Tommo, Charlie and Molly go poaching for salmon on the Colonel's land.
Private Peaceful - Episode 3: synopsis
Tommo in the present sees a mouse and memories of childhood continue…
He tells of the battle he and Charlie had with Grandma Wolf over mice in the house throughout the winter and of her cruelty towards the children. We learn that Molly is an only child and that her family are ‘god fearing and strict’ and that her father also works for the Colonel, as a groom.
Mrs Peaceful loses her job when the Colonel’s wife dies suddenly and for a time the family has no income and the children go hungry. Charlie decides they should do some poaching on the Colonel’s land, with Tommo and Molly standing guard. Tommo describes ‘the miracle’ of the Colonel giving Grandma Wolf her old housekeeping job back and of Mrs Peaceful being given some sewing work by him, enabling them to stay on in the cottage.
Tommo and Charlie form a close bond with Molly - and so they are deeply concerned when she falls ill with Scarlet fever.
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Clip: the growing gulf between Tommo and Charlie / Molly
Play next
Private Peaceful – Episode 2. audio
Tommo continues his recollection: how the death of his father means that his mother must accept a job at the Big House, which in turn leads to his great aunt Wolf coming to stay.
Private Peaceful – Episode 4. audio
Tommo recalls how Charlie and he are caught poaching on the Colonel's land; how Charlie and Molly go to work at the Big House; how one day Tommo sees Charlie and Molly holding hands.
Private Peaceful – Episode 5. audio
Tommo continues to recall childhood events: another confrontation with the Colonel and his pain at the deepening relationship between Charlie and Molly.
