用法学习: 1. for any length of time 随便一段时间, 随便几分钟 for more than a very small amount of time I get sick if I ride in the back seat of a car for any length of time. If you're in town for any length of time, be sure to see the museum. go to any length[s] 无所不用其极 to do whatever is necessary; scruple at nothing. to make a great or extreme effort to do something She'll go to any length(s) to avoid doing work. to go the extra mile If you say that someone is willing to go the extra mile, you mean that they are willing to make a special effort to do or achieve something. The President is determined 'to go the extra mile for peace'. Length of Service 工作年限 is the number of years an employee has been working for an organisation. Some companies like to reward their employees for their length of service by increasing their Leave or Sickness Allowances. 2. higher mathematics 高等数学 mathematics of more advanced content than ordinary arithmetic and algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and beginning calculus. abstract mathematics, including number theory and topology, that is more advanced than basic arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and trigonometry. Further Mathematics is the title given to a number of advanced secondary mathematics courses. The term "Higher and Further Mathematics", and the term "Advanced Level Mathematics", may also refer to any of several advanced mathematics courses at many institutions. It doesn't take higher maths to know how expensive that would be. hit the headlines = be in/hit the headlines 上头条, 等上头条 to appear in the news suddenly or receive a lot of attention in news reports: He hit the headlines two years ago when he was arrested for selling drugs to the mayor's nephew. make/grab (the) headlines to be reported in many newspapers and on radio and television. Someone or something that hits the headlines or grabs the headlines gets a lot of publicity from the media. Diver Tom hit the headlines when he qualified for the quarter finals at 13. a scandal that grabbed the headlines for weeks The former MP found himself back in the headlines again. the headlines the important points of the main news stories that are read at the beginning of a news programme on radio or television. I don't have time to hear the whole story, just give me the headline. The news of his death was splashed in headlines across all the newspapers. 3. work (yourself) up to something 努力, 尽力 to gradually prepare yourself for something difficult. to gradually prepare yourself to do something difficult. He's very shy, but he's slowly working (his way/himself) up to letting her know what he feels about her. work up to something 努力工作终于得到, 终于达到 to reach (something, such as a rate or level) by gradually increasing in speed, intensity, etc. to reach a goal by increasing the difficulty of something every time you practice it: Start by jogging for five minutes and slowly work up 逐渐增加, 逐渐加强 to a half hour. The ship gradually worked up to full speed. The story starts slow but works up to a brilliant conclusion. Even though I had started off my first semester with two Ds, I worked myself up to a B average by the time I graduated. She managed to work herself up to Major in just nine years. work up to doing something 做准备, 做铺垫, 拐着弯的想要 to lead up to something. You are working up to telling me something unpleasant, aren't you? I think I am working up to a good cry. He'd been working up to asking her for a date all week. work up something I. to develop an idea, a plan, etc. by considering all the details. If you work up something such as a piece of writing, you spend time and effort preparing it. I sketched the layout of a prototype store and worked up 搞出, 做出, 提出 a business plan. They asked me to work up some sample drawings and bring them down. The commission promised to work up proposals for limiting tax fraud. II. to develop an emotional or physical state that you feel strongly, after a period of effort or time: I can‘t work up any enthusiasm for this plan. You went running and barely worked up a sweat. work up an appetite If you work up a sweat or an appetite, you make yourself sweaty or hungry by doing exercise or hard work. You can really work up a sweat doing housework. I wasn't hungry, but I'd worked up a thirst. We worked up a real appetite climbing in the mountains. work up enthusiasm 提不起兴趣, 提不起热情, 提不起精神 If you work up the enthusiasm or courage 鼓足勇气 to do something, you succeed in making yourself feel it. Your creative talents can also be put to good use, if you can work up the energy. Malcolm worked up the nerve to ask Grandma Rose for some help. It's strange, but I can't work up any enthusiasm for going on this trip. work someone up 激动 to make yourself or another person feel upset or feel strong emotions. to make yourself or another person excited or upset. She worked herself up into a bit of a state. Don't just lie there working yourself up, do something about it. You've worked yourself up over nothing. work yourself up about something Try not to work yourself up about the exams. work someone up into a frenz 群情激奋 Nationalist speeches worked the crowd up into a frenzy. worked-up If someone is worked up, they are angry or upset. Steve shouted at her. He was really worked up now. 4. Keep your eyes on the road 看好路, 好好看路. drive safe 小心开车. It only hurts when I laugh is a punchline of a joke which exists in numerous versions since at least 19th century. A typical setup is that someone badly hurt is asked "Does it hurt?" — "I'm fine. It only hurts when I laugh". a way of making light of pain, as if to say "Oh, it's not that bad." 5. goose is cooked = All hope is gone 所有希望都破灭了, 没有成功的希望了, 没有机会了 there is no possibility of success; the period of good fortune is over. If he doesn't win the next round, then his goose is cooked. a. One is thoroughly defeated, ruined, or finished. Well, the team did their best, but their goose is cooked at this point. We had such a poor financial year that if our sales don't pick up soon, our goose is cooked. Our goose is definitely cooked—we just can't compete with that investor's deep pockets. b. One is facing inescapable punishment for some trouble one is in or has caused. Our goose is cooked 死定了, 玩蛋了 if they figure out how we manipulated the accounts. No, his goose is cooked—the feds are on to him now. Your goose is cooked, Pat. The police are here—there's nowhere to run. cook someone's goose ( spoil someone's plans; cause someone's downfall. ) 扰乱计划, 打乱计划, 破坏计划 to do something that spoils someone's plans and prevents them from succeeding: Just tell her we can't - that'll cook her goose. 5. come up short I. 不如预期. 失败. 没有斩获. 一无所获. 没有收获. fail to reach a goal or standard. to fail to win or achieve something. To disappoint; to fail to meet certain expectations or goals. I came up short on my sales goal this month, which is really disappointing. I know I was supposed to run a full mile. I didn't want to come up short, but I was going to collapse if I didn't take a break! We've been to the state tournament four times, but we've come up short every time. "we're so close to getting the job done, but we keep coming up short". II. get into trouble. have an accident; get into trouble: Kim broke her collarbone and Lisa and a couple others also came short. We've seen a lot of IT companies come short through aggressive expansion. "if you try to trick him you'll come short". III. 不足. 不够. to not go far enough. be insufficient The shot came up short of the target. The state education budget came up short last year. bring/pull someone up short 让...