Fear in the Night (1972) Movie Script
Quiet, please. Everybody, quiet.
We will now sing
the beginning of term hymn,
"Lord, receive us with thy blessing,
once again assembled here."
I don't really need you any more, do I?
I'm sorry I didn't tell you before.
It's just I was afraid, really,
you might not approve.
I'd made up my mind
that was what I wanted to do.
- When did you get married?
- Last week.
He's away at the moment.
We haven't even had our honeymoon yet.
He had to leave the day after the wedding.
Tell me about him. What does he do?
He's a schoolteacher.
He works in the country.
So I'll have to leave Mrs Beamish.
You'll soon find
someone else, Mrs Beamish.
Ah, but not like you, dear.
Quiet as a mouse. The place always spotless.
There aren't many around
like you these days.
It's all parties,
friends popping in at all hours.
- You were never like that.
- No, I wasn't.
I think they're very lucky to be getting you.
The school, I mean.
Think of it, living among
all those happy little boys.
Quite a family you'll have.
A hundred and fifty of them.
- You'll make a fine wife for a teacher.
- I hope so.
Is Mr Robert coming to collect you?
- Yes, he's driving up in the morning.
- Ah. That'll be nice.
It'll be a sort of honeymoon for you, won't it?
Yeah. At least we've got
the holidays to look forward to.
- Will you be living near the school?
- I think so.
Robert says
we've got a cottage on the grounds.
Oh. That's nice.
They sound very nice,
the headmaster and his wife.
They do. I haven't met them yet.
Plenty of time for that.
I'll see you in the morning
before you go, then.
Goodbye, dear.
- Night-night.
- Good night and pleasant dreams.
Hello, Robert.
Where are you?
The school, of course.
Where did you think I'd be?
We've just had the end of term feast.
A hundred and fifty of the little monsters
stuffing themselves into insensibility.
Now they've all gone to bed with the wind.
You should have been here.
Like pigs at a swill.
Oh, Michael and Molly send their love,
they're longing to meet you.
Are you alone?
Yes, Mrs Beamish has just gone.
I love you, too.
Okay, I'll see you about 11:00 in the morning.
How do you feel?
Relax, young lady.
You got a nasty bump on the head.
- Did you catch him?
- Catch who?
He was in the bathroom.
He was waiting for me.
There was no one here, dear.
I heard this thump on the floor.
I came upstairs to see if you were all right.
And I found you
stretched out on the bathroom floor.
He tried to strangle me.
We'd better ring the police.
Could I have a word with you, Doctor?
How do you feel now?
Have you called the police?
Later.
Mrs Beamish tells me
you haven't been very well lately.
I don't understand.
You had a nervous breakdown.
That was about six months ago.
That's not very long.
These things take a long time to sort out.
A very long time.
I didn't just imagine that.
Tell me what happened, from the beginning.
It was after you went. Robert phoned.
And after I had spoken to him,
I went and put the chain on the door,
and then...
The chain wasn't on, dear. I let myself in.
I used my pass key.
The chain wasn't on.
He must have gone out that way, then.
I'll call the police if you're not going to.
No. We'll do it.
How long do you think it'll be
before I'm really better?
You're much better now.
When I was in the hospital,
there was a girl called Gillian.
Do you remember her?
I used to share a room with her.
She kept imagining that there was
someone following her and watching her.
Of course, we knew there wasn't,
but she really believed there was.
She'd had a breakdown, too,
but I think hers must have
been much worse than mine.
That was the second time she'd been back.
She thought she was really better.
They must have thought she was, too,
or they wouldn't have let her go, would they?
But it was afterwards, though,
when she'd left, when she was on her own,
that she started imagining those things.
Are you sure
you're feeling all right?
Mmm.
- I'm sorry.
- It's okay.
I am sorry.
I was looking forward
to the drive and everything.
And now it's spoiled?
- No. It's not spoiled, it's just...
- What?
I don't know.
These things take time to mend.
You'll see, once they catch him.
- They will catch him, won't they?
- Of course they will. You're safe now.
I'm sorry. I was miles away.
- Where were you?
- I was thinking,
because of you, I'm gonna be
the butt of countless schoolboy jokes.
- Why?
- 'Cause they'll fancy you.
At least the older ones will.
"Old Heller's found himself a smashing bird,
you should see her."
And they'll make up wildly erotic stories
about what you and I get up to.
I shall invite
the attractive ones over for tea.
Attractive what?
- Boys.
There aren't any.
I shall listen to all their problems.
I'll tell them to wash behind their ears,
and I'll tell them to be especially nice to you.
That'll go down a bomb.
- I know I'm gonna love it.
- Monstrous little brutes.
Our cottage will be placed out of bounds
on the first day of term.
- Oh, I can't wait to see it.
- I hope you like it.
I'm sure I will. Is it near the school?
- What's it like?
- What's what like?
- The school.
- Big.
Big
- Is it old?
- It's not old at all, actually, it just looks old.
Old and decrepit.
It was only built about 60 years ago,
as a matter of fact.
Stockbroker Tudor, they used to call it.
It's been neglected recently.
It could do with a good coat of paint.
Needs re-plastering in places.
Full of dry rot, too, probably.
I think it's marvellous. Can we go inside?
This is the main hall, the assembly hall,
the great hall.
Chapel on Sundays.
Gathering point on speech days.
What you might call
the hub of the establishment.
The Carmichaels live in a private wing
at the back of the house.
Do you want to pay your respects
now or later?
Oh, no. Later.
- They won't eat you.
- I know, but I'd rather leave it till tomorrow.
You'll like him.
She can be a bit odd at times, though.
- I'm sure they're both very nice.
- Mmm.
This place must have cost a fortune.
- Does Mr Carmichael own it?
- Yes, he does.
- He must be very rich.
- He would be if he sold it.
Do you know a property developer
offered him a quarter of a million for it,
and he turned them down?
- The school must mean a lotto him.
- Yes, it does.
Welcome to the lower fourth,
known among the staff as the Snake Pit.
- Why is it called the Snake Pit?
- You should be here in term time.
It's all so clean, Bob. Are the desks new?
- It's not like our school.
- Why not?
Oh, everything there was chaos.
Teachers always complaining
about being overworked.
We got lots more to see.
You must have an enormous staff
to run this place.
- Not really.
- Where are we going now?
- I'll show you.
- Where?
- You'll see.
- Oh, what's that?
- It's not very pretty, is it?
- It's horrible.
It's one of Molly Carmichael's.
She's a sculptress.
- I don't like it.
- Mmm. It is a bit savage.
Have the boys seen it?
What a strange thing
to have in a boys' school.
- Why?
- Just having to look at that every day.
I suppose you're right. Come on.
What do you think?
- It's lovely.
- Do you like it?
Mmm.
- I love it.
- What were you expecting?
I don't know.
Something smaller and darker,
and lots of old books.
It's nice, Bob. Who had it before you?
Oh. Maths master.
He retired at the end of last term. Ooh!
Went to live in Brighton.
It's not so bad, I suppose. All mod cons.
Even champagne.
To us, then.
- Do you think you're gonna be happy here?
- Of course I am.
- I shall be out most of the time during term.
- Don't worry, it's your work.
- Don't you like it?
- I don't like work of any sort.
I'd rather spend most of my time with you.
I thought all teachers
were supposed to be dedicated.
I'm not.
- I wish I had just half Carmichael's money.
- Oh, don't be silly.
- He probably envies you.
- Do you think so?
You're probably right.
The trouble with him is... Oh.
See what I mean? Not a moment's peace.
Oh. Hello, Michael.
It's the headmaster. Sorry, what?
Yes, of course.
Yes, I'll pick them up for you.
At what time?
The 11:45 from London.
Fine.
What?
Oh. She's fine.
We moved in this afternoon, yes.
