Original subtitles

Oh, this is a curious visitation.

The execution's not till next week, Father.

Not that I'll be requesting the last rites.

It's the time for your hanging drawers near. You may wish for counsel, and I

will be happy to give it, but that is not why I'm here.

Mr Harrow, may I sit?

I'm here at the request of a friend who has reason to believe that your fourth

and final victim, Mrs. Sophie Blackthorne, was not, in fact, murdered

Does she know?

I am asking you for the truth.

Are you responsible for all the murders for which you have been condemned?

Who's your friend?

Someone who loved Sophie Blackthorn very much and still mourns her loss.

Well, you can tell her from the very bottom of my heart that I am very, very

sorry.

Because I never had the pleasure of killing Sophie.

You didn't mention this at your trial.

What would have been the point?

And when the other three convictions were entirely correct, besides, there's

something rather delicious about it, don't you think?

There's someone else out there who died away with murder.

Well, Father, what did he say?

He said he didn't kill Sophie.

Do you believe him?

My feeling is that he is saying the truth.

However, William Harrow sports in human suffering.

Sowing seeds of doubt in the minds of his loved ones' victims may simply be

of his game, which is why we cannot take him at his word.

Agreed.

So what do we do about it?

We find out the truth ourselves.

The bride killings?

Four newly married women were snatched over several months and laid out like

reposing brides in the woods of Wiltshire.

All of them were stabbed once through the heart and left holding a single

rose. My goddaughter, Sophie Blackthorn, was one of them.

Oh, I'm so sorry.

Lady Felicia, forgive me, but...

What makes you think William Harrow wasn't responsible for Sophie's death?

Two things.

Firstly, a young man called Daniel Price came to see me last week. He's a

student of Professor Pritchard.

The forensic pathologist.

I've read one of his books. I love him.

Not nearly as much as he loves himself, but I digress.

Daniel is convinced Sophie was in fact murdered by her husband, Ralph.

Is he usually the husband?

I don't doubt it.

But in this instance, I do.

Ralph is a good man.

And he loves Sophie dearly.

And what was the second thing?

Sophie wrote to me on the day that she died.

He wanted to see the letter, Father. Thank you.

She often asked for my advice on small matters of the heart.

But it seemed rather more serious.

I didn't receive the letter in time.

I saw something, and I can't make sense of it.

I'm afraid it would change everything.

Aunty Fee, I know you'll know what to do.

Could the matter to which she alludes have led to her death, staged to mimic

crimes of William Harrer?

But the details of his murders weren't published until the trial.

So who else?

Apart from the police. I had inside information.

Professor Pritchard advised on the case and he was far from discreet about it.

Which is why I have us all invites to the private opening of the Blackthorn

Institute this Saturday.

Oh, what's the Blackthorn Institute?

Oh, look at that little barstool.

Originally, it was a Cistercian abbey before the Reformation.

I hear they converted an old chapel for the lectorum and turned the wine cellars

into a morgue.

You didn't say there'd be a morgue.

I didn't like you to be a scaredy -cat.

Look at it.

A new frontier in criminology. Isn't it exciting?

Well, not as exciting as new market horse races, which we're missing.

Brenda, please tell me Father Brown hasn't introduced you to gambling on

No, of course not.

I introduced myself.

Our race is at 6 .30.

Ralph.

Oh.

The place looks magnificent.

Thank you, Lady Felicia. Still a work in progress, but we're almost there.

Sophie will be very proud.

Sorry to interrupt.

Not at all. How are you, Ernie? Very well, thank you.

May I borrow my brother for a moment?

Busy day.

Father, that's Professor Pritchard.

I have to meet him.

No, I'll say something stupid.

It's divine you won't. Come with me.

Professor, I love you.

I mean, I love your work.

Smile.

Mr Daniel Price?

Yes.

I was hoping to meet you.

Lady Felicia tells me you are reinvestigating the murder of Sophie

Have you made any progress?

Um, there will be.

Sooner than you think.

Did you know the white rose found on Mrs. Blackthorne's body was shop

Whereas the others came from Harrow's mother's garden.

How interesting.

And consider this. Unlike the first three, the vehicle used to abduct Mrs.

Blackthorne... was never found.

Can I borrow the keys to Hercules?

What for?

I wondered if you'd remember me.

How are you, Lady Philippa? I'm very well. I'm very well. Gosh, it's been

How's your mother?

Enjoying retirement, thank you.

