And what happened then...?  Well, in London they say that Soames' small heart grew three sizes that day...

Broadcast May 12, 2002

Jolly is doing target practice at Robin Hill before he goes off to the Boer War. He confesses to his father that he signed up not through altruism but because he dared Val Dartie to do so. Later, Val and Holly are out riding when Jolly takes a potshot at them; he is obviously not reconciled to the idea of them being together. Neither June nor YJ (sporting the series’ best accessory, a shocking pink pashmina) support the aims of the war but they are both proud of Jolly for signing up. June is also off to South Africa as a nurse. June asks YJ about Irene. YJ feels awkward about this but June makes it clear that she doesn’t have any difficulty with her father and Irene becoming "chums."

Winifred tells her parents and Soames about Dartie’s return the following day. James wants to pay him off, Emily thinks it so unfair that he has come back and Soames wants her to pursue the divorce on the grounds of cruelty. Winifred says that marriage is the luck of the draw, she can’t face going through a divorce and she’s therefore decided to "keep him." Emily then questions Soames about Irene and his feelings for her and whether he is going to pursue Annette; Soames is tight-lipped about this and leaves without answering her questions.

Dartie is much less ebullient than previously; he has obviously had some eye-opening experiences in Argentina and tells Winifred he has returned because he had nowhere else to go. Winifred is matter-of-fact about him remaining. Val is also less than delighted about his father’s return to the fold.

The Aunts, James, Swithin, and Soames discuss the young ones going off to war and update James’ map of the conflict. Then both sides of the family go to see Val and Jolly off, separately. Holly manages to snatch a few moments with Val and they are seen by Jolly, who still disapproves, although he and his sister do manage to bury their differences before he departs. June asks YJ what he will do when they are all gone and urges him to go to Paris. The goodbyes between YJ’s family are much more affectionate than those of Val’s family. Holly tells her father about her engagement to Val a few days later and announces that she too is off to South Africa as a nurse with June.

Whilst they are outside the hall watching the troops march off, Soames finds himself standing next to YJ and tells him he knows he has been in touch with Irene. He asks for YJ’s assurance that he will not try to influence Irene against him, as he has decided to ask her to come back. YJ refuses to give Soames the assurance he seeks and Soames stalks off.

Irene walks in the Bois de Bologne in Paris, followed by her "shadow," and stops at a bench. Soames then materialises beside her. He asks Irene again to come back to him and pleads with her when she refuses. He then loses his temper. ("You are inhuman." "Why do you want me then?" "Because you are mine. I have a right!") He is desperate for a child, on any terms, although Irene says this would be "an utter degradation."

Soames and Polteed meet again in the gallery and the investigator informs him of another suspect seen with Irene – "a tall, pale, red-headed guilty-looking party" seen leaving her hotel room. Soames tells Polteed to concentrate instead on "47" (YJ); Polteed has much amusement at Soames’ reaction to his news.

June and Holly leave for South Africa on the same day YJ receives a telegram saying that Jolly has typhoid. June tries to look on the bright side and says that they will go and nurse Jolly. YJ is contemplating life alone at Robin Hill when Irene calls; she has left Paris after Soames’ visit and is now staying in a hotel in Richmond, prompted partly by the fact that Richmond is close to Robin Hill.

Polteed again meets Soames and informs him they now have enough evidence make a very strong case for divorce against Irene and "47." Polteed finally admits to Soames that he knows who she is.

Irene and YJ are preparing to go out for a walk and are discussing Irene’s "shadow" and the fact that YJ also has one now, when a telegram arrives informing YJ that Jolly has died. Soames then arrives and demands that they stop seeing each other; when they both refuse he announces that he will divorce Irene "with every circumstance of degradation to you both." Irene admits to being an adultress, even though this is not true as far as it relates to YJ, and Soames spits out deprecations ("Embezzler of trust property. A thief stealing his cousin’s wife!"). Matters between Irene and Soames are finally concluded; he has achieved nothing but to finally bring Irene and YJ together. After he has left YJ breaks down with grief for Jolly and is comforted by Irene.

