The Pale Horse (2020–…): Season 1, Episode 1 - Part One - full transcript
A mysterious list of names is found in the shoe of a dead woman. What is the connection to the village of Much Deeping?
MUSIC: My Dream
by The Platters
# My dream
# Is a wondrous dream
# It's the answer too... #
What would you like to know?
# My dream... #
Am I going to make Mark happy?
SHE HUMS
Delphine?
Delphine!
FOOTSTEPS
Mark...
Mark, they need to cover her up now.
Cover her up?
What with?
The lid.
They need to put the lid on.
I don't know what to do...
without her.
I'm Miss Davis.
I have an appointment.
KNOCK AT DOOR
Miss Davis?
KNOCKING
Do you hear me in there, Jessie?
TELEPHONE RINGS
MUSIC: Shimmy, Shimmy, Ko-Ko-Bop
by Little Anthony and The Imperials
Sinners everywhere.
You are a sinner.
Most girls have good luck cards,
or photos of their kid.
My new lover's waiting for me.
You know he'll never leave her.
Who says I want him to?
# Sittin' in a native hut
Wonderin' what to do
# Along came a native girl
Did a native dance
# It was like in paradise
Put me in a trance
# Going shimmy shimmy ko-ko-bop
Shimmy shimmy bop
# Shimmy shimmy ko-ko-bop
Shimmy shimmy bop
# Joined her in her dancin' spree
Felt my spine a-tingle... #
SHE LAUGHS
Here we are again,
then, Mark.
It's better to feel something
than nothing.
You are going to burn in hell!
Hell is waiting for you sinners.
RECORD CRACKLES
Jesus Christ, Tommy, you've got
a bloody dead rat in your sink.
Let me find you somewhere else,
for God's sake.
Tommy?
HE GASPS
Ah...
Erm...
Mark?
Why are you throwing
your clothes away?
And where have you been all night?
I hit a cat.
What?
Yes.
I was coming home from dinner
with a client
and a cat ran out
in front of the car.
So I picked it up to see
if I could help it,
but it was no use, I'm afraid.
So much blood everywhere.
Oh, my God.
The poor thing. How horrible.
Don't think about it.
It'll only upset you.
Go on.
Vol-au-vents.
Cream of chicken.
Salmon and dill.
Asparagus rolls.
Ah, a quail's egg with celery salt.
Terrine and pate.
What do you think?
If you feed them that well,
they won't leave.
We need something sweet.
Maybe a fool or a syllabub.
Dessert and cheese...
TELEPHONE RINGS
DISTANT: Mark...
Mark?
It's the police.
Oh, I'm very sorry, Mr Osborne.
They should've closed her eyes.
Is that her, then,
Jessie Davis?
OK.
Ah, Mr Easterbrook?
Yes.
Detective Inspector Stanley Lejeune.
Do you two know each other?
No, not at all.
But you know each other's names?
Mark Easterbrook,
and Zachariah Osborne?
No. Erm, what is this?
Why am I here?
A woman's body was discovered
this morning.
We believe you had a connection
to her.
To Jessie, because of her list.
Oh, erm, would you mind taking
Mr Osborne home
for a nice sweet cup of tea
for the shock?
Thank you for your time.
Who's Jessie? What list?
A Miss Jessie Davis.
Found dead this morning.
Nothing suspect.
Had a fever.
Left the house for some reason,
but...
Well, she carked it.
Well, that's very sad, but I don't
know what it's got to do with me.
I didn't know her.
But she knew you.
So besides Osborne, you've
no connection to Jessie Davis?
The name Osborne means
nothing to me.
I've only just heard it,
only just saw the man.
Right, cos he owns a little shop
round the back of Griffiths Street
where Miss Davis actually worked.
Repairs.
Hardware.
That kind of thing.
You ever been there?
No.
How about this address, then?
7 West Benthall Road,
Shepherds Bush.
Is that where Miss Davis lived?
Do you know anyone who resides on
that street, or who lives in that
area?
No. And once again, for the hard
of hearing,
I know nothing about Jessie Davis.
Can I see?
Do you know anyone on this list?
Ormerod, Sandford,
Delafontaine, Parkinson,
Hesketh-Dubois, Shaw, Tuckerton...
..Ardingly...
Ardingly?
I know David Ardingly.
Oh, maybe.
And how do you know
this David Ardingly, then?
Our families have been
friends for years.
I've known him since he was born.
He's my godson.
But, well, how can you be sure
this'd be anything to do with him,
or his family?
I can't.
I mean, there's lot of Ardinglys
but there's a connection to you,
which is something.
Are David and I in danger?
I don't know.
Why am I the only one with
a question mark?
Again, I-I don't know, yet.
You see, this list might mean
nothing at all,
but to me it looks like something.
Can you watch my car for me?
That's a good lad.
HE RINGS DOORBELL
She'd been sickly a while.
She was the type, that Jessie.
The sickly type.
How would someone like her
know someone like you?
