[phone buzzes]
[breathes deeply]
Ready?
[car beeps]
[engine starts]
[sighs]
[sniffs]
- [knocks on door] - [sighs]
Ten minutes till your twelve o'clock.
- Is he here yet? - [Katie] Not yet.
Right. Good. Cancel it. [groans]
Taking the rest of the day off.
Hi. Uh, James Ellis.
I have a noon with Quinn Huntley.
I'm so sorry. Mr. Huntley's had a family emergency.
Could we reschedule for another day?
Of course. I hope, uh... hope everything's okay.
[Katie] Uh, how's Monday for you?
Sure.
- If it isn't my favorite ghostwriter. - You told me to keep a low profile.
Laying low and banishing me to voicemail aren't the same thing.
What can I do for you?
[sighs]
I wanted to say I'm sorry for the other day.
I was too hard on you.
But you're not the only one with a boss, you know. I answer to people too.
What are you saying?
Are you willing to open the Phoebe story back up?
Well, we can't do that. Not under threat of litigation.
But your new story,
- maybe that can help settle the score. - [scoffs] Yeah, that's the idea.
Well, then we need to work together.
As it stands, your friendly research assistant
walks around knowing more than me.
Julia, my source just died, so I think a little secrecy is warranted.
And I'm worried you're heading into the same territory, all over again.
When you hired me, you said you wanted to rock the boat.
The Huntleys aren't a boat,
they're a warship with great success defending themselves in open water.
I'm not asking you to name your new source,
but I need to know what the story is before I'm back on the phone again
- defending you to Huntley lawyers. - Not exactly how I remember that going.
You let me in, I can protect you, protect your source.
Whoever they are.
Give me a day and I'll come back to you.
I'm just asking you to be reasonable.
I'd rather lose the story and keep everyone alive,
even if that's not your preferred order of things.
Twenty-four hours, okay?
- [Eliza] Hi. [chuckles] - [Anne] Hello, darling.
- It's good to see you. - Good to see you.
Hi, Anne. Thanks for having me.
Tess, welcome back.
Appreciate you opening up the house for us.
I know it's a big deal.
Not at all.
Unfortunately, I do have a bit of bad news.
Oh, what's happened?
The power's out. It's been about an hour now.
They're working on it.
They've got the fires going, the fridge is still cold.
That's the best they can do, at the moment.
Sorry, that's not ideal.
It's fine, honestly.
We were going to go riding anyway.
Come on. It's so cold out here. Let's get you inside. [chuckles]
Can we open up the shutters in the rest of the house?
[Anne] I don't see why not.
Are you okay waiting here?
- This'll only take us a moment. - Sure.
[door opens, closes]
[shutters open, creak]
[chuckles]
- Are you looking for something? - Sorry. Um, couldn't help it.
Such a beautiful place. [chuckles]
Yeah, I suppose you didn't come to the main house
when you were working at the stables.
No, not that I remember.
Well, look at you now.
All grown up, allowed to go anywhere you please.
So, is it just you here?
Or William too?
He lives in the smaller house out by the woods.
Where Henry and Olivia were when they first got married.
Times change.
That they do.
[phone buzzing]
- Hey, you. - [Grace] Hey, love.
Hey, are you at the office?
Uh, yeah, yeah. It's, uh... It's a... a really packed day.
It's, uh, back-to-back really.
Um, but I... I can talk.
Are you, uh... How's... How's dress shopping going?
[groans] Everywhere I go, they try and turn me into a princess.
- Did you call and say something? - Yeah. Yeah, I s... [chuckles]
...sent them photos of Cinderella.
I said... [chuckles] ..."I want it just like that, please."
[chuckles]
- Another drink, sir? - No, leave it. Leave it.
- Hmm? - I'm sure that we're paying by the yard,
so they probably want you in the biggest dress imaginable.
But, um, you get what you want.
- It's your day. - Our life, right?
Right.
Um, do you wanna meet later for a drink?
Uh, yeah, no. I... I can't, darling. It really is... It's very busy here.
Um, I can't really get away.
Okay, yeah. Um, yeah. You go. Um, call me later.
- Of course. - I love you.
Love you too.
[sighs]
[breathes heavily]
[phone chimes]
[sighs]
[Quinn sighs]
[Quinn breathes heavily]
[James] Uh, Quinn Huntley?
Uh, James Ellis.
We, uh... We had a meeting today. It was rescheduled.
Oh, uh, yeah.
Um... Um, yeah. Sorry about that.
