"Each little bird that sings" "He made their glowing colours" "He made their tiny wings" "Ah, there she is" " Sarah." "Well, now, don't keep her waiting, and enjoy your week off." "You've earned it." " Thanks." "Thanks for the cottage." " Think nothing of it." "It's been a successful trip." "You're a good lawyer." "So are you." "See you." "Taxi!" " lt's good to have you back." " You make a wonderful chauffeur." "Certainly." "Where to, sir?" "Back to the flat for a quick... change of clothes, then straight to the West Country and Harry's cottage." "We should be there by suppertime." "You know, we'll neve make it to the cottage by suppertime." "We snould have left ealier." "Well... it doesn't seem quite so urgent now, does it?" "You'e making me blush." "You've notning to be modest about, Mrs Matin" "Only another hour." "Couldn't Harry have bought a cottage closer to civilisation?" "Don't be so ungrateful." "Anyway, for a honeymoon, even a delayed one like this, who needs civilisation?" "Actually it's quite near to the village, I believe." "A beautiful wild garden." "Harry says it even has its very own magpie." "It's quite tame." "When you get this partnership, Tom, will you be able to be with me more?" "I hope so." "That's funny" " What?" " l've taken my foot off the gas, but we'e still accelerating" "Damn." " What's wrong?" " lt's bloody jammed." "I knew something like this was going to happen." "Cross your arms over your face." "Thank God." "Are you all right?" "Come on." "Let's get out." "For goodness' sake... for God's sake." "I thought you didn't believe in God." "Well... here we are in the middle of nowhere." "We'll have to thumb a lift." "How many cars have you seen in the past hour?" " Phone." "Phone for help." " A phone?" "Where phone?" "You know, it's really peaceful here." "I think part of me kind of expected to be here." "Wind up here." "Come on." "We could always sleep under the stars, like the raggle-taggle gypsies." "Look, there's a gate lt doesn't look very promising." "It's worth a look." "Come on." "It's just a path through the woods." "We should stick to the road." "Follow me." "Well, now...what have we here?" " Cold?" " Mm." " Hasn't it gone quiet?" " Listen." "I can hear children." " Children?" " Listen." " Yes." " Come on." "I can't hear any children now." "Maybe we imagined it." " Do you think they've got a phone?" " l don't even know if anyone lives here." "This must be the back of the house." "The proper way in must be round the other side." "There's probably a main road a few yards away." "And hopefully, a garage." "Good evening" "Our car's broken down and I wondered if we could..." "Use the telephone!" "Of course." "Of course." "Come in, my dears." "Come in." "My goodness." "What a nuisance for you." " ls there a road the other side of the house?" " A road, dear?" "Yes. I'm sure we must have come the long way round." "Bless you, dear." "There's no other road round these parts." "Come along." "Follow me." "There's not a garage nearby." "The nearest town is Applegrove, and that's 23 miles away." "Still, they probably have an emergency service." "There's the phone, and you're welcome to use it." "You do look chilled, dear." "Why don't you come with me into the parlour?" "I'll make you a nice cup of tea, or cocoa." "Perhaps you'd prefer a glass of red wine." "Come in." "My name is Mrs Ardoy." "My name's Sarah." "My husband's name's Tom." "Tom Martin." "I hope he's lucky with that phone." "Sit down by the fire, dear." "The dogs won't hurt you." "Have a nice glass of wine." "Thank you." "Mm." "It's delicious" "We grow it ourselves." "Make it here at the manor." "From your own vines?" "Pinot noir." "Mr Ardoy has the touch." "It's difficult to grow in Britain, but Mr Ardoy can grow anytning." "Green fingers." "Oh, no, dear." "Mr Ardoy doesn't have green fingers." "What about car hire?" "Could you hire me a self-drive car?" "Tomorrow." "No, I'm afraid that's too late." "OK." "Thanks." "Goodbye." "Carrots, peas..." "Oh!" "And lovely fruit, my dear." "The most beautiful red apples you've ever seen." "We have our own clear spring, too." "You must taste the water." "So, you're completely self-supporting?" "Oh, completely." "Yes." "Yes." "Quite completely." "And vegetarian." "No..." "No, the children do like their little bit of meat." "Oh, that's them, the little horrors." "They must have heard you arrive." "How many?" " Mm?" " How