Four Funerals and a Wedding

Series Nine, Episode Five

Four Funerals and a Wedding

Airdate

12 June 2006

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Four Funerals and a Wedding is the fifth episode of the ninth series of the popular ITV crime drama Midsomer Murders and originally aired on 12th June 2006.

Synopsis[]

Tom takes the family on an excursion when he is going to give an opening speech, accompanied by Joyce, daughter Cully and Joyce's mother, who is visiting, the Chief Inspector soon finds himself investigating the murder of Mildred Danvers, whose flask of brandy was apparently spiked with barbiturates. They were all there to attend the annual Skimmington Fair, a decades-old village fête that essentially pitted the women against the misogynist men. There are several suspects including Henry Marwood who returned Danvers' flask to her but did lie to the police about it; the local Doctor who seems just a tad too quick to pronounce the death to be of natural causes; and the Rev. Anthony Gant, who, in addition to being Mrs. Danvers' cousin, was also mounting a court action against the Skimmington women in a attempt to stop what he saw as the annual denigration of men. A second murder, this time from a target-shooting rifle, clearly puts Barnaby and DS Jones in the middle of a major investigation. A third death leads to the discovery of hidden family connections and the solution to the mystery.

Plot[]

1st Funeral: The episode opens with the funeral of Vivienne Marwood in Broughton. Henry Marwood and his son, Roland Marwood, stand at Vivienne's grave. Mildred Danvers stares at Henry Marwood as he leaves the funeral.

At the church, Deacon, Cathy Hewlett and Rev. Anthony Gant argue about activities at the church, which includes Friday Kids Club and posters for the Skimmington Festival. Cathy says it is community information. Mildred walks up and asks how the new job is going. Must be quite a change having a female deacon.

At Midsomer Constabulary, DCI Tom Barnaby and DS Ben Jones discuss the upcoming weekend. Tom is not eager to go home as his mother-in-law, Muriel is coming to visit. "It will be two days of lurid medical discussions and the football will be on the portable in the bedroom." And to complete his weekend's enjoyment, Tom has community liaison duty to perform in Broughton, the Skimmington village.

At Broughton, the women gather in their community room, the Skimmington Ladies Charitable Society, Pankhurst Hall. The men go to the pub, The John Knox. Roland says to his father that this night the Riders of Broughton will seal the fate of the Skimmingtons forever.

At Barnaby's home, the family discuss what to do over the weekend. Cully says that Grandma (Muriel) wants to go to the Skimmington Fair. Joyce suggests shopping in Oxford. Broughton is very grim. Tom explains that in 1916, Montague Marwood raised a company of men from the village of Broughton and led them all to their death. Adds Muriel, "Leaving their wives and children to starve. The women formed a self help group- the Skimmington Society. They worked together, raised money, educated each other and took control of the village." The Society is still going strong and the centerpiece is the Skimmington Ride. "A barbaric, medieval ritual revived by the Skimmington ladies to humiliate their menfolk," says Tom. Muriel says she really wants to see it.

Anthony is in the church picking up toys. Peggy Aynscombe and Fiona invite Mildred to their pre-fair meeting. Anthony comes out to talk to Mildred. The Skimmingtons are making her honorary president. Why is Mildred staying at the Knox instead of Aynscombe farms, asks Gant. She says sleeping with the enemy is so much more interesting. Gant asks to come up and talk to his cousin, Mildred, later about the Archdeacon's letter. In her room, Mildred makes a phone call. "I think you know why I'm calling," she says.

In Broughton, that evening, the men of the village meet together at the Knox. Henry Marwood calls the meeting of the Riders Club to order. He thanks everyone for their prayers and kind support since his wife passed on. The barmaid, Polly, is asked to leave. She leaves a cell phone on the bar to record their meeting. Rev. Gant claims tomorrow will be the last time they will have to submit to the ride. Roland Marwood, Henry's son, says Anthony has been training with the donkey, Bluebell, as he will probably be chosen as the Rider tomorrow. The men are also planning a legal offensive against the women.

