The Dark Rider is the first episode of the fifteenth series of the popular ITV crime drama Midsomer Murders and originally aired 1st February 2012;
Synopsis[]
When Bentham DeQuetteville falls to his death from a roof after seeing a headless horseman, his aristocratic family seem more concerned about their forthcoming Civil War re-enactment than the incident. As Barnaby and Jones try to find out the truth behind the ghostly figure, their investigation uncovers shocking secrets about the DeQuettevilles.
Plot[]
It's a dark and stormy night at Quitewell Hall, which is the size of a castle. Bentham DeQuetteville hears a noise and goes on the roof. The flag has come down and he tries to get it loose from the stone it's wrapped around. Then he sees the headless horseman pointing at him. He cries out and falls to the ground clutching the flag.
Murder 1: Toby DeQuetteville is taking the dog out for a walk when he sees the a figure on a horse with apparently no head. He runs over to Bentham's body. Bentham says, "Geoff..Geoffrey." and dies.
DCI John Barnaby and DS Ben Jones go to the morgue. Pathologist, Dr. Kate Wilding says "He died around midnight. Cause of death.." Jones inserts, "Long fall, landing on head." Kate says, "How very scientific." Jones says, "It's self-evident. He tells Barnaby that the man fell from the roof of Quitewell Hall. The only witness, Toby DeQuetteville, said he saw a grey horse riding away just after the old man fell. Barnaby says, "And who was out riding in the middle of the night? In a very aggressive electrical storm." Jones says, "Don't know, sir. But apparently, he had no head." (Kate bangs metal tray ) Barnaby says, "I beg your pardon?" Jones says, "Witness said the horserider had no head." Barnaby, "Drunk or stoned?" Jones, "I was on duty, sir." He is Bentham DeQuetteville, brother of Sir Ludovic DeQuetteville of Quitewell Hall.
At Quitewell Hall, sturdy, brusque, gray haired Betty DeQuetteville calls to her husband, Toby, who is up on a ladder putting up a sign. She tells him that the sign's twisted. She asks Simon, Toby's son, if he is holding the ladder and puts his hand on the ladder. Toby tries to talk to her, but she walks away. Julian DeQuetteville, Toby's twin brother, wildly gallops up in a carriage with a terrified couple riding precariously in the back. He Julian tells the frightened couple to have a wonderful day. Julian's wife, thin, plain, Diana DeQuetteville and sister-in-law, Betty approach him. Betty says, "Julian, remember they pay the bills." Diana says, "And you've damaged the wheel again." Julian says, "Just having a laugh." Betty says, "Today of all days." Julian replies, "Betty, Bentham was my uncle. Not yours. Mine. And he was a proper DeQuetteville. Not some jumped-up colonial blow-in. So why don't you keep your sanctimonious little opinions to yourself?" He walks away. Diana says, "I do apologise for my husband." Betty says, "It's your problem, Diana. I married the nice one."
Betty comes in the mansion and greets her in-laws, who are seated at a table roped off from tourists. Izzy DeQuetteville is sewing a feather onto a hat and Ludo is having tea. Izzy snipes, "Oh, God, it's ugly Betty." Her husband, Ludo DeQuetteville, says, "Izzy! Take no notice." Betty says, "I don't. Got a big crowd coming this week for the battle." Ludo says, "Oh! Go the Cavaliers!" Izzy replies, "Death to the Roundheads!" and they smack hands. Betty says, "Healthy and Safety have said that if it descends to its usual drunken brawl they'll ban it next year." Izzy says, "Nonsense. They wouldn't dare." Ludo joins in, "Local tradition!" Betty continues, "Come on, we've got massive debts. We've got to encourage every penny through the gates." Izzy says, "You're such a boring nag." Betty reminds them, "The police will be here soon. To investigate Bentham's death, I imagine. Probably think you gave him a shove." Ludo drinks his tea and says, "He fell. Probably had a few."
