English Rose: Series 1: 2. Hunted

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK. Hello, it's Ray Winston. I'm here to tell you about my podcast on BBC Radio 4, history's toughest heroes. I've got stories about the pioneers, the rebels, the outcasts who define tough. And that was the first time anybody ever ran a car up that fast with no tires on. It almost feels like your eyeballs are going to come out of your head. Tough enough for you? Subscribe to History's Toughest Heroes wherever you get your podcast.

English Rose. Episode 2. Hunted.

Who is this? Are you wanting Mayer or Austin? This is the landline. No-one calls this line. Why are you calling this number? Is it you? Are you the nanny? Yes? Tell me who you are. I need to warn you about them. Listen, be very careful. Who are you? I'm Beatrice. I used to work for them. Bad things happen to me in their houses.

Are you the one before me? Yeah. I was only there a month, but it was enough. The people I met, the things they made me do. I went to one party, I woke up in an ambulance, and Gulliver... Hard work. Leave Gully to me. Look, I'm just trying to warn you. Get out now, if you can. I can't get out. Anywhere is better than staying there. Not in my case. I have to stay here.

You will make sure you're super careful. Lock your door at night. Don't be alone with their so-called friends. Believe nothing you're told and stay sober. Make sure your phone is always fully charged. Buy your own drinks and watch them being poured. I'm sorry, but... I can look after myself. Yeah, that's what I thought.

Hey, why the sour face, Rose? Don't agree with flying. And it doesn't agree with me. I'd rather have gone on the train. But Gully doesn't like it either. Well, we don't always get what we want in life, do we? It seems some people do. Relax. I've had plenty of lessons. In what? How to terrify people? Ever heard of Woodstock Rock Festival? Held down there in 1969.

Half a million hippies descended for three days of music, peace, and sex. Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, The Who, loads of drugs and nudity. That's why I bought the place. Look, there, through the trees. That? It's more of a locked chateau than a locked capping. Yep, with panoramic views. That's why artists and writers have been coming out here for hundreds of years.

Now we're coming in closer, it looks like just a huge heap of logs in the middle of nowhere. In the distance, a blue lake, a green mountain, but no other signs of habitation for miles. Hold on tight, we're coming down, baby. Some would find Catskill Lodge totally creepy, but not me. If you DM me then you have the details. I'm so glad someone's saying what's really going on.

I'm new here. Any more details about them? Yeah, I'll do anything, mate. You have the map. Meet me there. Spread it around. Used to be a hotel. Built in the 1890s. That's why there's so many rooms. Seems pretty unchanged. What's that smell? Yeah, sorry about the odor. It gets kind of musty when there's no one here. We can't get anyone to stay permanently.

It drives Austin crazy. I understand it. We've all seen The Shining. Even full of guests, this place is eerie. I like eerie. Also creepy are the little brown bats. I'm not being cute here. That's the name. I know. We have little browns in Whitby, too. Unfortunately, we also have the big browns roosting in the eaves of this spook show. And I don't want to scare you.

But they're huge. If I had it my way, I'd sell it. Every year, Austin wants to hold his sexy soirees as an homage to the whole Woodstock thing. And yeah, it's good for business. Tomorrow, five senators, four CEOs, and two minor members of Hollywood royalty will hang out, zone out, and pretend they're young. It sounds a bit posh for me. Relax. It's just a few friends.

And it'll work for you. There'll be guys you should meet. Contacts who can help you establish yourself in the city. I don't have anything to establish. Exactly. You need a fire starter. A spark plug. Surely you don't want to be a nanny forever. You just gotta click with the right guys. I knew so many fine actresses who got nowhere because they refused to compromise. And where are they now? Living happily with their integrity.

Waitressing. Here, this is yours. The tatty simplicity is deliberate. It costs top dollar to get this impoverished little house on the prairie vibe. God, what's that smell? Some native plant. Yeah, I know. It's got a sulfurous stink. You'll get used to it. Allium something, the gardener said. It's big in these parts. No, I don't like it. Close the window. You look pale again. Have a green juice.