Over at the women's gathering, a woman is transcribing the men's conversation as heard by the cell phone. The written notes are brought to Peggy Aynscombe, the leader of the society. Polly says she has seen Anthony practicing on the horse and he is hopeless. The women are worried about the legal issue. Can Gant really get them outlawed for discrimination? Lorna says that the Society's constitution specifically prevents male members, which is strictly illegal. Peggy says "Are we making a mistake nominating Gant at all?" She asks Lorna to have a quiet word with Gant before the ride. "He won't listen," says Fiona. "He really believes women are the root of all evil."

Henry goes to Mildred's room to return a flask. Dr. O'Dowd found it at the service that afternoon. He wonders if she knew his wife. Mildred says no. She stares at Henry.

Outside, after the men's meeting, Dr. O'Dowd says to Roland and Gant, "You're not serious about pursuing this legal nonsense against the Skimmingtons? Well you'll have a fight on your hands and don't come looking to me to heal your wounds." Roland invites Gant for a brandy. But Gant has other business to attend to. He looks up at Mildred who is looking out of her window. Mildred pulls a photo from her purse which shows her younger self and a man who looks exactly like Henry Marwood. Someone knocks on the door.

Outside after the women's meeting, Lorna asks Peggy if she is worried about Gant. He certainly stirs things up. Rev. Gant is later shown exercising in his rooms. He prays while exercising. Meanwhile Peggy Aynscombe drives to a ruins. Dr. O'Dowd sits in the dark by the graveyard with a flask and talks to Alan, the gravedigger. He is mentally slow. A tree crashes down.

Mildred is shown laying in a chair with her flask upside down dripping.

The next morning, the Barnaby's arrive to Broughton. Cully asks who was John Knox, for whom the pub is named. Muriel says he was an infamous Scots misogynist, long dead. "Probably where the men hide from the Skimmingtons," says Cully. Barnaby says that "a modicum of respect is due to the men who died in two world wars. Mind you, if they hadn't died, this would be a much happier village." Joyce says, "It seems like a happy village." Just then Polly calls out a window for her dad to "Call the Police." Anthony Gant and Henry Marwood and Dr. O'Dowd are all in Mildred's room when Barnaby comes up. Henry says this is Detective Chief Inspector Barnaby who is doing the honors with the starting pistol this year. Gant says he is cousin of the deceased. He came up to visit and couldn't get a reply. Polly got the keys and let him in. Dr. O'Dowd claims that Mildred had a heart attack. She has a history of heart issues. Barnaby does an examination of the body. He asks the doctor if she had something in her hand when he examined her. Dr. O'Dowd says she had a flask in her hand when he found her. He produces it from his pocket. "Nothing untoward, I hope?" he asks. "Better safe than sorry," says Barnaby. He calls DS Jones.

Alan is digging outside Anthony Gant's window. Gant searches his desk and finds a letter addressed to Mildred Danvers regarding him from the Archdeacon. He throws the letter in the fire. He also goes through Mildred's papers and finds the photo of Mildred and the young man who looks like Henry Marwood. Lorna Hastings comes by to talk to Anthony. Polly tells Barnaby that she heard Gant asking to see Mildred last night. Something about a letter. She also saw Mr. Marwood in Mildred's room. Cathy Hewlett comes in. She tells Barnaby that she heard Mildred talking to Anthony Gant yesterday about her burial plot. She said Mildred doubted her "death would be a natural one."

Tom goes over to tell his Joyce, Cully and Muriel that he has called out a team. "Never a dull moment in Broughton" says Muriel. "Wouldn't you rather drive over to Oxford?" Joyce asks. "Oh don't be a sissy," says Muriel. "This is much more fun than shopping."

DS Jones arrives. Tom says, "We've got Mildred Danvers, aged 78, deceased." Jones says "And you don't think she died of old age? Get's you out from under, anyway," referring to Tom having to spend time with his mother-in-law. " I'm not in the habit of using murder as an excuse," says Tom. "No, of course. But there are upsides," says Jones.

