29 September 2022

Howard is back in the village

In the High Street, a hooded figure is in front of the cash machine and we see that it is Howard, last encountered in Cwmderi in November 2021, when he was feeding Eifion to the fighting dogs at Deri Fawr.   

He appears unsuccessful at obtaining cash

The machine appears to refuse to give him any money.

Tyler is taking it easy

At number 7, Tyler is lounging on the sofa, watching television;  

"I think you should know I'm really ill"

he picks up his phone and contacts Cassie.  “Tyler here, I think you should know that I’m really ill – 

"The food that Eifion cooked . . ."

“I had food poisoning from you yesterday.   The food that Eifion cooked tasted really odd.   I don’t want to make a complaint to Environmental Health, but . . .”   

"I need to be sick again"

He makes suitable retching noises, and tells her that he has to go, as he needs to be sick again.

He relaxes with his tea and toast

He looks very happy with his performance, and returns to drinking tea and eating toast.

"Something is not quite right there"

In the shop, Colin advises Britt that Matthew will not be coming to the funeral now and regards it as disappointing;  “I think Tegwen is stopping him – something is not quite right there.”   Britt, on the other hand, thinks they look nice together.

"Ooh –posh display!"

Sioned comes in and remarks on the posh display in the shop;  

"Cae Glas is going from strength to strength!"

“Yes, Cae Glas is going from strength to strength!” boasts Britt, but Sioned will wait to see the quarterly figures before deciding. 

"Produce of Brazil"

She reads out the promotional sign, “Local food from home,” and then then picks up some bananas from the display, labelled, “Produce of Brazil.   I don’t think that counts as local food from home.”

"You can't expect us to grow bananas at Penrhewl!"

“You can’t expect us to grow bananas at Penrhewl!” Britt snarls, so she is told to take down the sign, as it is a lie.   

"Someone could report us to Trading Standards"

Sioned predicts that someone could report them to Trading Standards and she is still part of the company.   “It’s too much of a risk – I won’t let you and Mam ruin everything!”

"You're so spiteful, Sioned"

Colin protests, “You’re so spiteful – you should support Cae Glas and the shop.”   Britt maintains that Sioned cannot bear the business doing so well since she got involved.

"I've got more business sense in my little finger . . ."

Sioned responds with, “I’ve got more business sense in my little finger than you two and Mam combined!”   

"Right – out, now!"

Colin orders her out of the shop, but Sioned must have the final word;  “I know bananas don’t grow in Cwmderi!” and then asks Britt for the keys to the garage.

"I'm renting the office in the garage"

“Hasn’t Garry told you?   I’m renting the office in the garage as part of a new business.”

"Y Winllan was closed"

Anita goes to Y Felin with the box of books, and is surprised that the shop was shut;  Siôn explains that he closed early over lunch because it was quiet.   

"Old Welsh books in good condition"

“Well, I’ve brought you these – I don’t know if they’ll be any use – old Welsh books in good condition –one or two classics.”

"I don't need any more old books"

He rather abruptly replies, “I don’t need more old books, Anita,” and is told that Ieuan’s Mam used to collect them, 

"A few have not even been opened"

and that a few have not even been opened.   

"If they're from Griffiths, I don't want them"

He makes it clear that if they are from the Griffiths house, he does not want them.

"It's just a few days out of date"

Then she produces the slightly out of date book token, hoping to get a Nerys Howell cookery book;  “It’s just a few days out of date.”

"No, sorry!"

Siôn takes one look and declines to accept it, 

"I'm sure your new boyfriend can treat you to one!"

commenting, “I’m sure your boyfriend has enough money to treat you to a book.   Why are you with such an unscrupulous man?   You can do better than that – I can’t believe you’ve sacrificed your morals for him!   And I hear you’ve left the Committee to Protect Bethania.”

"Ieuan is not the man you think he is"

She insists that Ieuan is not the man Siôn thinks he is, 

"He can't buy me with a box of old books!"

but he continues, “He and his sort are trying to kill this village – and you know it.   He can’t buy me with a box of old books!”

Anita determines that she will find someone who wants them, and then she will come into Y Winllan to buy that book herself;  

"When it's open!"