Barnaby and Jones drive up. Jones asks Barnaby. "You like horses, sir?" Barnaby says, "No. Nasty brutish creatures. They always tread on me. Modest little place," referring to the mansion. Jones says, "An Englishman's castle is his home." Diana DeQuetteville greets the officers.
Elsewhere on the estate, Toby is working to straighten out the tire on the wagon. Julian stomps up and tells Toby that the police are there and want to talk to everyone. He tells Toby to "Keep your trap shut about the family business, all right?" Toby says, "What family business?" Julian leans over and pats Toby on the cheek and says, "Exactly. And leave the idiot here," referring to Simon.
In the library of the mansion, the family are seated together- Izzy next to Ludo; Julian with an arm around Diana. Toby walks in and joins Betty. Izzy is saying to the police, "I'm sorry if we sound callous, but we didn't like Bentham." Ludo joins in, "Total misery." Izzy says, "Spat at the visitors. Smelled of boiled cabbage. And his death hasn't really increased his charm at all." Jones asks Toby what happened last night. Toby says, "I was taking the dog out for a walk. Slash. And... I heard these cries. I came running round the corner. And there was poor Uncle Ben. You know, awful." Jones says, "You saw a grey horse riding away." Toby says, "I did, yeah." Barnaby says, "And you say the rider had no head." Other family members smirk, murmur. Toby says, "Er... Well, yeah. He was a bit... headless." Jones says, "And as your uncle died, he said the name Geoffrey." Julian looks at Toby and warningly says, "Toby!" Toby says, "I might have misheard that. He was on the ground. You know... I don't know really." Barnaby continues, "And Geoffrey... Is there a Geoffrey in the family?" Ludo lies and says, "I can't think of a Geoffrey. Can you, Izzy? No. There's a Rupert in Norfolk. Mind you, he's pretty dead as well. Isn't he, Betty?"
Barnaby notices a mark on the floor which has an arc of a small wheel. He presumes the wheel is attached to the bottom of the bookshelves. Betty goes over, pulls a book out and the bookshelf opens. Barnaby says, "Ah, a priest's hole. May I? (Barnaby and Jones enter the room where there are spears on the wall, a suit of armor and a painting of a headless horseman riding a grey horse called Geoffrey.) Barnaby says, "Geoffrey DeQuetteville. 1605-1645." Ludo says, "He's been dead 400 years." Barnaby asks, "What happened to his head?" "He lost it at the Battle of Naseby. Charging cannon. Another damn fool." Izzy says, "This family is a procession of idiots through the ages." Barnaby asks, "Why your reluctance to share this fascinating piece of family history?" Julian says, "There's this damn silly family legend, isn't there? Whenever Geoffrey is seen riding around on his horse, pointing at someone, it means that someone is going to die. Imminently." Ludo says, "There's been a lot of funny stuff going around here of late." Betty says, "No, there's not." Ludo continues making up things, saying he saw the lady of the lake and heard the chap in the cellar. Meanwhile, Simon comes down the stairs and listens at the door. Ludo says, "The place is chocker with ghosts." Barnaby asks, "Has this horse thing ever actually happened before? Has the myth ever become the reality?" Simon comes in and slams the door to the priest's hole, looks darkly at Barnaby, and then stomps out again. Barnaby says, "And that young man was?" Toby says, "That's my son. That's Simon DeQuetteville." Betty explains, "A few years ago, Toby's first wife Angela was killed in a riding accident. Simon was with her. He got this idea that there was a headless horseman involved. So we shoved the painting in there to stop it upsetting him." Toby says, "He's going to get a lot better. You know, it... When his mind can cope. He's going to get a lot better. And he's going to come back to us. You know... Just like new, right as rain. You really mustn't let it get you down, darling." Betty says, "I don't."
Barnaby finds the remains of a torn flag on the roof. Down below, Jones sees wheel tracks, but nothing horsey. Barnaby tells him via phone to find out who owns a grey horse. Who benefits by Bentham's death?" Jones says, "Are you sure we're not just dealing with a bunch of nutters, sir?" Barnaby says, "Not relevant, Jones. Probably true. But not relevant."
