The Madame Blanc Mysteries
Fashion
Season 3 Episode 305 | 44m 49sVideo has Closed Captions
Jean investigates whether a designer's balcony fall was accident or attempted murder.
Violet Oliver is the hottest designer of the moment, but when she falls from a balcony at her fashion show and survives, Jean wonders whether it was an accident or foul play.
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The Madame Blanc Mysteries is presented by your local public television station.
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The Madame Blanc Mysteries
Fashion
Season 3 Episode 305 | 44m 49sVideo has Closed Captions
Violet Oliver is the hottest designer of the moment, but when she falls from a balcony at her fashion show and survives, Jean wonders whether it was an accident or foul play.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship[Up-tempo music plays] ♪ ♪ I've never been to a fashion show before.
It's so exciting.
One of my favorite designers, Violet Oliver, at my house.
It's an absolute honor to host you, Pascal.
Well, your beautiful house is the perfect setting for our new Phoenician collection.
My wife is delighted, and if she's happy, that makes me happy, too.
Oh, she's my all-time favorite designer.
The way she revisits history to create new designs -- It's just so inspiring.
I've never heard of her.
Oh, I have.
I bought her entire summer collection last year.
Shut it.
It's not quite as exciting as you'd imagine, Dominic, having a house full of models.
Is it, now?
Highly demanding.
And that Violet.
Hm.
Never again.
Shh, Jeremy.
Violet's about to come on.
Oh, God.
Judith: Hooray!
Jean: Dom!
I'm so excited!
Dom: I'm up.
[Applause] Judith: Loved the show!
Bravo!
Man: Bravo!
[Applause continues, indistinct shouting] Man: Wow.
Woman: Whoo!
Woman: Ah!
Violet: Thank you.
Thank you all for being here tonight.
I hope that you love my collection as much as I do.
We do!
All my life, I have dreamed about this collection.
[Electricity crackling] [Audience murmuring] Ladies and gentlemen, it's just a glitch.
[Gasps, screams] [Audience gasping, body thuds] [Theme music plays] ♪ Do you remember the first time ♪ ♪ That my eyes set on you?
♪ Your smile came from nowhere ♪ For sometime never or sometime soon ♪ ♪ The road is a long one ♪ ♪ I was only passing through ♪ I was only passing through [Gasps] Dom, ring an ambulance.
[Crowd murmuring] [Gasps] Darling!
The show.
Who cares about the show?
You're alive.
Ow!
Yeah, of course.
Of course you're sore.
We'll wait for an ambulance to arrive.
Okay, babe?
Yeah.
It's on it way.
I don't need an ambulance.
Please.
You're okay?
Please cancel the ambulance.
I really don't want any fuss.
You'll be okay, but it would be wise of you just to stay as still as you can so I can finish my checks.
I think the doctor's right.
That was one hell of a fall.
And you are?
Oh, I'm Jean.
This is Dom.
We're friends of Jeremy and Judith.
Here we go.
Drink this.
[Gasps] Oh.
So pleased you're not dead.
My darling, I really do not want an ambulance.
I just want to rest.
I'll be fine after a lie-down.
May I make a suggestion?
Why don't you get yourself checked over by a doctor and then rest up here at the château?
We've got plenty of room.
Haven't we, darling?
Yes.
[Laughing] Of course.
Oh.
Thank you.
That sounds more acceptable.
Well... I'll cancel the ambulance, then.
Yeah, we'll, uh... leave.
Well, I-I -- Put this on your shoulders.
That's it.
Oh, you poor darling.
It must have been such a shock.
[Down-tempo music plays] [Insects chirping] I think we need a stiff drink.
Follow me.
You have to help me.
What is it, darling?
Someone pushed me.
What?
Someone's trying to kill me.
Then we must call the police immediately.
No.
We cannot.
If somebody is trying to kill you, we absolutely must.
The collection's only weeks away from being in store.
The scandal would kill us.
Well, I have a friend who may be able to help.
No, please.
No, no.
You just met her.
She's an antiques dealer, actually, But she's quite the one at solving problems.
Well, if you think she can help.
I'll call her in the morning.
Come on.
You need to sleep now.
[Down-tempo music plays] ♪ Look at his little face.