And what on earth brings you here?

I'm Professor Pritchard's love assistant.

Actually, I'm kind of everyone's assistant.

How do you know the Blackthorn?

I was friends with Sophie's parents.

And Sophie, of course.

It's hard to believe that all three are gone now.

Yes.

Very sad.

Ladies and gentlemen, Ralph would like to say a few words.

Thank you, everyone, for coming.

Welcome to the Blackthorn Institute.

As many of you may know, the forensic pathology department took up a single

drafty room at my old university, led by the brilliant...

Professor Pritchard, I'm delighted he's agreed to join me here to continue his

pioneering work, leading the way for the next generation of students.

Everything we've built here is dedicated to my late wife, Sophie, who

was taken from us just six months ago.

My hope... Mr Blackthorn?

Yes.

I'm sorry, everyone. I don't... Excuse me.

It's all right. It's just a pig's heart.

Someone's idea of a joke.

One moment.

A single heart.

A symbol of a murdered bride.

Someone thinks that Ralph has blood on his hands.

No, no, there's no need to rush off.

We routinely order animal organs for dissection in the labs. It was just a

-up with the delivery.

Well, I'm glad you're not abandoning us.

We'll give you a tour of the laboratories.

As you shall see, there is no aspect of crime we cannot process here, be it

fingerprints or toxicology.

We've a state -of -the -art darkroom, a morgue for cadavers and an entomology

suite. Follow me.

Ooh. What's entomology? The observation of flies and maggots on corpses which

would determine the time of death.

Oh.

Who the hell sent me that?

The man said he didn't know.

It was that monster, wasn't it?

He's toying with us. No, he can't have been. It was the telephone order made

from here.

Ah, the pièce de résistance.

Much of what you see is from my own personal collection.

I persuaded the professor to loan them to us indefinitely.

The rest I purchased from various hospitals.

The kidney of Mary Jane Kelly, found on the 9th of November, 1888.

Murdered by Jack the Ripper.

Well, for anyone who hasn't lost their appetite, there's more food and drink

downstairs. Shall we? Speak with you for a moment?

I can't wait until Monday. Please, it's important.

Have you recovered from the strange delivery earlier? Are you sure it wasn't

malicious act?

That's possible.

The public form their own opinions on who's guilty regardless of the facts,

I'm willing to believe it was a mix -up. Oh, I think I dropped my shawl. I'll

catch you up.

Have you finally lost your mind?

Sophie was murdered by William Harrow. I helped to prove it. I understand, but

if you just... Can I help you?

Sorry, I... I just dropped my... Professor,

you taught me to consider all angles and you were right.

It's all in here. I don't want to hear it.

You're a disgrace, Price.

Don't bother coming next to me. You are expelled.

Of course, the police on the case were woefully inept.

If I hadn't detected chloroform on the first victims, they'd still be

their heads now.

But do I feel guilty about Mr. Harrow's sentence?

Certainly not.

Did you hear that?

Any ideas of cause of death?

Could it be poisoning?

We've been studying various... What about 30 men happy?

Half an education is more dangerous than none. Correct.

Act accordingly.

Clearly you're Professor Pritchard.

Indeed.

I believe you found the body.

That's right.

Tragedy certainly follows you around, doesn't it?

What's that supposed to mean?

Yes, it does.

I heard Daniel fall and found him spasming.

He suffered from epilepsy. I tried to find his medication, but couldn't. His

pockets were empty, Chief Inspector. Which is significant, given that his

word was notebook.

He certainly had one on him earlier.

We think it had new evidence in it. That he'd gathered about Sophie's murder.

Sorry, new evidence?

William Harrow was found guilty.

That's what I said.

but he seemed adamant Ralph did it. Whatever the veracity of that claim, I

questioned William Harrow myself, and he denies murdering Mrs Blackthorne.

All right.

Let's say Mr Price had a seizure. With or without medication, is epilepsy

Well, it's rare, but not unheard of.

Or Audrey's right, and he was jolly well poisoned.

There's only one way to find out, Chief Inspector.

Unless you'd rather wait for an ambulance in this weather.

a scaredy cat now, then.

Oh, well, this is pleasant.

A dark and stormy night, trapped in a building with a potential murderer, and

now they're dissecting a body.

Oh!

We found a capsule in Price's stomach.

It was filled with strychnine powder.

McHusby, did you say you had poisons in the lab?

Yes, I'll show you.

Well.

No point checking alibis, at least.

