21 April 2022

The applications have been rather sparse

Gaynor is disappointed by the number of applications for the scholarship;  

"It takes time for these things to establish"

Siôn points out that it is the first one, and it takes time for these things to establish themselves.

"I asked Ffion to push it"

“But I asked Ffion to push it, especially with the sixth form,” Gaynor grumbles, “£2,000 would be very handy to go towards university fees.   This is the only one that came from the school – Aaron.”

"There is also this one"

Siôn reminds her, “There is also this one,” but she points out that it is full of errors, which he regards as perhaps a strength in itself.   

"It is an unexpected effort"

He says that it is an unexpected effort – a good psychological insight to the benefits of travelling, which answer the scholarship’s requirements.   

Gaynor is unenthusiastic

Gaynor is unconvinced, but he continues, “It’s the closest thing we have to a winner – 

"Are you going to tell her, or shall I?"

“so are you going to tell her, or shall I?”

"The Squire of the Manor, at your service!"

Britt and Colin are getting dressed in their Ghost Tour costumes and consider that they look fantastic;  “The Squire of the Manor, at your service!” he proclaims, 

"Blodwen, the innocent maid"

and she is Blodwen, the innocent maid.   He maintains that if the tours do not work out, 

"You should keep that as an investment"

she should keep that outfit as an investment.

"Oh – Mark, can't come!

Then a problem arises;  a message from Mark apologises that he cannot take part, as he has to sort out Maes-y-Deri ready for Kath to come home.  

"Who's going to play Lady Thomas?"

“He can’t drop out!” Britt protests, “Who’s going to play Lady Thomas?   It won’t make sense – I can’t be the maid and the Squire’s wife – and you can’t be married to yourself!”

"It will have to be Aaron"

Colin comes to the conclusion that it will have to be Aaron;  “You always said this should be a family business!” but apparently he is training after school, 

"No, Dani"

and Britt suggests Dani.   “No, she’s got enough on her plate already, poor dab,” says Colin.

"Father her – a k a Squire of the Manor"

He picks up his phone and calls Lois;  “Hello, father here – a k a Squire of the Manor.”

Dani is about to divulge  Garry's new number . . .

Dani is feeling repentant about what she said last night, and is about to send Garry’s new phone number to Andrea, 

. . . but then changes her mind

but then thinks better of it and deletes the message.

She listens to her podcast

She puts in her earpiece and is listening to a crime podcast;  

Gaynor arrives

she is rather shocked when she discovers Gaynor has come up to the flat.   “Are you listening to anything interesting?” she asks, and is told that it is a true crime podcast – anything to help with the housework.   She emphasises that she does not have time for a chat.

"The Memorial Scholarship . . ."

“Well, I won’t keep you – but I’ve got some good news for you.   Izzy’s Memorial Scholarship – the panel have chosen the winner,”

"What about it?"

Dani wonders what that has to do with her.

". . . you're our first winner!"

“Congratulations!   You are our first winner!”

"I don't think I've ever won anything before!"

“No way!” squeals Dani, excitedly, “I don’t think I’ve ever won anything before!”   

"For a further education course"

Gaynor announces that now she has – £2,000, but that money is for a further education course.

"So I haven't actually won it?"

Dani realises that she has not actually won £2,000, and Gaynor wonders what kind of course she would like to do.   “I don’t want to do a course,” says Dani, with feeling, 

"I couldn't wait to leave school"

“I hated school – couldn’t wait to leave.”   Gaynor finds this rather offputting, repeating that she has won it, and Dani suggests giving it to the runner-up.

"It's worth looking at what's available"

“It’s worth looking at what’s available before officially refusing,” Gaynor tells her in desperation, “Someone can always find the time if they find something that interests them.   

"I'll leave the prospectus here"

“I’ll leave the prospectus over here if you want to have a look at it.”

Dani simply snarls, “More mess!   So long, Gaynor!”   

The old kleptomania rears its ugly head again

As she leaves the flat, she helps herself to one of a pair of baby’s shoes, which happens to be nearby.

"I've never heard her sound so depressed"

At Maes-y-Deri, Brynmor is feeling very downcast;  “I’ve never heard her sound as depressed as she did earlier – she just wants to come home.”   

Mark asks how long is the waiting list, but Brynmor answers gloomily, “NHS!”

"Don't you have a bed in the garage?"

“Don’t you have a bed in the garage? – You’ve got everything else,” enquires Mark, and is told that a commode is all there is.   

"She won't be able to go upstairs"

Kath will not be able to go upstairs, and has to have a proper hospital bed.   

"Right, I'll go and get the commode"

“Right, I’ll go and get the commode, and you can ring around for a bed,” says Mark, determinedly, “If you hadn’t argued that night, none of this would be happening.”   As Mark leaves the house, 

"Yes, Mark, I know, I know!"

Brynmor mutters that he is very well aware of that fact.

Pressure is being out on Rhys . . .

