Malory Towers (2020–…): Season 2, Episode 3 - The Stray - full transcript

GENERAL CHATTER

We have a thief in our midst.

What's been taken? My kippers.

Sounds very serious.

I've been looking forward
to eating those perfectly smoked

fish all week.

I turned my back for one
moment and they vanished.

Oh, no. Did they swim away?

LAUGHTER

Oh, Alicia, thank you for
volunteering to mop this floor

instead of playing
lacrosse with the other girls.



You're joking.

Ellen Wilson, you are not
wearing that.

Those are not even Malory Towers
colours.

It's the only kit I've got.

Did you borrow those huge
plimsolls off a clown?

Well, I suppose it will have to do.
Now, come along, girls.

Except for Alicia, of course.

Mop's over there.

I want to see the rest of you on
the lacrosse pitch right away.

You're taking lacrosse?

Yes, Miss Osborne is unavailable.

Ellen, are you all right?

And star jump. Jump, jump, jump.
Run on the spot.

And wave about like a tree
in the wind.



And lovely big high kicks.

My plimsoll!

Ellen, we do not have time
for you to play the fool.

Hurry up, you're holding up the
class.

Oh!

Ellen, come back
here this instant.

I will not ask again.

Oh!

SOBBING

CAT MEOWS

MEOWING

CAT MEOWS

Hello, little fellow. Enjoying
matron's perfectly smoked fish?

Ellen is going to be in such
trouble.

I hope she's all right.

I wish there was something we could
do to help her.

Who do you think drew that?

I don't know, but I'm going
to find out.

Are you coming to remedial, Irene?

Yes, I need extra help with English
and science...

..religious education,

needlework and French. So basically
everything. Not music or maths.

Alicia, you missed a bit.

Ha-ha. Very funny.

Why do you look so miserable?

You didn't have to spend the past
half hour mopping the floor.

I'm worried about Ellen.

I think we should do more to help
her feel like she's one of us.

Surely it's up to her to make
the effort.

I mean, we may be best friends,

but she doesn't even
have the right gym kit.

It's not her fault.
That's all she brought with her.

Well, then she should send
out for the correct one.

Why don't we help her?

We must have some spare things
we're not using any more.

Pains me to say.
But that's a great idea, Sally.

Mm-hm.

Yes, I understand it's a difficult
situation.

KNOCK AT DOOR

Can you hold a moment, please?
Come in.

No, Mr Spiers, we need to talk
about this further.

You said I could have to the end
of summer, not the end of term.

I know, Mr Spiers.

I really have to go.

But perhaps we can meet,
discuss this in person.

Thank you. I will.

Sorry, girls, I need to prepare
for something.

We'll have to move remedial
to this afternoon.

Well, of course, Miss Grayling.

Oh, before you go, I have something
that could help

with your word blindness, Darrell.

If you keep a diary every day, it
may help organise your thoughts.

It can be very beneficial
for people with your condition.

Thank you, Miss Grayling.

Close the door on your way out.

I've never seen Miss Grayling so
worried, I wonder

what that letter was about.

Hmm.

Maybe she's a spy and they're
her new orders.

I doubt spies would be
using headed letter paper.

Ron, do you know who Mr Spiers is?

The only Spiers I know is a
solicitor in the village.

So he deals with legal things.

Of course.

Why? Doesn't matter?

Miss Grayling is talking to
a solicitor.

Do you think that means
she's in trouble?

CHILDREN LAUGHING

Ellen, Matron is on the warpath.

She's wondering where you've got
to. I'll go and see her.

Is that a cat?

I found him meeting matron's
kippers.

What are you going to do with him?

I don't know.

Keep him safe until I can find
out who he belongs to.

We're not allowed pets on the school
grounds.

So I'll have to keep him hidden.

I could help.

Really?

Thanks.

I think there's a trunk in here
from last year's school play.

I don't see what use an old trunk
is unless it's full of treasure.

We're going to make
it beautiful, Gwen.

Is this it?

Must be.

I don't understand.

Ellen doesn't have a trunk.

We're going to give her this one
and fill it with our old equipment.

And if we all chip in, we can ask
someone to go to the village to buy

some ribbons, to decorate it with.

I'm not giving you money
to decorate a horrid old trunk.

Ellen already gets a scholarship.

If she wanted a nice trunk,
then she should have just brought

one with her.

I don't think she can afford it,
Gwen.

Hah, they're hardly expensive.

They are to her.

If she wants to go to school here,
then she has to be willing to make

sure she's kitted out properly.

No, she has to work hard.

That's what's important.

I just think there are certain
standards everyone expects

from a Malory Towers.

I'm sure Ellen finds it hard enough

to fit in here without you looking
down your nose at her.

You know, her scholarship
isn't just a reward

she gets for being clever.