Why not?

Because whoever tampered with the capsules could have done so at any time.

Yes, very good.

That is, assuming he didn't poison himself.

It was certainly an odd character.

Depressed, possibly.

Well, I'm not surprised with the way you shouted at him earlier.

Well, I may have raised my voice, yes.

But that's because he told me he was responsible for that disgusting stunt

the pig's heart.

So quite rightly, I expelled him. That was Daniel. And if Daniel was murdered

for getting too close to the truth, then we are not only looking for his killer,

but Sophie's also.

Professor, you lent your expertise to the police investigation of the bride

killings. Did you keep a file?

My good man, I kept several.

You know, I heard the professor saying something about this building.

He reckons it's haunted. What?

That's nonsense.

Oh, I'm just telling you what he said.

It must be painful seeing Sophie like that.

Nothing will change my memory of her.

Have you found anything useful?

It's all useful.

Just making sense of it.

What are those?

Letters. Copies.

Dated before William Harrow's arrest.

He's writing to each of the widowers he created.

Taunting them.

How unspeakably cruel.

How did you like my handiwork?

A bridal bed fit for your sleeping beauty.

The more clean white sheets.

But the dirt.

Of the woods.

They're all in the same vein.

Except there are only three of them.

There isn't one to Ralph.

Where on earth is good for that?

The straightening came from a jar in the lab. There are no fingerprints on it.

What's all that?

Professor Pritchard's files.

On the bride killings.

Thank you, Father.

I'll take that.

Lady Alicia, is there any way I can read these?

You can use my office, Chief Inspector.

That's something I feel we must discuss.

I want to go and get him back until I've finished my inquiries. I don't care how

late.

The missing notebook is the key.

But where is it?

Probably destroyed.

Well, that's what I would do.

You know, Mr Blackthorn, I follow the bride killings case with interest.

I always thought there was something fishy about you.

Vast inheritance from your dead wife.

Flimsy alibi.

You knew exactly how to copy Harrow's murders because the professor shares

little detail.

It was the perfect crime.

I didn't kill Sophie.

You did.

Mr Price thought so too.

And when he found something to prove it, you used his epilepsy as a means to

poison him, didn't you? No.

What was in William Harrow's letter?

It was nothing. Just hordes. Like the ones to the other husbands.

Then why destroy it?

Because it made me sick.

You're lying!

A forensics expert would never destroy evidence.

The professor told me you confessed to burning it and he kept it from the

to protect you.

But he can't protect you anymore.

It's over, Mr Blackthorn.

Lady Felicia, I have to ask.

Are you still certain about Ralph's innocence?

I know it seems strange, Father, but yes.

And if Sophie were still here, she would do all that she could to fight for him.

I owe it to her to do the same.

Then you have to tell me everything you know about Ralph.

Leave out no detail. It may be important.

William Harrow dies tonight.

I feel like someone wants to hang me too.

I won't let that happen.

But you have to tell me the absolute truth.

Firstly, what was in William Harrow's letter to you?

Just a couple of short sentences.

To a man after my own heart, enjoy your freedom.

Now, do you see why I burned it?

He thinks I did it, and the police would have thought so too. But Harrow is

wrong.

And if... If he didn't kill Sophie himself, he'd have no earthly way of

who did.

The finger of suspicion points frequently in your direction.

Why is that?

I don't know.

Maybe because I'm married above my station.

You told Lady Felicia you came from the aristocracy.

And Sophie didn't meet your parents because you were an orphan.

That is the only thing I ever liked the Sophie about.

Our childhood was brutal.

Ella and I cut all ties with our family, changed our name.

I didn't tell Sophie because I knew it would have made her sad.

And... I don't know.

I suppose I felt shamed by it, too.

Please, believe me, Father.

Sophie was my whole world.

We loved each other beyond measure.

Everyone could see it, even the Professor.

What do you mean?

be it lectern or pulpit, last -minute preparation is always a good idea.

Don't let the spiritual setting deceive you, Father.

There is no comparison between your profession and mine.

How so?

Unlike religion, science is absolute.

It can establish the innocence or guilt of a man through irrefutable proof.

I think science has its limitations.

It can't explain joy or love.

And it certainly can't save your soul.

A sentimental defense of an irrational doctor.

Were your feelings for Sophie Blackthorn merely sentimental, Professor?

Or powerful enough to overtake you?

You think I killed Sophie?

I think you had the knowledge and the expertise to do so.