Tomorrow night.
Yes, we'd love to.
Dinner tomorrow.
No, I'm sorry. I was just telling Peggy.
Yes, 8:30 will be fine. All right.
Yes. See you then. Bye.
They've invited us for dinner.
Oh.
- It's okay, isn't it?
- Yes, of course.
Good. Remind me that I've gotta go
to the station tomorrow morning.
What was that you were
gonna say about Michael before he phoned?
Nothing.
You were just about to
say something about...
You all right?
Mmm.
You're still worried about that man,
aren't you?
I just can't believe it happened.
But you're safe now.
I shall feel better
when I know they've caught him.
Even if they don't,
you're miles away from London. You're safe.
- What are you doing out of bed?
- I couldn't sleep.
Must be the champagne.
I keep thinking I can see someone.
- Where?
- Over there by the window.
Can you see anyone?
I can't see a thing.
- You're right about one thing, though.
- What?
The champagne. It's upset you.
Now come on back to bed.
There's no one there.
I did see someone.
Come back to bed.
There was someone there.
Perhaps there was.
Maybe it was Michael.
He often walks about the school at night.
- Why?
- I don't know.
Get some sleep. You've had a long day.
- You forgot to kiss me.
- No, I didn't. That's why I stopped.
- I don't think I like this.
- What?
- You're going off to work.
- I'll be back this afternoon.
I know.
You do that every time I go off to work
and I shan't go off to work.
What are you gonna do today?
Would it be all right
if I go and look at the big house?
Why?
I just thought I'd walk around it a bit,
make friends with it.
- I promise I won't touch anything.
- All right. I'll see you later.
Take care.
Quiet, please. Everybody, quiet.
Please, sir, is a mountain masculine?
Boy, what is a mountain?
Mons, sir. Mons montis.
Masculine are fons and mons,
chalybs, hydrops, gryps and pons.
All together, then.
Masculine are fons and mons,
chalybs, hydrops, gryps and pons.
Sorry if I frightened you. Please sit down.
Oh. No, I'm sorry. I didn't realise you were...
Please. Sit down.
Have a desk.
You must be Mrs Heller, Robert's wife.
Allow me to introduce myself.
I'm the headmaster.
- Michael Carmichael.
- How do you do?
- I expect you...
- You must think...
- I'm sorry.
- No, my dear.
What were you going to say?
You must think me very rude.
I didn't mean to come in like that.
I didn't realise you were working.
I've never thought of it as work.
To me, teaching has always
been a sort of hobby.
I like it. Do you see?
I like to see my boys get a good start in life.
They have to work, poor chaps.
Our job is really to teach them how to learn.
Do you know that is the most difficult part,
to make them want to learn?
How much of the school have you seen?
Oh.
I've seen the main hall and the dining room,
and one of the dormitories.
Robert said it would be all right
as long as I didn't touch anything.
Did he?
Then you must see some more.
Please.
- And how long have you known Robert?
- Oh, about four months.
A quick courtship.
- How did you meet?
- Oh, just through friends.
Would that all of life's associations
were so simply forged.
We're very pleased to have you with us.
You're so pretty.
You've already done me a power of good.
You are a most welcome
addition to our large family.
The boys will be impressed,
mightily impressed.
Ah. This is their locker room.
Everything's so clean and tidy.
I expect it's very different
when the boys are here.
Of course, the academic standards of today
are much the same as they've always been.
But there is a very much
higher degree of competition these days.
More boys trying for places
in the best schools and universities.
Oh, dear me, you must think me
a very dry old stick.
The call me Old Gig Lamps,
behind my back, of course.
Come, I must show you the gymnasium.
Here it is.
Now, we have the usual parallel bars,
various vaulting horses,
and that is where we hold
the annual school play.
But I've always taken
a very special interest in knots.
I find them not only excellent therapy,
but most rewarding
in the study of character formation.
Do you like tying knots in things, Mrs Heller?
I don't know. I've never really tried.
Did anyone ever tell you
you have the most beautiful hair?
Oh.
No, I don't think so.
- I never know what to do with it.
- It looks charming as it is.
But perhaps...
If you removed the scarf, let it hang free.
Oh, it would look a mess.
- It needs washing.
- Oh, I don't think so.
- Will you?
- What now?
As a favour to an old man?
Oh...
Please, allow me.
Ooh!
Caught in the knot of your scarf.
Ooh!
- I'm so sorry.
- It's all right.
Nearly done.
Before I met you
I thought I heard a class going on.
Sounded like a Latin class.
They seemed to be enjoying it.
They must like their work.
All that laughter.
Boys will be boys.
Do you keep recordings
of the classes to study?
This must be a wonderful house to live in.
Don't you sometimes wish that it wasn't
a school and you had it to yourselves?
Ooh.
- Finished.
- Thank you.
Now, I must leave you.
We have a conference to attend
tomorrow in London.
I'm afraid I shall have to take your Robert
away from you for a short time.
It is only during the school holidays
that we are able to attend
the numerous extracurricular activities
that make up a schoolmaster's lot.
You have seen our display of cups.
No? Ah. They are something
I'm particularly proud of, as a matter of fact.
I've always believed in the awarding
of trophies for athletic prowess.
It stimulates effort,
puts the keen edge into competitive sport.
We had a boy here once,
many years ago now,
he won six cups in one year.
Practically a clean sweep, a fine boy.
Thank you very much
for showing me around.
Robert says we're having
dinner with you tonight.
See you then. Goodbye.
Bob, is that you?
Bob, it was him.
I was attacked by the same man.
- It couldn't happen again, Peg.
- Bob...
But it was! He must have followed me here.
- Why?
- I don't know why.
Didn't you see him?
I didn't see anyone, Peg.
I came in and found you stretched out
on the living room floor.
That was where he attacked me, Bob.
I thought I saw you from the house
and I came over to find you.
He was waiting for me, Bob,
like he was before.
- I'll fetch the doctor.
- No. Call the police.
- Oh. Peg, be reasonable.
- Please, Bob, please. Call the police.
I'm all right, please.
Bob, I was attacked!
Bob, I was attacked. I was.
You don't believe me, do you?
I believe you think you were attacked.
What I really think happened is that
you either fainted or fell...
Your imagination did the rest.
My imagination.
Last Tuesday I went out to dinner.
It was with a friend of Mrs Beamish's.
I supposed she thought I was lonely
so she asked this man to take me out.
We went out to have something to eat...
I don't know why,
but I thought he put something in my drink.
I suppose I lost control.
He had to phone Mrs Beamish
and ask her to come and get me.
And she kept trying to convince me that
he was a friend of hers
and he wouldn't do anything like that, but...
I didn't believe her.
I'm afraid I didn't like him.
He kept saying it must have been
my imagination.
It couldn't have been my imagination.
- Could it?
- Yeah.
I'll tell you what, sleep on it.
If you feel the same way in the morning,
then we'll call the police.
Now, try and get some rest.
I'll call the Carmichaels
and tell them you're not well.
- Want some more coffee?
- Mmm.
What's it to be?
Do we call the police or don't we?
You don't want me to, do you?
I want to do what's best for you.
No, you don't. You think I might
make a fool of myself, don't you?
No, I don't.
Tell me one thing.
Now, in the cold light of morning,
do you still say you were attacked?
I was attacked, I was.
It must have been the same man, mustn't it?
I'll call them.
What's happening to me?
Nothing.
Do you want me to call them?
Do you want to come outwith me today?
I've got some work to do.
You won't be bored?
Go upstairs and get dressed. Hmm?
Do you want your coffee?
You realise I've got to go to London
this afternoon?
Yes, Mr Carmichael told me.
Michael?
Yes, I met him yesterday.
He showed me around the school.
You didn't tell me.
Go on, up YOU 9-
- Have you finished?
