NANanny Asante
Have you heard the news? The King is in.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
Ah, swift work, Nanny. Thank you.
NANanny Asante
Charlotte’s raced up to tell Mama.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
Hm. How are you?
NANanny Asante
All right, good.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
Well, she’ll be very happy. We haven’t had a visit from a monarch since the 18th century, believe it or not.
NANanny Asante
Well, he’s particularly excited to meet you, Eddie. A duke done good in farming, no less. When I told him about how much you’re raking in on your various agricultural exploits, he was gagging to find out more.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
I hope you didn’t build me up too much.
NANanny Asante
You won’t disappoint, Eddie. You won’t. You’ve changed since you left the army. In a good way, I hasten to add. Most people who’ve seen what you have will either disappear into a bottle or blow their brains out.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
It’s certainly a struggle for many of our comrades. Some more than others.
NANanny Asante
Well, you, my friend, do seem to have grabbed life by the lapels.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
That’s kind of you to say, Nanny. But I think, uh, it’s not 100% accurate.
NANanny Asante
You’ve never been any good at taking compliments, Eddie. Part of your charm, I suppose.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
Hm.
NANanny Asante
Anyway, I’ll go and lend some moral support. Preparations for a royal visit can feel daunting to the uninitiated.
AIAhmed Iqbal
Unfortunately, Mr. MacDougall has decided not to pursue your offer.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
And you proposed the 18, as discussed?
AIAhmed Iqbal
I did indeed.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
Any insight into why he didn’t agree?
AIAhmed Iqbal
He declined to go into details with me over the phone, but his response was emphatic.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
Emphatic how?
AIAhmed Iqbal
Ah, a certain amount of language was used.
SMSimon MacDougall
[flashback scene] It’s my land, and I’m not gonna sell it to that posh cunt!
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
Hm. I think a more direct approach might be necessary. Neighbor to neighbor.
Sorry to bother you, Mr. MacDougall. The Duke would like a word.
SMSimon MacDougall
He’s here?
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
Hello, Simon. Sorry to drop in unannounced.
SMSimon MacDougall
Your Grace.
SMSimon MacDougall
So, what do we owe this rare pleasure to?
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
Well, uh, I heard you’ve decided to sell up.
SMSimon MacDougall
That’s correct.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
I was a little disappointed that you hadn’t let me know, given the conversation we had.
SMSimon MacDougall
Yes, sorry about that. I decided to, uh, test the water on the open market. The offer I gave you is much higher than you’d get on the open market.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
I mean, why don’t we just save yourself the trouble?
SMSimon MacDougall
I’d prefer not to.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
And, uh, do you have another buyer in the waiting?
SMSimon MacDougall
Nope, not yet.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
Uh, Simon, is there anything I’ve done to offend you?
SMSimon MacDougall
I’ve lived next door to your family for 15 years. Every Christmas, we’ve invited you round for drinks. Not once has anyone dignified us with a response to say that you could not make it.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
Well, I am a very busy man, Simon, and my mother a poor correspondent. For that, I can only apologize for our collective failures. In the light of that, why don’t I raise the offer to 19 million right here, right now, and we call it a day?
SMSimon MacDougall
You see, you... you know what the trouble is with… with people like.... like you? You... you think you’re better than us, with your… with your seat and your title and your… your dodgy mates. Don’t think I don’t know what goes on up at that estate. I’ve... I’ve heard the rumors. You think you can just buy whatever you want, but the truth is that you can’t. So, why don’t you take your 19 million and shove it up your arse?ǃ
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
I don’t blame you, Simon, for the cloud of misapprehension that you’re currently under. My offer to you is 19 million. Tomorrow, it will be 18. The next day, 17. And it will continue to decrease until it reaches zero. It’s a very generous offer. I suggest you accept it.
SMSimon MacDougall
If you think you can intimidate me, like some kind of gangster, you can’t.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
But what if you were right, Simon? What if, as well as a duke and a peer of the realm, I was, indeed, a gangster? Do you really think that you can stop me getting what I want?