Cabbage, celery, kale. It could be your colon. You know, Rose, happiness doesn't come from within. It comes from with. Sorry. I don't know what you're talking about. I need to get away from that smell. Oh, it's something my therapist taught me. It's about being authentic from the very center in a totally embodied way.

A disturbance has been reported on the outskirts. Groups of local protesters have been gathering all day out. Police refuse to release details of what the group saw. Police are preventing the men accessing the woodland. something later. Reinforcements will arrive soon. I blame you for this Rose. We decided not to do this. We've not had to fight humans for a long time. You don't understand what you've started. And you don't understand me, ma'am. Not who I am or who I want to be. Hey, bits...

Awkward, but do you fancy meeting up when you're back? No, I can't get with you. I can't. Stay away from me, Delphine. I don't trust myself. Yeah? Oh, my God. I'd love that. And these humans have got weapons, Rose. Oh, shit. And you wonder why I told you that we need to stay hidden. It's me. I wish you'd answer my calls. Listen, if they've got weapons, you need to run, ma'am. Go all together. Very fast. Go north. By night. As far as you can. OK, cool.

Great. Just to be clear, without the kids. A gig, maybe. I'd like that. I miss live music. God, it stinks out here. And that's before their guests have arrived. It's garlic. That's what it is. Allium, whatever. It's bloody wild garlic. Yes, we are running. All thanks to the fact that you couldn't or wouldn't control yourself.

It's dark, but there's a moon. We're going north. I mean, who knows what's next? I'm sorry, Cottonball, but my mum's right. It's better this way. It was going to happen anyway.

We love it. She has the most enigmatic smile. There's a similar one in the Brera in Milan, but this is superior in terms of pigment. And it's not been glimpsed by the human eye for 500 years. The market's going nuts. Hey, Rose, over here. Hi. Okay, weird vibe. Pat's... Art auction, part RG. Randy, we met in Manhattan. We're just telling Randy about a very rare Renaissance self-portrait I've come across. It's Sofonispa Anguissola.

One of the few female artists of the Renaissance. Admired by Michelangelo, no less. And she's watching us with a sly smile. Like she knows exactly what's going on in this room. Because it went on just the same 500 years ago. How's things, Rosebud? Fine. Until I saw you. I'm settling in. Gulliver's an easy baby. I bet it helps that he's been looked after by you, honey. She's amazing, Randy. I don't know what I did without her. How's New York?

Hey, steady on, Randy. She's ours. There's a lot of opportunities in a city like this for a girl who looks like you, honey. Okay, that's enough about me. Tell us about yourself. Don't be shy. Go, Rose. Shoot. I'm not battery-operated. I'll speak when I want to speak. Not when you tell me to. OK, Rose. Well, this hasn't happened to us in a long time.

But right now, males are hunting us, not on horseback, but in trucks and SUVs. We might have to fight. It's been a long time, and so news will get out, and that could have repercussions for you. Stay alert. We're still all together, though. Moving north, fast, by moonlight. He's been trying to make me take a job in his office. You're mine. No one's poaching you. You don't want to work for Randy, do you?

I'd rather have a job chewing Kim Jong-un's toenails. Hey, did you know that out here we have the darkest skies in the States? It's so beautiful here. You're right, Randy. And we're so delighted you could come. And on a night like this, you might see the Milky Way up there. Okay, thanks. We know where the sky is. Hey, Randy, buddy.

It's good to see you all getting to know each other. I've been telling them about our famous night skies. Excuse me, everyone. I'm going to check on Gulliver. No, he's fine. Leave him. Mayo will do it. Is it okay, Austin, if I take her out for a drive? I want to show Rose the view at Outlook Point, and maybe if we're lucky, the Milky Way. A sight not to be missed. We'll keep an eye on Gully.