“When it’s open!   It sounds to me like you need every customer you can get!”

Sioned is sweeping the barn . . .

At Deri Fawr, Sioned is making herself useful, sweeping out a barn 

. . . when Howard appears

when a figure can be seen approaching.   As soon as she notices him, she shouts, “Oi!   What do you think you’re doing here?”   Howard says that he is looking for John;  

"I have no idea where he is"

she informs him that John is not there and she has no idea where he is.   

"Shift yourself – you're trespassing!"

“We farm here now – so shift yourself!   You heard me – you’re trespassing!”

They look at each other for a moment, 

Howard continues on his way

then he climbs over a gate and leaves the farm.

"Did you get my messages"

Cassie, in an angry mood, arrives at number 21;  “Did you get my messages?” she demands, 

"I put my phone down somewhere"

but Britt has put down her phone somewhere.   

"Eifion cooked something horrible!"

“Tyler has got food poisoning after Eifion cooked something horrible for Jason and his friends in the Deri yesterday!”   Britt is concerned that Tyler is all right.”

“Why was he cooking?   He was meant to get rid of Jason,” Cassie goes on, and Britt imagines that he was only trying to help.   

"A case of food poisoning will not help"

“A case of food poisoning will not help the Deri!” Cassie stresses, 

"Tyler might just have a bug"

and Britt suspects that Tyler might have a bug, not food poisoning.

“You have to take this seriously – he may have saved your life, 

"He's good for nothing at the Deri"

“but he’s good for nothing in the Deri!” rages Cassie, and she is told not to be so dramatic.   “He’s not supposed to cook – he doesn’t have a food hygiene certificate for one thing – we have to get rid of him!”

"He can do the level two food hygiene course"

Britt comes to the conclusion that is the answer;  “He can do the level two food hygiene course – he could help in the kitchen, where he’ll be far more useful!”

Cassie cannot believe what she is hearing;  

"He wipes his nose on his sleeve!"

“He’s a farm hand, Britt – he wipes his nose on his sleeve – we need someone experienced!”   Britt continues that you can do courses online now, and he can start today.

"I'll cover his shift"

“He’s working today – and he’ll be there in a minute,” Cassie reminds her, so Britt will cover his shift.

Anita and Ieuan are enjoying an alfresco meal

Ieuan and Anita are eating a meal out in the sunshine, as he tells her that he took the clothes over to Apêl Maenan;  

"Megan was not there, thank goodness"

“Megan was not there, thank goodness, but the guy working there was very grateful.   How about you?   Was Siôn happy to receive the books?”

"We can always give them to someone else"

Anita reports that he did not want them, which Griffiths finds strange, but they can always give them to someone else.   

"And he was not very nice about me!"

Anita points out that Siôn was not very nice, with his comments about the two of them and Bethania – and he even rejected the book token.   “But that’s what Siôn is like – he’s always judging someone.”

"You haven't done anything wrong!"

Griffiths insists that he had no right to be nasty to Anita;  “You haven’t done anything wrong!”   

"I don't think Siôn would agree"

She does not think that Siôn would agree, 

Ieuan is already plotting revenge

and Griffiths looks as if he might be plotting revenge against Siôn.

"It's hard work, having to remember all these rules"

In the Deri, Eifion is sitting gloomily in front of the laptop as Britt asks how his study is going;  “It’s hard work having to remember all these rules,” he replies, but Britt assures him that it will be worth it in the end.

"More qualifications on your CV"

“You’ll have more qualifications – level two Food Hygiene on the CV – and I could give you some cookery lessons after you’ve finished.   I don’t want to brag, but no-one makes a lasagne like me!”

Cassie can see . . .

Cassie is standing right behind Eifion, 

. . . what he is really doing 

and can see the solitaire game which he is playing on the screen;  

"The swine is playing solitaire!"

“The swine is playing solitaire!   He doesn’t take anything seriously!”

Eifion protests that she believes Tyler about that food poisoning nonsense;  “He’d say anything to get me into trouble!”   Cassie groans that he always thinks about himself, 

"Get some more beer bottles from the cellar, will you?"

 she is told to get some more beer bottles from the cellar.

"Less solitaire – more work!"

