Rosemary and Thyme (2003) s01e02 Episode Script
Arabica and the Early Spider
1 How's it going? Oh, fine.
There's a lovely selection of wild flowers here and some Japanese knotweed.
Is that bad? Ah, you just have to dig it up.
But Nev wants a wild garden.
Well, it's not really a wild flower.
The Victorians imported it and it just took over.
Oh, can you spare Nev ten minutes? Of course, I just want to show you something I found first.
Right.
Look at this.
What is it? Ophrys sphegodes, the early spider orchid.
Orchid? That's not wild, then.
Absolutely! Orchids grow in England? Yes, they do! All kinds.
But this one is very rare.
Actually, it's a protected species.
So, you should get it registered, really.
Mrs Connolly! Come and have a look at this! Oh! Oh.
What's going on? You know the pond that Frank was digging for us? Mm-hm.
Well, they found some bones.
Oh.
I knew it wasn't human.
No doubts? I may not be the best doctor in the world All right, we can all go home.
It's a horse.
There you are, Mrs Connolly, just a horse.
A horse? Good Lord! What do we do? Cover it up again? I would.
Why would anyone bury a horse? Oh, if it was a favourite hunter or something.
I've just had a thought.
I suppose it couldn't be Arabica? I suppose it could.
What's Arabica? Arabica was a racehorse.
Stolen from Belfrage's stables when I worked there.
Take her up, go on.
Steady, steady.
Whoa! Have you always lived round here? Yes.
As a kid we'd be up here playing knights and maidens.
And now it's all yours.
Nev used it as the background for one of his videos.
That's how I met him.
They rented horses from us.
As soon as I saw him it was You know.
Before the week was out he'd promised to buy it for me.
Aah! Take her up.
Go on.
Steady, steady! I was just telling Rosemary and Laura how you promised to buy Compton Lacey for me.
The most expensive promise I've ever made in my life.
What it cost to refurbish! My mum used to say, "We may be common, Nev, but we ain't vulgar.
" Do you want some coffee? Oh, yes.
Thanks.
(BELL RINGS) So, what about them bones, then? A horse.
Well, I told you! You said it was a cow! One of them country things, anyway.
Yes, sir? Ah, Doris.
Can you get us some coffee and make it a big pot? Certainly, sir.
Is this Arabica? Oh, no! That's just one of the horses from that video when Nev and I met.
And who's the pretty girl? That's Joanna.
She used to work at Belfrage's stable, too.
At least we didn't have to get dressed in silly costumes.
Can we go over these plans of yours for the grounds? I start recording next week.
I'd like to get them settled before then.
This is the north side with the wild garden you've already started.
And this side, Patsy would like something a bit more formal.
Mm-hm.
Yes, that's why I've done two suggestions.
A parterre, that's one.
Or this one.
Ah! Harry Georgeson's here, Nev.
I don't want to see him now.
Can you get rid of him? Too late.
He's coming in.
Ah, yeah.
Could we all go outside and have a look at it in situ? It would make more sense, the real thing.
Of course, let's go.
Nev, I hear you've been having a bit of excitement.
It's just a load of old horse bones.
Yeah, I heard.
We're about finished, Nev, apart from a few bits and bobs.
The tiling in the yellow bathroom? Course, Nev, soon as we get the (HUGE CLATTER) Jesus Christ! Your arm.
Just stay still till we get some help.
You OK, mate? Yeah, yeah, I think so.
The whole lot just collapsed.
I was hanging there like a bloody monkey.
As long as you're not hurt.
Who set up the scaffolding? Len Lynch and his boys? Yeah.
Oh, Nev, your lovely window! It took six bloody months to make this! They're right, you know, those people down the village .
.
there's a curse on this place.
We've had nothing but trouble since we started.
The flood All those cellars four foot deep in water.
None of these was my boys' fault, Nev.
And arson.
Come on, Nev.
Ah, Tommy.
Took the slow route from Bishopsbridge, did you? Sammy.
I thought I told you not to use the Lynch brothers for any more scaffolding.
You know, I could always find another foreman.
I can't be everywhere, Harry.
It must be nice to have your own little house in the grounds where you can put guests up.
Mm.
Nice to be rich, altogether.
Mm.
Nice to be rich.
Shall I put the light out? Mmm.
Nev's not at all like you expect, is he? My Matt had all his records when he was about 15.
I used to listen with him.
I had them, too.
I was a little more than 15.
Sad, isn't it? Mm.
Tragic.
MELLOW TECHNO ROCK (STOPS MUSIC) (CLATTER FROM OUTSIDE) Hey! (GUNSHOT) (SNORING) Laura! Nev? Nev! What's happening? Nev's been shot.
He's dead.
What's going on? (POLICE RADIO MESSAGES) This car, can you describe it? Erm Well, I only saw it for a second.
Colour? I don't know.
Erm Dark.
And er what about your your friend? Did she see it any more clearly? She didn't see it at all.
The shot woke me up.
It didn't wake her.
But you were in the same room? She sleeps more soundly than I do.
Not married, are you, Ms Boxer? What's that got to do with it? But you and live together, yeah? No.
Can I get you something? I don't want anything.
You know the police think I shot Nev? Oh, I'm sure they don't.
They have to eliminate you from their enquiries.
I'm sorry we won't be finishing the gardens.
I really liked those plans.
I want you to.
This place is Nev's baby.
I'll finish it the way he wanted.
That's wonderful.
How could they think I'd kill Nev? Well, since we're not going to get the digger to dig it for us Oh, well, one spit turned in September's worth three in December.
What does that mean? The more the early frosts get at the soil, the better.
Is that your father again? Ahh.
Did they find anything out here? Well, a couple of empty cartridges, the policeman said.
Well, that'll be useful if they ever find a gun.
Why would anyone want to kill Nev Connolly? We don't know that much about his private life.
What was he doing out here in the middle of the night anyway? In the dark! Do you think he was meeting someone? Maybe he saw someone.
I mean, an intruder or a poacher? Poacher? They can be quite a problem, you know.
Come across many poachers in the police force? Not in North Kensington, no.
Oh, look at this.
What? That's a bit odd.
Somebody's been using a spade here already.
