Agatha Christie's Seven Dials (2026) s01e01 Episode Script

1
Boy, have you heard…?
…goodbye to the blues
yes, you've made my
happiness complete…
Ghastly!
Ma, don't sneak up on me like that.
This is just ghastly.
- What is?
- Well, all of it, obviously.
It's fun, ma. Come on.
Darling child, this is the
precise opposite of fun.
Industry, aristocracy, and
the blessed foreign office
all in our house at the same time.
Should never have agreed to it.
It was your suggestion.
And it does not return to being our house
until the end of the agreement
you struck with the cootes.
- Lady caterham.
- Good evening.
Look, there they are.
What do you think, ladies?
- Marvelous!
- Marvelous!
A superb idea of yours, lady
caterham, bringing us all together.
Ma was just saying how much
she adores all these masks.
- Don't you, ma?
- Yes. Adore!
Will you be joining us for bridge?
I fear not, lady coote.
Why?
It was devised by an
American. On a boat.
Yes.
Have you seen George Lomax?
See, the whole point of this
evening is for he and I to hit it off.
His foreign office, my steel factories,
in perfect union for a top secret project.
Oswald, it's not a secret if
you keep telling everyone.
No, dear. Quite right, dear.
Hey, whoa up. Whoa up.
Thank you, tredwell.
- Come on, dear.
- Yes.
Lomax.
Did he just thank you, tredwell?
I'm afraid so, milady.
One must never thank staff,
bundle. Where would it end?
What do we think this
top-secret project is
that they're talking about?
Well, if I learned one thing
from your dear departed father,
it was this.
It doesn't do to ask too many questions.
And that, ma, is the
difference between you and I.
Lady Vincent, you look… startling!
- Stop, stop, stop, stop.
- Can't! We're in a hurry.
Ronny Devereux.
Bundle, you've spotted us then.
How could I miss you both in those
masks? How's life in the India office?
Still full of people not
entirely sure where India is.
Bill ever sleigh, I know
it's you under there.
Hello, bundle.
Why are so many of you
wearing the same masks?
A foreign office agreement, all
the chaps that work in government.
And why are you both hiding
clocks under your jackets?
Gerry Wade hasn't made it down
before noon all week for breakfast,
so we thought we'd fix that.
But mum's the word.
I hope you're not both
being mean to poor Gerry.
You wouldn't call him "poor
Gerry" if you had to work with him.
Can we please put these in
place before anyone else spots us?
On with your japes, you boys.
Isn't she just "it"?
Come on.
- Hello, socks.
- Hello, bundle.
Gosh, you startled me.
Your approach was so very subtle.
Did you see Ronny and bill just now?
I did.
They are up to something very subtle.
Do excuse me.
Gerry Wade? I would
recognize that face anywhere.
Lady Eileen.
- Socks has learned a new word.
- Good lord. Makes two this year.
I was hoping I'd find a moment with you.
What sort of a moment would that be?
You know, they've put me in
your bedroom while I'm here.
While ma and I slum
it in the garden house.
I hope you're enjoying it.
You look absolutely
radiant tonight, bundle.
As do you.
Tommy always said you
were born in a dinner jacket.
I do miss your brother
on nights like these.
I miss him far more often than that.
He'd be tickled pink
seeing how you turned out.
I hope so.
I know so.
Ask me to dinner.
You never did stand
on ceremony, did you?
Life is far too short.
We've all learned that the hard way.
Lady Eileen?
Would you do me the great honor
of allowing me to take you to dinner?
Why, Gerry Wade, what a surprise!
When?
Tuesday next.
I suppose I could spin
by just before 6:00.
That would be perfect.
Remind me. How do
you feel about questions
if I were to have one to
put to you on Tuesday?
What sort of a question?
Perhaps the sort that one might hope
would be answered in the affirmative.
Gerry Wade, are you…?
Wade!
Wade. What on earth are you doing?
Lady Eileen, you of course remember
the right honorable George Lomax.
- Undersecretary for the foreign office.
- Good… lord!
Lady Eileen! I do apologi
you've grown up!