On the grounds of Quitewell hall, workers are putting up a sound system and testing out the cannon. Up on the hill nearby, at a modern style home, Harry Fleetwood watches Quitewell Hall scratches his arms. Sasha Fleetwood brings him a pill. Harry says, "Every damn year, every damn month they do something. Deliberately corrupt history. I've got to do something. It was Naseby. They never got over Naseby.
At Midsomer Constabulary, Jones reports that there's no grey horse in the DeQuetteville stable. And no-one really stands to benefit from Bentham's death. He was the younger brother so he didn't have much of his own. A high-level source, Jones' gran, says the whole family are total nut-jobs owing to hundreds of years of inbreeding with their cousins. Betty is the first time they married out of their class for ages. Also, the DeQ's have been having an ongoing row with their neighbours, the Fleetwoods, who they fought in a battle during the Civil War 1642-1651. The Fleetwoods say their lives are being ruined by the noise from Quitewell. The DeQ's say 'Tough.' The Fleetwoods say 'We'll sue.'
At night, Simon comes running up and pets a horse. The sound of a horse galloping in the distance can be heard. Cue eerie music....
In the lab, Kate says, "Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. See, he was born with an extra connection in the heart that allows the electrical signals to bypass the atria-ventricular node and move from the atria to the ventricles faster than usual. It eventually disrupts the co-ordinating movement of the electrical signals through the heart, leading to cardiac arrest." Jones says, "So it was an accident, then." Barnaby says, "Jones, a headless horseman was also present. Probably frightened him off the roof. Accident? I don't think so." Jones tells Kate, "He hates accidents. Makes him feel superfluous."
Julian and Toby drive up to the Fleetwood home. They go to talk to Harry in his game room. In the game room, Harry has a model of the Civil War, complete with soldiers. Harry says to Toby, "This is what really happened at Naseby. Your Geoffrey committed his entire cavalry wing, there, to defeating John Fleetwood's foot brigades, there. Leaving himself with nothing in reserve for when we came back at him. No wonder he got his head blown off." Sasha says, "We need a buffer zone between us. So we want to buy Long Meadow off you. Harry's coming out in hives. Let's make it a wager. If the Roundheads win, you give us Long Meadow."
As Sasha is driving off, she sees Toby. Julian was driving into town and he dumped him. Sasha gives him a lift. At Quitewell Hall, Betty asks what the Fleetwoods wanted. Toby tells her about the wager.
Sasha drives to a horse stable. She sees Amanda Harding there. She tells her she wants to hire the entire stables for the day on Sunday (the battle re-enactment). Sasha gives Amanda a packet of money and tells her that all of her horses will have suspected equine flu on Sunday. Amanda asks what she is up to and Sasha responds, being mean to Julian. Sasha tells her to have a chat to all her horsey chums. Same deal. No-one rents to the DeQ's.
In the woods at night, Simon is burning a spear and when it catches fire, he turns and stabs a cloth figure on a pole.
At the Barnaby home, Sarah Barnaby explains the situation at the DeQuettevilles: The Roundheads won at Naseby in the civil war. But the DeQuettevilles, who were Royalists, Cavaliers, have never really liked that result. So when they do their battle re-enactment, they fix it so that the Cavaliers win. As the new secretary of the Historical Society, Sarah is gaining the respect of her staff and making sure the re-enactment is accurate. Barnaby tells her he is dealing with a weird death up there and doesn't like her being up there. Sarah tells him that they are bound to cross paths sometimes and to live with it.
Murder 2: Julian comes up to Diana who is stroking his horse. Julian gets in the carriage and heads off to pick up tourists. Down the road, someone in black, hoists a log up in a tree. Julian sees a headless horseman ahead of him. He races after the headless horseman. He stops the carriage and looks around. The man in black slices the rope and the log swoops down and hits Julian in the head. (Now, how could he know that Julian would stop in precisely the right place?). The horse pulls the carriage back to Quitewell Hall. Julian is lying in the back, dead.
