Rosemary & Thyme (2003–2006): Season 3, Episode 3 - Seeds of Time - full transcript

Laura.

What?

Can't you sleep?

Why on earth did you

make me come here?

I didn't make you.

"It would
do you good, Laura, to

exorcise the ghosts, Laura."

I just thought
that going through a

real procession might--

"work to
achieve closure, Laura?"



Now, I never said that.

You came bloody close

to it once or twice.

He knew this would get to me.

Who?

Nick!

He's twisting the knife.

It's not that.

I'm sure it's not that.

Look, he's moving on.

He's selling the house.

He just thought there might
be something here that

you'd want to keep.

Like hell.



I signed the house over
to him ages ago.

Why has he only just
decided to sell it?

No, he's twisting the knife.

Why would I want anything
from here, anyway?

To remind me of 27 years
of marriage?

Like the picture of Matthew
in fancy dress-- the little

Roman solider.

I know Nick.

You don't.

He's twisting the knife.

Try and go to sleep, Laura.

Twist, twist, twist.

I'll just show you this, but
we'd like you to get the

garden and the greenhouse
tidied first.

Nobody's been in here
for year, of course.

It's a Pargeter family secret.

Good lord.

Exactly.

These are some of the seeds my
great grandfather collected in

his travels.

This isn't Edwin Pargeter,
by any chance?

You've heard of him?

Well, of course.

He must of been the most famous
botanist in his day.

I don't know what
condition they'll

be in after 80 or 90 years.

Oh, some seeds last much
longer than that.

It's hard to read the writing
on the labels.

I know, some have come
off altogether.

But if we could sort them
out, see if there's

anything worth saving.

I've got an old friend in Kew
who might be able to help, if

that's all right.

Wonderful.

We do need to sell the house as
soon as possible, though.

Frankly, aunt Audrey can't
afford it anymore, and--

well, the size of it's become
too big for me.

Hello, ms. Pargeter.

Do you remember me,
Laura Thyme?

I used to live around the corner
in Dorchester terrace.

Do you remember?

No.

Um, I had a little boy
and a little girl--

Matthew and Helena.

Oh, this could be
a lovely garden.

We just want it tided.

Won't you miss the old place?

Not really.

It was never my home.

I was brought up in Yorkshire.

Oh, so how long have you
lived here, then?

Audrey gave me a room when I
came down to go to University.

I sort of hung about a bit
after I graduated.

Then she got ill.

Oh, god, it's nearly
20 years now.

Audrey wants
to take some

of these plants with her
to Dorset.

All she needs a complete list
so she can go through it.

Well, that shouldn't
take too long.

Was that the doorbell?

I won't be a minute.

See you in the kitchen.

Oh, I'm sorry.

I was in the garden.

I'm Petra McKinley.

Oh, yes, of course.

How do you do?

Come in.

I used to be a policewoman back
then, but we used to meet

at st. Mary's occasionally
when the

Reverend Watkins was there.

You met the reverend Watkins.

But he's gone now.

Yes.

Well, we used to sit on the
other side of the isle from

you, a couple of rows back.

My husband had this big,
booming voice.

I remember a policeman.

Yes.

Handsome man.

Yes.

I don't remember you, though.

I'd give up if I were you.

Aunt Audrey?

Ms. Mckinley's arrived.

This is my aunt, Audrey
Pargeter.

How lovely to meet
you at last.

This is Rosemary Boxer.

Hello, I'm Petra.

Oh, hello.

And this is--

I'm so sorry, I'm terrible
with names.

Laura Thyme.

Laura Thyme, of course.

What a lovely name.

Ms. Mckinley is here to write a
biography on Edwin Pargeter.

Well, not quite a
full biography.

It's going to be part of
a book called the seed

collectors.

I never met him, you know.

Edwin Pargeter?

No, he was dead before
I was born.

Oh, I know.

But as his granddaughter, you're
my last real link.

My mother couldn't stand him.

Called him a pompous
old hypocrite.

She was artistic, of course.

Ah.

It's as if I didn't exist.

Well, you were a mere appendage
to a handsome

policeman with a
booming voice.

But even Caroline Pargeter.

I was only introduced to her
a couple of hours ago.

What do I get?

Oh, this is uh--

I'll start calling myself "uh,"
save people the trouble.

