Marchlands

Come along, Olive.

What's going on? A preist?!

I'm just trying to help. You think it helps her to know

her dad believes in the healing power of magic water?!

I just want to know what's going on. I want to know why he's lying to me.

Olive was pregnant when you left. But there were complications,

and the baby only survived for a few hours.

You know that Keith boy? The student Brian? Yes.

He's been bragging that he spent the night with Ruth in Leeds.

If you want my advice, you should leave.

You need to take Ruth and move far away. Forget us. Start again.

'A-S-K-O-R.' What do you mean?

Ruth? I'm just going into the village.

What if we moved? You and me.

Moved away from here. Started again. Away from all this.

"All this"? Everything.

Including Alice? Alice is gone.

She's here. In the house. In the woods.

Her grave's here. But...

I can't leave her, Paul. I can't.

OK.

Is that it?

That's it.

I can't believe you're suggesting that! Why not? It might help.

We could find a place in the village.

The kids wouldn't have to change schools. I'm not moving house!

Not even for Amy? If I thought it would help, I'd move tomorrow.

But it'd only make things worse. How can it be worse?

You'd be reinforcing her delusions. Oh, delusions?

Yes! That's what they are.

And every time you act like they're not, you're making her worse.

Why can't you see that?

They're arguing.

What's new? Just stay out of it.

I can't keep out of it. It's me they're arguing about!

At least they know you exist.

Come here.

This is good of you, Ruth. Thanks. No, don't be daft. It's no trouble.

It's just difficult with the baby. I know. Don't worry.

You just concentrate on sorting things out.

How are we doing? I'll be out in a minute.

You can start the car if you like.

See you later, Ruth.

Give him a chance, Nisha.

Men do things differently.

They have to adjust in their own way.

You're not taking his side, are you? No, I'm not taking anyone's side.

I'm just saying...

Sometimes we don't see everything that's going on.

OK.

Time to go.

I've just made some tea. I'm going out.

Get some fresh air.

Is everything all right? Don't worry about me. I'll be fine.

Bye.

What is it, love? What's wrong? Where are you going?

Into the village. Your mum wants some things from the shop.

Promise? Promise.

I'm coming with you. All right.

Buckle up.

Brian! What happened?

Ask your husband!

The station, please.

What has happened to us, Mark?

I sit in that house some days and I feel like I'm going crazy.

I need you to keep me sane, but you just...disappear.

I've been trying to keep things going at work.

I've had a lot of stuff to deal with.

Why didn't you tell me about it?

Cos it's my responsibility.

I didn't want to worry you. I just want you to be happy.

Is that why you lied about Olive?

My little girl loved that song.

It was one of her favourites.

So how bad is it?

We've got enough work until the end of the year. Mm-hm.

But if we don't get any new contracts by then I'll have to start laying people off.

And if it goes on any longer...

Well, we can sell the house if we have to. No. That's not fair.

Hey, we're in this together.

But that house is everything you've ever wanted.

No. It's a roof over everything I've ever wanted.

Oh...

So Scott's sister Amy got ill while they were living at Marchlands, is that it?

That's why you invented a story about some old couple that lived there?

You'd fallen in love with the place. I didn't want to put you off.

How's that going to put me off? People get ill. So what?

It was more than that.

Scott told me once that... weird stuff was happening around the house.

What sort of weird stuff? He wouldn't say.

The kind of stuff that's been happening to me?

You never said anything! I didn't know anything.

I told you, he didn't want to talk about it.

Well, we'll see about that.

Where's Paul? He's gone out.

What happened between him and Brian, Keith?

You must know. You know everything else round here.

There was a fight.

About what?

About what? About you.

About you and that lad spending the night together!

Who told you that? He did.

Told the whole village. No wonder Paul had words with him.

He was trying to defend your honour. Too late, if you ask me.

But nothing happened! That's not what Brian says.

And Paul believes him? Why didn't he say anything?

Why didn't you tell me? He wouldn't let us. He made us promise.

Oh, God.

Ruth... This is her own doing.

She said nothing happened.

Something happened. I can tell.

I can always tell.

Ruth, what's wrong? He's gone! Left me a note. Taken his stuff.

Gone? Read it yourself. I'm taking the car.

Why? Where are you going? To find him.

If that's for washing, put it there and I'll sort it.

Are you and Dad splitting up? What?

No! Why would you think that?

All you do is argue.

It's difficult at the moment.

Why? Cos of Amy?

It's not her fault. Whose fault is it, then?

Dad's? Mine?

No! Of course not. Don't be daft.

Come here.

It's no-one's fault. We're not splitting up.

So stop worrying.

I thought we were going to the shop.

I just wanted to show you something first.

Poor Alice. How did you find her?

I found the scrapbook, in your room.

But that was a secret! I know and I'm sorry.

But it helped me find out about her. What happened to her.

Why? What happened?

There was an accident. It was a long time ago.

She drowned.

Does this mean you believe me?

I believe you.

Thinks we'll be better off without him.

I've tried ignoring her. But she won't go away.

Maybe she wants something.

I've asked her but... Does she speak to you?

Not really. Sometimes...she writes something.

Like what?

One word. Over and over.

'Askor'.

'Askor?'

I don't know what it means.

Ruth. What are you doing here?

I know about the fight. I know what happened. You don't have to do this.

It's the only thing left. It's for the best. The best for who?

For everyone. I want to make things better but everything I do makes things worse.

What are you talking about?

I'm supposed to look after you. You and Mum and Dad. But I can't.

You don't have to look after anyone. That's not your job. It is my job.

It's the only job that matters, really.

It's just...I've not done it well enough.

What do you mean?

All the things I should've been -

a good father,

a good husband, a good son.

I failed at all of them.

That's not true. It is.

Look at us!

Alice is dead. Our marriage is dying.

The whole village is talking about us. None of that is your fault.

It was my job, Ruth.

Father. Husband. Son.

It was my job.

Then what about doing your job now, Paul? How are you going to look after me now?

You don't need me. I do.

I need you, Paul. Don't do this to me. Please.

I don't want to talk about it. I understand, Scott.

But I wouldn't ask if I didn't think it was important.

Your baby, Alice. Where did you get that name?

It was on a mural in one of the bedrooms.

The name of a little girl who lived there once.

When I found out that you'd called her that, I dug this out.

You should probably take a look.

My sister said she saw things. What kind of things?

A little girl...called Alice.

My mum thought she was sick but my dad believed her.

He did some research and found that.

1967. Little girl, eight. Drowned.

Alice Bowen. Marchlands.

Bowen. Alice Bowen.

Parents, Paul and Ruth Bowen.

Ruth? Our Ruth? You know her? The girl's mum?

She's looking after the baby. OUR Alice!

Two minutes, Ruth. Just leave. No. I'm not leaving you.

You're not leaving me. Let me go.

Go where? I don't know. Anywhere.

It doesn't matter. It matters to me.

I'll come with you.

But you can't. You said. I was wrong.

The truth is, I can't stay. Not without you.

What about Alice? Alice is dead.