There is a shooting competition going on at the fair. The Skimmingtons are ahead. Tom talks to Henry Marwood about the competition. Henry explains, "They are just better than us." Tom says, "Hasn't there ever been an outbreak of peace?" "There is acceptance in the main," says Henry. Tom says Mildred's hip flask may have been poisoned. Tom asks Henry about visiting Mildred last night. Henry lies and says he returned Mildred's gloves. Tom congratulates the women for winning the competition. "Does anyone know of anyone in the village with reason to harm her?" The bell rings to announce the ride. "Retribution time," says Fiona. Cathy breaks in to Gant's office through the window and looks for information about the legal action. She sees the photo on the desk of Mildred and the man looking like Henry and slips it in her pocket.

Over at the festival, the men and women of Broughton, dressed in medieval attire, prepare for the Skimmington Ride. Barnaby announces the Ride. Pathologist Dr. George Bullard tells Jones that the Mildred's flask had barbiturates in it. Jones says maybe we should stop the proceedings? George says he would like to see him try. The Chairperson, Lorna Hastings reads the challenge: the rider is to be Anthony Gant for "flagrant misogyny." Barnaby explains the rules: the rider must ride backwards on a donkey around the course with a hood over his head. "The women may beat the rider with their skimming ladles but not impede the donkey's progress." If the rider can last the course on the donkey he wins the right to suspend the ride indefinitely. If not, the riders must return next year to try again. Someone is seen removing a rifle from a car. Gant proceeds around the course and is shot just as Barnaby fires the pistol to end the ride.

Barnaby tells Joyce it would be best if she and the rest go home. "Well if I can get mom away from the excitement," says Joyce. Tom goes to talk to Alan, who says the people talk to him. "Miss Lorna, she never come. There was a barney. She never come." Tom looks mystified by Alan's remarks. Dr. O'Dowd offers to help. Alan is "quite special" if you know what I mean. Barnaby requests a list of all the people he has prescribed barbiturates for.

DS Jones is searching Gant's office. There is evidence of an intruder. They also find Mildred Danvers effects. Gant was trying to mount some sort of legal challenge against the Skimmingtons. Jones finds a piece of paper from a letter burned in the fireplace. It is from the Archdeacon Able. Barnaby goes to talk to the Archdeacon about motivation that anyone might have for killing Anthony. "Anthony was a one-off, a troubled soul," says the Archdeacon. He wanted to prevent women from all aspects of life. The Archdeacon's appointment of a female deacon to the church was to be educational. Anthony was kicked out of Oxford and returned to Broughton because of a sexual incident with another man.

Dr. O'Dowd gives Barnaby a list of everyone in the village who were prescribed barbiturates in the past year. Cathy had sprained her ankle. Gant lived on his nerves. Roland's mother's illness took a toll on him. Tom asks if possibly Mildred was murdered to prevent her from exposing a secret in Gant's past. Except everyone knew that Anthony and Henry Marwood were half-brothers, responds O'Dowd. Anthony was a love child. His parents were killed in the fire in 1960. That's who Alan talks to- all the poor souls who died that night. He was 6- "still is to all intents and purposes."

Jones says the barbiturates found in Mildred's flask is the sort used by vets. Barnaby sets up an incident room in the village. Pankhurst Hall. They find an eyelash in the flask and prints on the flask of Henry Marwood. Barnaby goes to speak with Henry. He says he lied about the gloves. It was the flask he was returning to Mildred. Henry knew about Gant's troubles at Oxford.

Barnaby and Jones go to Aynscombe Farm to talk to Lorna Hastings and Peggy Aynscombe. Mildred's death was murder. Peggy saw Gant coming out of the pub. Lorna went to see Gant about the legal action he was pursuing. Peggy and Lorna knew about Gant's behavior in Oxford and were using that to persuade him to drop the legal action. Barnaby and Jones ask Fiona Aynscombe about where she was since she is such a good shot. Cathy gives her an alibi.