At the lab, Jones says, "Smacked himself on an overhanging branch." Kate says, "Unlikely. Health and Safety don't allow overhanging branches any more."
Back at Quitewell Hall, Betty is lecturing the others. She says, "We just cannot afford to cancel battle day. Battle day is our biggest earner." Toby says, "There's Julian's bet." Betty says, "Exactly. If we cancel, we will lose Long Meadow." Izzy says, "You're looking very plain and pasty today. And do try to lose some weight."
Barnaby and Jones look at the site where they think Julian was hit, along with Kate. There are marks on a tree that look like a chain was there. Someone suspended a big log on chains, anchored it to the tree. Then, when the victim came down the lane, cut the rope, which released the log. Swung down and smacked Julian in the chest. It seems like he was going very fast. They deduce that there were two of them.
Harry tells Sasha that Julian is dead. He had some sort of accident in his carriage this morning. Sasha is shocked and goes off to make a phone call.
Barnaby is in the house interviewing Izzy and Ludo. Izzy is painting a picture behind ropes, on display for the tourists. Ludo says he is not going outside again ever. Barnaby tells them that it appears Julian might have been the victim of foul play. Ludo gets upset and says he knew it! I Izzy says, "Julian didn't need ghosts to kill him. There are plenty of real-life volunteers. A lot of local husbands for starters. Mad shagger. His seed rarely fell on stony ground." Barnaby asks, "And his twin, Toby?" Izzy replies, "Younger by only ten minutes. But totally different personality. Toby gets on with everyone. Thick as two planks, of course. But very nice. " Ludo says, "Geoffrey, I told you. He's after us all. I'm not going out there ever again. I'm not even going near that window." Ludo leaves the room. Izzy says, "LMF! Lacking moral fibre. The men in this family. Pathetic. It's only the women who have balls."
Jones goes to talk to Diana who is getting equipment out for the re-enactment. She tells him that whatever happens in the family, they plough on. If she paused for a moment of grief or reflection, Betty, will send her to the salt mines. Diana says, "Julian was a slսt. I'm sorry, but in this family, we don't beat about the bush. Half the village children look remarkably like my late husband." Julian and Diana didn't have any children of her own. "When Ludo dies, it will be Sir Toby and Lady Betty lording it about all over the place. She'll really have crawled her way out of the colonies then. (Betty is from New Zealand) I don't suppose there will be much room for widow Diana round the inglenook."
Toby tells Barnaby and Jones that his relationship with Julian was all good. He would be the next in line to inherit. Toby admits that he is uncomfortable with being called a sir and running the place. He is a bit... socially... clumsy. Toby mentions that The Fleetwoods have been in a family feud with the DeQuettevilles for "yonks"- a long time.
Sarah works with people to set up flags for the Reenactment. She says to Jones that the blue flags are where the Royalists are halted. And the red flags mark the advance path of the Roundheads. Of course, it isn't really Naseby. But it will be a sort of generic Civil War battle. Jones asks if "the Boss knows what you're doing?" Sarah replies, "I am an autonomous unit, Ben. I don't have to check in with my spouse every time I take a breath. Yes, he knows."
In the dining room of the hall, Simon is arranging silverware. Betty is setting up chairs. Betty says Simon is obsessive compulsive so setting up the silverware keeps him calm for a while. Barnaby asks about the accident to his mother. Betty says that no one really knows what happened. Simon and Angela went for a ride along Badger's Ridge. A few hours later, Simon returned, leading his mother's horse with her body slung across the saddle, just like a Western. Barnaby says there were no reported ghosts at Quitewell until about six years ago when Betty took over as estate manager. Betty tells him that there were stories about the Dark Rider, as he was known, from the Twenties- housemaid stuff. When Betty found the headless Geoffrey portrait, she revived the story and freshened it up a bit. She supplemented the spook inventory with a lady who walks on the lake at full moon, and the skeleton found in the walls of the cellar. All to make money: Mystery murder weekends. Spooks, ghostly tales, dark spooky things. It's all essential. There hadn't been any sightings of a headless horseman, it's just this daft family jumping on their own bandwagon. She says, Toby is a DeQuetteville- Suggestible. Barnaby asks why did she marry Toby? Betty replies that Toby may not be the sharpest tool in the box, but he loves her. Unconditionally. Like a Labrador. And that is enough for her right now, thank you very much. Simon drops silverware and stares at the landing on the second floor as if he has seen a ghost.
