Experiments
Season 3 Episode 4 | 53m 57sVideo has Audio Description, Closed Captions
After the Wall Street Crash, Bella starts her new business and Cecil appeals to Danioni.
Worried about losing the hotel, Bella tries to get her new business started. Meanwhile, after fuming at Danioni, Cecil is visited by a past enemy. As Alice tries to conquer her fear of horses, Lucian realizes he loves Constance, but is it too late?
See all videos with Audio DescriptionADFunding for Hotel Portofino is provided by Viking.
Experiments
Season 3 Episode 4 | 53m 57sVideo has Audio Description, Closed Captions
Worried about losing the hotel, Bella tries to get her new business started. Meanwhile, after fuming at Danioni, Cecil is visited by a past enemy. As Alice tries to conquer her fear of horses, Lucian realizes he loves Constance, but is it too late?
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship[phone ringing] Ah... [ring] Hello.
Cecil: Things must be bad if you're in the office at 6:00 in the morning.
Look, there's no way to sugar-coat it.
The market's dropped a quarter.
25%?
In two days?
You're more exposed than that.
Your portfolio's dropped 2/5 of its value over the last week.
Jesus Christ, Randall.
And my father-in-law?
Pretty much the same.
You promised to look after our money, to treat it like it was your own.
[Chuckles] Well, I did.
My losses are as big as yours.
So what happened to you being the wisest man on Wall Street?
There are no wise men on Wall Street after today.
Then what's your advice, Maestro?
Do nothing.
Ride it out.
"Ride it out"!
That's what I'm paying you two cents on the dollar for, is it, to do precisely nothing?
We need to keep our heads.
[scoffs] And while we wait?
We tighten our belts.
And just how tight are we talking?
Can't afford to give you Nellie's wedding dowry for now at least.
Lucky you cashed out all that stock.
Randall.
That was supposed to be for my divorce.
Then think about staying married.
Tell me you're joking.
[knock on door] Not now.
I'm busy.
It's about Nielsen, Sir.
[Excited chatter nearby] He... he just jumped from the eighth floor.
Cecil: What is it?
What is it, man?
Um...
I--I--I can't talk.
I'll call you later.
Cecil: Randall?
[Click as receiver hits cradle] Randall?
♪ [knock knock] [Clears throat] How--how is the old fellow?
Sleeping.
You--you didn't have to call the doctor out again in the night?
No, no, no, no.
The sedatives worked this time.
Right.
They're-- they're still sure it was a heart attack?
Yes, a minor one.
But...
Right.
Could I--could I maybe see him for a moment?
Cecil, I'm not going to let you anywhere near him.
I have to find out if he wants to sit tight or cut his losses.
Well, how much does he stand to lose?
About 2/5 at the moment.
2/5 of what?
Um, 50,000, give or take.
Oh, my.
Cecil.
I-- How could he have let you drag him into this?
I didn't have to drag him anywhere.
He was banging the door down to get involved.
It isn't my fault.
What about you?
Me?
I stand to lose a good deal more.
So, the divorce settlement?
I have to wait to see what happens with the market and then find out what I can still afford.
I'm sorry.
Please.
Can... No.
Yeah.
[horse nickers] You couldn't find a side saddle, then?
Er, not at short notice, ma'am.
Sorry.
Whenever you're ready.
Right.
[Exhales] I, uh, got you these.
Best to try and keep him sweet.
Hmm.
Keep your, um, thumb out of the way.
Yeah.
And just, yeah.
Billy... Hmm, fine.
[Sighs] No, Billy.
No.
OK, OK. Don't be-- don't be scared.
The horse will sense that.
He'll get nervous, too.
Just... Hmm?
To earn trust, you need to be trusting.
Shh, boy.
Ooh.
[horse neighs] He's OK.
He's OK.
Hold him still.
Yep.
Billy, still.
I've got him.
OK. Billy.
Billy, I said...
Sorry, Ma'am!
Sorry!
Billy, hold him still!
Oh!
Whoa.
I have it.
OK. [Alice grunts] Billy.