He always wanted me to
be something I wasn't...

They're like that, men.

I mean what did he think he was
getting when he married me?

Well, whatever it was, he was
damn lucky to get you.

Too right.

Atta girl.

I remember--

I had a boyfriend once.

Just some sort of fashion
plate floozy?

What?

I said what did he think
was getting when he

married me, some sort of fla--

fa--

vision fate floozy?

No.

Yes, he did.

I had a--

I mean, when we were first
married, yes, he

loved the way I looked.

Or said he did.

Oh, they all say that.

I was last--

but after a couple of years--

I was--

suddenly it starts.

"Why don't you wear dress like

what's-her-name?"
- Who?

I don't know, whoever it
happened to be at the time.

Then he goes out and
he buys me this.

Is there anymore wine
in that bottle?

And I only tried it one once.

It's like wearing a haystack.

But--

do you know the weird thing?

He'd fit it.

Interesting people,
the Pargeters.

I mean, how did he know?

Did he creep up and measure
my head in the

night while I was sleeping?

Yes, they do that.

I knew a man once who--

What?

Oh, I can't remember.

There was definitely something

wrong with that takeaway.

Well, we can clear all the
leaves, and then we'll be able

to s-- see what's what.

All right.

We'll start at this end,
work towards that.

This hasn't been
done for ages--

layer upon layer of
rotting leaves.

There's an old boot there.

And a leg.

Oh, dear.

I bet you didn't expect
something like this, Petra.

How awful.

I mean, poor man.

And we don't know who he was.

I assume he was a burglar.

He was quite ordinary looking--
dark hair, quite

well dressed.

Can we get on with
the plants?

Oh.

Now, this is some sort of,
um, Allamanda Cathartica--

Hendersonii, probably.

Oh, how long have you bee
writing your book, Petra?

Oh. About a year and a half.

I spent six months in Austin
at the University of Texas.

They've got all of Edwin
Pargeter's papers.

That must've been
fascinating.

Oh. It was.

He left them to the University
when he died, and no one had

even looked at them since, as
far as I could make out.

What, not in over 90 years?

No.

Strange, isn't it?

Next.

Excuse me.

Are you with the police?

No.

What's going on here?

Oh, they found a body
this morning.

Oh yes, I know that.

The policeman said it looked
like natural causes, though.

Really?

They told us they wouldn't
know until they'd done

a postmortem.

What are they doing in there?

What are you doing?

Oh, we're cataloging
the plants?

What for?

Who are you anyway?

I'm Jerry Daniels.

I'm handling the sale of the
house for ms. Pargeter.

Jerome Daniels--

Wilson, Craig, and Daniels
estate agent.

I have clients who wish to buy
this property, but it must

be complete with furniture,
nothing removed except

personal effects.

That's nothing to do with us.

We're only here for
plants, mate.

Yeah, but this is important.

Can you just leave it until I've
spoken to ms. Pargeter?

No, I'm sorry, mr. Daniels.

We have to get the place
fit to be seen first.

But my clients don't care.

They have the money in cash
to pay the asking price.

That's not the point.

Um, excuse me.

Is it all right to back
in the greenhouse yet?

This gentleman had no business
telling you otherwise

in the first place.

Oh, come on.

It's a great deal of money,
ms. Pargeter--

the full asking price,
in cash.

I mean, if you remember,
I recommended

a much lower figure.

Which is precisely why
I put it in the

hands of another agent.

You didn't tell me that.

Why should I?

Should we leave?

No.

Now what?

Yes?

I'm detective inspector
Matthews, this is Detective

Sergeant Curtis.

We'd like a word, ms. Pargeter,
if you don't mind.

I thought you'd more or
less finished here.

So did we, ms. Pargeter.

So did we.

But when the police surgeon came
to examine the body more

closely, he found a small
puncture wound in the back.

And it seems that this may have
been the cause of death.

Puncture wound?

Yes.

And he suspects that whatever
made the wound had been dipped

in poison--

curare, to be precise.

What was it he said exactly,
Sergeant Curtis?

Curare or one of its related
alkaloids, sir.

That's it-- one of its
related alkaloids.

Now, he's not a toxicologist,
mind, but there's something

else a bit peculiar.

You see, we've managed to
identify the body now.

