The Shipwrecked Marriage | Landlocked | 3

Turns out surviving the ocean was the easy part. Back on land, Maurice's health unravels and the couple who endured everything together find themselves more adrift than ever. The only cure, it seems, is the sea. Do you have a suggestion for a scandal you would like us to cover? Or perhaps you have a question you would like to ask our hosts? Email us at [email protected] See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Speaker names marked ? are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.

• 0:00Alice Levine?

  Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of British Scandal ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app. There is some swearing in this episode and some pretty gory references to consuming animals.

• 0:13Matt Forde?

  Or as I call it, a ham sandwich.

• 0:15Alice Levine?

  There's a fun little quiz here, Matt, that I thought you might want to do. It's about how you'd fare if you were lost at sea and it kind of tells you what personality type you are.

• 0:22Matt Forde?

  I love stuff like this.

• 0:23Alice Levine?

  Okay, great. So the first one says, what would you do if you get caught in a storm and you're running out of fresh water?

• 0:32Matt Forde?

  Okay, I would drown the other person in the boat and then drink their blood.

• 0:36Alice Levine?

  Okay, that's innovative. All right, different one, let's just move on. Rescuers come, but there's only room for one.

• 0:46Matt Forde?

  Okay, well, I think the fairest thing to do would be to say we're going to draw lots in the morning.

• 0:52Alice Levine?

  Great.

• 0:53Matt Forde?

  But then kill my fellow passenger in the night, and then I get to live.

• 0:57Alice Levine?

  Are you thinking of these on the spot?

• 0:59Matt Forde?

  Yeah.

• 1:00Alice Levine?

  Cool. And the final, are you sure we should carry on?

• 1:03Matt Forde?

  I'm loving it.

• 1:04Alice Levine?

  Yeah, yeah.

• 1:04Matt Forde?

  These games are so much fun.

• 1:06Alice Levine?

  They're so fun. Okay, well, the last one is you're stranded on a desert island, but you don't seem to be able to catch any fish. And the vegetation is actually poisonous.

• 1:14Matt Forde?

  I see what you've done here. Bit of a loophole. I would use the poisonous vegetation to kill my fellow passengers. And then, given that we're on a desert island, I would try and fashion some sort of barbecue and get them on some sort of skewer and just rotisserie them.

• 1:29Alice Levine?

  Wow, so vivid.

• 1:31Matt Forde?

  Yeah, so what are the results? What's it say?

• 1:33Alice Levine?

  It says you're mainly seas, which means you're a natural for the Royal Navy.

• 1:39Matt Forde?

  Excellent.

• 1:40Alice Levine?

  And a psychopath.

• 1:41Matt Forde?

  Yeah, it doesn't bother me.

• 1:41Alice Levine?

  It just says forward slash.

• 1:47Alice Levine?

  30th of June, 1973. Aboard the Wommi 306, the Pacific Ocean. Kim Min-chan lays a tuna flat on the steel table. He strikes his blade and drives it down hard, splitting the belly in one long stroke, hooking out the guts. He works the flesh loose until he has two clean, purple loins. Wrapping them tightly in wax paper, he drops them into an export crate. He rolls back his shoulders and rubs his aching neck. Peeling off his thick, sodden gloves, Kim takes a plastic-covered photo from his pocket. The face of a pretty young woman smiles back at him through the sleeve.

• 2:30Alice Levine?

  Kim looks up to see a group of fishermen down the line sniggering. Five months at sea, she'll have someone else by now, Kim.

• 2:38Matt Forde?

  And is he North Korean or South Korean, this chap?

• 2:40Alice Levine?

  I can't believe you can't tell. That is as specific as my skills will allow.

• 2:45Matt Forde?

  And your morals. I hate banter like this. You know, you're at sea, you're missing your wife, your girlfriend, your boyfriend, your partner, whoever.

• 2:53Alice Levine?

  You're polyamorous, you're missing them all.

• 2:55Matt Forde?

  Oh, for the polyamorous, it must be a nightmare. I'm missing all 57 of my various partners, actually. And no, I don't think they're cheating on me.

• 3:03Alice Levine?

  I have a whole chunky photo album to bring with me in my supplies aboard, because there are so many photos of my partners.