Just one cut.
Mmm.
Do you think they were trying to bury something? Maybe.
Not another horse! I hope not.
Perhaps they were trying to dig something up.
What, buried treasure? Or Nev might have heard them, come out and seen them.
Oh, come on, Rosemary! You never know.
Oh, my God.
(GASPS) That is not a horse.
I think you'd better tell the police.
Why did you see fit to start digging there? I did not "see fit".
I saw the mark of a spade where someone had been digging and I wondered why.
Oh, yeah? Also trained in detective work, are we? No, of course not.
Was your uh friend with you? Excuse me, what do you mean my "uh friend"? Oh, you're being over-sensitive, Miss Boxer.
I am not being the slightest bit oversensitive! Oh, it's the foreman at last.
Early as usual.
They're making you earn your money, Mr Trelawney.
Hello, Tommy.
Go and see Mrs Connolly, Sammy.
See if there's anything we can do to help.
Hey, she your driver? She has been the last six months, ever since I lost my licence.
Eh? Nah, Sammy's my missus.
I like to give her something to do.
Where's your boss today? Harry? He's over Bishopsbridge.
We're starting a new job there next week.
He's er very upset about Nev, though.
So, what do we know about the skeleton? Female, 18 to 24 years of age, been in the ground approximately five years.
And what has she got to do with the horse? Why should she have anything to do with the horse? You don't think it's a bit of a coincidence, a horse and a woman being buried at the same time in the same place? The place has been empty for 40 years.
The locals used the grounds as a dumping pit.
Oh, and a burial ground, too? Look, this is nothing to do with us.
Suppose the woman was the trainer's daughter, or his wife.
And she's riding the horse in the grounds of Compton Lacey.
There's an accident and the horse dies and then rather than admitting it to her husband Or her father.
Or her father she buries it.
And then, OVERCOME with guilt, she commits suicide.
Then, overcome with tidiness, she buries herself.
That is so unnecessary! Just because I haven't worked out ALL the details yet.
And how does poor Nev Connolly fit into all this? Well, I don't know.
But you know Patsy used to work in Belfrage's stable, remember.
Right.
Let's go and have a talk with Mr Belfrage.
No, no, not now, it's lunch time.
You're all talk, you are.
Right, I'll go on my own.
See you in the pub.
Excuse me? What? Is Mr Belfrage around? Down the road half a mile, turn left opposite the Flag And Cat.
After about a mile it's on the right Adam's Farm.
You can't miss it.
He's a chicken farmer now.
Oh.
(KNOCKING) Mr Belfrage? What do you want? They found the body of a woman, a skeleton, buried up there.
Oh, yes? She's about 20.
They found a horse, too.
Yes, I heard.
I just wondered if the two were connected, you know.
Oh, that's it, is it? Do you think I go around killing horses? And women? What with Nev Connolly being murdered The pop star fellow? What? You didn't know? No.
He was shot.
Up near where they found the girl.
He was a nice chap.
It's all over the TV and radio.
Good God.
But that horse that was a horse you trained, wasn't it? Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't.
Do they know what horse it was? No.
Erm They can soon find out, if Georgeson is prepared to stump up for a DNA test.
Georgeson the builder? What's he got to do with it? We are talking about Arabica, yes? Well, Arabica was his horse.
Lovely two-year-old.
Far too good for him.
Look, just clear off, will you? Any idea who that girl might be? No, not at all.
I am not interested in Harry or his bloody horse All right.
Calm down.
I'm going.
Or anything else he thinks he might own round here! It's all getting a bit cosy.
The builder owning the horse? Well, why didn't he say anything to Nev? It seems the obvious thing to do.
"Might that be my racehorse?" Maybe.
I'm beginning to wonder if all the disasters that happened while Nev was doing the house aren't connected.
I don't know.
I wouldn't trust Tommy Matthews as far as I could throw him and he's the foreman.
And what's he got to gain? Is he the one with the weird wife, who drives him around all the time? Mm.
Tis the inbreeding, I reckon.
Want another? Mm.
Erm, half a lager and a slimline tonic, please.
A bottle of Becks, please, and I'll have a double Thank you very much.
You'll never guess who's having lunch through there.
Robert De Niro? Harry Georgeson.
Are you thinking what I'm thinking? Mr Georgeson.
Oh.
Hello, erm Rosemary Boxer, and this is Laura Thyme.
We met yesterday with poor Mr Connolly.
Yes! The gardeners.
Yes.
Oh, it's terrible, Mr Connolly being murdered.
Terrible.
Terrible.
Shocking.
You can sit down, if you want.
Thank you.
Thank you.
How do you do? Oh, this is Mrs Georgeson.
Hello.
We heard you were in Bishopsbridge.
We were.
Weren't we, Fiona? Yes, it's gorgeous there this time of year.
You know the skeleton of the horse that was found? What, the one they found buried? Mm-hm.
We wondered if it might be Arabica.
Arabica? Could be, I suppose.
It didn't occur to you? Frankly, I don't much care.
They found a woman's skeleton, too.
Yeah, I heard.
Well, that's rather peculiar, isn't it? You wouldn't have any idea who that might be, I suppose? Not an idea in the world.
Oh, erm I want to show you something.
This is the tip of an antler made into a button.
It's from a very expensive coat, I would think, because Where did you get that? It was found With the dead woman.
Anyway, I wondered if either of you knew anyone who wore a coat with that type of button? Never seen one like it.
It was by her hand, as if she'd been holding it.
Loo.
You had no right to remove it, let alone keep it.
It's contaminating the scene of crime! I know.
I was going to give it to the police, but that inspector was so unpleasant.
No excuse! Well, anyway, did you see the way Mrs Georgeson reacted, though? (GEARS GRIND) Oh, God! Bloody thing! This is a beautiful wagon, don't you be rude to her! That car's been behind us for at least the last five minutes.
What sort of car? It's difficult to tell.
Red.
Oh, it's gone now, anyway.
(REPORTERS CLAMOUR) Here! Are you anybody? What? Are you going to see Mrs Connolly? Yes.
Are you famous? No, we're just gardeners.
Did Nev like gardening? What? What was Nev like? Why did he have women gardeners? Did you know Nev? How old are you, love? I was talking to Ethel Croft up the shop earlier.