And to implicate William Harrow.

And I suppose I killed Daniel Price as well.

You told the chief inspector about the burned letter.

Perhaps you want to see Ralph condemned because you never forgave him for

stealing Sophie's heart. No.

No, I saw how happy he made her, and that was enough.

Yes, I loved Sophie.

She was... I would rather kill myself

than hurt her.

And as for Ralph, I don't want to believe he's to blame, but... There is

We are no nearer the truth than the light draws on.

We need to begin at the beginning and try and follow the trail Daniel Price

on. He was in the car park when I was listening to the radio.

Didn't see what it was up to, though. He had his camera with him.

He was following a lead.

The missing vehicle that abducted Sophie. What did the professor say about

dark room?

It stinks in here.

Fixer chemicals.

So, Daniel Price must have hung his prints out to dry before he was killed.

And someone's taken them.

Maybe threw them in the incinerator with the notebook.

So another dead end then?

Not necessarily.

Like a developing photograph, a picture is emerging.

changed into his lab coat to protect his clothes, leaving the medication in his

pocket, in his jacket, outside, unattended.

Of course, giving the killer time to tamper with them.

I've been thinking.

Audrey volunteered the information about the poison in the lab.

Was she deflecting? No.

Bet she knew about the bride killings from the professor, too.

True. Then again, the professor did tell everyone.

Went into ghoulish detail at a dinner party once.

Anna said it put her right off her bouffe bouguignon.

Anna?

Miss Platform was there.

Audrey.

Excuse me.

Oh, are the women left to clear up?

Yes. I am my mother's daughter.

Forgive the question, but when I mentioned Sophie and her parents

seemed to be rather a sore point.

Did you know them?

I met Sophie in Parthian once or twice, after she married Ralph.

I don't think she realised my mother used to clean for her family.

Not sure I knew she did.

It was a few years before she came to work for you.

And it wasn't something Mother liked to be heard.

She was accused of breaking a vase and was fired.

It was Sophie's fault that she lied about it.

She was just a teenager at the time.

What did the professor mean when he referred to half an education?

After Mother was fired, I had to help the family.

I couldn't finish my degree, so I asked to continue as his lab assistant

instead.

So Sophie's lie stole your future.

You know why you did?

Hardly a reason to kill her a decade later, if that's what you're implying.

Where is that inspector?

It is unacceptable for him to just leave my brother handcuffed like that. I'm

afraid I can't answer that question.

Miss Blackthorne.

It's Ella, please.

Ella, it's understandable that you and Ralph are so close, given your history.

Things must have changed when your brother got married.

How did you feel, may I ask, about Mrs Blackthorne?

No sister thinks anyone's good enough for a big brother.

Look, I know you want to get to the truth, Father, but what if the truth is

simply that Sophie was unlucky?

That she crossed paths with William Harrow and he killed her?

And Mr Price?

Was he unlucky too?

All I know is that he was in and out of psychiatric hospitals for years.

I've seen his records.

And he was obsessed with the bride killings. He was there for every day of

trial.

I watched Harrow in the dock, too.

When he was sentenced to death, he smiled.

He had no fear.

No conscience.

He's a true monster.

The storm.

Do you have any candles?

Everyone all right?

Looks like a tree came down on the power lines.

The telephone lines are cut, too.

And I can't find Mrs. Devine. We got separated in the dark.

I'm going to find her.

Me too.

I'll see if I can find a backup generator.

Why is your lamp red?

It's from the darkroom.

That's battery -powered in case of a power cut, so the photographs don't get

ruined. Oh, clever.

Yes. I like where we left that mess in there.

The students know to dispose of the chemicals after using the darkroom.

We think that was Daniel Price.

He developed some photographs.

But they're gone.

Did you check the enlarger?

Students often leave their last negative behind by accident.

We were small.

And I brought a little candle into our four -meter bedsheet.

I remember what happened when they found the burn mark on the sheet.

You always protected me.

Even then.

Now it's my turn to protect you.

You did protect me.

Telling the police you were with me that day.

I never asked you to lie for me. I'd do anything to protect you.

A car tyre?

That could be anyone.

We need to find the professor.

Tire tracks.

Only Sophie's body.

Daniel's photograph.

Do they match?

They do.

That vehicle was here today.

Oh, with dozens of other vehicles.

How do we prove that... It's all doing good, Father.

It's good to see you, Father.

It's hazardous out there. I had to stop and help with a traffic accident.

