The Levelling

As Clover returns to the family farm on the Somerset Levels, she's met with a somber atmosphere and a sense of disarray. Her brother Harry's recent passing has left an indelible mark on the property and its occupants. The once-thriving farm is now beset by dilapidation, a direct result of the devastating flooding that ravaged the levels. Aubrey, their father, seems lost in his own world, struggling to come to terms with Harry's demise.

Clover's efforts to reconnect with her father are met with silence and distance. She tries to help him with the farm work, including the laborious task of milking their herd. However, their collaboration is marred by the discovery of buried badger corpses while digging trenches with James, the farm laborer. The gruesome find sparks outrage in Clover, who suspects Aubrey's involvement, only to be told that it was actually Harry's doing.

Aubrey's words are laced with a hint of denial, as he refuses to accept the truth about Harry's suicide. Instead, he insists that it must have been an accident, a notion that only serves to further unsettle Clover. As she navigates her father's emotional turmoil, she learns more about the farm's dire financial straits and Aubrey's plans to sell half of their herd.

The arrival of new life on the farm brings both joy and tragedy. One of the pregnant cows gives birth to a male calf, which Aubrey insists Clover must cull immediately. The task proves agonizing for the vegetarian Clover, but she ultimately takes her father's advice to heart.

As she cleans the house and mobile home where she now resides with her father, Clover uncovers cans of petrol in the kitchen. Later that night, she invites James over for a chat and leads him into the kitchen, carrying a flaming torch. However, James wisely intervenes, cautioning her about the potential dangers posed by the flammable liquids.

Their conversation takes a more serious turn as James shares details about the events surrounding Harry's passing. Clover learns of the heated argument between Aubrey and Harry at the party, which ultimately led to her brother's downfall. This new information paints a picture of Harry as a man under immense pressure from their father to take over the farm.

The following day, Animal Health arrives on the scene, transporting equipment to test for tuberculosis in the herd. Clover is left reeling as she's forced to confront the reality that TB was present in their cows all along. Her attempts to discuss these revelations with her father are met with defensiveness and blame, as Aubrey accuses her of abandoning him during Harry's struggles.

The argument between them eventually reaches a boiling point, culminating in Aubrey ordering Clover from the mobile home. As she leaves, she's left to wonder if she'll ever be able to reconcile their fractured relationship and help her father come to terms with his loss.

As the somber morning of the funeral dawns, Aubrey's self-medication has reached a critical level, his earlier decision to stand by his word, not to intervene, now replaced with a desperate attempt to drown his sorrows. Unbeknownst to Clover, who is still reeling from the loss, Aubrey had been instructed by Harry (character name not provided) to reach out and persuade her to return and help sort out the impending chaos. However, Aubrey's initial reluctance to get involved has given way to a mix of guilt and despair as he frantically tries to fill the void left by his friend's passing.

Just as Clover is about to depart for the funeral, her intuition kicks in, and she notices the missing key to the gun cupboard, her worst fears confirmed: Aubrey is on the verge of self-destruction. The sound of a single gunshot carries across the farm, shattering the stillness, and Clover rushes out into the muddy fields, where she finds Aubrey amidst his own distraught chaos, methodically dispatching his beloved herd. His words are laced with desperation as he implores Clover to return to university, insisting that there's no place for her at the farm.

Clover's response is a poignant mix of understanding and resignation, her tone heavy with the weight of reality: "You're saying I should go?" Aubrey's collapse into sobs on the muddy ground serves as a stark reminder of the devastating toll his actions have taken. As they finally come together in a long-overdue embrace, it becomes clear that for Aubrey, the only way to find solace is through the cathartic release of tears, his fragile emotions laid bare before Clover's compassionate gaze.