A Place to Call Home (2013) s05e11 Episode Script

1 You must have some idea of what's ahead.
I spent three years regaining my sanity, months earning your trust, all to make reparation, and once that's done there's nothing but guilt for my crimes.
Matt has asked me out to dinner.
Well, I hope you said yes.
HENRY: She deserves love.
So do we.
You got your job because of me.
You think you'd keep it if they knew you were a shirt-lifter? I've just been asked to be Mrs.
Henry Fox, and I've just said yes! Round of applause for the newly engaged couple! [Applause.]
- What is this? - Justice.
George has secured the loans free of you.
You've no hold now.
You're nothing but a paper tiger.
HENRY: Now please welcome your independent candidate, Dr.
Jack Duncan! You want a man of courage, and you want one with balls.
Well, Dr.
Duncan can't help you here.
[Chuckles.]
He doesn't have any.
Right, Doc? The Japs cut 'em off in the war.
He's got nothing between his legs! You played me from the get-go.
- With pleasure.
- I ought to kill you.
And I ought to stomp you like the little grub you are.
Nearly there.
ELIZABETH: Find Jack! Dead? [Dog barking.]
ROY: Doc! Doc! Good boy.
Doc! Doc.
You all right? Had us all worried.
[Sighs.]
I had the bottle.
Yeah.
Who can blame you? Can you sit up? Come on.
Get you cleaned up before the others see you.
JACK: [Groans.]
ROY: You ready? I got you.
Come on.
Let's go.
[Indistinct conversation.]
If I could have a word while you're all here.
This is to do with Dr.
Duncan.
It should go without saying, but a single smirk or a joke or any innuendo whatsoever will result in immediate suspension.
If you have a patient that's making Dr.
Duncan feel uncomfortable, please report that to me.
I hope I've made myself clear.
[Telephone rings.]
Inverness Hospital.
Oh, Mr.
Fox.
How is Dr.
Duncan faring? Do we know? I'd say he'd be extremely distressed.
Let's try and nip any gossip in the bud, shall we? Oh, indeed, indeed.
You know, if it weren't for the risk of offending Mr.
Bligh, I'd be handing out the doctor's how-to-vote cards, just to demonstrate our faith in him.
I think Mr.
Bligh would understand if you did that.
Do you think so? Well, then I shall.
Thank you.
Excuse me, Mr.
Fox.
The police just called.
A body was found in the river.
They're bringing it in.
Male or female? Female, he said.
[Sighs.]
I think we might have all just had the same thought then.
Which reinforces what I've just said.
Let's be sensitive to the pressure Dr.
Duncan must be under.
You right? Oh, what a relief, Jack.
We were so worried.
Ah, I'm a bit crook.
Well, then let's get you inside.
I hit the grog, Elizabeth.
Hard.
I'm not proud of it, I'll say that much.
Well, you're here now.
That's the main thing.
Mr.
Briggs, would you give Jack a hand inside? No, I'm right.
I'm right.
ANNA: Papa! - We've been - Leave me.
I'm right.
- I just need to - ELIZABETH: Anna.
Would you let Sarah know that he's been found, please? Ah, Mr.
Briggs, just quietly.
Regina's body was found this morning.
Crikey.
George is making an identification at this very moment.
Carolyn went with him to talk to the police about Jack, so she will be very relieved, thank you.
What happened to Regina? All we really know is that she drowned.
I believe you were possibly the last person to see her alive, so the police will want to talk to you.
Thank you for Jack.
Thank you.
Mrs.
Goddard, I can't be a hundred percent certain that I was the last person to see her alive.
[Footsteps.]
They should be back soon.
You'll get through this, Jack.
You will.
- Tell me how I can help.
- I don't need your pity.
You can't help.
No one can.
When I returned from the war, I I told you a fair bit about what had gone on.
Yes, you did.
I couldn't couldn't tell you about this.
I understand.
I don't think you do.
I No one can.
Jack I will help you.
You and I have been through so much.
Come here.
[Vehicle approaching.]
Here they are.
[Door opens.]
Papa.
Is there anything that you need, anything I'm good now.
I'm good.
We're relieved to see you, Jack.
Jack! You're safe.
Oh, thank goodness! Ah.
Just I don't know what to say.
We drew you into this.
It's done.
It's done.
Um Today, anything to do with the election, I'll cover for you.
Screw the election, George.
I couldn't give a damn.
I Outside? Didn't I tell you this would happen? And it has.
- We'll deal with it.
- Oh, just Anyone in your situation would have done I could have done anything.
I could have stood up to him.
I could have called his bluff.
I didn't.
I did this.
