Foyle's War: A Lesson In Murder was created and written by Anthony Horowitz and produced by Greenlit Productions for ITV1.
This summary is in no way intended as a substitute for viewing this fabulous episode.

Continued...

Susan Gascoigne meets Peter Buckingham in the summerhouse and tells him he shouldn't be on the premises as her father has forbidden her to see him again. Howard is angry, saying the man is just a snob. Susan says that she loves Theo but is worried what her father will do if he discovers him there. He tells her that he would give everything to be with her and doesn't understand why she can't feel the same way. As he leaves, he passes under a tree in which Joe is hiding and writing in his notebook.

Foyle visits Florence Beale on her farm and finds her teaching a class of young children in her kitchen. They walk from the house and across a busy farmyard to a barn. She explains that the place has become quite a centre for refugees of one sort or another and friends come with their children. They are pacifists. Foyle apologises for what happened to her husband, saying that it was wrong and promising that the people involved will be punished. Florence introduces Foyle to Theo Howard, a good friend. Howard says that Foyle has only come to assuage his guilt. Foyle says that he has come because he thinks it is the right thing to do.

Howard asks why he's not investigating Lawrence Gascoigne and when Foyle asks why he should, replies that the judge has presided over five tribunals in the last month. He dismissed four appeals, but to one he turned a strangely sympathetic ear. Stephen Brooks is now an official conscientious objector although no one in the farm community has ever met him and he is now working in Dorset with the Forestry Commission, well out of harm's way. Howard says that Stephen's father is rich and knows Gascoigne, and that Beale always said that the judge was corrupt. Foyle tells him the wording of the note: "You too will receive justice." Howard says he doesn't know anything about it, but someone has got the right idea.

Late in the day, in the station, Milner reports that he has been able to identify a couple of the words on the note as having come from the Illustrated and the Daily Express. "I'd say that's the work of someone not out of the top drawer." Foyle comments that perhaps that is what they are meant to think. Milner says a stain on the paper looks like machine oil.

Milner goes home after his shift at the station and finds a suitcase standing in the hallway. His wife is making the tea in the kitchen and he gives her a kiss on the cheek, but she shrugs him off. He asks about the suitcase and she tells him that she is going to visit her sister Kate in Wales. She says that there is plenty of food in the pantry and she'll only be gone a couple of weeks. "You don't mind, do you?" Milner plainly does mind, but says he doesn't. He tells her that he will miss her. Jane looks at him for a moment and then says, "I'll write."

In the police station Foyle is surprised to see Sam dressed in a pretty blue dress and wearing her hair down. He obviously approves. She explains that she changed in the station to go straight to the dance with Tony. She says that the boy is not really her type but she didn't want to let him down. Foyle looks at her appreciatively. "Well you won't do that. Have a good time." Sam smiles and leaves.

As the evening wears on Foyle sits at his desk reading the tribunal report on David Beale.

At the dance Tony explains to Sam that his father and her boss have been friends for a long time. Carlo had made the cake for Foyle's wedding.

Peter Buckingham is at the dance and greets Susan as she arrives. She tells him that she shouldn't really be there. She is not relaxed as they dance and Peter comments that she is scared. "You don't understand my father. Sometimes I wish..."

Jack Winters comes over to Sam and Tony's table. Sam takes an instant dislike to him and when he asks if she would mind if he joined them, says that as a matter of fact she would, and rises to encourage Tony to dance with her. Jack is not pleased with her response. As Tony joins Sam on the dance floor his friend reminds him that they are going to meet up later that night.

Under cover of darkness someone is preparing a murderous trap in the Gascoignes' summerhouse. A grenade is fastened to an interior post and wire leading from the pin is attached to the door handle.

***

Next morning Gascoigne comes to the breakfast table saying he has had a telephone call from someone telling him to go to the summerhouse because something has been left there for him, but he is not going to look. Joe gets up from the table saying he will go. Emily sternly tells the boy that he is not to go into the summerhouse. Joe leaves the room in a sulk. Once outside, he makes a beeline for the summerhouse and goes straight in. A loud explosion rends the air.

Foyle and Milner investigate the crime. As the boy's body is taken away by an ambulance crew, Milner observes that the grenade was meant for Gascoigne, but Foyle looks unsure.

In the Gascoigne house Milner asks for confirmation that Joe's father is coming today and Gascoigne says yes, but asks Foyle if he would meet the man at the station because he doesn't think he can face him. Foyle indicates that he will and asks to see Joe's room. Gascoigne leads the two policeman upstairs and as they go, they do not notice the usually self-possessed Emily burst into tears.

