The Suspicions of Mr Whicher (2011) s02e02 Episode Script

Children, get back here.
Excuse me.
Mind where you're going.
There you are, sir.
Thank you very much.
There we are, sir.
Room number 10.
Thank you.
Let's see what's most expensive.
Just set it down over there.
Of course.
Thank you.
Come here.
Mr Whicher.
Good day, Sir Henry.
This way.
Who is the man? Do you know? No.
When they left the hotel this morning they separated.
Your wife went off in the direction of the station.
I followed the man.
He tended to one or two items of business, then he went into a jeweller's shop.
He bespoke a ring.
A ring? I was able to overhear the name and address he gave.
Thorogood.
Matthew Thorogood.
It means nothing to me.
He lives in Wainsbury, sir.
Good God.
That's less than ten miles away.
I sit on the bench at Wainsbury.
I could have passed him on the street.
And yet they met in London.
I expect it would be difficult for them to meet locally without being observed.
Yes.
And I imagine it adds a certain piquancy, meeting in the big city.
I've written everything down for you.
I'm sorry, sir.
Don't be.
You've done what I hired you to do.
Can you stay on in Wiltshire until tomorrow? I'd like you to sit down with my lawyer, Mr Lodge.
There are places in the village you can stay, Great Marston.
I don't wish to seem impertinent, but er I wondered if you should take a little time, just to think about what action you might want to take.
I've heard some marriages, can survive this sort I'm afraid my powers of forgiveness don't run to this.
I'll get Lodge here in the morning.
Very well.
Thank you.
My driver's at your disposal.
Good day, sir.
How can I help you? Mrs Hallows? Yes? I've been told that you might have a room I can rent for the night.
Yes? There now.
Anything else you have need of? No, thank you.
And it's just a night, you say? Yes.
I'll be leaving around nine.
You're welcome to have dinner with us.
My husband runs the forge.
He'll be in as soon as the light fades.
Thank you.
I won't charge extra.
Good, then.
Well, you know where I am.
Thank you.
That is good timing, Mr Whicher.
This is my husband, Joshua.
Good evening.
Good evening.
Come and sit down.
This is the best chair.
Thank you.
Have you been to Wiltshire before? Yes, I have.
A few years back.
For what we are about to receive may the Lord make us truly thankful.
Amen.
Amen.
You travel a fair bit? With your work? Yes, I do, on and off.
Hm.
I envy a man who travels.
Mr Whicher? I've only been two places in my life.
The village where I was born and here.
Oh, and Wainsbury, on high days and holidays.
I've seen nothing of the world, me.
Well, I should say that's world enough when you have everything you need.
So you had business up at the manor this afternoon? Nothing stays secret around here for long.
With Sir Henry, was it? Your business? Yes, it was.
He's very well regarded.
He's a good landlord.
Takes an interest in what goes on.
Which is more than I can say for her.
Lady Jane's all right.
I not saying she's not.
I'm just saying she could take a bit more of an interest.
You know her, do you, Mr Hallows? Mm.
I work up at the manor a fair bit.
Sir Henry has a string of racehorses I help look after.
She's always been polite to me.
She's just a quiet thing, that's all.
Sad somehow.
Well, perhaps she has cause to be.
Why's that? No reason in particular.
I just mean, we never know, do we? About other people's lives? Are you married, Mr Whicher? No.
No, I'm not.
There's someone special is there? There is.
I can tell.
Ruthie! Don't worry.
I'm only teasing.
I shall say no more.
Your report's very thorough, Mr Whicher.
Your first divorce case, I'm told.
That's right.
I persuaded him into it.
I'm no expert on these things myself, but I've been looking at the new laws.
The divorce court judge, Lord Penzance Apparently he's even more of a stickler than his predecessor.
If there's any doubt at all about the evidence, the case will be dismissed.
Both the hotel manager and the maid said they'd be willing to make statements if need be.
Good.
And then we have your testimony too.
You're prepared to be a witness, I take it? That's part of the job.
Quite.
The spouses themselves, of course, aren't allowed to testify, but if Thorogood would, we could make things really watertight.
If the man's intentions towards Jane are serious, I can't see why he'd object to doing so.
If.
Yes.
You have doubts? Well, I don't really know what his intentions are, or your wife's, sir.
All I know is what I saw that day.
Would you be prepared to pay him a visit, Mr Whicher? You could pass through Wainsbury on your way back to London.
See what you can do? Mr Thorogood? Er What is it? I need to speak to you, Mr Thorogood, about your recent visit to London.
Ah, that.
Come round the back, will you? And I'll let you in.
Divorce? You'll be named as co-respondent.
Heavens.
Unexpected.
He has the necessary witnesses.
But if you're prepared to testify about your relationship with Lady Jane, the trial could be over very quickly.
Well, perhaps this isn't such a bad thing.
Good, in fact.
At least if Jane's divorced we can think about a future together.
I'm happy to co-operate.
Sign a statement, whatever it is you need.
You do understand the seriousness of the situation, Mr Thorogood? The trial will be reported in the press.