That night, Peggy is seen meeting Henry Marwood at the ruins of Marwood Hall. "Who poisoned Mildred?" says Peggy. "I have no idea. Do you know who shot Anthony?" replies Henry. "Don't you trust me Peggy? Even now?" They kiss. Someone is watching them behind the trees.

Forensics found another eyelash on Fiona Aynscombe's gunsights. It matches the one in the flask so same killer for both murders. All we have to do is get a name for the DNA and then we're out of here. Barnaby wants Jones to get a voluntary mouth swab from everyone in the village. From video footage taken by spectators, Bullard has calculated the angle that the bullet was fired at Gant and confirms what window in the church it was fired from. Barnaby asks Alan if he saw anyone go into the church after he rang the bell. Barnaby goes to take a look in the bell tower. And Jones has to ask Cathy for a mouth swab. "Open wide, Miss Hewlett," says Jones. She gives him a dirty look. Barnaby and Jones go to talk to Fiona about her gun being used. Fiona admits that she lost the keys to her car where her gun was. Then found them again later.

Jones goes to Aynscombe Farm to get mouth swabs. Barnaby is at work in the hall and Lorna comes by to get a file. As she is leaving the hall, O'Dowd comes by to talk to Lorna. He has had feelings for her all these years. He wants her to come over to the house- it concerns Peggy and Henry. They started a relationship while Henry's wife was ill. Fiona and Roland meet somewhere in the country. Roland wants a truce and exchange of information. Barnaby finds a photo of Marwood Hall before the fire in 1960 with people standing in front.

2nd Funeral: Everyone goes to the church for the funeral of Mildred Danvers. Barnaby and Jones stand in the back. Peggy asks to speak before the funeral. She says "We are here to mourn two untimely and violent deaths. But surely we are here to ask ourselves how did it come to this?" The time to forgive is now. Because she and Henry are in love" and engaged. Fiona looks distressed. Dr. O'Dowd stands up and claps at Peggy's news and Fiona runs out of the church. Roland runs out to talk to Fiona. She does not want "everything they have worked for given up to a Marwood." Later Lorna, Fiona, Cathy and Polly discuss what to do to stop the wedding. "The Marwood debts alone will probably bankrupt us." Fiona is suspicious of Vivienne Marwood's death.

Peggy and Henry embrace at their ruins. They embrace. Henry says she shouldn't have told everyone. She says we have nothing to hide. Henry shows her a letter. "You really shouldn't have told them," he repeats.

Barnaby and Jones go to the pub and talk to Dr. O'Dowd. They are collecting DNA samples and having a little trouble persuading the ladies. O'Dowd tells them he can help with the DNA samples. Even Skimmingtons need a doctor. O'Dowd offers to lock the case of DNA samples up at his office. Cathy shows Lorna the photo of Mildred and the man who she thinks is Henry's father that she stole during the break-in at Gant's. Roland confronts O'Dowd and tells him he has a duty to fight the marriage. O'Dowd tells him to grow up. That night, Fiona and Roland meet at the ruins. Fiona says Peggy completely fooled her. Roland says he had his suspicions. Fiona says Vivienne's death was very sudden. Roland wondered whether his dad had (helped his mom die). O'Dowd is drinking in his office when he is struck on the head. He falls to the floor.

Alan is digging a grave in the dark. Cathy is in her office at the church when she gets a knock on the door. Cue ominous Music!

The next morning, O'Dowd is in his office with ice on his head. He says he was in the surgery finishing something off at 11:00. The next thing he knows it was 4 in the morning. He claims the DNA samples weren't stolen. Barnaby doesn't buy it as a robbery.

Barnaby confronts Roland about where he was last night since O'Dowd was attacked. At first he says he was upstairs in his room. But his dad saw him leave the house. He then admits he was with Fiona Aynscombe discussing their common dilemma.

Lorna meets Henry at the ruins. She is happy about him and Peggy getting engaged. Lorna says that O'Dowd told her about Vivienne. She tells him to think before going to the police. Just remember what you've got to lose. Henry says it's a question of conscious.

