Jamaica Inn, Part 6, The horse market"

Mary narrating I’ve hardly slept since my uncle’s shocking confession - how he lures ships onto the rocks and drowns women and children. Today, however, I have escaped and am on my way with Jem to the horse market in Launceston.

Jem
It’s Christmas Eve, Mary. Why so quiet? What’s happened?

Mary
Nothing…

Jem You look tired.

Mary My uncle has been drinking… and talking… I know about the wrecks, Jem.

Jem And you think I must be involved …?

Mary There are gaps in the story and you fit into them…

Jem
So you think I watch men and women drown and then steal from their dead bodies? … I may have taken some tobacco sometimes from the inn… but I’ve never killed a man…

Mary narrating Can I believe him?

Jem If you don’t believe me, why have you come with me today?

Mary I like your bright eyes…

Mrs Bassat Look, James! That pony looks just like Beauty, except Beauty was grey… How much is she?

Jem
She’s not for sale. I promised her to a friend.

Mrs Bassat How much does your friend want?

Jem 30 guineas .

Mrs Bassatt Well, I’m Mrs Bassat. I’d like to buy her for my children for Christmas. I’ll give you 35.

Jem OK. She’s yours.

Mrs Bassat Here… My man James will ride her home…

Jem and Mary [laughing…]

Mary Jem Merlyn, you should be ashamed!

Jem Quick Mary, stand under here… I’ll keep you warm… We’ll get soaked if we go back tonight. Stay with me in Launceston tonight.

Mary No, I’ve been foolish enough today.

Jem Alright… I’ll get the horse… Wait here.

Mary
He is rude, a thief and a liar. He might even be a murderer . And yet, if he wasn’t so much like his brother, I could fall in love with him …

Mary
Where is he? He left over 30 minutes ago… I’ll ask that horse seller over there.

Excuse me, have you seen Jem Merlyn?

Man The man with the black pony? I saw him with another man. They left in a carriage .

Mary
Oh no!

Mary narrating Did they discover that the pony was stolen? Now I’m sorry I didn’t agree to stay in Launceston with him… He went to get the horse to take me home… and now he’s gone.

Mary
What shall I do? Perhaps someone will let me sleep on their floor.

Vicar Hello Mary. What are you doing here on Christmas Eve?

Mary Oh, Vicar, it’s you…

Vicar Come, I’ll take you home.

Mary narrating Once again I tell him my story … the market, Jem’s disappearance… His glass eyes show no expression…

Vicar You are young… don’t cry over him…

Am I right that it’s quiet at Jamaica Inn…?

Mary My uncle has been drinking. He talks… Vicar, do you know what wreckers are?

Mary narrating I tell him what my uncle told me - about using lights to bring ships onto the rocks … the dead women and children… the stolen cargo …

Vicar
So your uncle talks when he is drunk, does he? … Well there won’t be any more wrecks. The government is putting officers on the coast to keep watch.

I’ll get off here. The driver will take you home. Goodnight, Mary.

Mary
What’s happening…?

Mary narrating A gun is pointing at me. I see a face I recognise - the eyes look crazy and mad… it can only be one person …

Joss
Get out! Ahh, so you’ve come back! What do you think you’re doing at this time of night… on the road! Been with a man, I suppose.

Mary
Don’t touch me! You’re a murderer and a thief and I’ve been to Launceston today to inform on you.

Joss Get back, you fools! She’s lying… Get the horse Harry. The wind has changed… We’ll use it…

So, Mary, you think you can inform on me so I’ll hang…

You’re coming with us! We might not get far but we won’t stay here waiting to be caught! Away!

Mary narrating Where we are going, I don’t know. But I can see from the look in my uncle’s eyes that something very bad is going to happen.

Join me next time - and find out exactly how bad things get when I discover what Joss and his gang of bad men really get up to.