Shh.
This is an art.
The ancient art of drizzling.
Surprised you've not heard of it.
Well, I did say if you helped me lug that stock in, I'd make you breakfast.
Yes, but you didn't say it would be the best breakfast in the universe.
[Chuckles] What on earth is that?
Well, it's another item for Jeremy's Phantasmagoria Room.
His what room?
"Phantasmagoria."
[Laughs] Dealers use it to describe a really mad collection.
Mm.
Which Jeremy's certainly is.
Yeah.
What are they, then?
Siberian sunglasses -- uh, snow goggles, essentially.
Sun -- Nah.
[Laughs] Oh, wow.
I was gonna say I've seen it all, but I literally can't see anything in these.
They're also used by shamans.
Mm.
Perfect for Judith.
[Laughs] [Cellphone ringing] Oh, Judith.
Oh!
Hello?
What?
Okay, Ju-- Yeah.
All r-- Calm down, Judith.
We're on our way.
Grab your pancakes.
We've got an attempted murder on our hands.
[Down-tempo music plays] Ah!
Bonjour, Gloria.
Bonjour.
Simone: Bonjour.
I thought I'd see if my bracelet was ready.
Uh, let me go check for you.
Great shop.
Merci.
I'm Cooper.
Nice to meet you.
We have met before, no?
I don't think so.
Unless I have a double.
Two of you?
Lucky me.
[Chuckles] Can you come back in an hour?
The next batch of repairs from the workshop will be here by then.
Oh, I'm a bit booked up today.
No worries.
I'll come get it for you.
Ah!
How did I ever manage without you?
Right.
Well, I'll see you later.
Well, I won't.
Cooper will.
Bye!
Simone: Bye!
[Door opens, closes] [Down-tempo music plays] Someone pushed their fist into the small of my back, and that's what made me fall off the balcony.
Are you sure?
Absolutely.
Okay.
So who else was up there on the balcony with you?
Only the young model who walked up the other side.
And you've worked with her before?
No, no.
As usual, I give Violet a selection of the best models, and she has the final say.
And what's her name?
Um, Noemie, I think.
But what possible reason would she have for hurting Violet?
Young girls can be very jealous, you know.
I wholeheartedly agree.
My jawline is the envy of the nail salon.
And not one of those girls is over 18.
When I was young, I was more interested in my education than what I looked like.
Oh!
Where did you study?
Loughborough.
Textiles.
That's where I was spotted by a model scout.
Modeled my own designs.
Next thing, I'm on the cover of British Elle.
The rest is history.
How simply divine!
Oh!
So there was definitely no one else up there on the balcony with you?
Oh.
I think I saw your stage manager up there.
Lucia?
How would you know it was her?
Well, she had "stage manager" written on the back of her T-shirt.
Jean: Are you sure?
Absolutely!
There had to be someone up there to fix the lights.
Huh!
Well, It couldn't have been Lucia who pushed me.
No.
She's so loyal and kind.
Like family.
Yeah.
Can you ask her to meet me?
Oh, and, um, could I have that model's number, please?
Yeah.
Of course.
We won't involve the police, but I think we need to have a little chat with, uh, both these ladies.
Mm-hmm.
I've got a little surprise for you.
Is it nicked?
Leave it out.
Go on, then.
I'm getting an Irish stout pump installed tomorrow.
You're joking!
You've only been here five minutes.
I think people will come from miles around when they know that we serve the old ebony nectar.
Yeah.
I'm so sorry.
It's just my daughter Chantal.
She's 15.
Big hockey match today.
Mm.
So, you are Jean?
Yeah.
Thanks for coming.
Um, I saw you at the fashion show when Violet fell.
She was so lucky.
She was.
Pascal said you needed, uh, some questions answering?
Yeah, that's right.
Are you police?
No.
I'm just a friend of Jeremy and Judith's trying to help.
Oh, this is Dom.
Oh, hiya.
Hello.
So, what do you need to know?
Well, some strange information has come up about Violet's fall.
Really?
Yeah.
Um, she's insisting that she was pushed.
Pardon?
Where were you when she fell?
I was observing from the ground floor.
Are you absolutely sure about that?
Yes.
What is your official title?