Well, that's what I'm trying
to find out.
She owed me rent.
Oh, well, we can't have that,
can we?
Erm, actually...
..if anyone should ask,
I was never here.
Mark...
..I'm getting the hang
of being a wife.
TELEPHONE RINGS
VOICE ON PHONE: Oscar Venables, 461.
Hello?
Is anyone there?
Hello?
MARK'S VOICE: I hit a cat.
Lovely day.
FLIES BUZZ
Did madam enjoy the cruise?
Oh, it was divine.
I dined at the captain's table
every night.
A so charming man, so attentive.
So what's Thomasina stolen
while I've been away.
She hasn't been to the house at all.
Oh.
Good.
Perhaps she's finally learning
to control herself.
An Inspector Lejeune rang the house.
Left a number for you to call back.
Oh, did he indeed?
Very demanding.
I'll take coffee
in the drawing room.
CONTEMPORARY MUSIC PLAYS
Mark?
You beautiful man.
David, thank Christ.
Have the police been to see you?
There was a message through the door
saying to telephone some inspector,
but I couldn't be bothered. Why?
It must have been so weird.
Did you have to get rid of
all her clothes?
Yes.
Of course.
What about her rings?
Please tell me he got you
your own rings.
New marriage, new rings.
It would never have lasted with
the first Mrs Easterbrook.
Everyone says.
It was infatuation.
The old demon, lust.
Must be strange that she died here.
You must feel like you're
competing with a ghost.
What do you mean, "Everyone says"?
You're very talked about, you know.
No.
I didn't know.
Is it true you were in love with him
for years?
Mark and I were friends.
Well, you got your man.
Finally.
And everyone says you're very
suitable.
So good at this sort of thing.
The looking after.
My marriage is based on a bit more
than canapes and "looking after".
There's respect,
and love.
SHE LAUGHS
Oh. You're adorable.
Have you heard of Much Deeping?
No, but it sounds pornographic,
so I'm all in favour.
What is it?
It's a village.
It's connected to the list.
You're very hung up
on this list.
Well, aren't you?
Our names were in
a dead woman's shoe.
Who else is on it?
Me, you and this, ah,
Osborne.
Well, if it's you, it's definitely
me, with a question mark.
I'm willing to bet that everyone
on that list has money.
Osborne's just a shopkeeper.
There's no such thing as
just a shopkeeper.
Someone's got our names
together for a scam.
It's a begging letter.
COCKNEY ACCENT: "Oh, please, help
us.
"My Ron's head got blowed off
in the war
"and I've got to stew me own leg
to feed the kiddies."
Aunt Clemency gets that
sort of thing all the time.
Yeah.
How is she?
In very rude health.
Unstoppable.
Mind like a steel trap.
She'll outlive us all.
I might go and see her, see if she
knows anything about Much Deeping.
Oh, for God's sake. It's a scam!
There's always some tawdry bastard
wants a hand-out.
Speaking of which,
any chance you could lend this
tawdry bastard a few quid?
You'll get it back.
You always say that.
Yes, but this time I mean it.
You always say that too.
Right...
You're a prince.
Going to take Poppy to
the Cote d'Azur for some sustained
and life-limiting depravity.
You should come, with Hermia.
Isn't that the point of
a young wife?
Do you ever feel that...
..that something's coming?
Something bad.
Mark, this comes from my heart.
You can get obsessive.
Don't get obsessed with this list
and this obscene-sounding
little village.
Delphine went there.
It was an accident.
There was nothing you
could have done,
and you'll drive yourself mad
thinking that there was.
And if you go mad,
I won't have anyone to
bale me out, will I?
Listen, erm...
Don't say anything to Hermia.
About the cat, or...?
Any of it.
Cross my heart and hope to die.
BANGING AT DOOR
MARK: Wake up.
Wake up.
Hello. Oh!
SHE LAUGHS
What brings you here?
I was passing.
How are you, Clemency?
I'm splendid,
as you can see.
What about my appalling nephew?
Have you laid eyes on him?
David's in the South of France.
Of course he is.
Touring the fleshpots.
Bone idle little sod.
I despair of him.
Still, perhaps his pursuit
of pleasure is the right idea,
as we're all going to die tomorrow.
How do you mean?
It's the end of the world, Mark.
If you believe the newspapers.
There's been nothing out of
the ordinary, though?
You're well?
Everything's ordinary
and I'm extremely well.
When have I not been? Idiot!
How are you?
Yeah, fine.
The people who say grief ends after
the funeral are talking
out of their raddled arses.
Help me finish this.
Then we'll have tea.
DOOR OPENS
Mr Easterbrook?
Mr Osborne.
Have you seen the papers today?
No, not yet.
Granville Shaw, aged 77,
died peacefully in hospital.
Margo Delafontaine, aged 69,
at home in her sleep.
Shaw.
Delafontaine.
Two names from the list.
There's nothing suspicious
about this.
They're both elderly.
