The Thirteenth Tale (2013) Movie Script
BIRDS CAW
Is this the moors?
It is.
Good afternoon.
Miss Lea? I'm Miss Winter's housekeeper.
My name is Judith.
Very good. I'll send up
some sandwiches right away.
You must be hungry after
your long journey. Thank you.
Miss Winter expects to see
you in the library at four.
So, Miss Lea, have you
read ANY of my books?
Almost all of them, I think.
Well...
You'd better sit down.
Now, if I interpreted your
answer to my letter correctly...
...you're not exactly leaping at this
very attractive offer I've made you.
Well, I... You'd be guaranteed
a very healthy advance.
Hmm. But I can see from
what you're wearing...
...you're not particularly
interested in money.
I've written about people
who don't care for money...
...but I never actually
expected to meet one.
Are my books too popular for you?
What exactly makes you hesitate?
I'd like to know what made you
choose me as a potential biographer.
Ah.
It certainly wasn't your celebrated
biography of the Bronte sisters...
... which I wouldn't dream of reading.
BOOK CLATTERS
No, what caught my attention, Miss Lea...
was that piece you wrote for
that pretentious little magazine.
...about the Landier sisters, the twins.
Obviously, I've been
doing some research...
...and I couldn't help noticing.
...in the couple of dozen
interviews I looked at...
...you give a different account of
your life in every one of them.
You think I'm a liar?
That isn't quite what I said.
You surely don't think I'm so dull.
...as to trot out the same
story over and over again?
I make things up so
as not to bore myself.
It's my profession. After all,
they're only journalists...
... if you take my point.
I'm not sure that I
do, exactly. I'm sorry.
You don't need to be so polite.
I can't abide politeness.
I always think that being nice...
... is what's left over after
you've failed at everything else.
You're obviously a great success.
Ah!
SHE CHUCKLES
Oh, that's better.
Have you a love life?
Oh, wait, wait! Wait!
I have an extraordinary story.
Don't turn your back on it.
It's about twins.
Please, come back.
Come on.
Sit down.
Don't take offence. I'm only
trying to get to know you.
I can't be expected to spill
the secrets of a lifetime.
...to a complete stranger.
But this was your idea.
I thought this is what you wanted to do.
It's not that I want to. I have to. Why?
Because I'm old. I'm dying.
Dying?
Why else should I subject
myself to all this?
Hmm.
What do you need from me?
I need to be sure that you're
intending to tell me the truth.
I'm a biographer, I deal in facts.
Oh, how stupendously
boring, you poor thing.
Suppose we start by me.
...asking you three independently
verifiable questions?
And then if your answers
are true... Three questions.
Pleasantly traditional.
My first question
- what is your real name?
Ah, I could easily bamboozle you there.
It's Vida Winter. I had
it changed by deed poll.
What you really need to know is
the name I was originally known by.
That's right, yes.
Adeline March.
My next question is your place of birth.
You can check in the records
of St Bart's in London.
Next.
Um, I'd like you to tell me
something that happened to you.
...before you changed your name, which
is also a matter of public record.
Hm, I can do that, but first I
have some conditions of my own.
What are they? You must let me
tell my story chronologically.
No interruptions, no questions.
...and no sneaky peeping at the last page.
All right. Good.
Do you believe in ghosts?
That's not a very easy question.
Do you or don't you?
Certain kinds of ghosts, maybe.
I was brought up in a house
about five miles from here.
A haunted house.
I see. No, you don't.
I call it my story...
...but it has none of the familiar
consolations that word implies.
It's something far harsher...
... Much more painful.
Something I suppose we
have to call the truth.
I was brought up in a
house called Angelfield.
When I was 17, there was a
fire. The house was destroyed.
And there's a public record?
It was in all the local papers.
And I can show you a
different sort of record...
SHE GASPS
So, you see, in spite
of what I just said...
... You know the end of my story.
The end? You said that
happened when you were 17...
...before you'd even started
writing. Oh, writing.
That was just to fill in the time.
I'm sorry if I've shocked you, Miss Lea.
One becomes so accustomed
to one's own horrors.
MUFFLED GASPS AND GROANS
CHILD: 'Don't be like that, Margaret!'
KNOCK ON DOOR
Come in.
If you don't mind, Dr
Clifton, Miss Winter's doctor...
would like to have a word with you.
Ah. OK.
Thank you for agreeing
to see me, Miss Lea.
Miss Winter wanted me to
explain her condition to you.
Oh? Miss Winter has
cancer of the pancreas...
which we've recently discovered
has spread throughout her body.
This means she has
very little time left.
How long?
We're not able to say precisely.
Most people wouldn't
have survived this long...
...but Miss Winter is extremely tough.
She just wanted me to make you
aware that time is of the essence.
You can let her know I understand.
Thank you.
Um, have you been her doctor long?
Long enough to know that I'm
extremely impatient to read your book.
I was pleased last night.
when you didn't ask the question
everybody else always does.
What question's that? About the
first book. Oh, The Thirteenth Tale?
That's right. And everybody always
asks why there are only twelve?
That's right. Why are there only twelve?
Shall we get started?
RECORDER BEEPS
The story begins at Angelfield.
After the mysterious, unexplained
death of their parents...
...the house now belonged to Charlie
Angelfield and his sister Isabelle.
She'd left the house less than
a year before but her husband...
Roland March, had been killed in the war.
...and now she returned.
Of course, in their parents' day...
...there had been dozens of
servants to run the estate.
...but now only two remained -
Mrs Dunne the housekeeper,
known to everyone as The Missus...
...and the gardener, John Digence...
who we called John The Dig.
Can you put it down there?
BABIES GURGLE
Well, well.
What are they called?
Adeline and Emmeline.
Which one is which?
You know, I haven't the slightest idea.
BABIES CRY
Where is Mr Angelfield?
He'll be in the
library, I expect, madam.
I'll leave these with you.
Truth to tell, it was not poverty
or even the demands of the war.
which brought about the
exodus of the Angelfield staff.
It was the sense of chaos.
...and unease caused by the
bizarre and unpredictable.
...behaviour of Isabelle's brother.
Charlie, I'm back.
What do you mean?
I'm back for good. I
brought the children with me.
What?
What children?
Oh. Oh, yes. It's just
you and me now, Charlie.
You shouldn't have gone
away for so long, Isabelle.
I had to, Charlie. I
explained it all to you.
All the same.
This one can be Adeline.
I suppose we were shamefully neglected.
when we were children. No
schooling, no discipline.
THEY TALK IN MADE-UP LANGUAGE
We were so much on our own, we
invented our own private language.
Charlie and Isabelle were
so wrapped up in one another.
...that the only people in our
lives vaguely resembling parents.
were The Missus and John The Dig.
Are you all right, missus?
THEY CHATTER IN THEIR OWN LANGUAGE
But we did have each other, and we
were all the world to one another.
We couldn't imagine that anyone
but ourselves really existed.
I expect that's why we were so cruel.
The topiary garden had been planted.
...by John The Dig's great-grandfather.
It was his pride and joy.
LOUD WAILS
THEY GIGGLE
WAILING CONTINUES
We weren't confined to
the house and garden.
We roamed all over the estate
and did exactly what we felt like.
We were the children from the big
house, so they put up with us...
