marriage has any hope of working, he will have to be away from her. However, when Charlie's wife later dies, he and Louisa renew their relationship. They decide to postpone their wedding until the end of the First World War. However, Charlie dies of a head injury received while fighting in the trenches. Louisa is grief-stricken, but gradually recovers. Louisa informs the teenage Lottie her true parentage. Lottie accepts her mother's offer to take her to London. Louisa, not quite knowing what to do with her, eventually sends her to a Swiss finishing school to become a lady. When Lottie returns, she has her heart set on being a singer instead, much to Louisa's initial disapproval. Louisa's parents occasionally make an appearance. She is on very good terms with her ineffectual, but loving father, but not with her critical, abrasively selfish mother. Late in the series, Louisa's father dies, but not before giving his modest savings to his granddaughter to help her pursue her singing career. Louisa becomes reconciled to Lottie's career choice. Cast Gemma Jones as Louisa Trotter (née Leyton) Victoria Plucknett as Mary John Welsh as Merriman John Cater as Starr Richard Vernon as Major Smith-Barton Christopher Cazenove as Charles "Charlie" Tyrrell, later Lord Haslemere Mary Healey as Mrs Cochrane, Louisa's head cook at the Bentinck Doreen Mantle as Mrs Catchpole, Lord Henry's housekeeper Sammie Winmill as Ethel, a maid at the Bentinck Holly De Jong as Violet, another maid Donald Burton as Augustus Trotter June Brown as Mrs Violet Leyton John Rapley as Mr Ernest Leyton Lalla Ward as Lottie, Louisa's daughter. Ward is only eight years and six months younger than Gemma Jones. Philippa Shackleton played Lottie as a child in one episode. Bryan Coleman as Lord Henry Norton, Louisa's employer for part of the first series, beginning in the first episode Christine Pollon as Aunt Gwyneth, Mary's aunt and occasional seamstress at the Bentinck George Pravda as Monsieur Alex Roger Hammond as the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII Martin Shaw as Arthur, Louisa's brother Joanna David as Lady Margaret Hazlemere Episodes Series 1 Series 2 References External links BBC television dramas Television series set in the 1900s Television series set in the 1910s Television series set in the 1920s 1976 British television series debuts 1977 British television series endings 1970s British drama television series English-language television shows Television shows set in London