At the Fleetwoods, Harry shows Jones all of his models of battles: Waterloo. Cannae. Naseby. The Fleetwoods beat the DeQuettevilles at Naseby. And... they are still a bit upset with each other. Harry says living next door to that "funfair" is absolute hell. He is hypersensitive and his skin reacts to stress. All he wants is peace and quiet. At the time of Julian's death yesterday, Harry was figuring out how much the Brazilian floods would up his coffee futures. Sasha tells Jones that the DeQuettevilles used to own a grey horse, but they probably sold it. Angela was riding it when she was thrown five years ago. Jones asks her, "Who do you think might have wanted to kill Julian?" Sasha replies, "Take your pick. He was an arrogant man that preyed on women. God knows what they saw in him. He won't be missed. Diana will soon be out there scouring the waterfront. In fact, if I were a landed gent round here, right now I'd be pulling up my drawbridge and filling my moat with alligators."
That night at the hall, Ludo walks through the dining room. He shuts the shutters over the windows. He sees a headless horseman pointing at him and is terrified.
The next morning, Diana arrives at the Fleetwood house. She flirts with Harry. Diana says that the re-enactment is going ahead. She tells Harry she could bring him a lot more than Long Meadow. She says, "What if you owned both estates?" Harry says, "And how would I achieve that?" Diana says, "The usual way. Marriage. To the right... person."
At Quitewell Hall, Ludo tells Barnaby that he saw the headless horseman last night. Ludo says, "It's the ghost of Geoffrey. I'm a goner!" Barnaby says, "Sir Ludovic, if his horse was real, there's a good chance the rider was real too." Ludo says, "No, no, it's Geoffrey. And he's coming for me!" Barnaby tells him to stay inside today with the battle on.
On the balcony outside Quitewell Hall, Sarah tests the microphone which squeals. Barnaby goes to talk to her. He doesn't want her to be there at all, but Sarah won't have it! She asks him what does he expect her to do? Get on the mike and say, "Sorry, there's a baddie about so I'm off home."
Jones calls Barnaby to tell him that he found out that Betty used to work for the Norfolk branch of the DeQuettevilles. She managed the estate up there until Rupert DeQuetteville died- he fell off a horse. Jones goes to talk to Amanda at the stables. She says she's not providing horses for the DeQuettevilles. Julian never paid her last year. She says Sasha and she were at uni together. They had similar ambitions to use their brains to get a good life. Sasha's got there whilst Amanda is still up to her eyebrows in debt and horse dung.
Ludo tells Izzy he is staying inside the hall and skipping the battle. In the meadow, the reenactors are preparing for the battle. Izzy gives a speech to the Cavaliers. Up at the Treadwell home, Harry is nervous due to the cannons blasting. A group of men come marching in, dressed in costume with guns and flags. Horns are blowing. Inside the dining room, Ludo sees a shadow above.
Sarah says, "Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the Quitewell battle day. As I'm sure you all know, there were no actual Civil War battles in Midsomer. So what we're doing today is re-enacting some of the battle tactics employed by the opposing armies at the Battle of Naseby. The Cavaliers are mustered at the north end of the meadow. While the Roundheads are at the south end. The object of the exercise is for each to capture the other's battle standard. We at Causton Historical Society have instructed the commanders to follow our historically-based plans and make the afternoon a real learning experience..." (some of the soldiers start shooting). Sarah says, "No! No! No, not yet! The Roundheads aren't ready!" Soldiers keep firing. Betty asks Toby, "What about the cavalry?" Toby says, "Amanda says all the horses are sick." Betty says, "She and Sasha are as thick as thieves. Toby, wake up! We need to win this!"