Yes, well, I'd always hoped to achieve a little notoriety one way or another.
Lady Jane will be excluded from the society she's known.
Financially it's likely she will leave the marriage with nothing.
Do you have the means to support her? I Only it seems you don't.
That's a little harsh.
This place can look quite smart, when it's tidy.
I say, I don't think this is any of your business, Mr Whicher? Yes.
Mea Culpa and all that, but I really don't need a sermon.
I've had enough of those to last a lifetime.
I just want to be sure that you appreciate the consequences of an action like this.
You've come between a man and his wife.
Lady Jane's future will be entirely in your hands.
Yes.
Thank you.
I'm in love.
That's the thing.
What is it you need me to do? Thorogood! Thorogood! I know you're in there! Thorogood! You won't get away with this! I'll be back.
Don't think I won't be! Damn you, Matthew! Damn you to hell! Lovely stuff.
The finest in town.
Come on, come on.
Oh, yes, of course.
But it should have everything else you need.
Yes, I should say so.
I'm glad you'll take the room.
So I'll expect you on Friday? Friday will be fine.
Thank you very much.
Yes.
Thank you so much.
Goodbye, Mrs Piper.
It was lovely to meet you.
Bye-bye.
Bye-bye.
Ooh, hello.
Who was that? He'll be taking the attic room from next week.
He seems very pleasant.
How was your trip? What does he do for a living? He's a draughtsman of some sort.
Does he have any references? Sorry, but I just don't like the thought of Having a strange man in the house.
Yes.
Well, you were a stranger once.
It's my livelihood.
I have to make a living.
How did you get on? Fairly well.
What sort of case is it? Divorce.
I thought you didn't take that sort of work? Well, I don't, normally.
The gentleman who came to see me, he was desperately trying to find out the truth about his wife.
Case should go to trial soon.
Is that a new dress? Oh, yes.
I thought with the warmer weather Well, it suits you very well.
I was thinking that I don't especially like it.
It's two minutes past.
Where in God's name is the man? I'd better go in and speak to the Judge.
I thought you said Thorogood was willing to come? He was.
What's happening? Why aren't we going in? Lady Jane.
My name's Whicher.
I'm the priv I know who you are.
What's going on? I'm afraid that Mr Thorogood hasn't arrived yet, ma'am.
You mean he's not inside? No, ma'am.
Forgive me, but when was the last time you spoke to him? I I forbade her to see him.
Until this ghastly thing is over.
She's still my wife.
More's the pity.
I'm afraid he's adjourned.
What? He can't! No.
He won't hear the case without the main witness.
Adjourned until when? A week today is the most likely date.
But we have other witnesses.
But we built our case around Thorogood's testimony.
Then change it! Isn't that what I pay you for? I assume that Thorogood was sent a summons? Of course.
And he acknowledged receipt of it.
I'll send you a new date as soon as we have it, Mr Whicher.
All this humiliation for nothing.
Do you want me to go and look for him? No! No, thank you.
I'm very sorry.
I'm afraid your journey has been somewhat wasted.
Mr Thorogood! Matthew! It's Mr Whicher! Excuse me? Are you looking for Matthew? Yes, I am.
Why? I don't mean him any trouble.
Do you know where he is? If only I did.
I've not seen him in days.
Matthew! Oh, no.
No, no, Linus.
Who's Linus? Do you know who did this? No.
When was the last time you saw Matthew? Friday.
And then he asked me to meet him here yesterday morning, but he wasn't here.
Do you mind me asking your name? Emma.
Are you family? If he had to travel as far as London, how would he get there? Would he take the train? London? Is that where he is? I don't know.
Possibly.
He has a horse.
But I don't think he'd take her as far as London.
Where does he keep it? Thorogood? Yeah, he keeps his horse here.
She's not here now, mind.
He took her out on Saturday.
Said he'd be back that night but didn't appear.
What time was that? About half-past four, I'd say.
Did he say where he was going? She had a shoe loose so I warned him not to go too far.
He said he was going out Marston way.
Marston Manor? I don't recall exactly, but I know he said Marston.
Which way would he ride to Marston from here? Matthew? So Why exactly were you out looking for him, Mr Whicher? I'm a private enquiry agent, working for a gentleman named Sir Henry Coverly.
I needed to speak to Mr Thorogood in relation to my enquiries.
Have you ever been on the Force, Mr Whicher? Only your name Yes.
I was at Scotland Yard for some years.
You were in charge of the Road Hill murder.
I was.
It can't have been easy, not getting that conviction.
It wasn't.
Still That girl you suspected, she confessed in the end, didn't she? Yes.
Some years later.
So you were right, all along.
Blow me.
Inspector Jack Whicher.
With any luck this case won't prove so thorny, Inspector.
I've a fair idea who's responsible.
A local man.
Linus Finch.
Some sort of a feud between him and Thorogood.
He attacked him in the street last week.
I gave him a caution.
Wish I'd done more now.
Might have saved a life.
Stand back, please.
Give them some room.
Keep back, the lot of you, I tell you.