Back at Montpelier Square, Soames loses all possession of himself; in a final, despairing gesture of loss and frustration he caresses and laments over the necklace he tried to give his wife the evening following the rape and the red dress she wore when she danced so blatantly with Bosinney. He then recovers himself and goes to see his parents. James is convinced he is going to die that night and is fretting over what will happen to his and Soames’ wealth with no-one apart from Dartie to leave it to. He is more insistent than ever that Soames must have a son and is now encouraging him to get a divorce. Soames announces that this is in hand and will not be contested.

As Soames is telling Winifred that the decree absolute has been granted and the decree nisi will be straightforward, Val arrives, invalided home from the war with a bad leg and relieved to be out of it. He announces that he has married Holly; Soames is shocked and displeased and says it would be best all round if he goes back to South Africa with her and not to tell James. Winifred reassures Val that the rupture on the family is nothing to do with Holly. Val then brings Holly in, Dartie appears and is impressed with his new daughter-in-law and they announce that they had, in any case, decided to go back to South Africa as the climate is better for Val’s leg.

Soames introduces Annette to the family. George and Dartie are intrigued by her background, the aunts are tactless in the extreme, Winifred winks at her welcomingly and James is blunt about her duty to provide an heir ("It’s the end of an era. We have to begin again. That’s where you come in.") After the party Soames and Annette go to the restaurant and find YJ and a pregnant Irene waiting to be seated. Soames rushes out, followed by Annette. He demands that she ask them to leave as they are "not respectable"; Annette refuses and says that the fact YJ and Irene are not married is a matter for them and whatever they are to Soames he must let it go ("She is a beautiful woman; she will have beautiful babies," says Annette.) Soames bites his lip in fury and stalks off home alone.

Down at Mapledurham some months later there is a party for James’ 90^th birthday. Again there are lots of comments from the aunts and James about children. Imogen and Annette take a walk round the garden and Imogen asks about marriage and whether Annette loves Soames. She replies that she doesn’t but that she wants a comfortable life, a good husband and children and Soames can provide these things and love isn’t everything. George and Dartie have been speculating on whether YJ or Soames will produce a son first; this is answered by an announcement in the Times, read out to the gathering by George, that Irene has had a son at Robin Hill. Soames recovers his composure by announcing that "Annette is anticipating a happy event of her own. I am very proud."

Irene is in bed holding her child with a delighted YJ looking on when June appears unexpectedly. She is genuinely pleased about the new addition and tries to comfort YJ that Jolly did not suffer when he died.

Annette is then heard in labour, screaming in agony. The doctor tells Soames that he must decide whether to save Annette by permitting him to operate, in which case the baby will die, or try and save the baby at great risk to them both. Soames is trying to make a decision when Dartie arrives to summon him to the dying James’ bedside. Soames confesses to Dartie that Annette didn’t marry him for love, she married him for children and unless she has a child now she will never have one. He rails against the injustice that YJ has the woman he wants and the son he wanted whilst he must chose between his wife and his child. He decides not to permit the operation, which turns out to be the correct decision as both mother and child survive. The child is a daughter, however, and Soames cannot hide his disappointment as he rushes off to James.

Soames soothes his father by telling him that Annette has a son and then authorises the nurse to give James an injection that will have the effect of hastening his slow and agonising death. The following morning Soames returns to Mapledurham and goes up to see Annette. She is relieved that she can have no more children and asks if he is going to look at their daughter. Soames approaches the cot reluctantly; however, as soon as he sees his daughter he is instantly besotted. Annette mutters, "Petite fleur," and Soames then says, "We shall call her Fleur," as he gazes adoringly at her.

• The scene where Winifred announces that Monty is back and she isn't going to throw him out but is “going to keep” him.  Soames says nothing throughout but you can see that he is torn between disdain for his “weak” sister and jealousy because what he wants so desperately is for Irene to return to him.