You go and enjoy yourself, Rose. Hey, thanks, buddy. I owe you one. Is that okay, Rose? Great. Nineteen million people in New York, and the first one to offer me a sightseeing trip is you. But... As I have to keep this job for reasons none of you Berks even understand. Sure. Why not? You like this car? Yes. It's a Chevrolet Corvette.

The most successful car in American history. Great. It's a C8. You heard of that? No. Why are we going off the main road? It's the latest model. I've had a good year, so I treated myself. Okay. This isn't even a track. The car's now rocking over rocks and stones, rolling down into a dark forest. I'm a wealthy man, Rose. I invest mainly in music and movies, but in oil, gold and art too. Aren't you a clever boy?

This car has got great bodywork. Just like you. Why are we stopping? This is the middle of nowhere. Because this is where I'm going to show you the view. I don't see much of a view. Well, it's not a view that everyone gets to see. Let's call it a private view. In that case, I don't think it's a view I want to see. You need to relax, Rose. You're kind of uptight.

Do you know that? Maybe because I'm in the middle of a forest at midnight with a large human male whose meatiness and nastiness is a dangerous temptation. I don't like being away from the baby for too long. Come on, kid. You know you didn't come here just to wipe up after the baby. Play cards right in the city and for a hot chick like you, the opportunities are endless. How about I open the roof, Linda?

You lie back and you look up at the stars. I can see the stars from here. How about I help you relax, huh? By giving you a massage. My muscles are perfectly loose. I don't mind muscular girls, you know. Some guys don't like it, but it's fine by me. I didn't ask. But what I do mind is rude girls. Arrogant girls. Cold girls. I'm detecting some hostility in you, Andy. Okay, that's going to be a problem for you. For me? Yeah.

Because this stiff English manner makes you seem unfriendly. And if you want to make your mark in New York City, you need people to like you. I have to like you. And then I have to tell other people to like you. Are they going to drive me into the middle of nowhere on a dark night and insist they give me a massage? You really are a strange person. You look great on the outside, stunning in fact. But gee...

You gotta work on what's on the inside because you're so odd. True. I'm not like the others. I'm different. Stay calm. Breathe. Don't overreact. Gully is back at the lodge and he needs you. Let's turn this around. I'm going to take my shirt off and you're going to give me a massage. I don't. do massage. Oh, really? Why not? Because prodding and squeezing flabby human flesh is not my thing. I see. It's always your thing.

Would you really like to know? No. Steady. What would her therapist say? Lower the activation energy. And what would mam say? Shut up and live quietly. Because anything else always ends in trouble. I think you'd better drive me back to the lodge. Yeah. Because I thought I'd already eaten. But it turns out I'm getting quite hungry. And you might not like me when I'm hungry. Oh yeah, oh really.

You can eat later because we are busy now. Get off me. I said no. There's someone who likes to hear no. Any few more powerful, influential guys like me to say yes. And your shitty projects. You learn to say yes to us. To take your top off. Okay. Stop. That's enough. Look at me.

Like what you see now, Randy. What the hell? mean i get it i know why mam wants us to live the simple hidden restrained life feeding on squirrels but these minutes afterwards are wow just total

Unrestrained place. Hi, buddy. I hope you had a fun night. Shall we meet this morning? I need to seal up the Sofonispa Anguissola. There's a lot of heat. It's rare to see such high quality by a woman artist. The big guys are all coming in. It's very flippable. It's gonna rock it. Great waffles, guys. Hey, and you stone cold killed this French toast. You ever tried a bullet, Rose? What? It's a power beverage. Really sets you up for the day. Butter, coffee, and coconut oil.

I think I'll give it a miss. Well, I need to be on top of my game this morning. Oh, yeah. Sealing those deals. We had a very good night last night. Big orders. Fun times ahead. Lucky you. Was everything all right with Randy? Not really. What's that mean? He wanted to sleep with me. That sounds like Randy. Oh, what a guy. I said no. Oh. Well.