For goodness' sake! It's Matthew Thorogood.
No, no! Matthew! Emma.
Emma.
Come away.
- Stand aside! - No! Stand aside, I tell you! Fair few coins he had on him.
Rules out robbery.
So, what do you make of that wound, Mr Whicher? Something sharp, pointed perhaps.
Sharp edge of a rock? Possibly.
Foxes would account for the arm, of course.
Not a pretty sight for his next of kin.
His house had been searched, Sergeant Evans.
I don't know if it's connected, but Had it now? I shall ask Linus Finch about that.
There he goes! Linus? Let him go! What are you doing? He hasn't done anything wrong! Linus! Linus! Let him go! Linus! Linus! Linus! Emma? Who is Linus, Emma? He's my brother.
And he's not a murderer.
No matter what they're saying.
You thought he'd ransacked Matthew's home? He'd only have been searching for money.
Something to help us.
Why would you think badly of him? You don't even know him.
The reason why I'm asking you these questions is because I want to get to the truth about what happened.
Is Matthew Is he her father? We're betrothed.
He loves her and he loves me.
How long have you been betrothed? More than a year.
Linus only wanted Matthew to marry me.
He would never have killed him.
How would that help? He just wanted Matthew to do what was right.
So why didn't he? Matthew was always dreaming of a fortune.
Always asking me to wait a bit longer.
But when I saw him on Friday, he was so excited.
He'd been doing some business and he said it was almost over.
He said he'd have some money.
Money for us to start our lives.
Two minutes, if you don't mind, Inspector.
Thank you, Sergeant.
I didn't do it, Em.
I know that.
You believe me, don't you? Of course I do.
I had a go at him in the street.
I admit that.
I searched his house, but that's all I did.
Why did you search his house? This is Mr Whicher, Linus.
He knew Matthew.
He wants to help.
I was sick of him avoiding me.
How was I supposed to pay for everything? Where were you on Saturday, Mr Finch? At work, most of the day.
You work at a shop, is that right? Yes, the chemist's shop.
I was there till three.
Then Mr Abbott, the chemist, gave me a few hours off, because I had to go back in the evening to do a stock-take.
What time did you go back? Half-past six.
What did you do with your hours off? I went fishing.
I always do if I have any time.
Emma knows.
Did anyone see you? Speak to you? I I go to a quiet spot.
I told the Sergeant, I didn't see anyone.
Where did you go to fish? Up towards Marston.
Is that where he was found? Oh Oh, God! God! God, what a mess.
It'll be all right, Linus.
How is it all right? Why did you have to go near him? Calm down, Mr Finch.
I'll hang for this! They'll hang me! Perhaps it wasn't Marston I went.
There's another Listen to me.
You have to keep calm and stick to the truth.
They'll need firm evidence against you.
Until then you have nothing to fear.
Go to Christopher, will you? Ask him to come and see me.
All right.
How did you meet Matthew? Linus took me to the races at Cheriton.
Matthew was there with Christopher.
Christopher? Christopher Skerrit.
Linus's friend.
He's a jockey, works for Sir Henry Coverly.
Matthew started riding over to see me.
Took a house about two months ago to be closer to us.
How did Mathew make a living? I think he had some sort of allowance from his family.
What do you know of them? He didn't really talk about them.
He was so lovely.
So clever.
He used to say poems to me.
So sweet.
You should go home now and get some rest.
I'll go and visit Christopher Skerrit, pass on the message.
Thank you.
All right.
Will you help us, Mr Whicher? We don't have anybody else.
I'll find out what happened.
I promise.
So Thorogood was an alias? He was in a lot of debt.
Reason enough to change your name.
I found this.
"To Matthew on the occasion of his Christening.
Gloucester, 1842.
" A Gloucester man, eh? It must have meant something to him for him to keep it.
I have a feeling his father might be a church man.
Certain things Matthew said.
Turns of phrase.
It's a notion.
Walk on.
There you go.
Come on.
Hey, hey.
Mr Whicher! What brings you to the manor? I'm looking for a man named Christopher Skerrit.
That's him.
Can't say what sort of mood he'll be in though.
He's just found out his friend died.
Murder they're saying.
Yes, I'd heard.
Fine animal.
This is Hyperion.
Finest colt in the stable.
Won his second race on Saturday, didn't you, boy? Ruth says I live for the horses.
But there's never been a horse like Hyperion.
I'm going to be staying on in the area for a few days, Mr Hallows.
I was hoping I might have my room at the post office.
I'm sure you can.
Ruth'll be pleased.
Thank you.
Hey.
Good day! Good day, Josh.
Come on.
Come on, boy.
Mr Skerrit? My name's Whicher.
I was with Linus Finch when he was arrested for the murder of Matthew Thorogood.
Are you with the police? No.
Press? Neither of those.
Linus asked if you would go and see him.
I said I'd pass the message on.
Thanks.
You were a friend of Matthew's too, I understand? He travelled to every meet.
Betting man.
He'd stand anyone a drink if he won.
Do you think Linus could have killed him? How would I know? He was angry with him because of Emma and the baby.