• 3:09Matt Forde?

  There is a mass orgy that's just on pause. They have promised me they're not going to carry on.

• 3:15Alice Levine?

  Feeling his cheeks burn, Kim tucks the photo away. The other men file towards the canteen. Kim turns and stares at the endless horizon towards Korea, telling himself he only has four more weeks of packing sores and engine fumes. But as he squints at the sun, he spots a tiny dot on the horizon. He frowns. Taking the telescope from its stand, he sweeps the lens across the ocean. Surely a fishing boat is too small for this part of the Pacific. It's over 100 nautical miles to the nearest landmass. Kim lowers the telescope and scans the deck, then runs towards the captain.

• 3:59Alice Levine?

  Sir, I think you should see this. Kim watches the captain snatch up the telescope. It must be two miles, sir. If we get a little closer, see more clearly. The captain lowers the lens. We're already behind schedule. Kim feels his hands tremble as he tries again. There could be sailors in trouble, sir, Koreans. The captain snaps his head round. Or Russians. Kim feels himself shrink under the captain's hardening gaze. We sail on. Come for lunch now or go hungry. Your choice. Waiting till the captain disappears below deck, Kim puts his eye back to the telescope.

• 4:43Alice Levine?

  The cold wind whips his face as he adjusts the lens until the image sharpens. Then he feels his blood curdle. He checks the lens, refocuses. He realizes what he's looking at isn't a fishing boat, but two figures, lying flat, motionless. Skin peeling off their bones, skeletal frames. He tries to pull the image closer, desperate to see if there are any signs of life. He's just a teenage deckhand. He has no right to challenge the captain. He should go for lunch, forget what he's seen.

• 5:24Alice Levine?

  But could he ever forgive himself if he left these people for dead? That is, if they're not dead already.

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• 7:14Alice Levine?

  I'm Alice Levine.

• 7:16Matt Forde?

  And I'm Matt Ford.

• 7:17Alice Levine?

  And this is British Scandal, an Audible original.

• 7:30Alice Levine?

  Okay, Matt, last episode, we left Morris and Marilyn at their lowest, and I kind of mean that literally. Marilyn was on her way over the side and down to the deep of the ocean where the Meg lives. Are you holding out any hope? Are they lost at sea forever?

• 7:45Matt Forde?

  I just can't get over the fact they're still alive after that whale attack for another two months, just drifting in the ocean. It's absolutely phenomenal what the body and mind can endure.

• 7:55Alice Levine?

  It's extraordinary, and you can technically only survive three days without water. So what they're surviving on is what little rainwater they were granted, the blood of turtles, that contaminated water at the beginning. But like, really, it's against all of the odds and all of the statistics that one of them would be alive, never mind both of them.

• 8:15Matt Forde?

  Yeah, and then keeping your spirits up. How do you stay positive? How do you stay sane in this sort of environment?

• 8:20Alice Levine?

  And a thing we haven't talked about is the reason they're in this mess is because of a whale. How wouldn't you think that every ripple of the water, every glint on the surface, wasn't a whale coming for you again?

• 8:33Matt Forde?

  Well, that's it. It's not just about how do you stay positive. It's like, how do you not just tip into total, complete despair?

• 8:41Alice Levine?

  And paranoid delusion. I mean, I think it would take a lot for Marilyn to give up. She's doing all the turtle killing, dishing out the blood, she's making card games. She's really desperately aware that their mental health is the thing to preserve, because that is what's going to save their lives.

• 8:56Matt Forde?

  Yeah, she's very much in charge of morale, and now she has literally gone overboard. I'm not saying I would want one of them to go overboard more than the other. But she's the one who's been keeping their pecker up. So if it's curtains for her, it doesn't look good.

• 9:08Alice Levine?

  It doesn't look good at all. Let's find out if there is a way to come back from the brink. This is episode three, Landlocked.

• 9:20Alice Levine?

  One month earlier, the 10th of May 1973. Two months and six days since the whale attack. The Pacific Ocean.

• 9:32Alice Levine?