- Uh, day got away from me. - No, I... I heard. Uh, family emergency.
- Hope... Hope everything's okay. - Yeah.
Um, yeah, it's... it's all sorted now. Yeah.
Well, look, I... I didn't mean to interrupt.
I was just having another meeting and I saw you sitting here, so,
I think we're back on for Monday, if I'm not on a plane home.
Uh, who... who were you here to meet?
Uh, Bankes Hill.
You know them?
Yes. [chuckles]
Tell me something, are they, um, always such uptight assholes, or...
- [Quinn] Always. - Yeah.
You know, I ordered a drink and they looked at me like I was drunk already.
[chuckles] Yes, that sounds about right.
I mean, cards on the table, I've had a few myself, so...
"He who hath no sin, cast the first stone."
- [both chuckle] - Well, look, I-I don't mean to keep you.
Um, I'll see you Monday, I guess.
Yeah. You know, um,
if you've got a minute, and you wanna sit down, we can talk.
Uh, right... right now?
Ah, if you want to piss off the Bankes Hill lot,
then sitting with me will certainly do that.
[chuckles]
- Why not? - Why not indeed.
Come along. [clears throat]
So, uh, what are we drinking?
The place has changed a lot since you were last here.
Anne's the only one that really uses it these days.
That's a shame.
Come on, I've got a surprise for you.
[horse whinnies]
Eddie, look who's here to see you.
[Eddie whinnies]
Little bit older, but still a love.
[blusters]
You ready?
You want to explore the woods?
Yeah, I was thinking the same thing.
[Quinn chuckles]
So, James, I've heard a thing or two about Ascendant,
but what are you doing over here in our neck of the woods?
Well, we're expanding our philanthropic efforts.
And I've noticed that you're on a similar mission.
- [phone buzzes] - Ah.
[James] I saw your speech from the other night.
It was impressive.
I mean, using the foundation to move the family name in the right direction.
- It's nice optics. - [chuckles] Careful, Mr. Ellis.
Don't let your assumptions ruin our drinks.
[James] I mean, you're succeeding though.
Rewiring people so they sympathize with old money
and inject you with fresh capital, now, that is no easy feat.
The foundation was my sister's idea.
Uh, your si... Uh, is that Eliza?
Yeah. Do you know her?
Oh, no. We have a... a friend in common.
Well, establishing the foundation was her way of absolving herself
from our family's history.
I mean, I've been in charge for the last year or so, but, uh,
I suppose she does get some of the credit.
She, uh... She ever involved in the investment side of things?
Why do you ask?
[stammers, chuckles] Our friend has a lot of capital, so...
- [phone buzzes] - ...always looking for new opportunities.
- [James] Boss on your ass? - Ha ha.
- Dealer? - Not really my style.
No. You?
I go with the flow.
[chuckles]
It's my fiancée.
She's at a dress fitting today for our wedding.
She keeps sending me photographs.
[gasps] Congratulations.
- When's the big day? - End of the month.
- [sighs] - How about you? You married?
No. No.
No, I'm, uh...
- I'm better operating alone. - [phone buzzing]
I have some trust issues, so...
- Excuse me, I have to take this. - Yeah, yeah.
- If you don't mind. - Of course.
What do you have?
[Richard] I've been digging in, and between you and me,
what happened to that girl looks like foul play.
But law enforcement isn't asking further questions.
Uh, press?
Nothing outside local initial coverage of the incident.
Look, maybe she had other enemies.
She went to the press about you, who knows what else she was into.
Quinn, this had nothing to do with us, so why are you so worried?
- Thanks for following up. - Talk to you later.
Everything okay?
You look like you could use another.
I fucking hate this place.
You wanna go somewhere else?
[birds chirping]
We should walk from here.
Tess, are you coming?
Had some wild parties in these woods, didn't we?
It was fun while it lasted.
You know, I barely remember anything from that night. Do you?
Is that why we're here?
I know you don't want to talk about what happened between us, but...
- Eliza... - You ran off from that party that night
like you'd seen a ghost.
I found you at the stables the next morning and we were both still fucked up.
We should never have been riding.
And then I got hurt and you just left me.
So, I guess you keep asking me why I'm upset, why my walls are up.
How could you not know why?
[sighs]
You were one of the first girls I ever liked.
I'm sorry.
I wish I could go back, change it.
[scoffing] You wish you could?
[chuckling] Right.
You know, I thought maybe we could stay the night,
but I'll have them call you a car.