Who's Ethel Croft? Her daughter Julie works for the police.
Oh.
Just typing and stuff.
You know, filing.
Anyway, apparently Julie told her that the skeleton was Joanna Brannigan.
It can't be.
Joanna Brannigan? You saw the picture of her.
Her that disappeared.
That's what the police think, anyhow.
Well, that's another mystery solved, as they say.
I always said Will you excuse me? I I'm not feeling all that great.
You lock up, Doris, will you? Yeah, I'll lock up, don't you worry.
(DOOR SLAMS) (GUN IS COCKED) Laura, we're being shot at! What do you think you're doing? You've broken the bloody window! Oh, I don't know what came over me.
Sheer bloody lunacy, that's what.
Here, drink this.
Come on, down in one.
Oh! That's very nice.
You're in shock.
I think I need two more.
I want you to calm down, not fall over.
I'm going to ring the police.
No, no! Why not? It's not necessary! You're scared they'll find that button.
No, no, it's not that.
I'm going to visit Mrs Georgeson in the morning.
The builder's wife? What for? I found this on the Internet.
What is it? Oh, that's Fiona Georgeson with Dennis Belfrage, looking a bit smarter than he does now.
No, look at Mrs Georgeson's coat.
It's THE coat! It's got those buttons! Apparently, it was quite a big story in its day.
When when was this? About seven years ago and Georgeson only had one horse, Arabica.
Belfrage was training it for him.
The horse was doing quite well and then one night somebody broke into the stable yard and stole it.
Was it that easy? Oh, no, it shouldn't be, according to Georgeson.
He was really pissed off and sued Belfrage for half a million, saying he was negligent.
Well, he was, I suppose.
What the bloody hell are you doing?! So, Harry Georgeson kept doing things to keep the story in the papers, so even before they came to court people were taking the horses away.
That's not fair, is it? When it finally did get to court, about two years later, Belfrage was broke, he lost the case and had to sell everything up to pay for the legal fees.
Bloody lawyers.
Slow down! Yes, I am slowing down! Oh, dear.
Are you all right? That's a bloody stupid question.
Hasn't affected your charm.
It's Belfrage the chicken farmer.
Yes, all right.
Just get me out of here, will you? And mind this arm, it's broken.
Of course I know who it was! Who? Pat Bazeley.
She used to work for me.
She married that pop singer.
Patsy Connolly? No! What do you mean, no? Are you calling me a liar? Why would she do that? I don't know.
Full moon or something? Mind my blasted arm! I have to change gear occasionally (!) (GEARS GRIND) (POLICE RADIO) What do you hope to find? Mrs Connolly's in the lounge.
They're searching the house now.
What are they looking for? I don't know.
I don't think they do.
We've just come from the hospital.
We took Mr Belfrage there.
Oh.
He says you ran him off the road.
It's the least I could do.
Couldn't keep his hands to himself.
He got more than he bargained for with Fiona Georgeson.
But that's nothing to what he's going to get for Joanna.
Wait a minute.
What has this got to do with Fiona Georgeson? You don't know? No.
No.
Tell us.
You don't know she ran off with him? With Dennis Belfrage? She lived with him, until he lost all his money.
Then scurried back to her husband pretty sharpish.
What a lovely couple! And Joanna? She was my friend.
When I was working at the stables.
She was only a kid.
Until one day she just disappeared.
Belfrage made her life a misery when she was working there.
He'd get you in a corner and say these vile things.
Then one day she just wasn't there any more.
Not a word from her.
Just after Arabica went missing.
But now they've found her.
I always knew he'd done it.
Mrs Connolly? Yes? Can you account for this? What is it? It's a gun, Mrs Connolly, the same calibre as the bullets that killed your husband.
We found it in the back of a cupboard in the kitchen.
I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to come down to the station.
They arresting Patsy, then? Er I don't know Mr Matthews.
What have they got on her? They don't know what they're doing nowadays, these coppers.
Oh, you're right there.
Come on, lads, back to work.
Patsy didn't kill Nev! You're probably right but we don't Of course she didn't! And anybody could have planted that gun.
People are in and out of that house all the time.
And what about all that that stuff that she told us! If Belfrage did have an affair with Mrs Georgeson But, Rosemary No, no, the point is, did it happen before or after the horse was stolen? And, and what has the body of Joanna Brannigan got to do with it? And, and, and, and how is all this connected with Nev being shot? Rosemary! This is nothing to do with us.
Well, if you're going to take that attitude I am taking you to the police station to hand in that button and hope they don't put you away for withholding evidence.
Now get in the car! You say you were woken up by the sound of a shot? Yes.
But the gardening women said it was some minutes before you appeared on the scene.
Was it? I don't know.
Look, arrest Belfrage, he's the one who killed Joanna.
Never mind about that.
Didn't you wake up when Mr Connolly got out of the bed? He didn't get out of the bed.
He'd stayed up late, working.
Oh? Did that happen often? Quite often, yes.
I see.
Were you and your husband having marital difficulties, Mrs Connolly? No.
Oh! You two, eh? Actually We were shot at last night.
Oh.
I'm sorry.
Huh! I'm afraid you get a lot of that sort of intolerance in a place like this.
What do you mean? Well, the way you two, you know, lead your lives.
I mean, it's none of my business.
I might find it distasteful, but that's my problem, not yours.
Yeah, we had a bloke from London down talking about it.
Homophobia Myth Or Reality? It opened my eyes, I can tell you.
It's the way I was brought up.
I was always brought up to think of that sort of thing as disgusting.
Excuse me, what are you talking about? Well, actually, the reason we are here No! We're going.
Why didn't you let me give him the button? You're joking! I could barely stop myself hitting him.
"He's got a job to do, you know.
" What's the matter? Oh, this whole thing has the feel of someone fighting a desperate rearguard action.
The arson, the floods, the collapsing scaffolding.
It's as if someone didn't want Patsy and Nev to move into that house.
But why not? Because the skeletons would be found? Precisely.
When the horse was found, they got really worried.
They had to come and dig up the girl and move her.
And then Nev disturbs them and they kill him.