  Marilyn kicks against the current. She claws upwards through the water, her fingers spread wide, desperately trying to reach the underside of the raft. She digs her fingernails into the hard barnacle rubber, fights to hold on. She catches sight of Morris's distorted, bony face above her. He's so close, until the sea rips her away. Marilyn feels her lungs swell and burn as she gulps in salty water. Her throat tightens. Her vision darkens and narrows at the edges.

• 10:08Alice Levine?

  She feels a strange calm descend as she starts to sink into the depths.

• 10:16Matt Forde?

  Our science teacher once told us that drowning was a really peaceful way to die. I often think, well, at least people who drown have a peaceful end. I find that reassuring.

• 10:24Alice Levine?

  Is that even true, though?

• 10:26Matt Forde?

  There is one way to find out. Let's go to that Lido now.

• 10:33Alice Levine?

  Then something clamps around Marilyn's waist, vice-like, and pulls her up, up, up. The pressure in Marilyn's head dissipates. Can you hear me, Marilyn? Are you here? Marilyn feels a mouth on hers, warm breath travelling down her throat. A force on her chest so hard, she thinks her ribs might snap. Now that's a good snog.

• 11:00Matt Forde?

  A real rib snapper.

• 11:03Alice Levine?

  Her diaphragm spasms violently as she ejects water from her mouth.

• 11:09Alice Levine?

  That's it, duck. Get it all out. That's my girl. Marilyn splutters and gasps, trying to breathe in air, and choke every last bit of water out all at once. She opens her eyes, focuses on Morris's ashen face looming over her. His whole body is soaked and trembling. Oh, thank God. His arms envelop her, pull her close. Marilyn sucks in a few more breaths, splutters.

• 11:39Alice Levine?

  You're not getting rid of me. She hears him let out a pained laugh as she clutches him tightly, watching the Black Sea flatten and the sky brighten behind him. Marilyn props her head against one of the many empty water barrels and looks on in silence as Morris reaches for the sailbag he managed to tie to the raft and tips out its contents. The bloody guts of the gull, empty water tins, the plastic-covered map, a handful of rags. Here. She smiles as Morris gently places one of the rags behind her head. She reaches out for his hand. We just have to hang on, love. Marilyn watches Morris as he continues to search in the bag.

• 12:24Alice Levine?

  She sees a shadow flash across his face. What's wrong, love? It's nothing. Don't worry, duck. But she can see a look of panic in his eyes. Morris, tell me. She sees him glance again at the empty bag. It's the sexton. It must have fallen in the water.

• 12:52Matt Forde?

  Okay, so no radio, no sexton, and really, no water.

• 12:56Alice Levine?

  But a big bag of bloody guts of a gull.

• 13:04Alice Levine?

  So there's that.

• 13:05Matt Forde?

  Yeah, you're right. I should focus on the gull guts. And maybe, is this mad?

• 13:10Alice Levine?

  Go on.

• 13:11Matt Forde?

  Well, animals like gulls will have instincts about travel. That if you imbibe the DNA of a gull, might that just give you the edge in a scenario like this?

• 13:24Alice Levine?

  This is going down the alternative medicine route, FYI. We don't recommend this as a treatment, but a lot of people do believe in it, yeah, if you read the forums.

• 13:35Alice Levine?

  One month later, the 30th of June 1973, aboard the Walme 306. Captain Su Chong Il drops his stocky frame on the wooden bench and picks up the hand of cards on the table. He feels a surge of triumph. Two kings and three fives. He pushes a fistful of matches into the centre. The captain has already taken a good chunk of his first mate's wages. Now he intends to take the lot. He smiles to himself, then shovels a large spoon of Dwinjang Jiga into his mouth. Which, Matt, as you know, is hot pot.

• 14:11Matt Forde?

  Oh, is that what it is?

• 14:12Alice Levine?

  Not the hot pot you're thinking of.

• 14:13Matt Forde?

  Not Betty's hot pot?

• 14:14Alice Levine?

  Not Betty's hot pot.

• 14:15Matt Forde?

  Sort of corned beef hash. What is this sort of hot pot?

• 14:18Alice Levine?

  So this is a kind of comforting soybean paste-based stew. And if I'm correct, it sometimes contains potato. So this is basically the Korean version of the Matt Ford stew.

• 14:31Matt Forde?

  Oh, lovely.

• 14:34Alice Levine?