- Finished here.
- Got to go over to the woods now.
- Oh.
I could drop you off at home first, if you like.
No, it's all right. I've come this far.
Jump in.
Jim says part of the boundary fence
has collapsed.
- You cold?
- Yes, I am a bit.
Hang on. Here.
- Bob, is that yours?
- Hmm? No, it's Michael's.
Like the Land Rover. Let's face it,
everything around here belongs to Michael.
- Is it loaded?
- Of course it is.
- What does he use it for?
- Rabbits, foxes, you know.
I hate guns.
It's beautiful. Does he own all this?
Twelve hundred acres in all. I won't be long.
What the hell are you doing here?
You could get your head blown off
creeping around like that.
Don't you know this is private property?
Well?
I said this is private property.
Didn't you see the signs?
God knows we put enough of them up.
No, I didn't. I'm sorry.
Well, then I suggest that...
- Oh. Hello, Robert.
- I see you two have met then.
- Oh. Is this the bride?
- Yes, this is Peggy.
Peggy. Molly Carmichael. Peggy, my wife.
Why didn't you say so, my dear?
I nearly made a widower out of you, Robert.
- How do you mean?
- I didn't know she was there.
Another couple of yards, and...
Darling, you must be more careful.
It was my fault, really. I just assumed
there was nobody around. I'm sorry.
How very pretty you are.
- You did well for yourself, Robert.
- Yes, I did.
About last night, I'm very sorry,
- it was just at the last minute...
- A headache.
Trying to do too much
on her first day at school.
You must take better care of her, Robert.
I'm sure he hasn't the remotest idea of
how to be a good husband.
I've always thought of him
as the perennial bachelor.
Oh. By the way, Robert, Michael wants you to
go up to London by yourself this afternoon.
- But the conference?
- I think he wants you to represent him.
All right, as long as he gives me his report
and tells me what to say.
Oh. You must come
and have tea with us soon.
As soon as I get the cottage sorted out.
Oh. Thank you, I'd like that.
Will you drop by the house later on then?
I'm sure Michael would like to talk to you.
- Yes, indeed.
- Good.
- Damn it.
- What?
I was looking forward
to spending an evening at home.
I wonder why Michael's
changed his mind about going to London.
- When does the conference finish?
- Late.
When Michael goes,
he stays the night in town.
- Does he?
- Hmm.
- She's very beautiful, isn't she?
- I suppose she is.
Do you find her attractive?
- No, I don't.
- Good.
Do they get on?
Who? Michael and Molly? Yeah, I think so.
Why?
I don't know, just a feeling.
- Peg? I'm going over to see Michael.
- Yeah?
- I've just made the coffee.
- I won't be long.
Try and arrange it so
you don't have to stay overnight.
Yeah, I'll try.
Oh, bugger.
- Hi.
- Oh.
- I'm sorry I didn't hear you.
- The door was open.
I thought that you might like to have this.
Oh.
I'd put it in the fridge if I were you.
Yes, of course.
- Would you like some coffee?
- Oh. Yes, please. But I'm not gonna stay.
I just came by to see if Robert could pick
something up for me while he's in London.
I'm sure he will.
He's just popped over to see your husband.
He'll be back in a minute.
Do you miss London, Mrs Heller?
Doesn't it get a bit lonely for you up here?
I've always wanted to live in the country.
Thank you.
I imagine this life is a bit different
from what you're used to.
I don't think so.
Running a house and all that housework.
It's all a matter of what you're used to.
If you ever get tired of us here,
you can always go back to London.
I don't think I will.
Forgive me for being personal,
but you do seem terribly young,
- almost like a child bride.
- I'm 22.
Oh.
I'm sure that Robert needs you
as much as we need Robert.
My husband's been terribly overworked
and the mental strain
has been very hard on him.
Of course, he's physically all right, but, um...
I think you understand.
Thank you for the coffee.
If you get lonely during the night,
give me a call. I'll be home all evening.
It's just that I don't want to
stay here on my own, that's all.
I know that.
That's why I suggested you come up with me
and you stay the night at Mrs Beamish's.
Why do you have to stay at this club?
I've told you, darling. Michael booked me
in there. I can't change it now.
Why don't you stay the night
at the pub in the village here?
Why not?
Look, Bob, if I can't stay with you,
I might just as well stay here.
Would you like to spend the evening
with Molly and Michael?
- I'm afraid I don't get on with Molly.
- But you've hardly met her.
She came over here this afternoon.
She managed to spend the whole time
telling me she didn't think I belonged here.
She thought I'd get bored
and want to go back to London.
She can be a terrible bitch.
Don't let's worry about it any more.
- I'll stay here.
- You sure?
- Yes, I'm sure.
- Okay.
Now, come and see me off.
You've got the number of the police station,
right? And you've got Molly's number?
- I shan't need that.
- No, but you've got it.
Is there anything else?
Well, that's it then.
Look, darling, if it makes you feel any safer,
take the gun with you into the cottage.
It's in the Land Rover,
but be careful, it's loaded.
- I'll see you tomorrow.
- Take care. Goodbye.
Silence!
Mrs Heller, I must...
Peg? I'm home.
Peg? Where are you?
Darling?
What on Earth are you doing here?
- I like it here.
- Are you all right?
- What's the matter?
- Nothing.
- Where are you going?
- Going back to the cottage to get your lunch.
It's been smashed.
Do you know anything about it?
Look. Here. What's this?
I don't know.
Are you sure you don't know what it is?
And you heard nothing from the cottage?
- What's this?
- I don't know.
- Did you spill something?
- I must have done.
- There's your lunch.
- Hmm?
Aren't you eating?
Oh, you did bring the gun into the house.
- You've used it.
- No, I haven't.
Both these cartridges have been fired. Look!
Have they?
Peg, what the hell is going on here?
You haven't given me a straight answer
since I came home.
- Haven't I?
- No, you haven't.
There was what happened in the dormitory
and that.
I spilled something.
- But what?
- I've forgotten.
But the gun? It's been fired.
I was practising how to use it.
- Practising?
- Yes. By the boathouse.
And you'd forgotten.
Look, I love you.
If anything has happened, anything at all,
tell me whatever it is.
We'll sort it out together, but just tell me.
Aren't you going to eat your lunch?
Yes, down by the boathouse.
Have you found what you're looking for?
I don't know what you're talking about.
You're looking for something.
All right, I am.
I'm looking for something
to explain what happened to you.
- Nothing happened.
- Don't keep telling me that.
Your behavioufls enough to tell me,
somethings wrong.
- My behaviour?
- Yes, you've changed.
You won't tell me why,
so I've got to find out for myself.
By checking the lake?
- What did you expect to find, Robert?
- I don't know.
Why don't you ask Michael?
Peg, I want to talk to you.
There are a lot of things I should have
explained to you a long time ago.
Are there?
You already know about some of them.
Do I?
- About Michael, for instance.
- What about him?
That's what I was going to tell you about.
I was terrified of losing you.
Go on.
Well, this place isn't really a school at all.
It hasn't been since 1963.
It used to be a school, a very good one.
Then in the summer time of '63
there was a terrible accident.
One night, Michael discovered a small fire
in the carpentry shop, under the east wing.
There was a fire bucket standing nearby.
He threw the contents on the flames
and it turned out to be some
sort of inflammable spirit.
The whole place went up in a tremendous
explosion and a lot of people were hurt.
The police were called in.
The boys were sent home.
The school closed down.
Michael was very badly burned.
And for weeks they thought
he was going to die.
To start with, he just lay there moaning.
Calling out the names of the boys
who slept in the dormitory over the fire.
Those who had died.
That's how I met Michael.
At the hospital, you see. I worked there.
- Did you?
- Yes, I was a medical student then.
I used to take holiday jobs
in various hospitals.