He was a Chilean gentleman.

Only been in this country
since Friday.

But the funny thing is--

and this may be just a
coincidence-- but the funny

thing is his name is Pargeter.

Jose Antonio Pargeter.

Pargeter?

How can it--

Oh, this is a madhouse
this afternoon.

Yes?

You're Caroline Pargeter,
I bet.

Jerome told me a very beautiful

woman owned the house.

Well, I don't actually own--

these are for you.

Because we know we're being
a darn nuisance.

I'm Sophie Minelli.

I just loved this house from
the moment I saw it.

And whatever Sophie
wants, Sophie gets.

I'm her husband, Fred.

Well, you'd better come in.

Oh, look, Frank.

Oh, isn't this just
perfection?

What'd I tell you?

And the boys'll just love it.

I'm going to be teaching at
london University, just a walk

across the bridge--

the center for medieval
studies--

and we hope to get the boys
into st. Paul's next year.

Oh, hi Jerome.

I thought I recognized
the voice.

It's wonderful, Jerry.

Simply wonderful.

Well, let's hope we can sway
ms. Pargeter to sell it to us.

Oh, I'm sure she will.

She is just as charming
as you said.

Thank you for the
drinks, Petra.

What do we know about the
mysterious intruder?

Well, we know his name--

Jose Antonio Pargeter.

So, do the Pargeters have
relations in Chile, or is that

just a coincidence?

Oh, come on.

If the name had been Smith,
there's just a million to one

chance it might be a
coincidence, but Pargeter--

So you haven't heard
of any Pargeters

living in South America?

I know old Edwin spent a
lot of time in Chile.

In fact, he died there, but if
I'd known there were Pargeters

still living there, I'd have
been down there like a shot.

He's probably got another
whole family.

Typical.

You'd think that Caroline
would know if she had

relations in Chile.

And Audrey, but the both
say they didn't.

And curare--

apart from anything else, where
would anyone get it?

Oh, it's used in surgery.

It's a muscle relaxant.

They're used in operations to
control a patient's breathing.

And I suppose that's a synthetic
version, but it's--

it's available.

The original comes from
a plant, doesn't it?

Ah, yes.

The native Americans use it on
the tip of their arrows when

they're hunting.

We're looking for someone
medical who's

been to South America.

It's all very intriguing.

What about this?

Oh, skip.

Half the money's
missing anyway.

Oh, this is rather sweet.

What's that?

I used to love this dress.

If I just lost a couple
of pounds.

Oxfam.

He had no right to bundle
everything up like this.

One cushion, slightly tackle,
embroidered with flag.

Skip.

Actually, that used to belong
to the Pargeters.

Got that at a jumble sale.

Oh, this is nice.

Tasteful.

That's from a jumble
sale, too.

Skip.

You were a bit of a devil at the
jumble sale, weren't you?

You know who used to
insist I went--

support the church
and all that.

Most of it ended
up in the bin.

You don't think Audrey's
playing up the senile old lady

bit, do you?

What?

And leaps out of her wheelchair
and murders unknown

relations in the garden?

What was Jose Antonio doing
in the garden anyway?

Something to do with
selling the house?

I don't see how.

Are we sure it was
Audrey's to sell?

And if he's related, maybe Jose
Antonio's branch of the

family has some to it.

Families, eh?

See you later.

Bye.

You there.

How much do you know about
Edwin Pargeter?

Well, I know he was a leading
light back in Edwardian times.

Discovered two new species.

Two?

I knew about Salpiglossis
Edwinosis.

Well, there was also
Pinus Pargeterensis.

Didn't know that.

Yeah, well, it's rather useless
knowledge, I'm afraid,

because they're thought
to be extinct.

Logging activity seems to
have wiped them out.

Poor old Edwin.

Yes.

Tell you what--

If you were interested in Edwin
Pargeter, b, b, &b are

the people to talk to.

B, b, & b?

Yeah.

Back in the days when they
were baumann and bosch--

just a medium-sized German
chemical manufacturer--

they used to finance some of
Pargeter's expeditions.

Do you know anybody there?

You do too.

Really?

One of your former students.

You remember Ken Hodges?

Dimly.

Eh, well, he's something
rather grand

at B, B, & B now--

Head of their botanic research
Department, I believe.