愣住, 让...呆住, 傻住 to make someone suddenly stop doing something or talking, usually because they are surprised. to surprise or shock someone so that they stop what they are doing or saying to think for a moment The question brought her up short, but, after a moment's hesitation, she answered it. Her rudeness brought me up short. I was wandering through the exhibit when I was brought up short by a striking photograph. 6. grant a wish Your wish is granted. It ended with his club refusing to grant his wish of a big-money move that reportedly would have seen him more than double his wages. If he'd come to me and said he was unhappy six weeks ago it gives me time to grant his wish but the quickness was unbelievable. The star can be carried to an altar at the top of the island where it will grant a wish. be lost on someone 没注意, 没听进去 If advice or a comment is lost on someone, they do not understand it or they pay no attention to it. The meaning of that was lost on me. The point of this message is not lost on parents. if something is lost on someone, they do not understand or want to accept it The joke was completely lost on Chris. lost to I. no longer belonging to. Millions of pounds are being lost to the economy every day. My mum was lost to us too soon. II. no longer possible or open to. The opportunity was lost to him. III. insensible to lost to all sense of duty. be lost in something 完全沉浸, 沉溺 giving so much attention to what you are doing that you are not conscious of anything else that is happening around you: Ann was completely lost in her book. I was lost in my own thoughts and didn't notice her approaching. We were lost in wonder at the incredible architecture. She was gazing into the far distance, lost in thought. The audience were swaying on their feet, completely lost in the music. 7. fall away I. If parts of something fall away, they break off and drop to the ground. If something falls away from the thing it is attached to, it breaks off. Officials say that one or two engines fell away 脱落, 剥落, 掉落 from the plane shortly after takeoff. On the bathroom ceiling, some pieces of plaster had fallen away. The rear sections of the rocket fell away. II. If a period of time falls away, it seems as if it has not happened: As she looked at him, the years fell away, and she saw him again as a young boy. III. If land falls away, it slopes down suddenly: fall away sharply 突然下沉, 下坡 If you say that land falls away, you mean it slopes downwards from a particular point. On either side of the tracks the ground fell away sharply. On the other side of the hill, the land falls away sharply. IV. = fall off: The quality of his work has fallen away a little. V. If the degree, amount, or size of something falls away, it decreases. His coalition may hold a clear majority but this could quickly fall away. Demand began to fall away. 8. be a devil 大胆一点 used to tell someone who is not sure about doing something to go ahead and do it. said when encouraging someone to do something that they are hesitating to do. used to tell someone who is not sure about doing something to go ahead and do it. used to persuade someone to do something they are not sure they should do Go on, be a devil, have another gin and tonic. "I don't know if I should eat anything else." "Oh, go on, be a devil, order dessert!" "'Go on, be a devil and stop being so staid!'" be a great one for to be good at (doing something) often or to enjoy (doing something) very much. to enjoy or do something a lot. Prone or apt to do something (typically because one likes it). Often used in the negative. I hate talking on the phone, so I'm not a great one for returning phone calls. I'm a great one for leaving my wallet lying around the house. Thank goodness you found it! Mom's a great one for criticizing everybody else for doing the same annoying things that she does, like interrupting people. He's a great one for getting other people to do his work for him! not/never be (a great) one for (doing) something 不爱, 不擅长, 不是那种...的人 informal to not enjoy a particular activity, subject etc I've never been a great one for watersports. chance would be a fine thing 没有机会, 没有可能, 没有时间 used to say that something good or desirable is not likely to happen. expressing a speaker's belief that something is desirable but the opportunity is unlikely to arise. said when you would very much like something to happen but there is no possibility that it will: "You should relax a bit more." "Chance would be a fine thing." "'You should come to the cafe with us.' 'Chance would be a fine thing.'" 9. cut the apron strings to stop providing support. To lessen the extent to which someone controls, influences, or monitors someone else, especially parents in relation to their children. Mothers these days are so fussy about their kids, having to know where they are at every second of the day. They would really do well to cut the apron strings a little, if you ask me! Sending kids to summer camps has been in decline in recent years, as parents have become less and less inclined to cut the apron strings. The company has relied on government support, but the government is now threatening to cut the apron strings. 10. spoil (one) rotten 宠坏 To cause one to expect to receive everything they want by always giving it to them. In this phrase, "rotten" is an intensifier. I think some grandparents believe it's their duty to spoil their grandchildren rotten. spoil for (something) 找茬 To be particularly eager or enthusiastic for something, especially a fight, disagreement, or conflict. Tom seems to spoil for a fight the moment he's in the same room as me. I just don't know what it is about me that makes him so antagonistic. We've done everything we can to reach a reasonable compromise with the other party, but they have been spoiling for an argument at every turn. spoil tv. to kill someone. It was Joel Cairo's job to make sure that nobody got close enough to Mr. Big to spoil him. spoiled for choice 太多选择 To have an abundance of suitable or ideal options from which to choose, such that it may be difficult to make a decision. Primarily heard in US. Between video games, television, and the Internet, kids these days are spoiled for choice when it comes to their entertainment. Our hotel was right in the midst of the city's finest restaurants, so whenever we wanted something to eat, we were spoiled for choice. to the victor belong the spoils. too many cooks spoil the soup. spoils of war. spoilsport informal Someone whose actions, words, or attitudes ruin or mar the pleasure of other people. Gosh, Tom is such a spoilsport. He broke his tennis racket in half when I won! She can be a bit of a spoilsport when things don't go the way she wants them to. He threw a big huffy fit when I told him not to play his weird music during the party, and it ruined the whole evening. What a spoilsport.