Anyway, we became friendly
and he grew to rely on me more and more.
So much so, in fact, that when it was time
for him to go home,
his wife asked me if I'd go along with them
and look after him.
Permanently.
I accepted.
Not just because the money
was so good, but...
I really thought that I could help him.
So, when he came back here,
he had all traces of the fire removed.
He started to run the place
as if it was still a school.
And now, everything is exactly
as it used to be.
Except no one ever comes here.
No boys, no masters, no parents. Nothing.
He's even fixed up recordings in every room,
so that at least things will sound the same.
But he just walks about.
Playing at being headmaster.
And I play his game with him.
You see, he relies on me totally.
That's why it was so stupid of me
not to understand. You see...
When I first mentioned you to him,
he asked me questions about you like,
where you lived in London.
What you did. What you looked like.
When you were coming down here.
I dismissed the possibility
that perhaps he resented you.
Perhaps because I needed you so much.
You can see now why I was so anxious
to find out what happened here last night.
He still needs my help.
Is that all you have to tell me?
Yes. Except that your safety
means more to me than anything.
I hate myself for not taking you seriously
when you told me you'd been attacked.
But I just couldn't believe that he was
the one who tried to strangle you in London.
So you see, Peg,
if anything's happened here,
anything at all, you must tell me.
Do you understand?
Did he attack you?
Did you shoot him?
- Then where is he?
- I don't know.
- Maybe, she didn't kill him.
- Of course, she did.
The gun's been fired and there's blood
all over the place. That part worked perfectly.
It's what happened afterwards
that's gone wrong.
She should've called the police this time.
Perhaps she thought
that they wouldn't believe her.
Hasn't she asked you
why you haven't called them?
That would look pretty stupid, wouldn't it?
You calling the police and telling them that
you think your wife killed my husband.
Let's face it, Robert.
We're back where we started.
Not quite. I've got a wife now.
Well, that was your idea.
Why do you have to be so devious?
Why couldn't you just have taken him out
into the woods and shot him yourself?
I've told you before!
If there's a killing, we must have a killer.
If we made it look like an accident,
they'd come round asking a lot of questions.
Our way, we provide the killer. The real killer.
Then we're in the clear.
Our Way's beginning to look a little sick
now, don't you think?
- It'll still work once we find the body.
- If we find the body.
- What are you going to do if we don't?
- We've got to.
Either we find it or we get her to tell us
what she's done with it.
Is she normal? This cute little wife of yours.
Of course, she's normal.
She's the most normal person I've ever met.
The trouble with you is you have been
seeing too much of your husband.
She certainly is behaving
in a most peculiar way
for such a normal human being.
What's she going to do and say
when you find Michael's body
and hand her over to the police?
It doesn't matter what she says.
Nobody will believe her.
Any more than they'll believe
that she was attacked by a man
with an artificial arm on two other occasions.
Did you enjoy that bit, Robert? I did.
Oh, I did.
When I heard her talking to you
on the phone,
"I love you too, darling."
Yes, Mrs Beamish has just gone.
I love you too, darling.
Your pretty little brand-new wife.
All innocence and purity.
I couldn't wait to get my hands on her.
When I did it, I hated every minute of it.
I did it for you.
Even when I was struggling with her,
I was thinking of you.
You and your husband and his damn money.
I wish now we'd left things as they were.
I love you.
- Where are you going?
- To make her tell the truth.
You like it?
It's not quite right yet.
I don't seem to be able to get
the right simpering expression.
Next time I'll use the hand with the knife.
Oh.
Don't look to your tender loving husband
for help.
Tell us what happened.
I don't want you to get hurt.
Oh, I do.
Robert's a little bit squeamish, my dear.
But I assure you that I have no such scruples.
Now, I shall ask you one more time.
Where is he?
I don't know.
No marks.
"I have done a terrible thing.
I have killed Michael.
"I won't try to explain or justify it
except to say we were lovers
"and we quarrelled.
I see no other way out now."
Hmm. Very dramatic.
Full ofjust the right clichs.
- Copy her signature from that.
- Oh, no, darling. I'm no forger.
Neither am I, but you're a woman.
A woman can do it better than a man.
- Is that the reason?
- What other reason could there be?
Couldn't it be that you just wanted me a little
more involved, as a sort of insurance policy?
You're involved up to here already, my pet.
Since you haven't been able to find Michael,
what makes you think
that the police are going to be able to?
They're experts. Michael's here somewhere,
either dead or dying.
- I'll make a deal with you, Robert.
- What?
I'll find Michael.
And if he's still alive, I'll kill him.
If you sign this.
- How do you think you'll find him?
- She knows something.
And I intend to find out what it is.
- All right, but she mustn't be marked.
- Leave that to me.
I'm a woman, remember?
I'm gonna find something
that will mark her a little,
but hurt her a lot.
I suppose you'd have left this
on a mantelpiece somewhere.
They'll just have to find it on you.
Peggy, you've got one last chance.
If you tell us everything. If you tell us
where Michael is now, you'll be all right.
We'll simply phone the police and they'll
put you back in hospital somewhere.
For the future, who knows?
Maybe they'll let you out.
Do you want to tell me?
You're a fool, Peggy.
I promise you something,
when Molly gets back here, you'll tell us.
You'll tell us everything you know.
And when you've done that,
you'll start making things up.
You'll say anything to stop her
from hurting you.
Come on. Up. Outside. Move!
Good evening, Robert.
I've been waiting here to welcome you.
I hope that gun isn't loaded.
If it went off, it would waken the boys.
You know I couldn't allow that.
They need their sleep, you see.
The pressure of exams.
Where are you, Michael?
You know perfectly well I wouldn't carry
a loaded gun in the school.
How stupid of me. I'd forgotten.
You've always had the boys' welfare at heart.
I think, Robert, that given time, you might
have made a very good schoolmaster.
The boys liked you.
And I believe you liked them.
Are you here? Speak to him.
Tell him to come down and talk to us.
Are you looking for my wife?
You've been seeing far too much
of each other lately.
I'm always afraid the parents
will get to hear about it.
It's surprising what boys write about
in their letters home.
The boys, Headmaster,
can hear every word you say.
Can they?
Why not come down into the hall?
We can talk things over quietly.
But I am in the hall.
Ah, that's better.
Now, we can see where we are.
Where's Molly?
She's right beside me.
Where all good wives should be.
In their husband's hour of need.
Or is this your hour of need, Robert?
I've been watching you two for a long time.
Did you think I didn't notice on the occasions
when you stole away
into the woods together?
I heard you talking. Planning everything.
And you very nearly succeeded, didn't you?
Yes. We did.
Yes, you nearly succeeded.
But I must tell you, Robert,
all the best murderers check their weapons.
The gun you so cunningly persuaded
poor Peggy to keep with her
was loaded with blanks.
I'd removed the shot, you see.
Not this time.
And she tried to shoot me
just as you wanted her to.
I only wanted to talk to her.
You know that now, don't you, my dear?
There was a rabbit in the larder.
I spilt some of its blood on the floor
and made it look as if she had shot me.
When you saw it, I knew you would
do something foolish
and you did.
And now, you've done it again.
You want to be very careful.
But not a third time, Michael.
I might have known you'd use your
ridiculous electric gadget to speak through.
Say goodbye to the boys, Headmaster.
It's the end of term.
Bastard! Where are you?
Show your face, you mad bastard!
You... I'll find you!
I'll find you!
I'll find you. I'll come back and I'll find you.
And if I don't,
I'll burn this place down round your ears.
I'll find you!
Someone up ahead, sir.
Are you all right, miss?
We got a call, miss.
There's been some trouble.
Is Mr Carmichael there, miss.
I think it was him who called us.
Yes, he's there. It's the start of a new term.
It can't be that, miss.
This place has been closed for years.
