Oh, ta ever so, ma'am.
I mean, thank you, Mrs. Trotter.
Blimey. Here. Come on. Here's the cab. Right.
But you're not coming with us tonight, Ethel.
When you're working other people's houses,
they watch you extra critical.
Don't want any of my girls showing herself up.
You start with the basics like Mary
tomorrow morning 6:00 sharp.
Any idea where Mr. Trotter is?
He's at the pub, ma'am, The Grenadier.
This early?
Shall I fetch him?
No, no. Leave him.
I've been going through the mail, ma'am.
There's some bookings for the month after next.
Oh. Right.
Oh! This one's for the 14th.
"Could you quote for a dinner party of 36,
wines included? Lady Bee-u-champ."
"Bee-u-champ? Beauchamp!"
My God. "Bee-u-champ." right.
The Marquess of Thorne.
Yeah? What's the randy old beggar
want this time?
He's willing to pay out 200 guineas
for a private supper for two.
Oh. I think he wants you to be the other guest, ma'am.
"100 guin...private, own apartment,
"6 delicious courses,
and a bum surprise to follow."
I'll give him a surprise all right.
[bell ringing]
[sighs]
Nice to see you, Johnny.
A very great pleasure to see you.
You're as lovely as ever.
Thank you, kind sir.
What brings you round?
Oh. I was just passing.
Somehow, whenever you say that,
I get a very funny feeling.
Heh heh.
What's up?
Don't tell me I'm gonna expect a visit.
No. No. Nothing like that.
So you were just passing, eh?
Take a pew.
Thank you.
Everyone in London seems to be talking
about your cooking.
An astonishing success.
Yeah. It's working out pretty well.
Yes.
Is Mr. Trotter at home?
No. No. He's...he's out this morning.
Most mornings, I gather,
and evenings.
It's about him, actually,
that I rather wanted to see you.
Oh?
Word has reached the palace
that your husband spends much of the day
in a public house near here
and that after he's had a drink or two
he starts talking
about things he shouldn't.
Oh, my God.
Now apparently, it's not really malicious.
It's partly boasting,
partly feeling sorry for himself.
He'll tell anyone who will listen
how his life has been ruined.
Now so far, the king hasn't heard,
but if he does...
His majesty is completely discreet himself,
and he demands discretion from others.
He knows I wouldn't do nothing to hurt him,
and neither would Gus, not meaning to.
I admit I have a certain sympathy
for Trotter, and I realize
this puts you in a very difficult position,
but if the greatest possible damage
is not to be done, you must find a way
to stop him.
No. I'm afraid not, my dear.
It was only a little while ago
you said Lord Henry was keen to take him back.
Yes, but not without you.
It was really you he wanted.
Thank you, James.
Well, you know the situation.
I'll be honest with you, Mrs. Catchpole,
I don't know what to do.
I'm desperate.
It must be dreadful for you.
No. It's not me. I don't matter so much.
It's the palace.
Think what some of them scandal papers
could make of it.
Well, you must speak to Mr. Trotter,
warn him.
Ta.
I don't seem able to talk to him no more.
He gets on his dignity,
and when I do try and lay down the law,
it only makes him worse.
He's been hurt very badly,
as well as the fact that he hasn't
worked at anything since he left here,
been living off you.
He must have lost all belief in himself.
I've asked him to take over
and run me business for me.
He won't hear of it.
Oh, no, no, no.
That would make you his employer.
Ta.
He'd be all the more conscious
of his own failure.
Well, I am fond of him, and, you know,
I'm sorry for him, like,
but it's no good if he won't even try.
I think you have the answer.
He has to be given back
his self-respect and pride
by having work and responsibility.
I only wish I could think of some way
to help.
"Partner in dairy.
"Capital investments and shared profits,
"Hotels and catering.
Receptionist, day and night porter."
No. "Bentinck.
"Long established family hotel for sale.
"Excellent position, permanent residence,
"small experienced staff.
Present owner retiring."
Permanent residence, eh?
"Lease and content subject to negotiation.
Extensive fully equipped kitchens."
Right.
[hoofbeats]
Here's the old Bentinck.
