12 December 2023

"Sioned – surprise for you!"

A box has just been delivered to Penrhewl and Eileen shouts excitedly to Sioned;  “Come down – I’ve got a surprise for you!”

Kelly is painting placards

At Bryntirion, Kelly is surveying her handiwork;  two placards reading, ‘No to Penrhewl’s cruelty’ 

She looks at her handiwork . . .

and ‘No to Hunting’.   

. . . and seems pleased with it

She appears quite pleased with the results.

In the Deri, Cassie is on the phone to Siôn;  “Yes, it’s waiting for you behind the bar, OK?” 

Cassie cannot find that brown envelope

but when she looks where she put the brown envelope, she finds it is no longer there, which causes some confusion.

Hywel looks at the Father Christmas 

Hywel comes in, looking at the Father Christmas figure and remarks to Cassie about it;  apparently it is Kath’s idea.   

"I doubt anyone else wanted it"

“She thinks she got a bargain – but I doubt anyone else wanted it!” she says.

"Are you ready for the big show?"

“Are you ready for the big show?” he asks, “Eileen and the big hunt – you can’t go anywhere without hearing about it!”   

"Well, she's paying to use the Deri"

Cassie replies that Eileen is paying to hire the Deri, so she cannot complain.

"She's divided the village"

“I’m not complaining – it’s just – I’ve lost patience with her – she’s divided the village.   I’m worried where it will all end.”   

"Nothing makes me more angry than losing something"

Cassie comments that nothing makes her more angry than losing something and she goes upstairs.

"Ladies and gentlemen . . ."

At the farmhouse, Eileen is practising her speech;  “Ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much – no, no, – what shall I say?   

". . . no, friends, neighbours and some new faces"

“Friends, neighbours and some new faces, whom I am sure will soon become friends . . .”

At that moment Sioned comes in wearing the contents of the box;  she now looks the archetypal ‘Hunt Follower’, but is finding the outfit rather uncomfortable.

"I feel a bit silly!"

“Do I have to wear everything?   I feel a bit silly,” she protests, but her mother assures her that she looks great.   “I haven’t been on a horse for years,” Sioned continues, 

"We have to look the part"

but is informed that they have to look the part, as they are the face of the company and it is important that their clothes reflect that.

"Why are you doing this, Mam?"

Sioned wonders what she has been reading, and why Eileen is doing this in the Deri today.   

"I want to show what the village has to offer"

“I want to show what the village has to offer – I want to prove this enterprise will benefit every business.”   

Sioned has her doubts that this will work;  

“Of course it will – money talks,” Eileen replies, “Hang on a minute, I want a photo for the social media sites.”   

"Do we have to, Mam?"

Sioned objects to this, but is overruled;  

"I've got a good feeling about today"

“Right, that’s perfect!” her mother decides, “I’ve got good feeling about today.”

Sioned is experiencing uncomfortable feelings

Sioned appears to be experiencing certain other ‘feelings’, as Eileen goes on, “And not just for Penrhewl, but for Tamed and Cae Glas.”   

"You've already had a 'like'!"

As she looks at her phone, she announces, “You’ve already had a ‘like’ – councillor Ieuan Griffiths!   Come on, we’re going.” 

Off goes Sioned 

Sioned very reluctantly follows her out of the farmhouse.

"What's this SOS then?"

Cassie is pacing up and down behind the bar with a worried frown when Howard walks in.   “What’s this SOS, then?” he demands.

"Did you think I wouldn't notice?"

“Don’t be funny with me – did you think I wouldn’t notice?” she snarls and he has no idea what she is talking about.   “You were here last Thursday,” and he agrees that unfortunately he was.   “And there was £200 in an envelope behind the bar,” she goes on.

"You're not serious?   Where's your proof?"

Now he is following her line of thought;  “You’re not serious?   Where’s your proof?”   

"Well, you were here"

She regards that the fact he was there is enough for her and explains that it was for the food bank.   

