Mina Murray's journal, 17th of August. No diary for two whole days. I have not had the heart to write. Some sort of shadowy pall seems to be coming over our happiness. No news from Jonathan, and Lucy seems to be growing weaker, whilst her mother's hours are numbering to a close. I do not understand Lucy's fading away as she is doing. She eats well and sleeps well and enjoys the fresh air, but all the time the roses in her cheeks are fading and she gets weaker and more languid day by day.
At night I hear her gasping, as if for air. I keep the key of our door always fastened to my wrist at night, but she gets up and walks about the room and sits at the open window. Last night I found her leaning out when I woke up, and when I tried to wake her, I could not. She was in a faint. When I managed to restore her, she was as weak as water. and cried silently between long painful struggles for breath. When I asked her how she came to be at the window, she shook her head and turned away.
I trust her feeling ill may not be from that unlucky prick of the safety pin. I looked at her throat just now as she lay asleep, and the tiny wounds seem not to have healed. They are still open, and... if anything, larger than before, and the edges of them are faintly white. They are like little white dots with red centres. Unless they heal within a day or two, I shall insist on the doctor seeing about them.
Letter, Samuel F. Billington and Son, Solicitors Whitby, to Messrs. Carter, Patterson and Co., London, 17th of August. Dear Sirs, Herewith, please receive invoice of goods sent by Great Northern Railway. Same are to be delivered at Carfax near Perfleet, immediately on receipt at Good Station, Kings Cross. The house is at present empty, but enclosed police find keys, all of which are labelled.
You will please deposit the boxes, 50 in number, which form the consignment in the partially ruined building forming part of the house marked A on rough diagram enclosed. Your agent will easily recognize the locality as it is the ancient chapel of the mansion. The goods leave by train at 9.30 tonight and will be due at King's Cross at 4.30 tomorrow afternoon.
As our client wishes the delivery made as soon as possible, we should be obliged by having your teams ready at King's Cross at the time named and forthwith conveying the goods to destination. In order to obviate any delays possible through any routine requirements as to payment in your departments, we enclose cheque herewith for £10, receipt of which please acknowledge.
Should the charge be less than this amount, you can return balance. If greater, we shall at once send check for difference on hearing from you. You are to leave the keys on coming away in the main hall of the house, where the proprietor may get them on his entering the house by means of his duplicate key. Pray do not take us to succeeding at the bounds of business courtesy in pressing you in all ways to use the utmost expedition. We are, dear sirs, faithfully yours, Samuel F. Billington and Son.
This episode featured Isabelle Automaco-Young as Mina Murray, Beth Eyre as Lucy Westenra, and Nathan Blades as Samuel F. Billington. Dialogue editing by Stephen Indrasano. Sound design by Tal Manir. Produced by Ella Watts and Pacific S. Obadiah. With executive producers Stephen Indrasano, Tal Manir, and Hannah Wright. A bloody FM production.