But I didn't think he'd go that far.
Did Matthew ever talk about another woman, besides Emma? No.
It was always Emma for Matthew.
Ever since he set eyes on her.
I can't believe it.
Perhaps you should sit down, ma'am.
Are you sure it's Matthew? Yes.
Oh, Lord.
Go upstairs, Jane.
But what will we? Go and lie down! I don't wish to be rude, Mr Whicher, but what are you doing here? Can I ask where you were on Saturday, Sir Henry? I'm sure you appreciate the need for the question.
As a matter of fact, I don't.
You're not a policeman any more, Mr Whicher.
I don't have to answer any of your questions, let alone the absurd ones.
I told the police that you have a connection to Thorogood.
You did what? Well It wouldn't have been right to have withheld the information.
You had no business to do that.
I think you should speak to them.
Tell them what you know.
They won't want to speak to me, I can assure you of that.
And if you must know, I was at the races on Saturday, watching my horse win.
With five hundred witnesses.
I didn't get home until late.
Does that satisfy you? I take it you won't be sitting when Linus Finch goes up before the bench? I'll make sure I'm not.
Now, send the bill for your services to Mr Lodge .
.
and stay out of my affairs.
You heard about the murder then, Mr Whicher.
I did, yes.
Everyone's shocked.
That sort of thing doesn't happen round here.
There's something that I want to tell you both.
It was me who found the body.
I'm a private inquiry agent.
I was looking for Mr Thorogood.
He was connected to a case I've been working on in London.
A private inquiry agent? I've never even heard of such a thing.
I'll be helping the police with their enquiries.
Well, that's something new, ain't it, Ruthie? It must have been dreadful to find the body, Mr Whicher.
Perhaps he's used to it.
Have you found bodies before? You never get used to something like that, Josh.
I'm sure you don't.
I'm very keen to find out what happened to Mr Thorogood.
II thought they'd charged someone? A shop assistant, I heard.
They have.
But I'm not convinced he's to blame.
Why ever not? I wanted to ask you both if you'd ever seen Mr Thorogood either in the village or up at the manor? I'm afraid I don't know what he looks like.
Well, he was young, around your age.
Handsome.
Very smartly dressed.
You'd be surprised how many people pass thorough Great Marston.
He had a horse.
Bay with a black mane.
I don't recall ever seeing him, I'm afraid.
What about you, Josh? No.
No, I don't think I ever did.
Are you sure? He was a friend of Mr Skerrit.
And of Lady Jane.
Lady Jane? Josh would remember the horse, believe me.
I never saw him.
Hello, Ruth.
Morning.
It's my turn to do the flowers for the church.
It's a serious matter.
Woe betide anyone who misses their turn.
I don't know if you remember, Ruth, but last time I was here you said something about Lady Jane Coverly.
Did I? Yes.
About her being sad and having cause to be.
This tongue of mine.
I never did learn how to keep things to myself.
I was wondering if you could tell me what you meant? Being post mistress round here, next best thing to being vicar in terms of finding things out.
Not that I've ever opened a single piece of mail.
No, of course.
I can't help noticing the sorts of things that pass between people.
Sir Henry Coverly All I'll say is, he gets a large number of letters, written in a particular female hand.
A Wainsbury postmark.
I see.
Some of them are scented.
Now, I know Lady Jane must see those letters and she must know what they are.
Any woman would.
Quiet, please! Where was this found, Sergeant? In Finch's bedroom.
It was on the floor in a corner of the room.
I broke a phial in the shop, cut myself.
About a week back.
Quiet! There is some blood on the cuff.
Some small drops on the front.
I put it aside.
I was going to ask my sister to Did you tell your employer of this accident? No.
I didn't want him to know I'd been clumsy.
Did you tell anyone else? No.
Why would I? It was only a small cut.
I didn't Is that all, Sergeant Evans? Yes, sir.
At present.
Yes.
Linus Finch.
Having listened to the evidence against you, we are satisfied there is a case to be answered here.
No! Quiet! I'm committing you for trial at the assize court.
Until then, you will be remanded in custody.
Murderer! I didn't do it! Linus! This is all wrong! I'm an innocent man! No! No! I'm an innocent man! - No! Linus! - I'm an innocent man! - Linus! - Killer! Linus hasn't done anything wrong.
Please, sir, I have to see him! This is nothing to do with me.
Please, I need to see him! Calm down! Linus wouldn't do anything like that.
I can't help you.
I'm sorry.
Please, sir.
Please! Emma.
I have to get back for the baby.
I'm sorry.
They won't even let me see him.
Tomorrow perhaps.
Give him some time to settle.
When we were children, I always used to blame things on him and Father would believe me.
Because I'm a girl, I suppose.
It used to make Linus wild.
I'm afraid of what he'll do.
Are you managing all right? Could I give you some money, perhaps? Christopher gave us some when he came to see Linus.
We can manage for a few days.
Right.
Very well.
Buy, buy, buy! You aren't in mourning, ma'am? No.
Er No, for Henry's sake.
This must be a very difficult time for you.
