Original subtitles

Joanna.

Legs, legs. Well done.

Forward again, legs.

That's right. Who is that?

My darling? Oh, that's Linda. Linda Larch.

Her father was head groom here in the old days.

Good afternoon, sir. Who's my wife?

Karen? This is Mr. Whittier.

How do you do?

How do you do?

Bring in the cases, would you?

Ah, Mrs. Pardo.

Karen, darling, this is Mrs. Pardo.

She's been our housekeeper here since I was a child.

How do you do, Mrs. Pardo?

Mrs. Masterson.

Did you have a pleasant journey?

Yes, lovely, thank you.

We had a terrible journey. The plane was an hour late taking off.

Well, you're safely home now.

We've had the West Wing bedroom redecorated as you instructed, sir.

I think you'll find it satisfactory.

I'm sure we shall.

We'll go straight up, I think.

Calendar?

I never slept in a four -poster before.

You'll get used to it.

Mrs. Pardo will show you how everything works.

I don't think she liked me.

Of course she liked you.

And you'll like her.

She's amazing.

Runs the place like clockwork.

You won't have a thing to do.

But I want to.

I want to help you.

I know, my darling, I know. And so you shall.

Look, I've got to go down to the farm office for a bit. Will you be all right?

Mrs. Paddy will help you unpack.

Can't I come with you? I'd love to see the farm. Another time.

See you later.

Ian? Yes?

Give me a proper kiss.

Oh, I love you.

I love you.

And I'm not going to sit around doing nothing all day, so there.

Of course not. I wouldn't want you to. Good.

Come in.

Ah, Mrs. Pardo.

Mr. Williams has brought up the luggage, sir. Good, let him bring it in. I'm

just off. In the case, Mrs. Williams.

Would you like me to show Mrs.

Marcus and the other room, sir? Yes, would you?

Thank you, Williams. See you at dinner, darling.

Put them down over there, please.

Thank you, Miss William.

Thank you.

You'll be tired, I shouldn't wonder.

Why don't you lie down for a while? I can look after this.

Oh, that's very kind of you, but really, I... It was a great surprise to her

when Miss William got married again.

And so far away.

But you've been living in New York for long?

Yes, two years.

I was working there. Oh, yes.

Of course, we all hoped he'd have the wedding here, but I suppose with it

happening so quickly... Yes, it was rather sudden.

But he... Mr. Masterson wanted it that way.

Yes.

It's good to see him looking so well after what he's been through.

You look a bit pale, my dear, but I suppose you prefer to keep out of this,

don't you? I've never been to the West End before, so they say it's very nice.

Tell Karen that she'll have to learn to ride.

You can teach her, Linda.

I'd love to.

Have you ridden before?

No. Splendid. Then you won't have picked up any bad habits. We can start from

scratch. I'm not sure I'll be very much good.

Don't worry about that, darling.

Linda's a marvellous teacher.

All her pupils win prizes. Shut up, Ian.

You'll frighten the poor girl.

If I were you, Mrs Masterson, I should have nothing to do with horses.

Dangerous, temperamental creatures.

Duncan. My wife finds it hard to believe, but there are some of us who

aren't interested in the animals.

Well, of course, Karen doesn't have to learn to ride if she doesn't want to.

love to.

It's just that I... I know.

We'll take it gently at first, I promise.

You'll be awfully out of it round here if you don't try.

Ian, stop it.

You're not to bully her.

Was I?

Dear me.

I say, darling, are you going to pour our guests some coffee?

Oh, yes.

Sorry.

Who are you?

What are you doing here?

My name is Paul.

I believe I'm your stepson.

Paul?

Ian, your father said that you weren't coming back till next week.

Change of plan.

I arrived this morning.

There was no one about. Oh, they're all at the cricket match.

I had a headache, so I came home early.

You're Karen?

Yes.

You're younger than I thought you'd be, and prettier.

Thank you. What do you think of all this?

Well, it's beautiful.

Yes, the stately homes of England, how beautiful they stand to prove the upper

classes are still the upper hand.

They don't, of course, wear the last relic of a dying breed.

In ten years or so, this place will be a home for battered wives run by the

county council.

He's all right, really.

When I look at some of the youngsters these days, Paul seems amazingly

A bit bookish, perhaps.

God knows where he gets that from. His mother never read a book in her life.

What is studying at university?

History.

I say, darling, are you nearly ready?

We don't want to be late.

I suppose he'll resent me at first.

No, he mustn't.

Why should he?

I don't know.

The usual stepmother thing.

Well, that's just damn silly.

Darling, you really must stop imagining that people are against you.

First it was Mrs. Pardo, now Paul. I'm sorry, darling, but I can't help feeling

as if I'm not welcome here.

It's somehow as if this place didn't like me.

Oh, dear.

Oh, yes, I knew you'd laugh.

I've never heard anything so ridiculous. How did the place not like you? I don't

know, but I just feel that. Look, I can see that we're going to have to get you

more involved in the life down here.

Give you something to do.

Then you won't have time to brood. That's exactly what I want.