One...
... Until the day we took
Mary Jameson's baby.
... Two... Three...
THEY GIGGLE
BABY CRIES
SHE SPEAKS IN THEIR OWN LANGUAGE
Good afternoon. Is your mother in?
Perhaps I'll try the back door.
Mrs Theodora Mawsley,
the local doctor's wife.
...and something of a busybody,
eagerly volunteered to take up.
...the matter of Mary Jameson's
baby with Charlie and Isabelle.
BIRDS CAW
Hello?
Is anybody there?
Mr Angelfield?
PLAYED HALTINGLY ON VIOLIN:
"Ring A Ring O' Roses"
MUSIC STOPS ABRUPTLY
GLASS BREAKS
GLASS TINKLES
SHE PLAYS SOME NOTES
LOUD THUD
What's the matter? Miss Winter?
It's just my wolf.
Wolf?
That's what I call it.
Pills are meant to keep
him at bay, but he...
...he comes a little earlier every day.
Is there anything I can do?
Should we stop for the day?
No. No, no, no, he's
just sniffing around.
We mustn't encourage him.
Now...
Miss Lea, where were we?
Erm... The doctor's wife and the violin.
I'm desperate to know
what happened next.
Oh...
Surely it must have been
one of the children? No.
No, I told you, I saw the children
out on the steps on my way in.
No, it was a woman in white.
There's no woman in white
in this house, ma'am.
You must have seen the ghost.
They do say Angelfield is haunted.
Dr Mawsley. I'm not
sure if you remember me.
It has been some time.
Oh, yes.
Might this be the
person who attacked you?
Yes. Yes, I think it might.
Excuse me, but could you tell
me, did you do these yourself?
Yes.
Mr Angelfield, do you mind if I
have a word with you in private?
I think it would be best not to
visit her for at least a month...
...give them time to...
draw some conclusions.
Oh, Mr Charlie...
HE WHIMPERS
Oh, now hush.
BIRDS CRY
'There's no woman in
white in this house, ma'am.
'You think I'm a liar?
'Do you believe in ghosts?
'They do say Angelfield is haunted. '
DULL THUDS
SHE GASPS
GIRL SOFTLY SINGS:
"Ring A Ring O' Roses"
THEY CHATTER IN THEIR OWN LANGUAGE
After they took Isabelle
off to the asylum...
Charlie Angelfield went
completely to pieces.
Dr Mawsley arranged
through the family solicitor.
...to appoint a governess to look after us.
Her name was Hester Barrow.
Welcome to Angelfield.
I'll get your bags.
So the children never knew their father?
Oh, no, miss, none of us did.
I don't even think Miss
Isabelle knew him very well.
The only man she ever took any
notice of was her brother Charlie.
And when she came back here,
she did everything for him...
... if you know what I mean.
I'm not sure I do, Mrs Dunne.
Well... In any event, it's
probably time I met Mr Angelfield.
I don't know as he'll
want to see you, miss.
He's not very well in himself, like.
He keeps to his quarters and
no-one's allowed to disturb him.
I see.
He never was very sociable...
...but since they took Miss Isabelle
away, he's hardly showed his face.
I don't know where
those children can be.
I'll go and see if I can scare them up.
No, no, Mrs Dunne, it's not
for us to go chasing after them.
No doubt they'll come
down for their dinner.
Well, often as not...
...they just creep down and help
themselves to summat out the pantry.
Oh... I don't think we can allow that.
We'll try the twins' room, miss...
which is the third door
along here on the left.
It's just here...
Shh.
DOOR HANDLE RATTLES
Now, come along, girls. It's
time you met your new governess.
I am sorry, Miss Barrow.
Don't you worry, Mrs Dunne, we
have all the time in the world.
I should like to explore
the rest of the house.
I'll show you around.
No, no, you get back to
your kitchen, Mrs Dunne.
I shall get on much better on my own.
That first afternoon, we refused
to come down and meet her.
We thought she might be
discouraged and go away.
But she wasn't? No!
She was the first person
who tried to take us on.
I went to have a look at Angelfield.
Hmm. Did you?
Did you see the ghost?
I saw something.
What?
Not sure.
Erm, you were telling me about Hester.
Yes.
You remind me of her a bit.
In what way?
She was very determined and inquisitive.
Food.
Food. Hungry.
At the end of Hester's
first day at the house...
...she'd already formed a strategy.
...for dealing with her as
yet invisible charges.
No keys.
Emmeline? Adeline?
Which one are you? Adeline or Emmeline?
Emmeline.
Are you hungry? Would
you like some supper?
Mmm.
And what about your sister?
Never mind. Let's go to the kitchen.
Follow me.
So, right from the start, Hester
managed to drive a wedge between us.
I can't say our education
was entirely plain sailing...
... Although Emmeline continued
to be pretty much of a pushover.
CRASHING AND BANGING
Well, a very good
morning to you, Adeline.
HE MUTTERS
Thank you so much, John.
Very good of you to join us, I must say.
We're starting the morning.
with a drawing of our
beautiful Angelfield House.
You're most welcome to stay down
there if you're more comfortable.
Ah! Ow!
Adeline! Adeline, this behaviour
will simply not be tolerated!
Do you hear me? Do you hear me, Adeline?
Miss?
Yes, Emmeline?
Finished, miss.
Just a minute.
Very nice, dear.
Oh, I don't believe you've
quite finished, Adeline.
THUNDER RUMBLES
CHILD: 'Margaret?' GIGGLING
MUFFLED GROANING
Do you believe in ghosts?
You asked me that before.
Your answer was evasive, as I recall.
Well, let's just say I'm beginning to.
Oh? Why would that be?
Anyway, Hester didn't.
Too sensible, poor thing.
It would have been easier for her.
...if she hadn't insisted
on being so rational.
Is there really nowhere we can
get hold of some decent fish?
Well, yes, you can, if you really
want to. It's a bit of a palaver.
Emmeline?
She's out in the garden, miss.
I... I just saw her.
I can hear them outside.
DISTANT CHATTERING
That's strange. I could have sworn...
Was she wearing white, miss?
Yes, she was.
That'll be the ghost.
Oh, don't be ridiculous, Mrs Dunne.
It's probably just the
sunlight flashing in the mirror.
Woman in white, miss.
We've all seen her.
Well, I haven't, and I
certainly don't intend to.
HANDLE RATTLES
SHE SHRIEKS
DISTANT LAUGHTER
WIND WHISTLES
During that summer, Dr Mawsley visited.
...a little more frequently than
was perhaps medically necessary.
I'm at my wits' end with Adeline.
She's an aggressive and dangerous child.
She hardly eats anything.
It takes two of us to
hold her down at bath-time.
She seems impervious to
any kind of human emotion.
Is she intelligent?
It's hard to tell, given
that she refuses to speak.
Soon after I arrived, I sent off
for a number of studies of twins.
Really?
If I've understood correctly...
what tends to happen is
that certain pairs of twins.
...divide up available emotions and
personality traits between them.
Thus, one being placid and
passive, the other wild and violent.
One clean, the other dirt-loving.
Of course, you would know
much more about this than I.
Not necessarily.
Yes.
My wife's opinion...
I... I do sometimes discuss
my patients with my wife.
She thinks the child may
quite simply be wicked.