Billy!
Sorry, ma'am.
I'm sorry.
Billy!
Billy: Sorry.
OK, OK. We're calm.
You're fine.
[kissing sounds] Billy.
[clicks tongue] Billy.
It's OK. Yeah!
You've got him.
Billy, I--Billy, I want to stop.
Please.
Billy, Billy!
OK, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
Whoa.
[Alice moans] Come down.
I... Now watch me, OK?
[Billy grunts] Yep.
OK, watch what I do.
Just stay calm, and so will the horse.
OK?
Billy: Shall we try again?
Hyah.
No.
♪ [church bell ringing] Nellikins, don't be like that.
You are a liar.
By the time we go home, you said it would all be sorted.
And yet here I am on my way back to England and not one step closer to being Lady Heddon.
Look, I'm as devastated as you are, darling.
And I just--I just need a little time to wrap it all up, that's all.
A few days at most.
A few days?
No longer than a week.
I swear.
Scout's honour, Cee-Cee?
I don't want you there a moment longer than is necessary.
Trust me, neither do I.
She is more beautiful than you said, more beautiful than I am.
Now, listen to me, in my eyes, no one is more beautiful than you.
What do they say?
It's what's on the inside that counts.
Of my father's wallet, you mean.
♪ Betty: There we go.
Salvatore: Grazie.
A lovely cup of English tea.
Grazie.
You're welcome.
A lovely little drop of milk.
Ah, no.
[Speaking Italian] Si.
Mama, she says the Italian, we don't drink milk in a tea.
Oh.
Yes, we hardly drink tea at all.
Betty: All right.
[Maria speaking Italian] Yes.
She said, "I understand how difficult it will be "for you to give up being part of your family to become part of ours."
Yes, well, it will be difficult.
Can't pretend otherwise.
Leaving what I'm familiar and comfortable with to go and live in another woman's house.
Salvatore: Yes.
She want to make it as easy as possible for you.
Yes.
Well, in that case, we'll need some ground rules.
Better to put our cards on the table now than come to blows later.
[Salvatore grunts] [Salvatore and Maria speaking Italian] There you are.
I only stepped out for a minute.
Of course.
You deserve a break.
I better get back to him.
Oh, really?
Couldn't you just stay for a moment?
I might say something I'll regret.
Why?
Well, you can't possibly blame me for what's happened?
It's Papa that's been reckless.
But led by your idiot husband.
Papa took out a loan to invest with Cecil, a loan he secured against his company.
He has to repay the principal in the new year, only now he doesn't have the means to do so.
If you're hoping he's going to change his mind about the money he lent you, you're going to be disappointed, I'm afraid.
Either you sell this place and pay him back or Livesey Fine Fabrics itself will have to be sold.
And if that happens, let's just say this will be the last friendly family visit to your precious hotel.
No.
Amelia... why do you resent me so?
Me resent you?
[Chuckles softly] ♪ [Maria speaking Italian] Salvatore: Church on Saints' days.
[Speaks Italian] No meat on Friday.
[Speaks Italian] Salvatore: Wine, not beer.
[Maria speaks Italian] Salvatore: And dinner after 8:00.
Solo pane Italiano.
Ah.
You what?
"Solo pane Italiano"?
Are you kidding me?
Italian bread only?
[Speaking Italian] Salvatore: She said that-- that you English, you built an empire as big as Romans but never learned to make bread.
♪ My floury baps are as good as anything an Italian can bake.
[Salvatore and Maria speaking Italian] What did she say?
She want me... to choose.
Right.
Let battle commence.
♪ [Exhales] Bella: I thought I'd ask Vito to help with the soap.
Making the lye and ensuring that it mixes with all the other ingredients requires heating and cooling to exact temperatures-- It can be a little bit tricky-- whereas my body lotion is far more simple, involves much less chemistry.
Uh, Mrs. Ainsworth?
It doesn't say how much essential oil we should use.
Only a few drops.
It's very precious.
[phone ringing] Vito: If you'll excuse me.
Yes.