"I'm telling you, I didn't take it!"

“My heart bleeds – but I’m telling you, I didn’t take it!”

Cassie’s mind is well and truly made up and she will not accept any other explanation.   “Don’t deny it – Kath and I have been discussing this – 

"We know exactly when you took your opportunity"

“we know exactly when you took your opportunity.   I put the tinsel there, for you to put behind the bar, and we turned our backs to you, you came over here, took the keys and, well . . .”

"Why haven't you called the pigs, then?"

“Well, if that’s true, why haven’t you called the pigs?” he enquires, 

"Because I stayed here all night"

“Oh, I see, in case Delyth finds out I stayed here all night, is it?”

"Just give the money back"

“Don’t laugh,” Cassie snarls, “Just give the money back and we’ll forget about it.”   He wonders how she knows that it was not Kath who did it – or someone who has worked behind the bar over the last few days.

When she does not reply, 

"Give me a lemonade, will you?"

he concludes, “Exactly!   Just give me a lemonade, will you?   Don’t worry, I’ve left the hip flask at home – for today!”

"You left this behind"

Delyth enters the pharmacy and announces to Maya, “You left this behind this morning,” handing over her lunchbox.   

"I have an online course to do"

Maya has an online course to do over lunch.   “I know, that’s why I made it for you!” Delyth snaps, “You just left it in the fridge.”

It is very obvious to Maya that something is wrong, although Delyth contests this;  

"Don't come in here, shouting at me"

as she turns to walk out, Maya warns her, “Don’t come in here, shouting at me over a few slices of bread and cheese!”

"I'm worried about a friend"

Then Delyth relents, maintaining that she is worried about a friend, who is in a very awkward situation.   Maya has heard all this before and knows that the friend is actually her;  

"I can read you like a book"

“Come on, you don’t need to go to police school to know when something’s bothering you.   I can read you like a book!”

"Kath Jones is trying to bribe me"

Delyth removes the envelope from her pocket;  “Kath Jones is trying to bribe me,” she says, “Because of the lock-ins they’ve been having recently – and there’s whispers about poker nights is well.”

"But you checked – twice"

Maya reminds her that she checked twice and there was nothing going on.   

"They want me to turn a blind eye"

Delyth still insists, “They obviously want me to turn a blind eye from now on – she didn’t say that, but she did wink at me.”

"Perhaps Kath fancies you"

Maya imagines that perhaps Kath fancies her, but Delyth replies that she should be taking the envelope to her boss.   “They could lose their licence or go to jail!”

Maya advises that she should talk to them and find out what is going on, predicting that it might well be an misunderstanding;  “And if it’s not, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.   

"Actually it's quite insulting!"

“It’s about 200 quid in an envelope – honestly, it’s quite insulting that she thinks you’re so cheap!” Maya laughs.

"It could put me at risk at work"

Delyth still says that it could put her risk at work but walks out of the pharmacy.

"Why can't we be inside?"

Outside the Deri, Sioned in her fancy gear is standing with her mother, waiting for people to arrive;  “If you’ve booked the Deri, why can’t we be inside?” Sioned demands.   Eileen insists that they will have more publicity outside, with people passing – people who are ‘on the fence’, perhaps.

"I hope I can rely on your support today"

Colin is walking past and Eileen calls to him, “Do you fancy a canapé?” but he refuses.   “I hope I can rely on your support today,” Eileen tells him, 

"I'm working"

and he says that he is working.

"Your boss is giving you permission to close the shop"

“No, you’re not – your boss is giving you permission to close the shop,” she tells him, 

"Oh – great"

which he does not regard as good news.   

Ieuan helps himself

Then Ieuan arrives and start helping himself to the canapés, as he had heard there was food.

"Yes, DJ has been busy"

“Yes, DJ has been busy using Cae Glas and Tamed produce,” she advertises, while Sioned reprimands Griffiths for taking more than one item.