You've lost the man you love.
You must be devastated.
How did you meet Matthew Thorogood? I met him in Wainsbury.
How? Through friends, was it? I really don't want to talk about it.
What were your plans? After the divorce? Did you plan to marry? Mr Whicher, please.
Why are you? Matthew Thorogood had another lover.
Her name is Emma Finch.
She has his child.
They were engaged to be married.
But you knew that already, didn't you? Some people would say that would give you cause to kill him.
What? You found out about Emma.
About the baby.
That must have been hard to take.
No.
You were jealous.
You were angry.
You arranged to meet him in the woods.
No.
You confronted him.
You were raging.
You struck him with a rock, he fell dead.
No, no.
You're wrong.
Why? Why am I wrong? Tell me.
I didn't love Matthew Thorogood.
I hardly knew him.
I was 17 when I married Henry.
He was a friend of my father's.
My father was dying.
He thought Henry would take care of me, of the estate.
This place was so dear to him.
It didn't occur to anyone that I could run it.
Henry soon realised I wasn't the sort of girl he wanted.
He hated that I had opinions.
That I read.
He hates everything about me.
You wouldn't believe the things that make him angry.
It seems to me that he's a bully.
I asked him for a divorce years ago and he refused.
He had nothing to gain.
And if I tried to divorce him, I would have to prove that he was guilty of What is it? Incest? Bestiality, as well as adultery? You could have cited cruelty.
It's never been physical.
Except in the bedroom.
Behind closed doors.
He's too clever for that.
A few months ago, he changed his mind.
We could get a divorce, as long as I agreed to be the guilty party.
What caused the change? I think he's fallen in love.
His latest mistress.
She's a widow - beautiful.
He's made that clear.
And she's rich.
He got through my savings years ago.
Racehorses are expensive.
So he found Thorogood.
Yes.
He met him at the races somewhere.
I'm so sorry about Matthew.
He almost made that day in London a pleasure.
He only kissed me once.
There was more respect and tenderness in that kiss than I've ever known from Henry.
If you're hoping for an apology, you'll have a very long wait.
I'm only interested in what happened to Matthew Thorogood.
Now you know how ridiculous your accusation sounded yesterday.
When was the last time you saw Matthew? I'd advise you to start answering my questions.
Or what? The divorce court.
I understand they take a very dim view of attempts to pervert the course of justice.
Bribing a witness collusion.
I'm sure there'll be other charges for the press to report.
And there's the question of your own adultery.
Mrs Creswell.
Birchmoor House.
Any case you were to bring against Lady Jane in the future would be discredited by your own misdemeanours.
I pity you, Whicher.
Scuttling around the country, doing people's dirty work.
Sitting in judgment.
What is it? No life of your own? No wife? No family? When did you last see Matthew? Thorogood came here three times.
Twice to make arrangements, and to meet her.
Once to collect the money.
When was that? Saturday evening.
Time? He was here when I got back from the race.
About half-past six, seven.
He demanded more money for agreeing to be a witness.
I gave him a bag with 20 guineas in it.
What time did he leave? Around half-past seven.
Linus Finch has an alibi for Saturday evening.
From half-past six he was doing a stock-take with the chemist.
He was there until later that evening and then he left to go home.
Really? Mm.
You were in court to hear that today.
When were you going to share your information? When Linus was being led to the gallows? Or would you have seen him hang? You're coming with me, to the police station.
I'll go when I'm good and ready.
Now, Sir Henry.
And you're going to tell them what you've told me.
Thank you, sir.
Thank you so much! Take care.
There goes the only suspect I had, Inspector.
Yes.
We're looking at robbery, then, eh? It seems likely.
Has to be.
A bag with 20 guineas in it.
Men will kill for a lot less than that, as you know.
Someone must have known that Matthew had that amount of money on him.
I shall talk to people in pubs between here and Marston.
He might have stopped on his way home, boasted about his windfall.
I'd like to make some enquiries of my own, if you don't mind.
Not willing to give it up, then, eh? No.
You were right about Thorogood's father, by the way.
Oh? The Reverend Turner.
Has a small parish in the Forest Of Dean.
Arrived in town at lunchtime.
He's over at Thorogood's place.
Reverend Turner? Yes? My name's Whicher.
I'm the man that found Matthew.
Oh, yes.
Mr Whicher.
Sergeant Evans spoke of you.
You were instrumental in tracking me down.
I'm grateful.
My condolences.
Not much to show for a life, is it? Most of it can go to the poor.
Sir, have the police spoken to you about Emma Finch? They did.
I wondered if you might want to meet her.
Matthew was a lovely child.
So full of light.
My wife and I we often used to say he was the sweetest gift we could be given.
He was never a bad boy.
Adventurous.
Daring.
He went off to university and fell in with a a certain crowd.
Richer than him, I think.
Profligate.
We were waiting for him to settle down.
He would have done.
Matthew and Emma were engaged to be married.
Did he tell you that? No.
No, Emma did.
So we only have her word for it.
Just as we only have her word that the child was his.
She's an honest girl.