What do you think of it?
Nice class of premises.
How'd you like to run it then?
Us?
No. You. You'd be the boss.
Want to have a look?
MAN: Go on. Go on.
You've bought it?
60 years left on a 90-year lease,
contents, and the goodwill.
The man made us a very good price.
I think he was taken with Louisa.
How could you afford it?
Where did the money come from?
Well, we've worked it all out...
what was left of our savings,
what I've earned these last few months,
what we'll get from selling this place.
We can afford it.
Signed the papers this morning.
And Gus is gonna manage it.
Well, naturally with his experience.
What will you be doing?
Looking after the kitchens,
running me own business,
and Gus will take care
of everything else.
The best hotel in London.
I intend to see that it is.
Yeah. Need a deal of modernizing.
Well, we need to learn to walk before we can run.
Of course, I shall ask you to assist me.
Norah?
Well, I shall need someone I can trust.
I shall want Norah to be housekeeper.
Well, I've said it.
You make the decisions.
LOUISA: Right. Come on, girls.
Good morning!
Morning.
What are you doing down here, Jessop?
Aren't you meant to be the hall porter?
Well, yes, ma'am.
Get up into the hall and port.
Here you are, Mrs. Wellkin.
Here's your kitchen.
Do the best you can.
Shout for me if you want me.
We'll work out the menus together.
Yes, madam.
Right. Come on, girls. Roll your sleeves up.
Get this place ready.
It's a bit old-fashioned.
What do you mean? Plenty of space.
Aah!
Oh, God.
Oh. Turkey.
Wild turkey coming?
Yeah. Yeah.
The turkey are coming.
They're on their way.
Oh, good. Ohh.
Huh? Huh?
Mr. Merriman.
This is Mr. Merriman.
He's the Bentinck's head waiter.
Mr. Merriman, this is me staff.
Nice to meet you.
All right. Come on. Get to work.
Deal to do to get this place cleaned up.
I'll say. Broken-down old dump.
Meals were cooked in this kitchen
for Gladstone, young woman.
He was a bit broken-down, I know.
LOUISA: Ethel.
Excuse me.
Come on. There you are.
He sort of goes with the hotel.
I inherited him.
He's better than he looks.
What was all that about the turkey?
Oh. I've been warned.
Every now and then he wakes up,
thinks he's still in the Crimea.
He says he was Lord Raglan's batman.
It's possible.
Women running the kitchen.
It will end in tears, end in tears.
I go away for only two days,
and I come back here and find Mrs. Wellkin
all upset and ready to leave.
All I did was send back her menus.
You what?
It seemed to me that with only 16 guests
in the hotel,
they were needlessly extravagant.
Well, that was none of your concern, was it,
and in any case, she'd agreed them with me.
I would have thought that even you
would have realized the need to economize at first.
The last thing we want to economize on
is the service we give.
There are dozens of small savings
we can make.
Augustus agrees.
We can use the extra money to redecorate this office.
Well, in my opinion, it would be better used
in trying to brighten up that hall.
That's none of your concern, is it?
Any such decision is up to Augustus.
All right, but I'll have
no more interference in my kitchen.
Louisa's right, in a way.
She will go on playing the great cook.
All she thinks about are her precious kitchens.
She appears to forget that you run this hotel
and that I am the housekeeper.
Oh, Jessop, have Merriman bring me
a bottle of champagne.
Champagne, sir?
Yes. The Krug '92.
Krug '92. Certainly, sir.
[all talking at once]
MERRIMAN: Trouble. Trouble brewing, ma'am.
Knew it all along.
Trouble? What do you mean?
Couple of more guests left this morning.
Staff thinks if any more go,
shutters will go up and they'll all be out
on the street.
Now, listen here, the lot of you.
This hotel is gonna be a success.
It's gonna make its reputation
on its cuisine, right?
10 guests or 100,
they get the best bleeding meals in London.
We'll be turning away visitors in 6 months,
and my business is growing all the time.
So whatever happens, you're not gonna be out of.
You'll be treated fair, and there's gonna be
no sackings, and that's my guarantee.
Right?
Very good, ma'am.