Here comes trouble

Then they see Kelly, strutting along the street with her two placards and a determined look.   

"Do you have any popcorn?"

Griffiths is expecting quite a performance and asks if they have any popcorn.

"Well, this hunting idea is popular"

Delyth is standing on the corner, with her brown envelope, watching the proceedings, as Kelly approaches across the road and comments, “Well, this hunting idea is popular, isn’t it?”

"It's early yet, Kelly"

Eileen points out that it is early yet and tells her to help herself to a canapé.   

Hywel comes across

Then Hywel comes over to investigate;  “It’s nice to see support the council,” says Eileen.

"Perhaps he did it!"

Inside the Deri, when Cassie walks towards the Father Christmas, Howard suggests that perhaps he did it.   

"Drink your lemonade and go home"

“Just drink your lemonade and go home, please,” she replies, “He gets under my skin – just like you do at the moment!”

"How many more times?"

“For goodness sake, how many more times?   I didn’t steal the money!” growls Howard, but she is implacably convinced that he is guilty.

"Pity you mother and father didn't teach you right from wrong"

“It’s a pity your mother and father didn’t teach you right from wrong,” she continues, “Give me that money back today and everything will be fine – if you don’t, I’ll have to take it further!”   

"Are you threatening me?"

Howard demands whether she is threatening him and she maintains that he needs to be taught a lesson.

Delyth comes in

At that moment the door opens and Delyth arrives;  Howard is watching proceedings with interest.

"We've got more important things to discuss"

When asked what she would like to drink, Delyth answers, “I think we’ve got more important things to discuss,” 

She displays the £200 . . .

taking the envelope from her pocket and displaying the cash, which she places on the bar.   

. . . which comes as a shock to Cassie . . .

Cassie looks at her, momentarily lost for words, 

. . . but amuses Howard

and Howard smiles with amusement.

Eileen begins her big speech

Outside approximately a dozen people have gathered and Eileen, flanked by her smartly dressed daughter, is regaling them with her speech;  “The truth is, we won’t just be rekindling old traditions with the hunt, we’ll be giving the village a new lease of life.”   

"How are you going to do that?"

Kelly demands how exactly they propose to do that.

"An excellent question, Kelly"

“An excellent question, Kelly – the truth is every hunt attracts new people – let alone a hunt on land as good as Penrhewl’s!   But these people don’t just come here for the hunt – no, they’ll want to eat and where better than the Deri?”

"Don't you like fried chicken, or what?"

“What about MFC?   Don’t you like fried chicken or what?” interrupts Kelly, 

"Enjoy lunch in Tamed"

but Eileen carries on, undeterred, that they will enjoy brunch in Tamed, a hamper of local produce from the shop.   

"Because you've got two businesses!"

“Yes, because you’ve got two businesses!” 

"Tamed is mine and DJ's"

“Tamed is mine and DJ’s business,” Sioned protests,

"Nepo baby!"

but is described as, “‘Nepo’ baby,” by Kelly.

She is now beginning to get under Eileen’s skin;  nevertheless she soldiers on, “Cwmderi has a wealth of attractions and this hunt is going to give those places a platform.   It will open doors to people who wouldn’t usually come here.”

When Ieuan expresses his agreement with this, 

"Shut up, Ieuan!"

Kelly snarls, “Shut up, Ieuan!” and he points out that he was speaking as a councillor.   “Yeah, and I’m speaking as Auntie Anita’s daughter, kind of, so  . . .”

"I'd like you to come to Penrhewl"

Eileen concludes by thanking them all for coming today;  “Now that you’ve seen what the village has to offer, I’d like you to come to Penrhewl, to see where the hunt will be – follow me.

Griffiths asks Hywel if he will be going there, but is told that there is not a lot of point;  Griffiths is keen that he should show his face and when Eileen announces that there will be cawl and home-made bread, this makes up his mind for him.   

"Important to show my support"

He maintains that it is important to show their support.