Why can't I help you down at the farm? I'm good at booking. When do you start

your writing with Linda?

Tomorrow, but if that's... Good. Well, that'll keep you going for a while.

You were very patient.

Oh, it's always a bit difficult in the beginning.

Thanks, Jimmy. I'll take Carraway out this afternoon. Come on to the house.

I expect you could do with a cup of tea.

You live here?

On the estate?

I'm sorry, I didn't realise.

Oh, yes.

Ian let me keep on my father's house after he died.

Well, it suits me wonderfully well, of course.

And Duncan prefers to live in the country and drive into his boring dental

surgery every day.

Faint?

I don't know.

You've gone quite pale.

Look, I'm going to take you up to the house, give you a stiff drink, and then

I'll drive you home.

Have you tried to do too much for a first lesson?

I've tired you out.

There.

That's better.

You'll be able to rest now.

I'll tell Mr. Ian when he comes in.

Mr. Ian?

Yes, dear.

How long has Linda lived here?

Oh, she's been on the estate for the best part of 30 years.

She was only a child when old Newton, that's her father, first came here.

She's nice, isn't she? She's a good lass.

Don't much care for that husband of hers with his airs and graces.

Gives her a hard time, too, by all accounts.

What do you mean?

Well, it's not my place to repeat things, but they say that he drinks.

Not that I've ever seen anything, mind.

Except just once or twice with Linda.

Well, I don't want to tell tales after school.

Go on, Mrs. Potter.

I've seen her some mornings when her eyes have been red with weeping.

Of course, she won't ever say a word against him. She's very loyal.

There.

That's better.

Now just lie back and go to sleep.

There's nothing to worry about, my dear.

And look after everything.

Are you all right?

Oh, my head.

What happened?

You must have skidded off the road. How long have you been here?

I don't know.

There was a cart.

A man in a cart coming round the corner.

I couldn't see.

Oh, Duncan, have I wrecked the car?

Well, I don't think it's too bad, but you certainly can't drive home. Come on,

let me help you out.

About five.

Good God, I must have been out about half an hour.

Half an hour?

That's extraordinary.

I can't have been the first person to pass you.

Why didn't anybody do anything?

I don't know.

Duncan, I've just remembered.

What?

The man.

The man driving the cart.

He was laughing.

Are you sure?

Yes, as I swerved to avoid hitting him, I saw him.

Just for a moment.

Before I skidded into the bank.

He was laughing.

Well, I expect you'll imagine.

What's more to the point is, where is he? Why didn't he go for help? You're

than a mile out of Longstanton.

Can't have taken him half an hour to get there and back.

You're being silly, darling.

The doctor gave you a clean bill of health. There's nothing wrong with you.

Maybe we should get a second opinion.

If you like.

But old Phipps is first rate.

He's looked after our family for years.

Ever since I fainted that time up at the stables.

I feel so tired all the time.

I can't understand it. You're sleeping all right, aren't you? Yes.

Ian, am I a disappointment to you?

Don't be ridiculous. Well, I keep imagining the strangest things.

What are you talking about?

It's difficult to explain, but...

I feel as if there's someone here, or something, that wishes me ill.

Oh, no, not that again.

How did Hillary die?

What? Your first wife.

You've never told me.

She was killed in a car crash.

It was a stupid accident. Nobody's fault, really.

A farmer from the other side of Longstead... A farmer?

With a cart?

No. Driving a tractor, actually.

But I don't see what that's got to do... Yes, but in a car accident.

Don't you see? I had a car accident too. There is something... Oh, Karen, for

God's sake, put yourself together.

You're behaving like a silly little girl. Hello, you two quarrelling again?

No, we were not quarrelling.

I was explaining to your stepmother... Don't use that word, Pa. Karen hates it.

Oh, does she?

I'm sorry. It has an unhappy association.

All those wicked stepmothers in fairy tales.

And you're not in the least wicked, are you, Karen?

Quite the reverse, I'd say. Don't talk to Karen like that. Sorry, Pa.

If you're planning to join us for dinner, perhaps you'll be good enough to

on a jacket.

Anything you say.

All right, Karen.

We'll go in.

He's an odd boy.

Bit of a loner.

He was very close to his mother, and when she died, he took it badly.

I'm afraid he's never got on very well with Ian.

I like him.

He seems to avoid me. Oh, he's all right.

A bit spooky.

Spooky? Well, all that black magic stuff.

I don't understand it, really, but he has all sorts of books of ancient

folklore. Old country spells, that sort of thing.

Apparently, there used to be a lot of it around here.

Hall has books of spells?

Yes. I'm sure he'd lend them to you if you're interested.

What's the matter?

Nothing.

Might be. What is it?

Linda.

Look, do you promise not to laugh at me?

Why should I laugh at you? Well, I know Ian thinks I'm imagining things, but...

Do you remember that time I fainted up here at the stable?

Yes. Well, ever since then, I've felt strange.

It's not exactly ill, but... It's as if I can't make my body do what I want it

to do.

Well, not without the most tremendous effort.

