Chapter 3 | Contents | Chapter 5 |
[On the moor. This appears to be a high point, with views in all directions.]
Susan / Holmes :
There, that got the blood flowing, didn't it?Rose / Watson :
If I never see a gorse bush again it'll be too soon.Susan / Holmes :
Oh, I thought it was fascinating. Such interesting adaptations to its environment.Rose / Watson :
That doesn't make getting caught in one any less unpleasant.Susan / Holmes :
I got you out, didn't I? I found the whole experience quite exciting.Rose / Watson :
Well, I found it painful. Can you see any more tracks?Susan / Holmes :
No, the ground's too dry up here. If he was heading this way he'd have been been going to Holdernesse Hall, over there, or to that village.Rose / Watson :
Let's do the village first. It's closer.Susan / Holmes :
Good idea.[The village, really nothing more than a few cottages clustering around a forbidding and squalid-looking inn. Holmes and Watson approach the inn.]
Rose / Watson :
I hope they serve meals, 'cos I'm starving.Susan / Holmes :
Really? What about those whortleberries we found?Rose / Watson :
A couple of berries aren't really a substitute for all the meals we've missed today. I don't know why you haven't collapsed yet.Susan / Holmes :
My metabolism doesn't work like— [She staggers suddenly.] Ow!Rose / Watson [suddenly all concern] :
Are you all right? What's up?Susan / Holmes :
My ankle. I can hardly walk.Rose / Watson :
Here, lean on my shoulder. Thought your people had amazing recuperative powers?Susan / Holmes :
Joints are a bit of a weak spot. Particularly ankles.Rose / Watson :
Your grandpa never had any trouble like that. He said there was something wrong with his wrist when he regenerated. Does that count?Susan / Holmes :
Yes, that's a similar problem.[They approach the Fighting Cock Inn. The Roberts Master is sitting outside.]
Susan / Holmes :
How are you, Mr Reuben Hayes?Roberts Master / Hayes :
How d'you know my name?Susan / Holmes :
Well, that sign over the door happens to have the landlord's name on it.Roberts Master / Hayes :
Oh. So it does. Well, what do you want?Susan / Holmes :
I've twisted my ankle. I can hardly walk.Roberts Master / Hayes :
Cry me a river. D'you think I've brought my ambulance with me?Susan / Holmes :
You haven't got a carriage in the stables?Roberts Master / Hayes :
No.Susan / Holmes :
What about a bicycle? I'd pay you well to hire it.Roberts Master / Hayes :
Where do you want to go?Susan / Holmes :
Holdernesse Hall.Roberts Master / Hayes :
What, in those clothes? Mud is so not the new black, darlings.Rose / Watson :
I'm not walking all the way back to change. The Duke can see us as we are.Roberts Master / Hayes :
You think he'll see you? He'll have you thrown down the stairs.Susan / Holmes :
Oh, he'll see us. We bring him news of his son.Roberts Master / Hayes [jumping guiltily] :
What?Susan / Holmes :
Yes, he's been seen in Liverpool.Roberts Master / Hayes [relaxing] :
Oh. That's all right, then.Susan / Holmes :
So can we have the bicycle?Roberts Master / Hayes :
I haven't got one. I'll let you have a couple of horses as far as the hall.Rose / Watson [firmly] :
And we need to eat first. I'm starving.Roberts Master / Hayes :
OK. You'd better come in.[The kitchen. Watson is finishing her dinner. Holmes is looking out of the window.]
Rose / Watson :
It's getting dark. D'you think we'll make it to the hall this evening?Susan / Holmes :
Mmmmm.Rose / Watson :
Your ankle seems to have got better.Susan / Holmes :
Mmmmm.Rose / Watson :
Your hat's on fire.Susan / Holmes :
Mmmmm.Rose / Watson :
You're not listening to a word I say, are you?Susan / Holmes :
Mmmmm.[Watson rises, crosses to the window, and forces Holmes to look at her.]
Rose / Watson :
Holmes, this is important. You remember those cow tracks we saw?Susan / Holmes :
Yes?Rose / Watson :
But there weren't any cowpats. Not one. 'Cos I was looking out for them, so as not to tread in them.Susan / Holmes :
And you would have expected to see some of these... cow droppings?Rose / Watson :
Yeah, definitely.Susan / Holmes :
How odd. Could you ride a cow?Rose / Watson :
I s'pose you could.Susan / Holmes :
But normally, people ride horses?Rose / Watson :
That's right.Susan / Holmes :
Then let's take a look at the horses they've got here.[The stables, which contain two pantomime horses. Holmes and Watson stand hesitantly in the doorway.]
Mickey / Narrator [vo] :
What are you waiting for? You're supposed to be examining their shoes.Susan / Holmes :
They look dangerous.Rose / Watson :
Yeah, the day I'm having, I'd end up getting kicked across the yard as soon as look at them. Can't you just say we did it?Mickey / Narrator [vo] :
Holmes examined the hind leg of one of the horses.[One pantomime horse obligingly holds up its leg.]
Susan / Holmes :
Converse. Is that you in there, Grandfather?Pantomime horse [muffled] :
What you don't know won't hurt you.Mickey / Narrator [vo] :
Anyway, he discovered that the horse had old shoes, but attached with new nails.Susan / Holmes :
Now let's take a look in the smithy.[They leave the stables and cross to the smithy.]
Mickey / Narrator [vo] :
There was a young lad at work, but he paid them no attention.[Chang Lee is, indeed, idly filing a piece of metal.]