At the Fleetwoods, a truck of army soldiers drives up. Soldiers jump out and Sasha gives them all red sashes. They head off to Long Meadow. At the "battlefield" Sarah continues to try to give instruction, but no one is listening to her.
Murder 3: Ludo hears a rattling at the window. He looks out and sees someone he knows. He says, "Oh, it's you. I'll let you in." He goes outside and a giant gargoyle falls on him.
At the battlefield, Sarah says, "If you Cavaliers would mind sticking to the plan and just back off, I would be very grateful!" The army soldiers come on the grounds and capture both flags. Sarah says, "What's this? Who the hell are they? Who are you? Obviously some foreign mercenaries have been brought in from somewhere by someone. Not that I would know or any historian would know. Or anyone would even care." Sarah drops the mike and quits.
The police hustle around the building to where Ludo is lying crushed by the gargoyle. Barnaby is really angry, "You had to watch one elderly man. (My question is, why wasn't a police officer stationed inside by Ludo's side?). I want full reports by 10AM!" Kate examines the body. She surmises that Ludo "wouldn't have known what had hit him. Actually, he may have done. It hit him full in the face, so presumably, he was looking up at the time." Jones says, "So why didn't he get out of the way?" (MY QUESTION AS WELL!). Barnaby asks, "What sort of effort would it take to dislodge a gargoyle?" Kate says, "It depends how secure it was in the first place."
Inside the house, the family sits around the dining room table. Jones tells Barnaby that they have looked at dozens of video phone cameras. They're pointing at the main entrance. The family's nowhere to be seen. Barnaby tells Jones to get the Fleetwoods' statements. He then asks Simon if they can have a chat.
Jones goes to talk to the Fleetwoods. They have won Long Meadow. Sasha says she was was getting her troops in order. She says, "It's not my damn fault if the DeQuettevilles start killing each other. We won." Harry asks Jones, "Do you understand sociopathology? The roots of empathy? In relation to Women. They can be very singular in their wants. Don't ever want to get in their way."
Barnaby says to Simon, "I'm just a policeman, but in my line of work I tend to come into people's lives when they are at their most vulnerable and confused. Sort of where you are now. So I want to help you as much as I can. But mainly, I need to apprehend a murderer. I don't know what you know. I don't know what's in your head. I don't know what you've done. Have you done something I should know about, Simon?"
Jones and Barnaby discuss the case. Barnaby thinks someone he knew and trusted called Ludo outside. Then rushed up to the roof and dumped the gargoyle on his head. Or, he got his accomplice to do the gargoyle bit.
Diana says to Izzy, "So we've lost Long Meadow as well." Izzy says, "No. Harry just phoned. Says he won't be calling in the debt. Obviously stood up for himself at last. He's a decent man." Diana says, "He's not. Not at all. He's pathetic." Izzy replies, "Diana. Try not to be such a despicable tart. My son was barely cold before you were over the wall like an alley cat on heat. Why do we imagine our domestic staff are all blind and deaf? They aren't. They have big ears. And bigger mouths. It's all over the village." Diana says, "I was trying to save Long Meadow." Izzy says, "You were trying to save yourself from the penury that is about to consume you. And serve you right." Diana leaves and Izzy talks to Ludo's photo. "Don't you worry. We're the king's men. We'll show them."
At the Barnaby home, Sarah is furious about the re-enactment fiasco. All her staff know what a farce it turned into. Barnaby soothes her. Barnaby is trying to figure a way into Simon's head. He hasn't said a word for five years. His psychiatrists have described his refusal to speak as idiopathic. Which means - They haven't got a clue.
Toby and Betty take a stroll outside. Toby worries that Betty will leave him. They hug and over her shoulder Toby sees the headless horseman.