I spent all of yesterday
in the library,
going through back issues of
the paper, looking for other names.
14th September 1960,
Roger Ormerod,
peacefully at home in Arbroath.
8th October 1960, Rene Sandford,
45,
peacefully after a short
illness.
10th January 1961,
Hubert Parkinson.
22nd April 1961,
Gerard Hesketh-Dubois.
All names from the list,
and now two more.
Murdered.
Look, it doesn't say that.
It said illness...
That's how it was meant to look,
but they was murdered.
Same as Jessie.
That wasn't a fever - it was murder.
That list is a list of victims.
You should be telling
the police this, not me.
I can't go to them.
They'd never believe me.
Why wouldn't they believe you?
I went to open the shop this morning
and I found this...
..tucked into the door.
Has anything like this
been left for you?
No.
It's their sign.
It means they're coming.
Who's coming?
The witches.
The witches?
They pretend it's just herbs
and fortunes and seances -
that's how they got Jessie involved.
But it's the devil's work they do
in Much Deeping.
I know Much Deeping, I've been
there, and I didn't see any witches.
And you'd think they'd stick out,
what with their pointy hats
and broomsticks.
They kill to order.
For money.
They-they do it with curses.
Curses and craft and spells
and hexes.
They raise demons and people die!
"And I looked, and behold,
a pale horse,
"and the name that sat on him was
Death, and Hell followed with him."
Mr Osborne, is that a temperance
badge you're wearing?
You don't drink?
Alcohol opens the door to Satan.
Hmm. Right.
Well, my advice to you is
to start drinking.
Heavily.
But first, fuck off.
They're going to kill us too...
Yes, well, I'm sure they are.
Thank you very much for
the entertainment.
Bye.
HE BANGS ON DOOR
Everyone on that list is dead,
Mr Easterbrook!
They're all dead except for you,
me and Ardingly.
And they're coming for us.
They're coming!
MARK'S VOICE: Blood everywhere.
Never get it out.
MUSIC:
Trois Gnossiennes by Erik Satie
SHE SCREAMS
Listen, do you want to go to
a fair this weekend?
Dodgems and helter-skelters?
No, a village fair.
I was on a valuation,
I saw the poster.
I thought it might be quite fun to
get out of London for a bit.
That does sound nice.
What did you do with the cat?
I put it in a hedge.
I didn't want a child to find it.
Because of the mess, the blood?
Exactly.
It must've belonged to someone.
The cat.
I suppose so. Yeah.
You should go back.
See if you can find out
who it belonged to.
They're probably worried sick,
wondering what happened to
Mr Tiddles.
What street were you on?
I don't remember.
You don't remember? No.
I was lost. It was just a street.
Why, why, why are you going on
about the cat?
It just makes me sad.
Poor Mr Tiddles.
Oh...
We've been visited by an angel.
I'll get the dessert.
Thomasina?
SHE KNOCKS ON DOOR
Thomasina, darling?
Someone help me!
Please!
FLY BUZZES
Help me!
I should never have gone away
on holiday.
I shall never forgive
myself for not being here...
Mrs Tuckerton...
..can you think of any reason why
your stepdaughter's name
might be on a list?
A list? A list of names.
And nearly...
Well, nearly all
the people on it are dead.
TEARFULLY: I don't know.
Oh, poor Tommy.
What had she got involved with?
I'm so excited for our fun day out.
ENGINE REVS
Ah, how charming.
Oh...
SOLEMN DRUMBEATS
DRUMMING GETS LOUDER
Mark!
CROWD CHANTS: Cut the King!
Cut the King! Cut the King!
Shhhhhh.
Cut the King, cut the King...
Oscar Venables shall cut the King!
CHEERING
Oscar!
It's him.
HEAD THUDS
CHEERING,
PANS CLATTERING
Well, thank you so much,
Mark, for this fun day out.
I'm off to find a strong drink.
You're following me.
I don't care to be followed.
What do you want?
I was trying to get away from
everyone. I...
Not very good with crowds.
I'm no good in crowds either.
They'll settle down now
the parade's over.
Do you want your fortune told?
Read your tea leaves,
your palm, or the cards.
Only a shilling.
All proceeds for the church roof.
I'll make a donation.
My name's Mark Easterbrook.
How do? Do you know my name?
Should we?
How about Jessie Davis?
Miss Jessie Davis? Do you know her?
No, I don't think so.
I think she came here.
Maybe to see you?
Lots of people come to see us
at The Pale Horse.
You'd be surprised.
Thyrza thinks you want
something from us.
Me? No, I'm not superstitious, so...
It's more for children
and neurotic old maids, isn't it?
No, I'm a rational man.
A master of the universe.
HE CHUCKLES
We're all rational
when the sun's shining.
Different when it goes dark.
There's a girl standing next to you.
A girl with a red handbag.
And she's gone.
Shy.
Felt duty bound to buy some jam.
Want your fortune told?
No. We're going.
We just got here. We're going.
Did you say something to them?