Kelly berates him, “Honestly, no morals – you’re just here for the free food!”   Ieuan does not have any answer for that.   

"I was expecting more drama"

Hywel is surprised that Kelly has been so quiet and had been expecting more drama.   

"It's not over yet, is it?"

“Yeah, well – it’s not over yet, is it?” she replies.

"That went well, didn't it?"

Eileen starts the car, commenting, “That went well, didn’t it?”   Sioned angrily answers that it is difficult to focus when your jodhpurs are as tight as this.   

"I can hardly breathe!"

She complains that she can hardly breathe, but as soon as the car moves forward, 

Kelly blocks any further progress

Kelly stands in front of it with her placards and refuses to move.

"What are you doing?"

Eileen gets out and confronts her;  “What are you doing?”

"Stopping you and your inhumane plans!"

“Stopping you and your inhumane plans!” shouts Kelly and Ieuan looks quite amused.

In the Deri, Cassie has just been speaking to Kath on the phone 

"It should have been a prescription for Maya"

and informs Delyth, “She explained that the envelope shouldn’t have had money in it, but a prescription to give to Maya.   

"She would never try to bribe you"

“She would never try to bribe you, any more that I would.”

As Howard sits there, looking quite pleased with himself, Delyth realises that the money was not meant for her, but for the food bank.   

"Why didn't you come and say?"

“Why didn’t you come and say when you notice the money was missing?”

Cassie so is that they only realised today and they did not know where it had gone.   “You got the wrong envelope – sorry.”   Delyth insists that it is her duty to tell her boss, 

"There's nothing to say, is there?"

but Cassie maintains that there is nothing to say and suggests that they could have a coffee.   Delyth points out that she has not agreed to anything yet.

"It could look look like a bribe"

While she goes to the toilet, Howard advises, “Make sure she pays for the coffee – or that could look like a bribe.   Are you going to say sorry, then?”

"I'm sorry"

Cassie has little choice but to tell him she is sorry for accusing him and he smiles again.

"Now move, before I call the police!"

Outside, with Kelly refusing to move herself from in front of the car, Eileen is becoming very angry;  “Right, you’ve had your fun – now move, before I call the police!”

"Someone dared to stand up to you?"

Ffion’s car pulls up behind Kelly as she demands, “What exactly will you tell them?   That someone dared to stand up to you?   Just because you’ve got more money than us!”

"This is pure jealousy!"

Eileen responds that this is purely jealousy;  

"I really want to abuse animals!"

“Yes – cos I really want to abuse animals and sell overpriced paninis!” is Kelly’s reply.

Eileen instructs Colin to move Kelly, arguing that some people have work to do, but Colin does not think that he should do anything like that.   

"Getting someone else to do your dirty work"

“Typical you, Eileen, getting someone else to do your dirty work – don't touch me!” snarls Kelly and he assures her he had no intention of doing that.

"You're making a fool of yourself"

“Look around you, Kelly – you’re making a fool of yourself – everyone here supports me!” sneers Eileen.   Kelly on the other hand believes that they are there just for the free food and the gossip;  

Eileen will not let Colin answer for himself

she asks Colin if he is in favour of this hunt, and Eileen answers for him that of course he is.

“Everyone can see how exciting this is and what it would give the village,” she goes on, but Kelly believes that they can speak for themselves, asking Hywel if he is in favour.

He merely explains that is there just there to learn, so Kelly can see that he is not in favour, but Eileen shouts that he is not against.   

"Nothing's going to get sorted like this"

Sioned has had enough of this and tells her mother that nothing is going to get sorted out in this way.

Eileen tries another tack;  “Ieuan, are you happy that your staff are behaving like this?”   

"It's my day off"

Kelly responds that it is her day off, but Eileen is adamant that it is not a good advert for his company.

“I’m not a walking advertisement for the company!” Kelly stresses, as Maya comes out of the pharmacy to investigate what is going on.   “I’m a real, live person with real feelings and morals,” Kelly adds.