It pays her fees.

But her family doesn't have enough
money to pay for all the other

things she needs.

Wha... You mean she's poor?

This is just till we can find
out who you belong to.

Where shall we keep him?

Someone's coming.

What's going on? Nothing.

I—I left my chemistry prep.

What's that?

You got one, too.

It's brilliant.

What's going on?

The secret artist has struck again.

Is that Matron? First Mr Parker
and now this, amazing.

Not bad.
Wonder who drew them?

Ellen Wilson, what do you have to
say for yourself, young lady?

Your behaviour this morning
was appalling.

When you are at this school, you...
SNEEZING

Gwendolyn, a young lady,
uses a handkerchief.

Sorry, I don't understand.

They only usually get like this one
is when...

SHE SNEEZES

When what?

When I'm around cats.

I'm terribly allergic to them.

SNEEZING CONTINUES

Hm... First, my kippers go walkabout
and now this.

Are you sure none of you have
brought a pet into school?

Sally, it is your duty as head
of form to tell the truth.

Is there a cat in here?

I don't think so.

MEOWING

Let me be clear, you will tell me
where it is or I will hold

the whole class responsible.

Jean, Ellen, please.

We have to.

Oh. Whose is it?

It's mine.

You come and see me after school,
you will discuss your punishment

for this and also for leaving
games without permission.

CAT MEOWS

What will you do with him?

I'll dispose of the filthy
creature, of course.

No! Ellen, don't.

Ron, get rid of this vile creature.

Erm, yes, of course, Matron.

Ellen!
She can't do this.

She'll get you thrown out of school!
Is there a problem, ladies?

No, Matron.

CAT MEOWS

You can't win. Not like this.

No, Matron.

Then get to class.

I'm sorry. Don't worry.

We'll make sure nothing
happens to him.

Mary-Lou, can you keep a secret?

Good. I'm going to find out
who our mysterious artist is. Why?

Think of the fun we could have

if we knew someone you
could draw like that?

What are you going to do?
I give everyone in the dorm

a different coloured pencil.
That's where you come in.

You have to remember who I gave
each colour to.

Oh, well, then what?

Then I'll challenge the artist
to draw another picture.

When I see what coloured pencil
they used,

then we'll know who did it.

Come on, let's go. I doubt... I...

Darrell, wait.

Oh, just the person.
I'm looking for that boy,

the one who is polishing the
banisters earlier.

Ron, what do you want with him?
Do you know where he went?

He's probably in one of his sheds
playing with plants.

He has the most tedious
existence.

Anyway, Ellen, I wanted to
speak to you.

Oh? Now, I understand...

I understand you come from poverty.

I didn't have a governess at home,
if that's what you mean.

Same thing.

Anyway, I wanted to let
you know that I'm still going

to be your friend despite that.
That's good of you!

Oh, it is, isn't it?

So, friend, perhaps after lunch,

we could do our French
prep together?

I have too much to do without also
trying to explain it all to you.

I have sweets.
It'll be my treat.

Gwendolyn, I earned my place
at Malory Towers by working hard.

I already helped you with
your science.

If you're too lazy to do your own
prep, that's not my problem.

Lazy?

The whole lot of you seem to spend
more time playing pranks

on each other than you do studying.

Being here means something to me,
even if it's a jolly lark to you.

Sally, look what Ron got for us.

Could use some more gym kit.

I think I might have a spare
skirt was too big for me.

Sounds good.

Gwendolyn, is there anything
you want to put in this trunk?

No. I thought she was your best
friend.

She most certainly is not.

Do you need any help?

We just need a few more things,
but we're getting there.

It's going to look amazing.

But do you know what it
really needs?

Whoever drew these is clearly
very talented, so I think whoever

the secret artist is should draw
another picture with Ellen

and the whole lot of us.

I'm going to leave these here,

so the artist has everything
that they need.

If no-one rushes
back after Geography,

it will give them a time
to work undisturbed.

Tell the others when you see them.

And, Mary-Lou, hand out the pencils.

CAT MEOWS

Stop!

Please don't get rid of him.

You heard Matron. I have to.

We can keep him here until we can
get him home.

He belonged to the Hendersons,
but they moved away.

Must have forgotten, to take
him with them. He's a stray now.

That's all the more reason
we should help him. How?!

What are we going to feed him?

Scraps from the bins
behind the kitchen.

I don't know. Please! I can get
them. You won't have to do anything.

CAT MEOWS

You know we could get in serious
trouble for this.

Oh, thank you, Ron.

Truly, thank you.

KNOCK AT DOOR

Mr Spires is here.

Carry on with your work, girls.

Yes, Miss Grayling.

How do you
spell medicinal?

I think it's with a C.

DOOR CLOSES

I'll check in the dictionary.