We poke our noses in and they try to frighten us off.
Come on.
(BELL RINGS) (DOOR LOCK RELEASES) Mrs Georgeson? Are you going to be amusing? Not particularly, no.
Why is nobody amusing any more? Well, maybe you don't find people as amusing as you used to.
That's true, God knows.
Do you want a drink? No, thank you.
Do you remember we showed you a button? Button? No.
Oh, the toggle.
Do get it right, ducky.
Yes.
I asked if you knew anyone who had a coat with that kind of toggle.
Did you, now? Yes, she did.
Yes, I did.
Oh, yes.
Yes, it must have slipped my mind.
Or you were deliberately trying to conceal the truth.
Or I was deliberately trying to conceal the truth.
Probably the latter.
I'm not famous for my veracity.
May we sit down? No, I don't think so.
You're not amusing.
Why didn't you admit you had owned such a coat? I suppose you've heard the village gossip? About me running off with Denny? Yes.
Poor Denny.
Denny gave me the coat.
And ? Well, mucho surpriso, ducky, I didn't want to bring it up in front of my pig of a husband.
He has swinish jealous rages from time to time.
Oinks away in the most alarming manner, waving his trotters about.
That's why I gave the coat away.
You gave it away? Who to? My char, Mrs Deeping.
But Mrs Deeping out at Compton Lacey? They took her on as a housekeeper! Just goes to show you, doesn't it? Right.
Oh, Mrs Georgeson .
.
why did you come back to your husband? Oh, when the chips are down, I can't be trusted.
I haven't the courage of a gnat.
Right.
Oh, I remember Mrs Georgeson giving it me.
Beautiful coat, it was.
Nearly brand-new.
What they call a loden coat.
But you can't remember what happened to it? Well, it's a long time ago.
Wait a minute, though.
I sold it to Mrs Matthews.
Matthews? The foreman's wife? That's right, dear.
He works for Harry Georgeson.
£20 she give me for it.
I think I've got it.
What? I've been working out the chronological order of what happened, more or less.
Not another theory! Now, listen, listen, listen.
Mrs Georgeson is having an affair with Dennis Belfrage and she goes off to live with him, OK? Go on.
OK.
Now, Mr Georgeson wants his revenge, so what does he do? He steals his own horse from Belfrage's stable.
What, and kills his own horse? Yes, and it worked.
He bankrupted Belfrage and got his wife back.
And the girl? I don't know.
She worked at the stable.
Maybe she saw something when the horse was taken.
Mmm.
And how did Mrs Georgeson's coat come into it? That depends whether it was given away before or after the murder.
Here, you drive.
Oh! Now, if it was given away after, then she must have been implicated.
But if it was given away before, maybe Georgeson didn't want to do his own dirty work and he got the Matthews to do it for him.
That's an awful lot of maybes.
(GEARS GRIND) Oh! Oh, God! I really don't see why we can't have a proper car.
Why? We need this one for work.
But a newer model, at least.
Well, no, no, after this one they put in girly things like comfortable seats and power steering and rubbish like that.
(GEARS GRIND) Leave the talking to me.
All right, all right! Wait a minute.
What is it? Look at this.
It's part of the orchid I found, the early spider orchid.
So? So, this car must have been up there where the skeletons were found.
They were working there.
No, not up there.
That path doesn't lead anywhere.
So, this must have got caught in the bumper when they reversed to turn around the night they shot Nev.
Right.
Come on.
(BELL RINGS) Mrs Matthews? Mrs Matthews? Who are you? What are you doing here? We've been speaking to Mrs Georgeson.
You're in my garden! And Mrs Deeping.
Get out before I call the police! Mrs Deeping said she sold you a coat.
I haven't even heard of her! Mrs Georgeson's cleaning woman.
She sold you a coat.
No! A coat with horn buttons.
Toggles.
Why would I buy a coat from a cleaner? This coat.
Get out of my garden! A button was found with the dead girl up at Compton Lacey.
I don't know anything about no coat, I tell you! Now, then Whoever murdered Joanna Brannigan was wearing that coat Get out! There was a struggle and the button was torn off.
You can't prove I had that coat! What's going on? What's all the shouting? They're accusing us, Tommy, accusing us of murder! Shut up! You.
All right.
It's er it's quite a simple matter, Mr Matthews, it's about this coat.
Coat? Awwww! Keys! Where did you learn that? What? With your knee.
Oh, school of hard knocks.
I always wanted to do that.
Where are we going? Bishopsbridge police station.
Can't we go any faster? We're doing 50! Where are your glasses? Oh.
Oh! He's behind us! Oh! (TYRES SQUEAL) Oh! He's going to overtake us! Do you want to bet? (TYRES SQUEAL) Oh, so that's his game, is it? (SIREN WAILS) We can't go on like this for He won't be any cop against this baby! Japanese tin versus British steel! Come on.
Come on! Perish all enemies of Rosemary and Thyme! Yeah! Woo! Yes! Yes! Yes! Can you be a little freer, Laura? Freer? Well, you're doing it terribly regularly.
That's the proper way to sow seeds.
No, it isn't.
Yes, it is.
Anyway, it seems Matthews is talking nonstop.
He's singing like a canary! It appears that Georgeson did want to steal his own horse, Arabica.
The Matthewses paid your friend Joanna £100 pounds to help them.
So, Georgeson killed her? No, Georgeson knew nothing about Joanna.
She got pangs of conscience when she found out they were trying to ruin Dennis Belfrage, so she was going to go to the police.
And the Matthews killed her to save their own necks.
And now he's trying to lay it all on his wife in the same way that he tried to frame you for Nev's murder by planting the gun.
None of this had anything to do with Nev.
I want the gardens just like he planned.
And that's what you shall have.
Come on, Laura.
Now, then, this is supposed to be a wild garden, remember.
It's no good piddling around.
You're supposed to sow the seeds as if they've been blown by the wind.
Like that.
Oh, blown by the wind.
Why, you should have said! You mean Nymphs and shepherds, come away, come away Nymphs and shepherds, come away, come away Come, come, come I'm very much in demand for weddings and Bar Mitzvahs, you know.