"You simply like the attention!"

“Morals?   Nah – you simply like the attention!” Eileen tells her, 

"I want you and your pathetic banners out of my way!"

marching ominously towards Kelly.   “I want you and your pathetic banners out of my way!”

"Should we do something?"

Hywel wonders if they ought to intervene, but Griffiths suggests that they could take bets;  

"I'll put £50 on Kelly!

“I’ll put £50 on Kelly!”

"No to hunting!"

She begins shouting repeatedly, “No to hunting!” 

Sioned has had enough of this

but Sioned retreats to the comparative safety of the pharmacy, 

"Wow!"

where Maya is greatly impressed by her appearance.   

"It's Mam, isn't it?"

Sioned explains succinctly that it is all down to her mother.

"You look bendigedig!"

Maya’s verdict is, “You look bendigedig!” while Sioned quotes the old saying ‘all the gear, no idea!’   She explains that it is a shouting match between her mother and Kelly.   “I wouldn’t want to cross either of them,” says Maya 

"Why do you think I'm in here?"

and Sioned points out that is the reason she is hiding in there.

“Only have to take one look at you to know which side you’re on,” Maya laughs, and Sioned complains that with these jodhpurs, she has not taken a full breath since this morning, which Maya says is not healthy.

"Nothing about today is healthy!"

“Nothing about today is healthy,” observes Sioned, “Any chance of a cup of tea?   I don’t think they’ve noticed I’ve gone.”

This coffee is much better

Cassie brings Delyth a second cup of coffee, after the first one was too cold.   “I’m fussy with my coffee,” she says, and Cassie confirms that the customer is always right.   There is the sound of laughter coming from Howard.

"Can I have a look at the menu?"

Cassie enquires whether they understand each other now;  Delyth graciously accepts her word, this time, but adds that she is starving, wondering what time they start serving lunch, so would like a look at the menu.   

"I don't have a spare £200 any more"

“But I don’t have £200 spare any more.”

Cassie is sure that they can reach an understanding, but is warned to be careful, 

"I could open a slate for you"

so rephrases what she said, “I could open a slate for you.”   In that case, Delyth will have a chicken dinner.

Collins reaching the end of his tether

The sound of shouting can be heard from outside 

The shouting is going round and round in his head . . .

and Colin who is back at number 21, is becoming very agitated.   

. . . and the television will not muffle it . . .

He sits down on the sofa and switches on the television, 

. . . even with the volume turned up

turning up the volume to try and mask the repeated shouts of, “No to the hunt!”

When this is unsuccessful, he throws down the remote control and prepares to go back outside.

"Someone needs to keep them in line"

In the Deri, Cassie moans that the shouting has been getting worse and worse all day.  Delyth decides, “Someone needs to keep them in line,” and prepares to go into battle.

"What's that noise all about?"

Kath comes down from the flat, demanding what all the noise is about;  

"I want you to arrest Kelly!

Kelly is still confronting Eileen, who wants the DS to arrest Kelly.   

Colin is frantic

Then Colin rushes out from the next-door house, 

"That's it!   This stops now!"

shouting, “Right – that’s it!   This stops now!”

Eileen insists that Kelly started it, and Kelly in turn describes Eileen as pathetic.   Colin simply wants them to stop and Delyth agrees that it has gone too far.

Eileen is sure that there is nothing more she can do, having tried her best, so she gets back into the car.   

Maya and Sioned come out of the pharmacy

Sioned and Maya come out of the pharmacy, 

Colin hammers on the car bonnet

while Colin bangs on the bonnet of the car, shouting to Eileen, 

"Surely she's not going to . . ?"

but before she has a chance to move the car, 

Colin collapses to the ground . . .

he collapses to the ground.

. . . and Kelly is horrified 

They all rush towards him and Kelly looks absolutely horrified;   Eileen calls for someone to phone an ambulance.