I think the explanation may be
a little more nuanced than that.
No doubt. My wife is apt
to take the layman's view.
I was thinking that the situation.
...does present a rare opportunity
for original research.
Indeed.
In which I would be more
than happy to assist you.
Hmm.
DOOR BELL RINGS
Where's Adeline?
Back soon.
KEY TURNS IN LOCK
I hate you! Adeline, behave, please.
ADELINE SHOUTS
Emmeline! Be careful, John.
Watch her, please.
Adeline!
Miss Barrow, take the door.
SHE STRAINS AND SCREAMS
Emmeline! Is she in?
Come on. Ready to go?
Come away.
LOUD SOBBING
KEY TURNS IN LOCK
Oh, my goodness, Emmeline.
Come in. Let me show you your room.
You'll like it, you'll
have it all to yourself.
I tell you, no good'll come of this.
Adeline...
And naturally there have been
reports that point to some evidence...
Hester and Dr Mawsley
had become so engrossed.
...in their scientific experiment.
...and so relished their daily discussions.
...they quite failed to
notice that their patients.
were making no progress whatsoever.
They completely ignored the
only and most obvious diagnosis -
...the twins were missing
each other desperately.
Emmeline!
There you are. Come along,
it's time for your tea.
Where have you been?
I've been looking for you.
We went down to the woods.
No, you should say, "I
went down to the woods. "
I went down to the woods.
Mm. And what did you do there?
We picked some bluebells.
Come on.
Where did you put your bluebells?
The bluebells you picked?
Did you put them in the vase?
No, we saved them for Adeline.
Well, you correct her, you see,
and she gets it right for a moment.
...but then she always
goes back to saying "we".
I'm afraid Adeline never
speaks at all. Oh, dear.
I don't think it would be prudent.
...to let her out of the house, do you?
I say, I don't think it would be safe.
...to let Adeline out of the house.
No.
KEY TURNS IN LOCK
I thought we'd agreed that the
rooms not immediately in use.
...should be kept locked.
Yes, that's right, miss.
Well, just now I found
the drawing-room open.
Not a bad idea to give
it a bit of an airing.
Oh, so you opened it, did you?
Oh, no, miss.
I don't have the keys
any more, remember?
You've got the keys.
THEY GIGGLE
FRANTIC KNOCKING
What is it? Why have
you let Adeline out?
Oh... Oh, that's impossible!
I've just seen her this minute
with Emmeline in... in the grounds!
Calm down. Here.
Adeline has been here, in
this room, this past hour.
Ever since breakfast.
But...
I must be going mad!
SHE SOBS
FOOTSTEPS APPROACH
I'll thank you to leave
this house immediately.
And send John for the child.
I can...
I'll speak to you later.
The next day, Hester had vanished.
Packed her bags, slipped
away, never seen again.
What happened to her? I've no idea.
The doctor had disappeared as well,
so we can make an educated guess.
Rumour was they'd
disappeared to America.
Wherever it was, I'm
sure they both flourished.
Hester was a resourceful
little... THING.
CAR APPROACHES
CAR DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES
THE MISSUS: She's upstairs.
Emmeline!
SHE ROARS
But why did you do that?
I... I-I couldn't tell you.
Over the next five or six years,
in spite of strenuous efforts.
...to maintain the status quo,
bit by bit, everything changed.
First, a letter came from the asylum.
...saying that Isabelle
had died of pneumonia.
FLIES BUZZ
A week or so later, we noticed
that Charlie had stopped touching.
...the food that The
Missus had left for him.
He'd gone.
I had an idea where Charlie might be.
I'd often followed him and watched
what he did there with Isabelle.
FLIES BUZZ
I never said a word to the others.
If Master Charlie has gone,
didn't we ought to tell someone?
No call to.
I collect the money from
the bank end of the month...
...same as always.
And if we run short...
I know a man that'll buy some
of that wine from the cellar.
Oh, he wouldn't like that.
Anyroad, I better
take him up his dinner.
Of course, The Missus was suffering
from some kind of dementia.
But we drifted on pretty
much as we always had.
PIERCING SCREAM
GIRL SINGS SOFTLY:
"Ring A Ring O' Roses"
CHILD: 'Forgive me, please!
LOUD SCREAM
'Margaret, I'm sorry. '
HORN BLARES
DISTRESSED WAILING
SHE SOBS AND WAILS
SOBBING
SHE GASPS AND MUTTERS
SHE GRUNTS
Underground...
Emmeline?
Dead go underground...
Are you Emmeline?
SHE MUTTERS
MOANING
DOOR OPENS
KISS
You look like death warmed
up. What's the matter?
I didn't get sleep much last night.
Oh?
Are you in a fit state to continue?
Yes, of course.
Um, we were talking about what
happened after The Missus died.
John brought in a local
boy to help with the garden.
Ambrose Proctor.
I don't see why we need him.
He's all right.
Keeps himself to himself. Works hard.
Gives me a bit of time for
what needs doing in the house.
You said you were going to
show me how to trim the topiary.
Well, I will, then. Huh?
Now, you check the
safety latch first. Right?
Right. Bit wobbly-like,
against the tree.
You need to test it before you go up it.
Right...
Up you go.
Never cut into the sun or towards
your own shadow, all right?
Yes. And never look at the clouds.
They keep moving, see,
and they throw you out.
Good girl.
Yes.
GIGGLING
BANGING
Where's the ladder?
Mr Digence took it. He's round
the back, fixing the guttering.
Obviously somebody had tampered
with the safety catch. Who?
We said no questions.
After that, everything's a blur.
But I did have the presence
of mind to tell the police.
...that Uncle Charlie was away.
After the funeral, we had a meeting
with the family solicitor, Mr Lomax.
So where exactly is your uncle?
Peru, I think.
Peru? I believe so.
And when will he be back?
I'm not sure. Quite soon, anyway.
You're 17 now, if I'm not mistaken.
That's right.
I'm just wondering what
arrangements we can put in place.
...to make sure that you and your
sister are properly looked after.
We're quite used to
fending for ourselves.
Yes, but I... My grandmother
knows the house very well.
She can look in every day, like.
There's no need for your
grandmother to trouble herself.
Well, that's lucky, because
I haven't got a grandmother.
So, who do you think killed John?
It certainly wasn't Emmeline,
if that's what you're thinking.
And Ambrose had no
motive. Quite the contrary.
Then...
We agreed no questions.
Patience, Miss Lea.
That was that. You got away with it.
Mr Lomax was very happy
not to put himself out.
You got away with everything.
I can't understand why the
police didn't properly investigate.
John's death after all the...
I'll tell the story
my own way, Miss Lea!
I think that's probably
enough for today.
'We said no questions.
'It certainly wasn't Emmeline,
if that's what you're thinking. '
CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS
Sorry. Forgive me.
So you're treating Emmeline as well?
Yes. Yes, um...
As a matter of fact, she's even
more seriously ill than Miss Winter.
Is she?
We tried to move her to
hospital a few weeks ago.
...but she refused to get in the ambulance.
Do you know if anyone's
living at Angelfield?
Why do you ask?
Well, I know it's pretty much a ruin...
I've been there a couple of times...
...and the first time some enormous
man chased me out of the house...
