The Living and the Dead

- You're home. - Mr Nathan! Mr Nathan's back.

This day was always going to come. Now the world will change,

- you'll see. - We can make it work, can't we?

Well, if we could convince the railway

to bring a branch line across our land...

Then that is what we shall do.

Just don't expect everyone to welcome these changes with open arms.

Do you believe in ghosts?

We've been down here five minutes

and you've gone back to being a psychologist.

- 'Daddy!' - Gabriel.

'Daddy, where are you, Daddy?'

I used to hear a little boy's laughter in the house.

Then one day, no more laughter.

Do you remember you drew something on the wall in my house?

Like a figure with a book in her hand.

Um... Something like this.

I don't think so.

Could you have seen an image like this before? In my house?

On my desk?

I'm sorry, Mr Appleby, it doesn't mean anything to me.

- It's all right. - Let me show you out.

Thank you, Harriet.

Sorry, Mrs Appleby, I didn't know you were here.

Thank you, Gwen.

Charlie!

Mr Appleby.

- Shouldn't you be working in the fields? - Yes, sir, just on my way now.

Or... would you rather come and watch the surveyors blow things up?

- Now, I'm no expert, Gideon... - That's right, ma'am.

These look to me like stones.

Yes, ma'am. Because the field hasn't been cleared yet.

Well, why hasn't it been cleared?

That was John's job, to tell us what to do and when to do it.

It's just the surveyors at Brockley Combe. Pay it no mind.

Why do they have to blow great holes in the valley, ma'am?

They're surveying the land

to see whether it's capable of taking a viaduct over the valley.

A viaduct?!

They're here because Mr Appleby petitioned for them to be here,

so we will make them welcome.

If we could get a railway port near here,

we could churn our butter in the afternoon,

and it would be on the breakfast tables of Bristol and London by the next morning.

Imagine that!

'It's looking quite promising.'

Definitely Keuper marls. We just need it to be of significant depth.

Appleby. Look at these!

Neolithic flints.

Hmm?

The last human to touch these has been dead for 7,000 years.

Mr Appleby?

Charlie, you can do the honours. Go on.

Push it down, lad, nice and firm.

David...

Benjamin...

Henry...

Abraham...

Harrington...

Ebenezer...

This one night...

This one night

Every night and all

Fire and sleet and candlelight

And Christ receive thy soul.

I remember when old Mrs Appleby

grubbed out the Tremlett Bitter orchards

and replaced 'em with Dabinett.

You were in here every night,

moaning your head off about the evils of progress.

There's nothing wrong with Tremletts.

Who wants a train, anyways?

Nasty, noisy buggers, they is. I expect...

Shhh, the engineers will hear you.

You know what, the engineers...

No good will come of this, you mark my words.

It's like talking to a wall.

I was just saying, like my dear old granfer used to say to me...

.. what lies beneath should be left beneath.

I failed to conceive again.

We will get there, I promise you.

I thought coming down here, away from London,

all the peace and quiet...

We know there's no medical reason. We just have to be patient.

I know.

It's just...

I want your baby, Nathan Appleby.

I want your baby.

Bed, girls.

Do we have to?

Goodnight, Charlie. We all will be safe under your protection.

Charlie, bed!

All safe, Mother.

Shhh, boy, it's just the wind.

What is it?

It's just children playing.

At this time of night?

David...

Harrington...

Abraham...

Henry...

Benjamin...

Ebenezer...

- David... - Harrington...

- Abraham... - Henry...

Benjamin... Ebenezer...

Charlie? What are you doing?

Considering your experience as a farm manager,

where do you stand on the new-model traction engines, Mr Woolford?

- I'd never buy one, I know that. - Why would that be?

I'd let some other fool take all the risk and rent one when I needed it.

But the "other fool" may become a very rich man

and you will be forever under obligation to him.

I saw your shiny new traction on the way in, ma'am.

Broken, is it?

You do seem to move around a lot. Why would that be?

I've come a long way, ma'am.

I think it only fair I get to speak to the master.

Except he's not here, is he?

But I am here, Mr Woolford, and I appear to be a sentient being.

How's that weather looking, Gideon?

Set fair, sir, set fair.

It doesn't bother me

that they'd rather speak to an insect than a woman,

but what does bother me is that their views on agriculture

haven't changed since the Romans moved on.

We'll find someone.

Charlie? What's the matter?

Nothing.

Don't you dare speak to Mr Appleby like that! He asked you a question.

It's all right, Agnes. Was there somebody there?

No, sir.

- 'Twas the Red Boys. - Shut up! You shut up!

Charlie?

Tell me about these boys.

Are they like imaginary friends?

Only children have friends like that.

They came for me.

In the night.

What did they want?

For me to go with them.

Go where?

Don't know.

- Do you know what a nightmare is, Charlie? - A dream that goes bad?

Mm-hm.

They were real, sir.

No matter how real they seem, Charlie,

they are just pictures in your head.

Pictures cannot harm you.

- What do I do if they come again? - Let them come.

We are men and they are pictures. Let them come.

Gwen, it's you.

What are you doing?

- Just a little something, ma'am. - A little something of what?

For you and Mr Appleby, to help you get with child.

I have been pushed and prodded

by some of the most expensive doctors in London.

I don't think some boiled grass is going to make much difference.

This works, ma'am.

What's in it?

Some cabbage leaves, mandrake, marjoram,

er... thyme, parsley,

the root of worm fern and the, er... Oh...

What?

It's the tail of a slowworm.

- What's that for? - Added potency.

And the raspberries, what are they for?

To take away the taste of the slowworm.

I believe an early night is called for, Mr Appleby.

What's that? Wine?

It's... like wine, yes.

Come on.

Nathan!

- David... - Harrington...

- Abraham... - Henry...

Benjamin... Ebenezer...

Pictures in me head.

- David... - Harrington...

- Abraham... - Henry...

Benjamin... Ebenezer...

Charlie... Charlie...

Come and play, Charlie.

Come with us.

We could do it.

We could actually do it.

"Why are you so excited, beloved wife?" - Sorry.

Strawberries.

Arable crops are susceptible

to the vicissitudes of the weather, yes?

And turning this place into a dairy farm would decimate the community.

- That will never happen, Charlotte... - But... strawberries.

If we got our branch line,

we could access markets we've never even dreamed of,

build huge glasshouses, be in control of the growing process.

If it comes.

It will come.

I know it will.

Where are you going?

To take the dog out.

Go to sleep.