Barnaby tells Toby that he needs to stay in the library of the house. Eat there, sleep there. He will have an officer outside the door and another outside the window. Barnaby sends Jones over to interview the Fleetwoods again. Barnaby goes to speak to Lady Isabel. He asks her about a comment she made that Toby should be a man for once. Izzy is scathing about Toby- he is a big drip. Wet as a flannel. Julian was an awful man. But he was a man. Barnaby talks to Diana. He wonders how things went with Harry next door. He asks if there was any particular reason for her... generosity? Diana replies, "Inspector, a woman's sexuality is a gradually diminishing asset. I was giving mine one last shot at getting me a bit of security for my more... interesting years. Didn't work. Harry is besotted with that ghastly wife of his."
Barnaby watches the house. Toby is in the library. Betty, Diana and Simon are outside. Toby receives a phone call. A truck drives up blocking Barnaby's view. Harry Fleetwood tells Jones that Amanda's got a grey. Jones goes over to the stables and asks Amanda if she has a grey horse. Barnaby watches the house as the truck drives away. He hears a motorcycle driving away. He runs to his car and follows. Jones is driving toward Barnaby. The man on the motorcycle arrives at Badger's Mill and shoots a figure inside. The cyclist rides off. Barnaby and Jones go inside and find a headless horseman costume and Sasha Fleetwood hiding. There is a videocamera filming the incident.
Barnaby announces he is arresting Sasha. Sasha says, "Originally, I just set out to freak old Ludo. Make him terrified of the supposed ghost and sell us the whole place. They were driving poor Harry insane. He couldn't work. I helped him make his models before, so it wasn't too difficult to create the torso. Then I went riding by Quitewell trying to spook everyone." Barnaby says, "You certainly managed with Bentham." Sasha says, "That's when it all went wrong. I was really shocked. I didn't want anyone hurt. I stopped immediately." Jones says, "Then started again." Sasha says, "I was given no choice. I was being blackmailed. When Julian was killed, I was an accessory to murder."
Police arrive at the hall looking for Simon. They eventually find him in the priest's hole with his hands tied and duct tape over his mouth. Simon grabs a knife and puts it to Barnaby's throat. Barnaby talks him down. Barnaby asks Simon if he saw who put him in the priest's hole.
In the library, Barnaby asks how everyone is doing. Izzy says, "Everyone's fine. Just get on with it." Barnaby says, "Lady Isabel, would you mind sitting down and shutting up just for once?" Barnaby asks, "So you're still feeling a bit upset, are you, Betty?" Betty says, "Obviously. Who wouldn't be?" Barnaby says, "Just as well you have Toby. And Toby, you have Betty. At last, someone who would accept you for what you were." Toby says, "She... She never said I was silly or anything." Diana tries to leave, but Barnaby tells her to stay.
The Denouement: Barnaby says, "The headless horseman ghost story. You never did believe it, did you, Toby? You knew that ghosts don't ride around on recognisable horses. And you knew where that grey came from, didn't you? Amanda Harding's livery. So it was very easy for you to find out who she'd sold it to. Sasha Fleetwood, wasn't it? We have Sasha safely in our custody. Unharmed. You made a deal with Sasha, didn't you? When she dropped you off here the other day. (Flashback: The thing is, Sash, I know you're the headless horseman. And you are going to be in a lot of trouble. Unless you do exactly as I say and only when I tell you.) And then you threatened to expose her as the cause of Bentham's death. Because you wanted something which entailed a considerable culling of your family members. (Flashback: Julian driving the carriage and Toby cutting the rope so the log swung down to hit Julian). Betty says, "Toby?" Toby says, "It's all nonsense." Barnaby continues, "But you still had a way to go. Your father. (Flashback: Toby knocking on the window, Ludo going to open the door and Toby racing to the roof to dislodge the gargoyle). So you enticed your father out of the house. While you raced up to the roof and dislodged one of the old gargoyles." Toby says, "Me? This chap's mad. I mean... I saw the rider. He pointed at me. Pointed directly at me!" Barnaby