KKris
Just let me do the talking from now on, okay? It's a big fսcking deal. You need this, I need this, we both need this. Be professional. Stuff that shithole.
KKris
[Victor executes Ned] Fսck!
VVictor
You don't make money by stealing from Bobby Glass. Instead, you make an enemy out of him. If you make Bobby Glass your friend, if he respects you and you work with him, that's how you make money from Bobby Glass.
If you’d brought this to me sooner, there wouldn’t have been a problem, you see, ’cause I’d have stopped it. Now there’s been a whole catalog of issues, and in every instance, I would have said no. I mean, you start messing around with the gear so much that people are murdering government officials. No. You start letting workers walk away from their operation so they can come back and steal from us. No. You start agreeing to sit down with people who stole from us. No. No. Fucking no. Here’s what you’re gonna do. Nothing. I’ll handle it.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
No. No, no, no, no. We cannot do nothing. We have to locate the product and get it off the open market.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
I’ll handle it.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
No. If the police trace the weed back to us, the effects of that would be catastrophic. Well, what would be catastrophic is if we sat down with these people, ’cause that makes us look weak, and that is not acceptable. As soon as they start shifting the product, we’ll find them. We’ve got soldiers on the street of every city in this country. And the moment they get a sniff, well, they’re gonna let us know. In fact, if you listen very carefully, you might be able to hear ’em now. [gestures] Can you hear that? Can... Can you hear them?
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
No, Bobby.
It’s the sound of the jungle drums, Eddie.
That’s right, Jackie boy. It’s the sound of the jungle drums. And as soon as the message comes through, we’ll move in and kill the lot of ’em. [clap hands] Job done.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
No. We are not waiting that long.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
The rush? Bobby, as you’ve said many times in the past, the key to our success is in longevity, our ability to stay under the radar. If people start fucking murdering each other and going mad on the street, the police, the press, they have a field day.
No, you... you don’t get to tell me about longevity.
SGSusan "Susie" Glass
He’s right, though, Dad. It’s bad for business.
Look, you’re caught up in the micro, but you’re failing to take in the macro of it all. That’s where the real longevity kicks in. From where I’m standing, this problem could be to our advantage. I mean, a load of lads losing their marbles over a marijuana-induced psychosis on the eve of the vote for the decriminalization is, um... Well, it might be the final little push we need.
SGSusan "Susie" Glass
We can’t just disobey orders from the patriarchy, Eddie.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
That’s exactly what we’re gonna do. Besides, I don’t feel like sitting in prison saunas and talking about jungle drums anymore. It’s like working with bloody Mad King George.
SGSusan "Susie" Glass
Don’t knock the reign of George III. He built Buckingham Palace and figured out the rules to cricket.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
Only because his advisors stepped in and made the decisions for him. When he was in charge, we lost America.
SGSusan "Susie" Glass
We can take it back if you like. Now, how would we locate the product?
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
Well, by asserting ourselves with precision.
SGSusan "Susie" Glass
When you say “asserting ourselves with precision”?
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
Yes, I happen to have a colleague I think might be perfect for the occasion.
SGSusan "Susie" Glass
Do you ever get nostalgic for your former life as a soldier?
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
Hm. There’s certainly something very seductive about a chain of command. But once you start taking responsibility for your own actions, it’s, uh, very hard to go back.
SGSusan "Susie" Glass
Do I detect a double meaning lurking beneath the surface there?
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
Well, there could be something lurking there if you want.
VVictor
[approaches and Eddie lights cigar] Thank you for agreeing to meet. I know you’re serious people, and I am eager to resolve this situation to your satisfaction.
SGSusan "Susie" Glass
Before we can have any kind of conversation, you’re gonna need to give us our weed back.
VVictor
It seems you have a labor problem. I took the opportunity to deal with this problem for you. Clearly, you’re struggling to find good people. I would like to offer you my services to provide you with a more efficient team of workers who I could guarantee would never have the temerity to steal from you.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
Well, there is no deal to be had here, Victor. We’re done.
