Thriller s02e05 - Ring Once For Death

[michaellevenson]

At the charming English Manor, Chevening, the lady of the house is in bed and doesn't look well. She's not that old, but her hair is shock white, her face guant, and she's signing a legal document. Her butler Roger Masters immaculate in his uniform smiles gleefully as he takes the document. He says, " thank you Madam, my time here is done, it is time for me to move on I feel one should always strive for improvement and we both agree my work here is finished. Thank you for your reference, I shall endeavour to live up to them. One more task to do before I go."
He moves menacingly towards her, she looks up and screams.


Laura Vallance, an English lady who has spent the recent decades in the U.S. with her husband who worked in the diplomatic service, has after his sad death returned to accommodation in London, a large central London house, alone with her grief.
An American friend, Hugo Fane from the US embassy is seeing she's settling in alright. Hugo definitely has an emotional attachment to her, and playfully teases her about the misfortune of her husband meeting her 2 months before he did. Laura thinks Hugo is positively charming and is glad he's staying in London.

The maid Betty enters to inform her that a gentleman is here about the vacant post of butler. In walks Roger Masters, and after impressing Laura with the references he has from Lady Chevening he is given the post. He leaves and gets into a sports car, a girl is there waiting, Lisa, he says, " no problem, we're in, there's a maid though that needs taking care of."


A day into service Betty catches him coming out of the study at around midnight, she wonders what he's doing, he replies that he's just checking the windows and objects to being questioned, " the security of the house is the butler's concern, kindly mind your station."
" your station? What do you think this is , Bleak House, this isn't the Victorian age."

 

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Later that night Laura is asleep while Masters has crept into her bedroom and quietly opens the dresser and takes out the jewellery box. He opens it and removes a diamond ring. Next morning Betty is summoned to the drawing room, Laura has a difficult conversation to make. Masters steps in, " allow me Madam I know how awkward these situations are. Betty one of Madam's rings has gone missing and since we are the only staff here."
The doorbell rings, the police arrive as does coincidentally Hugo Fane. Laura didn't call them, Masters admits he did, " in the interest of protecting myself Madam."
Det.Sgt. Rainer looks through the house, and finds the ring, rolled up in a pair of tights in the maid's bedroom.

Betty pleads her innocence but is sacked. Laura upset the police were called in, Hugo backs Masters saying he did the right thing, is taking good care of things.

Laura admits, Masters is turning out to be quite a find. Masters suggests he can hire a new maid/ cook, and the next day his girl Lisa is installed. Laura's troubles are about to begin.
Hugo and Laura at the dining table the next evening, in the kitchen Lisa has prepared the meal, Masters found out that Hugo hates spinach but Laura loves it, which is perfect. Spinach is prepared and Lisa puts in a spoonful of a white powder taken from a jar, a poison that Masters has got hold off, the poisoning of Laura Vallance begins.

 

[michaellevenson]

The next morning Laura is ill, she rings for Masters, he says it's probably just a virus and she should stay in bed a bit longer. She asks Masters to phone Hugo and put back their lunch date an hour. Later when getting out of bed Laura almost collapses, Masters puts her in bed and says he's taken the liberty of cancelling her lunch with Hugo.

The following night Laura wakes up at 2am and rings for Masters. He is playing cards in the kitchen with Lisa , expecting the call to service. Checking his watch he says everything is going to plan. He lets Laura ring a few times before answering, he's supposed to be asleep. Masters enters the bedroom and Laura instructs him to call a doctor, Hugo has recommended one, the number is by the phone. Masters goes over to the bedroom phone pretending to make the call, he has secretly pulled the phone wire out of the wall. After telling Laura her doctor is unavailable, away in Bermuda for a couple of weeks, he gets a doctor he says his previous employer used.
Dr. Ledworth arrives and after an examination tells Laura it's a virus, and so long as she takes her medicine, stick to his rules, no visitors, phone calls and stays in bed all will be fine. Ledworth says " when I'm not here your butler is in loco parentis as it were and I'm telling him to make sure you play the game, follow the rules, so remember your butler is the boss."