We understood Mr Carmichael
was running it as a private house.
We will now sing
the beginning of term hymn,
"Lord, receive us with thy blessing,
once again assembled here."
I don't really need you any more, do I?
I'm sorry I didn't tell you before.
It's just I was afraid, really,
you might not approve.
I'd made up my mind
that was what I wanted to do.
- When did you get married?
- Last week.
He's away at the moment.
We haven't even had our honeymoon yet.
He had to leave the day after the wedding.
Tell me about him. What does he do?
He's a schoolteacher.
He works in the country.
So I'll have to leave Mrs Beamish.
You'll soon find
someone else, Mrs Beamish.
Ah, but not like you, dear.
Quiet as a mouse. The place always spotless.
There aren't many around
like you these days.
It's all parties,
friends popping in at all hours.
- You were never like that.
- No, I wasn't.
I think they're very lucky to be getting you.
The school, I mean.
Think of it, living among
all those happy little boys.
Quite a family you'll have.
A hundred and fifty of them.
- You'll make a fine wife for a teacher.
- I hope so.
Is Mr Robert coming to collect you?
- Yes, he's driving up in the morning.
- Ah. That'll be nice.
It'll be a sort of honeymoon for you, won't it?
Yeah. At least we've got
the holidays to look forward to.
- Will you be living near the school?
- I think so.
Robert says
we've got a cottage on the grounds.
Oh. That's nice.
They sound very nice,
the headmaster and his wife.
They do. I haven't met them yet.
Plenty of time for that.
I'll see you in the morning
before you go, then.
Goodbye, dear.
- Night-night.
- Good night and pleasant dreams.
Hello, Robert.
Where are you?
The school, of course.
Where did you think I'd be?
We've just had the end of term feast.
A hundred and fifty of the little monsters
stuffing themselves into insensibility.
Now they've all gone to bed with the wind.
You should have been here.
Like pigs at a swill.
Oh, Michael and Molly send their love,
they're longing to meet you.
Are you alone?
Yes, Mrs Beamish has just gone.
I love you, too.
Okay, I'll see you about 11:00 in the morning.
How do you feel?
Relax, young lady.
You got a nasty bump on the head.
- Did you catch him?
- Catch who?
He was in the bathroom.
He was waiting for me.
There was no one here, dear.
I heard this thump on the floor.
I came upstairs to see if you were all right.
And I found you
stretched out on the bathroom floor.
He tried to strangle me.
We'd better ring the police.
Could I have a word with you, Doctor?
How do you feel now?
Have you called the police?
Later.
Mrs Beamish tells me
you haven't been very well lately.
I don't understand.
You had a nervous breakdown.
That was about six months ago.
That's not very long.
These things take a long time to sort out.
A very long time.
I didn't just imagine that.
Tell me what happened, from the beginning.
It was after you went. Robert phoned.
And after I had spoken to him,
I went and put the chain on the door,
and then...
The chain wasn't on, dear. I let myself in.
I used my pass key.
The chain wasn't on.
He must have gone out that way, then.
I'll call the police if you're not going to.
No. We'll do it.
How long do you think it'll be
before I'm really better?
You're much better now.
When I was in the hospital,
there was a girl called Gillian.
Do you remember her?
I used to share a room with her.
She kept imagining that there was
someone following her and watching her.
Of course, we knew there wasn't,
but she really believed there was.
She'd had a breakdown, too,
but I think hers must have
been much worse than mine.
That was the second time she'd been back.
She thought she was really better.
They must have thought she was, too,
or they wouldn't have let her go, would they?
But it was afterwards, though,
when she'd left, when she was on her own,
that she started imagining those things.
Are you sure
you're feeling all right?
Mmm.
- I'm sorry.
- It's okay.
I am sorry.
I was looking forward
to the drive and everything.
And now it's spoiled?
- No. It's not spoiled, it's just...
- What?
I don't know.
These things take time to mend.
You'll see, once they catch him.
- They will catch him, won't they?
- Of course they will. You're safe now.
I'm sorry. I was miles away.
- Where were you?
- I was thinking,
because of you, I'm gonna be
the butt of countless schoolboy jokes.
- Why?
- 'Cause they'll fancy you.
At least the older ones will.
"Old Heller's found himself a smashing bird,
you should see her."
And they'll make up wildly erotic stories
about what you and I get up to.
I shall invite
the attractive ones over for tea.
Attractive what?
- Boys.
There aren't any.
I shall listen to all their problems.
I'll tell them to wash behind their ears,
and I'll tell them to be especially nice to you.
That'll go down a bomb.
- I know I'm gonna love it.
- Monstrous little brutes.
Our cottage will be placed out of bounds
on the first day of term.
- Oh, I can't wait to see it.
- I hope you like it.
I'm sure I will. Is it near the school?
- What's it like?
- What's what like?
- The school.
- Big.
Big
- Is it old?
- It's not old at all, actually, it just looks old.
Old and decrepit.
It was only built about 60 years ago,
as a matter of fact.
Stockbroker Tudor, they used to call it.
It's been neglected recently.
It could do with a good coat of paint.
Needs re-plastering in places.
Full of dry rot, too, probably.
I think it's marvellous. Can we go inside?
This is the main hall, the assembly hall,
the great hall.
Chapel on Sundays.
Gathering point on speech days.
What you might call
the hub of the establishment.
The Carmichaels live in a private wing
at the back of the house.
Do you want to pay your respects
now or later?
Oh, no. Later.
- They won't eat you.
- I know, but I'd rather leave it till tomorrow.
You'll like him.
She can be a bit odd at times, though.
- I'm sure they're both very nice.
- Mmm.
This place must have cost a fortune.
- Does Mr Carmichael own it?
- Yes, he does.
- He must be very rich.
- He would be if he sold it.
Do you know a property developer
offered him a quarter of a million for it,
and he turned them down?
- The school must mean a lotto him.
- Yes, it does.
Welcome to the lower fourth,
known among the staff as the Snake Pit.
- Why is it called the Snake Pit?
- You should be here in term time.
It's all so clean, Bob. Are the desks new?
- It's not like our school.
- Why not?
Oh, everything there was chaos.
Teachers always complaining
about being overworked.
We got lots more to see.
You must have an enormous staff
to run this place.
- Not really.
- Where are we going now?
- I'll show you.
- Where?
- You'll see.
- Oh, what's that?
- It's not very pretty, is it?
- It's horrible.
It's one of Molly Carmichael's.
She's a sculptress.
- I don't like it.
- Mmm. It is a bit savage.
Have the boys seen it?
What a strange thing
to have in a boys' school.
- Why?
- Just having to look at that every day.
I suppose you're right. Come on.
What do you think?
- It's lovely.
- Do you like it?
Mmm.
- I love it.
- What were you expecting?
I don't know.
Something smaller and darker,
and lots of old books.
It's nice, Bob. Who had it before you?
Oh. Maths master.
He retired at the end of last term. Ooh!
Went to live in Brighton.
It's not so bad, I suppose. All mod cons.
Even champagne.
To us, then.
- Do you think you're gonna be happy here?
- Of course I am.
- I shall be out most of the time during term.
- Don't worry, it's your work.
- Don't you like it?
- I don't like work of any sort.
I'd rather spend most of my time with you.
I thought all teachers
were supposed to be dedicated.
I'm not.
- I wish I had just half Carmichael's money.
- Oh, don't be silly.
- He probably envies you.
- Do you think so?
You're probably right.
The trouble with him is... Oh.
See what I mean? Not a moment's peace.
Oh. Hello, Michael.
It's the headmaster. Sorry, what?
Yes, of course.
Yes, I'll pick them up for you.
At what time?
The 11:45 from London.
Fine.
What?
Oh. She's fine.
We moved in this afternoon, yes.
Tomorrow night.
Yes, we'd love to.