Midsomer Murders Season 24, Episode 1: 1. Lucian's a free spirit. And you're just a fleeting amusement 一晌贪欢, 一时欢愉( fleeting 稍纵即逝的 Fleeting is used to describe something which lasts only for a very short time. a fleeting glimpse. This is just a fleeting visit. The girls caught only a fleeting glimpse of the driver. She wondered for a fleeting moment if he would put his arm around her. A smile passed fleetingly across his face. I think I saw her, fleetingly, at a football match. I glimpsed her fleetingly through the window. The subject was mentioned only fleetingly. ). Well, circumstances alter cases ( Circumstances alter cases 特殊情况特殊对待 one's opinion or treatment of someone or something may vary according to the prevailing circumstances. Unique circumstances can spur unconventional action. I know offering such a big refund isn't protocol, but it's for the CEO's grandmother, and circumstances alter cases. Prov. In unusual situations, people are allowed to do unusual things. Cashier: I'm sorry, this store does not accept personal checks. Customer: But I need this medicine, and I don't have any cash. I've shopped at this store for fifteen years. Surely you can trust me this once. Cashier: Well, all right. Circumstances alter cases.), so... Oh, no wine for me. 2. I suggest you go easy on 悠着点, 少喝点 the hard stuff ( the hard stuff 烈性酒 liquor with a high alcoholic content; hard liquor. drinks that contain a large amount of alcohol (such as whiskey, vodka, etc.) I drink wine and beer occasionally, but I never touch the hard stuff. a drop of the hard stuff Would you like a drop of the hard stuff? II. strongly addictive drugs. ). Don't want to say anything else you'll regret. You know regret, Frankie. Don't call me that, and please sit down. Well, I would, but you're in my place. You've been all your life. I think we should make a start. 3. You should have been there, Gideon. I've never been a hypocrite. I'm not going to start now. Tenants of the estate are expected to pay their respects. Got none to pay. Do you think old man Shirewell would have come to my funeral? Where's Caleb? We got fencing to do. No idea. He wasn't at the funeral. 4. You all thought you could prevent me from inheriting, but I'm afraid the little plan you cooked up with father isn't legally binding. Well, the trust was set up by you, Mr. Inkerman, and it was agreed I would run the estate in perpetuity. 5. This letter of wishes ( A letter of wishes (or memorandum of wishes) is a document that is often kept with a will. A testator can use it to convey additional information to the executor of their deceased estate. This document can also provide a simple and up to date record of the deceased's possessions.) confirms my right to inherit the whole shebang ( the whole shebang 统统, 全部一起, 所有的一切 the whole thing. everything that is included in something. You can buy the whole shebang for just $50. The whole shebang is the whole situation or business that you are describing. The whole shebang was minutely choreographed. the whole of something, including everything that is connected with it: The wedding's next week, but my parents are taking care of the whole shebang.) unless I choose to decline, which, of course, I won't. In simple terms, the traditional order of inheritance cannot be altered without the consent of all trustees. And now Stourwick is mine to do with 随我处置 as I see fit 我觉得合适, I've made a decision. The Shirewells' tenure ends with me. What does that mean exactly? Well, it means the estate will become home to a free-thinking artists' community. Long Cross Farm will be converted into a solar park. But the Blundells have farmed here for generations. Oh, it's not just them, Ursula. The dower house ( A dower 遗孀 house is usually a moderately large house available for use by the widow of the previous owner of an English, Scottish, Welsh or Irish estate. The widow, often known as the "dowager", usually moves into the dower house from the larger family house on the death of her husband if the heir is married, and upon his marriage if he was single at his succession. The new heir occupies the now vacated principal house. ) will be an artist's retreat and the chapel will be converted into a gallery and shrine for my work. You can't do that. It's consecrated ( consecrated adj (of a church or land) having been made or declared sacred. "a Christian burial in consecrated ground". (of bread and wine in Christian belief) declared to be or represent the body and blood of Christ. "they received the host but not the consecrated wine". desecrate [ˈdɛsɪkreɪt] 亵渎, 轻慢 treat (a sacred place or thing) with violent disrespect. If someone desecrates something which is considered to be holy or very special, they deliberately damage or insult it. She shouldn't have desecrated the picture of a religious leader. "more than 300 graves were desecrated". spoil (something which is valued or respected). "many lanes are desecrated with yellow lines. to damage or show no respect towards something holy or very much respected: The mosque/shrine was desecrated by vandals. It's a crime to desecrate the country's flag. The earth is to be honoured; it is not to be desecrated. The whole area has been shocked by the desecration of the cemetery. This is decertification. ). Well, I'll deconsecrate it. 3. So the yurt ( yurt [(jʊət] 蒙古包 a circular tent consisting of a framework of poles covered with felt or skins, used by Mongolian and Turkic nomads of E and central Asia. ) and totem poles were just the start of his desecration. What are you going to do about it? It seems our hands are tied. Your father wanted you to be the guardian of his legacy. We have to find a way of making that happen. 4. Double espresso. You look like you could do with it. Thank you, sir. Phone's been ringing all morning. 5. Wasn't he buried yesterday? Yeah, he was, but his family now suspect foul play. A doctor must have signed the death certificate. Yeah, he did. His GP, and in it, he states he died of natural causes. So what's this got to do with us? Well, a document has since been discovered, allegedly written by Henry Shirewell, in which he claims that his life is in imminent danger. This prompted his family to request further investigation, which has now been authorized. 6. Two sons and a daughter who both still live on the estate, and the eldest son, Lucian Shirewell, is an acclaimed ceramicist. His work is controversial, but highly regarded 评价甚高. 7. When did you find this note? Ms. Shirewell? After the funeral. It was the first time I was able to face 面对 going into his room. Where was it? Inside his bedside table. How was your father's mental state in the days before he died? Better than it had been in ages. He seemed to have more energy 精神很好 than usual. We had hope he'd rally( noun. I. A rally is a large public meeting that is held in order to show support for something such as a political party. About three thousand people held a rally to mark international human rights day. Supporters of the policy are reported to be gathering for a mass rally. III. A rally is a competition in which vehicles are driven over public roads. Between them the pair won the women's section of the Monte Carlo Rally three times. ...an accomplished rally driver. IV. A rally in tennis, badminton, or squash is a continuous series of shots that the players exchange without stopping. ...a long rally. verb. I. When people rally to something or when something rallies them, they unite to support it. His supporters have rallied to his defence. He rallied his own supporters for a fight. II. When someone or something rallies, they begin to recover or improve 复原, 恢复如初 after having been weak. He rallied enough to thank his doctors. Markets began to rally worldwide. After a brief rally the shares returned to 126p. ). Which is why I allowed Lucian to see him. Was that unusual? Sadly, yes. They'd been estranged for many years. And Ursula was easily taken in ( take in I. If you take someone in 接纳, 收容, 收留, you allow them to stay in your house or your country, especially when they do not have anywhere to stay or are in trouble. He persuaded Jo to take him in. The monastery has taken in 26 refugees. II. If the police take someone in, they remove them from their home in order to question them. The police have taken him in for questioning in connection with the murder of a girl. III. If you are taken in by someone or something 上当受骗, you are deceived by them, so that you get a false impression of them. I married in my late teens and was taken in by his charm–which soon vanished. I know I was a naive fool to trust him but he is a real charmer who totally took me in. IV. If you take something in 听进去. 