...and the second time,
in one of the rooms...
...there was signs of someone living there.
He's called Aurelius Love.
He's not quite right in the
head, but he's totally harmless.
Bit of a local character. Works
with his mother in the bakery.
Was that what you
wanted to ask me about?
Um... No, not really.
I think Miss Winter may
have confessed to committing.
...a murder when she was a teenager.
Erm, well... Well,
did she or didn't she?
I haven't got the whole story yet
but somebody killed the gardener.
...and I can't see who
else it could have been.
And I don't know what to do about it.
Do you have any evidence?
No, and even if I did...
Hmm.
I'm sure you're right.
Maybe wait until you've heard more?
Emmeline...
Dr Clifton tells me you've
been asking questions about her.
How did you find out?
I saw her one night in the garden...
...and eventually worked out who she was.
I see.
I wanted to know why she
was digging in the garden.
...and what it was she kept saying
all the time. Any theories?
Erm... I think what she's saying
is, "Dead go underground. "
Very good.
Miss Lea, you're doing very well.
So she IS looking for
someone underground?
Who could it be? A child?
When are you going to tell
me your story, Margaret?
I haven't got a story.
Everybody has a story.
If you keep it to yourself, it
dies and comes back to haunt you.
You take my word for it.
Well, I have no intention
of telling anyone my story.
Would you mind passing me that bottle?
Yes, of course.
What is it?
Liquid morphine.
For my wolf.
What did you say?
CHILD: 'I said I'm sorry.
'I was saving it specially. '
HORN BLARES
'It's me!'
I want to spend more time with Emmeline.
...over the next couple of days.
I always thought of Emmeline as a twin.
MUFFLED ECHO: I always
thought of Emmeline as a twin.
MUFFLED: There is something
special about losing a twin.
SHE SOBS
My dear, whatever's the matter?
I had a twin.
Margaret, I'm sorry.
I'm not talking to you.
I'm not even going to walk with you.
I'm going over to the other side. Don't!
Walk by yourself.
Please forgive me, please!
It was all my fault.
She'd eaten a bar of
chocolate that I'd been saving.
...and... I wanted to punish her.
Oh, all right.
Come on, then!
Moira!
CAR TYRES SCREECH
MARGARET SCREAMS
Feeling guilty doesn't
do anybody any good.
It wasn't your fault.
My mother thought it was.
And she never forgave me.
I've been so lonely all
these years without my sister.
We all have our stories.
You've been here before, haven't you?
You're Aurelius?
I frightened you when you
came here. I didn't mean to.
No, I... It was my fault, I panicked.
Look what they've done. Yeah.
Developers.
Didn't you live here?
No, I just used to camp out, like.
I live with me mum.
I loved this house.
And what's going on down there?
Oh, yeah. Funny thing.
They found some bones.
Skeleton.
'She's an aggressive
and dangerous child.
'I always thought of Emmeline as a twin.
'The twins were missing
each other desperately. '
Ring a ring a roses.
A pocketful of posies...
'Emmeline... '
There were three of you.
There were three of you.
It wasn't just Adeline and
Emmeline, there were three of you.
There were police at
Angelfield. They've found a body.
A skeleton. Mm-hm.
There were three of us.
And now there's one of us.
Oh, I'm sorry.
I'm so sorry, I got carried away.
Oh, I'm sorry.
So, you see, there WAS a
ghost at Angelfield all along.
A ghost with no name.
It was me.
Like it or not, I was the ghost.
Who was your mother?
Oh, I've no idea.
All I do know is that when Isabelle
went away to have the twins...
Charlie went on some kind of a rampage.
What I do know is that I was born
a few months later than the twins...
...and Charlie, God knows if
it ever dawned on him...
... was the father of us all.
How did you get to Angelfield?
All I know is what John The Dig told me.
Which was what?
He started to notice his strawberries.
...and his carrots were disappearing
from his vegetable garden.
And he thought he saw
...signs of someone sleeping
in the potting shed.
Also, this someone was not properly
turning off the outside tap.
Hey, you!
John and The Missus took me in.
Or he did, really.
Are you thinking what I'm thinking?
The hair? Yes.
Should we tell them?
And I spent as much of the
time as I could with them.
He taught me how to read
out of his seed catalogues.
But of course Adeline never
even wanted to learn to read.
She was?...
Genuinely dangerous, yes.
Violence was always her first instinct.
SHE SCREAMS
Finally, she killed John.
What made her do it?
She hated him for some reason.
She seemed to think he was responsible.
...for taking her away
from Emmeline that time.
Or perhaps she was jealous of
all the attention he gave me.
He was the closest I
ever had to a real parent.
GASPS AND CLATTERING
HE MUTTERS UNINTELLIGIBLY
After John's death, we
were alone with Ambrose.
It's a lot harder than it looks.
I was never easy in my mind about him.
Don't you touch Emmeline, you hear me?
I haven't touched Emmeline.
Good. Well, don't.
It's not Emmeline I wants to touch.
Even though she's
kinder than what you are.
Why can't you be kind like Emmeline?
'Before long it was obvious
that Emmeline was pregnant.
'and I dismissed Ambrose.
'I decided not to ask for any
help with delivering the baby. '
SCREAMING
'I read up for it as much as I could.
'So, I was deluded...
'Adeline was insane and
Emmeline was helpless.
'All the same, somehow or other... '
That's it, Emmeline, keep going.
'... we managed. '
BABY CRIES
It's a boy, Emmeline. It's a boy.
There.
Shall I leave you to rest a while?
No.
I want to finish the story
tonight. The wolf is at the door.
It's time to tell you
the Thirteenth Tale.
I realised very early on
how jealous Adeline was.
...and how much she resented the baby.
Please go on.
And before long, I discovered
the baby was in real danger.
I knew I had to keep her
under constant observation.
BABY GRIZZLES
Shh, shh...
SCREAMING
Emmeline!
Adeline, no! Emmeline!
Adeline, leave her alone!
It's the only time I've ever
seen Emmeline fight back.
The baby's safe, Emmeline! He's safe!
Emmeline! No, Emmeline! No!
SCREAMING ECHOES
SIZZLING, SHE SCREAMS
Emmeline!
SCREAMING CONTINUES
SCREAMING ECHOES
You saved the baby's life. Yes.
I left the baby.
...outside the cottage belonging
to the baker's widow, Mrs Love.
Everybody knew she had a kind heart.
Aurelius Love. Yes.
He turned out to be a bit
simple, but warm-hearted...
... Like his mother.
When I got back to the house...
...of course, everyone
assumed... I was Adeline.
When we started, Margaret, I told
you this was a story about twins.
What I didn't tell you was
that I wasn't one of them.
Oh, I longed to be...
...but they always kept me out.
So I stayed outside.
That's what made me a writer.
You lost your twin, Margaret.
Margaret... Oh, that was terrible.
But you had her with you for a while.
She's always with me.
I envy you.
Oh, I'm so tired.
Hee-hee-hee, the
wolf is in the room.
Thank you.
Margaret?
I didn't want you to go before
I had a chance to say goodbye.
I'm going to stay in
the area for a while...
...at least until after the funeral.
Good. Good, well, I'll see you there.
And then will you go back to London?
Um, I'm not sure. I think I'll stay
up here somewhere to write the book.