Dinner tomorrow.
No, I'm sorry. I was just telling Peggy.
Yes, 8:30 will be fine. All right.
Yes. See you then. Bye.
They've invited us for dinner.
Oh.
- It's okay, isn't it?
- Yes, of course.
Good. Remind me that I've gotta go
to the station tomorrow morning.
What was that you were
gonna say about Michael before he phoned?
Nothing.
You were just about to
say something about...
You all right?
Mmm.
You're still worried about that man,
aren't you?
I just can't believe it happened.
But you're safe now.
I shall feel better
when I know they've caught him.
Even if they don't,
you're miles away from London. You're safe.
- What are you doing out of bed?
- I couldn't sleep.
Must be the champagne.
I keep thinking I can see someone.
- Where?
- Over there by the window.
Can you see anyone?
I can't see a thing.
- You're right about one thing, though.
- What?
The champagne. It's upset you.
Now come on back to bed.
There's no one there.
I did see someone.
Come back to bed.
There was someone there.
Perhaps there was.
Maybe it was Michael.
He often walks about the school at night.
- Why?
- I don't know.
Get some sleep. You've had a long day.
- You forgot to kiss me.
- No, I didn't. That's why I stopped.
- I don't think I like this.
- What?
- You're going off to work.
- I'll be back this afternoon.
I know.
You do that every time I go off to work
and I shan't go off to work.
What are you gonna do today?
Would it be all right
if I go and look at the big house?
Why?
I just thought I'd walk around it a bit,
make friends with it.
- I promise I won't touch anything.
- All right. I'll see you later.
Take care.
Quiet, please. Everybody, quiet.
Please, sir, is a mountain masculine?
Boy, what is a mountain?
Mons, sir. Mons montis.
Masculine are fons and mons,
chalybs, hydrops, gryps and pons.
All together, then.
Masculine are fons and mons,
chalybs, hydrops, gryps and pons.
Sorry if I frightened you. Please sit down.
Oh. No, I'm sorry. I didn't realise you were...
Please. Sit down.
Have a desk.
You must be Mrs Heller, Robert's wife.
Allow me to introduce myself.
I'm the headmaster.
- Michael Carmichael.
- How do you do?
- I expect you...
- You must think...
- I'm sorry.
- No, my dear.
What were you going to say?
You must think me very rude.
I didn't mean to come in like that.
I didn't realise you were working.
I've never thought of it as work.
To me, teaching has always
been a sort of hobby.
I like it. Do you see?
I like to see my boys get a good start in life.
They have to work, poor chaps.
Our job is really to teach them how to learn.
Do you know that is the most difficult part,
to make them want to learn?
How much of the school have you seen?
Oh.
I've seen the main hall and the dining room,
and one of the dormitories.
Robert said it would be all right
as long as I didn't touch anything.
Did he?
Then you must see some more.
Please.
- And how long have you known Robert?
- Oh, about four months.
A quick courtship.
- How did you meet?
- Oh, just through friends.
Would that all of life's associations
were so simply forged.
We're very pleased to have you with us.
You're so pretty.
You've already done me a power of good.
You are a most welcome
addition to our large family.
The boys will be impressed,
mightily impressed.
Ah. This is their locker room.
Everything's so clean and tidy.
I expect it's very different
when the boys are here.
Of course, the academic standards of today
are much the same as they've always been.
But there is a very much
higher degree of competition these days.
More boys trying for places
in the best schools and universities.
Oh, dear me, you must think me
a very dry old stick.
The call me Old Gig Lamps,
behind my back, of course.
Come, I must show you the gymnasium.
Here it is.
Now, we have the usual parallel bars,
various vaulting horses,
and that is where we hold
the annual school play.
But I've always taken
a very special interest in knots.
I find them not only excellent therapy,
but most rewarding
in the study of character formation.
Do you like tying knots in things, Mrs Heller?
I don't know. I've never really tried.
Did anyone ever tell you
you have the most beautiful hair?
Oh.
No, I don't think so.
- I never know what to do with it.
- It looks charming as it is.
But perhaps...
If you removed the scarf, let it hang free.
Oh, it would look a mess.
- It needs washing.
- Oh, I don't think so.
- Will you?
- What now?
As a favour to an old man?
Oh...
Please, allow me.
Ooh!
Caught in the knot of your scarf.
Ooh!
- I'm so sorry.
- It's all right.
Nearly done.
Before I met you
I thought I heard a class going on.
Sounded like a Latin class.
They seemed to be enjoying it.
They must like their work.
All that laughter.
Boys will be boys.
Do you keep recordings
of the classes to study?
This must be a wonderful house to live in.
Don't you sometimes wish that it wasn't
a school and you had it to yourselves?
Ooh.
- Finished.
- Thank you.
Now, I must leave you.
We have a conference to attend
tomorrow in London.
I'm afraid I shall have to take your Robert
away from you for a short time.
It is only during the school holidays
that we are able to attend
the numerous extracurricular activities
that make up a schoolmaster's lot.
You have seen our display of cups.
No? Ah. They are something
I'm particularly proud of, as a matter of fact.
I've always believed in the awarding
of trophies for athletic prowess.
It stimulates effort,
puts the keen edge into competitive sport.
We had a boy here once,
many years ago now,
he won six cups in one year.
Practically a clean sweep, a fine boy.
Thank you very much
for showing me around.
Robert says we're having
dinner with you tonight.
See you then. Goodbye.
Bob, is that you?
Bob, it was him.
I was attacked by the same man.
- It couldn't happen again, Peg.
- Bob...
But it was! He must have followed me here.
- Why?
- I don't know why.
Didn't you see him?
I didn't see anyone, Peg.
I came in and found you stretched out
on the living room floor.
That was where he attacked me, Bob.
I thought I saw you from the house
and I came over to find you.
He was waiting for me, Bob,
like he was before.
- I'll fetch the doctor.
- No. Call the police.
- Oh. Peg, be reasonable.
- Please, Bob, please. Call the police.
I'm all right, please.
Bob, I was attacked!
Bob, I was attacked. I was.
You don't believe me, do you?
I believe you think you were attacked.
What I really think happened is that
you either fainted or fell...
Your imagination did the rest.
My imagination.
Last Tuesday I went out to dinner.
It was with a friend of Mrs Beamish's.
I supposed she thought I was lonely
so she asked this man to take me out.
We went out to have something to eat...
I don't know why,
but I thought he put something in my drink.
I suppose I lost control.
He had to phone Mrs Beamish
and ask her to come and get me.
And she kept trying to convince me that
he was a friend of hers
and he wouldn't do anything like that, but...
I didn't believe her.
I'm afraid I didn't like him.
He kept saying it must have been
my imagination.
It couldn't have been my imagination.
- Could it?
- Yeah.
I'll tell you what, sleep on it.
If you feel the same way in the morning,
then we'll call the police.
Now, try and get some rest.
I'll call the Carmichaels
and tell them you're not well.
- Want some more coffee?
- Mmm.
What's it to be?
Do we call the police or don't we?
You don't want me to, do you?
I want to do what's best for you.
No, you don't. You think I might
make a fool of myself, don't you?
No, I don't.
Tell me one thing.
Now, in the cold light of morning,
do you still say you were attacked?
I was attacked, I was.
It must have been the same man, mustn't it?
I'll call them.
What's happening to me?
Nothing.
Do you want me to call them?
Do you want to come outwith me today?
I've got some work to do.
You won't be bored?
Go upstairs and get dressed. Hmm?
Do you want your coffee?
You realise I've got to go to London
this afternoon?
Yes, Mr Carmichael told me.
Michael?
Yes, I met him yesterday.
He showed me around the school.
You didn't tell me.
Go on, up YOU 9-
- Have you finished?
- Finished here.
- Got to go over to the woods now.