理解, 明白, 吸收, 听进去, you pay attention to it and understand it when you hear it or read it. to understand completely the meaning or importance of something: I had to read the letter twice before I could take it all in. It was an interesting exhibition, but there was too much to take in at once. Lesley explains possible treatments but you can tell she's not taking it in. Gazing up into his eyes, she seemed to take in all he said. V. If you take something in, you see all of it at the same time or with just one look. The eyes behind the lenses were dark and quick-moving, taking in everything at a glance. VI. If you take in something such as a film or a museum, you go to see it. I was wondering if you might want to take in a movie with me this evening. VII. If people, animals, or plants take in air, drink, or food, they allow it to enter their body, usually by breathing or swallowing. They will certainly need to take in 吸收 plenty of liquid. VIII. If one thing takes in another 包含, 包括, it is big enough to include the other thing within it. The new town takes in three former villages. Ethiopia's large territorial area takes in a population of more than 40 million people. IX. If you take in 收小, 改小 a dress, jacket, or other item of clothing, you make it smaller and tighter. take something in at something I'll have to take this dress in at the waist 收腰 - it's too big. She had taken in the grey dress so that it hugged her thin body. X. If a store, restaurant, theatre, or other business takes in a certain amount of money (take in US), they get that amount from people buying goods or services. to receive money from sales or as payment for entrance to an event: The show took in 收入 an astonishing $100,000 in its first week. They plan to take in 收入 $1.6 billion. XI. to do paid work for other people, such as washing or sewing, in your home: She supported her family by taking in laundry. ). I wanted to give them time alone in the hope of some kind of reconciliation. But when she went back to give him his medication, Lucian is gone, our father is dead. It's not rocket science. 8. Wanted him dead as long as I can remember... but no, I did not have that pleasure 没有那个荣幸. Your sister has said that you and your father were estranged. May I ask why? He destroyed my mother's life and set out to destroy mine. I had to cut him out in order to survive. So what made you go and see him on the day he died? I needed to tell him how much I despised him before it was too late. They conspired with our father to deprive me of 褫夺, 剥夺 my birthright. Accusing me of patricide 弑父 is the logical next step. What do you mean? Their attempt to disinherit me from Stourwick failed. Turns out they can't do that legally without my permission. But if I was serving a life sentence for murder, then they would get what they wanted. 9. Henry Shirewell's doctor finally got back to me. In his opinion, there's no evidence of foul play. Ursula Shirewell was alarmed when she found that his pillows and bedding were in disarray, but apparently, a patient can experience a sudden surge of energy 回光返照 just before they die, which would seem remarkable if they've been immobile for some time. Lucian Shirewell denies any involvement. He claims he's being set up by his siblings to stop him inheriting... their word against his. 10. I just help out with the cleaning. I had nothing to do with his care. Well, he left a note intended to be discovered after his death. In it, he suggests that he feared someone meant him harm 试图害他, 意图谋害, 打算害人. 11. What if I were pregnant? I wouldn't want to inflict the life I've had on another generation. No. It ends with me. 12. Yes, I wrote the note, and I don't regret it. Even if you got the result you wanted by deception? The offense was real. I was just speeding things up a little. What you believe is of no consequence 一点用也没有 without evidence. Well, then we must exhume the body. That would require a coroner's instruction. As yet, we have no grounds. So that's it? You've already wasted enough of our time, Mrs. Shirewell. 13. We appeal the will on the grounds that Lucian is mentally unstable, paranoid, delusional, like our mother, and therefore unfit to inherit. But we have to do it by the book 正大光明的. 14. What are you thinking, Fleur? Tragic accident or something more sinister? It looks like she tried to pull herself up on one of the guy ropes ( guy rope 固定绳 a rope or line fixed to the ground to secure a tent or other structure. A guy rope is a rope or wire that has one end fastened to a tent or pole and the other end fixed to the ground, so that it keeps the tent or pole in position. ) supporting the totem pole. It came away and the pole fell, striking her right temple. A tox report should give us some answers. 15. Well, Lucian and Jordana had a row yesterday afternoon. Thought you should know. Well, it was too far away to really hear, but he left in a fury a few minutes later. The man's a psycho... borderline lunatic. Insanity runs in the family on our mother's side. 16. When bad things happen, work is my only salvation 救星. My mother taught me of the joy of creativity, its power to take you from the darkness into the light 从黑暗到光亮, 从黑夜到光明( Bible: I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those sanctified by faith in Me.' ). But Jordana's accident is something I can never come to terms with. We think it could have been murder. My family didn't like her living in the yard, and they can be pretty extreme, but murder? Even they have their limits. I don't believe in monogamy, Inspector, but that doesn't diminish the love I have for Sadie. I was at the inn with Sadie. She works there. She knows I keep irregular hours 作息不确定( keep regular hours 保持正常作息 do the same thing at the same time every day, especially getting up and going to bed. "Walker recommends keeping regular hours, keeping the bedroom cool, and avoiding caffeine after midday". Staff who work regular hours for more than 12 weeks would have the right to a regular contract. keep (some kind of) hours I. To maintain a particular pattern or schedule of being awake and asleep. Because of the huge time difference, Sam has kept really strange hours since coming back from Japan. It's important that the kids start keeping regular hours when they are young, since having unpredictable bedtimes can cause a lot of problems with sleep. II. To maintain particular business hours. The local doctor has always kept rather irregular hours. Sometimes it just comes down to luck whether he'll be there at all on a given day. III. if you keep regular 作息不正常, strange, etc. hours, the times at which you do things, especially getting up or going to bed, are regular, strange, etc: Keeping irregular hours is hard on children, so try to set a regular bedtime and a regular time to get up. ), and she's not averse to 不反对 bending the rules. You can check with her if you like. 17. Caleb Blundell claims he saw Ms. Rowcroft close to the scene at about 11:20 p.m. He lives at the farm and works part time for Lucian. Well, that fits the time frame 合得上, but he didn't see Ms. Linsbury's body. Lucian didn't deny that he and Ms. Linsbury had argued earlier in the day. He's adamant he never wanted children. Ms. Linsbury wasn't happy about it, which chimes with Francis Shirewell's statement. 