Going Wrong: Part Three

The last part of the story begins at a dinner table. Guy has been invited to Leonora's home, where William Newton is now part of the household, and for a while he keeps his composure. Then comes the news that the couple are moving to Manchester. The composure goes. Guy attacks William on the spot, in the middle of the evening, and from that moment there is no pretending this can be smoothed over.

What follows is a study in mixed signals. Leonora asks Guy to spend a Saturday with her, and he accepts, hopeful again. Then Danny Danilo mentions, as if it were nothing, the hit he has arranged on Rachel Lingard. A mis-communication. A loose word from a friend who means no harm, and the wrong information lands at the worst possible moment. And when Leonora fails to turn up for their lunch, Guy finally understands that the invitation was a ploy, something to keep him busy or to trap him. The last pretence of ordinary life falls away, and his thoughts settle on revenge.

Julian Bond and Ruth Rendell wrote it, Matthew Evans directed, and it first aired on 16 June 1998. James Callis carries the finale as Guy Curran, with Josephine Butler as Leonora, Rick Warden as William Newton and Inday Ba as Celeste Seton. Daniel Caltagirone is back as Danny Danilo, Rebecca Craig plays Rachel Lingard and Lisa Dulson takes Tanya. Sylvester Morand appears as Anthony Chisholm, Gary Moynihan as the Houseman and Paul Birchard as an American Gambler.

Guy was handed an off-ramp here, and for a moment it looks like he might take it. After the fight with William he decides to forget Leonora and make things up to Celeste. The surprise invitation pulls him back in instead. From there the story drifts in and out of his fantasy life until it arrives at the tragedy it has been pointed at since the opening episode. Everyone saw it coming except the man at the centre of it.