[ring] Vito: Mrs. Ainsworth, your daughter's on the telephone.
Ah.
Would you tell her I'm busy?
Uh, she says it's urgent, I'm afraid.
Oh, really?
Um...
Uh, perhaps Constance can lend me a hand.
I don't mind.
Bella: Thank you.
If you could just pipette the oil into each compartment.
I'll see what's going on.
[birds calling] Bella: Why did you let him in?
I didn't let him in.
He says he won't leave until you hear what he has to say.
You need to leave this instant.
Lady Heddon.
[chuckles] Really?
You don't wish to know why I've insisted on seeing you?
No.
Please.
Please.
Sit.
I've come to make you an offer.
I have no desire to hear your offer.
I want to buy your hotel.
Heh!
My hotel is not for sale.
Oh!
[chuckles] Everything is for sale.
Everything.
Maybe not today but one day...soon.
I would rather burn my hotel to the ground than sell it to you.
Well, perhaps that can be arranged.
[chuckles] I wish you a beautiful day.
♪ What about the rose water, Mrs. Pascal?
Might as well add some of that too.
Constance: All right, but that's the last of it.
Oh, she made a new batch this morning.
It can't be that hard to produce some more.
Go on.
Add some more.
Constance: Ah--mm.
[stirrer clinks, Constance exhales] [clank, door creaks, flames crackling] Salvatore, love?
Salvatore: Yes?
Betty: Come and have a bite.
No, no, no, no.
No way.
Salvatore!
[speaking Italian] Billy?
I'm with Salvo.
Ciao.
[footsteps receding] [rooster crows] Maria.
Elizabeth.
Shall we?
Hmm.
Hmm.
Mm?
[chuckles] Mm, it's all right, Maria, love.
Um, a little bit salty for my taste.
Hm, mm, mm, mm-mm-mm.
[Speaking Italian] Is that a compliment?
Hmm.
Mmm.
Mmm, mmm.
[chuckles softly] Oh.
That looks rather thick.
Let me see.
It doesn't look smooth at all.
It looks sticky.
Claudine: Well, we couldn't get it to combine, so we just added some more beeswax to thicken it up and-- The smell's overwhelming.
Claudine: Then it smelled waxy, so I told Paola to add some more rose oil along with the rest of the rose water.
You've used the entire bottle.
Can't you just whip up another batch?
No.
As a matter of fact, we can't.
I used the very last of the petals I had stored to make this this morning.
[chuckles] Do you think this is funny?
No.
I have just been fending off an offer from Signor Danioni to buy the hotel.
We have to make this work!
[footsteps receding] [Paola inhales deeply] [exhales] Vincenzo: They're calling it a crash, right?
Cecil: Crash?
It's more like a bloodbath.
Thank God your employers hadn't got round to stamping out that extra million.
You seem remarkably calm about everything.
Why wouldn't I be?
Because the value of our portfolio just nosedived by 40%.
Well, aren't you worried about losing your money, Detroit's money?
We haven't lost anything.
For crying out loud, man.
You're not listening to me.
Signor Ainsworth, it's you who are not listening to me.
I just said we haven't lost anything.
What are you saying?
Th--they--they want to sit tight, wait for the market to bounce back?
What?
No.
They want their money back within the week.
[Cecil laughs] I'm facing a wipeout, Danioni.
I can't just rustle up £60,000 with a snap of my fingers.
It's not 60,000, it's 100,000.
That was the value, right, of the investment at its peak, hmm?
Why, you dirty little thief... Man: Hey!
Hey!
[punch thuds] Uh!
[coughs] [Cecil gasping] Slow down, Signor Ainsworth.
First of all, it's no more than you deserve.
And then let me tell you something.
I may be a superstitious peasant, but I'm a rich one.
Aah.
[gasps] [shard thuds] Vincenzo: And bring me the ring, too, or there really will be a bloodbath.
Believe me.
[door closes] So, how much do you need?
£80,000.
[drink pouring] 80,000?
In total, although I would settle for 10,000 in the short term because that's what Papa needs to pay back the principal on his loan.
Oh, it's still a lot.