many do you have?" "About eight." "Eight little lovelies." "Eight's a very large family" " for these days" " Oh, they're not all mine!" "Some of them are fostered and some are little stepchildren." "Mr Ardoy's been married before?" "Oh... well, you know what it's like around these parts." "You look famished I'm going to make you some soup." "Soup and an omelette." "I do hope we didn't wake them up." "Oh, they never go to bed at normal hours." "Not our little ones." "Yes." "OK, I understand." "Yes." "Thanks" "Goodbye." "Hello." "Now where have you come from?" "They're very shy." "Not used to people." "I haven't had much luck, I'm afraid." "You wouldn't, dear." "This is really the back of beyond." "Hello" "Come on in, I won't eat you." "He's not having much luck, poor thing, so I've offered you could stay the night." "Oh..." " Oh, that's really too much trouble." " Oh, there's plenty of room, dear." "That turret room's always prepared." "Sometimes Mr Ardoy likes to bring a friend home, you know what they're like." "Your husband's gone to get your things from the car." " Well, if you're sure you don't mind." " A real pleasure." "And a privilege." "Ah!" "Eloise, I know you'e there." "Come along in." "And you others." "Cheeky little pups" "Hello." "This is Eloise." "And Andreas, Sophy and Irenya." "Children this is Mrs Martin." "How do you do?" "That's our brother Tibor." "Would you like to meet him?" "Yes, please. I'd love to." "Well, I'll see to the supper." "Have you had your supper, Eloise?" "Yes. lt was soup." "Mutton broth?" "Of course." "It's getting dark outside." "What's that for?" "Let me see." "I..." "The children are very shy, but they like you, dear." "They're extraordinarily pretty." "Thank you." "is Tom back?" "He's only just gone." "Then I'll help him with the luggage." "Oh, I'm sure he'll be all right." "Oh, well, so am I, but I'd like to help him anyway." "Fine." "Why don't you take the dogs?" "They're very obedient." "If you don't mind, I think I'd like to go alone." " They know the woods." " l'll stick to the path." "Tibor?" "Eloise?" "Back, Sarah, back!" "Run for the house." "For God's sake, just run." "What is it, Tom?" "What's wrong?" "Hurry, hurry!" "Don't look back." "What is it, Tom?" "What's wrong?" "What is it?" "What's happened?" "Something awful's out there." "Something terrible's in your woods." "Whatever's happened?" "Well, I was on my way...back to the car," " but just as I got near the road..." " Yes, what was it?" "Well... maybe I'm going mad... but there was this... strange thing, this creature." "I've never seen anything like it." "It looked...half human..." "Half human, dear?" "Oh, surely not." "Either human or not human, don't you think?" "It was covered in grey spiky fur, its hind legs... but its eyes..." "If I hadn't seen it I wouldn't have believed it." "What in God's name was it?" "A stag." "No, not a stag." "Deer abound in these woods, Mr Martin, and wild sheep that have strayed over the years, but I think it was a stag." "Give you a nasty turn, in the twilight, too." "It bit me." "Or tried to." "Snarling and snorting." "I'll never forget that sound." "And its eyes... yellow eyes." "Well, it's their season." "They get very protective over their territory." "A drink, Mr Matin" "You look as though you could do with one." "It was a stag, wasn't it?" "Yes." "Mrs Ardoy has some lovely wine." "They make it themselves, you know." "Wonderful soup." "It's mutton." "Mutton broth." "How do you feel?" "All right." "A bit of a fool, really." "Thank you." "Where's your mum, Sophy?" "Sophy?" "That's my mum, in the photograph." "She's pretty." "She was pretty." "Have you finished?" "Yes, thank you." "My goodness, that looks good." "It was a stag, wasn't it?" "Oh no!" "I'm getting clumsy again!" "A wolf?" "Really, Mr Martin." " We both heard it." " A dog, perhaps dogs." "Abound in the forest?" "Well, no, not really" "They're frightened of my beasts." "But I'm sure that's what you heard." "It's a terrible sound, dogs howling... I think I know a wolf when I hear one." "I think anyone would." "That sound, it's primeval." "Well, I think you'll be quite safe and comfortable in here." "The bathroom is adjoining." "Fresh towels." "Lovely soft pillows." "It's a nice big bed." "It was our marriage bed, Mr Ardoy and me." "I don't really see the need for it now, not at my age." "Well, it really is very kind of you." "Yes." "And it was