18. Fleur's got the autopsy report... says that it makes interesting reading( make/make [for] interesting/fascinating/compelling/dull/depressing reading 读起来很有趣 If you say that a book or an article makes interesting reading or makes for interesting reading, you mean that it is interesting to read. The list of drinks, a dozen pages long, makes fascinating reading. The report makes for depressing reading. ). Okay, let's head over to the lab, and then you can pay a visit to Sadie Rowcroft. 19. Carbon monoxide starves the body of oxygen. At high enough concentrations 足够大的浓度, the victim suffocates 窒息而死( asphyxiation [əsˌfɪksɪˈeɪʃn] Asphyxiation is a lack of oxygen in blood, which causes suffocation. Noxious fumes such as methane can cause rapid asphyxiation and death. After 15 or so seconds, the lack of oxygen causes unconsciousness which eventually leads to death by asphyxiation. Asphyxiation is a lack of oxygen in blood, which causes suffocation. the condition of being unable to breathe, usually resulting in death: homicidal/accidental asphyxiation. The cause of death was asphyxiation from smoke inhalation. Just identifying asphyxiation in a murder victim doesn't explain how the murder happened. asphyxia [əsˈfɪksɪə] a condition arising when the body is deprived of oxygen, causing unconsciousness or death; suffocation. asphyxiate [əsˈfɪk.si.eɪt] to cause someone to be unable to breathe, usually resulting in that person's death: The murder inquiry found that the children had been asphyxiated.). She managed to make it outside. By which time, the damage had already been done. Before she died, she'd have experienced weakness, dizziness, disorientation, so I stick with my earlier assumption. In a state of confusion, she crawled out of the yurt, destabilized the totem pole in an effort to get to her feet, and then it was, "Goodnight, Vienna." 20. Have you no respect? Jordana's only been dead a few hours. She'd want me to carry on. She couldn't wait to give this anachronistic ( anachronistic [əˌnæk.rəˈnɪs.tɪk] 脱离时代的 You say that something is anachronistic when you think that it is out of date or old-fashioned. existing out of its time in history: He described the law as anachronistic and ridiculous. Anachronistic mechanical voting machines are gone, replaced with computerized scanners. Many of its practices seem anachronistic.) monstrosity a facelift. A facelift? This is desecration. Hey, careful. Like it or not, my work is highly sought-after. What have you ever done for this family except leech off it? 21. It was an alert from The History Society about an open 开放日 afternoon. Stourwick is the perfect example of an Elizabethan house, so I thought Betty should see it. We're, erm, investigating rather a serious incident in the grounds( grounds I. 庭院. The gardens and land that surround a building and often have a wall or fence around them: We went for a walk around the hospital grounds. The golf course is set in the former grounds of the 14th century castle. He is buried in the grounds of the 20-acre property. We walked around the grounds of the Naval Observatory. The hotel grounds are open to everyone. The school sits in two acres of beautiful grounds. II. 残渣. 咖啡渣. the small grains of coffee left at the bottom of a cup or other container that has had coffee in it: A lot of coffee shops give away grounds for use in compost. What do you do with coffee grounds? She had to clean out the grounds from the basket of the coffee maker. He spilled grounds all over the counter while he was making a new pot of coffee. My sister makes a scrub for her skin with coffee grounds. ), so I'd rather you took her home. Sir, the scene is out here, and it's fully secured. If it's just the house, then I can keep an eye on her. We'll have a quick look? Please, John? She's dying to see the priest hole ( A priest hole is a hiding place for a priest built into many of the principal Catholic houses of England, Wales and Ireland during the period when Catholics were persecuted by law. When Queen Elizabeth I came to the throne in 1558, there were several Catholic plots designed to remove her and severe measures were taken against Catholic priests. Many great houses had a priest hole built so that the presence of a priest could be concealed when searches were made of the building. They were concealed in walls, under floors, behind wainscoting and other locations and were often successful in concealing their occupant. Many priest holes were designed by Jesuit lay brother Nicholas Owen, who spent much of his life building priest holes to protect the lives of persecuted priests. After the Gunpowder Plot, Owen himself was captured, taken to the Tower of London and tortured to death on the rack. He was canonized as a martyr by Pope Paul VI in 1970.). We might not get another chance. 22. Where does that lead? Upstairs, but it's bolted from the other side. There are no other exits? No. They must have gone straight out into the grounds. DS Winter, I need backup. So the priest would hide in that tiny space for days, sometimes weeks at a time. Some of them died of starvation or lack of oxygen. What about cramp? There have always been rumors of another priest hole somewhere in the house, but it's never been found. And there's a ghost who wanders the attic, clanking their chains. 23. I told you we needed security. I'm not interested in scoring points, Francis. I just need the keys to the estate office. Why? The police need to look at the house insurance inventory. Alright, I'll... I'll handle that. You're utterly clueless when it comes to running the estate. Keys. I'll see if the police... Sit down! God's sake. But I might be able to help. The police have got a job to do. They don't need you wittering on ( witter 唠唠叨叨, 絮絮叨叨 [British, informal, disapproval] If you say that someone is wittering about something, you mean that they are talking a lot about things that you think are silly and boring. They just sat there wittering about what lectures they had tomorrow. They started wittering on about their last trip to Provence. He'd been wittering on about his neighbours for half the morning. ). Just let her go, Francis. We've got to do something. 24. Sarah has taken Betty home. Gave us quite a scare. All's well that ends well, sir. What's the latest on the theft? 25. So this is where you keep your stash. This estate requires a huge amount of money. If it doesn't go through the books, we avoid tax. All that sanctimonious 高尚的 lecturing about me destroying Stourwick, and you're planning to sell it the minute you win your case. 26. Not a pretty sight, gentlemen, but better than it was. We found this plunged into his eye with such force 那么大力气, it fractured his skull. I saw Lucian using a similar tool in his studio. It's not entirely straightforward, but looking at the lesion across his throat, I'd say someone's surprised him from behind and garroted him with a medium-gauge wire, such as one would use in cheese or clay. Mm. The victim lost consciousness, giving the perpetrator time to pose him at the table, place the ceramic face over his, and plunge the blade into his brain. Classic Gothic horror. 27. When Francis and Lucian fight, it can get very intense( tense 指肌肉收紧的, 或者焦虑, 紧张, 担心的, 或让人担心的. intense a. 极端的, 非常的(冷, 热, 恨). b. 高度精力集中的. 严肃的. 强度大的. intense work, intense activities. c. intense gaze, intense stare. d. 