For this is Flora's holiday This is Flora's holiday This is Flora's ho-ho-ho-ho-holiday Nymphs and shepherds
There's a lovely selection of wild flowers here and some Japanese knotweed.
Is that bad? Ah, you just have to dig it up.
But Nev wants a wild garden.
Well, it's not really a wild flower.
The Victorians imported it and it just took over.
Oh, can you spare Nev ten minutes? Of course, I just want to show you something I found first.
Right.
Look at this.
What is it? Ophrys sphegodes, the early spider orchid.
Orchid? That's not wild, then.
Absolutely! Orchids grow in England? Yes, they do! All kinds.
But this one is very rare.
Actually, it's a protected species.
So, you should get it registered, really.
Mrs Connolly! Come and have a look at this! Oh! Oh.
What's going on? You know the pond that Frank was digging for us? Mm-hm.
Well, they found some bones.
Oh.
I knew it wasn't human.
No doubts? I may not be the best doctor in the world All right, we can all go home.
It's a horse.
There you are, Mrs Connolly, just a horse.
A horse? Good Lord! What do we do? Cover it up again? I would.
Why would anyone bury a horse? Oh, if it was a favourite hunter or something.
I've just had a thought.
I suppose it couldn't be Arabica? I suppose it could.
What's Arabica? Arabica was a racehorse.
Stolen from Belfrage's stables when I worked there.
Take her up, go on.
Steady, steady.
Whoa! Have you always lived round here? Yes.
As a kid we'd be up here playing knights and maidens.
And now it's all yours.
Nev used it as the background for one of his videos.
That's how I met him.
They rented horses from us.
As soon as I saw him it was You know.
Before the week was out he'd promised to buy it for me.
Aah! Take her up.
Go on.
Steady, steady! I was just telling Rosemary and Laura how you promised to buy Compton Lacey for me.
The most expensive promise I've ever made in my life.
What it cost to refurbish! My mum used to say, "We may be common, Nev, but we ain't vulgar.
" Do you want some coffee? Oh, yes.
Thanks.
(BELL RINGS) So, what about them bones, then? A horse.
Well, I told you! You said it was a cow! One of them country things, anyway.
Yes, sir? Ah, Doris.
Can you get us some coffee and make it a big pot? Certainly, sir.
Is this Arabica? Oh, no! That's just one of the horses from that video when Nev and I met.
And who's the pretty girl? That's Joanna.
She used to work at Belfrage's stable, too.
At least we didn't have to get dressed in silly costumes.
Can we go over these plans of yours for the grounds? I start recording next week.
I'd like to get them settled before then.
This is the north side with the wild garden you've already started.
And this side, Patsy would like something a bit more formal.
Mm-hm.
Yes, that's why I've done two suggestions.
A parterre, that's one.
Or this one.
Ah! Harry Georgeson's here, Nev.
I don't want to see him now.
Can you get rid of him? Too late.
He's coming in.
Ah, yeah.
Could we all go outside and have a look at it in situ? It would make more sense, the real thing.
Of course, let's go.
Nev, I hear you've been having a bit of excitement.
It's just a load of old horse bones.
Yeah, I heard.
We're about finished, Nev, apart from a few bits and bobs.
The tiling in the yellow bathroom? Course, Nev, soon as we get the (HUGE CLATTER) Jesus Christ! Your arm.
Just stay still till we get some help.
You OK, mate? Yeah, yeah, I think so.
The whole lot just collapsed.
I was hanging there like a bloody monkey.
As long as you're not hurt.
Who set up the scaffolding? Len Lynch and his boys? Yeah.
Oh, Nev, your lovely window! It took six bloody months to make this! They're right, you know, those people down the village .
.
there's a curse on this place.
We've had nothing but trouble since we started.
The flood All those cellars four foot deep in water.
None of these was my boys' fault, Nev.
And arson.
Come on, Nev.
Ah, Tommy.
Took the slow route from Bishopsbridge, did you? Sammy.
I thought I told you not to use the Lynch brothers for any more scaffolding.
You know, I could always find another foreman.
I can't be everywhere, Harry.
It must be nice to have your own little house in the grounds where you can put guests up.
Mm.
Nice to be rich, altogether.
Mm.
Nice to be rich.
Shall I put the light out? Mmm.
Nev's not at all like you expect, is he? My Matt had all his records when he was about 15.
I used to listen with him.
I had them, too.
I was a little more than 15.
Sad, isn't it? Mm.
Tragic.
MELLOW TECHNO ROCK (STOPS MUSIC) (CLATTER FROM OUTSIDE) Hey! (GUNSHOT) (SNORING) Laura! Nev? Nev! What's happening? Nev's been shot.
He's dead.
What's going on? (POLICE RADIO MESSAGES) This car, can you describe it? Erm Well, I only saw it for a second.
Colour? I don't know.
Erm Dark.
And er what about your your friend? Did she see it any more clearly? She didn't see it at all.
The shot woke me up.
It didn't wake her.
But you were in the same room? She sleeps more soundly than I do.
Not married, are you, Ms Boxer? What's that got to do with it? But you and live together, yeah? No.
Can I get you something? I don't want anything.
You know the police think I shot Nev? Oh, I'm sure they don't.
They have to eliminate you from their enquiries.
I'm sorry we won't be finishing the gardens.
I really liked those plans.
I want you to.
This place is Nev's baby.
I'll finish it the way he wanted.
That's wonderful.
How could they think I'd kill Nev? Well, since we're not going to get the digger to dig it for us Oh, well, one spit turned in September's worth three in December.
What does that mean? The more the early frosts get at the soil, the better.
Is that your father again? Ahh.
Did they find anything out here? Well, a couple of empty cartridges, the policeman said.
Well, that'll be useful if they ever find a gun.
Why would anyone want to kill Nev Connolly? We don't know that much about his private life.
What was he doing out here in the middle of the night anyway? In the dark! Do you think he was meeting someone? Maybe he saw someone.
I mean, an intruder or a poacher? Poacher? They can be quite a problem, you know.
Come across many poachers in the police force? Not in North Kensington, no.
Oh, look at this.
What? That's a bit odd.
Somebody's been using a spade here already.
Just one cut.
Mmm.
Do you think they were trying to bury something? Maybe.