  Wiping a dribble of broth from his chin, he grunts at a knock at the mess door.

• 14:41Alice Levine?

  Captain Su? The captain turns to one of the deckhands standing stiffly at his shoulder. A boy he spoke to just five minutes ago. The captain snaps. What now?

• 14:54Alice Levine?

  He feels pleased as the boy shrinks back. Sir, it's that object at sea. The captain throws down his cards. If your captain tells you something is not your concern, you listen. The captain waves him away. But the boy doesn't move. The captain springs to his feet. What part of? It looks like two bodies. I think they're dead.

• 15:19Alice Levine?

  The room goes still. The captain sees his first mate eye him. He takes another gulp of Dwinjang Jiga and reluctantly follows the boy up to the bridge. He pulls the telescope from its mounted bracket. Holding it to his left eye, he focuses on the orange life raft, its awning ripped and bleached of colour. A tiny dinghy attached with a frayed rope.

• 15:46Alice Levine?

  He squints as he feels his heartbeat quicken. And then he spots them. Two skeletal figures, skin blackened, lying still and flat. The captain's pulse quickens. He's been warned of Soviets converting fishing boats into intelligence-gathering vessels. If these are Russian spies, picking them up could cost him his career. He could even be thrown in jail.

• 16:14Alice Levine?

  The captain shudders as he looks up to see four seagulls circling above. A bad omen.

• 16:23Matt Forde?

  Is that like vultures when you're in the desert?

• 16:26Alice Levine?

  Definitely.

• 16:27Matt Forde?

  Which I was always terrified of as a kid. I thought, man, if I'm ever in the desert, the vultures get me. I lived in Nottingham.

• 16:33Alice Levine?

  But I bet your teacher said it was a nice way to die.

• 16:35Matt Forde?

  She said being pecked to death by vultures actually was a very peaceful way to go.

• 16:41Alice Levine?

  The boy carries on. Sir, if they're dead. The captain raises his hand to silence him. He takes a beat to regroup. Then he heads down to the ship's cramped control room, lights a cigarette, and makes the decision. He slowly exhales, picks up the radio's handset. He'll call HQ and check if any incidents have been reported, then await further instructions. And whatever his superiors order, that is what he'll do.

• 17:24Alice Levine?

  Twenty minutes later, the day 117 lost at sea. The Pacific Ocean. Coffee's getting cold, love. There's cake in the larder. Morris forces his eyes open. His mouth is dry. He tries to lift his arm so he can shake Marilyn. His body barely responds. He slowly turns his head so his face is next to hers. Marilyn. Duck. Dundee, your favourite.

• 17:55Alice Levine?

  Morris tries to make his voice louder. You're dreaming, duck.

• 18:04Matt Forde?

  Nothing worse than someone waking you up mid-dream. You're like, just let the story finish.

• 18:09Alice Levine?

  Let me enjoy myself.

• 18:10Matt Forde?

  Particularly if you're just floating around in the middle of the ocean and you think you're having some cake. I mean, dream cake is better than no cake.

• 18:16Alice Levine?

  Surely.

• 18:19Alice Levine?

  Morris watches her eyes flutter open. She's been hallucinating on and off for days. He feels a rush of relief as she turns and gives a smile of recognition. She's back with him, for now. But he can't go on like this, endlessly waiting. He looks around the raft. It's so deflated, he can hardly believe it's still taking their weight. His eyes rest on the small pile of turtle meat rotting in the sun. His stomach muscles contract, as if giving him a sign, a solution.

• 18:57Speaker 05

  Look, I, I, I think.

• 19:00Alice Levine?

  He seeks out Marilyn's fingers with his own.

• 19:03Speaker 05

  I've tried so hard, you've tried so hard, but I, I think.

• 19:09Alice Levine?

  Morris looks at her, tries to blink the gritty sensation from his eyes, where tears should be coming. His chest tightens with the realisation his body doesn't even have the fluid left for those now.

• 19:24Speaker 05

  I don't want you to leave me.

• 19:27Alice Levine?

  I'd never do that.

• 19:29Speaker 05

  I know that, but I couldn't bury you without you.

• 19:34Alice Levine?

  He feels her fingers tighten around his.

• 19:38Matt Forde?