Then Britt orders Eifion, “Less solitaire, more work – right?”

Howard si still hanging around

Howard is still hanging around Deri Fawr, where we see there are a number of wind turbines in the distance.   

He takes a key from its hiding place . . .

He feels in an old drainpipe where a key is hidden, then, 

. . . and opens a barn

checking to make sure no-one is around, uses it to let himself into one of the barns.   

There is a safe, from which he takes . . .

In a corner, underneath some sacking, is a safe, which he opens with the combination and takes out a padded bag 

. . . a bundle of cash

containing a bundle of cash.

DJ manoeuvres a pallet

DJ is manoeuvring a large shrink-wrapped pallet outside the garage, and is warned by Brynmor to be careful;  

"You need a skip for all this stuff"

Sioned says that Brynmor needs a skip to put all his stuff into, but he insists that there are treasures in there.   “This place is a death trap,” she goes on, 

"You'll have to shift it when my customers arrive"

“You’ll have to shift this stuff by the time my customers arrive – it’s in the way.”

He points out that Garry did not say anything about her renting the office, and she assures him that she has spoken to Garry;  “You rent the garage, I rent the office – and you’ll find out what the business is at the same time as everyone else.”   

"I hope it's not anything dodgy"

He hopes that it is not anything dodgy.

"Butter or lard or nothing, OK?"

Eifion is now in Britt’s kitchen, taking very little notice of her as she informs him, “Pastry made with margarine is useless – butter, or lard, or nothing, OK?”

"I'm giving Eifion cookery lessons"

Colin wonders what is going on there and she replies, “I’m giving Eifion cookery lessons – he’ll be the next Dudley before we turn around,” and she hands the rolling pin to Eifion, 

"I have to pop to the toilet"

but he gives the excuse that he has to pop to the toilet.    

"Remember to wash your hands!"

“Remember to wash your hands!” she shouts.

"He's useless – hopeless!"

She confides to Colin, “He’s useless – hopeless – nothing sinks in!”   

He appreciates that she feels as if she owes him a great debt, but if he is not pulling his weight . . .

"He's a hindrance, guaranteed!"

“Do you really think he has a future in the Deri?   He’s a hindrance, guaranteed!” Colin tells her, 

Britt is remarkably stupid

but she naïvely believes that he will improve;  all he needs is more encouragement.

Siôn has an unexpected visitor

Siôn is sitting at home, reading a book, when there is a knock at the door and Griffiths walks in, 

"I want to talk to you"

growling, “I want to talk to you!”

"I thought you would be too busy rebuilding your empire"

“I thought you would be too busy rebuilding your empire to worry about a pleb like me,”Sioned replies.   

"Welsh books no-one wants to read"

Griffiths tells him that he might have an empire if he sold something other than Welsh books no-one wants to read.

"You just take whatever you want"

“At least I care about this village – you just take whatever you want,” and it is assumed that he is referring to Anita.

"You don't like seeing Anita with anyone else"

“Come on – it’s obvious what’s going on here – you don’t like seeing Anita with anyone else, do you?” Griffiths sneers, “Especially someone successful, smart, clever – its a knock to the ego!”   

"Think a lot of yourself, don't you?"

Siôn can see that he thinks a lot of himself.

“I think a lot of Anita – and I won’t let anyone talk to her like you did – understand?” Griffiths demands, 

Griffiths is looking worried now

so Siôn gets out of his chair for a confrontation.   Griffiths instinctively backs away from him.

"You're her guardian, are you?"

“You’re her guardian, are you?” asks Siôn, and as he retreats further he thinks that perhaps he is, warning Siôn to keep away from her;  

Griffiths quickly escapes . . .

with that, he leaves the house, 

. . . which amuses Siôn

and Siôn chuckles.

Brynmor is tinkering with something . . .

In the garage, Brynmor is concentrating on some intricate task, 

. . . and DJ is still pushing the pallet around

and remarks to DJ that the pallet he is pushing looks heavy.   

When Brynmor offers to assist him, he says that he had better do it himself.

"I won't say a word to anyone"

“Is that you talking – or is it Sioned?” Brynmor wonders, “If you tell me what she’s doing there, I won’t say a word to anyone.   Everyone will know before long.”