某人如果intense, 情绪大的, 太认真, 太严肃, 让人有压迫感的. tense noun any of the forms of a verb which show the time at which an action happened: "I sing" is in the present tense and "I sang" is in the past tense. adj. I. 紧张的, 焦虑的. 让人担忧的. nervous and worried and unable to relax. anxious, unable to relax, or causing anxiety. Dart, who had at first been very tense, at last relaxed. She waited tensely for the next bulletin. 'Tony, I can explain everything,' she said tensely. McKay walked slowly toward this screen, feeling a growing tenseness. She was very tense as she waited for the interview. The family was faced with a tense financial situation. She was very tense as she waited for the interview. II. 让人紧张的. 让人担忧的. 让人焦虑的. If a situation is tense, it causes feelings of worry or nervousness. A tense situation or period of time is one that makes people anxious, because they do not know what is going to happen next. This gesture of goodwill did little to improve the tense atmosphere at the talks. After three very tense weeks he phoned again. There was a tense silence. There were some tense moments in the second half of the game. Relax! Why are you so tense? III. If your body is tense, your muscles are tight and not relaxed. She lay, eyes shut, body tense. A bath can relax tense muscles. If you feel a tenseness around the eyes, relax your muscles. III. (of a speech sound) made with more force than other speech sounds. verb. If you or your muscles tense, your muscles become stiff and tight because you are frightened or nervous, or are preparing yourself to do something. If your muscles tense, if you tense, or if you tense your muscles, your muscles become tight and stiff, often because you are anxious or frightened. Newman's stomach muscles tensed. He tensed as the big guy gripped his shoulder. Jane tensed her muscles to stop them from shaking. When we are under stress our bodies tend to tense up. I tried not to tense up, or become obviously wary. Tense up the muscles in both of your legs. Don't tense 收紧 your shoulders, just relax. I could feel myself tense up as he touched my neck. tensed up 拉紧 very nervous and worried and unable to relax because of something that is going to happen: You seem all tensed up. Are you still waiting for that call? intense I. Intense is used to describe something that is very great or extreme in strength or degree. He was sweating from the intense heat. Suddenly the room filled with intense light. Stevens's murder was the result of a deep-seated and intense hatred. The fast-food business is intensely competitive. The attack was anticipated but its intensity came as a shock. extreme and forceful or (of a feeling) very strong: intense cold/heat/hatred. an intense flavour/colour. He suddenly felt an intense pain in his back. II. If you describe an activity as intense, you mean that it is very serious and concentrated, and often involves doing a great deal in a short time. Intense work or thought requires a lot of effort: an intense 13-week course. The battle for third place was intense. The military on both sides are involved in intense activity. III. If you describe the way someone looks at you as intense, you mean that they look at you very directly and seem to know what you are thinking or feeling. I felt so self-conscious under Luke's mother's intense gaze. He gazed at me with those intense blue eyes. He sipped his drink, staring intensely at me. IV. If you describe a person as intense, you mean that they appear to concentrate very hard on everything that they do, and they feel and show their emotions in a very extreme way. Intense people are very serious, and usually have strong emotions or opinions. A person who is intense is very forceful and has strong emotions and opinions: He was young and intense, and silly, too. an intense young man. I know he's an intense player, but he does enjoy what he's doing. She is taller than I imagined, more adult, more intense. His intensity and the ferocity of his feelings alarmed me. ). I was too much of a coward to reveal myself. What were they fighting about? Lucian found out that Francis was going to appeal the will on the grounds of Lucian's mental instability. His behavior was to bear this out ( bear sth/someone out 明证, 证明 support or confirm something. to support the truth of something: His version of events just isn't borne out by the facts. If you tell them what happened I will bear you out (on it). "this assumption is not borne out by any evidence"). In what way? He threatened Francis physically, then let him go, but he said this wasn't the end of it... that he'd show him what true madness looked like. 28. There's been a development 新情况, sir. Uniform checked out this area. The hose wasn't visible until the water level dropped. Looks like you're wrangling a giant eel. Makes a change from wrangling the deceased. Glad we're keeping you on your toes. Those must weigh a ton 很重. You'd need a transport 需要运输工具 to get them this far from the scene. We found distinctive tire marks by the weir ( weir 小坝, 拦挡 I. A weir is a low barrier which is built across a river in order to control or direct the flow of water. II. A weir is a wooden fence which is built across a stream in order to create a pool for catching fish. ). Excellent disposal point, one would think. The river was in spate ( in (full) spate [speɪt] 水势湍急 If a river is in (full) spate, it has more water in it and is flowing faster than it usually does: The stream was in full spate and we struggled to cross it. Emotions washed over him like a river in full spate. Water in the estuary is fresh, especially when the river is in full spate. You don't need to use the bridge unless the river is in spate - normally you can walk across on the rocks. When the river is in spate, the waterfall is spectacular. in spades 大量, 成群结队 in large amounts or to a very great degree. In large quantities; to a high degree; to excess, without restraint. Last year we harvested almost no potatoes, but this year we're getting them in spades. My dog has personality in spades. in spadefuls = by the spadeful in an extreme or emphatic way The magazine cuttingly rated the film as 'banality by the spadeful'. He has charisma in spadefuls. ) that night due to recent heavy rainfall. So what happened? Got snagged 挂住了 in this tree only 200 meters downstream. Terrific bad luck. What are the chances of recovering any DNA evidence? Slim to zero. DNA and water aren't the best of friends,( the best of friends If two people are the best of friends, they are close friends, especially when they have had a disagreement or fight in the past. Still, it isn't long before the two rivals become the best of friends 重修旧好, 重归于好. be best friends with to be someone's closest friend. She is best friends with my younger sister. The best of friends must part = (even) the best of friends must part 天下没有不散的筵席 No matter how much friends care for each other, they cannot be together always. People must inevitably be parted from one another by some means or another. I know it's hard saying goodbye, but even the best of friends must part at some point. I treasure you above all my other friends. But I have to do what's best for my family, and so the best of friends must part. Though I know that even the best of friends must part, it's still pretty devastating whenever my college roommate goes home for school breaks. ) but we'll give it a go. 29. You're going to have to let Caleb decide this for himself. And let him regret it for the rest of his life? He's obsessed with that lunatic, same as you were. That was a long time ago. I have had nothing to do with him since. Yeah, don't stop you taking sides with him now, though, does it? 