I'll let you know what I decide.
Is this the moors?
It is.
Good afternoon.
Miss Lea? I'm Miss Winter's housekeeper.
My name is Judith.
Very good. I'll send up
some sandwiches right away.
You must be hungry after
your long journey. Thank you.
Miss Winter expects to see
you in the library at four.
So, Miss Lea, have you
read ANY of my books?
Almost all of them, I think.
Well...
You'd better sit down.
Now, if I interpreted your
answer to my letter correctly...
...you're not exactly leaping at this
very attractive offer I've made you.
Well, I... You'd be guaranteed
a very healthy advance.
Hmm. But I can see from
what you're wearing...
...you're not particularly
interested in money.
I've written about people
who don't care for money...
...but I never actually
expected to meet one.
Are my books too popular for you?
What exactly makes you hesitate?
I'd like to know what made you
choose me as a potential biographer.
Ah.
It certainly wasn't your celebrated
biography of the Bronte sisters...
... which I wouldn't dream of reading.
BOOK CLATTERS
No, what caught my attention, Miss Lea...
was that piece you wrote for
that pretentious little magazine.
...about the Landier sisters, the twins.
Obviously, I've been
doing some research...
...and I couldn't help noticing.
...in the couple of dozen
interviews I looked at...
...you give a different account of
your life in every one of them.
You think I'm a liar?
That isn't quite what I said.
You surely don't think I'm so dull.
...as to trot out the same
story over and over again?
I make things up so
as not to bore myself.
It's my profession. After all,
they're only journalists...
... if you take my point.
I'm not sure that I
do, exactly. I'm sorry.
You don't need to be so polite.
I can't abide politeness.
I always think that being nice...
... is what's left over after
you've failed at everything else.
You're obviously a great success.
Ah!
SHE CHUCKLES
Oh, that's better.
Have you a love life?
Oh, wait, wait! Wait!
I have an extraordinary story.
Don't turn your back on it.
It's about twins.
Please, come back.
Come on.
Sit down.
Don't take offence. I'm only
trying to get to know you.
I can't be expected to spill
the secrets of a lifetime.
...to a complete stranger.
But this was your idea.
I thought this is what you wanted to do.
It's not that I want to. I have to. Why?
Because I'm old. I'm dying.
Dying?
Why else should I subject
myself to all this?
Hmm.
What do you need from me?
I need to be sure that you're
intending to tell me the truth.
I'm a biographer, I deal in facts.
Oh, how stupendously
boring, you poor thing.
Suppose we start by me.
...asking you three independently
verifiable questions?
And then if your answers
are true... Three questions.
Pleasantly traditional.
My first question
- what is your real name?
Ah, I could easily bamboozle you there.
It's Vida Winter. I had
it changed by deed poll.
What you really need to know is
the name I was originally known by.
That's right, yes.
Adeline March.
My next question is your place of birth.
You can check in the records
of St Bart's in London.
Next.
Um, I'd like you to tell me
something that happened to you.
...before you changed your name, which
is also a matter of public record.
Hm, I can do that, but first I
have some conditions of my own.
What are they? You must let me
tell my story chronologically.
No interruptions, no questions.
...and no sneaky peeping at the last page.
All right. Good.
Do you believe in ghosts?
That's not a very easy question.
Do you or don't you?
Certain kinds of ghosts, maybe.
I was brought up in a house
about five miles from here.
A haunted house.
I see. No, you don't.
I call it my story...
...but it has none of the familiar
consolations that word implies.
It's something far harsher...
... Much more painful.
Something I suppose we
have to call the truth.
I was brought up in a
house called Angelfield.
When I was 17, there was a
fire. The house was destroyed.
And there's a public record?
It was in all the local papers.
And I can show you a
different sort of record...
SHE GASPS
So, you see, in spite
of what I just said...
... You know the end of my story.
The end? You said that
happened when you were 17...
...before you'd even started
writing. Oh, writing.
That was just to fill in the time.
I'm sorry if I've shocked you, Miss Lea.
One becomes so accustomed
to one's own horrors.
MUFFLED GASPS AND GROANS
CHILD: 'Don't be like that, Margaret!'
KNOCK ON DOOR
Come in.
If you don't mind, Dr
Clifton, Miss Winter's doctor...
would like to have a word with you.
Ah. OK.
Thank you for agreeing
to see me, Miss Lea.
Miss Winter wanted me to
explain her condition to you.
Oh? Miss Winter has
cancer of the pancreas...
which we've recently discovered
has spread throughout her body.
This means she has
very little time left.
How long?
We're not able to say precisely.
Most people wouldn't
have survived this long...
...but Miss Winter is extremely tough.
She just wanted me to make you
aware that time is of the essence.
You can let her know I understand.
Thank you.
Um, have you been her doctor long?
Long enough to know that I'm
extremely impatient to read your book.
I was pleased last night.
when you didn't ask the question
everybody else always does.
What question's that? About the
first book. Oh, The Thirteenth Tale?
That's right. And everybody always
asks why there are only twelve?
That's right. Why are there only twelve?
Shall we get started?
RECORDER BEEPS
The story begins at Angelfield.
After the mysterious, unexplained
death of their parents...
...the house now belonged to Charlie
Angelfield and his sister Isabelle.
She'd left the house less than
a year before but her husband...
Roland March, had been killed in the war.
...and now she returned.
Of course, in their parents' day...
...there had been dozens of
servants to run the estate.
...but now only two remained -
Mrs Dunne the housekeeper,
known to everyone as The Missus...
...and the gardener, John Digence...
who we called John The Dig.
Can you put it down there?
BABIES GURGLE
Well, well.
What are they called?
Adeline and Emmeline.
Which one is which?
You know, I haven't the slightest idea.
BABIES CRY
Where is Mr Angelfield?
He'll be in the
library, I expect, madam.
I'll leave these with you.
Truth to tell, it was not poverty
or even the demands of the war.
which brought about the
exodus of the Angelfield staff.
It was the sense of chaos.
...and unease caused by the
bizarre and unpredictable.
...behaviour of Isabelle's brother.
Charlie, I'm back.
What do you mean?
I'm back for good. I
brought the children with me.
What?
What children?
Oh. Oh, yes. It's just
you and me now, Charlie.
You shouldn't have gone
away for so long, Isabelle.
I had to, Charlie. I
explained it all to you.
All the same.
This one can be Adeline.
I suppose we were shamefully neglected.
when we were children. No
schooling, no discipline.
THEY TALK IN MADE-UP LANGUAGE
We were so much on our own, we
invented our own private language.
Charlie and Isabelle were
so wrapped up in one another.
...that the only people in our
lives vaguely resembling parents.
were The Missus and John The Dig.
Are you all right, missus?
THEY CHATTER IN THEIR OWN LANGUAGE
But we did have each other, and we
were all the world to one another.
We couldn't imagine that anyone
but ourselves really existed.
I expect that's why we were so cruel.
The topiary garden had been planted.
...by John The Dig's great-grandfather.
It was his pride and joy.
LOUD WAILS
THEY GIGGLE
WAILING CONTINUES
We weren't confined to
the house and garden.
We roamed all over the estate
and did exactly what we felt like.
We were the children from the big
house, so they put up with us...
One...