Rhys had had another message from Abi, insisting that Olivia really wants to meet Lois, 

. . . and he wonders what to do

and he does not know what to do.   

Lois does not answer

Finally he picks up the phone and dials Lois’s number.

"Well done, detective Dan!"

Dani is eagerly waiting to find out who was the murderer;  “McKinley!   I knew it!” she shrieks, “Well done, detective Dan.”   

She looks at the prospectus

As she is clearing up rubbish, she comes across the prospectus left by Gaynor and casually leafs through it.

The tour is about to begin . . .

The ghost tour is just beginning and Colin hands out maps, so that anyone who gets lost can find their way back to the village.   

. . . but unfortunately the weather is inclement

Unfortunately the weather is not kind to them, so they are all equipped with umbrellas.   “There will be some light refreshments and snacks available where the tour finishes, outside the chip shop.   Remember, stick together, because you never know what or who will be hiding in the shadows and the bushes.”

Rhys tries phoning again . . .

Rhys is standing nearby and phones Lois, 

. . . with the same result as last time

who looks very stern when her phone sounds and rejects the call, much to his disappointment.   

"My name is Blodwen, maid at the Manor"

Britt continues with the introductions, “Good evening to you all – or is it?   My name is Blodwen, maid at the Manor.   I was born in a farmhouse on the outskirts of the village in 1823.   When I was 11 years old, 

"I went to work for the young Squire"

“I went to work in the Manor for the young squire.”

"The handsome young Squire"

Colin interrupts to describe himself as, “The handsome young squire, Sir Lewis Hopkin William Thomas the third.”

Britt goes on, “And his horrible wife, Lady Thomas.   I will be leading the tour this evening through the village, down through the woods, to the Manor’s ruins and back to the village.   

"My painful, sad and spiritual history"

“I shall be sharing my painful, sad and spiritual history with you – as well as my death!”

"Make sure nobody gets lost"

As Colin makes suitably mournful noises, she tells him to stay there and make sure nobody gets lost;  “I’ll do the health and safety!”

"Why won't you answer your phone?"

Rhys asks Lois why she will not answer her phone, 

"I'm busy – I'm helping Dad!"

and she snarls, “I’m busy – I’m helping Dad!” and he says that in that case he will go with them, 

"How much is a ticket, Col?"

asking Colin how much a ticket costs.   She is not in favour of this.

"Not Col – Sir Lewis William Hopkin Thomas III"

“I am not Col, but Sir Lewis Hopkin William Thomas the third,” he announces, “Squire of the Manor,” but Rhys still wants to know how much.   “£10 – pay at the end, all right?”

"If this is the only way to get your attention"

“If this is the only way to get your attention,” Rhys tells Lois, but she wonders what is so important that it cannot wait.   “I’ve been in contact with Abi, Olivia’s sister – Gwen,” and Lois looks furious.   “She’s keen for the four of us to meet,” he goes on.   

"You think we're going to be one big happy family?"

She cannot believe that he is imagining them as one big happy family;  “Have you lost your mind?   I have no intention of meeting Gwen!” stresses Lois, “I can’t even face that trauma – how can you expect an 11-year-old girl to do so?”

Rhys is still of the opinion that it would be nice if they all met;  “It would be a way of working through the trauma.”   

"No, Rhys – not under any circumstances!"

She will not entertain the suggestion under any circumstances, and Britt announces that the tour is now beginning, and they should all follow her.

Colin catches a glimpse of a shadowy figure . . .

As Colin walks past the alley, he notices someone at the far end, 

. . . who then disappears

but when he has another look, the figure has gone.   

"Hey – wait for me!"

He looks very concerned.

A  hospital bed has been found

At Maes-y-Deri, they have managed to source a hospital bed, with Jason’s assistance;  “No problem at all,” he says.   

They argue over the commode

Mark and Brynmor are arguing about where to put the commode, 

"It came from a house clearance near Llanarthur"

and Jason continues that he got the bed from a house clearance near Llanarthur, where they were glad to get rid of it.

“It’s surprising what you can accomplish when you work as a team,” Jason adds, 

"We're lost without Kath"

and Brynmor groans that they are lost without Kath.   She should be coming out of hospital at any moment now that everything is in place.

"Arranged for a nurse or a carer, have you?"

Jason assumes that they have arranged for a nurse or a carer to come in to help, 

"We hope to do it ourselves"

and they advise that they hope to do it themselves.   “You two?   It’s just a lot of work, looking after someone – she’ll need help with more than this – washing, tablets, feeding, getting dressed.   

"I sense some tension between you"

“She’ll need help with any physio – but you need to sort this out first, don’t you?   Sorry, boys, I wasn’t going to say anything, but I think I should – I sense some tension between you,” 

"Well, it was his fault!"

and Mark immediately blames Brynmor, who protests that he is trying his best.

"You've been arguing most of the afternoon"

“That’s exactly what I’m talking about,” says Jason, “You’ve been arguing most of the afternoon – there’s no point getting the house ready if you’re not ready.   