a lovely supper." "Beautiful kids." "Well, good night." "Oh, there was just one other thing." "Silly, really, but... I wonder if you'd mind staying here in this room until morning." "Any special reason?" "The children, really." "They tend to roam about a bit in the night and I wouldn't want you to give them a scare." "I'm sure you understand." "Sleep well." "Give them a scare?" "!" "Oh, Tom, what have we landed ourselves in?" "Maybe it's... some sort of loony bin." "Good food." "That was a wolf." "Oh, come on." "It probably was a dog." "You heard it." "Yes." "Well...we've had a long day and... ..that car thing upset us and..." "..well, you can hystericalise yourself into anything." "Let's just have a bath and..." "And?" "I've brought these night things for you." "How did you get these?" "Tibor and the other children went down to the car to fetch them." "Surely you don't let them go out to the woods alone." "Bless you, dear." "There's nothing in them woods that my children need be afraid of." "Well...thank you." "Look, I know it's none of our business, but... ..do they ever sleep?" "Certainly they sleep!" "Why, sometimes it's the devil himself couldn't wake them up." "But tonight's different." " It's a special night" " Special?" "Why?" "We are of Hungarian extraction, us Ardoys, and we celebrate festivals that are different from the Englisn ones" "Tonight's a special night in the region that we come from." "Sort of like what?" "Christmas Eve?" "Yes, Mr Martin." "Something like that." "Well, good night to you." "That was a funny thing the old bag said before..." ""Stay in your room"" "in case we scare the kids." "I mean, they're not frightened to roam the forest all night." "Unless..." "Unless it's the children who might scare us." "This seems a bit out of place here." "I wonder who slept here last." "What do you mean?" "I'm not sure." "But just suppose the creature in the woods was not a stag." "Suppose the animal we both heard howling out there was not a dog." "And consider... what sort of Hungarian ritual causes little children to be afraid of a fireside hearth and causes them to grow progressively clumsier as daylight fades?" "And those two dogs..." "To protect whom?" " From what?" " Oh, let's just change the subject, Tom." "And suppose it's a full moon." "Aaargh!" "What is it?" "What in God's name's going on here?" "I'm going to take a look." " l can get down to the ground from here." " No stay with me." "Look, darling, I'm a lawyer. I'm a logical man." "For God's sake, I'm not allowing a cranky family in a Somerset forest make a fool of us." "I'll just look around the grounds." "I'll only be 10 minutes." "No, Tom!" "Tom, please stay with me." "No, don't go. I've got a horrible feeling." "Please, Tom, close the window." "Stay with me." "I think we're both being a bit silly about this." "I'll only be a moment." "Take care." "Don't worry." "Who is it?" "No...no..." "This isn't happening." "Tom!" "Aaaarrrgh!" "Oh, Mrs Ardoy, please, please call him off" "Oh, no." "Ple-ease" "Aaarrgh!" "Hello." "Welcome to land of living." "What...?" " Where...?" " Sh..." "It's all right." "You're in hospital." " Where?" " Applegrove." "The car crashed." "The car..." "Are you all right?" "Oh, I'm fine. I only had mild concussion." "I woke up hours ago." "I fell..." " l can remember." " Fell?" "Oh, no." "No." "The car crashed." "They say you wrapped it round a tree." "Ow!" "You broke your wrist." "You know we were both very lucky." "I'm confused." "I can remember the car, but I can't remember the crash." "There was a house." "We hit a house?" "No... no, there was this house... in the woods... and a woman." "I think you must still be concussed." "I must have dreamt it." " How extraordinary." " Dreamt what?" "It's crazy but... there was this family of... werewolves." "Oh, Tom..." "Only it seemed so real." "It must be something the doctor gave you." "Do you know, it's a miracle we're alive." "Then, after a day's observation, we were discharged." "We rented a car and Sarah drove us on down to the cottage." " So you got there in the end?" " Oh, yes." " Thanks, by the way." " But the BMW didn't?" "A complete write-off." "They brought it into a local garage, what was left of it." "I'm getting a new one next week, when I get this off." "I'm glad you're all right." "Apart from all that, was the holiday OK?" "Tom!" "Oh!" "Yes." "Sure." "It was fine." "Is the magpie still