And now I'm back there, as bad as it was before.
Perhaps if you have a sleep - Oh, for Christ's sake, Caro! - I am just trying to help! It's my worst nightmare, the whole world knowing.
I have to go.
- I'm coming with you.
- No.
You're not going anywhere on your own.
Give me the keys.
- You're certainly not driving.
- Give me the keys.
Whatever you need to do, you are not doing it on your own.
Coming? [Engine starts.]
Doesn't make sense.
Regina committing suicide.
She was obviously under strain, but yesterday was everything she'd worked for.
She toppled him.
It would seem she was out of his clutches.
Well, she'd delivered what she'd intended for all of us.
Perhaps after Richard abused her, even with Roy present, she felt she'd never be rid of him.
[Telephone ringing.]
Why are we all talking about Regina when we can see what this has done to Papa? What are we going to do for him? Your mother is with him.
We give them privacy for now.
It's the hospital, Mrs.
Nordmann.
You're required.
[Knock on door.]
I'm sorry, sir, but she's on the line again.
All right, then.
Put her through.
[Telephone rings.]
VALDA: Sir Richard.
It's about Regina Bligh.
She drowned herself.
In the river.
When did she do this? Her body was found this morning.
Sir? Are you still there, sir? Now, I want you to listen to me very carefully.
You did the right thing by that poor woman last night, but you don't know anything.
Will I be in trouble, do you think? It never happened.
I'd better hang up now.
[Line clicks.]
Sister Fisher, what were you doing in Dr.
Duncan's office? Getting something.
Were you, now? - Thanks, Sister.
- Sister Nord [Sighs.]
Can this get any worse? - I know.
- They shouldn't have called you.
The police are certain it's suicide.
They just want me to confirm.
I'm sure it's the last thing you feel like doing.
You're not wrong.
SARAH: Everything this woman has been.
Not so long ago I was sharp with her.
She said one day I'd regret my words.
Do you? Regret your words? It's one thing to contemplate doing it.
I know from my own past.
Yes.
I'm sorry, but I have to call a spade a spade.
I had no time for the woman.
Loathed her, in fact.
Loathe her even now for putting us through this.
The ridiculous thing is, the truly tragic part of all of this is that finally, finally, just when she was getting to the point where she could be where you could have been some use to the world and finally contributed after all your spleen and malice.
[Whispering.]
If this is about making us all feel guilty I could really slap her face.
Have you seen many autopsies? Too many.
Bruising on the chin and jaw.
She fell? HENRY: Bruising on her left arm.
And the right.
Under her nails.
Those are flakes of skin.
Possibly.
Will you take some scrapings? We need to undress her.
CAROLYN: Do you need to? JACK: Yes.
[Gagging.]
[Coughing.]
[Distorted speaking.]
[Vehicle door opens, closes.]
Better? What is it? Nothing.
Nothing.
Forget it.
[Breathing heavily.]
Uncle Matt's here! He's here, Mummy! Hurry up! [Laughs.]
I'm coming.
[Laughing.]
I'm coming! Hey.
[Chuckles.]
He's had the stopwatch on you, I'm afraid.
Oh.
Sorry I'm late.
Shall I put the things in the car? Um - [Clears throat.]
- Should he? - Georgie.
- Yeah? Do you want to give the grownups just a little bit of time to talk? Darling, your lovely new picture book.
You go and read that until I call you.
Come on, Georgie.
I was held up because I got a phone call from the States.
It's still business hours over there.
It's Friday.
Good news, I trust.
Well, there's this crazy guy I've been talking to from Santa Monica and Well, he's a businessman with a lot of money, actually, and he surfs.
He's, uh, seen a few of my prototypes, and he wants to invest.
He wants to have a meeting with me in Hawaii as soon as possible, so You have to go.
Of course you do.
You have a lot to do today, I imagine.
I'll explain to Georgie.
I wish you all the very best, Matt.
It was lovely knowing you.
Excuse me.
Olivia.
Olivia.
Olivia.
What did you think would happen with us? Oh, I I suppose at the back of my mind, I I hoped you would transfer your board making here.
That you'd decide you preferred to live in Australia.
Well, um I was hoping, at the front of my mind, that I would ask you to marry me.
When you're free.
And that you would say yes.
I've loved you from the first day we met.
Will you marry me, Olivia Bligh? Say it again? [Chuckles.]
[Clears throat.]
[Exhales sharply.]
Olivia Bligh, will you marry me? Yes, Matthew Goddard, I believe I will! I was worried you'd say no.
I have never been more certain of anything.
Yes.
Yes it is, then.
And, listen, I want you to come when you're free.