Now you've got lunch to get ready.
Carry on.
And the menus stay the same as we arranged,
Mrs. Wellkin.
Yes, madam.
Ethel, you'll take over the preparations
for the German Embassy dinner.
Yes, ma'am.
Mary, you come with me to Hertfordshire.
Mrs. Trotter.
I...I've been meaning to say,
the kitchen at the embassy,
last time we had ever so much trouble
keeping things hot,
and when there's 50 or more places...
Yeah. That's a problem we keep running into.
I've been thinking about it.
We're gonna use hay boxes.
Hay boxes?
When I was a kid at home, we used to put
the porridge overnight into hay boxes.
Porridge? Are we gonna make porridge?
No, you silly herbert.
It's the process, isn't it?
You start it in a big iron pot,
then you put the pot in a box of straw overnight,
and in the morning, it had cooked
nice and slow in its own heat.
For bouillons, fricassee, and such, perfect!
If you say so, ma'am.
Yeah. I'm having a load of boxes
delivered tomorrow.
We'll try it out on the kaiser's nephew.
Oh, excuse me, madam.
A letter for you.
Lady Freel.
Countess.
Ah. Come in, my dear chaps.
Don't believe it. We're at Newmarket.
Oh, Jessop, have Merriman bring us up
a bottle of brandy.
Certainly, sir.
Come into the office.
Wine with dinner. Now brandy.
LOUISA: Lower them in gently.
In you go.
Gently, for God's sake.
Excuse me, ma'am.
Mr. Trotter, he wants dinner for 6
in his room.
What, at this time of night?
His personal guests, ma'am,
a few sporting gentlemen.
It will take a bit of time.
Now mind you don't get them mixed up, Mary.
There's a soup of game
and a veal fricassee for Richmond
and bœuf à la mode and the oyster soup
for Grosvenor Street.
Oh. Hay boxes, eh?
They'll work, Mr. Merriman.
Oh, I know it, ma'am.
I've seen the turkey cook rat stew in them
in the Crimea.
Rat stew?
Oh, it's very tasty, a nice rat.
[men laughing]
[laughter continues]
Eh.
Mrs. Trotter said we got to know how
to set out the places.
I got it wrong last night,
and there was hell to pay.
Eh.
Sure that's right?
Study the menu.
Lay for the first course
on the outside, work your way in.
Simplest way stands to reason.
Never thought of that. Ta.
Yeah.
You're late tonight.
Uh, Mr. Trotter's entertaining
a few friends.
Oh, yeah?
Something wrong?
He's asked for the keys
to the wine cellars, ma'am.
There's a lot of rare wines in there,
and as head waiter, I'm responsible,
always have been,
and, uh, he wants the keys.
Well, he's the manager. He better have them.
Very good, ma'am.
So his lordship bet them that none of them
would say hello to him the following morning
when he rode down rotten row.
They all said of course that they would
and took him on for 50 guineas.
Next morning, they were all there,
so his lordship just carriages a few horsemen
and an old hackney cab.
When the hackney reaches the end of the row,
the cabby stands up, takes off his hat,
his muffler, and his coat,
and it's his lordship!
And they all owed him 50 guineas!
Very good, very good.
Ohh! Ha ha!
Keys, sir.
[laughter ends]
You took your time.
There we are. What did I tell you?
Keys to a fortune in claret, port,
rare brandy, and champagne!
Hey, hey!
Oh, thank you, Merriman.
Keep you going.
Ohh.
You'll wear yourself out, ma'am.
Begging your pardon, but is it worth it
just for money?
It's worth it for what money can buy.
I'm gonna clear all this lot out,
get in the most up-to-date equipment.
That's what I'm working for.
Every penny goes towards it.
This is gonna be the best kitchen in England,
and I'm gonna use it to create the dishes
that no one's ever dreamt about.
Yes, ma'am.
[sighs]
Right. I'm off then.
Where to?
I told you... house parties
after the season.
Doncaster, up to Hamilton,
back down to Anglesey.
How long will you be gone?
About 3 weeks.
I'll miss you.
Go on. You've got Norah.
Don't laugh at me. I'll miss you.
