Elizabeth Is Missing

SHE HUMS

Oh, my God, that stinks!

He's always burning something.

Maud, don't do that - you'll get dirt in your fingernails.

Use your gloves.

No! You don't need gloves.

You just put soap under your nails.

Who told you that?

Helen. It's an old gardener's trick.

Well, it helps if you remember the soap.

DOG BARKS

It's all right, my love, it's all right, he can't get you.

He keeps it locked up.

Well, he shouldn't keep it locked up.

It's not right!

Shush, Maud, I don't want any trouble.

Helen would keep me locked up if I let her.

Well, at least she comes to see you every day.

Peter only comes if he wants something.

Then you can't get a decent conversation out of him.

Sails in, sails out.

That's Helen to a T.

Always somewhere better to go.

Well, she doesn't shout at you.

What?

Peter shouts at me.

No! Mm-hm.

Things go missing.

And he lies about it.

What things?

Just things.

As long as he keeps his greedy mitts off my majolica vases.

Those hideous things?

What do you want them for?

They could be worth a fortune!

Do I look old, Maudie? Cos I bloody well feel it.

Spying again, Doug?

- DOG BARKS - Argh!

Come on, let's go in. We'll go in. It's too cold for digging.

DOG BARKS

Be quiet!

It's getting late. Ah. You'll have to go straight home.

Where else would I go?

Well, you never know who's out and about.

Elizabeth, did I lose something?

Only your head. Oh!

Right. I'll see you Thursday.

Ten o'clock.

Outside the Sally.

Don't forget.

What are you doing now? I'm going to write it down.

Oh!

Maudie!

Sukey!

What are you doing here?

Looking for you!

Dad's gone for fish and chips.

What are you doing here?

Just thinking.

Come on, then. Ma's set the table.

Where's Frank?

London. On a job.

Race you! You're not daft.

You know I can't run in these heels.

Was Doug in when you left?

He's always in.

Skulking about.

I wish we had a different lodger.

Oh, Maud!

It's you. Hello!

I've been outside for ages,

waiting on Elizabeth.

She's late!

Are you sure you've got the right time?

Well, what time is it?

10:20.

Elizabeth.

Ten o'clock.

Sally Army.

She's late.

And she's never late.

Er, where are you going?

I was going to make a cup of tea while I'm waiting.

Now, Maud, I thought we decided you weren't to do that.

You don't work here any more.

Remember?

Oh, course I remember.

Well, I'll just have to go and look for her myself.

Anything could have happened to her.

Not that you'd give a monkey's.

If you find her, tell her I was asking for her.

Bugger that for a game of soldiers!

We'll go for the corner plot.

It's the biggest.

Bugger it, let's aim high!

No point in aiming low.

We'll be in for the summer.

You and me.

Living in the lap of luxury.

What about me?

Well, you can come and visit.

Can't she, Frank?

Course you can.

Oh, where's my marrow flower, Frank?

THEY LAUGH

The corner plot!

Hello? Elizabeth?

It's me, Maud!

I waited at the Sally Army. Elizabeth?

Oh!

"Ugly vases...

"... in my way."

Damn things!

She hasn't got her glasses. She hasn't got her glasses!

Elizabeth?

Elizabeth!

- DOG BARKS - Oh, go away!

WHIRRING

Hello, Mum, it's just me!

WHIRRING STOPS

You left the hoover on again.

That bit of carpet must be spotless.

At least you're ready. For what?

We're going to the garden centre!

Oh, I can't.

I've got to find Elizabeth.

She's not answering her door.

Something must have happened to her.

Her blinds were closed in the middle of the day.

That's not like her.

She must have gone away.

She has not.

She would have told me.

"Elizabeth's glasses. Still there!"

She'd never have gone without her glasses.

You see, something's not right.

Well, she'll have more than one pair.

It's like talking to a bloody brick wall!

God's sake, Mum, why do you keep buying peaches?

You've enough here to feed an army!

You can never have enough.

Food goes missing.

Somebody's eating it. I don't know who the bugger is.

Nobody's eating it - that's the problem.

No more peach slices, OK?

DOORBELL RINGS

Sorry, we're coming.

Go and give your gran a shake.

Hey, Gran. Oh!

Oh, no, did you fall over?

They're meant to be like this. Ooh!

I've got hundreds of holes in my tights.

Gran, what did you do that for? We nearly finished it!

Oh, I had to.

I need the table for my notes.

To find Elizabeth.

She's the only friend I've got, and now she's gone too.

Gone where? Missing.

Oh, don't do that!

You'll muddle it all up.

Right. Come on. Coat on. Oh!

Gran, what is it?

Hey, what's happened?

It was the last time I saw her.

Elizabeth?

Sukey.

Oh, Gran, don't cry.

Mum, what's wrong?

She just got a bit upset. It's all right.

About what?

Something about Sukey.

Why did you bring her up?

I didn't. She did.

I don't know where she is, Helen.

There.

Don't upset yourself.

Here, blow your nose.

... Very fine velvet material.

Tourist pieces from a period of time from the early to...

... not quite the late 20th century, when tourists travelling to Japan...

She'd never go out while this rubbish is on.

... pieces were not tat. They were reasonably good.

So the colours will be pretty much as they were 80-odd years ago.

A pair is always so much more desirable than, obviously, a single.

They're really good.

Oriental panel, interesting - Chinese or Japanese.

Ah, Japanese! There is Mount Fuji.

They look like silk panels, don't they,

stitched to the original kind of backing paper.

Something's not right.

If I just fold the material back,

now, if you turn it over, that is just a fabric.

It's almost like a vel... Ah, it is. OK, so it's a crushed velvet.

Very, very fine velvet material...

It's only me! Who the hell's me?

It's Carla, Maud.

I could hear that down the street!

- SHE TURNS OFF TV - What are you doing here?

What I always do.

Get your tea and put you to bed.