I mean, I want you there tomorrow, but it has to be in a way that doesn't complicate your lives.
- [Laughing.]
- Tell me.
You don't want to hear all of this.
No, no, I think I do.
I have loved a man who couldn't love a woman, then a man who didn't love me at all.
I've given up feeling safe, and I've never had love in return.
I stopped even dreaming that I will never, ever let you go.
[Both laughing.]
And the left lung Normal weight.
No frothy fluid at the major bronchus.
No water.
No water in the lungs.
- She didn't - Let's not jump to conclusions.
Let's just see It does.
It floats.
There's no foreign material in the airways.
She didn't drown.
She was dead before she went in the river.
It's certainly starting to look that way.
And with the skin tissue under her fingernails At some point, she scratched someone.
Her murderer.
Or toxicology reveals she took sleeping pills, or Someone could have found her after she killed herself.
Thought they'd be blamed.
Put the body in the river.
Unlikelier things have happened.
Or somebody snapped.
ROY: He said, "I ought to kill you.
" Or something like that.
And then I went in.
Did he say anything else before he left? Well, it was just more like a a threat to take revenge on the whole town, not against Regina in particular.
I see.
Do you think Mrs.
Bligh felt worried that Sir Richard Bennett would return? I don't think so, to tell you the truth.
I mean, I saw him off.
I wish I'd stayed longer now, of course.
Let's have you take a look around.
I guess if she done herself in, there'd be a note, eh? Anything different to how it was last night, you just tell me.
Well, all looks pretty much the same to me.
Nothing too flash, is it? Well, better than being in the funny farm, I suppose.
Mm.
She got religious in the end.
I'll take that.
- This ever work? - I don't know.
Could the bruising have come from when we hauled her out? No, Constable.
Bruises require bloodflow.
Then there was this at her house.
May I? "Dickie.
" That was Regina's name for Sir Richard.
"Dickie has returned and is trying to break down the door.
He's threatening to kill me.
I fear this time he will.
" The boss'll want all our ducks in a row before we pull him in for a talk.
Anyway, I'll be back for the full report.
Toxicology and all that.
It's terrible business.
He's not champing at the bit to investigate, is he? And if it was Sir Richard, and he gets away with it [Engine starts.]
Oh, congratulations to you both.
And love to little Georgie.
Matthew and Olivia have just become engaged.
Have they, now? That's That's wonderful.
She'll be Olivia Goddard.
[Sighs.]
Isn't it astonishing how such sorrow can be turned to joy? It was Douglas' death that brought them together.
Matthew adores little Georgie.
It's not every man would take on a woman with a child.
Hopefully he'll make up for the appalling treatment she's had from James.
George, you are turning into one of Pavlov's dogs.
Every time you mention James, you snarl.
It's unfair on us all.
Can't you allow me just one moment of happiness, particularly on a day like today? I'm very happy for Olivia.
And for you.
I am.
Good.
Now, I suggest we go and cast our votes.
[Glass clinking.]
[Cork pops.]
[Distorted speaking.]
Jack? Jack? It's just Regina by the river, talking to me.
You saw her? This strange smile on her face.
I nodded off for a sec.
It's a dream.
ANNA: I thought you could do with the bright news, especially after the morning you've had.
Olivia and Matthew.
Who'd have thunk it? Yes, a bright light shone on gruesome times.
It's been a hideous day.
How's Jack? Ashamed.
As if he'll never look anyone in the face again.
I hope he doesn't include me in that.
He'll need some time.
To think he's carried such a secret.
And how are you doing, Miss Bligh? I'm very happy for Olivia.
And so sad for Papa.
I think I could do with a hug.
Come here.
There we are.
Oh, thank you, Doris.
That's very kind.
- May I? - Of course.
First of all, I want to say I feel somewhat guilty about Regina Bligh.
I have harbored some very dark thoughts towards her in the past.
We all have, Doris.
And now we let them go.
Indeed.
Indeed.
Now, this isn't gossip, just something very odd.
Nurse Fisher was in Dr.
Duncan's office this morning with the door closed.
I suspect she was making telephone calls.
- Was she? - Mm.
She should phone from the nurses' station just like all the others and leave the money in the box.
Although I suspect some of them don't.
Thank you, Doris.
It's Sister Nordmann here.
I want to talk to the telephonist on duty last night.
No, it's fine.
I'll wait.
He wanted to know something about patient numbers.
What do you take me for? Sir Richard's on the hospital board, and he wanted to know.
From you? That's rubbish.
It's not.
Tell me why you called him.
You think you're so smart.
Swanning around with your bastard child.
Butter wouldn't melt in your mouth.