Shut the door.

You're something in the
police, aren't you?

Well-

-I'm in need of protection.

Sorry?

My niece seems to think this
house belongs to her, and she

wants to get rid of me
before I said it.

I'm sure that--

she's trying to poison
me for years.

Well, you know what
she's capable of.

You saw what happened to that
chap in the garden.

I want you to stay
here tonight.

I'm sorry I've kept
you waiting.

Ken, how nice to
see you again.

Do sit down.

I'd have asked you up to my
office, but it takes 24 hours

to get a pass.

We're very security conscious
at B, B, & B. What can I do

for you, ms. Boxer?

You can start by calling
me Rosemary.

Oh, very well.

Fine.

Good.

It's about Edwin Pargeter.

I'm sorry?

Edwin Pargeter,
the botanist--

famous botanist, died in 1914.

Oh, yes.

I don't know a great deal
about him, I'm afraid.

Yeah, well, B, B, & B used to
finance his expeditions.

Did we?

No.

Well, it was before the
first world war.

Um, I mean, before
B, B, & B were--

well, our records don't
go back that far.

But--

Do you know those people?

Who?

Uh, Minelli--

Minelli.

Sophie Minelli.

Now, I--

I'm sure it was them.

They were dressed differently,
but, uh--

I'm sorry.

Are you sure it was them?

Absolutely certain.

Ok.

Now, let's just suppose that
there's something in the house

that B, B, & B want desperately,
but they don't

want anyone else to
know they want it.

So they send the Minellis
to buy the whole thing?

Yes, well, you remember how
desperate they were.

And that estate agent, chap--
he said that they-- they

didn't want anything removed?

Yeah, but why?

I mean, it's all very
nice, I suppose, but

it's falling down.

I wouldn't give you tuppence
for it, personally.

So the obvious thing is
the seed collection.

Now, it's very big, and there
could be something very valuable I -

- well, if it's just a
small jar of seeds--

I mean, they could have taken
it already when they were

looking around.

While the state agent
wasn't looking--

unless they want all of them.

Do you think Jose Antonio
could have been

after the same thing?

Oh my god.

I don't know.

I hope you don't
mind spaghetti.

Love it.

Aunt Audrey only eats three
things nowadays--

roast lamb, tripe, and
spaghetti bolognese.

My culinary skills have dwindled
to almost nothing.

Looks good.

Quite glad we didn't hit on
the tripe night, though.

My grandfather had a younger
brother, you know.

I didn't know that, did I?

George Pargeter.

He sometimes went with Edwin
on his expeditions.

I have never heard
that before.

Caroline has no interest
in the family.

Too busy racketing about.

After Edwin died in-- oh--

1914, George stayed
on in Chile,

bought a farm, got married.

So Jose Antonio could have been
one of his descendants.

Poor fellow.

Well, that might explain
who he was.

To doesn't explain what
the hell he was doing.

I don't know if aunt Audrey
Pargeter's mind is just

wandering or what.

No.

I mean, I don't think
Caroline's trying to

kill her, do you?

No.

Still, if she feels safer
with us here.

What about this, um, Petra
what's-her-name?

Mckinley.

Yeah.

We don't know a lot
about her, do we?

She's in a position to know all
sorts of things that we

don't know about the
Pargeter family.

Oh she's not medical.

No.

And she hasn't been
to South America.

No.

Oh, sorry I was just going
through everyone in my mind.

Rosemary.

Rosemary, are you awake?

Rosemary.

Wake up, Rosemary.

Rosemary!

What?

Are you awake?

I don't know.

I just found the answer
to the whole thing.

The Minelli woman.

Sophie!

What the hell was she doing
at the house anyway, in the

middle of night?

How should I know?

You brought her
into the deal.

I always thought she
was all right.

Look, I just want to get my
money and get out of here.

Money?

For what?

You get those seeds.

I don't care how you do it.

You just get those seeds.

Then you'll get your money.

I'm going to finish at my
blasted house today.

I've had enough.

You sure?

I'm going to go back, and I'm
going to collect that little

box of things, and
then that is it.

What was it you were going to
tell me when you woke me up

last night?

Oh, I forgot what with
all this is going on.

I've been reading Edwin
Pargeter's diaries.