To who?
Those women. Those three women.
I didn't talk to them at all.
Come on, you must've said something.
You must've told them
something about me.
I didn't say anything to anyone.
For God's sake,
what's the matter with you?
BANGING ON DOOR
BANGING ON DOOR
ECHOING IN HIS HEAD:
Do you want your fortune told?
Um...
# My dream
# Is a wondrous dream
# It's the answer too... #
This is sad.
She died in her sleep.
So no-one noticed
when she didn't come into work.
Not that you can call being
a hostess in a nightclub "work".
Lay there for days.
Imagine.
No-one caring about you
enough to know you weren't there.
I'm going to get dressed.
WHISPERS: I'm sorry.
Goodbye, dearest Thomasina.
DOOR CLOSES HEAVILY
They found Mrs Ardingly this
morning.
It was a heart attack.
Our man here says it
just about exploded.
She wouldn't have felt a thing.
Where's the nephew?
David's abroad.
I don't... I can track him down.
He'll be bereft.
He adored her.
We both did.
Well...
..sorry for your loss.
Bad whelks.
Any reason why David Ardingly didn't
come and see me as requested?
He thought it was a scam.
People trying to get money.
He said his aunt often got letters
like that. Begging letters.
Yeah, she did.
Generous lady, by all accounts.
Gave a lot to donkey sanctuaries.
Yes, that sounds like her.
So, have you had any
thoughts about the list,
why your name should be on it?
Anyone past or present that might
take a special interest in you?
No.
See these people, Mr Easterbrook?
They're all dead.
They all died of varied
natural causes.
But the fact of the matter is,
they are all dead.
Now, you're the only one on that
list with their name in full
and a question mark.
Thank you so much for reminding me.
Completely slipped my mind.
You see, I think that
you're holding out on me.
I think there's something
you're not telling me
that you probably should.
There isn't.
I don't expect you to be a saint,
or done nothing wrong,
but if you've got an enemy,
I need to know about it.
I don't have...enemies.
I'm not keeping anything from you.
I promise. My gut says otherwise.
It's probably the bad whelks.
You know, it's not your job to work
things out, it's my job,
and I'm very good at it.
I'll get there in the end.
I always do.
Right...
Thank you very much.
It must have been terrible to
lose your first wife that way.
"Terrible"...
..doesn't come anywhere near it.
Anywhere near. I'm sure.
And again - sorry for your loss.
Thank you.
Do you believe me now?
I don't know.
No.
It's impossible.
Are strange things happening to you?
Strange things in your mind?
Yes. And me.
Dreams.
I'm not a dreaming man.
Never have been. But now...
..I'm scared to close my eyes.
Jessie, Miss Davis, she...
Her face never leaves me.
Thomasina Tuckerton.
I knew her.
I mean, I...
I wa... I was with her.
I woke up beside her.
She was dead.
But you're married.
I know.
I liked her.
We had things in common.
You must think me very unworldly.
I ran.
VOICE BREAKING: I just left her.
She was fine before.
Was fine.
Then she was dead.
You, you didn't tell the Inspector
about Miss Tuckerton?
No. I can't now, can I?
It looks suspicious.
Looks like I had something to do
with it, I didn't. I just panicked.
I had nothing to do with it.
Of course you didn't. It was them.
Her hair came away in my hand.
Jessie's hair was falling out.
Was she part of it?
You said she was involved with them.
Seances.
I told her to stay well out of it,
but she wouldn't listen,
wanted to talk to her old mum.
Why did she have the list?
She was on to them -
the witches. Stop calling them that!
That's why they did for her.
They've got me in their sights
because I know too much.
I know about them. That's why
they've got to get rid of me!
Did Miss Davis mention a man
called Oscar Venables?
No. Who's he? He lives in Much
Deeping. I think he's the one
who's pulling the strings. Jessie
just talked about the witches,
their magic. There is no magic!
It's a trick, a sleight of hand,
levers and pulleys and puffs of
smoke and people wanting to believe
because they're credulous morons.
Those three women aren't unusual,
they're just sour old bitches.
No, there's a trick.
I'm going to find out what it is.
Be careful!
You're here again.
WHY are you here?
My wife died.
I'm sorry.
What has that to do with me?
It's everything to do with you.
I don't know
who you're talking about.
She came here the day she died.
She was with you.
She put your name and number down.
In her handbag.
My wife.
Delphine Easterbrook.
I gave her a lift to the
railway station.
She missed her bus.
I gave her my number in case
she had a problem with the train.
She-she wanted to get home,
she was upset.
Because of you. No, because...
..she'd been told her marriage
wouldn't last.
That her husband would be married to
someone else by the autumn.
And, er...
..I was trying to be kind.
So...
She went to them?
Those three?
But I did marry someone else.
How could they know that?
Enjoy your walk.
ENGINE REVS
TYRES SCREECH
FLOORBOARDS CREAK
What would you like to know?
Am I going to make Mark happy?