When I went to the doctor, he said that there was nothing physically wrong with

me. And then I was walking in the park one day, you know, the long walk by the

lake, and I heard a child crying.

I looked everywhere.

Nothing. And when I asked Ian, he said that there were no children on the

estate. He said that I was imagining it, but Linda, I heard it. I know I did.

Probably one of the local kids got into the garden somehow. No, no, no, you

don't understand.

It was a warning.

A child was trying to warn me.

Linda, you've got to help me.

Don't you see what it is? It's a spell.

I mean, I couldn't understand at first why I felt so unwanted here. And then

just now when you told me about Paul's book, everything made sense.

There is an evil spirit in this place that wants to get rid of me.

Look, Karen, I'm sure that what you thought... Linda, please help me.

I'm...

and it's all right, of course I'll help you.

There's nothing to be frightened of.

Probably what you heard was just some silly trick. Now, come on.

Dry your eyes.

There's a good girl.

I know the way he keeps his books.

Well, there may be some more in his room.

I can't find anything.

There's a lot here about witchcraft in the 16th century, but that's all

historical. I can't believe Paul would do such a thing, however much he may

dislike you. It doesn't have to be him.

It could be a curse on the house or something like that.

Are there any books on the history of this place?

I don't know of any.

Linda.

What was she like?

Hilary, Ian's first wife.

She was all right.

A bit bossy. Very possessive. Kept poor old Ian on the tight rein.

Was she beautiful?

Yes.

I expect she... She loved all this.

Passionately.

I don't think she cared about anything else, really.

Oh, I see what you mean.

You think he...

Let's get out of here. I suddenly feel cold.

Oh, Linda, what am I going to do?

She used to say... she couldn't bear to be away from this place.

Come on.

What do you want me to do?

I've been perfectly polite to her.

I can't help it if she won't talk to me. She thinks you don't like her. That's

silly. Damn it, at least you won't make the effort to get to know her.

I've done my best, but she's such a little mouth.

Don't talk about Karen like that. What she is.

God knows why you married her.

She has no idea how to cope with a big house. That's not the point. In any

case... Poor dad.

All you ever wanted was a wife who'd do the gracious lady of the manor bit.

First you gave a ma who couldn't be bothered, and now Karen, who hardly did

fuller nose outside the door. You should have married Linda.

I told you so at the time, if you remember. Oh, shut up. For God's sake,

up.

Prince of darkness, I make me a sign.

Now let mine enemy peak and pine.

May he be filled with teen and woe.

Death in the morning shall he know.

Oh, when will she be back? How the hell should I know?

Stupid bitch never tells me where she's going.

I thought she was up at the house with you.

No.

Perhaps she's keeping company with our lord and master.

Why don't you sit down and make yourself at home?

I'll get you a drink.

No.

No, thank you.

Sorry to bother you, but I think I'd better go. Carol, wait a minute. Don't

Talk to me.

We should be friends, you and I.

The way things are.

Oh, I know I'm a bit drunk tonight. Oh, Duncan, please. What's the matter? Don't

you like me?

Has she been putting down the poison again? I don't know what you mean.

Linda's never said anything to me.

No?

Hasn't she told you that I'm a drunk?

Sometimes I beat her up. Stop it.

Linda's been wonderful to me.

She's the only friend I've got here. Oh, you little fool.

Can't you see what's going on?

She hates you.

She always has.

She wouldn't care if you were dead.

In the month of October, the woman Pickworth was brought before me accused

witchcraft and the making of spells.

She denied it heartily and cried out that she was the victim of another's

malice.

She had written the name of her enemy on a piece of paper and placed it in an

empty drawer, she said, so that the spell laid upon her should return

against that person from whom it had Come.

Thank God. Are you all right?

Yes, I'm all right.

What's happened?

You haven't heard?

No, I suppose.

Well, it's Linda.

She's had the most terrible accident.

She was burned from her horse in the park this morning.

She was dead before they could get her to hospital.

Dead?

One of the lads found her.

They took her to the farm office.

She was barely conscious.

I must telephone Duncan.

I've spoken to Mr. Pardo and William.

Would you like me to drive you in?

Thanks, Paul.

In a moment.

I can't understand it.

She was such a brilliant horsewoman.

I'm sorry, darling.

I rather blurted it out.

I didn't think... I know you were fond of Linda.

Yes, I was.

I must telephone.

You sure you're all right?

Yes, I'm all right.

Poor old Linda.

What an awful thing.

I think this belongs to you.

What?

Oh, yes, it's one of my old exercise books.

How on earth did you get hold of it?

It was left in my room.

In your room?

Yes. Well, that's funny. I lent it to Linda a month or so ago.

I know.

It has all my notes about witchcraft and its part of the world during the 18th

and 19th century.

She said she was making a study of the subject.

Odd, really.

Not the sort of thing you'd have thought she'd be interested in.

No.

Well, thanks anyway.

Perhaps she was going to give it back to me and left it in your room by mistake.

Yes.

I expect it was something like that.

Poor old Linda.

Yes.

Poor old Linda.