• Then after Winifred leaves, Emily starts to gently question Soames in a roundabout way about his marriage.  “Irene is gone, isn't she...from your emotions”...Soames knows she is asking whether he still loves Irene but manages to completely evade answering...just raising his eyebrows and continuing with his breakfast.  On this scene Sarah commented: “And it took such restraint not to look at Emily when she's asking that question and answer with a raised eyebrow, but credit to Damian, he managed not to take the obvious route here.  A genius, that man.”

• His utter disappointment, tinged with curiosity, when he hears that his child is a daughter and not the longed-for son.  It was all in the eyes and the very slight twitch of that mouth--again.

The “Soames Scares Us to Bits” Bits:

• Soames stalking Irene in the park where she is out for a morning walk.  He suddenly appears and sits down next to her, asking, “Did I startle you?”  (No, of course you didn't you scary man!)  And then the ensuing argument when Soames veers between being angry—“You are mine.  I have a right,”--and desperate—“You can come back on your own terms.  A separate house and just occasional visits by me.”  Lorena didn't know whether to feel sick at his utter incomprehension of what he has done, or sorry because he still loves her and so desperately wants a child with her.
• Sarah, however, just felt sorry for him.  He was abasing himself utterly here--willing to break with all social norms just to have her back in his life, in whatever way possible.  She wanted to wriggle into the screen, march up to him and shake those marvellous shoulders, shouting “Get a grip man, she's really not worth it!”

• After he has come across Young Jolyon and the very ripe Irene at the restaurant, he has an argument with Annette in the street outside.  He looms over her, snarling, “Do you disobey me?” in ultra close-up.  Not yet married and he's already bullying her.

The “Creepy Beyond Belief” Tinged With “We Still Sympathise With Him” Bits:

• Soames asking Annette's mother for her hand in marriage and concluding the whole affair like a business deal, with Soames reeling off his net worth and annual income, and then the two of them shaking hands at the end.  Horrible.  Another loveless marriage.

• Soames returning to Irene's bedroom to get rid of her belongings (12 years on!), then finding THAT red ballgown and waltzing round the room with it, choking back the tears.  Then ….. and then ... lying on the bed with it, holding on to the necklace he gave her the night after the rape.  Lorena thinks she should have felt sorry for him but for some reason she found it just incredibly creepy.

• We agree, but Sarah also felt such sympathy for him.  This scene showed up just how much Soames really had lost the plot as far as Irene is concerned.  He is a man driven to the edge of sanity by love, which is why she felt so sorry for him.  In this bedroom scene he is, to all intents and purposes, making love to the dress.  (Did you see where he had his hand? And he whimpers!)

• In the same scene, he's dementedly pacing around the room, biting her jewellery as if stifling a scream, sniffing her clothes, and finally sobbing “Just one last chance…”  Lovely close-up of his hands fingering the jewellery for those who like that sort of thing (ahem).

Best “Snarls Out of the Side of That Mouth” Bits:

• Soames spitting “You are a devil” at Irene when she pretends she has committed adultery with Young Jolyon to get rid of him after he announces his intention to divorce her and in the process drag her and Young Jolyon through the mud.

• “I hope you treat him as you've treated me,” sneeringly to Irene, when he realises that neither of them are worried by his threats.

This Week's Favourite Lines:

• When Emily tells Soames that Winifred has mentioned the “other lady” who he may have been interested in romantically, he practically spits, “…that's Winifred's concern for matters which should not concern her.  As with most women.”  Ouch.

• On confronting Young Jolyon and Irene, the fantastically smug, “You've been watched everywhere…hmm…You've been watched!” as if he was a master of espionage!

• A great Dartieism--Monty's son introduces his new wife (a Forsyte, of course) to his parents.  She's greeted with a very un-father-in-law-like “Belter!”

Understatement of the Series:

• When Soames is telling Winifred that his divorce will be final in six months he says, “I was fond of her.”  All that fuss over a woman he was merely fond of?!?  (He never did tell her he loved her, did he?  Maybe that's where he went wrong...)