[sighs] I think it's time you leave.
[Sophie] Eliza, please.
[Anne] Have you seen Dad?
No. Why? What's happened?
He's wandered off again. We can't find him anywhere.
[Eliza] Well, do we need to call someone?
No, no, there isn't time. He'll freeze to death.
Okay, I'll... I'll help you find him. Just...
- Is everything okay? - [sighs] No.
Grandpa's gone missing and it's about to get dark.
I have to go with Anne.
Just go back to the house and I'll find you there when I can.
I can help.
I don't want your help.
[Anne] Dad!
[Eliza] Grandpa!
[Anne] Dad!
[floorboards creaking]
[door opens]
- [groundskeeper 1] William! - [breathes shakily]
- [groundskeeper 1] William! - [gasps]
[breathing heavily]
[groundskeeper 1] William!
You in here?
[breathing shakily]
[groundskeepers] William! William!
[hammer cocks]
William, is it?
[whimpers, breathes shakily]
Please, put the gun down.
What are you doing back here, girl?
- [breathes shakily] - [Anne] Dad!
Dad, stop.
- [muttering] - Dad, give it to me.
Tess. [panting]
[William mutters]
[Anne] We need to get him back to the house.
[muttering continues]
[both panting]
What happened?
Uh, I was walking back when I saw him.
He thought I was someone else.
Who?
[exhales deeply]
I don't know.
[breathing shakily]
Eliza, I'm not trying to hurt you.
I'm really not.
[sighs]
I was young.
I definitely made mistakes...
but I've always felt close to you.
There's this bond between us.
I can't explain it.
[Eliza gasps]
[sighs, chuckles]
God, I am such a bad host.
Got... Got a gun pointed at you before I'd even offered you a drink.
[chuckles, sniffles]
You know what?
A drink would be good, actually.
- [chuckles] Yeah? - Yeah. [sniffles]
Okay, well, you go get yourself cleaned up.
I'll grab us a bottle.
[breathes shakily]
- [Phoebe] Oh. [chuckles] - [glass clinks]
- [Phoebe] Oh, my gosh. - [tapping]
- [person sniffs] - [Phoebe chuckles]
- [person] We're almost out. - [liquid pours]
- Uh, do you have a guy? - [Phoebe] I don't know anyone.
- [person] Ah... - [phone ringing]
[person sighs] Shit. Okay.
Yeah. Come on up.
[buzzing]
[knocks on door]
[sighs]
Long time between visits.
Do you have something for me?
This never comes back on me, okay?
[visitor] Can I ask why?
'Cause the girl that made this died a few weeks ago.
Police ruled it a suicide. I'm betting it's not.
No one's covering it. Everyone's dropped it.
I'm hoping you could change that.
Why aren't you using it?
My publication wasn't interested.
Then why would I be?
Because the other person in that video...
is Quinn Huntley.
Oh, fu...
- You okay, man? - [sighs]
[breathes heavily]
- [groans] - [James] What is this place?
- [doorkeeper] Mr. Huntley. - Yes. Yes. Hello.
[James] Thanks.
[hostess] Who's your friend?
Hmm?
Oh, don't mind him. He's all right.
[door buzzes]
- Thanks. - [people chattering]
[club music playing]
Wow.
You, uh, get yourself a drink.
Someone's here to see me.
Hey, uh, can I get a vodka soda, please?
Thanks.
Thanks. Keep the change.
[Quinn] And then you'll be... You'll thank me.
Yeah, you'll meet him.
Ah, there he is.
Thought we'd lost you.
Uh, come and meet my fiancée. Come on.
- Come on. Come on. - [James] Oh.
- This is... [stammers] - Grace. Nice to meet you.
James Ellis. Nice to meet you too.
I-I'm sorry. I didn't know Quinn was out with a friend tonight.
Yeah, no. James and I had something scheduled later this week,
but then we bumped into each other at, uh... at the club.
- Oh, how fortunate. [chuckles] - [sniffs]
- Ooh, I-I could do with one of these... - Oh, I'll go.
Uh, what do you guys want?
- Champagne, please. - Champagne.
Quinn could do with a glass of water.
[James chuckles]
- [chuckles] - [Eliza] Thank you.
Okay. Wait for it.
["Daffodils" playing on speakers]
[laughs] See?
- We have made it into the 21st century. - [Sophie chuckles]
At least, when the power's working.
[chuckles]
[both chuckle]
Are you good?
Yeah.
No, fuck that. I'm gonna go and find someone...