Not another horse! I hope not.
Perhaps they were trying to dig something up.
What, buried treasure? Or Nev might have heard them, come out and seen them.
Oh, come on, Rosemary! You never know.
Oh, my God.
(GASPS) That is not a horse.
I think you'd better tell the police.
Why did you see fit to start digging there? I did not "see fit".
I saw the mark of a spade where someone had been digging and I wondered why.
Oh, yeah? Also trained in detective work, are we? No, of course not.
Was your uh friend with you? Excuse me, what do you mean my "uh friend"? Oh, you're being over-sensitive, Miss Boxer.
I am not being the slightest bit oversensitive! Oh, it's the foreman at last.
Early as usual.
They're making you earn your money, Mr Trelawney.
Hello, Tommy.
Go and see Mrs Connolly, Sammy.
See if there's anything we can do to help.
Hey, she your driver? She has been the last six months, ever since I lost my licence.
Eh? Nah, Sammy's my missus.
I like to give her something to do.
Where's your boss today? Harry? He's over Bishopsbridge.
We're starting a new job there next week.
He's er very upset about Nev, though.
So, what do we know about the skeleton? Female, 18 to 24 years of age, been in the ground approximately five years.
And what has she got to do with the horse? Why should she have anything to do with the horse? You don't think it's a bit of a coincidence, a horse and a woman being buried at the same time in the same place? The place has been empty for 40 years.
The locals used the grounds as a dumping pit.
Oh, and a burial ground, too? Look, this is nothing to do with us.
Suppose the woman was the trainer's daughter, or his wife.
And she's riding the horse in the grounds of Compton Lacey.
There's an accident and the horse dies and then rather than admitting it to her husband Or her father.
Or her father she buries it.
And then, OVERCOME with guilt, she commits suicide.
Then, overcome with tidiness, she buries herself.
That is so unnecessary! Just because I haven't worked out ALL the details yet.
And how does poor Nev Connolly fit into all this? Well, I don't know.
But you know Patsy used to work in Belfrage's stable, remember.
Right.
Let's go and have a talk with Mr Belfrage.
No, no, not now, it's lunch time.
You're all talk, you are.
Right, I'll go on my own.
See you in the pub.
Excuse me? What? Is Mr Belfrage around? Down the road half a mile, turn left opposite the Flag And Cat.
After about a mile it's on the right Adam's Farm.
You can't miss it.
He's a chicken farmer now.
Oh.
(KNOCKING) Mr Belfrage? What do you want? They found the body of a woman, a skeleton, buried up there.
Oh, yes? She's about 20.
They found a horse, too.
Yes, I heard.
I just wondered if the two were connected, you know.
Oh, that's it, is it? Do you think I go around killing horses? And women? What with Nev Connolly being murdered The pop star fellow? What? You didn't know? No.
He was shot.
Up near where they found the girl.
He was a nice chap.
It's all over the TV and radio.
Good God.
But that horse that was a horse you trained, wasn't it? Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't.
Do they know what horse it was? No.
Erm They can soon find out, if Georgeson is prepared to stump up for a DNA test.
Georgeson the builder? What's he got to do with it? We are talking about Arabica, yes? Well, Arabica was his horse.
Lovely two-year-old.
Far too good for him.
Look, just clear off, will you? Any idea who that girl might be? No, not at all.
I am not interested in Harry or his bloody horse All right.
Calm down.
I'm going.
Or anything else he thinks he might own round here! It's all getting a bit cosy.
The builder owning the horse? Well, why didn't he say anything to Nev? It seems the obvious thing to do.
"Might that be my racehorse?" Maybe.
I'm beginning to wonder if all the disasters that happened while Nev was doing the house aren't connected.
I don't know.
I wouldn't trust Tommy Matthews as far as I could throw him and he's the foreman.
And what's he got to gain? Is he the one with the weird wife, who drives him around all the time? Mm.
Tis the inbreeding, I reckon.
Want another? Mm.
Erm, half a lager and a slimline tonic, please.
A bottle of Becks, please, and I'll have a double Thank you very much.
You'll never guess who's having lunch through there.
Robert De Niro? Harry Georgeson.
Are you thinking what I'm thinking? Mr Georgeson.
Oh.
Hello, erm Rosemary Boxer, and this is Laura Thyme.
We met yesterday with poor Mr Connolly.
Yes! The gardeners.
Yes.
Oh, it's terrible, Mr Connolly being murdered.
Terrible.
Terrible.
Shocking.
You can sit down, if you want.
Thank you.
Thank you.
How do you do? Oh, this is Mrs Georgeson.
Hello.
We heard you were in Bishopsbridge.
We were.
Weren't we, Fiona? Yes, it's gorgeous there this time of year.
You know the skeleton of the horse that was found? What, the one they found buried? Mm-hm.
We wondered if it might be Arabica.
Arabica? Could be, I suppose.
It didn't occur to you? Frankly, I don't much care.
They found a woman's skeleton, too.
Yeah, I heard.
Well, that's rather peculiar, isn't it? You wouldn't have any idea who that might be, I suppose? Not an idea in the world.
Oh, erm I want to show you something.
This is the tip of an antler made into a button.
It's from a very expensive coat, I would think, because Where did you get that? It was found With the dead woman.
Anyway, I wondered if either of you knew anyone who wore a coat with that type of button? Never seen one like it.
It was by her hand, as if she'd been holding it.
Loo.
You had no right to remove it, let alone keep it.
It's contaminating the scene of crime! I know.
I was going to give it to the police, but that inspector was so unpleasant.
No excuse! Well, anyway, did you see the way Mrs Georgeson reacted, though? (GEARS GRIND) Oh, God! Bloody thing! This is a beautiful wagon, don't you be rude to her! That car's been behind us for at least the last five minutes.
What sort of car? It's difficult to tell.
Red.
Oh, it's gone now, anyway.
(REPORTERS CLAMOUR) Here! Are you anybody? What? Are you going to see Mrs Connolly? Yes.
Are you famous? No, we're just gardeners.
Did Nev like gardening? What? What was Nev like? Why did he have women gardeners? Did you know Nev? How old are you, love? I was talking to Ethel Croft up the shop earlier.