"I'm not saying a word"

“I’m not saying a word,” DJ replies, and Sioned, who is just arriving, 

"Why are you so desperate to know?"

praises him, going on to ask Brynmor why he is so desperate to know about her business.   

"I have a right to know"

He points out that it is right next to his business, and he considers that he has a right to know.

"That's one thing you can rely on in Cwmderi!"

“That’s one thing you can rely on in Cwmderi – people sticking their noses in!” she says.   

Brynmor is anxious for them not to fall out if they are going to see so much of each other, and she hopes that her customers will not cause too much trouble.   

"Some of them might fancy what I have here"

He anticipates that some of them might fancy something he has for sale there, but she tells him, “I don’t think we’ll have the same clientèle, somehow.”   He will not let the matter drop, but insists that he is very good at keeping secrets – he might be able to help, but she is adamant that she will not tell him.

Is Sioned changing her mind?

In an apparent change of mind, she says, “You have to promise not to tell anyone – I wanted it to be a surprise,” with a conspiratorial tone in her voice, “You know the machines DJ has been shifting all day?   Fruit machines – we’re opening an amusement arcade in Cwmderi!”

"You're not serious?"

Brynmor looks amazed, 

Evidently they are not

while both Sioned and DJ walk away laughing.

Eifion is in a world of his own

In the Deri, Griffiths orders drinks for himself and Anita while Eifion appears to be daydreaming as he leans on the bar.   Griffiths comments that clearing the house is hard work, and Cassie imagines that clearing Bethania will be a lot harder.

Cassie gives Griffiths some crisps

She hands a packet of crisps to Griffiths, and Eifion intervenes;  

"Did you wash your hands?"

“Did you wash your hands?” he demands, “I learned on the course that you have to wash your hands before serving any food – I didn’t see any exceptions.”

He grabs the crisps just as Griffiths is going to pick them up

He grabs the packet of crisps in front of Griffiths;  “I’ll just wash my hands and bring you a fresh packet,” he says, “We don’t want anyone to get food poisoning, do we?”   Griffiths looks very puzzled.

Howard is lurking in the alley

Howard, the hooded figure, is standing in the alley, looking at the money contained in the bag.   He gets out his phone;  

"Hey, lovely – I'm outside"

“Hey, lovely, I just want to say that I’m outside – I have something for you – you’ll like it.”

"Only a few more trips to the charity shop"

As they sit in the Deri, Griffiths says that he only has a few more trips to the charity shop and it will be done.   Anita suggests that he could also give the house a bit of a facelift – some paint and new curtains – 

"I quite like it as it is"

but he quite likes it as it is.   “Oh Ieuan – the curtains in the back bedroom are like something from the Middle Ages,” she remarks, 

"Don't you want to put your own stamp on the place?"

“Don’t you want to put your own stamp on it?”

"I don't want to erase Mami's 'stamp'"

He is very reluctant to erase his mother’s ‘stamp’ from the house, and Anita agrees that he does not have to change everything immediately.   “I’ll just to to get used to having it to myself,” he says.

"I'm taking the books to a shop in Carmarthen"

Anita will be taking the books to a shop in Carmarthen;  “They’re more than happy to have them – unlike Siôn!”   

"I don't think you'll have any more nonsense from Siôn"

Ieuan does not think she will have it any more nonsense from Siôn, as he has been to see him.

"He can't treat you like that!"

“Someone had to – he can’t treat you like that!” he argues, but although she appreciates him sticking up for her, she insists that she does not pay any attention to Siôn, 

"It will only make him worse!"

as it will only make him worse.

"He's an annoying snob!"

“He’s an annoying snob!” Ieuan growls, but she just wants to forget about it now.

Tegwen and Ken join Howard

Tegwen and Ken come out of the shop flat into the alley, where they meet Howard.   

Colin is locking up the shop

At that moment, Colin is locking up the front door of the shop.

Howard has the bag . . .

Howard shows Tegwen the bag, 

. . . which he shows to Tegwen . . . 

and after looking inside, she takes it, 

. . . and they hug

then gives him a hug.   

This causes Colin extreme concern

Colin is immediately concerned about this, as Howard puts up his hood again and they walk away.