says, "Yes. Sasha realised that she was now under serious threat. So she deliberately made a final appearance to provoke you into going after her. Called you when you were in here." Toby says, "I think you're forgetting that I was in here. I was in here. I was surrounded by all your blokes. I was under lock and key. So, you know... I mean... " Barnaby says, "Toby, every priest's hole has two exits. I knew that you could get out and I could follow you. But it was very clever of you to go next door and take Harry's bike. At the mill, Sasha filmed you trying to shoot her. This was to be her insurance." Toby says to Betty, "They were so mean to me. (Betty cries) When I was younger, Julian and Daddy. So mean. Julian... And Daddy let him, so.." Barnaby says, "And Julian even slept with your first wife." Toby says, "I was never very good at the fathering thing, was I? So Julian said he'd sort it. Angela didn't know." Betty says, "Oh God!" Barnaby says, "As Julian's son, Simon was the rightful heir to Quitewell. So you had to put him on ice. What would keep Simon in a permanent state of trauma? Being locked in the dark, being trapped in the priest's hole. With Geoffrey." Betty says, "Oh, God!" Barnaby says, "And what was it all for, Toby? Why? Yes, it was for Betty. The only person who had ever shown you any respect, any tenderness. You were terrified that she would leave you. So you felt that you had to give her everything possible to make her stay. You had to make her Lady Elizabeth DeQuetteville of Quitewell Hall and she would stay forever. Ah, Toby. You did it all for love." Betty says, "I wasn't leaving. I married you." Jones comes to take Toby away. Toby says, "You won't leave us, will you? Will you? Mummy?" Izzy turns away. Simon says, "Um... Um... I... I... I... I think I missed a few points there. Could you go through it again, please?"
As Barnaby leaves, Jones says, "There's a report just came in. Three people claimed they saw the headless horseman in the last half hour. What's that about?" Barnaby says, "That is a sense of community, Jones. One goes mad, they all go mad. It's a wonderful little world out here."
Cast[]
- Neil Dudgeon as DCI John Barnaby
- Jason Hughes as DS Ben Jones
- Fiona Dolman as Sarah Barnaby
- Tamzin Malleson as Kate Wilding
- Eleanor Bron as Izzy DeQuetteville
- James Callis as Toby DeQuetteville / Julian DeQuetteville
- Raquel Cassidy as Diana DeQuetteville
- Kerry Fox as Betty DeQuetteville
- William Gaunt as Ludo DeQuetteville
- Natalie Mendoza as Sasha Fleetwood
- Paul Ritter as Harry Fleetwood
- Murray Melvin as Bentham DeQuetteville
- James Clay as Simon DeQuetteville
- Louisa Clein as Amanda Harding
- Anthony Farrelly as C.I.D. Officer (uncredited)
- David Golt as Tourist (uncredited)
- Robby Haynes as Forensic Police Officer (uncredited)
- Martyn Mayger as Spectator at Battle Re-enactment (uncredited)
- June Smith as Battle Guest (uncredited)
- Nick Thomas-Webster as CID Officer (uncredited)
- Julie Vollono as Battle Guest (uncredited)
- Chris Wilson as Police Officer (uncredited)
Galleries[]
Body Count[]
Prior to the Episode
In the Episode
Supporting Cast[]
Episode Images[]
Videos[]
Notes[]
For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Cavaliers and the Roundheads: The English Civil War lasted from 1642 to 1649. The followers of King Charles I were known as Cavaliers, meaning gallant gentlemen. His opponents were known as Roundheads. The name came from the men’s habit of cropping their hair close to their heads, rather than wearing their hair in the long, flowing style of the aristocrats who supported the king. For the first two years of the war, the king and his forces were successful. However, in 1645, the Roundheads defeated the Cavaliers at the Battle of Naseby. By 1646, Charles had surrendered, Cromwell’s supporters seized control of Parliament, installed 100 members who agreed with his idea of eliminating the monarchy in favor of a republic. Another round of fighting broke out. Though Cromwell’s supporters were in the minority, they controlled the army and within a few months had defeated the supporters of the king.
The following actors and actresses who appeared in this episode have also appeared in the following episodes
- William Gaunt - The Maid in Splendour
- Julie Vollono - A Rare Bird and Murder of Innocence
- Eleanor Bron - The Miniature Murders