Who's Ethel Croft? Her daughter Julie works for the police.
Oh.
Just typing and stuff.
You know, filing.
Anyway, apparently Julie told her that the skeleton was Joanna Brannigan.
It can't be.
Joanna Brannigan? You saw the picture of her.
Her that disappeared.
That's what the police think, anyhow.
Well, that's another mystery solved, as they say.
I always said Will you excuse me? I I'm not feeling all that great.
You lock up, Doris, will you? Yeah, I'll lock up, don't you worry.
(DOOR SLAMS) (GUN IS COCKED) Laura, we're being shot at! What do you think you're doing? You've broken the bloody window! Oh, I don't know what came over me.
Sheer bloody lunacy, that's what.
Here, drink this.
Come on, down in one.
Oh! That's very nice.
You're in shock.
I think I need two more.
I want you to calm down, not fall over.
I'm going to ring the police.
No, no! Why not? It's not necessary! You're scared they'll find that button.
No, no, it's not that.
I'm going to visit Mrs Georgeson in the morning.
The builder's wife? What for? I found this on the Internet.
What is it? Oh, that's Fiona Georgeson with Dennis Belfrage, looking a bit smarter than he does now.
No, look at Mrs Georgeson's coat.
It's THE coat! It's got those buttons! Apparently, it was quite a big story in its day.
When when was this? About seven years ago and Georgeson only had one horse, Arabica.
Belfrage was training it for him.
The horse was doing quite well and then one night somebody broke into the stable yard and stole it.
Was it that easy? Oh, no, it shouldn't be, according to Georgeson.
He was really pissed off and sued Belfrage for half a million, saying he was negligent.
Well, he was, I suppose.
What the bloody hell are you doing?! So, Harry Georgeson kept doing things to keep the story in the papers, so even before they came to court people were taking the horses away.
That's not fair, is it? When it finally did get to court, about two years later, Belfrage was broke, he lost the case and had to sell everything up to pay for the legal fees.
Bloody lawyers.
Slow down! Yes, I am slowing down! Oh, dear.
Are you all right? That's a bloody stupid question.
Hasn't affected your charm.
It's Belfrage the chicken farmer.
Yes, all right.
Just get me out of here, will you? And mind this arm, it's broken.
Of course I know who it was! Who? Pat Bazeley.
She used to work for me.
She married that pop singer.
Patsy Connolly? No! What do you mean, no? Are you calling me a liar? Why would she do that? I don't know.
Full moon or something? Mind my blasted arm! I have to change gear occasionally (!) (GEARS GRIND) (POLICE RADIO) What do you hope to find? Mrs Connolly's in the lounge.
They're searching the house now.
What are they looking for? I don't know.
I don't think they do.
We've just come from the hospital.
We took Mr Belfrage there.
Oh.
He says you ran him off the road.
It's the least I could do.
Couldn't keep his hands to himself.
He got more than he bargained for with Fiona Georgeson.
But that's nothing to what he's going to get for Joanna.
Wait a minute.
What has this got to do with Fiona Georgeson? You don't know? No.
No.
Tell us.
You don't know she ran off with him? With Dennis Belfrage? She lived with him, until he lost all his money.
Then scurried back to her husband pretty sharpish.
What a lovely couple! And Joanna? She was my friend.
When I was working at the stables.
She was only a kid.
Until one day she just disappeared.
Belfrage made her life a misery when she was working there.
He'd get you in a corner and say these vile things.
Then one day she just wasn't there any more.
Not a word from her.
Just after Arabica went missing.
But now they've found her.
I always knew he'd done it.
Mrs Connolly? Yes? Can you account for this? What is it? It's a gun, Mrs Connolly, the same calibre as the bullets that killed your husband.
We found it in the back of a cupboard in the kitchen.
I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to come down to the station.
They arresting Patsy, then? Er I don't know Mr Matthews.
What have they got on her? They don't know what they're doing nowadays, these coppers.
Oh, you're right there.
Come on, lads, back to work.
Patsy didn't kill Nev! You're probably right but we don't Of course she didn't! And anybody could have planted that gun.
People are in and out of that house all the time.
And what about all that that stuff that she told us! If Belfrage did have an affair with Mrs Georgeson But, Rosemary No, no, the point is, did it happen before or after the horse was stolen? And, and what has the body of Joanna Brannigan got to do with it? And, and, and, and how is all this connected with Nev being shot? Rosemary! This is nothing to do with us.
Well, if you're going to take that attitude I am taking you to the police station to hand in that button and hope they don't put you away for withholding evidence.
Now get in the car! You say you were woken up by the sound of a shot? Yes.
But the gardening women said it was some minutes before you appeared on the scene.
Was it? I don't know.
Look, arrest Belfrage, he's the one who killed Joanna.
Never mind about that.
Didn't you wake up when Mr Connolly got out of the bed? He didn't get out of the bed.
He'd stayed up late, working.
Oh? Did that happen often? Quite often, yes.
I see.
Were you and your husband having marital difficulties, Mrs Connolly? No.
Oh! You two, eh? Actually We were shot at last night.
Oh.
I'm sorry.
Huh! I'm afraid you get a lot of that sort of intolerance in a place like this.
What do you mean? Well, the way you two, you know, lead your lives.
I mean, it's none of my business.
I might find it distasteful, but that's my problem, not yours.
Yeah, we had a bloke from London down talking about it.
Homophobia Myth Or Reality? It opened my eyes, I can tell you.
It's the way I was brought up.
I was always brought up to think of that sort of thing as disgusting.
Excuse me, what are you talking about? Well, actually, the reason we are here No! We're going.
Why didn't you let me give him the button? You're joking! I could barely stop myself hitting him.
"He's got a job to do, you know.
" What's the matter? Oh, this whole thing has the feel of someone fighting a desperate rearguard action.
The arson, the floods, the collapsing scaffolding.
It's as if someone didn't want Patsy and Nev to move into that house.
But why not? Because the skeletons would be found? Precisely.
When the horse was found, they got really worried.
They had to come and dig up the girl and move her.
And then Nev disturbs them and they kill him.
We poke our noses in and they try to frighten us off.
Come on.
