Original subtitles

This is

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.

Hello, Williams.

Good afternoon, sir.

This is my wife, Karen.

This is Mr. Williams.

How do you do?

How do you do?

Bring in the cases, would you?

Ah, Mrs. Pardoe.

Karen, darling, this is Mrs. Pardoe.

She's been our housekeeper here since I was

a child.

How do you do, Mrs. Pardoe?

Mrs. Masterson.

Did you have a pleasant journey?

Yes, I did.

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.

Karen, darling?

I've never slept in a four-poster before.

You'll get used to it.

Mrs. Pardoe will show you how everything works.

I don't think she liked me.

Of course she liked you.

And you're 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. Pardoe 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. Pardoe.

Mr. Williams has brought up the luggage, sir.

Good.

Let him bring it in.

I'm just off.

Bring the cases in, please, Mr. Williams.

Would you like me to show Mrs. Marxison

the other room, sir?

Yes, would you?

Thank you, Williams.

See you at dinner, darling.

Put them down over there, please.

Thank you, Mr. Williams.

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 us when

Mr. Ian 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

the sun.

I've never been to the West Indies, of

course, but they say it's very nice.

I told Karen that you'd 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 just aren't

interested in the animals.

Well, of course, Karen doesn't have to learn

to ride if she doesn't want to.

I'd 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 ride.

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.

Hello.

God, you startled me.

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, so I...

Well, there were 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 have

still the upper hand.

They don't, of course.

We're 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 sensible.

A bit bookish, perhaps.

God knows where he gets that from.

His mother never read a book in her

life.

What's he 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.

Nonsense.

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 Pardoe, 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 had anything so ridiculous happen to

a 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 bookkeeping.

When do you start your writing with Linda?

Tomorrow.

But, Ian, that's...

Good.

Well, that'll keep you going for a while.

Yes.

There.

That wasn't too bad, was it?

You were very patient.

It's always a bit difficult in the beginning.

Thanks, Jimmy.

I'll take Caraway out this afternoon.

Come up to the house.

I expect you could do with a cup

of tea.

Do 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 in to his boring dental surgery

every day.

Oh, Cara!

Are you all right?

Yes.

I'm sorry, I...

I suddenly felt 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.

Perhaps we 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.

Mrs Carter?

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 minder, except

just once or twice, Miss Linda...

Well, I don't want to tell tales out

of school.

Go on, Mrs Pardoe.

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.

I look after everything.

Good God, Karen!

Are you all right?

Ow!

Ow, 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.

Duncan, have I wrecked the car?

I don't think it's too bad, but you

certainly can't drive home.

Come on, let me help you out.

Are you all right?

Ow.

What's the time?

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 imagined it.

What's more to the point is, where is

he?

Why didn't he go for help?

You're less than a mile out of Longstanton.

It 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' first rate.

He's looked after our family for years.

It's 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 Longstanton...

A farmer?

With a cart?

No.

He was driving a tractor, actually.

But I don't see what that's got to

do...

Yes, but, Ian, a car accident?

Don't you see?

I had a car accident, too.

There is something...

Oh, Karen, for God's sake, pull 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.

I should?

I'm sorry.

It has unhappy associations.

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 put on

a jacket.

Anything you say.

Bye, Karen.

We'll go in.

He's an odd boy.

A 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.

But 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 round here.

Paul has books of spells?

Yes.

I'm sure he'd lend them to you if

you're interested.

What's the matter?

Nothing.

Karen, my dear, what is it?

Linda.

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 stables?

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 books,

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

you heard regardless...

Linda, please help me.

I'm desperate.

I haven't got anybody else I can ask.

Karen, 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 this is where 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?

Mm?

What was she like?

Hillary, 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 Hillary...

Oh, come on.

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.

Dammit, at least you might make the effort

to get to know her.

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

little mouse.

Don't talk about Karen like that.

Well, 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 her Ma, who couldn't be

bothered, and now Karen, who hardly dares put

her 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, shut up.

Prince of darkness, I make me a sign.

Now let mine enemy peek and pine.

May he be filled with teen and woe.

Death in the morning shall he know.

Linda!

Linda!

What do you want?

I was looking for Linda.

She isn't here.

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.

I'm sorry to bother you, but I think

I'd better go.

Karen, wait a minute.

Don't go.

Talk to me.

We should be friends, you and I.

The way things are.

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?

Didn't she tell 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.

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 of 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.

Carrot.

Thank God.

Are you all right?

Yes, I'm all right.

What's happened?

You haven't heard?

No, I suppose.

With Linda.

She's had the most terrible accident.

She was thrown 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 Mrs. Pardo and Williams.

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.

Are 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 in

this part of the world during the 18th

and 19th centuries.

She said she was making a study of

the subject.

Odd, really.

It's 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.