VVictor
You seem to overestimate the strength of your position. Bobby Glass is a big man, but he’s been away a long time. I have some Albanian associates who are inside with him, and they say he’s a little crazy these days. Not crazy like a mad dog. The word for that in Albanian is tërbuar, which means... furious, dangerous, deranged. The word they use for him, çmendur, which means mad like a madman. A lunatic. Nobody fears a man who’s çmendur. They give him coins from their pockets. Crust of bread, maybe. You need us.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
Well, sadly, we disagree. [drops cigar on ground and Andy wipes out Victor's men] Uh, uh, uh. The next round is trained on you. And he will not hesitate to blow a hole in your fucking brain if I give him the signal.
SGSusan "Susie" Glass
You seem to have mistaken the man for the symbol. Bobby Glass, the man, is flesh and blood, susceptible to the whims of human nature. But behind him, there’s an army. Many of those soldiers have never met him and probably never will, but their loyalty to him, to what he represents, is absolute. So you’re going to return our weed unless you wanna end up like your friends, in the dirt.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
[shakes hands] Good work, Andy.
SGSusan "Susie" Glass
Impressive proficiency you’ve got with that thing.
AAndy
Thanks. I’ll be in touch. You know where I live.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
Mm.
SGSusan "Susie" Glass
Do all former Queen’s Dragoon Guards carry themselves with the same poise?
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
Well, sign of a good drill sergeant, Susan.
SGSusan "Susie" Glass
Expensive?
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
I happen to have a 17th century manor house I’ve recently acquired that needs a custodian. Andy needed new digs and a little direction, so it turned into a win-win.
SGSusan "Susie" Glass
Useful man to have around.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
You never know when you might need him.
SGSusan "Susie" Glass
Apologies for the tardiness. I was waylaid at the farm.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
Mm. Are the workers all happy and capitulated?
SGSusan "Susie" Glass
Happy enough now that the scourge of socialist agitation’s been eradicated.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
Hm. What about our product? Managed to recover it?
SGSusan "Susie" Glass
Blanket picked up the barrels this morning. They are now buried under six feet of soil, where it can’t turn any more minds into oblivion.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
Now, seeing as you’ve already gone against your father once already, would I be correct in assuming you’re gonna join me on the bill?
SGSusan "Susie" Glass
What makes you think I wasn’t simply moved by the desire to save the loss of innocent lives?
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
Well, I wouldn’t dream of suggesting otherwise.
SGSusan "Susie" Glass
Ah.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
I think I know you pretty well now. I have a feeling you’ve already made up your mind.
SGSusan "Susie" Glass
Am I that easy to read?
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
You’re many things, Susan. Easy to read isn’t one of them. Same can’t be said of your father, unfortunately.
SGSusan "Susie" Glass
I know people think my father’s mad, but he’s not. A little eccentric, maybe, set in his ways, and maybe I haven’t always realized that sometimes he’s wrong, but he’s not mad. Saying that, he will be if he finds out.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
Mm. The first thing he’ll know is when the bill goes through, by which time, it’ll be too late to stop it. Then you and I are gonna sit down with him and have a little chat, tell him how much fucking money he’s gonna make.
SGSusan "Susie" Glass
All right, then, Captain. If we’re gonna hijack democracy in the name of making a healthy profit, we should start rounding up some peers.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
Yes, we should.
RHRichard "Dickie" Hawthorne
The House of Lords is one of the oldest institutions in the world. Some say it's an affront to modern democracy. Others that this group of steady-handed experts, unaffected by the vagaries of public opinion, are the only thing stopping the country from tipping over into the abyss.
I don't need a fսcking history lesson, Dickie. Cut to the chase.
RHRichard "Dickie" Hawthorne
Right, yes. The point of the matter is the bill to decriminalize mɑrіjսɑnɑ will be decided on Friday. If the Contents get it, the bill is passed, and you'll be able to buy an eighth of premium-grade wacky-tobaccy from any number of a thousand certified high-street outlets by the end of the year. If the Not-contents get it, the bill will be thrown back to the House of Commons, where it will slowly wither up and die, like a gamey old courtesan with the clap.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
Once you take party loyalty into account, the House is split down the middle, which means whoever controls the non-affiliated hereditary peers effectively controls what happens to the bill.