... Until the day we took
Mary Jameson's baby.
... Two... Three...
THEY GIGGLE
BABY CRIES
SHE SPEAKS IN THEIR OWN LANGUAGE
Good afternoon. Is your mother in?
Perhaps I'll try the back door.
Mrs Theodora Mawsley,
the local doctor's wife.
...and something of a busybody,
eagerly volunteered to take up.
...the matter of Mary Jameson's
baby with Charlie and Isabelle.
BIRDS CAW
Hello?
Is anybody there?
Mr Angelfield?
PLAYED HALTINGLY ON VIOLIN:
"Ring A Ring O' Roses"
MUSIC STOPS ABRUPTLY
GLASS BREAKS
GLASS TINKLES
SHE PLAYS SOME NOTES
LOUD THUD
What's the matter? Miss Winter?
It's just my wolf.
Wolf?
That's what I call it.
Pills are meant to keep
him at bay, but he...
...he comes a little earlier every day.
Is there anything I can do?
Should we stop for the day?
No. No, no, no, he's
just sniffing around.
We mustn't encourage him.
Now...
Miss Lea, where were we?
Erm... The doctor's wife and the violin.
I'm desperate to know
what happened next.
Oh...
Surely it must have been
one of the children? No.
No, I told you, I saw the children
out on the steps on my way in.
No, it was a woman in white.
There's no woman in white
in this house, ma'am.
You must have seen the ghost.
They do say Angelfield is haunted.
Dr Mawsley. I'm not
sure if you remember me.
It has been some time.
Oh, yes.
Might this be the
person who attacked you?
Yes. Yes, I think it might.
Excuse me, but could you tell
me, did you do these yourself?
Yes.
Mr Angelfield, do you mind if I
have a word with you in private?
I think it would be best not to
visit her for at least a month...
...give them time to...
draw some conclusions.
Oh, Mr Charlie...
HE WHIMPERS
Oh, now hush.
BIRDS CRY
'There's no woman in
white in this house, ma'am.
'You think I'm a liar?
'Do you believe in ghosts?
'They do say Angelfield is haunted. '
DULL THUDS
SHE GASPS
GIRL SOFTLY SINGS:
"Ring A Ring O' Roses"
THEY CHATTER IN THEIR OWN LANGUAGE
After they took Isabelle
off to the asylum...
Charlie Angelfield went
completely to pieces.
Dr Mawsley arranged
through the family solicitor.
...to appoint a governess to look after us.
Her name was Hester Barrow.
Welcome to Angelfield.
I'll get your bags.
So the children never knew their father?
Oh, no, miss, none of us did.
I don't even think Miss
Isabelle knew him very well.
The only man she ever took any
notice of was her brother Charlie.
And when she came back here,
she did everything for him...
... if you know what I mean.
I'm not sure I do, Mrs Dunne.
Well... In any event, it's
probably time I met Mr Angelfield.
I don't know as he'll
want to see you, miss.
He's not very well in himself, like.
He keeps to his quarters and
no-one's allowed to disturb him.
I see.
He never was very sociable...
...but since they took Miss Isabelle
away, he's hardly showed his face.
I don't know where
those children can be.
I'll go and see if I can scare them up.
No, no, Mrs Dunne, it's not
for us to go chasing after them.
No doubt they'll come
down for their dinner.
Well, often as not...
...they just creep down and help
themselves to summat out the pantry.
Oh... I don't think we can allow that.
We'll try the twins' room, miss...
which is the third door
along here on the left.
It's just here...
Shh.
DOOR HANDLE RATTLES
Now, come along, girls. It's
time you met your new governess.
I am sorry, Miss Barrow.
Don't you worry, Mrs Dunne, we
have all the time in the world.
I should like to explore
the rest of the house.
I'll show you around.
No, no, you get back to
your kitchen, Mrs Dunne.
I shall get on much better on my own.
That first afternoon, we refused
to come down and meet her.
We thought she might be
discouraged and go away.
But she wasn't? No!
She was the first person
who tried to take us on.
I went to have a look at Angelfield.
Hmm. Did you?
Did you see the ghost?
I saw something.
What?
Not sure.
Erm, you were telling me about Hester.
Yes.
You remind me of her a bit.
In what way?
She was very determined and inquisitive.
Food.
Food. Hungry.
At the end of Hester's
first day at the house...
...she'd already formed a strategy.
...for dealing with her as
yet invisible charges.
No keys.
Emmeline? Adeline?
Which one are you? Adeline or Emmeline?
Emmeline.
Are you hungry? Would
you like some supper?
Mmm.
And what about your sister?
Never mind. Let's go to the kitchen.
Follow me.
So, right from the start, Hester
managed to drive a wedge between us.
I can't say our education
was entirely plain sailing...
... Although Emmeline continued
to be pretty much of a pushover.
CRASHING AND BANGING
Well, a very good
morning to you, Adeline.
HE MUTTERS
Thank you so much, John.
Very good of you to join us, I must say.
We're starting the morning.
with a drawing of our
beautiful Angelfield House.
You're most welcome to stay down
there if you're more comfortable.
Ah! Ow!
Adeline! Adeline, this behaviour
will simply not be tolerated!
Do you hear me? Do you hear me, Adeline?
Miss?
Yes, Emmeline?
Finished, miss.
Just a minute.
Very nice, dear.
Oh, I don't believe you've
quite finished, Adeline.
THUNDER RUMBLES
CHILD: 'Margaret?' GIGGLING
MUFFLED GROANING
Do you believe in ghosts?
You asked me that before.
Your answer was evasive, as I recall.
Well, let's just say I'm beginning to.
Oh? Why would that be?
Anyway, Hester didn't.
Too sensible, poor thing.
It would have been easier for her.
...if she hadn't insisted
on being so rational.
Is there really nowhere we can
get hold of some decent fish?
Well, yes, you can, if you really
want to. It's a bit of a palaver.
Emmeline?
She's out in the garden, miss.
I... I just saw her.
I can hear them outside.
DISTANT CHATTERING
That's strange. I could have sworn...
Was she wearing white, miss?
Yes, she was.
That'll be the ghost.
Oh, don't be ridiculous, Mrs Dunne.
It's probably just the
sunlight flashing in the mirror.
Woman in white, miss.
We've all seen her.
Well, I haven't, and I
certainly don't intend to.
HANDLE RATTLES
SHE SHRIEKS
DISTANT LAUGHTER
WIND WHISTLES
During that summer, Dr Mawsley visited.
...a little more frequently than
was perhaps medically necessary.
I'm at my wits' end with Adeline.
She's an aggressive and dangerous child.
She hardly eats anything.
It takes two of us to
hold her down at bath-time.
She seems impervious to
any kind of human emotion.
Is she intelligent?
It's hard to tell, given
that she refuses to speak.
Soon after I arrived, I sent off
for a number of studies of twins.
Really?
If I've understood correctly...
what tends to happen is
that certain pairs of twins.
...divide up available emotions and
personality traits between them.
Thus, one being placid and
passive, the other wild and violent.
One clean, the other dirt-loving.
Of course, you would know
much more about this than I.
Not necessarily.
Yes.
My wife's opinion...
I... I do sometimes discuss
my patients with my wife.
She thinks the child may
quite simply be wicked.