So, now you see why I was rather hoping that our little enterprise might pay off.
Look, if anyone can turn beeswax into gold dust, it's you, Bella Ainsworth.
[footsteps approaching] Ah, if it isn't my fellow Parisian.
Stay for a Negroni.
I mix a mean one.
Um, perhaps another time.
[footsteps recede] Well, I'm going to need that drink.
Amelia's problem is most definitely not with you.
It's with me.
Ah.
I did get a certain... frostiness.
Yes, it's always been like that.
Actually, that's not true.
We were close when we were young.
We were very close.
Anyway, you don't need to hear my silly sob story.
You bet your bottom dollar I do.
Hmm?
Amelia was poorly when she was young.
[laughs] She was fishing for tadpoles and had fallen in the pond accidentally.
She caught the most terrible cold, and she threw an absolute tantrum when she couldn't go back to school and was forced to stay home.
So, um, she insisted on going back and promptly caught viral pneumonia.
Oh, God.
Of course, only my mother was allowed to nurse her.
And your mother caught it herself.
Yes, yes... She never had the best health, even before that.
And then, um... Well... then she died, um, just before my tenth birthday.
And you blame Amelia for that, honey?
No!
No, no, no, no.
Gosh, of course not.
She was a child.
Um... no.
But deep down, though?
Gosh, I don't know.
♪ Perhaps I do.
I've never... Well...it's true.
We--we've never been the same as sisters.
I can't remember us... ever hugging one another or... or holding hands, even.
Maybe that's what Amelia's picking up on, reacting to.
Oh, gosh.
You are clever, aren't you?
[chuckles] Mmm.
[sighs] Perhaps we should have another Negroni.
Of course.
♪ [indistinct chatter] [coughs] [dog barking] ♪ [man exhales] Marco: That's Antonio Costa.
Lucian: So, he's a Blackshirt.
But he is weak.
Danioni was friends with his father.
It's the reason he tolerates him.
And you're sure he'll talk?
We'll make him.
How do you propose to do that?
Violence is not the answer.
Marco: It's the only language they respect or understand.
And you'd be prepared to do that on behalf of a man that you don't even know?
I told you, an enemy of the fascist is a friend of mine.
♪ Evening, Ainsworth.
Do I know you?
[chuckles] Yeah.
[Cecil sighs] Jack Turner.
Miss me?
What in the blazes are you doing here?
Just tying up a few loose ends.
I have nothing to say to you.
Oh, I have a whole heap... [Palm thuds] to say to you.
Bella: Cecil?
[floorboards creaking] Cecil: So, what's this all about, Jack?
Jack: Take a wild guess, Ainsworth.
Have you found something out about our missing painting?
Right first time... old chap.
[soft thud] And what is this?
It's a catalogue for a private sale of a painting.
"Venus with a Mirror" by Peter Paul Rubens.
Well, that's marvellous, Jack.
You finally sold it.
Perhaps now you can pay me the rest of my share.
[laughs] Very good, Ainsworth.
That's very good.
You know I had nothing to do with the theft of this painting.
I don't know anything of the sort.
Yeah, you do.
Because it was you.
The catalogue proves nothing, Jack.
That's what your man Fanucci said.
Yeah.
So, I did a little digging.
Spoke to the guys at his warehouse, and they said a guy called Francesco gave him the painting.
Works at a little hotel in Portofino, owned by an Englishman.
They were very specific about that.
[chuckles] Oh.
Wait.
You find this funny?
No, no.
It's a fair cop, Guv.
[laughs] You won't be laughing when I blow your brains out all over the promenade.
[sighs] Fire away, old bean.
I don't have a cat in hell's chance of paying back what I owe.
[gun cocks] If it makes you feel any better, Jack, the joke's on me, not you.
My wife and I are divorcing, I've just dumped a fortune on Wall Street, and I'm about to lose the estate that has been in my family for over 300 years, if the Mafia don't slit my throat first.
So, go ahead.
Pull the trigger.
You'll be doing me a favour.
[Cecil inhales sharply] Let's go.