Fiona demands an exhumation on Vivienne Marwood. Fiona shows Barnaby the photo of Mildred and who she presumes is Henry's father. Which Cathy got when she broke in. Barnaby tells her to leave the investigation to the police. Up at the farm, Henry is talking to Peggy. He wants to come clean to the police. She thinks they will arrest him. Barnaby shows up. Henry shows Barnaby a letter that Vivienne wrote to Henry asking him to help her commit suicide before she lost her dignity. Henry decides to tell Barnaby the truth: One night, Henry brought sleeping pills to Vivienne's room. She had fallen asleep. Henry fell asleep and when he woke up, the bottle of pills was on the bedside table half empty and Vivienne was dead. He had intended to help her die that night, but in the end she helped herself. The church bells start tolling.

Jones tells Barnaby that DNA shows that Cathy's eyelash was in the flask and on the gun. He thinks Cathy is the murderer.

3rd Funeral: At Gant's funeral, Deacon Cathy doesn't show up. Everyone is standing in the rain outside the church waiting for her. Barnaby asks Alan where she is. Then Barnaby sees a hand in the burial plot exposed by the rain. Cathy was killed by blunt force trauma and dumped in the grave on top of Gant. Barnaby asks for a DNA sample from Cathy.

Barnaby goes to Henry Marwood to show him the photo of the Marwood's at Marwood Hall before the fire. Henry points out all the people in the photo. Barnaby then shows him the photo of Mildred and the man who looks like him. Henry says he is not his father. Barnaby goes to Alan and asks him to show him the grave of Benjamin Hastings. Lorna never came for him, says Alan. Poor baby.

Jones walks in to the situation room. Barnaby says he has an idea of who the murderer is. He tells Jones to go to Bullard. Have him retest all the DNA samples against Cathy Hewlett's body. Barnaby gives him a piece of paper with a name on it. He tells Jones to work out how he got there.

Barnaby goes to O'Dowd's. Did you mean to take the flask that night that Mildred was killed? O'Dowd says no. "But you know who attacked you last night and that person is the murderer," says Barnaby. Dr. Bullard brings the results of the DNA sampling to Jones. "Well, well, well... you've got a new match," says Dr. Bullard. "And I think you'll find that is who it is," Jones says and passes him the paper with a name on it.

Roland confronts Fiona. "You went to the police. You used me." Well it hasn't worked. They declare a truce. Barnaby shows up and asks where Lorna is. Fiona says she had an appointment in Oxford. Peggy and Henry took her to the station. Barnaby goes to arrest her.

At the police station, Barnaby interviews Lorna. He asks who the man in the photo is. He is Jack Braintree. He was an acquaintance of the Marwoods. He is the real father of Henry Marwood. The man Peggy is about to marry is not Henry Marwood is he? He is really Lorna's illegitimate son by Braintree, a teak farmer from Burma. By the time she discovered she was pregnant, Jack was long gone. A fire broke out at Marwood Hall a year after the baby was born. Lorna took her own son and left Henry Marwood to die. Lorna's husband died in the fire. Peggy's mother gave Lorna work at Aynscombe farm. But she had to watch her son dragged down by the debts he'd inherited. It was too late to go back by then. Mildred Danvers recognized Henry's paternity immediately. Mildred invited Lorna to her room. Lorna went to see Mildred and poisoned her flask. Gant found the photo of Mildred and Braintree and was going to use it to blackmail the Skimmington women. So Lorna stole Fiona's car keys, took Fiona's gun and shot Gant. But then she had to switch the DNA samples at Dr. O'Dowd's office. He woke up while she was switching the DNA samples. But, Lorna couldn't kill him. Cathy Hewlett had the photo so Lorna had to kill her too and dump her in Gant's grave. Barnaby explains what happened to Peggy and Henry Marwood who goes in to hug his mother.

4th funeral: Cathy Hewlett's funeral is conducted by the Archdeacon.

Wedding: The wedding of Peggy and Henry/Benjamin Hastings is held. Lorna stands in the back of the church during the ceremony before being taken to jail.