  I don't mean to be glib.

• 19:39Alice Levine?

  Mm-hmm.

• 19:40Matt Forde?

  But we all die.

• 19:41Alice Levine?

  Right.

• 19:42Matt Forde?

  This is actually quite a cool way to go.

• 19:44Alice Levine?

  And that's where I'm at.

• 19:45Matt Forde?

  What an amazing final view.

• 19:48Alice Levine?

  What, your partner's skin melting off?

• 19:50Matt Forde?

  I meant by the sea and the air. I mean, the way you've snapped me back to reality a little bit there. I realise they're dying in very horrible circumstances, but also in quite a cool place.

• 20:00Alice Levine?

  Right, okay.

• 20:01Matt Forde?

  And for your future generations, amazing story.

• 20:05Alice Levine?

  This is.

• 20:05Matt Forde?

  Don't you think?

• 20:06Alice Levine?

  This is the craziest date you've ever had.

• 20:07Matt Forde?

  But like, think of all your old relatives. Can you really remember how they died? It was like, oh, just fell asleep in an armchair.

• 20:13Alice Levine?

  In a nice comfy bed, yeah.

• 20:15Matt Forde?

  Like everyone else, what a cliche. Be different, strike out, die on a raft in the middle of the sea. And then people go, I mean, it's quite an old story. My great-great-granddad and his wife, my great-great-grandma, they just died at sea on a raft.

• 20:30Alice Levine?

  On that note, listen to episode four, no spoilers, best guest we've ever had. Morris feels his heart break. He looks at the rancid turtle flesh again, then lifts a morsel up. He sees Marilyn's expression change to concern as its pungent smell overpowers the air. Love, that's gone over. If you eat that, you'll.

• 20:55Alice Levine?

  He sees the flicker of realisation in her eyes as she trails off. He holds her gaze.

• 21:01Speaker 05

  If we eat it.

• 21:05Alice Levine?

  He watches her look from the meat to him. Her expression slowly changes from desperation to something else. Acceptance?

• 21:16Speaker 05

  Our bodies would only need a little, then we'd go together.

• 21:22Alice Levine?

  There's a long silence. Morris watches her slowly nod. He moves the putrid meat closer to his mouth. It's slimy, almost liquid at the edges. He forces it past his lips. The smell of sulphur almost overwhelms him. He can't help but reach as a bitter, acrid slime slides down his gullet. But somehow, he gets it down. He feels Marilyn's trembling fingers on his chest. And don't go without me. Morris feels his heart break as he places a slimy chunk of fibrous mush into her hand.

• 22:05Alice Levine?

  He watches Marilyn lift it to her mouth, her face contorting with disgust. His eyes drift to the horizon behind her, in the distance. He blinks, convinced his imagination is playing tricks.

• 22:20Speaker 05

  It can't be.

• 22:22Alice Levine?

  He grabs Marilyn's hand.

• 22:24Speaker 05

  Don't move.

• 22:27Alice Levine?

  She stares at him with pained confusion. His eyes move behind her again. He feels a surge of adrenaline as he points.

• 22:35Speaker 05

  That's, that's a ship.

• 22:38Alice Levine?

  Marilyn looks at him with pity, shakes her head. No, love, you're just.

• 22:45Speaker 05

  No, love, I'm not.

• 22:50Alice Levine?

  He points to the horizon as Marilyn turns. Now Morris knows he's not dreaming. She sees it too. A rust-streaked ship. And it seems to be heading their way.

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• 23:42Speaker 03

  A dark night, a quiet house, but inside, danger was lurking.

• 23:46Speaker 06

  Oh, not really, we have Xfinity Shield, so we're not worried. What if protecting your home and devices could be drama-free? Xfinity, imagine that. Restrictions apply, not available in all areas.

• 24:00Alice Levine?

  Twenty minutes later, aboard the Walme 306. Captain Su recoils as he takes in the trembling man sprawled across the deck. The loose skin hanging from his bones is covered in a livid red fungus. His eyes are dark and hollow, his mouth hangs open. The stench rising off him is sour and rotting. The captain turns to his first mate, who holds a thick hose. He gives him a nod.

• 24:31Alice Levine?