[Cecil sighs] Jack: Come on.
♪ [brakes squeal] You really oughtn't have waited up.
I was waiting for your father.
He's been gone all day.
Oh, well, he'll turn up, like a bad penny.
[Speaking Italian] ♪ Are you all right?
Yes.
Bella... what is it?
My father.
It's his heart.
He's had a nasty scare.
Is he in the hospital?
No, no, no.
He's here.
He's resting.
But my sister won't let me see him.
[sighs] Why not?
I think she blames me for what's happened.
My father invested in one of Cecil's stupid schemes.
Marco: That's not your fault.
Well...
I owe him tens of thousands of pounds, and he needs it so that he doesn't have to sell his company.
And I would use the divorce money, but Cecil says he can't give it to me anymore.
So I think I'm gonna have to sell the hotel.
It won't come to that.
How do you know?
Because you'll find a way.
No.
You always do.
That's why I love you.
♪ Thank you.
[scoffs] ♪ [exhales] Constance?
Er...
I, er... ♪ [footsteps recede] [sighs] [door shuts nearby] Ooh.
Horses and horsemanship.
I didn't know that you were interested.
There is a lot that you don't know.
That was full this morning.
Mm-hmm.
So, she's told you, then?
Who's she?
Mother.
Well, what should she have told me?
That she's divorcing Father.
I thought that's why you were drowning your sorrows.
Huh.
No, as a matter of fact, she hadn't told me.
And if she had, I would be celebrating.
Alice... Father's a useless cad, and Mother's put up with him for long enough.
She has as much of a right to be happy as the rest of us.
Happy.
Like you, you mean?
[laughs] Oh, what is it they say about happiness?
They say, uh, something to do... something to hope for, and someone to love.
Seems like you've failed on all three counts.
♪ [bubbling] Oh, how disappointing.
Luce.
So, you're finally doing it, then.
Doing what, darling?
You're divorcing Father.
Did he tell you that?
Alice, actually.
I was going to tell you myself, but you seemed so out of sorts, I just didn't have the heart.
Is it because of Marco?
Mr. Bonacini?
I saw you with him out there.
[sighs] It's not because of Marco, but I can't pretend that we both, well, that I don't have feelings.
No, no, it's all right.
It's, um...
I'm happy for you.
Heh.
Really, I am.
Darling, you don't seem happy in one fibre of your being.
Now you sound just like Alice.
You have to forgive yourself for Rose.
All this pain and anguish.
You are one of the most caring, loyal, funny-- Funny?
Yes, funny... and lovable people that I know.
And you deserve to be loved back.
Thank you.
[mixture whistling] Oh, goodness.
I'm boiling.
Sorry, darling.
You know, you deserve to be loved as well.
[Lucian chuckles softly] [sighing] Move.
Don't do this, Jack.
Get the lights.
♪ Quickly and quietly open these drawers.
How many times do I have to tell you?
She barely keeps any money at the hotel.
I will be the judge of that.
Open the drawers.
[Cecil sighs] There's nothing in there.
It's just letters.
The other drawers.
There's nothing there.
Over there.
You're wasting your bloody time.
There's nothing there.
All right.
Get up.
Get up.
These ones--these ones here.
Oh, for God's sake.
See?
Nothing.
The other drawer.
Nothing.
What did I bloody well tell you?
Uh!
[groaning] [gun cocks] You got five seconds, buddy.
The ring.
What?
My wife's ring.
It's in the third drawer down in an envelope.
You missed it.
[spits] It's diamonds and sapphires.
I'll consider this to be a down payment.
You have got 24 hours to come up with something else.
You understand me, Ainsworth?
Yeah.
Yeah, yeah.
[thud] Uh!
[gasping] ♪ [door opens] [door closes] [thudding] [clank, door shuts] Who's that?
[water running] [Cecil coughs] [turns water off] Oh, my.
Well, what happened?
I, um, I had an argument with a lamp post.
Oh, Cecil, um, let me help you.
Take your jacket off.
I, um, I can't.
Come on.
Come along.