Is the chief inspector still here?

He went off to find Mrs Devine.

Right. He said there'd been a fatality. Who was it who died?

A student of mine named Daniel Price.

He was poisoned.

Daniel Price?

I met with him just two days ago. He came to the station.

What for?

He was asking about vehicles that were reported stolen in the past six months.

So, well, you know, I told him.

Good mistake, man. Told him what?

A van was stolen.

But the owner came in later that day to say he'd been returned.

Reckoned his daughter or stepson had borrowed it. What was the owner's name?

It was a Mr... Mr Pattinson.

That was the name on the butcher's van.

I was wrong about Ralph.

I think he may have killed Sophie.

Will somebody help me, please?

Isabel?

I've knocked myself in.

Can you let me out?

I'll have to find someone with a key.

No, no, no, no. Don't leave me.

Listen, it's all right.

Edgar?

Are you all right?

Edgar?

Mr. Pattinson has a daughter and a stepson.

It must be Ella and Ralph.

So they're not really brother and sister.

Chief Inspector, are you alright? What happened?

There's a touch from behind.

Anything missing?

No!

No! No!

No!

No! No! No! No!

Thank goodness you're okay.

Yes,

well, you're not.

That needs attention.

Come, we have a first aid kit.

Thank you.

My keys.

The handcuff keys.

They're gone.

We need to leave. Now.

We can't just run. They'll catch us. Do you want to end up like Carol?

Let's go, Ralph.

I wouldn't, if I were you.

We have proof Mr. Paddington's van was used to abduct Sophie Blackthorn.

Or rather, Daniel Price proof.

Our stepfather killed Sophie?

I didn't say that. I said his van was used.

So who took it? You or your step -sister?

We have no idea what you're talking about.

Ralph, you mentioned your estranged family.

When you received the butcher's delivery, you went rigid.

With fear.

You were frightened of the name on the package.

I thought my stepfather was tormenting me.

About Sophie, about making something of myself.

I think you're afraid because Daniel Price connected you to a murder and

you to know it. And that's why you murdered him, too. No!

What about Sophie?

She wrote to me. She said something was wrong. What did you do, Ralph?

Did she see something unnatural?

Between what she thought were a sister and brother.

Alan, what are you doing?

Please, I can't help loving you.

Please don't hate me.

I could never hate you.

Sophie, no.

Sophie didn't know we weren't related.

I have always seen Ella as my sister, nothing more.

Maybe you've been lovers for some time, working together to inherit a fortune.

I know you lied about your alibi.

I trusted you, Ralph.

Sophie trusted you.

Your faith in Ralph was well placed, Lady Felicia.

Because Ella, Miss Pattinson as was, was acting alone.

This is absurd.

All of it.

You gave Ralph an alibi to protect him.

A lie, which also protected you.

I doubt Ralph ever asked where you actually were on that day.

You were frightened because you knew that after Mrs Blackthorn had seen that

kiss, sooner or later...

Ralph would have to choose between you.

So, one more dead bride,

and you had him all to yourself again.

But Mr. Price got too near the truth, didn't he?

So you murdered him.

Then you set about destroying the evidence.

But, of course, a metal pillbox would have survived the flames, and its

suggests you kept it.

And I wonder if the chief inspector were to search you now, he would find a box

full of strychnine pills.

Stay away.

Stay away.

What was your plan, Ella?

Were you going to kill yourself if you were discovered?

Or take your life and Ralph's if he refused to love you

the way you wanted?

No, no, no, no.

Please, help me.

Hello, Blackthorn.

I'm arresting you on suspicion of the murders of Sophie Blackthorn and Daniel

Price.

He will be a beacon to your students, Professor.

Thank you, Father.

I only wish I'd spotted his talent sooner.

Speaking of which, don't you have a class to get to?

Yes, sir. Sorry, Professor.

It was lovely to see you.

She's finishing her degree?

We're retaining her on a salary.

She'll be a fine tutor one day.

You really are the sweetest man, Ralph Blackthorn.

Would you care to observe my midday lecture, Father? You'll like it. It's on

burden of proof.

I'll be delighted, Professor.

And perhaps you'll attend my Sunday homily on the gift of doubt.

Thank you, Father, for everything you did for Sophie.

I feel we can let her rest now.

It was down to your good instincts, Lady Phineas.

Will you be joining me at the Professor's talk?

I think not.

I've heard enough from that pompous ass to last me a lifetime.