SGSusan "Susie" Glass
And thanks to the delicate and nuanced work of the boys over the last couple of weeks, I'd say we're quietly confident.
Well, that's it, then, isn't it? Job done. This time next week, it'll be as dead as disco.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
[at eating establishment] We need you to let the bill go through.
HLord "Dickie" Hawthorne
We've just told your father we'd block it.
SGSusan "Susie" Glass
Don't worry about him. You need to focus on how you're gonna persuade your compadres to pull a 180.
HLord "Dickie" Hawthorne
What are you talking about?
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
We know it's a big ask, but given the unique nature of our reciprocal relationship, we thought on this occasion you might be able to pull out all the stops.
RHRichard "Dickie" Hawthorne
Please don't think I'm not grateful for everything you've done for me.
SGSusan "Susie" Glass
Say no more. And rest assured, we haven't breathed a word of your little incident to anyone.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
Not a word.
HLord "Dickie" Hawthorne
I'm not saying I won't do it, but... Oh dear. Let me explain. [positions condiment bottles on table] Um... You have your red sauce, brown sauce, salt and pepper, your mustard. Now, the Conservatives, they'll never support it. But Labour will. The Liberals are pretty much divided down the middle. And the lion's share of the hereditary peers will follow the money, but that still leaves possibly 20 votes short.
SGSusan "Susie" Glass
Well, who's the mustard in this analogy, Dickie?
HLord "Dickie" Hawthorne
In addition to the peers who make up the membership of the House of Lords, there are 26 Lords Spiritual. Now, together, they would form a block that could push us over the line. But there is a significant wrinkle that would need to be ironed out in the shape of the Bishop of Sussex.
SGSusan "Susie" Glass
What's the ish with the bish?
HLord "Dickie" Hawthorne
She's a staunch campaigner against the evil menace of nɑrcоtіcs. But there might be a route into her vestry, so to speak. There is a wayward son in the picture.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
Mm. Well, you leave the bishop to us.
BTBishop Thorne
Do you know what Jesus said to the vendors when he cast them out of the temple? He said to them, "It is written." "My house shall be called a house of prayer..."
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
"And you shall make it a den of thieves." I couldn't agree more. You shouldn't hijack people's beliefs in the Almighty for one's own profit.
BTBishop Thorne
You're new.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
Yes. I was voted in a couple of weeks ago.
BTBishop Thorne
Hereditary. Quite rare these days. Not as rare as bishops.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
[chuckles] I wanted to talk to you about the upcoming bill.
BTBishop Thorne
I gather you're tight with Lord Hawthorne. I must say, you're very ambitious to champion a piece of legislation so early on in your career.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
Well, I happen to believe that there are various social and economic benefits to legalizing mɑrіjսɑnɑ.
BTBishop Thorne
It's a gateway drսg, Your Grace. Have you been to the rehabilitation centers and met the people whose lives have been ruined?
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
Yes, I have. My brother happens to be in one right now.
BTBishop Thorne
Is that your motivation? The personal angle? Or is it just a narrative flourish you use to sweet-talk the support?
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
[chuckles] Well, you're certainly very cynical for one with such profound belief.
BTBishop Thorne
And you're very naive if you think you can persuade the Church of England to support decriminalization.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
I'm merely here to see if there's a way you and I can help each other out. I wanted to talk to you about your son.
BTBishop Thorne
Sorry, what did you say?
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
Oscar. I heard he's got himself into a spot of bother.
BTBishop Thorne
[gets up] I think this meeting's run its course.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
Let's not be too hasty. Just hear me out, please.
BTBishop Thorne
My son has got nothing to do with any of this.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
I am aware of that, but I'm also aware that I need your help getting this bill through. And I think I can help him get out of his troubles. So please, tell me what happened.