Sit down.
You smell like a brewery.
I bumped into an old friend.
I can't believe you were drinking at a time like this.
I am not in the mood for a lecture.
No.
Sit down and let me clean you up.
Tell me.
[chuckles] You really want to know the worst of it?
Yes.
Aside from your father losing a little north of £20,000, which, by the way, is a trifle when set against the gaping hole in my finances.
Ow.
My...my prospective father-in-law has just informed me that, uh, he's no longer in a position to give me the wedding dowry he promised.
Which means I can probably wave good-bye to Knaresbrook.
Cecil, you fool.
Actually... you know what?
That isn't the worst of it.
Because I just lost a fortune for-- for certain business associates of mine in Detroit.
And funnily enough, they're asking for it back.
Not very nicely.
Well, what about the divorce settlement?
[sighs] I'm afraid it's spoken for...elsewhere.
But...we agreed.
I've changed my mind.
But I haven't.
Now, Bella, please.
[sighs] ♪ I found this.
It will be me who's filing for a divorce and you who is taking the blame.
[laughing] ♪ Well played.
♪ [chuckles] ♪ ♪ Tell me what you think.
It's lovely.
Hmm.
I think the freshness of that citrus undercuts the sweetness of the vanilla and those floral tones of the, uh, of the jasmine.
Maybe even better than the rose.
Yes.
And the good news is they're harvesting these sweet oranges at the moment, so there's no chance of running out if we did make a mistake.
Now, I'm going to teach you how to extract the oil from the zest of the orange.
Me, ma'am?
Yes.
I need you to help in the dispensary to help perfect the product.
We've only got a week until Miss Pascal's party.
And it'll just be me and Vito?
Yes.
I'll be coming along every day, obviously, but some of the time, it will just be the two of you, if you're comfortable with that.
No.
I have nothing to fear from him.
Thank you, Constance.
You do know that I wouldn't ask if it wasn't of the utmost importance, don't you?
Yes, ma'am.
Your fee, Billy.
Oh, I'll happily slack this off, ma'am, if you fancy another lesson.
I'm rather short on funds.
Well, you can owe me.
It doesn't matter.
I don't want to take advantage of you, Billy.
And besides, I'm rather tender in certain places.
That is part and parcel of horses, ma'am.
Yes, well, perhaps horses aren't for me, then.
You know, there's no such thing as failure, Mrs. Mays-Smith... except in giving up on something you've set your heart on.
[indistinct chatter nearby] [Alice sighs] [sighs] [indistinct chatter] [exhales] ♪ [indistinct conversation] [laughter] ♪ [church bell rings] [sighs] ♪ [exhales] [indistinct chatter] You're late.
It's not too late to change your mind.
Would you just drive, please?
[engine starts] [dog barking] ♪ [shouting in Italian] [screaming] [Marco speaking Italian] [brakes squeal] ♪ [speaking Italian] [thunder, rain] We've been at this for hours.
I'm softening him up.
Or you're being soft, more like.
[laughing] [spits] [moaning] [thud] Uh!
Marco: No, no, no, no!
[speaking indistinctly] What are you doing?
You were supposed to leave it to me.
But you weren't getting anywhere.
Your mother, she would never forgive me if I let you do something you'll regret for the rest of your life.
Please, Lucian.
Anish wouldn't want this.
How would you know?
The last time you saw him you were 12.
My brother wasn't a violent person.
Well, he certainly became one.
He never hated anyone.
He was compassionate.
Compassion for people like that will get you killed.
[thunder, rain] Right.
♪ [moaning softly] [groaning] Uh!
[sobbing] [Antonio coughing] Uh!
[Antonio coughs] [Conversation in Italian] Uh!
[punches landing] [Antonio sobbing] [punch is thrown] Uh!
Uh!
[sobbing] [speaking Italian] [coughing] [conversation in Italian] [chuckling] [thunder] ♪ ♪ [camera motor hums] [camera focus whirs]
Video has Closed Captions
After the Wall Street Crash, Bella starts her new business and Cecil appeals to Danioni. (30s)
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