I am the company manager for Violet Oliver Holdings.
As well as stage manager?
Every kind of manager.
Mm.
May I be candid?
Of course.
Violet is the most needy, dramatic person I have ever met.
I mean, I love her, but I have learned to take everything she says with a pinch of salt.
So you're saying that she's lying?
I don't think she means to lie.
I just think she prefers her own version of events.
Oh.
Well, thanks for your help.
Is that it?
Yeah.
Yeah.
For now.
Oh.
It's got to be her.
I mean, why did she lie about not being on the balcony?
Well, let's not jump to conclusions.
Jeremy might have seen her up there earlier and got it wrong.
I mean, he was stressed out of his mind that day with all those demanding models.
[Cellphone chimes] Mm, talking of which, it's that model girl, Noemie.
She's having a fitting 'round the corner in La Boutique.
Let's go and pay her a visit.
Ah, oui.
The bracelet is here.
I will go get it.
You know, a guy could get the wrong idea with you staring like that.
I'm sorry.
I'm just so sure I've seen you before.
Mm.
It must be my movie-star looks.
Ah.
How much do I owe you?
Oh, Gloria has already paid.
Thank you.
Goodbye.
Bye.
[Door opens, closes] Ouch!
Sorry.
My skin's a bit sensitive at the moment.
What did you want again?
Um, when did you get booked for the Violet Oliver job?
Pascal called me early yesterday morning, and as I was local, I happened to be free.
Cutting it a bit fine, isn't it?
It happens sometimes.
But the opportunity to work in front of all these important fashion buyers was too exciting to miss.
And how was the rehearsal?
Fine.
Except... ...the strange thing was, Madame Violet told me to swap show outfits with her.
What do you mean?
I was about to do the dress rehearsal wearing the jumpsuit, and she said I should wear her signature gown instead.
Oh.
Well, how did you feel about that?
Honored, I suppose.
And I just did what I was told.
It was very uncomfortable.
She made me wear it all day.
You were sitting in it all day?
Standing mostly.
It's the same with many of the top designers.
They pay you well, so you do as you're told.
So, um, what happened at the top of the stairs?
I just got to the top.
There was a power cut or something, and then... she fell off the balcony.
And that's it?
Yes.
I'm sorry I can't help you more.
I'm feeling really unwell all of a sudden.
Must be something I ate.
Can we do this tomorrow?
[Mozart's "Symphony No.
1" ringtone plays] Models, eh?
[Door opens, bells chime] So we think they're both lying.
Yeah.
Now, let's assume Jeremy was right and he saw Lucia on that balcony.
And there's no way a successful model like Noemie would be booked on the same morning of such an important show like that.
No.
No.
Of course not.
I need to speak to Caron.
No, but Judith said we're not supposed to go to the police.
I know, but I really need his help.
[Down-tempo music plays] [Door opens] Charlie: Ah.
This is the last of Jean's stuff.
[Chuckles] I like this game that Jeremy's playing, but he will never beat us.
How can you still look so stunning in those?
I don't know.
[Chuckles] Siberian sunglasses.
Ugly and extremely rare.
The last time I saw a pair of those was in a lost-property auction box I bid at for my first shop in Orlez.
I nearly threw them away, huh?
Orlez.
Of course.
Orlez!
Monsieur, um, Wilson.
Pardon?
My shop in Orlez 25 years ago.
That is where I've seen Cooper before.
But he was called Monsieur Wilson.
He used to come to the shop to sell the odd piece of, uh, house clearance every now and then.
But I realized after his last visit... that a Rena Dumas Hermès chess set from my shop, it was missing.
He denied it, of course.
But...I knew it was him.
It had to be.
[Sighs] This doesn't make any sense.
But no crime has actually been committed.
All you have is a one-sided accusation of a dramatic ex-model turned fashion designer.
You trust my instincts, don't you?
Most of the time.
Look, I know Violet is dramatic.
But she's also very scared.
That fall could have been fatal.
But it wasn't.
[Sighs] Is there nothing you can do to help?
[Sighs] I might be able to help.
What do you want to know?
I need to know the ins and outs of the Olivers' bank accounts.
That is breaking data protection law.
Not breaking.
Just bending it a little.
I didn't see this.