I think the explanation may be
a little more nuanced than that.
No doubt. My wife is apt
to take the layman's view.
I was thinking that the situation.
...does present a rare opportunity
for original research.
Indeed.
In which I would be more
than happy to assist you.
Hmm.
DOOR BELL RINGS
Where's Adeline?
Back soon.
KEY TURNS IN LOCK
I hate you! Adeline, behave, please.
ADELINE SHOUTS
Emmeline! Be careful, John.
Watch her, please.
Adeline!
Miss Barrow, take the door.
SHE STRAINS AND SCREAMS
Emmeline! Is she in?
Come on. Ready to go?
Come away.
LOUD SOBBING
KEY TURNS IN LOCK
Oh, my goodness, Emmeline.
Come in. Let me show you your room.
You'll like it, you'll
have it all to yourself.
I tell you, no good'll come of this.
Adeline...
And naturally there have been
reports that point to some evidence...
Hester and Dr Mawsley
had become so engrossed.
...in their scientific experiment.
...and so relished their daily discussions.
...they quite failed to
notice that their patients.
were making no progress whatsoever.
They completely ignored the
only and most obvious diagnosis -
...the twins were missing
each other desperately.
Emmeline!
There you are. Come along,
it's time for your tea.
Where have you been?
I've been looking for you.
We went down to the woods.
No, you should say, "I
went down to the woods. "
I went down to the woods.
Mm. And what did you do there?
We picked some bluebells.
Come on.
Where did you put your bluebells?
The bluebells you picked?
Did you put them in the vase?
No, we saved them for Adeline.
Well, you correct her, you see,
and she gets it right for a moment.
...but then she always
goes back to saying "we".
I'm afraid Adeline never
speaks at all. Oh, dear.
I don't think it would be prudent.
...to let her out of the house, do you?
I say, I don't think it would be safe.
...to let Adeline out of the house.
No.
KEY TURNS IN LOCK
I thought we'd agreed that the
rooms not immediately in use.
...should be kept locked.
Yes, that's right, miss.
Well, just now I found
the drawing-room open.
Not a bad idea to give
it a bit of an airing.
Oh, so you opened it, did you?
Oh, no, miss.
I don't have the keys
any more, remember?
You've got the keys.
THEY GIGGLE
FRANTIC KNOCKING
What is it? Why have
you let Adeline out?
Oh... Oh, that's impossible!
I've just seen her this minute
with Emmeline in... in the grounds!
Calm down. Here.
Adeline has been here, in
this room, this past hour.
Ever since breakfast.
But...
I must be going mad!
SHE SOBS
FOOTSTEPS APPROACH
I'll thank you to leave
this house immediately.
And send John for the child.
I can...
I'll speak to you later.
The next day, Hester had vanished.
Packed her bags, slipped
away, never seen again.
What happened to her? I've no idea.
The doctor had disappeared as well,
so we can make an educated guess.
Rumour was they'd
disappeared to America.
Wherever it was, I'm
sure they both flourished.
Hester was a resourceful
little... THING.
CAR APPROACHES
CAR DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES
THE MISSUS: She's upstairs.
Emmeline!
SHE ROARS
But why did you do that?
I... I-I couldn't tell you.
Over the next five or six years,
in spite of strenuous efforts.
...to maintain the status quo,
bit by bit, everything changed.
First, a letter came from the asylum.
...saying that Isabelle
had died of pneumonia.
FLIES BUZZ
A week or so later, we noticed
that Charlie had stopped touching.
...the food that The
Missus had left for him.
He'd gone.
I had an idea where Charlie might be.
I'd often followed him and watched
what he did there with Isabelle.
FLIES BUZZ
I never said a word to the others.
If Master Charlie has gone,
didn't we ought to tell someone?
No call to.
I collect the money from
the bank end of the month...
...same as always.
And if we run short...
I know a man that'll buy some
of that wine from the cellar.
Oh, he wouldn't like that.
Anyroad, I better
take him up his dinner.
Of course, The Missus was suffering
from some kind of dementia.
But we drifted on pretty
much as we always had.
PIERCING SCREAM
GIRL SINGS SOFTLY:
"Ring A Ring O' Roses"
CHILD: 'Forgive me, please!
LOUD SCREAM
'Margaret, I'm sorry. '
HORN BLARES
DISTRESSED WAILING
SHE SOBS AND WAILS
SOBBING
SHE GASPS AND MUTTERS
SHE GRUNTS
Underground...
Emmeline?
Dead go underground...
Are you Emmeline?
SHE MUTTERS
MOANING
DOOR OPENS
KISS
You look like death warmed
up. What's the matter?
I didn't get sleep much last night.
Oh?
Are you in a fit state to continue?
Yes, of course.
Um, we were talking about what
happened after The Missus died.
John brought in a local
boy to help with the garden.
Ambrose Proctor.
I don't see why we need him.
He's all right.
Keeps himself to himself. Works hard.
Gives me a bit of time for
what needs doing in the house.
You said you were going to
show me how to trim the topiary.
Well, I will, then. Huh?
Now, you check the
safety latch first. Right?
Right. Bit wobbly-like,
against the tree.
You need to test it before you go up it.
Right...
Up you go.
Never cut into the sun or towards
your own shadow, all right?
Yes. And never look at the clouds.
They keep moving, see,
and they throw you out.
Good girl.
Yes.
GIGGLING
BANGING
Where's the ladder?
Mr Digence took it. He's round
the back, fixing the guttering.
Obviously somebody had tampered
with the safety catch. Who?
We said no questions.
After that, everything's a blur.
But I did have the presence
of mind to tell the police.
...that Uncle Charlie was away.
After the funeral, we had a meeting
with the family solicitor, Mr Lomax.
So where exactly is your uncle?
Peru, I think.
Peru? I believe so.
And when will he be back?
I'm not sure. Quite soon, anyway.
You're 17 now, if I'm not mistaken.
That's right.
I'm just wondering what
arrangements we can put in place.
...to make sure that you and your
sister are properly looked after.
We're quite used to
fending for ourselves.
Yes, but I... My grandmother
knows the house very well.
She can look in every day, like.
There's no need for your
grandmother to trouble herself.
Well, that's lucky, because
I haven't got a grandmother.
So, who do you think killed John?
It certainly wasn't Emmeline,
if that's what you're thinking.
And Ambrose had no
motive. Quite the contrary.
Then...
We agreed no questions.
Patience, Miss Lea.
That was that. You got away with it.
Mr Lomax was very happy
not to put himself out.
You got away with everything.
I can't understand why the
police didn't properly investigate.
John's death after all the...
I'll tell the story
my own way, Miss Lea!
I think that's probably
enough for today.
'We said no questions.
'It certainly wasn't Emmeline,
if that's what you're thinking. '
CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS
Sorry. Forgive me.
So you're treating Emmeline as well?
Yes. Yes, um...
As a matter of fact, she's even
more seriously ill than Miss Winter.
Is she?
We tried to move her to
hospital a few weeks ago.
...but she refused to get in the ambulance.
Do you know if anyone's
living at Angelfield?
Why do you ask?
Well, I know it's pretty much a ruin...
I've been there a couple of times...
...and the first time some enormous
man chased me out of the house...
...and the second time,
in one of the rooms...