  The captain watches as a jet of water hits the man, who doesn't flinch. He moves his gaze to the woman nearby, who a crew member is sponging down more carefully behind a sheet. A deckhand thrusts a small mouldy object into his hands.

• 24:47Speaker 05

  I told you, throw anything rotten back overboard, I can't miss infection.

• 24:52Alice Levine?

  But he trails off as he glances back at the raft his crew just pulled these people from. It's littered with what appears to be old fish guts, rags and algae-ridden bowls of water. He crinkles his face in revulsion at a tin covered in what looks like dried excrement.

• 25:12Matt Forde?

  You know your mum would always say, put clean underwear on in case you're hit by a bus?

• 25:15Alice Levine?

  Yeah, which is another nice way to go.

• 25:18Matt Forde?

  Yeah. I guess this is the maritime version of that. They're like, make sure you wipe the poo tin down because if you're ever rescued by a Korean shipping trawler, I don't want them to think that as a family, we don't have standards.

• 25:32Alice Levine?

  Sir, it's their passport. The captain feels his shoulders slacken as he recognises the royal coat of arms on the front.

• 25:41Speaker 05

  British?

• 25:43Alice Levine?

  The pages fall open to show a photo of a smiling couple. They barely resemble the skeletons in front of him.

• 25:51Speaker 05

  Get them some milk and fetch pay.

• 25:54Alice Levine?

  The captain watches his deckhands pat the couple dry. Then he takes two glasses of milk from the cook and squats down in front of them.

• 26:03Speaker 05

  I'm the captain, Su Chong Il. Here, take this.

• 26:08Alice Levine?

  The captain feels a tug at his chest as the man slowly raises his trembling hand to give a weak salute, before taking the milk in his shaking hands and gulping it down urgently.

• 26:20Matt Forde?

  I mean, these days they'll be going, have you got any oat milk? I'm actually lactose intolerant.

• 26:24Speaker 05

  Do you have an iced matcha?

• 26:28Alice Levine?

  He straightens as the medic kneels down to examine them. When the man is turned gently over, the captain winces at the infected, suppurating sores where his buttocks should be. One of the largest is covered by a patch fixed on with adhesive tape. The medic removes it to reveal a small crater oozing with green pus. The captain cringes as the man moans in agony. The doctor mutters in his ear. He needs urgent hospital care, sir. The captain's stomach drops. He's under strict orders to return directly to Korea. But the state this man is in right now, he'll be lucky to last the night.

• 27:14Alice Levine?

  He races up to the ship's bridge and rolls out a large map. Then he snatches up the radio receiver and calls through to his boss.

• 27:22Speaker 05

  Sir, the unidentified object was a life raft carrying two British nationals. They're malnourished, infected. One is barely conscious. We're only about five days out from Hawaii. I suggest we go there so they can receive urgent medical treatment.

• 27:40Alice Levine?

  The captain waits. The pause on the line seems to last forever.

• 27:46Speaker 05

  Captain Su, we are already behind schedule. The company cannot absorb further fuel costs. Render assistance as necessary, but proceed on course.

• 27:56Alice Levine?

  Su feels a chill as he sees the man pass out, his head lolling sideways. The woman carefully strokes what is left of his hair, crying softly. The captain watches them for a long moment, a lump forming in his throat. He turns to the first mate.

• 28:15Speaker 05

  Change our course, we're going to Honolulu.

• 28:19Alice Levine?

  The first mate hesitates. The captain barks.

• 28:24Speaker 05

  Now!

• 28:41Alice Levine?

  Six days later, Queen's Medical Centre, Honolulu.

• 28:47Alice Levine?

  Marilyn presses her fingers into the soft mattress beneath her. It's still. She hears the low beep of a machine. She opens her eyes, adjusts her vision to the white walls.

• 29:01Alice Levine?

  Mrs. Bailey, you're awake. Marilyn takes in the smiling nurse, walking towards her in a crisp, white uniform. She screws her eyes shut, sure she's dreaming again. When she opens them, the woman is still there. She looks around, her chest tightens. Where's Maurice? Marilyn's stomach drops as the nurse's expression darkens. She swings her legs out of bed, tears the drip line from her hand, and limps through the nearest door. She has to find him, be with him. Mrs. Bailey, Maurice, Maurice! Brawls blur past.