It won't last.
By autumn, he will be married to
someone else.
HE BREATHES RAPIDLY
HE EXHALES
by The Platters
# My dream
# Is a wondrous dream
# It's the answer too... #
What would you like to know?
# My dream... #
Am I going to make Mark happy?
SHE HUMS
Delphine?
Delphine!
FOOTSTEPS
Mark...
Mark, they need to cover her up now.
Cover her up?
What with?
The lid.
They need to put the lid on.
I don't know what to do...
without her.
I'm Miss Davis.
I have an appointment.
KNOCK AT DOOR
Miss Davis?
KNOCKING
Do you hear me in there, Jessie?
TELEPHONE RINGS
MUSIC: Shimmy, Shimmy, Ko-Ko-Bop
by Little Anthony and The Imperials
Sinners everywhere.
You are a sinner.
Most girls have good luck cards,
or photos of their kid.
My new lover's waiting for me.
You know he'll never leave her.
Who says I want him to?
# Sittin' in a native hut
Wonderin' what to do
# Along came a native girl
Did a native dance
# It was like in paradise
Put me in a trance
# Going shimmy shimmy ko-ko-bop
Shimmy shimmy bop
# Shimmy shimmy ko-ko-bop
Shimmy shimmy bop
# Joined her in her dancin' spree
Felt my spine a-tingle... #
SHE LAUGHS
Here we are again,
then, Mark.
It's better to feel something
than nothing.
You are going to burn in hell!
Hell is waiting for you sinners.
RECORD CRACKLES
Jesus Christ, Tommy, you've got
a bloody dead rat in your sink.
Let me find you somewhere else,
for God's sake.
Tommy?
HE GASPS
Ah...
Erm...
Mark?
Why are you throwing
your clothes away?
And where have you been all night?
I hit a cat.
What?
Yes.
I was coming home from dinner
with a client
and a cat ran out
in front of the car.
So I picked it up to see
if I could help it,
but it was no use, I'm afraid.
So much blood everywhere.
Oh, my God.
The poor thing. How horrible.
Don't think about it.
It'll only upset you.
Go on.
Vol-au-vents.
Cream of chicken.
Salmon and dill.
Asparagus rolls.
Ah, a quail's egg with celery salt.
Terrine and pate.
What do you think?
If you feed them that well,
they won't leave.
We need something sweet.
Maybe a fool or a syllabub.
Dessert and cheese...
TELEPHONE RINGS
DISTANT: Mark...
Mark?
It's the police.
Oh, I'm very sorry, Mr Osborne.
They should've closed her eyes.
Is that her, then,
Jessie Davis?
OK.
Ah, Mr Easterbrook?
Yes.
Detective Inspector Stanley Lejeune.
Do you two know each other?
No, not at all.
But you know each other's names?
Mark Easterbrook,
and Zachariah Osborne?
No. Erm, what is this?
Why am I here?
A woman's body was discovered
this morning.
We believe you had a connection
to her.
To Jessie, because of her list.
Oh, erm, would you mind taking
Mr Osborne home
for a nice sweet cup of tea
for the shock?
Thank you for your time.
Who's Jessie? What list?
A Miss Jessie Davis.
Found dead this morning.
Nothing suspect.
Had a fever.
Left the house for some reason,
but...
Well, she carked it.
Well, that's very sad, but I don't
know what it's got to do with me.
I didn't know her.
But she knew you.
So besides Osborne, you've
no connection to Jessie Davis?
The name Osborne means
nothing to me.
I've only just heard it,
only just saw the man.
Right, cos he owns a little shop
round the back of Griffiths Street
where Miss Davis actually worked.
Repairs.
Hardware.
That kind of thing.
You ever been there?
No.
How about this address, then?
7 West Benthall Road,
Shepherds Bush.
Is that where Miss Davis lived?
Do you know anyone who resides on
that street, or who lives in that
area?
No. And once again, for the hard
of hearing,
I know nothing about Jessie Davis.
Can I see?
Do you know anyone on this list?
Ormerod, Sandford,
Delafontaine, Parkinson,
Hesketh-Dubois, Shaw, Tuckerton...
..Ardingly...
Ardingly?
I know David Ardingly.
Oh, maybe.
And how do you know
this David Ardingly, then?
Our families have been
friends for years.
I've known him since he was born.
He's my godson.
But, well, how can you be sure
this'd be anything to do with him,
or his family?
I can't.
I mean, there's lot of Ardinglys
but there's a connection to you,
which is something.
Are David and I in danger?
I don't know.
Why am I the only one with
a question mark?
Again, I-I don't know, yet.
You see, this list might mean
nothing at all,
but to me it looks like something.
Can you watch my car for me?
That's a good lad.
HE RINGS DOORBELL
She'd been sickly a while.
She was the type, that Jessie.
The sickly type.
How would someone like her
know someone like you?
Well, that's what I'm trying
to find out.
She owed me rent.
Oh, well, we can't have that,
can we?