[Down-tempo music plays] All right.
Charlie: I think I heard a rattle in the Fiat this morning.
Shall we book in with Gloria?
We've literally just bought it from her.
You're not gonna let this Cooper thing go, are you?
[Sighs] Fine.
If it will make you happy, we'll go and pay her a visit.
[Keyboard clacking] Okay.
Lots of purchases for the business.
Expenses.
Mostly restaurants.
There's a recurring payment to a European garden company.
Wow.
That's a lot of money.
Yeah.
I imagine they live in a massive house, though.
So it's probably for garden maintenance and... Yeah, I suppose so.
So there's lots of money coming in, and it looks like the rest of what's going out is going to charities.
Yeah.
So we've got the Red Cross, Emmaus... the Stone Association.
Stone Association.
I've never heard of them.
Let me have a look.
[Keyboard clacking] Mm.
I can't find them anywhere.
That's my first name.
Stone?
No.
Well, yes.
My name's Chantal.
It's the old Occitane word for "stone."
My mother thought it would make me strong.
Oh.
So your name's Chantal?
Yes.
[Down-tempo music plays] Hang on.
Lucia was on the phone to her daughter, who's called Chantal.
Look up that bank account number for me.
[Keyboard clacking] [Gasps] Well, I'll be damned.
Violet, darling, can I ask you something?
Of course.
The beautiful outfit you wore on the launch night -- What inspired the gloves?
Such a beautiful touch.
I'm glad you noticed, darling.
It was my homage to the great Audrey Hepburn in "Breakfast at Tiffany's."
It's my favorite film.
It's gratifying that someone understands my attention to detail.
I bet you can't wait to get home.
Uh, do you know when you'll be leaving?
Well, our Paris apartment awaits, but if you don't mind, my wife seems to be recovering beautifully in the sunshine.
Thank you for being such wonderful hosts.
Of course.
There's absolutely no rush.
Of course not.
It's a complete pleasure to have you here.
Isn't it, darling?
Complete.
Thank you so much.
Oh.
Can I have some more tea?
Oh.
Of course.
[Clears throat] Oh, yes.
[Clears throat] No problem at all.
[Chuckles] [Birds chirping] [Doorbell rings] Ah!
Thank heavens.
Hello, Jeremy.
You all right?
Yeah.
How's Violet?
She's a pain in the backside.
That's how she is.
I meant how's her recovery.
Well, she seems fine to me, and as soon as she gets back to her fancy Parisian penthouse, the better.
Oh, penthouse.
How lovely.
It is, actually.
It's right in the center of the 7th Arrondissement, near the Eiffel Tower.
I know all about it.
Would you like some tea?
I'm making some, apparently.
Um, we've just popped 'round to see Lucia, actually.
Oh, she's working outside.
[Birds chirping, indistinct conversation] Judith: Of course, there's absolutely no rush.
Hello again.
Um, we wondered if we could ask you some more questions.
Of course.
Anything to help.
We have evidence that the Stone Association, a charity that you set up, is actually the account of a very smart boarding school in Hampshire called Burlingdale College, where a certain Chantal Smith, your daughter, attends.
I can explain.
Stealing from the hand that feeds you?
Please.
What happened?
Did Violet find out, and that's why you pushed her over the balcony?
Please.
Don't tell them.
I am on my own.
My husband died three years ago, and I could not bear to take her out of the school she loved so much.
We have an eyewitness who saw you at the top of the stairs when Violet fell.
I was up those stairs, but I was fixing the lights.
So why lie when we asked where you were?
I was scared.
When Violet said someone pushed her off the balcony... She's so dramatic.
I panicked and said I wasn't there.
Please.
Why would I kill the person who is paying mine and my daughter's keep?
I mean, why?
[Mozart's "Symphony No.
1" ringtone plays] Hey, darling.
Can I call you back?
[Down-tempo music plays] Can I help you with anything?
Um, we have to go.
But you only just got here.
Jean: Yeah.
[Exhales deeply] ♪ [Doorbell buzzes] ♪ [Exhales deeply] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [Engine idling] ♪ Simone: This is exciting.
My first stakeout.
Simone, we are not staking out.
We are following a line of curiosity.
Mm.