Darrell, you mustn't. That's...

If Miss Grayling were here,
she'd let me look it up.

What's that?

Nothing.

Irene, it was a C,
you were right.

Your behaviour today was totally
unacceptable.

Walking off during games,
speaking back to me.

I'm sorry. It won't happen again.

You put a cat into the school.
What were you thinking?

That if I didn't look out for him,
then nobody would.

How have you found being here?

I'm getting used to it.

The other girls come from very
different backgrounds, don't they?

Yes.

Please, sit.

They have lives where they don't
have to worry about money,

where they can be,
what they want to be.

I know I would have found
that strange,

but you can still have a
good life here, you know.

You just have to work hard and show
everyone what you're capable of.

How am I supposed to do that when I
don't even play lacrosse?

I've never even done Latin before.

You can learn.

And I hear your science
work is excellent.

What if these people
never accept me?

My old form teacher, Mr Freeman, is
the only one who believed in me.

He thought I could do more with my
life than just looking after my aunt

as she gets older.

Did he help you get a place here?

Yes.

And he arranged a scholarship.

He thought there were things
I could learn here,

I wouldn't be able to back at home.

How did your family feel about that?

They warned me I wouldn't fit in,

that the others would always
just see me as the poor girl.

And now my friends from home think
I've gone all posh, coming here.

I can't win.

You should get back to the dorm.

You're not going to punish me?

No, you have enough on your plate,
but if you disobey me again,

you will be in serious trouble.

Understood?

Yes, Matron.

I wonder if the secret artist has
struck again!

Let me see.

They used all the colours.

But it's a wonderful picture,
I thought that's what we wanted?

What's going on?

I gave you each a
different coloured pencil

so I could tell who'd drawn it.

Oh, sneaky. I approve.

Someone here must have done it.

Gwendolyn?

Why is that funny?
I've seen your pictures, Gwen.

Well, my mother says I have a very
distinctive style.

Well, Mother says a lot
of strange things.

There's someone missing.

There's me, you, Jean, that's Irene.

Sally, Gwen,
and of course, Ellen.

Did the artist forget
to draw herself?

Mary-Lou?

Where did you learn to do that?

For my grandmother,
over the summer.

She taught me to really
look at people

and see what makes them special.

I thought a picture might cheer
Ellen up.

Why didn't you tell us
you drawn them?

I didn't want anyone to think
I was being mean about them.

But they're brilliant. Positions!

Oh!

What's going on?

ALL: Surprise!

What's that?
This is your trunk.

We wanted you to have the same
things as we do.

Take a look.

I... I don't understand.

It's our old stuff.
We thought we'd give it to you.

I can't accept this.
Of course you can.

Poor people are so ungrateful.

I can't believe you all did that.
What were you thinking?

We just wanted to cheer her up. She
already feels like a charity case.

This is just rubbing it in.

How would you feel if you were given
the things your friends

were going to throw away?

But we're not bothered
that she doesn't have as much money

as the rest of us.

Well, she is.

Ellen!

Ellen, there you are.

Leave me alone.

I didn't know they were
going to do that.

It was humiliating.
I know. I'm sorry.

What are you doing in here?

CAT MEOWS

Oh!

Ellen, Matron told Ron to
get rid of him!

I twisted his arm.
You can't keep a cat in here!

Why not? I'll come in every day.

Bring him food,
make sure he's happy.

That's a lot of work.
He's worth it.

And he doesn't have anybody else.

CAT PURRS

Do you want to stroke him?

What's he called?

I don't know.

CHILDREN SHOUT

But I was thinking...

..I had a friend back home
called Kenny.

His dad was a baker, and so
he used to bring me a sticky bun

on Saturday mornings.

Kenny's a good name for a cat.

You know, the others' hearts
were in the right place.

They meant well, even if it was
a clumsy show of affection.

Maybe.

CAT MEOWS

Ellen, will you give them
another chance?

You should draw a picture of...

Can I say something?

Actually...

..can I say we're really sorry?
We didn't mean to upset you.

I'm so sorry.

I'm so sorry, Ellen.

It was so kind for you to give me
all those things.

Thank you.

This is really good.

Mary-Lou drew it.

Miss Grayling would be
ever so impressed.

Sally.

We need to talk.

What about?

Erm, earlier today, when
I was in Miss Grayling's study,

I accidentally read a letter
she received this morning.

Accidentally?

Yes. Erm, what does "arrears" mean?

It's when you're behind in
paying for something.

Why?

I was afraid it was something
like that. Erm...

I think Miss Grayling
owes the bank a lot of money.

Are you sure?

Well, I couldn't understand most
of the words, but the letter seemed

to be saying that if she doesn't
repay it then the bank

will take over the school.

What does that mean?

Malory Towers will have to close.

SHUTTER BANGS