Mr. Lomax, I trust you're
enjoying sir oswald's party?
Absolutely!
But of course it wouldn't be the
same without this glorious house.
I expressly instructed you
to stay at the side of lady
coote for the entire evening.
She must be watered, she must be
fed, she must be charmed at all times
in order for me to cement
my bond with sir oswald.
You are ignoring your
task. We need happy cootes.
Of course, Mr. Lomax.
Do excuse me, lady Eileen. Duty calls.
Good luck, Mr. Wade.
I look forward to hearing
your question on Tuesday.
As I look forward to hearing your answer.
Lady Eileen, charmed.
You, play some bridge, or do
anything lady coote demands.
Anything?
Shh!
I think we can be very, very proud of this.
- And I'm dummy, is that right?
- Always, thesiger.
These gentlemen enjoy
reminding me, lady coote,
that I didn't quite make
the grade for civil service.
However, I remain a
very valued partygoer,
and my Charleston is
considered second to none.
It's the talk of all the best houses.
Isn't that right, lady Eileen?
Absolutely, Jimmy. We
shall expect a display.
As you know, my natural
modesty would normally forbid,
but for you, bundle, absolutely.
Lady coote,
I do believe that sort of thing may
be ever so slightly frowned upon.
Not by me.
The last person who called me a cheat
regretted it for the rest of their days.
Everyone's just so…
So subtle.
Do you have to be
quite so loud, thesiger?
Feeling a little worse for wear?
What about you, bill?
I feel awful.
Just, dry toast and liver salts, tredwell.
I took the Liberty of
having some prepared, sir.
Good lord. Youth.
Good morning, everybody!
Ooh! Few thick heads in here.
Good morning, socks.
Good morning, boys.
- Good morning, bundle.
- Morning.
What's that dreadful noise?
Lady Eileen, lady caterham.
Good morning.
That, lady coote, is the
sound of Gerry Wade
proving he will sleep through anything.
Well, as the point is now proven…
Tredwell, can you attend
to that infernal racket?
Immediately, your ladyship.
Mr. Wade?
What is tredwell doing up there?
Fine, I will tend to those
blasted alarms myself.
I'm holding you two responsible.
Out of the way, tredwell.
Lady Eileen, you mustn't.
Tredwell, do you mind?
Shut them off.
Tredwell, shut them off!
This must have been
quite a shock, lady Eileen.
May I ask, were any of you aware
he took a draft to help him sleep?
No, that doesn't make any sense.
He was a champion
sleeper, going back years.
That was the whole point in your prank.
It's possible, lady Eileen,
that Mr. Wade's excellent sleeping
was the result of sleeping drafts.
Whoops, butterfingers. Apologies.
That could have been unfortunate.
Best check this to make sure.
Sorry. Sorry.
It's not valuable, is it?
You're not listening to me.
He didn't use them. Why would he?
He fought at the somme, bundle.
He wouldn't be the only chap who
saw enough to keep him awake at night.
No. In Tommy's letters from
the front, he'd always joke
that even the loudest
explosion couldn't wake Gerry.
The question is, was
this a terrible accident?
Alcohol and medications
are never a happy mix.
Or, forgive me, lady Eileen,
deliberately self-inflicted?
Are you saying he killed himself?
Because that's not
the Gerry Wade I know.
Can you tell him?
He…
He has been under rather
a lot of pressure at work.
Gerry reports to Lomax,
and Lomax was very agitated
about ensuring last
night went off successfully.
It's fair to say that Gerry hadn't been…
…quite himself recently
with all the pressure.
Don't you think?
I don't know.
Bill, you worked more closely with him.
Well, an inquest will establish the facts.
We'll have the body taken away shortly.
Thank you for attending so swiftly,
doctor. Tredwell will show you out.
This is very tragic. Tragic business.
Apologies again about the glass.
Yeah, I'm all done, I think.
'Cause I've, done the bed.
Done the bedside.
Did the bottle.
Done the doors.
I suppose I could have a bash
at the wardrobes or
the windows, if you like.
What do you think?