Erm, actually...
..if anyone should ask,
I was never here.
Mark...
..I'm getting the hang
of being a wife.
TELEPHONE RINGS
VOICE ON PHONE: Oscar Venables, 461.
Hello?
Is anyone there?
Hello?
MARK'S VOICE: I hit a cat.
Lovely day.
FLIES BUZZ
Did madam enjoy the cruise?
Oh, it was divine.
I dined at the captain's table
every night.
A so charming man, so attentive.
So what's Thomasina stolen
while I've been away.
She hasn't been to the house at all.
Oh.
Good.
Perhaps she's finally learning
to control herself.
An Inspector Lejeune rang the house.
Left a number for you to call back.
Oh, did he indeed?
Very demanding.
I'll take coffee
in the drawing room.
CONTEMPORARY MUSIC PLAYS
Mark?
You beautiful man.
David, thank Christ.
Have the police been to see you?
There was a message through the door
saying to telephone some inspector,
but I couldn't be bothered. Why?
It must have been so weird.
Did you have to get rid of
all her clothes?
Yes.
Of course.
What about her rings?
Please tell me he got you
your own rings.
New marriage, new rings.
It would never have lasted with
the first Mrs Easterbrook.
Everyone says.
It was infatuation.
The old demon, lust.
Must be strange that she died here.
You must feel like you're
competing with a ghost.
What do you mean, "Everyone says"?
You're very talked about, you know.
No.
I didn't know.
Is it true you were in love with him
for years?
Mark and I were friends.
Well, you got your man.
Finally.
And everyone says you're very
suitable.
So good at this sort of thing.
The looking after.
My marriage is based on a bit more
than canapes and "looking after".
There's respect,
and love.
SHE LAUGHS
Oh. You're adorable.
Have you heard of Much Deeping?
No, but it sounds pornographic,
so I'm all in favour.
What is it?
It's a village.
It's connected to the list.
You're very hung up
on this list.
Well, aren't you?
Our names were in
a dead woman's shoe.
Who else is on it?
Me, you and this, ah,
Osborne.
Well, if it's you, it's definitely
me, with a question mark.
I'm willing to bet that everyone
on that list has money.
Osborne's just a shopkeeper.
There's no such thing as
just a shopkeeper.
Someone's got our names
together for a scam.
It's a begging letter.
COCKNEY ACCENT: "Oh, please, help
us.
"My Ron's head got blowed off
in the war
"and I've got to stew me own leg
to feed the kiddies."
Aunt Clemency gets that
sort of thing all the time.
Yeah.
How is she?
In very rude health.
Unstoppable.
Mind like a steel trap.
She'll outlive us all.
I might go and see her, see if she
knows anything about Much Deeping.
Oh, for God's sake. It's a scam!
There's always some tawdry bastard
wants a hand-out.
Speaking of which,
any chance you could lend this
tawdry bastard a few quid?
You'll get it back.
You always say that.
Yes, but this time I mean it.
You always say that too.
Right...
You're a prince.
Going to take Poppy to
the Cote d'Azur for some sustained
and life-limiting depravity.
You should come, with Hermia.
Isn't that the point of
a young wife?
Do you ever feel that...
..that something's coming?
Something bad.
Mark, this comes from my heart.
You can get obsessive.
Don't get obsessed with this list
and this obscene-sounding
little village.
Delphine went there.
It was an accident.
There was nothing you
could have done,
and you'll drive yourself mad
thinking that there was.
And if you go mad,
I won't have anyone to
bale me out, will I?
Listen, erm...
Don't say anything to Hermia.
About the cat, or...?
Any of it.
Cross my heart and hope to die.
BANGING AT DOOR
MARK: Wake up.
Wake up.
Hello. Oh!
SHE LAUGHS
What brings you here?
I was passing.
How are you, Clemency?
I'm splendid,
as you can see.
What about my appalling nephew?
Have you laid eyes on him?
David's in the South of France.
Of course he is.
Touring the fleshpots.
Bone idle little sod.
I despair of him.
Still, perhaps his pursuit
of pleasure is the right idea,
as we're all going to die tomorrow.
How do you mean?
It's the end of the world, Mark.
If you believe the newspapers.
There's been nothing out of
the ordinary, though?
You're well?
Everything's ordinary
and I'm extremely well.
When have I not been? Idiot!
How are you?
Yeah, fine.
The people who say grief ends after
the funeral are talking
out of their raddled arses.
Help me finish this.
Then we'll have tea.
DOOR OPENS
Mr Easterbrook?
Mr Osborne.
Have you seen the papers today?
No, not yet.
Granville Shaw, aged 77,
died peacefully in hospital.
Margo Delafontaine, aged 69,
at home in her sleep.
Shaw.
Delafontaine.
Two names from the list.
There's nothing suspicious
about this.
They're both elderly.
I spent all of yesterday
in the library,
going through back issues of
the paper, looking for other names.
14th September 1960,
Roger Ormerod,
peacefully at home in Arbroath.