Rose / Watson :
What sort of thing are we looking for?Susan / Holmes [with a glance at Chang Lee] :
Anything unusual.Rose / Watson :
Unusual. Right. Like I know what's usual and what isn't—[She backs into a heap of rusting agricultural machinery, which collapses on top of her.]
Susan / Holmes :
Watson! Watson! Can you hear me?Rose / Watson [invisible under the heap] :
Yeah, I can hear you. I can't move. There's something holding me down.Susan / Holmes :
Any bones broken?Rose / Watson :
I don't think so.Susan / Holmes :
You, give me a hand.[She and Chang Lee grab a harrow and, by pulling with all their strength, manage to lift it slightly. Rose crawls out, dirty and bruised but otherwise intact.]
Rose / Watson :
You need to get someone to look at this workshop, you know. It's a total death trap.Mickey / Narrator [vo] :
Yeah. There's all sorts of regulations about a safe working environment. You should find out who's responsible for keeping them.Roberts Master / Hayes [arriving, with a flourish] :
And just what do you think you're doing in there?Rose / Watson :
Think we've just found him.Susan / Holmes :
We were just looking around. Why do you ask? Have you got something to hide?Roberts Master / Hayes :
You can look at whatever you like, but I'm not having you distract the help.Rose / Watson :
We were just looking at the horses, and then this load of junk fell on me. I could sue you, you know.Roberts Master / Hayes :
You can pay the bill first. And then go. And don't think I'm going to let you hire my horses either.Susan / Holmes :
And the compliments of the season to you, too, madam.[The road, a little way from the Fighting Cock Inn. Holmes and Watson are walking in the direction of Holdernesse Hall.]
Susan / Holmes :
Can he see us now?Rose / Watson [looking over her shoulder] :
No, he's gone in.Susan / Holmes :
Good. [She stops dead.] I'm sure there's something going on there.Rose / Watson :
Yeah, and I bet that landlord knows all about it. He couldn't be any more obviously a villain, even if you gave him a sleazy moustache.Susan / Holmes :
Then let's find somewhere where we can keep an eye on the place. [She suddenly looks round.] Quick — get down behind this boulder!Rose / Watson :
Now just a moment—[Holmes grabs her and pretty much drags her down behind the boulder.]
Rose's voice :
What did you do that for?Susan's voice :
There's someone coming.Rose's voice :
Yeah, it's a road. That's what people do on roads.[A bicycle shoots past.]
Susan's voice :
That was the Duke's secretary! Let's follow him and see what he does.[Cautiously, their heads emerge from behind the rock.]
Rose / Watson :
That's his bike outside the pub door.Susan / Holmes :
He must have gone in.Rose / Watson [with mordant sarcasm] :
Holmes, this is amazing. How do you do it?Susan / Holmes :
We need to get closer.[They cautiously creep from rock to rock until they have a good view of the front of the inn. Suddenly an ambulance shoots out of the back yard and roars off in the direction of Chesterfield.]
Susan / Holmes :
What do you make of that?Rose / Watson :
Whoever it is, he's making a break for it.Susan / Holmes :
It isn't Wilder. Look, he's still there.[Turlough / Wilder is seen in the doorway, peering out into the night. A second figure appears out of the shadows and joins him. They both go in. A light is lit behind a first-floor window.]
Susan / Holmes :
Now what is all this about?Rose / Watson :
Dunno. But I don't think he's called in for a pint of bitter and a packet of peanuts. The bar's on the other side of the building.Susan / Holmes :
We're still too far away. Come on.Rose / Watson [rising to her feet with a groan] :
I think my legs have seized up.[Outside the inn.]
Rose / Watson :
Hey, that bike. What sort of tyres has it got?Susan / Holmes [shining a torch at it] :
Dunlops. And one's got a patch, as well. How interesting.Rose / Watson :
Is it?Susan / Holmes [pointing up at the first-floor window] :
I need to look through that window, Watson.Rose / Watson :
We haven't got a ladder.Susan / Holmes :
No, but I think if I climb on your shoulders I can see. Bend over.[Watson obligingly bends over, while Holmes scrambles up. A moment later, she jumps down again.]
Rose / Watson :
You're doing well for someone with a sprained ankle.Susan / Holmes :
Put it down to recuperative powers, if you like.Rose / Watson :
Pity you didn't wipe your boots first. Now what do we do?Susan / Holmes :
Now we walk back to the school. It's only six miles or so.Rose / Watson :
Six miles? [She groans.] I'm sure I've got a blister on my heel.Susan / Holmes :
Oh, come on. We've done much more than that already today.Rose / Watson :
I know. [She looks up to the sky.] And it's starting to rain.Susan / Holmes :
Then the sooner we get started, the better.[They set out.]
Mickey / Narrator [vo] :
Holmes hardly opened his lips during that weary trudge across the moor. And when he got to the school, he wouldn't go in...[The main entrance of the school. Susan / Holmes is standing beside the door. Rose / Watson limps up, looking cold, wet, scratched, and exhausted.]
Susan / Holmes :
There. Wasn't that bracing?Rose / Watson :
You're just like your grandad, you know. Don't you ever get tired?Susan / Holmes :
Not very often. Our people don't, as a rule. Anyway, I'm off to the station now. I've got some telegrams to send.Rose / Watson [with another groan] :
Well, I'm not coming. I'm worn out, I lost my hat in one of those clumps of gorse, my shoes are coming to bits, I'm soaked to the skin, my hair's a mess, and now I've got blisters on both heels.Susan / Holmes :
See you later, then. [She strides off.]Rose / Watson :
I bet they don't have proper baths here either. Lynda, I swear I am going to get you for this, if it's the last thing I do.
Chapter 3 | Contents | Chapter 5 |