Order from Choices Direct: Volume 1 VIDEO, DVD Volume 2 VIDEO, DVD Volume 3 VIDEO, DVD Boxed Set VIDEO, DVD

Mel Martin plays Lydia Aspen, a provincial heiress who arrives at Aspen House a shy, awkward girl and develops into a complicated, wild, selfish flapper - winning and breaking hearts of young me as she lives her hedonistic life. Christopher Blake plays Edward Richardson, the local reporter and the first to fall under Lydia's spell. Other members of a glittering cast include Rachel Kempson, Michael Aldridge, Jeremy Irons, and Peter Davison. The series, based on the novel by H. E. Bates, was originally broadcast on ITV in 1977, and has been issued on VHS and DVD by Acorn. The double video contain the first five episodes, and the DVD contains extras including an author biography, filmographies and a picture gallery. The entire series will be released over three volumes.

--oO Cast Oo-

Mel Martin ……… Lydia
Christopher Blake ……… Richardson
Beatrix Lehmann ……… Aunt Bertie
Rachel Kempson ……… Aunt Juliana
David Ryall ……… Bretherton
Ruby Head ……… Lily the Maid
Michael Aldridge ……… Rollo Aspen
Jeremy Irons ……… Alex Sanderson
Peter Davision ……… Tom Holland
Ralph Arliss ......... Blackie Johnson
Patricia Leach ……… Mrs Richardson
Christopher Hancock ……… Mr Richardson
Charles Lamb ……… Old Hoylake
Sherrie Hewson ……… Nancy Holland

--oO Production Details Oo-

Dramatised by Julian Bond
Based on the novel By H. E. Bates
Music by Harry Rabinowitz
Produced by Tony Wharmby, and Richard Bates
Directed by Tony Wharmby, John Glenister, Piers Haggard,
Michael Simpson, Simon Langton, and Christopher Hodson

Title	TX Date	Notes
Ep. 1.		Edward Richardson is a reporter who loathes his job on the local paper and sees himself as a serious writer. His editor despatches him to Aspen House to report on the death of the eldest Aspen family member. There he meets the excruciatingly shy and awkward niece Lydia.
Ep. 2.		Edward writes his Aspen story at the newspaper office on Sunday, then is discovered bu his editor who sends him off to write a Chapel story. Bored with the Minister's repellent ranting Edward decides to go skating with Lydia, who, he finds, has an unsettling effect on him.
Ep. 3.		The winter, along with ice-skating with Lydia, has ended and Edward can't think of anywhere else to take her for amusement. Eventually he asks her to go for a walk in the country. After several weeks Lydia grows impatient for Edward to make romantic advances.
Ep. 4.		Lydia is slowly gaining confidence but here Aunt Bertie is worried about her social life. She asks Edward to organise a suitable party to take Lydia to a charity ball at the local sanatorium - even supplying six tickets.
Ep. 5.		Lydia, at first thrilled about going to dances with Edward and his friends, has grown tired of their stuffy respectability. Edward becomes jealous about the way his friends, Tom, Alex, and Blackie behave when Lydia is with them.
Ep. 6.		Lydia is toying with Edward's feelings and asks him to organise a party of friends to take her to a village dance. The dance doesn't go as he would have wished as Lydia seems interested in Blackie. Edward has a fortuitous meeting with Lydia's long lost mother.
Ep. 7.		The entire village of Evensford celebrates Lydia's 21st birthday and Lydia is thrilled with the attention she receives. Edward is still trying to win her over but once again Lydia seems to favour Blackie. The evening ends win disappointment and disaster.
Ep. 8		The day after the party Edward is inconsolable, Blackie faces ruin and Alex spots an opportunity to woo Lydia. The whole party goes to a Midsummer Ball in an effort to cheer up and the three men, Edward, Blackie, and Alex, all watch Lydia intently.
Ep. 9		After the Midsummer Ball Edward stops contacting Lydia and becomes melancholic. He finds consolation working in the fields with Tom Holland and meets the McKechnie family. Nancy Holland decides to have a birthday party and invites Lydia.
Ep. 10.		Lydia spends a day at the Holland farm so Edward spends the day in London looking for a job. Tom Holland is a victim of some wild accusations by Mr McKechnie then suffers a mysterious rifle accident.
Ep. 11.		Edward goes to London to take up his job in Dreyer's bookshop. He begins to write a book, is invited to literary gatherings and makes new friends. He has a visit from Nancy Holland and sees Lydia and her friend in London, drunk, out on a spree.
Ep. 12.		Edward returns home to write a book about Evensford on the advance of a publisher friend in London. He finds the village in decline and discovers his friend Nora is dying and that Lydia is desperately ill. Blackie feels responsible for Lydia and Nora's illnesses.
Ep. 13.		Lydia who is desperately ill and lonely, now seems to crave Edward's affection but, alas, Edward cannot reciprocate her feelings. His book is published and he is contracted for three more. Lydia begs him to go away to the sea with her.