In the kitchen Ledworth swigs from a bottle of whisky as Masters pays him off.
" remember Ledworth, same as previous, gradual and undetectable."

Ledworth complains about his money, he used to get more from Masters.
" yeah that was before you got struck off, now get back to Chevening and stay at least a quarter sober."
Ledworth angered at that remark threatens to shop Masters.
" shop me Ledworth? Remember I got you out of the gutter, washed you down and made you useful again. Unless you want to go back to the alcoholic ward at the hospital."
Lisa comes in as Ledworth storms off, " what's the matter with him?"
" it's the time of night that bent doctors remember their hippocratic oath."

 

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Over the next days every meal Laura gets has the poisonous power mixed in, that's on top of the fact she doesn't get given much to eat. She questions this naturally, but Masters insists he's just following doctors orders. Laura leans out the bed to make a phone call, just as Masters comes in.

" madam this is exactly what you shouldn't be doing, I can see you're not to be trusted, I shall have to be tough."
He removes the telephone and locks the door of the bedroom behind him. Laura calls out, " what time is it? What day is this?"
Lisa is concerned, Masters says, " she's a tough old girl, she's had enough of the stuff to knock her sideways, but she's beginning to lose touch."
Hugo Fane is worried , he confides to his son Piers who is staying in the house provided by the embassy. Hugo has telephoned a few times, Masters or Lisa has answered, Hugo is troubled, " she's ill apparently, no visitors no phone calls, I gave her a doctor to consult and she's consulted another one. I'm beginning to think she's very ill."

Piers thinks he is overreacting, " she can get her own doctor can't she without starting a congressional hearing? That butler seems to have thinks well in hand."
" He does indeed."
That afternoon Hugo calls at the house, Masters adamant that she receives no visitors, doctor's orders. Reluctantly Hugo leaves, but in the bedroom Laura hears Hugo's voice and weakly calls out. But Hugo can't hear, and Masters comes in and tells her that Hugo has just visited to say goodbye, he has been posted back to Washington DC. Laura cries out, she's totally alone now at Masters mercy.

 

[michaellevenson]

Laura so weak now, just has the strength to open a bedside table drawer and get a radio out. She turns it on, and hears Hugo on a radio news programme discussing Middle East affairs, his speciality, the programme is live! Laura knows she was lied to.
" Hugo, you haven't gone away."
She rings the bell for service, Lisa opens the door, Laura starts coughing and choking.
" quick I need water. "
Lisa runs off ,Laura runs out and picks up the landing phone and dials Hugo's number, Piers answers it, Laura just manages to say, " tell Hugo...." then the phone goes dead.

Masters has ended the call, " Madam this really isn't good enough, you must get back to bed."
Laura says she heard Hugo on a live radio show, Masters replies, " Madam probably imagined it, you're in a very weak state."
Piers tells his father of the strange call, and Hugo is determined to find out what is going on.

Later Hugo turns up at the house, pushing passed Masters, " I've had enough, I want to see her." He runs upstairs and unlocks the bedroom door, and stares in horror at Laura's state.

" Starving me ..poisoning...told me you had gone away.."
Hugo takes Laura by the hand and on the landing picks up the phone saying, " you need a doctor and we both need the police."
Suddenly blood comes out of his mouth, he turns grabs onto the smiling Masters ,a screwdriver sticking out of his back.Laura screams.

Lisa and Hugo carry Hugo's body out of the house that evening when it's dark, making sure no one is about, and puts it in the car boot.
Det Sgt Rainer tells Piers of his father's death, found stabbed in the boot of his car. Perhaps his Middle East views has made him enemies. Piers accepts this, but tells Rainer of Laura's abrupt phone call.
The next day Rainer turns up at Laura's house with a uniformed officer and talks to Masters to see if Mr Fane was here. Masters says yes, but he noticed nothing unusual in his behaviour and he left after being told Laura, his mistress has gone abroad for her health and he'll be joining her shortly.
Masters offers Rainer and the Sergeant a sherry.
Rainer, " thank you Sir, this is the life eh Sergeant? Best food best houses, the life of a butler."
Rainer admires Masters uniform, particularly the silver colour buttons on the jacket, " look at those buttons almost regimental, still you are a servant Sir, like me , thank you Sir." Rainer leaves.