That's your right, I guess. So then what? He was angry. Because people usually don't say no to Randy. That's sad. Well, it's because most people realize it's in their interests to say yes. He's a transactional person in a transactional world. I said no. Okay. So where is he? I need to speak to him. It was the biggest deal of the night, so it's a great shame if he's left feeling dissatisfied. There's no need to get angry.

Hey, I'm not. I just... I'd have been a lot happier if Randy had been happy. Perhaps I should have invited that other nanny, the Irish girl, to join us instead. She seems to have a nice, cheerful, and helpful personality. Can I give you Gulliver Rose? He just won't settle with me since you arrived. We're just wondering where Randy is. Didn't he say he was staying a few days? Come here, gorgeous boy.

Let me give you a snuggle. I mean, it's not like Randy to just disappear. He was about to buy a very rare and very expensive 16th century portrait. Yeah, he likes to make a big show of entrances and exits, in my experience. Look at Gully.

He's so much more at ease with you, Rose. Sometimes I think he hates me. Randy's my friend. Don't disrespect him. Of course he doesn't. You're his mother. I'm just saying, Randy needs to be noticed. If he's annoyed, it's not like him not to say why. You love mummy, don't you, Gulliet? Well, it's not like Randy to have a bad night at my place either, is it? Why did he have a bad night? He's just sometimes a bit grizzly in the morning. Ask Rose. He wanted something I refused to give. Oh.

I see. Well, that's fine. We can just call him. Flatter him back in. I will. I just wanted to find out what transpired first. And now it seems I know. How long are we staying here? Well, now that Austin's in a bad mood, we'll probably be leaving later today. Come on then, go to bed. Let's go get packed. He clearly loves you. And I love him, don't I, eh? You handsome little devil, eh? He's never like that with me. I must be doing something wrong. No, not at all. They just get used to one person.

I'm not sure. It's like you have some instinct I don't. I had this weird dream that there was some mix-up in the hospital and he's not mine at all. Sorry. Too much information. Don't you want any breakfast? No, thanks. I'm full. What was that? What's going on? They're hunting. Someone told him there's a bobcat ripping sheep. I can't be around hunting. I hate it. Me too. But I guess if livestock are being attacked by a predator... A predator is just a bigger animal trying to stay alive.

It's the natural food chain. But now the poor creature's getting unnaturally gunned down because some bloke didn't get a shag. I know. It's terrible. But his guys love shooting. It's traditional around here. Poor Bobcat. They won't find it. They'll find something. They always do.

Truly remote and inaccessible. Anyone who saw the vehicle on the night in question should call State Police. New York State is home to the Bobcat, which at only 20 to 30 pounds... I saw a red Corvette Cadillac CK. ...are considerably smaller than a Cougar. Wow, what an amazing vehicle. The mountain lions were common in the Casco Mountains in the 17 and 18 months, but were hunted to extinction in the early 1900s.

She's so happy, she's so good. I know, right? She's turning towards me, her neck smooth as a candle, scented with a soft musk. And it's a good job I've not long ago fed. Well, we have the best clubs in the world right here. So if you want to come out again? A hundred percent. You want to go and find somewhere quieter? So we can talk. No, go home right now. Don't be alone with her for one minute longer. Mam's right. I'm not sure of my powers. I'm not sure I can resist her.

Central Park feels different after dark. I spend so much time here with the kids, I forget to look at the views. Another curious thing about humans is how close the blood is to the surface of the skin. Hey girls, can we join you? No! Go away. God, no need to be so unfriendly, gee. You're bald. I like it. You take no nonsense. No woman should take it. I think their last girl, Beatrice, had a hard time.

I'm glad you can handle yourself. Three plump blue veins marbling that magnificent young neck. Maybe we'll come here and do roller skating next time. Yeah, sure. I'm great at roller skating. How about we throw in some aerial gymnastics? Walk away. Exit the scene right now. You mustn't do this. Listen. Her breath's quickening. Her heart's thumping. She's afraid too. Neither of us know what's going to happen next. I'm going to kiss you now.