8th October 1960, Rene Sandford,
45,
peacefully after a short
illness.
10th January 1961,
Hubert Parkinson.
22nd April 1961,
Gerard Hesketh-Dubois.
All names from the list,
and now two more.
Murdered.
Look, it doesn't say that.
It said illness...
That's how it was meant to look,
but they was murdered.
Same as Jessie.
That wasn't a fever - it was murder.
That list is a list of victims.
You should be telling
the police this, not me.
I can't go to them.
They'd never believe me.
Why wouldn't they believe you?
I went to open the shop this morning
and I found this...
..tucked into the door.
Has anything like this
been left for you?
No.
It's their sign.
It means they're coming.
Who's coming?
The witches.
The witches?
They pretend it's just herbs
and fortunes and seances -
that's how they got Jessie involved.
But it's the devil's work they do
in Much Deeping.
I know Much Deeping, I've been
there, and I didn't see any witches.
And you'd think they'd stick out,
what with their pointy hats
and broomsticks.
They kill to order.
For money.
They-they do it with curses.
Curses and craft and spells
and hexes.
They raise demons and people die!
"And I looked, and behold,
a pale horse,
"and the name that sat on him was
Death, and Hell followed with him."
Mr Osborne, is that a temperance
badge you're wearing?
You don't drink?
Alcohol opens the door to Satan.
Hmm. Right.
Well, my advice to you is
to start drinking.
Heavily.
But first, fuck off.
They're going to kill us too...
Yes, well, I'm sure they are.
Thank you very much for
the entertainment.
Bye.
HE BANGS ON DOOR
Everyone on that list is dead,
Mr Easterbrook!
They're all dead except for you,
me and Ardingly.
And they're coming for us.
They're coming!
MARK'S VOICE: Blood everywhere.
Never get it out.
MUSIC:
Trois Gnossiennes by Erik Satie
SHE SCREAMS
Listen, do you want to go to
a fair this weekend?
Dodgems and helter-skelters?
No, a village fair.
I was on a valuation,
I saw the poster.
I thought it might be quite fun to
get out of London for a bit.
That does sound nice.
What did you do with the cat?
I put it in a hedge.
I didn't want a child to find it.
Because of the mess, the blood?
Exactly.
It must've belonged to someone.
The cat.
I suppose so. Yeah.
You should go back.
See if you can find out
who it belonged to.
They're probably worried sick,
wondering what happened to
Mr Tiddles.
What street were you on?
I don't remember.
You don't remember? No.
I was lost. It was just a street.
Why, why, why are you going on
about the cat?
It just makes me sad.
Poor Mr Tiddles.
Oh...
We've been visited by an angel.
I'll get the dessert.
Thomasina?
SHE KNOCKS ON DOOR
Thomasina, darling?
Someone help me!
Please!
FLY BUZZES
Help me!
I should never have gone away
on holiday.
I shall never forgive
myself for not being here...
Mrs Tuckerton...
..can you think of any reason why
your stepdaughter's name
might be on a list?
A list? A list of names.
And nearly...
Well, nearly all
the people on it are dead.
TEARFULLY: I don't know.
Oh, poor Tommy.
What had she got involved with?
I'm so excited for our fun day out.
ENGINE REVS
Ah, how charming.
Oh...
SOLEMN DRUMBEATS
DRUMMING GETS LOUDER
Mark!
CROWD CHANTS: Cut the King!
Cut the King! Cut the King!
Shhhhhh.
Cut the King, cut the King...
Oscar Venables shall cut the King!
CHEERING
Oscar!
It's him.
HEAD THUDS
CHEERING,
PANS CLATTERING
Well, thank you so much,
Mark, for this fun day out.
I'm off to find a strong drink.
You're following me.
I don't care to be followed.
What do you want?
I was trying to get away from
everyone. I...
Not very good with crowds.
I'm no good in crowds either.
They'll settle down now
the parade's over.
Do you want your fortune told?
Read your tea leaves,
your palm, or the cards.
Only a shilling.
All proceeds for the church roof.
I'll make a donation.
My name's Mark Easterbrook.
How do? Do you know my name?
Should we?
How about Jessie Davis?
Miss Jessie Davis? Do you know her?
No, I don't think so.
I think she came here.
Maybe to see you?
Lots of people come to see us
at The Pale Horse.
You'd be surprised.
Thyrza thinks you want
something from us.
Me? No, I'm not superstitious, so...
It's more for children
and neurotic old maids, isn't it?
No, I'm a rational man.
A master of the universe.
HE CHUCKLES
We're all rational
when the sun's shining.
Different when it goes dark.
There's a girl standing next to you.
A girl with a red handbag.
And she's gone.
Shy.
Felt duty bound to buy some jam.
Want your fortune told?
No. We're going.
We just got here. We're going.
Did you say something to them?
To who?
Those women. Those three women.
I didn't talk to them at all.
Come on, you must've said something.