They are advised to 'bury the hatchet'

“I suggest you put whatever it is behind you and move on.”

The tour returns to the village

It is dark and the rain has stopped, when the tour comes back into the village, and 

"You might hear the sound of a baby crying"

Britt tells them, “And that’s why, if you listen carefully, on a stormy, cold and dark night, you might hear the sound of a baby crying.”   Coincidentally, at that moment Dani is coming out of the Deri, pushing the pram, 

Gabriel obliges, right on cue

and they do indeed hear the sound of Gabriel crying, which makes a fitting conclusion to the tour.

Colin is glad that everyone enjoyed themselves, 

Then comes the advertisement for the chip shop

adding, “It’s guaranteed, after all that walking, you’ll be hungry.   Well, I’d suggest Y Sosban Chips, the Gwendraeth Valley’s best chip shop – just follow Blodwen!”

Colin gets a better view of the mysterious man . . . 

As she goes into the chip shop, Colin notices a malevolent figure passing by outside who looks ominously at him, 

. . . and is concerned

causing him some alarm.   

Rhys has learned something about the area

Rhys had no idea that the area had such an interesting history.

"Come and have a drink with me"

Rhys invites Lois to go and have a drink with him;  

"There's nothing to talk about"

“Why?   There’s nothing to talk about!” she angrily replies, and he urges her to just let that mask slip for a moment.

"You must think about her sometimes"

“She’s our daughter – you must think about her sometimes,” he says, and she agrees that she does;  

furthermore, every time she does, she is glad that Gwen was adopted.   

"We go through is almost every day"

She moans to Rhys that they go through this almost every day and tells him to drop it.

"She wants to see you"

“She wants to see you,” he informs her, “We could be there for her as parents,” 

"We would be terrible parents!"

but she maintains that they would be terrible parents.

“Just look at us now!” she snaps and walks into the chip shop.

"I want to better myself"

Dani has gone to Llwyncelyn, where she tells Gaynor, “I want to teach the children that it’s never too late – and, as I’m on my own, I want to better myself.   If the offer’s still there, I’ve chosen a course.”

"Of course the offer is still there"

Gaynor is delighted to hear this and confirms that the offer is still there, because she has won it;  “What course do you want to follow?”   

"Psychology and Criminology"

Dani replies that it is Psychology and Criminology, which she knows sounds odd, but she loves the true crime series podcast.

This amazes Hywel 

As Hywel is working in the kitchen, Dani goes on, “And with my history, I’m familiar with more than one criminal.”   

"I'm glad you've found something that appeals"

Gaynor is glad that she has found something that appeals to her, and she wants to know what is the next step.

She is told to write a personal statement, and wonders what that is;  

"A letter that goes with the application"

“A letter that goes with the application, explaining why you want to do the course.   We can arrange a meeting in a few days’ time, presenting the application officially and pay for it.”

"How long does this thing have to be?"

Dani asks, “How long does this thing have to be?” and she is invited to put some ideas down on paper, so that they can add or edit it later on.   Now Dani had better get going.

"Are you sure you want her as the first winner?"

Hywel cannot wait to give his reaction to this;  “Are you sure that you want her to be the first winner of Izzy’s scholarship?” 

"Well, he did win, Hywel"

and is unconvinced when Gaynor says that she won.   “You’ve invested a chunk of money in that course – and in Dani, too.   

"yes – to get revenge on her ex!"

“She’s chosen a highly academic course – to get revenge on her ex.”

:Plenty of chips left for us"

Up in the chip shop flat, Britt is pleased that there are plenty of chips left for them, and Colin is looking forward to them.   They agree that the night went well, and if people leave a positive reviews, 

"The bookings will be flooding in!"

the bookings will be flooding in.   Lois is not saying anything.

"Did you see that tall figure in black?"

“Hey, did you see that odd bloke?” Colin asks, “A tall figure in black,” and Britt thinks that he is trying to scare them.   “No, I’m serious – he followed us on the tour – 

"Every time I turn dot talk to him, he was gone!"

“and every time I turned round to speak to him, he was gone.”   Britt insists that he is supposed to scare other people, not himself, 

Lois is looking very dour

and meanwhile, Lois is looking very gloomy.   

"It's just a bit of fun!"

Britt regards the whole thing as just a bit of fun, 

"Well, it's not funny!"

but Lois jumps up, shouting, “Well, it’s not funny!” and storms off to her room.

"Worried someone's after you, too?"

“Don’t say you’re like your father – worried someone’s after you, too?” Britt laughs.

Rhys starts by typing 'sorry' . . .

Having received no answer to her previous message, Abi texts Rhys again, 

. . . then after some consideration . . .

and he sits in the Deri, debating what to do next.   

. . . replaces it with  👍

Instead of the word 'sorry', he sends her the ‘👍 thumbs up’ sign and looks very thoughtful.