Perhaps if you were prepared to meet her? I haven't time.
I'm taking the four o'clock coach.
You think I'm hard-hearted, Mr Whicher.
I know that you're grieving, sir.
I've dealt with girls in her predicament many times during my ministry.
They'll say anything to help themselves.
She has a family to take care of her, doesn't she? Take care, Reverend.
Thank you.
Mr Skerrit.
What is it? It's nothing valuable, if that's what you're thinking.
Look, if you like.
It's a record of the races he'd seen.
The odds.
Form.
It's no use to anyone except me.
He wouldn't have minded me taking it.
Linus has been released.
Has he? It seems he had an alibi after all, for the time that Matthew died.
Good.
Matthew didn't visit you, did he, Saturday evening? No.
After he went to Marston Manor? Only, I thought he might have.
He knew better than to come and see me the evening after a race.
I'm done in.
Hot bath and bed.
That's me.
Josh? You all right? I'm sorry, Mr Whicher.
Sorry? For what? I just wanted to see the spot where he died.
You must think me mawkish.
There's no need to apologise.
Murder draws a crowd.
Always has.
How did he die? Someone said his skull was smashed.
Is that right? Yes, he was struck on the head.
W With a stone, was it? Or? Are you sure you're all right? Sorry.
I've never been so close to murder.
Don't Don't tell Ruth I stopped, if you don't mind.
She wouldn't like it.
No.
No, of course.
I won't tell her.
Let's go home, shall we? Yes.
I'm very glad Mr Finch has been released.
It's dreadful when a respectable man gets dragged down so sudden.
There but for the grace of God.
Yes, well, let's hope he can put it all behind him now.
The story about his sister and baby shan't be forgotten.
Folk are so unforgiving.
I think I'll go across the road for a drink.
Mr Whicher might like to join you.
Would you? You'd be welcome, of course.
No, that's all right, Josh.
Another time.
Dinner in an hour.
I'd better get this in.
Looks good.
We aim to please.
You know, I think I might join Joshua after all.
Good idea.
Raise a glass to Linus Finch.
Mm.
You can't go.
Oh, Josh Will I see you again? No.
Josh.
Please.
You'll soon forget me.
Morning.
Morning.
Morning, sir.
Go on! I heard Mr Finch was released.
I truly didn't know that we could provide him with an alibi.
We saw Mr Lodge.
Our divorce case will collapse.
What will you do? Well, I can't go back to how it was.
Before the trial, I wrote to a woman in America who runs a school.
She believes passionately in the education of women.
She's offered me a position as a teacher.
I mean to leave next week.
It seems a shame that you have to leave your home.
It's not mine.
Not in the eyes of the law.
Well, I should be leaving.
I'm staying with the Hallows at the Post Office.
I wanted to spend a few hours with them before I left.
Josh told me you were staying there.
You know Josh? Yes.
We've been friends for years.
He rescued me once when I fell from my horse.
We ride together sometimes.
In fact, he's the only person around here who I'll miss.
Does he know that you're leaving? I told him yesterday.
How did he take it? He was more upset than I thought he'd be.
Joshua? Josh? I've closed for half an hour.
I have a headache.
Mrs Hallows Josh has been called up to the stables.
Hyperion's been taken sick.
Oh, is it serious? I think it must be.
I just pray to God he recovers.
Josh Oh, I don't know what he'll do.
He can't bear to see things suffer.
Innocent creatures.
He has to rescue them.
Mrs Hallows You were searching our room, weren't you? Yes.
Looking for Matthew Thorogood's money.
But you didn't find it.
I know it's not there cos I looked for it myself this morning.
This came out today.
Matthew Thorogood has been named as a co-respondent in a divorce case concerning the Coverlys.
You think Josh killed Thorogood because he was Lady Jane's lover and Josh is sweet on her.
You can speak honestly, Mr Whicher.
I think it's possible that Josh attacked Matthew because he thought he was involved with Lady Jane.
Josh doesn't love Lady Jane.
He's fond of her.
No more than that.
You won't know this, but married people, they sometimes allow themselves to imagine what it would be like with someone else.
It's natural.
Flights of fancy.
Josh has had a few over the years.
Our marriage isn't perfect.
We don't have children to bind us together.
But he loves me.
Just as much as I love him.
He would never have acted on that fondness and he would never have killed for it.
Yet you still searched the room? Foolishness.
Josh isn't a killer, Mr Whicher.
He's a rescuer, a mender.
Josh? He's gone.
Hyperion's gone.
Oh.
Come inside.
You look exhausted.
Come on.
Come and sit down.
I can't understand it! Christopher said he ran like the wind on Saturday.
He was young.
Healthy.
But when I got there, he was already on the ground.
His heart, it was beating so fast.
His eyes were bulging.
He was covered in sweat.
It was like he'd been given something.
Poison? I don't know.
Perhaps.
Some sort of drug? A stimulant? Is that what you're thinking? It happens.
I've heard about it.
There's so much damn money to be made from races.
What would you give a horse to alter the way it performed in a race? I think it's opium that slows them down.