BTBishop Thorne
My son is a very determined individual. He works in property. [sighs] Everything was going very well up until a few months ago. He got involved in a new development. He ended up borrowing money from some disreputable lenders to buy some obnoxious monstrosity out near Ascot. He contacted me three weeks ago, asking to borrow money to repay them. I gave him all I had, but then he called a week later asking for more. I said no. I'm very worried. I... I haven't seen him since. He isn't returning my calls.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
Well, believe it or not, I've had some success in the past dealing with this sort of problem. Why don't you let me carry your burden, and, if I succeed, you can help carry mine?
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
[at gates of Oscar's residence] The bishop's convinced, if he doesn't come up with the money, he'll suffer the consequences. So we need to identify whoever holds the debt and see if there's a way we can relieve it. Then, if we deliver the son, she'll deliver the vote.
SGSusan "Susie" Glass
So the bish ish has turned into a mish?
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
It would appear so.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
We're looking for the gentleman who bought this place. Is he in?
AAslan
Well, if I knew that, which I do, I wouldn't tell you. See, that's outside of my remit. This place here, that's my remit. Anything outside of this place isn't my, um...
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
Remit?
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
How about five grand to see him?
AAslan
Give me ten, I'll take you to him. Come on in. [leading Eddie and Susie through corridor] Obviously, very much just a shell at the moment, but you can clearly see it's got a lot of potential. Smart kid, that Oscar. Got his nut on straight. Truth is, I've been managing this place since they first drew up the plans. Chief security officer, you know what I mean? So, uh, here's one for yah. Instead of a wage, I just took shares in this gaff. All right, here we are. This is us. Youse two got any idea how much a quarter of a percent of 200 million is?
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
Uh, yeah. £500,000.
AAslan
That's your opinion. This is as far as I'll go. I can't cross this line. There's a conflict of interests. So, if you will, please.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
[hands over cash] Of course.
AAslan
[takes cash] Thank you.
OTOscar Thorne
[sees Eddie and Susie] Who the fսck are you?ǃ
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
Your mother sent us. She's very worried about you.
OTOscar Thorne
How the hell did you get in here?
SGSusan "Susie" Glass
Oscar, we're here to help you.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
Although, uh, we might have a few questions.
OTOscar Thorne
[giving tour] I was offered this place for a hundred million. I know, right. 35,000 square foot set in 14 acres with its own private lake.
SGSusan "Susie" Glass
Who'd you borrow the money from?
OTOscar Thorne
Pat Gallagher. He's a, uh, super-rich Irish fight promoter looking to spread the risk of his investment.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
Do we know Pat?
SGSusan "Susie" Glass
We do. He's a super-rich Irish cоcɑіnе dealer turned fight promoter. I don't doubt he was trying to wash his dirty money. How much do you owe him?
OTOscar Thorne
50 million. All I needed was another 20 for the refurb, but then he suddenly turns around, tells me he wants his money back with interest. No warning. I tell him, "I don't have that kind of money." "Not until I sell this place. I need a little time."
SGSusan "Susie" Glass
What do you think?
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
I think Oscar needs a pass from Pat Gallagher.
SGSusan "Susie" Glass
Do we have anything in the way of a backup plan?
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
No. Without that bird, we will be short 26 votes, our attempts to Shanghai the House of Lords will fail, and I'll be on the hook for 60 million to an Italian crime boss. There is no fսcking backup plan.
SGSusan "Susie" Glass
Do you need a sweetie? I think your blood sugar's running low.
EHEdward "Eddie" Horniman
Oh, I think I need more than that. I say we go to dinner.
ISIsabella "Bella" Soranza de Parma
I'm glad you came out tonight. Sometimes it's good to mix business with pleasure.
SGSusan "Susie" Glass
Well, I normally try to keep the two lanes separate.
ISIsabella "Bella" Soranza de Parma
[chuckles] And you were never tempted to make an exception for Eddie?
SGSusan "Susie" Glass
No, we work well together. That's very rare in this business. I'd never do anything to fսck that up. But I'll admit, he has his charms.
ISIsabella "Bella" Soranza de Parma
You make a good couple, you and Joe. You seem happier when you're with him. It's a good thing. Sometimes we all need to be happy.
SGSusan "Susie" Glass
Well, if you can't be happy, be merry.