- Oh.
I could drop you off at home first, if you like.
No, it's all right. I've come this far.
Jump in.
Jim says part of the boundary fence
has collapsed.
- You cold?
- Yes, I am a bit.
Hang on. Here.
- Bob, is that yours?
- Hmm? No, it's Michael's.
Like the Land Rover. Let's face it,
everything around here belongs to Michael.
- Is it loaded?
- Of course it is.
- What does he use it for?
- Rabbits, foxes, you know.
I hate guns.
It's beautiful. Does he own all this?
Twelve hundred acres in all. I won't be long.
What the hell are you doing here?
You could get your head blown off
creeping around like that.
Don't you know this is private property?
Well?
I said this is private property.
Didn't you see the signs?
God knows we put enough of them up.
No, I didn't. I'm sorry.
Well, then I suggest that...
- Oh. Hello, Robert.
- I see you two have met then.
- Oh. Is this the bride?
- Yes, this is Peggy.
Peggy. Molly Carmichael. Peggy, my wife.
Why didn't you say so, my dear?
I nearly made a widower out of you, Robert.
- How do you mean?
- I didn't know she was there.
Another couple of yards, and...
Darling, you must be more careful.
It was my fault, really. I just assumed
there was nobody around. I'm sorry.
How very pretty you are.
- You did well for yourself, Robert.
- Yes, I did.
About last night, I'm very sorry,
- it was just at the last minute...
- A headache.
Trying to do too much
on her first day at school.
You must take better care of her, Robert.
I'm sure he hasn't the remotest idea of
how to be a good husband.
I've always thought of him
as the perennial bachelor.
Oh. By the way, Robert, Michael wants you to
go up to London by yourself this afternoon.
- But the conference?
- I think he wants you to represent him.
All right, as long as he gives me his report
and tells me what to say.
Oh. You must come
and have tea with us soon.
As soon as I get the cottage sorted out.
Oh. Thank you, I'd like that.
Will you drop by the house later on then?
I'm sure Michael would like to talk to you.
- Yes, indeed.
- Good.
- Damn it.
- What?
I was looking forward
to spending an evening at home.
I wonder why Michael's
changed his mind about going to London.
- When does the conference finish?
- Late.
When Michael goes,
he stays the night in town.
- Does he?
- Hmm.
- She's very beautiful, isn't she?
- I suppose she is.
Do you find her attractive?
- No, I don't.
- Good.
Do they get on?
Who? Michael and Molly? Yeah, I think so.
Why?
I don't know, just a feeling.
- Peg? I'm going over to see Michael.
- Yeah?
- I've just made the coffee.
- I won't be long.
Try and arrange it so
you don't have to stay overnight.
Yeah, I'll try.
Oh, bugger.
- Hi.
- Oh.
- I'm sorry I didn't hear you.
- The door was open.
I thought that you might like to have this.
Oh.
I'd put it in the fridge if I were you.
Yes, of course.
- Would you like some coffee?
- Oh. Yes, please. But I'm not gonna stay.
I just came by to see if Robert could pick
something up for me while he's in London.
I'm sure he will.
He's just popped over to see your husband.
He'll be back in a minute.
Do you miss London, Mrs Heller?
Doesn't it get a bit lonely for you up here?
I've always wanted to live in the country.
Thank you.
I imagine this life is a bit different
from what you're used to.
I don't think so.
Running a house and all that housework.
It's all a matter of what you're used to.
If you ever get tired of us here,
you can always go back to London.
I don't think I will.
Forgive me for being personal,
but you do seem terribly young,
- almost like a child bride.
- I'm 22.
Oh.
I'm sure that Robert needs you
as much as we need Robert.
My husband's been terribly overworked
and the mental strain
has been very hard on him.
Of course, he's physically all right, but, um...
I think you understand.
Thank you for the coffee.
If you get lonely during the night,
give me a call. I'll be home all evening.
It's just that I don't want to
stay here on my own, that's all.
I know that.
That's why I suggested you come up with me
and you stay the night at Mrs Beamish's.
Why do you have to stay at this club?
I've told you, darling. Michael booked me
in there. I can't change it now.
Why don't you stay the night
at the pub in the village here?
Why not?
Look, Bob, if I can't stay with you,
I might just as well stay here.
Would you like to spend the evening
with Molly and Michael?
- I'm afraid I don't get on with Molly.
- But you've hardly met her.
She came over here this afternoon.
She managed to spend the whole time
telling me she didn't think I belonged here.
She thought I'd get bored
and want to go back to London.
She can be a terrible bitch.
Don't let's worry about it any more.
- I'll stay here.
- You sure?
- Yes, I'm sure.
- Okay.
Now, come and see me off.
You've got the number of the police station,
right? And you've got Molly's number?
- I shan't need that.
- No, but you've got it.
Is there anything else?
Well, that's it then.
Look, darling, if it makes you feel any safer,
take the gun with you into the cottage.
It's in the Land Rover,
but be careful, it's loaded.
- I'll see you tomorrow.
- Take care. Goodbye.
Silence!
Mrs Heller, I must...
Peg? I'm home.
Peg? Where are you?
Darling?
What on Earth are you doing here?
- I like it here.
- Are you all right?
- What's the matter?
- Nothing.
- Where are you going?
- Going back to the cottage to get your lunch.
It's been smashed.
Do you know anything about it?
Look. Here. What's this?
I don't know.
Are you sure you don't know what it is?
And you heard nothing from the cottage?
- What's this?
- I don't know.
- Did you spill something?
- I must have done.
- There's your lunch.
- Hmm?
Aren't you eating?
Oh, you did bring the gun into the house.
- You've used it.
- No, I haven't.
Both these cartridges have been fired. Look!
Have they?
Peg, what the hell is going on here?
You haven't given me a straight answer
since I came home.
- Haven't I?
- No, you haven't.
There was what happened in the dormitory
and that.
I spilled something.
- But what?
- I've forgotten.
But the gun? It's been fired.
I was practising how to use it.
- Practising?
- Yes. By the boathouse.
And you'd forgotten.
Look, I love you.
If anything has happened, anything at all,
tell me whatever it is.
We'll sort it out together, but just tell me.
Aren't you going to eat your lunch?
Yes, down by the boathouse.
Have you found what you're looking for?
I don't know what you're talking about.
You're looking for something.
All right, I am.
I'm looking for something
to explain what happened to you.
- Nothing happened.
- Don't keep telling me that.
Your behavioufls enough to tell me,
somethings wrong.
- My behaviour?
- Yes, you've changed.
You won't tell me why,
so I've got to find out for myself.
By checking the lake?
- What did you expect to find, Robert?
- I don't know.
Why don't you ask Michael?
Peg, I want to talk to you.
There are a lot of things I should have
explained to you a long time ago.
Are there?
You already know about some of them.
Do I?
- About Michael, for instance.
- What about him?
That's what I was going to tell you about.
I was terrified of losing you.
Go on.
Well, this place isn't really a school at all.
It hasn't been since 1963.
It used to be a school, a very good one.
Then in the summer time of '63
there was a terrible accident.
One night, Michael discovered a small fire
in the carpentry shop, under the east wing.
There was a fire bucket standing nearby.
He threw the contents on the flames
and it turned out to be some
sort of inflammable spirit.
The whole place went up in a tremendous
explosion and a lot of people were hurt.
The police were called in.
The boys were sent home.
The school closed down.
Michael was very badly burned.
And for weeks they thought
he was going to die.
To start with, he just lay there moaning.
Calling out the names of the boys
who slept in the dormitory over the fire.
Those who had died.
That's how I met Michael.
At the hospital, you see. I worked there.
- Did you?
- Yes, I was a medical student then.
I used to take holiday jobs
in various hospitals.
Anyway, we became friendly
and he grew to rely on me more and more.