And then there's something else, something new, that makes them go faster.
That's all I know.
Has this ever happened at the stables before? No.
There was a horse a year back.
She went sudden, but Did you say anything just now? I couldn't.
It would seem like I was accusing someone.
What do you know about Christopher Skerrit? He's friendly enough.
Comes in the Post Office from time to time.
He likes to save his wages.
What do you want? I heard about Hyperion.
So? Clear off and stop following me around.
You're starting to make me angry.
What was it? One dose too many? What did you say? That black notebook.
It wasn't just records.
It would have incriminated Matthew, and you, and Linus Finch.
What are you talking about? Linus Finch, who has a family to support.
A sore temptation, handling those drugs every day.
I dare say when I ask the chemist why he did a stock-take, he'll say there's been a few bottles gone missing.
I'll get an expert to look at that horse.
Get confirmation of the cause of death.
That's if Sir Henry hasn't thought of it already.
No-one else needs to know about this.
There's no real harm done.
There's plenty of horses where he came from.
There's good money to be made, if you want in.
What happened with Matthew on Saturday? He came here in the evening, didn't he? No.
This was the business he was bringing to an end.
I think he came here on Saturday evening and he told you that.
You're wrong.
I think you argued.
You saw how much money he had on him and you caught up with him on the Marston Road and you killed him for it.
No! Which horse did you use to catch him up? Hyperion, was it? An irony there, don't you think? I didn't kill him! You're right about the drugs, but I didn't kill anyone! You bastard! You bastard! Joshua! No! Josh, that's enough.
That's enough.
That's enough.
That's enough.
It's all right.
I'll take care of it.
I was angry with him, all right? He was supposed to place bets for us all on Saturday but he didn't even do that.
He'd got money from somewhere, so he was fine.
To hell with me and Linus.
But I never went after him.
And I never killed him.
Anything? Just these.
But no sign of those guineas.
I told you.
I didn't take 'em! There's another place we can look.
Get your hands off me! Is that it? Yes.
No-one else has a key? No.
You're wasting your time.
What? I didn't put that in there! I didn't do it! I didn't do it! Severn and Wye train! Platform 2! All aboard! I need to see justice done for Matthew.
Do you think he's guilty? That's not really for me to say.
There's certainly enough evidence to bring him before a jury.
What a world we live in.
When one young man will kill another - a friend - for a bag of coins.
What brings you all the way to the Forest Of Dean? I wanted to give you this.
I picked it up when I was in London.
Matthew bespoke it before he died.
E M Forever.
The "E" is for Emma.
It was to be her wedding ring.
Emma is in quite a fix, sir.
Her brother, Linus, was part of the betting ring.
He wasn't anything to do with Matthew's death.
But he will be tried for his part in the fraud.
Matthew wouldn't want Emma, or his daughter, to have to go into the workhouse.
No.
You have a grandchild that needs you, sir.
Don't lose her as well.
You'd be most welcome to stay for the night.
Thank you, but I must be getting back.
Is this where Matthew grew up? Yes.
We've been lucky enough to be here for many years.
Matthew found it dull, of course, once he was past boyhood.
Ah, Hallows.
Ah, yes.
It's an unusual name, but not around here.
There's quite a colony of them in the village.
The couple I'm staying with in Wiltshire are called Hallows.
Oh? Ruth and Joshua.
Ruth runs the sub post office there.
Ruth and Joshua? Ruth and Joshua Hallows? Do you still have Matthew Thorogood's horse? Yeah.
She's waiting to be sold.
You interested? Could you look at the shoe for me? Why's that, then? That one? It's new.
He must have had it changed that day he took her out.
Hello, Joshua.
Hello.
I didn't think we'd be seeing you again.
How are you? Ruth's at church.
She won't be long.
Did you want your old room? What's wrong? Do you remember I once asked you if you'd ever seen Matthew Thorogood? You told me you hadn't.
I think he came here.
I think you changed his horse's shoe for him.
Did I? I didn't realise it was him.
Matthew Thorogood's real name is Matthew Turner.
I've just come from the Forest Of Dean.
I know about you and Ruth, Joshua.
I don't know what you're talking about.
Don't lie to me, please.
Tell me what happened on that Saturday evening.
He recognised you, didn't he? Did he threaten to tell your secret? He didn't recognise us.
He did come here, but he didn't recognise us and he went on his way.
You left the village 12 years ago? Your name is above that door.
It's not a name he would easily forget.
He didn't know us in the village.
He had nothing to do with us.
Reverend Turner was very involved in your case.
"Case"? We're not a case.
Me and Josh, we've done nothing wrong.
It happened, that's all.
We grew up in a two-roomed cottage.
We shared a bed almost from birth.
It happened.
Ruthie! We weren't the first.
It happened a lot where we're from.
The Reverend said the villagers were angry when they found out.
They drove you out.
Perhaps it was him who drove us out.
Him and his judgments.
I know more of God than he does! Ruthie! God forgave us long ago.
Cos he knows that we love each other.
