Original subtitles

What's the matter?

You okay?

Quick!

You're on a basin.

You're gonna throw up, are you?

When?

There we go.

Listen. Can you hear that?

That what?

That noise in the ceiling. Listen.

It's mice.

Too loud.

Rats, then.

No, listen.

They want their claws trimming.

It's not rats.

It is rats. They're on the wood. That's why it's so loud. And the first time I

came... Shh!

That's rats. As bald as you please.

No.

It's something trying to get out.

The scratching's a bit louder each time, and today it's loudest yet.

And it's not there all the time.

They must be tired by now.

Today it's been scratchy when the paint's bad. Isn't it strange?

You are strange.

Hey, you up there, buzz off.

Ah, come on, girlie, show us your hands.

Blasted door stuck.

Hey, I'm scared.

Nobody's been up here for years.

Hey, look.

They must have had this trouble here before.

You don't have to open it for me.

Give us that mop.

Oh, be careful. Come on, give us a hug. He sounds so sharp.

Just turn him sharp. I know, girlie. Give us a hug.

Come on.

Deal.

Nothing, see?

Nothing but a lot of muck and rubbish.

You coming?

No. I get tape fever in that dust. I'm allergic.

There's a smell.

A kind of scent.

I can't quite... It's meadow sweet.

Funny that.

Must be blowing up from the river.

The slates.

They feel red hot.

Can you see what's making the noise?

No, just a place for the water tanks and that.

Wait a minute, though.

Where are you going?

Be careful.

What is it?

Oh, are they broken?

Nothing wrong with them.

Bring one down and we'll wash it.

It's so blooming hot up here, it made me go skin-eyed.

I'm okay.

Please come down.

Yeah.

I think your mother's calling you.

Are you up there, Roy?

What do you want, ma'am?

Get me two lettuce from the kitchen garden and be sharp.

I'm busy.

You are not.

You clean that place and I'll be right back.

But you didn't see anything to catch, did you?

No, but there's droppings.

And I still want to know what kind of rat cities can count.

Hi,

Dad.

Hurt your foot?

No, just had a stone in it.

Ah.

Been looking after Margaret, have you?

No.

Well, actually, I thought Ali might be up and about this afternoon.

Look, she's not just Ali's mother.

She's yours, too, now.

And has been for the last five weeks.

That's just it.

What? She's your wife.

She's not my... She's my stepmother.

Yes, I know.

It'll take a bit of getting used to.

Still, it's early days yet.

Yes, Dad, sure.

Well, I'll see you both at tea.

Great stuff.

Oh, don't do anything I wouldn't do.

Lovely

day

for a swim?

Yes, perfect.

Lovely?

Yes.

You're swimming.

That's why I'm wearing trunks.

Lovely day for that.

Swimming.

Yes.

In the water.

I've got to get changed.

I'll come with you.

What is it?

What would you say if you had a scratching in your attic?

I'll tell you someone who's got a scratching in his attic.

Who? That man's Gaga.

He's so far gone, he's coming back.

Seriously, man, what would you say?

What would I say?

What? Have I heard a scratching in the attic?

Yes. I don't know.

Mice? Well, I thought that. Is he called Halfbacon?

It's the Welsh.

He'll have bacon.

But suppose when you knocked on the attic door... These mice, knocked back.

Well, big mice, then. Rats.

Half-baked, half-bacon. It suits him.

Your attic?

Look, it's just his nickname.

Who half-bacon? Who the flitch?

Allison's attic.

Allison's? Yes.

And begging your stepmother's pardon, sir, I'll use the front door.

Listen.

Do you know anything about a big stone in the field down by the river?

It'll be the stone of Gronw.

Stone of?

Gronw.

And don't ask me why, because I don't know.

Try asking who out there.

No thanks.

And get Alison to show you what we found upstairs.

I'll be up in a minute.

I'm going to see Alison.

You wait, boy.

I'm latest need watching.

I only got one pair of hands.

Quinn says you found something.

Are you finished?

What do you think about that?

Where did you get this?

Gwyn found it in the attic.

There was no maker's mark.

Pity. It might have been a real find.

Ordinary stuff.

Thick. Not worth much.

Thick? Yourself? Look at the pattern.

Yes, well?

Did you see what it is?

An abstract pattern.

Roger, you're being stupid on purpose.

Look at that part.

It's an owl's head, see?

Yes?

Well, I suppose it is if you want it to be.

Three leafy heads with this kind of abstract flowery business in between.

It's not abstract flowery. That's the body.

If you take the design off the plate and put it together, it makes a complete

owl, see?

There you are.

It's an owl.

Yes, it is.

An owl.

Now, that's quite good.

I like him. Her.

You can tell?

Okay, I like her.

Hello, dear.