there?" "Yes." "What is up, Tom?" "It's Sarah, Harry." "There's...something odd about her." "Something strange." "The old ardour has cooled, eh?" "Cooled?" "Oh, no." "Nothing like that." "In fact, she's incredible in in bed." " Really?" " Oh, just incredible but I don't know, it's just not the same old Sarah." "You mean she's changed?" "Yes." "My dear fellow, I'm not surprised." "After a bad car accident followed by a week with you in the country, talking corporate law at breakfast." "I mean, that is likely to turn anyone a bit odd." "Harry... did you ever have concussion?" "Three years in the parachute regiment?" "Of course I've had concussion." "It happened a couple of times." "Stupid landings." "A couple or three times." "Did you ever have dreams, bizarre dreams, when you were unconscious?" "No, the point of concussion is that you are out cold." "No deams." "Good God" "Why?" "Oh... nothing." "No reason." "We'd better have a look at this, old boy." "Yes." "The Perry, Newman and Schreiber business." "How are we going to handle it?" "Well, old man Perry will be in Connecticut just now." "Someone should brief him before the offer comes through from Venezuela." "God knows, they pay enough for our advice." "Someone from the Boston office?" "No." "No, I'll go myself." "Concorde tomorrow, then fly up to Maine." "That's my boy." "For a time, I was afraid you were beginning to lose the magic touch." "You're not mad at me?" "Why would I be?" "I could be gone for three or four weeks." "Super." "Have a lovely time." " Tell me something." " Of course." "Have you ever had that dream again?" "No." "Why?" "Just wondered." "It... it seemed to get to you." "Well, it did." "If you had a nightmare about a werewolf, a bloody family of them..." "You really are silly." "Listen, I'll make the coffee." "What's the matter?" "Don't you fancy me any more?" "You know I do." " But?" " Well, it's just that..." " Go on." " You used to be more tender about it." "Maybe you've never stayed around long enough to know what I'm really like." " Oh, come on..." " And my cooking." "You used to love it." "I still do." "You're a marvellous cook." "Listen, Sarah, I'm sorry." "You hardly ate a thing tonight." "Well, it's just that... er..." "Yes?" " Nothing." " Go on, say it." "Look, darling, I love steak, but every night?" "You used to be such an imaginative cook." "Poor Tom." "When you come back, I'll make something really nice for you." "Let's go to bed." " Here." " Huh?" "Here." "Do it here." "You'e looking well" " You look petty well youself" " Do I?" "Actually, you look extremely well." "Would you say radiant?" "Radiant?" "What?" "You're pregnant?" "!" "How long?" "When?" "I mean..." " Eight weeks." " That's fantastic!" "Tonight, we celebrate." "Oh, couldn't we just stay in?" " l've cooked you a lovely meal." " All right." "I'll get some pink champagne." "What's for dinner?" "First, some mutton broth..." "If it's a boy we'll call him..." "What?" "Mark." "I rather like Mark." "Mark..." "I like Andew" " Mark Andrew?" " Mm" "It sounds a bit like Mark Anthony." "Also, Mark Martin." "It doesn't sound right." "Toby." "Toby Martin..." "Toby Martin." "This fish is good." "Why aren't you eating it?" "Hm?" "The salmon." "What are you having?" "Thin raw strips of fillet, darling." "It's delicious." "How about Tibor?" "That's a strange name." "Tibor?" "Have you never heard it before?" "Maybe" "Tibor..." "Mrs Ardoy's child." "One of the eight, Sarah." "Who is Mrs Ardoy... when she's at home?" "What are you doing?" "Just getting a few things ready for when I go to have the baby." "Nothing like being prepared, eh?" " Tom..." " Yes, my love?" "I don't think it's a very good idea for us to... ..to make love any more." "Why?" "What's wrong?" "Just till the baby." "Oh, for God's sake, Sarah, you're only two months pregnant." "This baby is very important to me, Tom." "Well, to me, too, strangely enough." "Good." "That's settled, then." "And it's been like that for weeks now." "Ever since I got back from the States that last time." "Oh." "Poor old Tom." "Well, you know er..." "Lucy, the er... the new temp..." "No, no, no." "That's not the problem." "Sarah's... changed so much, Harry." "She's hardly the same person." "She's gone a bit... odd." "Remote." "She's even got her bag packed and it's months before her time." " What does the quack say?" " He says she's fit as a fiddle." "A perfect child-bearing