This Week We Were Laughing At:

• We know we've said it before--but that walk!  Lorena still can't help laughing at it even when it is in the midst of a really serious scene!  For example, when Soames tells Young Jolyon that he's going to ask Irene back and then accuses him of turning her against him...he “storms” off muttering in anger, but still manages to look like he is being operated by some kind of mad puppeteer!

• The private detective telling Soames he has conclusive proof that Irene has been with a man in Paris (cue Cockney voice): “We have a description guv'nor...tall, pale, red hair...er, guilty-looking fellow….” and then the abrupt comic pause when they both realise he is talking about Soames!  Too good!

• Family gatherings are again hysterical!  Soames introducing his wife-to-be to the family and all the hilarious comments about foreigners, “Did you have a good trip over?” (even though she had been living in London for years!).  And from the Aunts, the “So kind and respectful of you to wear black..” (following the death of Queen Victoria) “We don't expect it these days...especially from the French!”  Not to mention the knowing chorus of “SOHO!!” from Dartie and George when they find out where Annette's restaurant is!

Best Double Entendre:

• James asking Soames, “Are you happy IN your wife?  Is she a good one?”  But then again that might just be us wallowing in the gutter for too long!

Best “How to Drop a Clanger at an Inappropriate Moment” Bit:

• Soames and his new wife hosting a party for James' 90th birthday, and in the middle of Soames' heartfelt toast to his father, a sniggering George and Dartie read aloud to the whole party the announcement from the newspaper that Irene has given Young Jolyon a son!  The penny then drops with the family that Irene never gave Soames a child not because she was barren, but because...well we know why.

The “Our Hearts Are Going to Break” Award (All totally agreed on the final scene):

• Lorena: When Soames returns from his father's deathbed, having lied and told him Annette had a son rather than the truth of a daughter, he looks at his daughter for the first time with tears in his eyes and then picks her up and for the first time he smiles.  He smiles genuinely and looks happy for the first time in the whole series.  At last.

• Bar: An authentic joyful smile and real tears (to the extent that they drip from his nose) as picks up his daughter for the first time.  A wonderful scene, well played.

• Sarah: I did adore the first genuine smile from Soames of the entire series.  More please!

Most “I Want to Be Her” Bit:

• Oh, Annette throughout, definitely.  He's lovely to her as they're walking along the street after she's dropped the Big Secret about being in trade at the family party, not creepy or sneering at all--and she gets away with refusing to chuck Young Jolyon and Irene out of the restaurant.  Then there's the lovely house, the prospect of Soames as a husband who has learnt some lessons at least from his previous marriage and being nicer to Annette (and giving her more freedom than Irene), and then, of course, there's all the getting down to providing the much-longed for son and heir... What's not to like, if we're being really honest?

“Most Evocative of Another Part” Bit, By Sarah, Leading Authority on Damian Facial Expressions:

• Damian really is so good that Soames is a complete, unique portrayal in his own right.  However, the scenes where Soames is attending the hall where Val and Jolly are signing in to leave for the Boer War did remind her of Winters (good spot!)--Soames had the same stern look of concern.  And when Val reappears at Winifred's with his gammy leg, Soames’ expression reminded her so much of the way Winters looked at Blithe in Episode 3 of BoB when Blithe thinks he's gone blind.

• Also, the bit where he's holding his new daughter and crying--just like “Warriors.”  Sorry Damian, you're going to have to work on differentiating your crying scenes a bit more.

The “Gawd, Another Lump in My Throat” Bit:

• The scene where he's massaging his father's foot as he's dying.  The angle and lighting of that scene really showed the Foxheaded one to best effect--he is beautiful, really he is.

• Nervously pacing, smoking and knocking back the best scotch (Vat 69?) when Annette is in labour.  He has also just learned that his father is dying and has such a difficult decision to make--the baby's life or his wife's--he's tortured.

We will all miss this - here's to Series 2!! (dink)

Screencaps by Bar.  Soames Yell screencap by DlJoze.  Jolyon/June and Holly/June photos courtesy of Granada Television.  Winifred photo courtesy of HURSTblondie.  Soames top hat photo courtesy of the Damian Lewis Yahoo Group.