(BELL RINGS) (DOOR LOCK RELEASES) Mrs Georgeson? Are you going to be amusing? Not particularly, no.
Why is nobody amusing any more? Well, maybe you don't find people as amusing as you used to.
That's true, God knows.
Do you want a drink? No, thank you.
Do you remember we showed you a button? Button? No.
Oh, the toggle.
Do get it right, ducky.
Yes.
I asked if you knew anyone who had a coat with that kind of toggle.
Did you, now? Yes, she did.
Yes, I did.
Oh, yes.
Yes, it must have slipped my mind.
Or you were deliberately trying to conceal the truth.
Or I was deliberately trying to conceal the truth.
Probably the latter.
I'm not famous for my veracity.
May we sit down? No, I don't think so.
You're not amusing.
Why didn't you admit you had owned such a coat? I suppose you've heard the village gossip? About me running off with Denny? Yes.
Poor Denny.
Denny gave me the coat.
And ? Well, mucho surpriso, ducky, I didn't want to bring it up in front of my pig of a husband.
He has swinish jealous rages from time to time.
Oinks away in the most alarming manner, waving his trotters about.
That's why I gave the coat away.
You gave it away? Who to? My char, Mrs Deeping.
But Mrs Deeping out at Compton Lacey? They took her on as a housekeeper! Just goes to show you, doesn't it? Right.
Oh, Mrs Georgeson .
.
why did you come back to your husband? Oh, when the chips are down, I can't be trusted.
I haven't the courage of a gnat.
Right.
Oh, I remember Mrs Georgeson giving it me.
Beautiful coat, it was.
Nearly brand-new.
What they call a loden coat.
But you can't remember what happened to it? Well, it's a long time ago.
Wait a minute, though.
I sold it to Mrs Matthews.
Matthews? The foreman's wife? That's right, dear.
He works for Harry Georgeson.
£20 she give me for it.
I think I've got it.
What? I've been working out the chronological order of what happened, more or less.
Not another theory! Now, listen, listen, listen.
Mrs Georgeson is having an affair with Dennis Belfrage and she goes off to live with him, OK? Go on.
OK.
Now, Mr Georgeson wants his revenge, so what does he do? He steals his own horse from Belfrage's stable.
What, and kills his own horse? Yes, and it worked.
He bankrupted Belfrage and got his wife back.
And the girl? I don't know.
She worked at the stable.
Maybe she saw something when the horse was taken.
Mmm.
And how did Mrs Georgeson's coat come into it? That depends whether it was given away before or after the murder.
Here, you drive.
Oh! Now, if it was given away after, then she must have been implicated.
But if it was given away before, maybe Georgeson didn't want to do his own dirty work and he got the Matthews to do it for him.
That's an awful lot of maybes.
(GEARS GRIND) Oh! Oh, God! I really don't see why we can't have a proper car.
Why? We need this one for work.
But a newer model, at least.
Well, no, no, after this one they put in girly things like comfortable seats and power steering and rubbish like that.
(GEARS GRIND) Leave the talking to me.
All right, all right! Wait a minute.
What is it? Look at this.
It's part of the orchid I found, the early spider orchid.
So? So, this car must have been up there where the skeletons were found.
They were working there.
No, not up there.
That path doesn't lead anywhere.
So, this must have got caught in the bumper when they reversed to turn around the night they shot Nev.
Right.
Come on.
(BELL RINGS) Mrs Matthews? Mrs Matthews? Who are you? What are you doing here? We've been speaking to Mrs Georgeson.
You're in my garden! And Mrs Deeping.
Get out before I call the police! Mrs Deeping said she sold you a coat.
I haven't even heard of her! Mrs Georgeson's cleaning woman.
She sold you a coat.
No! A coat with horn buttons.
Toggles.
Why would I buy a coat from a cleaner? This coat.
Get out of my garden! A button was found with the dead girl up at Compton Lacey.
I don't know anything about no coat, I tell you! Now, then Whoever murdered Joanna Brannigan was wearing that coat Get out! There was a struggle and the button was torn off.
You can't prove I had that coat! What's going on? What's all the shouting? They're accusing us, Tommy, accusing us of murder! Shut up! You.
All right.
It's er it's quite a simple matter, Mr Matthews, it's about this coat.
Coat? Awwww! Keys! Where did you learn that? What? With your knee.
Oh, school of hard knocks.
I always wanted to do that.
Where are we going? Bishopsbridge police station.
Can't we go any faster? We're doing 50! Where are your glasses? Oh.
Oh! He's behind us! Oh! (TYRES SQUEAL) Oh! He's going to overtake us! Do you want to bet? (TYRES SQUEAL) Oh, so that's his game, is it? (SIREN WAILS) We can't go on like this for He won't be any cop against this baby! Japanese tin versus British steel! Come on.
Come on! Perish all enemies of Rosemary and Thyme! Yeah! Woo! Yes! Yes! Yes! Can you be a little freer, Laura? Freer? Well, you're doing it terribly regularly.
That's the proper way to sow seeds.
No, it isn't.
Yes, it is.
Anyway, it seems Matthews is talking nonstop.
He's singing like a canary! It appears that Georgeson did want to steal his own horse, Arabica.
The Matthewses paid your friend Joanna £100 pounds to help them.
So, Georgeson killed her? No, Georgeson knew nothing about Joanna.
She got pangs of conscience when she found out they were trying to ruin Dennis Belfrage, so she was going to go to the police.
And the Matthews killed her to save their own necks.
And now he's trying to lay it all on his wife in the same way that he tried to frame you for Nev's murder by planting the gun.
None of this had anything to do with Nev.
I want the gardens just like he planned.
And that's what you shall have.
Come on, Laura.
Now, then, this is supposed to be a wild garden, remember.
It's no good piddling around.
You're supposed to sow the seeds as if they've been blown by the wind.
Like that.
Oh, blown by the wind.
Why, you should have said! You mean Nymphs and shepherds, come away, come away Nymphs and shepherds, come away, come away Come, come, come I'm very much in demand for weddings and Bar Mitzvahs, you know.
For this is Flora's holiday This is Flora's holiday This is Flora's ho-ho-ho-ho-holiday Nymphs and shepherds