Where on earth did
you get those?

I saw them in ms. Pargeter's
room, and I asked if I could

have a look at them.

Apparently, they were brought
back with the rest of his

belongings when he died.

In 1914.

Yes.

I'll show you.

Come on.

Well, what about the coffee?

Come on.

So that was the end.

No.

They never came back to England,
as far as I know.

I suppose the first world
war got in the way.

I want to ask about your
movements last night.

What, me?

Both of you.

And, listen to this.

This is the 17th
of June, 1914.

"Of course the cinchona tree
does not grow in these

latitudes, so instead of
quinine, the indians use a

decoction of the seeds of my new
tree in the treatment of

malaria, which unfortunately
flourishes here.

It seems highly efficacious.

I would dearly like to send some
of the seeds home, but

the situation in Europe being
what it is, I do not wish to

draw it to the attention
of my German masters."

That's it.

He discovered a cure
for malaria.

And malaria is becoming
resistant to quinine.

I read it somewhere
about a year ago.

That's right.

So when he says "my new tree,"
it's the one he discovered--

Pinus Pargeterensis.

All right, ms. Pargeter, what
the hell is going on here?

I don't know, Inspector.

I wish I did know.

And these clients of
yours, mr. Daniels--

Mr. and Mrs. Minelli--

one of them's died in suspicious
circumstances, and

the other's disappeared off
the face of the earth.

You didn't think it strange
they didn't

give you any address?

I have mr. Minelli's
telephone number.

A mobile, which is now
permanently switched off.

But if he didn't send
the seeds home--

well, maybe he eventually did,
or maybe they came back

with the rest of his belongings
after he died.

I suppose that's possible.

These seeds would be worth
a fortune, wouldn't they?

Especially if the tree
had become extinct.

Millions and millions.

So hang on.

Someone hears about this tree,
and the fact that the seeds

might be in the house, and
they try to get them.

First, Jose Antonio tries.

But that-- that's what I
was saying yesterday.

B, b, & b sent the Minellis.

But then, who's killing
these people?

Well, obviously some third
party also wants to get hold

of the seeds.

But the point is, they
haven't got them yet.

The seeds must still
be in the house.

Found something, Sarge.

Sir.

Possible cause of death.

What's this?

It's an air gun dart,
apparently, sir.

It could have been used with
either a rifle or a pistol.

You see, I thought the Minellis
might have nicked it.

But they couldn't have done,
or Sophie Minelli wouldn't

have been trying to climb
up here into the

seed room last night.

Ok.

Now you start over there by
the window on that wall.

Now, I'd do one shelf at a time
if I were you, otherwise

we'll get confused.

Oh, thank you.

Teaching your grandmother...

Sorry.

All right, I'll start
on this side.

Well, what exactly are
we looking for?

Well, if we're lucky, we're
looking for something labeled

"Pinus Pargeterensis." On the
other hand, to be safe,

anything labeled "pinus."

Well, what if the label's
fallen off like this one?

You know what conifer
seeds look like.

No.

Yes, you must have seen the
inside of a fir cone--

the seeds.

They're round and papery,
something like this.

Oh, what?

My father didn't approve
of conifers.

Hey, that's not them,
I suppose?

Yeah, that's a Larix japonica,
Japanese larch.

Right.

Oh, here's one.

They're conifer seeds,
all right.

But are they the right seeds?

How should I know?

Well, you're the expert.

Not on seed.

Have you any idea how many
species of plants there are?

And all of them with different
looking seeds.

No.

Well, neither do I. I mean,
it must run into millions.

That's a possible, though.

Well, that's it on my side.

Ok, so what have we got?

One unlabeled and one labeled
pinus Glabra.

I'm going to take these
out of the house.

Before anyone else
gets murdered.

I'm going to take them
to my good friend,

Trevor Squires at Kew.

Are you coming?

Um, do you mind of I don't?

I've got to go back
to the house and

leave the keys today.

And Nick's going to be
there about 5:00.

I really don't want to see him.

Ok.

See you later.

Right.

Ok Curtis, let's
get...

Inspector.

What?

Mr. And mrs. Minelli--

I saw them yesterday.

Saw them?

Saw them where?

At B, B, & B, the large
pharmaceutical firm--

the head office in Chiswick.