Don't do that.

Do what? Don't touch her.

There's slugs in his lettuce.

You know I won't have you speaking to him.

I've not struggled all these years enough. I'd better have you talk to him.

I could have stayed here in the valley if I'd wanted that.

If it's squint like him for company, you need have gone to Grammar.

Yes, ma'am.

What was she talking about then?

I was only asking her why those plates were up in the roof.

You've not been up in that roof, boy?

Yes, ma'am.

All he said was, mind, are you looking at her?

I only went up because Alice was a bit bothered.

I went up and found these plates.

She's cleaning it.

There, Alice.

I didn't touch anyone.

Miss Allison, what's this about plates?

Plates, Nancy? You know what I mean, Miss Allison, if you please. What

plates, Nancy? Them plates in the loft.

Oh, what about them? Where are they? There's only one of them, ma'am.

Quinn.

I'll trouble you to give me that plate, miss.

Why? You're no right to go up there.

I didn't go.

Nor to send my boy up, neither.

Excuse me, I've got things to do.

Thank you not to waste my time, Miss Allison. Please to give me that plate.

Please to give me that plate, Miss Allison.

Whose house is this anyway?

I've seen where you put it on your pillow.

You had a nerve switching those plates on her, though.

Gwyn said it was a knockout. How did you manage it?

I didn't.

Oh, come off it.

I didn't. That was a plate I traced the owls from.

Ali, it's not possible.

The plate was glazed. The pattern was under the glaze. It couldn't rub off.

But this one did, little stepbrother.

But it couldn't, little stepsister.

Where the hell did you get these from?

Oh, not again. You'll have old Nancy off a nut.

Good.

The glaze is sharp.

Comes off easily.

I'll make them better.

I'll make them coloured next time.

Oh, not more.

It's futile.

What do you want more for?

What are the three you did this afternoon?

Couldn't find them.

Oh, women.

Shall I take your supper tray down?

Well, where is it?

I've not had supper.

Hasn't Dad been up with the supper tray yet?

No. Your mother sent him to do the stern stepfather act.

He's not coming.

Good old Dad.

Don't they put you off?

Off?

Yes, I did say.

Well,

there's no point in doing any more tonight.

Let's pack off, eh?

Would you like me to take Elliot Trey up?

Would you?

No,

I said I would.

So I'd better.

Margaret thinks I ought.

She's a bit upset about the fuss.

How's Nancy?

Oh, that was a real up and a downer while it lasted.

But a fiver cures most things.

She's, um... She's dead set against some plates or the other.

No.

I'd better go and chat up old Ali.

Grab up.

What is it?

Nancy's best limp salad.

And, uh, sheep-dipped mayonnaise.

Those are rather jolly.

What are they?

Owls. Mm, they're rather fun.

Yes.

Well, uh, how are the, um...

How are the gripes?

Much better, thanks.

Good.

Up and about again tomorrow?

What sort of day did you and Mummy have?

Oh, I didn't catch anything and one of the waders leaked, but I've great hopes

of tomorrow.

If I can keep my powder dry.

Old Halfbecken says he knows a spot on the river where they always bite.

He didn't say where it is.

No.

No, he didn't.

Has Mummy sent you to tell me off about Nancy?

What?

Oh, yes, well, old Nancy. But you weren't berserk, lad. Too true, too

true. We had a basinful of him when we got in tonight, I can tell you.

Margaret was... Your mother was very upset.

She says that you all... Oh, skip it.

But this is my house, isn't it?

Ah, yes.

Well, then.

Listen, Princess, we ought to get things a bit straight about you and this house.

One of the reasons that your father turned it over to you before he died was

so that your mother wouldn't have to sell it afterwards to clear off the

death duties.

But Daddy meant it to be mine. Surely, surely.

But you're not old enough yet to run it by yourself, are you?

And the rest of us have to live here as well, you know.

I don't have to take orders from my cook.

Well, fair dues now.

Think of your mother.

She's the one who has to put up with Nancy, even though it is your house.

It was hard enough to find anyone to housekeep in a godforsaken place like

this.

If old Nan swept out now, before we'd been here a week,

well, your mother would have to cope on her own for the rest of the month.

wouldn't be a very nice holiday for her now would it?

and... well it's the first time that we've all been together.

you know as a... as a family.

well you know.

yes Clive I suppose so.

that's my girl.

now you finish your supper and...

It sounds as if we've got mice in the attic.

Don't wait. I'm not hungry.

I'll eat this later and bring the tray down in the morning. Tell Mummy not to

worry.

That's my girl.

God bless.

You all right?

What's the matter?

What's the matter, Ali?

Ali?

Please,

Ali.

Ali.

Ali, stop it.

God.

Stop it.

Alice!

A ninth wave of the sea.