i'm laura linney, and this is masterpiece classic. woman: kiplington high is a very plain school. you won't find many high fliers here. well, i believe if you have high expectations, then the girls will respond to them. it's really something, lydia. we need a proper purpose-built housing estate. we're in the middle of a depression. we shouldn't be building anything. man: families in the shacks can't afford to wait. i'm going to have a baby mr. huggins. reg says he'll marry me. man: we'll expect some help from you, though, councilor. this is blackmail. (gunshot) was the horse insured? no, it wasn't. woman: i persuaded robert carne to send his daughter to school here. he's brought her up single-handed. no mother? no. will you promise to always be there? yes, i will. hello, muriel. south riding tonight on masterpiece classic. captioning sponsored by viewers like you

i'm laura linney, and this is masterpiece classic. mam! woman: hundreds of girls have to give up scholarships to look after children. but lydia holly's exceptional. we need a proper, purpose-built housing estate. that parcel of land, worth a fortune once the council build there. buy some. nothing has been decided yet. town planning will take a vote. happy christmas, sarah. oh, thank you. sarah: could i ask you about your wife? carne: you know she's in a mental home. midge: some of the girls were saying that i needn't give myself airs because everybody knew that daddy was going broke. sarah: i wish life could be simpler. carne: yeah, so do i. shall i call the doctor? i'll be all right. it's happened before. south riding tonight on masterpiece classic. captioning sponsored by viewers like you

i'm laura linney, and this is masterpiece classic. woman: i'm not sure you know what you're in for, coming to south riding from london. actually, i do. i was born here. i thought she was very lively. i mean, this is 1934. the future is going to be very different. she'd stir things up a bit wouldn't she? but do we want that? woman: i want my girls to know they can do anything. question everything. question yourselves. question authority. you're a remarkable woman. woman: you've been disappointed in love? join the queue. bad things happen; life goes on. from the producers of cranford and little dorrit... woman: some people call this the last town in england, though we don't think so of course. south riding beginning tonight on masterpiece classic. captioning sponsored by viewers like you