You know what I want to do?
Follow that guy?
I thought you'd never ask.
♪ ♪ What did I tell you?
I knew we were going to Orlez.
Huh?
♪ ♪ Noemie: [Coughing] ♪ Pardon.
I'm still not very well.
I wish I looked as good as you when I was ill.
Well, um, I wanted to talk to you about your ringtone.
[Coughs] What?
When we were at your dress fitting earlier, your phone went off, and it was Mozart's "1st Symphony."
Oui.
We just heard that again -- from Pascal's phone.
And I thought it was a bit of a coincidence that you had the same unusual ringtone as one of your bosses that you say you've never met.
It's not the first time you've done business with Pascal Oliver, is it?
Okay.
I do know Pascal.
I went to a casting at his office in Paris, and he suggested that I could be the face of the new Violet Phoenician collection but he would need to get to know me first.
That old chestnut?
Why the same ringtone?
Well, after a few meetings, he shared the ringtone with me so that I knew it was him phoning.
I had no idea he had the same one.
I went for meeting after meeting with him.
We got on so well.
Then he started asking about my family and my parents, and I told him I was adopted at birth, so I'm quite protective of my parents.
He became quite defensive, so I thought I'd blown it.
But then I got a phone call out of the blue to walk with Violet at the launch.
When did you get that call?
I told you -- early yesterday morning.
Why on earth would I push her over the balcony?
This was my big chance.
Why didn't you tell us all this before?
I was sworn to secrecy by Pascal.
I have no idea why.
Oh.
Thank you.
Oh.
Present from Pascal.
Nice.
[Door opens, closes] Do you believe a word of that?
Same ringtone?
Only couples do that, don't they?
They must be having an affair.
Yeah.
Well, it would explain the sensitive skin and feeling sick all the time.
Yeah.
What?
Think about it, Dom.
She's pregnant.
With Pascal's baby!
She'd really want Violet out of the way then, wouldn't she?
Yeah.
[Down-tempo music plays] ♪ ♪ [Birds chirping] ♪ [Cellphone ringing] ♪ Hey.
Hey, handsome.
Have I got a surprise for you.
I don't know.
Have you?
Tickets to the first screening of that Chet Baker film you were on about.
Seriously?
Yeah.
And the director is doing a question-and-answer session afterwards.
Oh.
Ain't you the best.
[Chuckles] Do I get a kiss?
[Smooches] [Chuckles] See you later, gorgeous.
Bye.
Bye.
[Birds chirping] [Down-tempo music plays] ♪ Hey!
♪ Look at you.
♪ What do we do?
There is only one thing we can do.
[Indistinct conversation] Ooh!
Dom!
Jean!
Judith: Oh, there they are.
Oh, Jeremy, darling!
Could I get some more boiling water for this tea?
Uh, again?
[Chuckling] Oh, yes.
Of course!
Thank you.
Pascal: Just a visit.
Was it bad news?
What?
Why you rushed off before.
Well, it depends on how you look at it.
Pardon?
Noemie confirmed that she knew you before yesterday.
Well, I cast a lot of models.
Was your relationship with Noemie... more than professional?
[Down-tempo music plays] Fair enough.
If that's the way you want to play it.
♪ ♪ [Doorbell rings] ♪ I'll get it.
[Whispering] What the hell are you doing here?
Hello, Monsieur Wilson.
I knew it was you.
Keep your voice down.
My wife's inside.
Your wife?
What's that got to do with you?
It has everything to do with me.
I never forget a face, especially one that steals.
But I haven't stolen anything from Gloria.
I don't mean from Gloria.
I'm referring to the antique Hermès chess set you stole from my shop 25 years ago.
Quite the house of cards you have created -- a child, a wife... a girlfriend.
So what are you gonna do?
Break up my family home just to stick up for your friend?
I'm not going to do anything.
You are.
Is that right?
You must break it off with Gloria.
You will go back inside and write her a letter.
[Exhales sharply] What?
Tell her you're dying.
Tell her you're moving back to the U.S.
Tell her you're an alien.
Whatever.
But do it today.
And I will wait over there until it is done.
And I will be the one to post it.
And if I don't?
[Down-tempo music plays] Then I will tear down your house of cards.