You must've told them
something about me.
I didn't say anything to anyone.
For God's sake,
what's the matter with you?
BANGING ON DOOR
BANGING ON DOOR
ECHOING IN HIS HEAD:
Do you want your fortune told?
Um...
# My dream
# Is a wondrous dream
# It's the answer too... #
This is sad.
She died in her sleep.
So no-one noticed
when she didn't come into work.
Not that you can call being
a hostess in a nightclub "work".
Lay there for days.
Imagine.
No-one caring about you
enough to know you weren't there.
I'm going to get dressed.
WHISPERS: I'm sorry.
Goodbye, dearest Thomasina.
DOOR CLOSES HEAVILY
They found Mrs Ardingly this
morning.
It was a heart attack.
Our man here says it
just about exploded.
She wouldn't have felt a thing.
Where's the nephew?
David's abroad.
I don't... I can track him down.
He'll be bereft.
He adored her.
We both did.
Well...
..sorry for your loss.
Bad whelks.
Any reason why David Ardingly didn't
come and see me as requested?
He thought it was a scam.
People trying to get money.
He said his aunt often got letters
like that. Begging letters.
Yeah, she did.
Generous lady, by all accounts.
Gave a lot to donkey sanctuaries.
Yes, that sounds like her.
So, have you had any
thoughts about the list,
why your name should be on it?
Anyone past or present that might
take a special interest in you?
No.
See these people, Mr Easterbrook?
They're all dead.
They all died of varied
natural causes.
But the fact of the matter is,
they are all dead.
Now, you're the only one on that
list with their name in full
and a question mark.
Thank you so much for reminding me.
Completely slipped my mind.
You see, I think that
you're holding out on me.
I think there's something
you're not telling me
that you probably should.
There isn't.
I don't expect you to be a saint,
or done nothing wrong,
but if you've got an enemy,
I need to know about it.
I don't have...enemies.
I'm not keeping anything from you.
I promise. My gut says otherwise.
It's probably the bad whelks.
You know, it's not your job to work
things out, it's my job,
and I'm very good at it.
I'll get there in the end.
I always do.
Right...
Thank you very much.
It must have been terrible to
lose your first wife that way.
"Terrible"...
..doesn't come anywhere near it.
Anywhere near. I'm sure.
And again - sorry for your loss.
Thank you.
Do you believe me now?
I don't know.
No.
It's impossible.
Are strange things happening to you?
Strange things in your mind?
Yes. And me.
Dreams.
I'm not a dreaming man.
Never have been. But now...
..I'm scared to close my eyes.
Jessie, Miss Davis, she...
Her face never leaves me.
Thomasina Tuckerton.
I knew her.
I mean, I...
I wa... I was with her.
I woke up beside her.
She was dead.
But you're married.
I know.
I liked her.
We had things in common.
You must think me very unworldly.
I ran.
VOICE BREAKING: I just left her.
She was fine before.
Was fine.
Then she was dead.
You, you didn't tell the Inspector
about Miss Tuckerton?
No. I can't now, can I?
It looks suspicious.
Looks like I had something to do
with it, I didn't. I just panicked.
I had nothing to do with it.
Of course you didn't. It was them.
Her hair came away in my hand.
Jessie's hair was falling out.
Was she part of it?
You said she was involved with them.
Seances.
I told her to stay well out of it,
but she wouldn't listen,
wanted to talk to her old mum.
Why did she have the list?
She was on to them -
the witches. Stop calling them that!
That's why they did for her.
They've got me in their sights
because I know too much.
I know about them. That's why
they've got to get rid of me!
Did Miss Davis mention a man
called Oscar Venables?
No. Who's he? He lives in Much
Deeping. I think he's the one
who's pulling the strings. Jessie
just talked about the witches,
their magic. There is no magic!
It's a trick, a sleight of hand,
levers and pulleys and puffs of
smoke and people wanting to believe
because they're credulous morons.
Those three women aren't unusual,
they're just sour old bitches.
No, there's a trick.
I'm going to find out what it is.
Be careful!
You're here again.
WHY are you here?
My wife died.
I'm sorry.
What has that to do with me?
It's everything to do with you.
I don't know
who you're talking about.
She came here the day she died.
She was with you.
She put your name and number down.
In her handbag.
My wife.
Delphine Easterbrook.
I gave her a lift to the
railway station.
She missed her bus.
I gave her my number in case
she had a problem with the train.
She-she wanted to get home,
she was upset.
Because of you. No, because...
..she'd been told her marriage
wouldn't last.
That her husband would be married to
someone else by the autumn.
And, er...
..I was trying to be kind.
So...
She went to them?
Those three?
But I did marry someone else.
How could they know that?
Enjoy your walk.
ENGINE REVS
TYRES SCREECH
FLOORBOARDS CREAK
What would you like to know?
Am I going to make Mark happy?
It won't last.
By autumn, he will be married to
someone else.
HE BREATHES RAPIDLY
HE EXHALES