Okay. That's what kissing is meant to be like. You have such a radiant smile. And your skin. All my people are pale. It's not that you're pale. It's that you're... Cold and light. Like a beautiful moon. You're lit from within. Can I kiss you again? No. Sorry. No, I have to go. Sorry, it's not you. You're gorgeous. But I have to... Hey! What just happened? Keep moving. Go as far away from her as you can.

One minute longer and it could have all been over. Faster! Faster! Stay together. Hi, buddy. Me again. Just to reiterate, we apologize if you had a bad time at the weekend. If any awkwardness or embarrassment was caused by one of our employees, that's unforgivable. We know. We're on it. It won't be ongoing. Call me, Randy. Please.

I can't believe the prices. In Whitby, a whole weekly wage wouldn't cover this soup. Austin's paying, have whatever you want. In that case, I'll have the oysters, the beef carpaccio, and then the Japanese Kobe steak. Raw. Raw? Yes, that is such a good choice for colonic cleansing. I'll have the purple sprout salad. And bring champagne. And then a bottle of Chateau Margaux. Great choice. What are we celebrating?

You coming into my life. Gulliver loving you and you fitting right in. I'm not sure about that. I'm not used to this world. If you mean Randy, I ask apology for him. Though I'm a big believer in negative emotion. Oh yeah? Oh yeah. It's super, super helpful and fortifying. But you're right, Randy is a rodent. I know what it's like. When I was starting out... The things I had to do. Hey, what's wrong? Mia? Rose, what you said about integrity the other day, you're right.

But if you think it's hard now, wait until you're my age. My therapist says pressure is positive, but she is so wrong. Mia, you're not old. By the standards of this industry, I'm a grandmother. I had a tiny bit of work on my jawline, but still I get less. It's horrible. I'm sorry. That is why I want you to be bulletproof. You'll need power to cut through in New York. You can't be a nanny forever.

You've got about five years, and after that, it's downhill. You know what frightens me? Thirty. Next year. What is going to happen to me at thirty? Uh-uh. Excuse me, ma'am. New York State Police Department. Oh, shit. My husband's not here. I don't know where he is. Are you Rose Storm? Oh, hell. Ma'am.

Ma'am? We need to speak to you in relation to the disappearance of Mr. Randy Naylor. Okay, steady. Don't panic. Stay human. And just panic very quietly and privately. What? He's not disappeared. We found a body. And this young lady was the last person to see Mr. Naylor alive. Wait, a body? It's okay. You go home to Gully. I'll call you. It's just negative waves, Mayor. I'll be fine. It must be a formality, Rose.

Remember what I told you about lowering your activation energy? Stay positive. It's not serious. It's very serious. This is a murder inquiry. Guys, is this even legal? Should I be videoing this? Can I get a witness? It's okay, Mia. I can handle it. Let's go, officer. Okay, I'm dialing my lawyer, Rose. Speed dialing right now. Hello? Hello, Dawn? We got an emergency.

Hello, I'm Lucy Worsley, and I want to tell you about Lady Killers. It's a new series from BBC Radio 4. It's a programme that mixes true crime with history. but with a twist. With our all-female team of experts, I am re-examining the crimes of Victorian murderesses through the eyes of 21st century feminists. What can we learn from these women? And would it be any different today? Listen to Lady Killers on BBC Sounds.

Hello, it's Ray Winstone. I'm here to tell you about my podcast on BBC Radio 4, History's Toughest Heroes. I've got stories about the pioneers, the rebels, the outcasts who define tough. And that was the first time anybody ever ran a car up that fast with no tires on. It almost feels like your eyeballs are going to come out of your head. Tough enough for you? Subscribe to history's toughest heroes wherever. you get your podcast.