♪ ♪ Give me half an hour.
Ten minutes.
I don't want to miss the post.
♪ [Door opens] [Birds chirping] [Cellphone chimes] Oh.
It's Noemie.
Uh, "I need to talk to you.
It's about Pascal.
We need everyone to know the truth."
Oh.
I knew it.
That Noemie's younger than our Claudie.
Fancy getting her pregnant.
♪ ♪ Monsieur Wilson.
I know some very dangerous people.
If you step foot in Sainte Victoire again, there will be trouble.
♪ ♪ [Engine starts] ♪ ♪ [Doorbell buzzes] ♪ [Knock on door] Dom?
♪ [Birds chirping, vehicles passing in distance] The early signs indicate that she was poisoned.
Her mouth and tongue are swollen and inflamed, and she has a rash on her body.
W-With what?
We don't know yet.
Richard says that there was nothing obvious found in her apartment that seemed poisonous.
That's a bit odd.
Yeah.
She came home around 12:45.
There was a delivery at 1:30 p.m., and the only visitors... Were, um...were us.
Video doorbell.
Precisely.
Mm-hmm.
Well, we didn't poison her.
We should know more tomorrow.
Can I ask what made you go to her apartment?
Mozart.
Pardon?
She had the same ringtone as Pascal, which happens to be Mozart's "1st Symphony," which we thought was a bit unusual.
So we went 'round to ask a few questions.
Hey, darling.
Can I call you back?
And -- And she almost confessed to having an affair with Pascal.
Almost confessed?
Yeah.
So the pair of you have been playing detective all day?
No.
Not really.
Like you said, no crime had been committed.
We were just, um... just -- just a bit curious.
A crime has been committed now, so you can leave it to the police.
Thank you for your help.
Um, there is just, uh, one more thing.
Yeah.
Um...we think she might have been pregnant.
[Down-tempo music plays] ♪ So a young woman dies of poison, but there's none to be found.
Now, what secret was she about to tell?
W-Was she pregnant?
Do you think it was Noemie who pushed Violet off the balcony so she could have Pascal all to herself?
Well, in that case, who was trying to stop her telling us?
Oh, my head's spinning.
One of your childhood favorites, on the house.
Egg and chips.
You haven't, have you?
Oh, you... [Laughs] I took him on a day trip to Calais once.
He ate so many snails, he nearly grew a shell!
Haven't been able to touch one since.
I mean, look at them.
Who has eyes that aren't on their face?
He threw up on the ferry all the way home!
There is microscopic teeth in those mucus mouths.
I mean, what for?
And look at the disgusting color of 'em.
You know, that disgusting color made them a very valuable commodity in the ancient world.
How?
How on earth can that be true?
No, no, no.
No, no.
It is true.
Extract of snail used to make purple dye.
Well, back then, it took thousands and thousands of little snails to make one tiny pot.
That's why only very rich people or royalty could wear purple.
An extract?
Yeah.
Yeah.
From their...bottoms, actually.
What?
Who -- Who would even think of that?
"Oh, do you know what I'm gonna do today?
I'm gonna dissect a snail's bottom 'cause it looks a bit purple and see if I can dye some king's pants."
What?
That's not -- I'm sorry.
Uncle Patrick, take them away.
I'm gonna throw up.
[Laughing] King's pants!
Mm-hmm.
[Laughs] K-King's pants.
[Gasps] Of course!
Caron?
It's me.
Meet me at the château in the morning.
And there's some things I need you to bring.
[Exhales deeply] [Down-tempo music plays] [Birds chirping] ♪ So...we have quite the conundrum here.
An attempted murder... and an actual murder.
Jean?
Well, firstly, who could have possibly pushed Violet from the balcony?
Your, um... Your loyal manager, Lucia?
Violet: Of course not.
I don't believe that for a moment.
I trust you implicitly.
Jean: I agree.
I think, um, for many reasons, that's highly unlikely.
But, uh, that young model that you both hired -- Now, that's a different story, isn't it?
Well, it certainly wasn't the first time that you'd met Noemie, was it, Pascal?
What?
I don't understand.
You knew her?
Oh.
Oh, he did.
In fact, I would suggest that you were obsessed with her.