Now, I know you must be hiding something very important to put your future on the line for that man.
[Door opens, closes.]
[Distorted whispering.]
[Water lapping.]
Row, row, row your boat I didn't do anything, and it's your job to make bloody sure the police don't come anywhere near me.
But if they do want to talk with you, just in your own words.
I go to her house, after all the stuff that happened in public.
I'm worried about her.
And there's this local yokel throwing his weight around.
Why aren't they after him? So you left the house, then you returned.
I wanted to check and see how she was.
And was this man still with her? Well, that's why I wanted to go back and see if he'd hurt her in any way.
And was he still there? No, he was gone, but she was very distressed and whatever he'd said or done had frightened her, all right.
No, no, Dickie, no! Aah! [Choking.]
Back into the gutter, Reggie.
I should never have lifted you out.
How did you try and calm her down? I talked to her.
Offered her a cup of tea.
[Choking.]
Oh! Jesus Christ! [Gasping.]
You'll be sorry you did that.
Oh, she was very agitated about the day.
She took a bit of calming down.
And that was the last time that you saw her? She thanked me for popping over, and I walked out the door.
BROADCASTER: Polling booths across the country on the east coast have closed and Australians have cast their votes in this, the nation's 23rd federal election.
- Mother.
- Oh, good.
I thought I'd be dining on my own.
Sorry for starting without you.
How are you holding up? A long and difficult day it has been.
- Any news from the scrutineers? - It's early counting.
One of my men did say it might be closer than we thought.
I'll head back to the hall after dinner.
Ah, here she is.
Elizabeth.
Well, Mr.
Bligh, David took one of your how-to-vote brochures to bed.
What that means, I'm not quite sure.
A good sense of civic duty.
He doesn't understand why he's not allowed to vote.
- Henry, good to see you.
- George.
All rather casual tonight, Henry.
We will serve ourselves, Lynette, and we'll call you for the next course, thank you.
- Ma'am.
- Any results yet? Well, as the incumbent, it's pretty certain that your father will be reelected.
I would have thought after yesterday everything's up in the air.
Just hoping Jack gets a good swathe of votes.
What are people saying about Jack? Nothing in front of me, of course.
I heard some ladies say that they voted for him.
And Regina? Are we allowed to ask? Well, entre nous Regina didn't drown.
Her body entered the water after she died.
- Oh, my goodness.
- Oh, good heavens.
What does that mean? It seems there was some sort of tussle before she died.
Sir Richard made it look like suicide? I don't think we should jump to any conclusions.
We'll have the toxicology back tomorrow.
Well, he's capable of many things, but murder? - He's vicious enough.
- [Telephone rings.]
But will the police even investigate? They'll have to.
We'll make sure of it.
[Knock on door, door opens.]
Telephone call, Mr.
Bligh.
About the vote count, they said.
Ah.
May the best man win.
Go ahead, George.
I'm listening.
That's it.
There we are.
So much for the goodwill of the community.
Thanks, George, for letting me know.
Tell me.
What? I lost.
Him too.
They saw George as Sir Richard's man.
How does George feel about that? I think he sounded relieved.
Politics.
Who wouldn't be relieved to get out? I meant it when I said I wasn't hungry! Does that mean we won't be going back to Canberra? It would seem that way, yes.
I've had enough commiserations for one night.
How are you feeling? If I'd held the seat, I had a swag of proposals I intended to push through.
But, in answer to your question, I think I feel glad.
- I'm a free agent.
- [Laughs.]
And I think we should go away for a while.
Let all the unpleasantness settle.
Where shall we go? I have had an idea.
And it's a surprise.
Well, it can't be a surprise.
I have to know what to pack.
Live dangerously.
Oh, I like the anticipation.
Mm, all the more reason to keep you in suspense.
You're not gonna tell me, are you? No.
You're a rat.
Es una historia eterna Take me for a spin, Mr.
Fox.
HENRY: If you say so.
Tan dulce y luciente It's so romantic sueños Very nice.
In the silent of night [Laughs.]
Es una historia cierta I just wish Anna could meet someone, drop this engagement charade before they both get hurt.
You haven't got a friend we could match her up with? Can I be, uh, honest? Anna's got a big neon sign above her head, saying, "Danger.
Beware.
" But doesn't that make her more fun? That's not the word I would choose.
Besides, you're fun.
And interesting.
And irresistible.
I could go on.
Que fluye como el agua No conoce el ciero [Laughs.]
Oh! Thank you.
- Ooh.
- Oh! [Both laugh.]
I think it's time we called it a night.
No! No! Just one more, one more, one more dance.
Please, please.
[Giggling.]
Oh! [Laughs.]