They looked as if they
worked there.

And you didn't see fit
to mention this?

I'm sorry.

I--

How is it going?

Fine.

Rosemary's gone to Kew with
some seeds we found.

I'm going for lunch.

Oh, fine.

I haven't done anything about
yours yet, aunt Audrey.

Can you make do with
a sandwich?

Caroline.

Well, I'm sorry.

Oh, is that yours?

No.

It's a laptop, isn't it?

I don't know, have a look.

Yes.

I think it might be Petra's.

There's a passport here.

I haven't got my glasses.

Yes, Petra McKinley.

Ah, a much-traveled lady.

The seeds.

He's just over there.

Taxi!

Kew Gardens, please.

So Edwin smuggled his seeds out
of Chile in the cushion.

What?

Oh, uh, sorry, nothing.

Uh, hang on there, hang on.

What?

Is Santiago in South America?

What?

Santiago.

Is it in South America?

Of course it is.

It's the capital of Chile.

Ah, no.

Bloody is.

Is this the--

The Chilean flag?

Why should I know?

Petra said she'd never
been to South America.

Are you one of these
madwomen?

I don't think eight weeks is
long enough to set up a whole

exhibition.

Trevor?

Who's there?

Rosemary.

There you are.

Come and see me
tomorrow, Tom.

We'll go through the whole
winter schedule.

What brings you here?

We've found some things that
I think could be Pinus

Pargeterensis.

No.

Absolutely.

This one's labeled
pinus Glabra.

Yes, but I think, uh, Edwin
Pargeter might have mislabeled

that deliberately.

Well, I don't know.

This one hasn't got
any label at all.

Tell you what.

These have got to go
down to Wakehurst.

They're the experts.

All right.

No.

Petra.

What are you doing here?

I want those.

Who is she?

Just hand them over.

Petra, don't.

Shut up!

Come on, I haven't got
time for this.

Don't think I won't use this.

You're not getting them.

Well, that's scarcely going
to kill me, is it?

Oh no, Trevor, careful.

It's been dipped in curare.

Oh my god.

You killed Jose Antonio.

Another bloody fall.

He cottoned on to what I was
asking questions about in

Chile and followed me.

Rosemary, catch.

Stupid fuck!

Excuse me, is Rosemary
Boxer here?

Yes.

She's up there.

The other woman's got a gun.

Call the police!

I have done.

Here, take this.

Guard it with your life.

Give me the seeds.

Go to hell!

Rosemary!

Have you got the seeds?

Of course I have.

But not for long.

Give them to her.

Put them on the floor
and back away.

Give them to her.

You're not going to get away
with this, you know.

Oh, shut up!

Don't try anything.

I've got a plane to catch.

I'll have those.

You're not very clever,
are you?

People in Texas got suspicious
when you suddenly left the

University and dashed
off to Chile.

Everybody knew what you'd
been researching.

Now give them to me.

Stay exactly where you are.

Put your guns on the ground
and your hands in the air.

What a pretty little
thing you were.

And such a delightful family--
your very handsome husband.

And little Matthew-- such
a clever child.

Where is he now, Laura?

He's a policeman too,
as a matter of fact.

There, you see.

Seems to remember
your name now.

Ladies and gentleman, mrs.
Laura Thyme has generously

decided to present these
uniquely rare seeds, which

offer so much to medicine,
to the departmento de

silvicultura in Santiago.

The Royal botanic Gardens at
Kew are honored to welcome

here today his excellency, the
Chilean ambassador, who will

presents mrs. Thyme with an
illuminated testimonial.

Thank you.

It's--

it's beautiful.

Ah, just a very few words.

It's the best sixpence I've ever
spent as a jumble sale.

Hello.

Let's hope this one's
not as much trouble as the

one round the corner.

Me too.

Eh, you didn't see a--
a cardboard box

around here, did you?

Afraid not.

Oh, well.

That's it.

Someone's nicked it.

Oh, what a shame, Laura.

Those few precious things
you wanted to keep.

Oh, who needs them?

I know who I am.

If anyone doesn't, I'll waive
my certificate at them.

Come on.

I must say, it's very generous
of you to hand over

the commercial rights
to Chile.

Who wants to be
a millionaire?

You want me to sing,
don't you?

I'd rather you didn't.