Foyle finds Joe's notebook under the bed and turns the pages to reveal scribbled words and drawings of buildings and people. Gascoigne remarks that the boy was eleven but had the level of a six-year-old.

As they return downstairs Foyle asks the judge to make a list of trials and tribunals he has presided over. Milner asks him if he knows of anyone who might want to hurt him. Gascoigne replies that he recently had a set-to with a man called Peter Buckingham, who had forced his attentions on Susan. Gascoigne tells them that Buckingham is a machine operator and works at the factory nearby that used to be a farm but is now a munitions factory. Foyle tells the judge that he will put two or three men outside the house for his protection.

After Foyle and Milner have left Emily expresses distaste at having the policemen on the premises, saying that it would never have been allowed in her father's day. Gascoigne says that times have changed.

Foyle meets Joe's father from the London train. He takes him into a waiting room and gives him the terrible news of his son's death. The distraught Pearson tells him that he never wanted Joe to leave London, but the authorities warned of bombing raids and Joe's mother said he would be safe in the country. In the anger of grief, Pearson demands to see Gascoigne. Foyle is very moved. He tells Pearson that if he chooses to stay he will find him a room, but there is no point in confronting Gascoigne.

On the farm Florence asks Howard where he was the night before, saying she has heard that someone has tried to kill the judge. He is astonished that she could suspect him of being the culprit as she knows that he is against killing. However, he thinks it a shame that the murder attempt was not successful.

Tony Lucciano arrives at the police station to ask Sam if she will go out with him again tonight. She appears reluctant but he says he needs to talk to her about something and so she agrees to meet him when her shift finishes at six o'clock.

In his office Foyle tells Milner that he wants to put somebody inside Gascoigne's house as well as outside, but they are short staffed. He accepts when the sergeant volunteers. He gives the list of Gascoigne's cases to Milner and asks if he recognises any of the names. Sam looks at them and says she recognises the name of Jack Winters. Foyle takes note and tells Milner to get over to Gascoignes.

Milner arrives at the Gascoigne house. The judge tells him that he is not entirely happy with the situation but he realises the necessity. He introduces Milner to his daughter.

Foyle goes to the munitions factory, but the foreman refuses him entry, saying Foyle will have to talk to the War Office if he wants to come in. Foyle asks if Peter Buckingham is there and the foreman says that he can talk to him but he can't come into the factory, and Buckingham can't discuss his work.

Buckingham talks to Foyle just inside the gate. He tells him that he used to meet Susan in the summerhouse until her father caught them and he has not been back since then because he is not seeing Susan any more. Foyle gets confirmation that Buckingham works as a machine operator. He thanks the man and shakes his hand.

As they walk away from the gate, Foyle remarks to Sam that it is odd for a machine operator to have clean hands. She suggests that Buckingham might have washed them and Foyle says maybe. He then observes the unevenness of the ground and wonders about the safety of transporting explosives over such. "And metal working, hardening steel? You'd need furnaces, lots of heat, wouldn't you? Well, there's no chimneys."

Susan talks to Milner on the veranda of her home. She tells him that Joe hated being there but she understood that coming from the East End of London, the huge house must have seemed to him like another planet. She says she can't see the point of having servants' quarters when you can't afford to have servants. She tells of how Joe was one of the last children left on the station, the others having been picked first because they were nice-looking or strong enough to work. She sheds a tear. "I chose him because he reminded me of me… left out."

Foyle is enjoying a drink with Carlo in the restaurant. The Italian says that he remembers the first day his friend came to the restaurant with Mrs Foyle. Foyle says that they weren't actually married then and teases his friend by adding, "And, d'y'know, that was the worst meal we ever had. I'm surprised we ever came back, y'know?"

Carlo bemoans the fact that the world is not the same now. He is concerned about what will happen to him and his family if Mussolini declares war. He says he worries about Tony, too. Foyle asks about Jack Winters and Carlo says he does not think he is any good, and asks Foyle to tell him if he ever thinks Tony is getting himself involved in anything. Foyle replies that the only thing Tony is involved with at the moment is his driver.

While they are walking out that evening, Tony tells Sam that he has joined up, but he's not sure how his dad will take the news. He is very nervous about being involved in the fighting. He thinks it would be easier if there was someone he could correspond with while he's away, but he's never had a real girlfriend. Sam assures him that she will write to him.

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