 

[michaellevenson]

A very weak Laura in bed, Masters hands her a legal document to sign. She refuses to sign the document giving Masters power over her financial matters, " if I signed that I'd be signing my death warrant."
Masters leaves, tells Lisa , " no food today, hunger is a great spirit breaker, soon she'll sign her life away for a dog biscuit."
Masters tells her he has to go to Chevening Manor to tie things up there, the involvement of the police as made this job a bit dangerous, and they need to lie low, take a break and go abroad. He instructs her to avoid Laura however often she rings the bell, and he'll be back by this evening.
Meanwhile Betty the maid sacked is at the Fane house, she wants to see Hugo Fane, but is shocked when Piers tells her of his death, but Piers offers to help. Betty swears she didn't steal the ring, it must have been Masters doing, so she checked on his previous employer at Chevening. Talking to locals she discovered that a drunken doctor is at the house, and Masters still turns up occasionally, and the previous Lady of the Manor went away after illness. Piers is shocked , he runs out telling Betty to phone the police and get Sgt Rainer to the house.

At Chevening Dr. Ledworth is in a drunken stupor lounging in the drawing room, he is shaken awake by Masters who is furious.
" you're supposed to be keeping watch Ledworth AND I JUST WALK IN HERE!. Look at you, you had all the advantages of life , education, money, and you just frittered them away, and look at me, rich. Me and Lisa are going abroad, the French riviera perhaps , plenty of rich widows there wanting an English butler."

Ledworth worried, " what about me, you need me."
Masters says, " need you? I'm sure the gutters of Europe are full of Ledworths. But I can't leave you here, you might go to pieces without me."
Suddenly Masters grabs Ledworth's neck and squeezes , then stops.
" Just my joke Ledworth I'll take you with me, I like looking at you Ledworth, you're the mirror of my success. So keep your eyes open and remain sober."

 

[michaellevenson]

Piers arrives at the house, Lisa let's him in after Piers flashes an ID card at her, he says he's police. Piers says he's here to pick up Sgt Rainer's notebook that he left here earlier in the day. Lisa goes to look for it, Piers runs upstairs, opens Laura's bedroom and is horrified at her appearance.
Masters has returned, Lisa says the police are here, but then sees the newspaper that Masters is holding, Piers Fane's picture on the front page, headlined " son of murdered diplomat speaks out".
Lisa alarmed, " that's him Roger, that's the man here."
Piers carries Laura in his arms to the bedroom door, and Masters is there,
" well well Piers Fane, I must say you and your father did have style. What a pity you're about to burn to death, fire is a great leveller, your body mistaken for mine, the gallant butler dying while trying to save his mistress."

Masters locks the door he is carrying a can of paraffin and starts pouring it on the landing carpet. After emptying it, he has another can that he pours down the stairs , he is well prepared, more cans of paraffin are in the hall, he pours more of it all over the floor, Lisa not too happy.
" Roger we can't!!"
" Shut up and wait in the car."

Finally Masters lights a candle and places it in the middle of the hallway. Lisa opens the front door, and Sgt Rainer walks in with a uniformed officer.
Rainer sounding sarcastically world weary,
" I despair of the public sometimes sir, how often do we have to tell them, don't leave the house with candles burning down into pools of paraffin, upstairs are they sir?"
Piers and Laura are rescued and come down stairs, Piers carrying her. Rainer opens his hand and shows Masters a silver coloured button.
" Found in Hugo Fane's clothing, I remember admiring them when I was here last time. Funny you not noticing, you being the perfect butler sir."
Masters looks down at his jacket, a button is missing, from when Hugo grabbed him when he was stabbed.


Cast:
Masters....Michael Jayston
Laura....Nyree Dawn Porter
Hugo.....Barry Nelson
Piers......Richard Oldfield
Lisa.....Janet Key
Ledworth.....Thorley Walters
Rainer.......Victor Winding
Betty......Clare Sutcliffe

On to next episode

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