And we cherish each other more than a lot of married folk with scraps of paper to their names! It must have been very difficult for you.
You have no idea what it's been like for us! To move away from everything you know make a respectable life, build up all this.
I can see why you'd kill to protect it.
What are you doing? No! We've done nothing wrong.
Now, you need to stop asking questions and you need to leave us alone.
Or, so help me Ruth! I called at the police station on my way here.
I left an envelope with Sergeant Evans.
Sealed.
It contains your secret.
No.
If he doesn't see me again tomorrow morning, he's going to open it.
No! I will have the truth.
I did it.
Be quiet, Josh! He recognised me.
Said he was going to tell someone.
I went after him and I killed him.
Shut up! With what? I What were you looking for in the woods? You'd know what you'd done with the weapon.
I was You see, I don't think you did do it.
I don't think you would kill to protect this.
Because you're leaving, aren't you? You're leaving with Lady Jane Coverly.
All packed.
Josh? Ruth She's going to America.
I want to go with her.
Oh, God.
It's not right you and me.
It never has been.
You know that.
I just want to start my life.
Ruth! Please.
Ruth! Ruth! Ruth! She's not here.
Lady Jane.
I'm gonna ask you - and I want the truth! Mrs Hallows I don't want you to lie to me! You stand there and tell me, do you love him? Ruth! Tell me the truth! No! Mrs Hallows Then why are you taking him from me? Why? Haven't you got enough? Haven't you got enough? Josh, what have you told her? I want to come with you, Lady Jane.
What? No.
No, Josh.
I'm so sorry, I never meant you to think You've been a good friend to me.
Like a brother.
But I'm going alone.
I've never known a life without you.
I wouldn't want one.
Can you tell me what happened, Ruth? Josh had nothing to do with it.
Did you kill Matthew? I need to know the truth.
And the police, they'll want to know.
God knows.
That's all that matters.
What about Matthew's father? His mother? Don't you think that God would want them to know what happened to their son? Did he try to blackmail you? Did he harm you? Was it self defence? People aren't going to believe you acted alone.
I did.
People will ask how a woman like you could have killed a strong young man like Matthew.
They'll think Josh was involved.
Well, I'm telling you, he wasn't.
Then tell me what happened.
Josh had closed up for the night.
Matthew knocked on the door.
He realised who we were straightaway.
Stared at us like we were freaks from a circus.
He was shocked, that's all.
He wasn't going to tell anyone.
Of course he would have told.
No-one could keep that to themselves.
Josh went with him to see to the shoe.
I left a note to say I'd gone to church.
I took a hammer from the tool bag ran along the track towards Wainsbury.
It drops down on the Marston Road, just before the bend.
How did you get him to stop? It's easy for a woman to get a man to stop.
I made out I was crying.
That I'd hurt my arm.
It was dark.
As soon as he got down, he realised who I was.
I told him I'd been riding into town and that my horse had bolted into the wood.
He was kind then, I'll give him that.
But I had no choice.
So I followed him down the bank and I struck him.
Ruthie.
What did you do with the hammer? I threw it into the river.
And you took the money to make it look like robbery.
I knew I couldn't leave it there.
Tell them I'm a thief, Mr Whicher.
No.
It's better that than have them know.
Let them know.
I don't care any more.
Let Josh keep his good name.
I don't think I can do that.
What difference does it make why I did it? I did it.
Please.
I'll do what I can.
Can I go and change my clothes? If all the world is to stare at me I'd rather look my best.
Don't despair, Ruth.
I never despair.
It's Josh who needs your concern, Mr Whicher.
Josh.
Joshua.
All right? She's younger than me by a year .
.
though you wouldn't know it.
She was 14 when they found out.
Her belly had started to swell.
We tried telling Father it was someone else's.
But he didn't listen.
He kicked it out of her.
He kicked our baby out of her Come in, Sergeant.
It's Mrs Hallows.
She's confessed to the murder of Matthew Thorogood.
Good God.
You believe her? What was that? Ruth! Ruth! There we are.
Lady Jane? Thank you.
Thank you.
You sail from Bristol? Yes.
The day after tomorrow.
How's Josh? He's not too good, I'm afraid.
I'm sure he'll find a way through.
He has his work.
Do you really think he meant to leave his wife? I don't know.
Didn't he love her? Yes.
Yes, he loved her very much.
What about you? Are you still sure you're doing the right thing? As sure as I can be.
I'll never be completely free of Henry this way.
But then, of course, he'll never be completely free of me.
No second marriage.
He'll have to learn to live within his means.
I deserve a life.
To love, perhaps and be loved in return.
It's frightening.
But I don't want to look back at my life upon this earth with nothing but regrets.
Take care, Lady Jane.
Thank you.
Need a hand? All done now.
Right.
Allow me.
Thank you.
Is your case over? Yes, it is.
To your satisfaction? Charlotte, I was wondering if you .
.
might want to walk out with me, one of these days.
We could go to the gardens at Kew.
They're open now.
Or we could go wherever you prefer.
Yes.
Yes? I'll go wherever you want to go.
You only had to ask.