- Good night.
- Good night.
No, no, no.
No, come on.
Who wants to sleep alone? What? Oh.
ANNA: [Laughs.]
[Laughs.]
HENRY: Oh! [Laughing.]
That feels nice.
It does.
These are very sexy.
You know, if you keep doing that [Both chuckle.]
HENRY: Oh, my God, what's happening? This is crazy.
In a good way.
Are we doing what I think we are? [Sniffling.]
[Birds chirping.]
Jack? Jack? Thank you.
[Sighs.]
How are you? Sun's up and I'm still here.
And I have to go back and face the music.
And that's what we'll do.
- But first things first.
- What's that? We're gonna see a man about a dog.
We'll see you soon.
That was Olivia.
She and Matthew are on their way.
Oh, lovely.
They really are just such a perfect couple, aren't they? Grandmother.
I'm thrilled for Olivia, really.
I really am.
Voilà.
They phoned through the toxicology report.
Regina had morphine in her system.
In excess of 120 milligrams.
Enough to kill someone of her stature unless she was still dependent.
Well, my understanding was she was off all medication.
She may have been forced.
The skin under her nails.
The bruising.
If she was forced, whoever it was knew her Achilles' heel.
She would have been terrified.
We should check our morphine supplies.
Or save ourselves time and go straight to the source.
You're talking drivel, Valda.
None of what you're saying makes any sense.
You're confusing me.
I don't understand.
Who did you give the morphine to? What morphine? Do you have any idea how serious this is? It was someone else.
Yes, another name, in your hand.
Someone's copied it.
Someone trying to get me into trouble.
Well, you are in trouble.
You've got that much right.
[Knocking.]
Please come in.
This is Nurse Fisher.
Senior Constable Munro.
Why are you doing this to me? I I didn't do anything.
I don't know why you're here.
We'd like you to come with us, please.
No.
You come quietly, or we charge you here and now with being an accessory to murder.
Just tell the truth, Valda.
You're almost beyond the point where we can help you.
He made me.
He said I'd be fired if I didn't get it for him.
He said it was for a lady who was sick.
How could I say no? MUNRO: Who's "he"? Give me his name.
Give me his name please, miss.
Sir Richard Bennett.
[Knock on door.]
A Dr.
and Mrs.
Jack Duncan are here to see you, Sir Richard.
Tell them I'm busy.
For the next 50 years.
They insist on waiting.
Well, call Clive if they won't clear out.
[Sobbing.]
Is it possible he wasn't planning to kill Regina when he returned to her house? And why return when he's been seen by Roy? So say he goes back to punish her, to do what he couldn't do in front of Roy.
He forces her to drink the morphine.
But why? To have his way with her or To get her readdicted.
So she'd be back in his thrall.
But it's a lethal dose, and she's dead.
He panics and dumps the body in the river.
Something about it just doesn't - [Telephone rings.]
- Excuse me.
Dr.
Duncan's telephone.
I'll let him know.
Thank you.
Your fiancée is waiting in your office, Mr.
Fox.
[Door opens.]
Hello.
I'm just here in case you're embarrassed.
Because really, for me, well, last night was wonderful.
And I know that you and women - But - It was, um It was good.
I surprised myself.
[Exhales sharply.]
Well, we can pretend it didn't happen and have a good laugh.
Or Is it insane to suggest that we might see where it may lead? Well, not so much insane as charmingly chaotic.
Well, I don't see either of us taking the conventional path.
So Well, hurry up.
Let's get this thing over and done with.
Well, spit it out.
I'm as bad as the Japs.
How about that for a start? No.
You're cunning, and you're a bully, but you're nowhere near as smart as them.
Not by a long shot.
You think you've shamed me, you've, uh, destroyed my reputation, when what you've actually done is put a stench around your own I reckon you might never recover from.
You see, I will.
'Cause you've done me a favor.
Living with that secret, that's that's eaten me inside out.
But you've gone and liberated me from the Japs all over again.
This time for good.
What you have achieved, though, is to prove to the world that my husband is a far better man than you could ever, ever hope to be.
Sir.
Time's up.
Bugger off.
Both of you, piss off.
[Knock on door, door opens.]
We'll need you to come down to Central, Sir Richard.
- You can talk to my lawyer.
- He can join us there, sir.
I drink with your boss.
He'll have your guts.
We can do this discreetly, or Shove it up your ass, you bloody idiot! Call your boss! Sir Richard Bennett, we're arresting you for the murder of Mrs.
Regina Bligh.
Bullshit.
Bullshit.
You're wrong! You have made a mistake.
Don't you dare put your hands on me.
Then come along quietly, sir.