Catherine confronts Frances over Tommy’s crimes
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Catherine expresses her concern that Frances's willingness to believe Tommy's version of events makes her seem "unhinged" and "misguided.
Frances defends Tommy, asserting that he isn't intrinsically evil but a product of his childhood, and that with kindness, he can become good, kind and gentle.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Defiant on the surface, but deeply fragile and unraveling. Her emotional state oscillates between righteous certainty and desperate vulnerability, particularly when Catherine forces her to confront the brutality of Tommy’s actions. She masks her insecurity with biblical platitudes and appeals to logic, but her voice betrays her—wavering when challenged, sharpening when defensive. The accusation of jealousy is a last-ditch effort to shift the focus away from her own complicity in Tommy’s manipulation.
Frances follows Catherine into the sitting room with a mix of defiance and fragility, her body language tense but her voice steady. She touches her engagement ring repeatedly, a nervous tic that underscores her emotional investment in Tommy. Her justifications for his actions are delivered with conviction, though her arguments grow increasingly desperate as Catherine counters each point with forensic precision. She clings to biblical phrases and appeals to Tommy’s ‘childhood trauma,’ her voice wavering when Catherine challenges her denial. The absence of Tommy and Ryan’s photos forces her into defensive mode, and she lashes out with accusations of jealousy, her emotional fragility exposed. The cuddly toy and crucifix in the room contrast sharply with the darkness of her delusions, symbolizing her twisted nurturing instincts.
- • To defend Tommy Lee Royce’s character and justify his actions as products of a troubled past, not inherent evil.
- • To convince Catherine (and herself) that Tommy is capable of redemption and deserves a relationship with Ryan.
- • To maintain her delusional belief system by dismissing or reinterpreting evidence of Tommy’s crimes.
- • Tommy Lee Royce is not inherently evil but a product of his childhood trauma, and kindness can redeem him.
- • Catherine’s opposition to Tommy stems from jealousy or negativity, not objective truth.
- • Her engagement to Tommy and her role in facilitating his relationship with Ryan are altruistic and justified.
- • The court’s verdicts and forensic evidence are flawed or biased against Tommy.
Not directly observable, but inferred through the reactions of Catherine and Frances. His absence amplifies the emotional stakes—Catherine’s rage and grief are responses to his actions, while Frances’ defiance is a reaction to his grooming. The room itself feels charged with his presence, as if his crimes have left a residual darkness.
Tommy Lee Royce is physically absent from the scene but is the focal point of the confrontation, his crimes and manipulation the subject of every exchange. His influence looms large—Frances’ engagement ring, the missing photos of him and Ryan, and her defensive justifications all stem from his psychological hold over her. Catherine’s recounting of his rapes, murders, and attempts on her life paints him as a predatory monster, while Frances’ delusional belief in his redemption frames him as a tragic figure. The tension in the room is a direct result of his absence; his crimes are the unspoken third presence, shaping every word and reaction.
- • To maintain his influence over Frances, even from prison, by reinforcing her delusions about his redemption.
- • To use Frances as a pawn to gain access to Ryan, his biological son.
- • To undermine Catherine’s authority and protect his own interests by sowing doubt and confusion.
- • He is entitled to a relationship with his son, Ryan, regardless of the circumstances of Ryan’s conception.
- • His crimes are justified or excusable due to his ‘awful childhood’ or self-defense.
- • He can manipulate others (like Frances) into believing in his redemption and serving his interests.
Not directly observable, but his invocation underscores the moral seriousness of the debate. Catherine’s tone is grim when mentioning him, while Frances’ quick justification betrays her discomfort with the truth.
Brett McKendrick is mentioned by Catherine as another of Tommy’s victims, his death cited as evidence of Tommy’s violent nature. Frances acknowledges Tommy killed him but claims it was in self-defense. Brett’s name is used as part of Catherine’s litany of Tommy’s crimes, his murder a fact in the argument. Like Kirsten, his absence is felt—his death is another piece of the puzzle Catherine uses to dismantle Frances’ delusions, while Frances’ justification reveals her willingness to rationalize even the most egregious acts.
- • To highlight the pattern of violence associated with Tommy Lee Royce.
- • To challenge Frances’ denial of Tommy’s guilt by presenting undeniable facts.
- • Tommy’s actions have ripple effects that harm innocent people.
- • Frances’ justifications for Tommy’s crimes are morally bankrupt.
Not directly observable, but his invocation carries a chilling weight. Catherine’s voice is sharp when mentioning him, and Frances’ immediate deflection reveals her inability to confront the truth.