You promised her the world.
All you had to do was get it past Violet.
But that wouldn't prove so easy, would it?
That's not how it was.
How about you just cut the middleman and get rid of Violet permanently?
One quick push over the balcony from your new muse should do it.
But then you realized that you'd gone too far with your new muse by getting her pregnant.
Maybe a deadly gift could silence her as well.
Pregnant?
This is ridiculous.
A deadly gift?
What gift?
So...this silk robe is steeped in a deadly weed killer called paraquat.
And the swollen mouth, the rash on the skin are all symptoms of this particular poison.
This is how Noemie was murdered.
Now... I think I know where the idea came from.
In ancient times, only royalty could wear purple because it was so hard to make.
Then a synthetic alternative was created in the 19th century called mauveine.
Now, the only problem was, people started dying because the process involved a poison which, when absorbed with the skin, proved deadly.
Just like that silk robe.
But don't worry, Pascal.
I know the idea wasn't yours, as, indeed, neither was the deadly gift... because I know who sent it.
It was you, Violet.
When I saw the gift card, I knew.
It was the same handwriting as your trademark.
[Indistinct conversations] You knew that Pascal had met Noemie before... ...and this girl was becoming very important in his life, and you had to do something about it.
And you knew it was only a matter of time before Pascal offered Noemie up as a choice of model for one of your shows.
And you were ready for her.
You laced your signature dress in that poison, and you made her stand in it all day.
Oh, come on, Violet.
We know you've been ordering paraquat for months.
Caron checked with your Swedish supplier.
Wow.
That's a lot of money.
Yeah.
I imagine they live in a massive house, though.
So it's probably for garden maintenance and... Why on earth would you need a deadly weed killer when you live in an apartment in the middle of Paris?
Hmm?
For one reason and one reason only.
You used your extensive knowledge of textiles to disguise that paraquat into a purple dye, and your signature gown and that robe are steeped in it.
[Down-tempo music plays] I never meant to kill her.
I just meant to make her ill, get her out of the way.
I'd seen this girl turn Pascal's head.
I'd suspected others over the years, but... she was different.
I had to do something.
I knew Pascal would want to use her for the launch, so I was prepared.
The bodice of the signature dress was laced with paraquat.
And I made her wear it all day.
Jean: But you also tried to frame her for murder.
I just wanted to throw suspicion on her, to rubbish her name and make her very ill for a while.
I threw myself down.
All those years in the yoga dojo came in very handy.
But it didn't work as well as I thought.
So I sent the robe to make her more sick... just to make sure another dose was absorbed, get her off the modeling circuit for a while so that he could forget about her.
But the dye must have been too strong.
You drove me to it.
How could you when I gave you everything?
You told me you'd love me forever.
And you got that tart pregnant?!
Violet, she wasn't pregnant because she wasn't my lover.
She was my sister.
[Exhales sharply] Your sister?
What on earth are you talking about?
I met her -- I met Noemie at a casting in Paris, and -- and I couldn't believe how much she looked like my mother.
I had one picture of her before they put me in care, and i-it was like I was looking at her again.
When I checked her record for a work visa, I found out I was right.
She was my sister.
I had to get to know her.
Why didn't you tell me?
I was going to as soon as I could, but I wanted Noemie to know first.
I wanted to -- to make sure that -- that she would accept me.
I wanted to do things right.
I didn't want to turn her life upside down before I knew for sure.
I only told her yesterday, Violet.
You murdered my only living relative.
Pascal... [Voice breaking] I'm so sorry.
I'm so sorry.
So that's why you were wearing gloves.
It was nothing to do with "Breakfast at Tiffany's."
[Down-tempo music plays] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Hey, love.
It's me.
Sorry for another message.
I could have sworn we said we were seeing each other last night.
I probably got it wrong.
Me and my menopause memory.
Who is this again?
[Chuckles] Only joking.
Hope you're okay.
Bye.
♪ Oh.
What have we been invited to?
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪
New Episode- Drama

Benjamin Wainwright stars as Maigret in the contemporary adaptation of Georges Simenon's novels.
New Episode- Drama

Hugh Bonneville stars in a crime drama inspired by one of the largest robberies in British history.












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