You have done this before?
Well, it's funny you should
ask that. No, I haven't.
No, usually they send old deakins,
but he's away in eastbourne.
He goes every year, him and his wife.
I mean, what are the
what are the chances of that?
'Cause it's rare that we get one of these.
Yeah, so they finally let me off the leash.
Flying solo. It's quite exciting.
No, I mean…
It's very tragic.
I'll finish up.
He did not take his own life.
- He was making plans for next week.
- How do you know that?
Because they were plans with me.
Look, bundle, I know
it's awful to contemplate,
but bill's right.
He seemed rather burdened
by the work recently.
Why are there so many
clocks on the mantelpiece?
I thought you hid them.
Did you two do that?
What do you want now, tredwell?
The cootes, lady Eileen.
They appear to be departing…
Precipitously.
Lady caterham requests your assistance.
Bundle, there you are.
Jimmy, do you have to be
such a galumphing elephant?
Is it true?
About Gerry Wade?
Yes.
Good lord.
Are you all right?
Someone said you found him.
I'm fine.
Okay.
I'm fine.
- I don't think any of us are fine, bundle.
- No.
He was the absolute best of us.
He really was.
Make them hurry, before
that ghastly woman appears.
Come on, Bateman. There's
no time to be dillydallying around.
- No.
- Cootes!
Flying the nest early, I understand?
Lady caterham.
Yes.
My wife is much affected
by this tragic event.
Yeah, it's tragic.
Humbug.
I beg your pardon?
I find they soothe in times of difficulty.
- Thank you, no.
- No.
Oswald, do you realize
that we have three more days
remaining on our agreement?
We are not a family
prone to refunds, I'm afraid.
No. Didn't think you would be.
Foreign office, wasn't
he, the lad who died?
He was a dear family friend.
All crates and cases packed,
ready for departure. I have the list.
Good, Bateman.
- An excellent secretary, this lad.
- Yes.
Everyone should have a Bateman.
We are acquainted.
You were at school with
Gerry. And my son. Thomas?
Two years below.
On a scholarship. Paid for by us.
This is terrible business all round.
Well, I wish you swift
transport and safe travels.
Cootes.
Pongo.
Those people make my kidneys ache.
What'd she call you, Bateman? Pongo?
They think they're better than
us, sir, by virtue of birth alone.
Tell me, Bateman.
Who is forced to rent out
her drafty, decrepit house
to pay the bills,
and who can afford to party in
this crumbling pile and walk away?
I can access this world any
time I flourish my checkbook.
See, they say you can't buy class,
but it's the cheapest, most
readily available purchase
in the whole of England.
Come on.
- Thank you, Bateman.
- Thank you, Bateman.
No!
Sorry, your ladyship.
You must allow her her grief.
My dear loraine,
I will be in town on Monday.
Let's talk again then.
I shouldn't have mentioned
seven dials to you tonight.
I was so tired I could barely think.
Please forget I ever said…
What does seven
dials mean to you, ma?
I can't keep up with all these new drinks.
I was thinking more
of an object or a place, perhaps.
The slums?
Seven dials? Slum district in town, yes.
No, I passed through there
once, in error. I was furious.
London district? Really?
Not thinking of going there, are you?
Not sure.
Well, then let me be
sure for you. Do not.
Horrible area. Dangerous.
Why are we even talking about it?
Everyone seems to think
that Gerry killed himself.
I just…
Cannot believe that.
Bundle, I am…
I'm genuinely sorry
about poor Gerry.
I know how fond you were of each other.
But we can never truly know the
contents of another person's mind.
No, but you see, I can,
because he told me.
We were to have dinner on Tuesday.
I think he may have
been about to propose.
Without mentioning it to me?
Why would he be arranging that
if he were thinking of taking his own life?
Ma, I think he may have been killed.
That is a very serious
accusation, bundle.
I know.
Well, who would wish harm
on such a handsome boy?
One of the guests at the party, perhaps?
Or lady coote?
He was assigned to her,
but she didn't seem very happy
with him at the end of the night.
Darling, we're all unhappy.