'Cause part of you's still in love with him. You're certainly not in love with me. Caleb is not a child. He is a man of 19 with a mind of his own 有自己的想法(have a mind of one's own to have one's own ideas and make one's own choices about what should be done. Her parents want her to go to college, but she has a mind of her own and insists on trying to become an actress. often used figuratively I can't get the camera to work right. It seems to have a mind of its own.). It is his future, not ours. I had to do what was expected of me for the good of this family, and so will he. 30. Both your sister and sister-in-law claim you attacked him hours before he died, warned him there'd be more to come. Completely true and entirely justified. I found out that my brother had been selling the family heirlooms to a dealer in London and pocketing the cash 揣进自己腰包, 私吞, 揣自己兜里了 himself. But they didn't tell you that, did they? Or that they were planning to disinherit me on the grounds of me being a basket case? How did that make you feel? Enraged, but not surprised. 31. Not working today then? The police charged me with stalking and harassment. Oh, and that's not all. Lucian is chucking me out of the cottage. 20 years of love and loyalty. What have I got to show for it 我得到了什么 ( have something/nothing to show for something 一事无成, 得到好处, 一无所获, 没得到任何好处 If you have something/nothing to show for your work or effort, you have/have not won any advantage from it. to have something as a result of what you have been doing If he fails, he'll have nothing to show for his time at school. She had plenty of money to show for all her work. I worked for two weeks, and $50 was all I had to show for it. I've been trying to write this essay all day and I have nothing to show for it. )? 32. I suppose Dad sent you 让你来的? He doesn't even know I'm here. I... I just wanted you to know that I understand. You have to be true to yourself, Caleb. I wasn't when I was your age, and... I've regretted it ever since. 33. We found a motorized trailer that's a match for the tire prints down at the weir. Forensics are checking it out now, but it looks like it's been power washed. We might get lucky. Mm. And uniform found a hose connector screwed into the external outlet of the kiln ventilation unit. They've confirmed that it's identical to those joining the lengths of hose that washed up on the shore. So Fleur's hunch was right. The toxic gases that killed Jordana Linsbury came from the kiln. Anything else? The finance checks came back on Francis and Davina. There are large, regular deposits into their joint account from a London dealer, and the amounts correspond to the value of the items missing from the house. It adds up to over £1 million. Which Davina would inherit, giving her motive, and she has no alibi. Is she capable of killing him in such an extreme and violent way? They plotted together to frame Lucian as a madman. If she did kill her husband, it would make sense to stage it as if it had been executed by a psychopath to implicate Lucian. Which would tie in with 说得过去, 说得通 ( tie (something) in/up with something 对得上, 相配, 相称, 称得上 to plan an event or activity so that it combines with or happens at the same time as another, or to be planned in this way: We're trying to tie our holiday in with Jamie's business trip. If something such as an idea or fact ties in with or ties up with something else, it is consistent with it or connected with it. Our wedding had to tie in with David leaving the army. I've got a feeling that the death may be tied up with his visit in some way. a. to be similar to another idea, statement etc, so that they seem to be true. Her description tied in with that of the other witness. b. (also be tied in with something) to be related in some way to something else How does all this tie in with their long-term aims? c. to happen at the same time as something else The book was published to tie in with the TV series. ) how easily these were discovered by uniform... ceramic wire cutters found in the shrubbery underneath the dining room window. 34. Francis worked like a slave for his father for nothing. Everyone thinks people like us are dripping in money ( drip in To slowly trickle some kind of liquid into something. Just drip the food coloring in so that you don't add too much of it. I dripped in the melted butter a little bit at a time, until it was emulsified with the egg yolks completely. be dripping with something I. 嘀嗒. to be covered in a lot of a liquid that is falling or running down: Their chins were dripping with juice. I like my pancakes slathered with butter and dripping with maple syrup. By the end I was dripping with sweat. II. 吊满. 挂满. to be wearing or covered with a lot of something that hangs down. be dripping with jewels/gems/pearls etc 满身珠宝 All the princes were dripping with gems. She was absolutely dripping with gold. The living room has a 25-foot ceiling and a chandelier dripping with crystals. The tree branches are dripping with Spanish moss. III. to have a lot of a particular quality, often a bad quality: His tone was now dripping with sarcasm 满是讥讽. He replied in a voice dripping with sarcasm. The film is dripping with sentimentality. slather [ˈslæð.ər] 涂抹, 涂满 If you slather something with a substance, or slather a substance onto something, you put the substance on in a thick layer. to spread something thickly on something else: She slathered lotion on/all over her body. She slathered her toast with butter. If your skin is dry, you have to slather on moisturiser to soften it. ...pieces of toast slathered with butter and marmalade. ), but the truth is, we're poor as church mice. Any spare money had to go back in the estate. Apart from the regular and significant amounts transferred into the joint account you shared with your husband. I was promised the good life, inspector, a life I was brought up to expect. 35. I'm turning this old relic into a gallery for my work. Planning a private view. I'll leave you to it. You have a fascinating face, Sorrel, exquisite bone structure. How would you like to be immortalized in porcelain? 36. Of course I didn't attack my sister. Did she tell you that? As a matter of fact, she thought it unlikely. But you could be a potential witness. Well, I didn't see any menacing 凶恶的, 凶相的(If someone or something looks menacing, they give you a feeling that they are likely to cause you harm or put you in danger. The strong dark eyebrows give his face an oddly menacing look. He moved his menacing bulk closer to the table. The wide river looked less menacing when flanked by the warm yellow houses. menace noun. I. something that is likely to cause harm: Drunk drivers are a menace 威胁 to everyone. Dogs running loose are a public menace. the menace of industrial pollution. something that is threatening and may cause harm: the menace of sth The world is still facing the menace of terrorism. a menace to society/the environment 危险 Plastic bags are a menace to marine environments because they don't break down quickly. Banks and credit card firms warned of a growing menace from identity thieves. II. a dangerous quality that makes you think someone is going to do something bad: He had a slight air of menace 一脸凶相 which made me uneasy. He spoke with a hint of menace. III. mainly UK informal a person, especially a child, who is very annoying. demand money with menaces UK specialized to demand money using threats: He was accused of unlawfully demanding money with menaces. ) strangers, if that's what you're getting at. Did you see anyone at all? Only Gideon Blundell... I saw him from over here, striding across ( stride I. an important positive development: make strides in The West made impressive strides in improving energy efficiency after the huge rises in oil prices during the 70s. II. 