Ian Brady is invoked by Catherine as a comparison to Tommy Lee Royce, his name used to highlight the absurdity of Frances’ denial. The mention of Brady—one of Britain’s most notorious serial killers—serves as a rhetorical device to expose the flaw in Frances’ argument that Tommy’s appearance makes him incapable of evil. Frances’ response (‘But he doesn’t. Look like them.’) reveals the superficiality of her reasoning, her inability to see beyond surface appearances. Brady’s absence is a ghost in the room, a reminder of the depths of depravity human beings are capable of.
- • To underscore the moral seriousness of Tommy’s crimes by comparison to historical monsters.
- • To force Frances to confront the reality that evil is not always visible on the surface.
- • Evil is not determined by appearance but by actions.
- • Frances’ denial of Tommy’s guilt is a dangerous form of self-deception.
Not directly observable, but her invocation carries weight—Catherine’s voice tightens when mentioning her, and Frances’ deflection reveals her discomfort with the truth. Kirsten’s absence is a void that highlights the moral divide between the two women.
Kirsten McAskill is mentioned by Catherine as one of Tommy Lee Royce’s murder victims, her name invoked to underscore the brutality of his crimes. Frances immediately deflects, claiming Lewis Whippey was the actual perpetrator. Kirsten’s absence in the room is palpable—her death is a fact used as ammunition in the argument, her memory a silent witness to the moral stakes of the confrontation. The mention of her murder serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of Tommy’s actions, contrasting with Frances’ denial.
- • To serve as a reminder of the real-world consequences of Tommy’s actions.
- • To reinforce Catherine’s argument that Tommy is irredeemable and dangerous.
- • Tommy Lee Royce’s crimes have lasting, devastating effects on individuals and families.
- • Justice for victims like Kirsten is a moral imperative.
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
The missing photos of Tommy Lee Royce and Ryan Cawood are a critical detail in the confrontation, their absence serving as a silent accusation and a clue to the police’s involvement. Frances mentions their removal by ‘your people,’ her voice sharp with accusation, which Catherine does not directly address but which looms over the exchange. The empty spaces on the wall or surface where the photos once were highlight the fragility of Frances’ reality—her inability to hold onto her delusions in the face of external scrutiny. The photos’ absence is a physical manifestation of the unraveling of her narrative, a tangible sign that the truth is catching up with her. Catherine does not need to dwell on their removal; the fact that they are gone speaks volumes.
The cuddly toy in Frances’ sitting room serves as a poignant symbol of her twisted maternal instincts and delusional nurturing role. Its soft, childlike form contrasts sharply with the sparse, religiously adorned room, underscoring the disconnect between Frances’ self-image as a caring figure and the reality of her involvement with a dangerous criminal. Catherine notices the toy but does not directly engage with it; instead, its presence in the room—amid the absence of Tommy and Ryan’s photos—silently underscores Frances’ emotional detachment from reality. The toy becomes a visual metaphor for Frances’ inability to see the danger in her actions, her focus instead on a fantasy of motherhood and redemption.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
Frances’ sitting room is the battleground for this ideological clash, its sparse decor and religious symbols creating an atmosphere of tension and moral ambiguity. The room’s austerity—marked by a crucifix, a picture of Jesus, and the missing photos of Tommy and Ryan—reflects Frances’ fractured reality. The absence of personal touches (beyond the cuddly toy and religious icons) underscores her emotional detachment and the artificiality of her world. The room is not just a physical space but a metaphor for Frances’ psychological state: barren, controlled, and filled with symbols of faith and nurturing that mask the darkness of her delusions. Catherine’s presence disrupts this fragile equilibrium, her strategic calm a counterpoint to the room’s oppressive stillness.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"Catherine arrives at Frances' house aiming to stop the harm to Ryan, and tries build trust by suggesting she she isn't a bad person. Paralleling their efforts."
Key Dialogue
"FRANCES: Ryan should have a relationship with his father. However difficult things are."
"CATHERINE: Tommy Lee Royce is a psychopath. He’s a murderer and he’s a sex offender. And you must know - you must realise - that you have allowed yourself to be deluded by this dangerous man because you’re infatuated with him."
"FRANCES: I believe that no-one is born evil. He may have done things... but we all do that, we’re all human. But he isn’t evil. He’s a product of his childhood... With help - and kindness - I believe he will become the person he was always capable of being. Good and kind and gentle and thoughtful."
"CATHERINE: He’s using you. He’s used you. To get close to Ryan. He’s groomed you. You’ve been groomed. You’ve been picked, you’ve been chosen, for what he can get out of you."
"FRANCES: You’re jealous."
"CATHERINE: On the inside... he looks exactly like them. And one day... the scales will fall away from your eyes. Because they always do."