It doesn't mean we have
to break out the poison.
I'm not going to rest until I find
out what happened to him, ma.
And if I were to forbid you from
embarking on such an endeavor?
Then we both know I would ignore you.
Have you spoken to Emily today?
Emily?
The maid. No, why would I?
I saw her talking to lady
coote before they left.
It seemed she'd been crying.
Well, lady coote has
that effect on me too.
I'm serious.
Maids do tend towards
crying, in my experience.
They don't, ma. Only
if you're mean to them.
You sound just like your father.
Thank you.
I can't believe Gerry's gone.
Too much death.
Too much.
Fresh flowers
for our darling men.
Why would we have
put a clock on the lawn?
As part of your prank?
Like the clocks on the mantelpiece.
One on the lawn would
hardly have woken him.
Then how did it get there?
Bundle, I swear I have no idea.
Then how would you explain it?
I can't.
There's something you should
know. Bill and I didn't leave any clocks
on the mantelpiece that night.
We hid them all around the room.
You mean someone moved them?
I assumed Gerry found them
when he went to bed that night.
But if he found them, why would
he not switch the alarms off?
Also, we hid eight alarm
clocks around his room that night,
but there were only seven arranged on
the mantelpiece the following morning.
The one on the lawn
must be number eight.
Ronny, this is precisely
what's been bothering me.
Someone must have
been in Gerry's room.
After you left, but
before we found his body.
It's possible.
It's more than possible.
We have to find the truth.
Ronny, who would
have wanted to kill Gerry?
If you have any idea, you must tell me.
The coroner's inquest is
on Tuesday in market basing.
If they don't declare foul play,
the police will drop the case,
and Gerry will never get justice.
We owe it to him.
He liked you.
He respected you.
Fine. We'll go to the inquest together.
In the meantime, don't
mention this to anyone else.
All right.
Look, I have to go now.
Take care of yourself, bundle.
Toodle-pip.
You've spoken to all of your men?
I have, milady.
And nobody noticed
a sleeping draft bottle
on Mr. Wade's bedside table
at any point during his stay?
Correct.
The bedside table was always
clear, ready for his morning tea.
The staff were aware
from his visits over the years
that Mr. Wade liked to
sleep late every morning,
and to the best of my knowledge,
it was without medicinal assistance.
And did you,
or anybody else, move the
alarm clocks in Mr. Wade's room
that night or first thing that morning?
Certainly not, lady Eileen.
You certain of that?
What a gentleman does in his own room,
with however many clocks
he chooses, is his own affair.
Where might I find Emily?
Milady.
Please, sit.
You're not in any trouble. I
just want to ask you something.
I saw lady coote talking
to you before she left.
You seemed upset.
Was it… something she said?
Something you'd seen?
I don't want to speak ill of anybody.
Anything you say will stay between us.
Will it, though?
I've seen in other houses what
happens to maids who fall out of favor.
You have my word, Emily. I hope
you know that's worth something.
I was assigned to lady coote
when they arrived at
the start of the summer.
And how was lady coote?
She's very demanding.
She never says the same thing
twice. Like, she'll ask you for one thing.
When you bring it,
she says she asked you for the other,
and why are you being such an idiot?
I see.
Keep going.
You know how long I've been here.
Who looked after your
mother when your father died?
And we'll never forget that, Emily.
Lady coote made me feel
like I was losing my marbles,
blaming me for
anything that wasn't right.
The sleeping draft bottle.
It was yours?
I wasn't sleeping.
And… god, I was so
tired, and I I just broke.
And I told lady coote
she was costing me sleep.
And she gave me the bottle,
and said it would help, but that
she expected me to do better.
- You gave it to Gerry Wade?
- No, of course not, milady!
I've never even passed
more than two words with him,
god rest his soul.
No, it was taken.
From in here, the night of the party.
I came back, and it was just gone.
Who do you think could
have given it to him?
Well, he couldn't have taken it.
He wouldn't be up here.
And besides,
hardly anyone knew I had it.
It was ever so strong.