So much so, in fact, that when it was time
for him to go home,
his wife asked me if I'd go along with them
and look after him.
Permanently.
I accepted.
Not just because the money
was so good, but...
I really thought that I could help him.
So, when he came back here,
he had all traces of the fire removed.
He started to run the place
as if it was still a school.
And now, everything is exactly
as it used to be.
Except no one ever comes here.
No boys, no masters, no parents. Nothing.
He's even fixed up recordings in every room,
so that at least things will sound the same.
But he just walks about.
Playing at being headmaster.
And I play his game with him.
You see, he relies on me totally.
That's why it was so stupid of me
not to understand. You see...
When I first mentioned you to him,
he asked me questions about you like,
where you lived in London.
What you did. What you looked like.
When you were coming down here.
I dismissed the possibility
that perhaps he resented you.
Perhaps because I needed you so much.
You can see now why I was so anxious
to find out what happened here last night.
He still needs my help.
Is that all you have to tell me?
Yes. Except that your safety
means more to me than anything.
I hate myself for not taking you seriously
when you told me you'd been attacked.
But I just couldn't believe that he was
the one who tried to strangle you in London.
So you see, Peg,
if anything's happened here,
anything at all, you must tell me.
Do you understand?
Did he attack you?
Did you shoot him?
- Then where is he?
- I don't know.
- Maybe, she didn't kill him.
- Of course, she did.
The gun's been fired and there's blood
all over the place. That part worked perfectly.
It's what happened afterwards
that's gone wrong.
She should've called the police this time.
Perhaps she thought
that they wouldn't believe her.
Hasn't she asked you
why you haven't called them?
That would look pretty stupid, wouldn't it?
You calling the police and telling them that
you think your wife killed my husband.
Let's face it, Robert.
We're back where we started.
Not quite. I've got a wife now.
Well, that was your idea.
Why do you have to be so devious?
Why couldn't you just have taken him out
into the woods and shot him yourself?
I've told you before!
If there's a killing, we must have a killer.
If we made it look like an accident,
they'd come round asking a lot of questions.
Our way, we provide the killer. The real killer.
Then we're in the clear.
Our Way's beginning to look a little sick
now, don't you think?
- It'll still work once we find the body.
- If we find the body.
- What are you going to do if we don't?
- We've got to.
Either we find it or we get her to tell us
what she's done with it.
Is she normal? This cute little wife of yours.
Of course, she's normal.
She's the most normal person I've ever met.
The trouble with you is you have been
seeing too much of your husband.
She certainly is behaving
in a most peculiar way
for such a normal human being.
What's she going to do and say
when you find Michael's body
and hand her over to the police?
It doesn't matter what she says.
Nobody will believe her.
Any more than they'll believe
that she was attacked by a man
with an artificial arm on two other occasions.
Did you enjoy that bit, Robert? I did.
Oh, I did.
When I heard her talking to you
on the phone,
"I love you too, darling."
Yes, Mrs Beamish has just gone.
I love you too, darling.
Your pretty little brand-new wife.
All innocence and purity.
I couldn't wait to get my hands on her.
When I did it, I hated every minute of it.
I did it for you.
Even when I was struggling with her,
I was thinking of you.
You and your husband and his damn money.
I wish now we'd left things as they were.
I love you.
- Where are you going?
- To make her tell the truth.
You like it?
It's not quite right yet.
I don't seem to be able to get
the right simpering expression.
Next time I'll use the hand with the knife.
Oh.
Don't look to your tender loving husband
for help.
Tell us what happened.
I don't want you to get hurt.
Oh, I do.
Robert's a little bit squeamish, my dear.
But I assure you that I have no such scruples.
Now, I shall ask you one more time.
Where is he?
I don't know.
No marks.
"I have done a terrible thing.
I have killed Michael.
"I won't try to explain or justify it
except to say we were lovers
"and we quarrelled.
I see no other way out now."
Hmm. Very dramatic.
Full ofjust the right clichs.
- Copy her signature from that.
- Oh, no, darling. I'm no forger.
Neither am I, but you're a woman.
A woman can do it better than a man.
- Is that the reason?
- What other reason could there be?
Couldn't it be that you just wanted me a little
more involved, as a sort of insurance policy?
You're involved up to here already, my pet.
Since you haven't been able to find Michael,
what makes you think
that the police are going to be able to?
They're experts. Michael's here somewhere,
either dead or dying.
- I'll make a deal with you, Robert.
- What?
I'll find Michael.
And if he's still alive, I'll kill him.
If you sign this.
- How do you think you'll find him?
- She knows something.
And I intend to find out what it is.
- All right, but she mustn't be marked.
- Leave that to me.
I'm a woman, remember?
I'm gonna find something
that will mark her a little,
but hurt her a lot.
I suppose you'd have left this
on a mantelpiece somewhere.
They'll just have to find it on you.
Peggy, you've got one last chance.
If you tell us everything. If you tell us
where Michael is now, you'll be all right.
We'll simply phone the police and they'll
put you back in hospital somewhere.
For the future, who knows?
Maybe they'll let you out.
Do you want to tell me?
You're a fool, Peggy.
I promise you something,
when Molly gets back here, you'll tell us.
You'll tell us everything you know.
And when you've done that,
you'll start making things up.
You'll say anything to stop her
from hurting you.
Come on. Up. Outside. Move!
Good evening, Robert.
I've been waiting here to welcome you.
I hope that gun isn't loaded.
If it went off, it would waken the boys.
You know I couldn't allow that.
They need their sleep, you see.
The pressure of exams.
Where are you, Michael?
You know perfectly well I wouldn't carry
a loaded gun in the school.
How stupid of me. I'd forgotten.
You've always had the boys' welfare at heart.
I think, Robert, that given time, you might
have made a very good schoolmaster.
The boys liked you.
And I believe you liked them.
Are you here? Speak to him.
Tell him to come down and talk to us.
Are you looking for my wife?
You've been seeing far too much
of each other lately.
I'm always afraid the parents
will get to hear about it.
It's surprising what boys write about
in their letters home.
The boys, Headmaster,
can hear every word you say.
Can they?
Why not come down into the hall?
We can talk things over quietly.
But I am in the hall.
Ah, that's better.
Now, we can see where we are.
Where's Molly?
She's right beside me.
Where all good wives should be.
In their husband's hour of need.
Or is this your hour of need, Robert?
I've been watching you two for a long time.
Did you think I didn't notice on the occasions
when you stole away
into the woods together?
I heard you talking. Planning everything.
And you very nearly succeeded, didn't you?
Yes. We did.
Yes, you nearly succeeded.
But I must tell you, Robert,
all the best murderers check their weapons.
The gun you so cunningly persuaded
poor Peggy to keep with her
was loaded with blanks.
I'd removed the shot, you see.
Not this time.
And she tried to shoot me
just as you wanted her to.
I only wanted to talk to her.
You know that now, don't you, my dear?
There was a rabbit in the larder.
I spilt some of its blood on the floor
and made it look as if she had shot me.
When you saw it, I knew you would
do something foolish
and you did.
And now, you've done it again.
You want to be very careful.
But not a third time, Michael.
I might have known you'd use your
ridiculous electric gadget to speak through.
Say goodbye to the boys, Headmaster.
It's the end of term.
Bastard! Where are you?
Show your face, you mad bastard!
You... I'll find you!
I'll find you!
I'll find you. I'll come back and I'll find you.
And if I don't,
I'll burn this place down round your ears.
I'll find you!
Someone up ahead, sir.
Are you all right, miss?
We got a call, miss.
There's been some trouble.
Is Mr Carmichael there, miss.
I think it was him who called us.
Yes, he's there. It's the start of a new term.
It can't be that, miss.
This place has been closed for years.
We understood Mr Carmichael
was running it as a private house.