...there was signs of someone living there.
He's called Aurelius Love.
He's not quite right in the
head, but he's totally harmless.
Bit of a local character. Works
with his mother in the bakery.
Was that what you
wanted to ask me about?
Um... No, not really.
I think Miss Winter may
have confessed to committing.
...a murder when she was a teenager.
Erm, well... Well,
did she or didn't she?
I haven't got the whole story yet
but somebody killed the gardener.
...and I can't see who
else it could have been.
And I don't know what to do about it.
Do you have any evidence?
No, and even if I did...
Hmm.
I'm sure you're right.
Maybe wait until you've heard more?
Emmeline...
Dr Clifton tells me you've
been asking questions about her.
How did you find out?
I saw her one night in the garden...
...and eventually worked out who she was.
I see.
I wanted to know why she
was digging in the garden.
...and what it was she kept saying
all the time. Any theories?
Erm... I think what she's saying
is, "Dead go underground. "
Very good.
Miss Lea, you're doing very well.
So she IS looking for
someone underground?
Who could it be? A child?
When are you going to tell
me your story, Margaret?
I haven't got a story.
Everybody has a story.
If you keep it to yourself, it
dies and comes back to haunt you.
You take my word for it.
Well, I have no intention
of telling anyone my story.
Would you mind passing me that bottle?
Yes, of course.
What is it?
Liquid morphine.
For my wolf.
What did you say?
CHILD: 'I said I'm sorry.
'I was saving it specially. '
HORN BLARES
'It's me!'
I want to spend more time with Emmeline.
...over the next couple of days.
I always thought of Emmeline as a twin.
MUFFLED ECHO: I always
thought of Emmeline as a twin.
MUFFLED: There is something
special about losing a twin.
SHE SOBS
My dear, whatever's the matter?
I had a twin.
Margaret, I'm sorry.
I'm not talking to you.
I'm not even going to walk with you.
I'm going over to the other side. Don't!
Walk by yourself.
Please forgive me, please!
It was all my fault.
She'd eaten a bar of
chocolate that I'd been saving.
...and... I wanted to punish her.
Oh, all right.
Come on, then!
Moira!
CAR TYRES SCREECH
MARGARET SCREAMS
Feeling guilty doesn't
do anybody any good.
It wasn't your fault.
My mother thought it was.
And she never forgave me.
I've been so lonely all
these years without my sister.
We all have our stories.
You've been here before, haven't you?
You're Aurelius?
I frightened you when you
came here. I didn't mean to.
No, I... It was my fault, I panicked.
Look what they've done. Yeah.
Developers.
Didn't you live here?
No, I just used to camp out, like.
I live with me mum.
I loved this house.
And what's going on down there?
Oh, yeah. Funny thing.
They found some bones.
Skeleton.
'She's an aggressive
and dangerous child.
'I always thought of Emmeline as a twin.
'The twins were missing
each other desperately. '
Ring a ring a roses.
A pocketful of posies...
'Emmeline... '
There were three of you.
There were three of you.
It wasn't just Adeline and
Emmeline, there were three of you.
There were police at
Angelfield. They've found a body.
A skeleton. Mm-hm.
There were three of us.
And now there's one of us.
Oh, I'm sorry.
I'm so sorry, I got carried away.
Oh, I'm sorry.
So, you see, there WAS a
ghost at Angelfield all along.
A ghost with no name.
It was me.
Like it or not, I was the ghost.
Who was your mother?
Oh, I've no idea.
All I do know is that when Isabelle
went away to have the twins...
Charlie went on some kind of a rampage.
What I do know is that I was born
a few months later than the twins...
...and Charlie, God knows if
it ever dawned on him...
... was the father of us all.
How did you get to Angelfield?
All I know is what John The Dig told me.
Which was what?
He started to notice his strawberries.
...and his carrots were disappearing
from his vegetable garden.
And he thought he saw
...signs of someone sleeping
in the potting shed.
Also, this someone was not properly
turning off the outside tap.
Hey, you!
John and The Missus took me in.
Or he did, really.
Are you thinking what I'm thinking?
The hair? Yes.
Should we tell them?
And I spent as much of the
time as I could with them.
He taught me how to read
out of his seed catalogues.
But of course Adeline never
even wanted to learn to read.
She was?...
Genuinely dangerous, yes.
Violence was always her first instinct.
SHE SCREAMS
Finally, she killed John.
What made her do it?
She hated him for some reason.
She seemed to think he was responsible.
...for taking her away
from Emmeline that time.
Or perhaps she was jealous of
all the attention he gave me.
He was the closest I
ever had to a real parent.
GASPS AND CLATTERING
HE MUTTERS UNINTELLIGIBLY
After John's death, we
were alone with Ambrose.
It's a lot harder than it looks.
I was never easy in my mind about him.
Don't you touch Emmeline, you hear me?
I haven't touched Emmeline.
Good. Well, don't.
It's not Emmeline I wants to touch.
Even though she's
kinder than what you are.
Why can't you be kind like Emmeline?
'Before long it was obvious
that Emmeline was pregnant.
'and I dismissed Ambrose.
'I decided not to ask for any
help with delivering the baby. '
SCREAMING
'I read up for it as much as I could.
'So, I was deluded...
'Adeline was insane and
Emmeline was helpless.
'All the same, somehow or other... '
That's it, Emmeline, keep going.
'... we managed. '
BABY CRIES
It's a boy, Emmeline. It's a boy.
There.
Shall I leave you to rest a while?
No.
I want to finish the story
tonight. The wolf is at the door.
It's time to tell you
the Thirteenth Tale.
I realised very early on
how jealous Adeline was.
...and how much she resented the baby.
Please go on.
And before long, I discovered
the baby was in real danger.
I knew I had to keep her
under constant observation.
BABY GRIZZLES
Shh, shh...
SCREAMING
Emmeline!
Adeline, no! Emmeline!
Adeline, leave her alone!
It's the only time I've ever
seen Emmeline fight back.
The baby's safe, Emmeline! He's safe!
Emmeline! No, Emmeline! No!
SCREAMING ECHOES
SIZZLING, SHE SCREAMS
Emmeline!
SCREAMING CONTINUES
SCREAMING ECHOES
You saved the baby's life. Yes.
I left the baby.
...outside the cottage belonging
to the baker's widow, Mrs Love.
Everybody knew she had a kind heart.
Aurelius Love. Yes.
He turned out to be a bit
simple, but warm-hearted...
... Like his mother.
When I got back to the house...
...of course, everyone
assumed... I was Adeline.
When we started, Margaret, I told
you this was a story about twins.
What I didn't tell you was
that I wasn't one of them.
Oh, I longed to be...
...but they always kept me out.
So I stayed outside.
That's what made me a writer.
You lost your twin, Margaret.
Margaret... Oh, that was terrible.
But you had her with you for a while.
She's always with me.
I envy you.
Oh, I'm so tired.
Hee-hee-hee, the
wolf is in the room.
Thank you.
Margaret?
I didn't want you to go before
I had a chance to say goodbye.
I'm going to stay in
the area for a while...
...at least until after the funeral.
Good. Good, well, I'll see you there.
And then will you go back to London?
Um, I'm not sure. I think I'll stay
up here somewhere to write the book.
I'll let you know what I decide.