Gus, how many times have I come looking for you
these last months?
You're never here.
Ain't even asked after me.
Well, I've been busy making contacts
for the future.
Good. That's good.
And I've asked for the checks
to be sent direct to you.
AUGUSTUS: What do you mean you object
to the service?
It's a privilege, a privilege for you
to be allowed to stay here!
Oh, but you're ridiculous.
Your bill's canceled. Get out! Get out!
What are you doing there?
If you have duties to attend to, see to them.
Otherwise, clear off.
Here we are. Oh, lord.
We weren't expecting you back till tomorrow, madam.
Eh, we found we could catch
the afternoon train.
Oh, good evening, ma'am.
Evening. Where is everybody?
My God, Mrs. Wellkin,
what in the bleeding hell is this?
Thought I told you never to get anything
but the best quality poultry.
Anything else is a waste of time and money.
They were the best I could get, madam.
Rubbish. Mather and Russ don't even sell stuff
of that quality.
We don't shop there anymore.
They won't give us no more credit.
No more credit? Why?
I went round to see Mr. Mather himself.
Seems our bills haven't been paid
for several months.
Months?
Tradesmen have only been supplying us
on your reputation, madam,
but not anymore.
Not as much point, seeing as hardly anyone
to cook for.
There's only two guests left in the hotel, ma'am,
and they're friends of Mr. Trotter.
What's going on?
Your ruination, that's what.
What do you mean?
Staff walked out because they've not been paid.
Guests followed because there's no one
to look after them.
Only Mr. Jessop and me left upstairs...ruination.
I wouldn't leave till you'd come back, madam.
Well, what about Ethel?
She was turned out last week.
That Miss Trotter said she'd have to go back
to being a general maid.
She refused.
Where is Miss Trotter?
Lying down, as is her wont.
And Mr. Trotter?
Cafe Royal, I suppose.
Dines there most evenings.
Does he now?
Right. Mary, you come with me.
Here.
Here. Where do you think you're going?
There's nobody allowed in there.
Is that so?
I'm sorry, but I work for Mr. Trotter,
and he said to make sure that nobody goes in there.
Well, you just try and stop me.
Oh, my heavens.
Oh, my God!
Here. Where does he keep the account books?
Mary, see if you can find the cash box.
It ain't possible. It ain't possible.
How much?
7 pounds, 6 shillings, and 4 pence, ma'am.
Well, that's all we got left
in the world, Mary.
Here. Take that downstairs.
Put it in one of the ovens.
For God's sake, make sure it's not lit.
And push off and get yourself to bed.
[men humming]
Hey, you're not usually up so late.
Louisa's back.
She's in your office.
Ahem.
[door opens]
I wasn't, uh... I didn't expect you
back so soon.
Obviously.
I, uh, had a few friends in.
According to these accounts,
you've signed half the bar bills
for months and given free meals
to every bleeding sponger in London.
Oh. Hospitality, Louisa.
Oh, yeah?
You wanted to act the big man, eh?
You've no right to speak to him like that.
Right? You talk to me about rights
when this hotel... Not one bill's
been paid in!
Everything I slaved for,
everything I earned
and gave you to put in the bank
has been spent!
What the bleeding hell have you been up to!?
I had to learn. It's been difficult
with all...
Oh, no, not for you, Gus!
Seems to me most of it's gone down
you and your friends' throats!
The rest of it has gone on her back!
I tried. I tried.
If only you'd been closer to me, Louisa.
You try to put the blame on me.
Well, why not? He gave up
everything for you.
He gave up everything for me?
It's not the profession for a gentleman.
A gentleman? He's little better
than a thief!
He's the owner of this hotel.
Owner, I'll be damned!
I put him in here to run it.
With your help, he's run it
into the ground!
Are you gonna let her speak
to your sister like that?
Oh, get out! Aah!
Go on! Get out, both of you!
Go on!
Take your bitch of a sister with you!
Get out! Go on! Take her with you
and that rubbish!
Louisa, how can you run the hotel without us?
The hotel can go to hell!
And if either of you show your faces
in here again, I'll smash them in!
Aah! Get out!