大踏步. 大步. 跨步. a long step when walking or running: She attributes her record-breaking speed to the length of her stride. strides Australian English informal trousers: pair of strides 裤子 She got a new pair of strides, and they look fab. verb. to walk somewhere quickly with long steps: stride purposefully She strode purposefully up to the desk and demanded to speak to the manager. stride across/into/out of 大步走 She strode across the room and demanded to speak to the manager. He strode across/into/out of the room. ) the lawn. Thought he was coming to berate me about losing the farm. He'd threatened me before, so I was determined to evict him. And? He never materialized. 37. We were together once, Ursula and I, when we were very young. I asked her to marry me, but her father just... laughed in my face, ordered her to cut me out of her life there and then, and she felt like she had no choice but to agree, so... I had to respect her wishes. 38. I'm not sure how long he'll be, but you're more than welcome to wait. Oh, I don't want to impose. I'll come back. No, Stay, please. I know it hasn't always been possible for us to be friends, but now that your father is no longer with us, I thought... maybe we could start again? Yes, I'd like that. And I can only apologize for what Gideon put you through. The prospect of losing the farm has driven him half mad. He thought that you might be able to get Lucian to change his mind, but he should never have frightened you like that. 39. But you have Caleb. It's such a blessing. Of course, and we're so very proud of him. But he and Gideon are two very different people, always locking horns. I suppose I knew it would come to this 变成这样 one day. I never allowed myself to believe it. 40. I had a call from the police. They want me in first thing for an interview, but I can come straight back. You need to take a break. You'll burn yourself out. I can handle the firing. What did they want? Don't worry. I won't say anything. Just get your head down for a couple of hours. Okay. Keep the doors locked at all times. 41. Lucian's just crashing for a bit ( crash I. If something crashes somewhere, it moves and hits something else violently, making a loud noise. The door swung inwards to crash against a chest of drawers behind it. My words were lost as the walls above us crashed down, filling the cellar with brick dust. I heard them coming, crashing through the undergrowth, before I saw them. II. If a business or financial system crashes, it fails suddenly, often with serious effects. When the market crashed, they assumed the deal would be cancelled. He predicted correctly that there was going to be a stock market crash 崩盘. III. If a computer or a computer program crashes, it fails suddenly. ...after the computer crashed for the second time in 10 days. IV. short for gatecrash. We weren't invited to the party so we decided to crash it. V. To make or experience informal temporary living arrangements, especially overnight. Hey dude, can I crash at your pad? crash out If someone crashes out somewhere, they fall asleep where they are because they are very tired or drunk. I just want to crash out on the sofa. The band are crashed out on the floor. ), so if I just get the first firing done, I can meet you at the tree. 42. I tried calling, but he didn't pick up 没接电话 ( They're still not picking up 还是不接电话, sir. Keep trying. ). What's he so grateful for? Uh, he's been having some problems at home. I've just had his back, that's all. When he failed to arrive 没有出现, why didn't you come and find him? I knew how busy he was. I just thought there must be some problem at the studio, so I went home. But before I did, I saw Lucien hurrying across the back fields in the silver suit. Where was he headed? Here. Stourwick Hall. 43. Everything all right, Mr. Shirewell? Caleb would never leave the dial 表盘 set this high. None of this makes sense. When did you last wear the suit? Yesterday morning. We were doing a glaze test. Are you sure you put it back? Of course I'm sure. Ms. Watkins claims that she saw you walking back to the house in the suit at around 7:30 p.m. Well, she's mistaken. 44. I will be sifting 筛查, 过筛子 through the ashes for any bone fragments, but burning at that intensity 这种强度燃烧 would make any DNA identification almost impossible. 45. Sadie Rowcroft has lost everything because of Lucian Shirewell... her job, her home, her life partner of over 20 years. We know she's vindictive, unstable. He's still alive, sir. But what if in a state of desperation, Ms. Rowcroft mistook Caleb for her former lover, pushed him into the kiln, and used the suit as a disguise? 46. What exactly are we looking at? Titanium. We found it in the ash. It's one of the few elements that can survive the cremation process. Caleb Blundell had a titanium joint replacement after shattering his ankle, farm accident. Part of the serial number is still visible here and matches his medical records. 47. Because Lila Blundell confided about Caleb to Ursula Shirewell? In noble families, succession still passes down the male line. 48. She was pushed to her death by you. And my entire life has been spent in penance 悔恨 for that terrible day. It didn't deter you from doing it again. Your father died of natural causes, but Jordana Linsbury's death was at your hands. 49. I had to make painful decisions for the greater good, to save Stourwick, the estate, our family legacy. Lucian was firing the kiln that night. I knew Jordana would be alone. There was a time, years ago now, when the extractor failed at the studio. Lucian almost died. When I saw Caleb walk across the lawn, I thought he'd find her, but something in the trees distracted him. Giving you time to retrieve the hose and dispose of it in the river. I thought it would get swept away 水冲走, but I was unlucky. Why didn't you just return it to the garden store? Things hadn't gone to plan. I'd forgotten my gloves in the panic, left my fingerprints all over it. Francis always drank heavily after a row with Davina. I just had to watch and wait. I knew a lifetime of self-indulgence 纵欲, 纵情声色 had left him weak. Years in the garden had made me strong. I knew I could overpower 劲大, 打得过 him. But then you came across an unexpected obstacle... Caleb Blundell. I didn't want to hurt him. He'd done nothing wrong. But when Lila told me he was Lucian's son, I had no choice. I wore Lucien's suit as a disguise. And to implicate 陷害 him. Love can make us do terrible things, Inspector. It was my moral obligation 道德责任感 to protect my home and my child. What child, Ms. Shirewell? The only man I ever loved and who loved me in return was taken from me, my darling Gideon. We've both felt the agony of unbearable loss, the appalling damage that causes, the people it's turned us into. 49. When Betty went walkabout, she found this. That's Ursula Shirewell's bedroom. I recognize the painting of her mother. 50. This is one of the last bottles of her favorite Chablis. Seems rather appropriate 蛮适合的. To poor, sweet Caleb and darling Mummy. May they rest in peace. I failed both of them. You were a child when Mummy died. I should have protected you, loved you, been the older sister you needed. But I was too weak. You'll never know how much I regret it.