You were only supposed to
take the tiniest amount, and…
Well, if he had the whole bottle, well…
Well, no wonder he gave out.
That whole inquest was a
sham. Death by misadventure?
It's a disgrace! I hope you're happy.
Telling him about the clocks
would've made no difference.
It might have made him give
weight to Emily's evidence
about the sleeping draft that killed Gerry.
- Instead, they've closed the case.
- Bundle, just leave it alone.
- Ronny, look at that man.
- Which man?
- Over there, staring at us.
- Do you know him?
No.
- What the blazes is he doing?
- Shall we go inside?
Why would we go inside?
You asked me to lunch.
No, that was just a ruse. I
thought you'd realize that.
Then why are we here?
Lady coote! What a surprise.
Lady Eileen. Mr. Devereux.
I trust you're in good order.
Not entirely, no.
Why didn't you inform the inquest of
what you knew concerning Wade's death?
I'm sure I don't know what you mean.
The sleeping draft they found in
his room was yours, not Gerry's.
You gave it to Emily.
And yet you chose not to share
that information with the coroner.
So, because of you, the police
will not investigate any further.
You will forgive me, lady Eileen.
It does none of us any good
to revisit such a tragic event.
Where that poor boy got his poison
and what he did with it is not my concern.
You must excuse me.
Bundle, I'm not entirely sure
what you're trying to achieve.
The truth?
None of this adds up.
Look.
I found this letter in the writing bureau.
Gerry was writing it to his sister loraine.
In it, he says he never should
have mentioned seven dials.
And what do you suppose that means?
I don't know. But it has to
be connected, doesn't it?
Seven clocks on the
mantelpiece, seven dials.
Someone arranged
them like that deliberately.
If we can find out what it means,
we can find out who killed Gerry.
The coroner concluded death by
misadventure. That has to be an end
hang the coroner! I'm not going to
stop until I find out how Gerry died.
He's gone!
Bundle, he's gone.
There's nothing you can do.
What does it matter to you anyway?
Gerry Wade pulled my
brother's body off the battlefield.
He was the closest friend my
brother ever had, even in death.
He was a source of incredible
comfort for both me and my family.
And he
I was more than fond of him, Ronny.
I owe it to him,
if there is even the remotest
possibility of foul play,
to get to the truth.
Leave this with me.
Let me have a few
discreet conversations,
but please, bundle, be careful
who you speak to about this.
Gerry wouldn't have
wanted you in any danger.
- Operator.
- Operator?
Which number, please?
The gentleman I work
for was just disconnected
from his last call on this number.
- Which number is that?
- Market basing 4141.
Market basing 4141.
If you could reconnect
the call with urgency.
- He's most distraught.
- Hold the line, caller.
I made that connection myself.
Hello, Scotland yard.
Hello?
Ma, I need the lagonda.
I'm heading up to London.
Good idea. Wouldn't mind a spin myself.
Come on, then. I'm
in the devil of a hurry.
Well, in which case, I recant.
To be driven by you
when you are not in a rush…
Intolerable enough.
Why are you in such a hurry?
I'm amassing information
regarding Gerry's death.
Bundle, no. Absolutely not.
In my experience, people
who go looking for trouble,
usually find it.
And I have no more capacity for loss.
I'm heading to London.
I can't let this rest.
To think is to do, ma.
I'm going to Scotland
yard. Wish me luck.
I wish you to stay right here!
Right here.
Too much like you,
my darling.
What is it, tredwell?
Can a woman not have
time alone with her plants?
We are in receipt of an anonymous
note addressed to lady Eileen, milady.
Are we, indeed?
Well, read it out.
Your ladyship may
prefer to read it herself.
No, her ladyship does not prefer.
Read on, man.
"Keep your nose out of seven
dials, or it will be the end of you."
Are you all right?
Ronny?
Bundle.
You've been shot! Who did this?
The seven…
The se seven dials… yes? Ronny!
- Tell t
- I don't… I don't know what you're saying!
Tell who?
Jimmy
thesiger.
Seven…
Dials.
No, no, no! Ronny!
Ronny!
Ronny, no!