unit is how he romantically describes her." "But the foetus is growing at one hell of a rate." "Faster than he's ever known." "And the er...the er... the nooky problem?" "I didn't mention it." "Well, perhaps you should." "Look, Harry, Sarah's a private person." "She doesn't need to if she doesn't want to." "And she doesn't want to?" "It all started after that bloody car crash." "You had a...a...recurring nightmare, didn't you?" "What was that?" " You'd laugh." " Oh, no, I wouldn't." "You've probably forgotten about it." "That's the way of dreams, isn't it?" "They're as clear as anything in the morning and then...tea, two boiled eggs and you can't remember a damn thing" "Wrong." "I can remember every detail." "Every second of every minute." "Sarah?" "Sarah?" " 1-6-0-0.." "Tom, old man." "about this South Afican shipping contract." "Ah, look, Harry, can I ring you back?" "Of couse." "Is anything wrong?" "Well, it's Sarah." "I think she's left." "Where for?" "I think I know." "I think I've always known." "Tom" " Your time is near?" " Yes." "The others will finish this." "Couldn't have left it much later, could we, dear?" "I wasn't sure if if I'd dreamt it." "Welcome home, dear." "And now we must hurry." "There's not much light left." "Contractions nice and regular?" "Lovely." "Now, you take your clothes off, there's a clever girl." "You know it's really peaceful here." "I think part of me kind of expected to be here" "Fine evening." " Yes." " lt'll be dark soon enough." "Rain too, like as not." "Are you lost, friend?" "Well, I'm looking for the entrance to an old track near here." " A track, friend?" " Actually, I'm looking for a big house." "There's an overgrown track that leads up to it from the road." "No... there's no tracks for miles, either side here." "The woman who lives there is called Ardoy." "Ardoy?" "With hordes of children." "It's a funny setup, really." "You've passed the spot, friend." "Or maybe it's further on." "This road stretches for miles before Applegrove." "It is around here." "I know it." "You see, I think my wife's gone there." "There's no tracks." "No house." "Why, you're welcome to walk a-ways with me." "Look for yourself." "Right." "I'll do that." "There, there, dear." "Not much longer now." "is something troubling you, dear?" "I'm frightened." "Only a few more minutes." "It'll be all over." "Do you see anything familiar?" "Well, one tree looks very much like another." "Oh, ho...don't you believe that, my friend." "Every tree's known to me." "You know that in nature, no two creations are exactly alike." "You..." "You must know a few legends about these parts." "Legends?" "What sort of legends?" "Well, witches, that sort of thing." "Witches?" "You'll not find witches in this part of the forest." "How about... werewolves?" "Werewolves?" "Legends." "Any legends about werewolves..." "No." "Nothing like that." "Nothing I've ever heard of." "Why, you won't find werewolf legends this side of Hodmezovasarhely." " Where's that?" " lt's a province... of Hungary." "Tell me one thing, woodsman." "Yes?" "Just suppose there was a werewolf in these parts... I'll try." "Why should he want to lure young women into the forest, mate with them, rear their children with a foster mother, like Mrs Ardoy, of whom, naturally, you have never heard, hm?" "Wolves, friend... they live in packs, wolves do." "And each pack has its leader." "And the leader has many mates and many cubs." "Now, a werewolf, not that I would know but surely it would be natural for a werewolf, if such a legendary creature existed to have the same instincts." "Wolf-like." "Vulpine." "But Mrs Ardoy, the foster mother, those beautiful children..." "Beautiful children when it's light." "But when daylight has finally fled the forest, it's time for the wolf in them to... scamper... among the trees" "Kill an occasional wild sheep?" "Oh, they do like their mutton broth." "But Tibor... the flute, that house... ln the day, do not werewolves take on their human form?" "Surely, any father would want his cubs to have a cheerful foster mother and a comfortable house" "Learn the graces which their human side needs for their happiness." "Why, if you ask me, this particular werewolf sounds quite civilised." "But the mothers..." "Where were the mothers?" "I remember you now." "Please... if anything happens to Sarah..." "Ah!" "No!" "He's going to be a fine, fine fellow." "Just like his dad."