- Quinn. Quinn. - ...who doesn't want me to have water.
[music continues]
- Champagne. - Thanks.
When did you boys start drinking?
Uh, well, to be honest, he was already feeling it
when I ran into him this afternoon, so...
- I love the suit. - Well, you...
[exhales sharply] Everyone's gotta blow off steam once in a while, right?
Where are you from, James?
Uh. [chuckles] San Francisco.
Do you like it there?
I used to. Yeah.
Wife? Children?
Uh, I... Uh, I was married, yeah.
Didn't work out?
- No. [chuckles] - [Grace] Mmm.
Guess it's not over for you.
[Quinn speaks indistinctly]
- Ah. - [patron] How are you?
[James] Look, I-I'm sorry.
Do you want me to go and say something or...
[Grace] No, it's fine.
We come to places like this every now and then.
But I appreciate your offer.
[stammers] Wait, what do you mean "places like this"?
Did you notice a girl at the door with the buzzer?
It's all very exclusive. Discreet.
Which is why I was a bit surprised that he brought a stranger like you.
[James stammers] Uh, so the girl he's with,
you... you know her?
- [patron] Come on. - [Grace] Yeah.
Mmm.
I think we should get you another drink.
Oh, you know what? [groans]
I think I'm gonna call it a night. Before my luck runs out.
Uh, it was nice to meet you.
[Grace] Nice meeting you, James.
Quinn needs more friends like you.
Have a good night.
[sighs]
- [speaks indistinctly] - [chuckles]
- Then I can see your toes. - Hello.
- Can I steal you for a moment? - Or you could stay.
Yeah.
What are you doing?
Oh, God. What's your problem?
You've been avoiding me all day.
- You're drunk. What's going on? - Oh, come on. Loosen up.
It's supposed to be fun.
I'm not having fun.
- You used to love this stuff. - Not like this.
You text me out of nowhere, show up here with some stranger.
We used to do this together,
and now you're across the room with your hand on some girl's ass.
People change.
Oh, come on. Don't look at me like that.
You knew what you were getting yourself into.
What are you trying to do?
Scare me away?
- [exhales deeply] - Quinn?
Do you want to tell me what's really going on?
I'm gonna go and get another drink.
You can join me if you like. That's up to you.
- [all grunting, groaning] - Get off.
- Hey. Hey. Stop. Stop. - Fuck off. [grunts]
- [grunts] - I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
- [grunting] - What happened? What hap... Quinn.
No, no, no. Stop. Stop, stop, stop. We'll go. We'll go.
I'll call a car.
- Do you want some help? - [panting] Yes, please.
[pants] Yes.
[panting]
["Hold Me Down" playing on speakers]
[breathes shakily]
I'll be right back.
[Sophie] Okay.
- [door closes] - [footsteps approach]
[Grace] He's passed out.
Just needs to sleep it off.
Thanks for your help.
Honestly, the whole spectacle was humiliating.
- Your forehead. - Oh, I'm... I'm... I'm okay. [chuckles]
Sorry.
I haven't seen him like that in a while.
Do you know what was bothering him?
I mean, I... I saw him at the club around lunch.
He was already a few deep.
Lunch.
I'm... I'm sorry, I... I should have slowed him down.
His behavior isn't your fault.
Hmm. Honestly, I'm not sure what I would have done
if you hadn't been there.
I, uh... I should go.
Y-You've helped me so much tonight, um, the least I can do is offer you a drink.
Thank you. [chuckles]
So, um, what are you doing in town, James?
I made a bad deal
and lost a significant amount of money,
so I'm here to get it back.
From who?
- Complicated. - [chuckles] Yeah.
Yeah. You could say that.
Um, do you... do you... do you have a restroom?
Down the hall.
Thanks. [clears throat]
[sighs]
[phone buzzes]
I, uh... I... I think... I think I'm gonna head out.
Are you sure this is okay?
[Eliza] Tess?
Tess?
- Hey, where have you been? - [chuckles]
Sorry, I was just looking for you.
Come up with me.
[chuckles]
Been a while, I know.
Do you remember what we used to do when we snuck up here?
- [music box playing] - [lighter clicks]
What is that?
- This? - That's yours?
Yeah, I've had it forever.
Who gave it to you?
It was a gift from my dad.
Quinn has the same one. It's a tradition.
My dad gave one to each of his children. [sighs]
- Tess, are you okay? - [breathing shakily]
You're scaring me.
[music box continues playing]
[music box stops]