• 29:46Alice Levine?

  The porter steps back as she staggers around a corner. She catches the wall, propels herself along it. Mrs. Bailey! A hand lands on her shoulder. She stops and spins round, praying it's him. But it's the nurse again, panting, eyes wide. It's all right, Mrs. Bailey, he's alive. And he's stable. He's in intensive care, with severe blood poisoning. He's doing much better now, but we still need to keep a very close eye on him. I need to see him, please.

• 30:22Alice Levine?

  Through the glass, Marilyn can see Maurice. He's clean-shaven and hooked up to several machines. His frail arms bruised with drip lines. The nurse rests a hand on her arm. It looks worse than it is. The best thing you can do now is let him sleep. Marilyn nods. I need some air. That's not a good idea right now.

• 30:50Alice Levine?

  But Marilyn is already looking past her. Outside, the lawn below is crowded. Men hefting large TV cameras on their shoulders, photographers jostling for space. A reporter spots her at the window.

• 31:04Speaker 06

  Marilyn! Marilyn! Marilyn, do you regret following your husband to sea? Marilyn!

• 31:10Alice Levine?

  Marilyn steps back. I don't, I don't, why are they... It's been like that since you arrived yesterday. Television networks, from all over the world. Marilyn lets the nurse gently set her down beside a table where an array of newspapers are found out. All with photos of her and Maurice on the front. You were lost for 117 days, Mrs. Bailey. Marilyn scans the headlines. Yacht couple found close to death. Couple survive killer whale. She darkens as her eyes fall on a third. I begged shipwreck girl not to go.

• 31:54Alice Levine?

  Marilyn reads down. Survivor's mother, and why she warned her foolish son-in-law against trip.

• 32:01Matt Forde?

  And then the next week it'll be the exes. Exactly. My saucy tryst with whale survive woman.

• 32:09Alice Levine?

  Marilyn feels a fire ignite in her belly. How dare these people talk about Maurice like that? When he followed her to sea? Maurice isn't a villain, he's a hero. And as soon as she's strong enough to get out of here, she's going to make sure the whole world knows it.

• 32:32Alice Levine?

  One month later, Cho Sun Hotel, Seoul, Korea.

• 32:36Speaker 06

  Marilyn! Marilyn! Maurice! Over here, Marilyn! Marilyn! Maurice!

• 32:40Alice Levine?

  Mrs. Bailey, can you talk us through the whale strike? Sally Davis stretches her hand high. To her frustration, the PR at the front of the ballroom points to a man two rows behind her. Sally drops her hand with a sigh, as Maurice repeats the story he told in Honolulu. She's heard all this before.

• 33:00Alice Levine?

  Sorry, it's boring to you, Sally? 117 days lost at sea, yawn?

• 33:04Matt Forde?

  Yadda, yadda, yadda, oh whale this, survived that, give me a break.

• 33:09Alice Levine?

  As a freelance writer for the Daily Express's international desk, she'd hoped coming here to vie for the exclusive on this story might finally lead to something. But the Baileys are just not budging on their narrative. She knows something's missing, but she can't get close enough to them to find out what. Her gaze drifts back to the couple. She's struck by how nervous Maurice looks, how quickly Marilyn grabs the mic when he's done. I just want to make it clear that without Maurice's extensive knowledge of navigation techniques, meteorology, we wouldn't have lasted five minutes. He saved our lives. Sally leans forward, but another journalist butts in.

• 33:52Speaker 05

  Mr. Bailey, you relied on a location device devised in the 1800s over a radio. Couldn't this all have been avoided if...

• 33:59Alice Levine?

  Sally watches Marilyn's expression darken as she snatches the mic. It would have made no difference. But you almost died because you had no... That'll be it for today. Sally notes the hard edge to Marilyn's voice. She's touched by how protective Marilyn is of Maurice. And in that moment, she realizes what these male reporters are missing is that this isn't an adventure story. It's a love story.

• 34:30Alice Levine?

  Sally is pretending to fix her lipstick, but in reality, she's waiting.

• 34:37Alice Levine?

  A toilet door opens and Marilyn emerges. Sally flashes her a smile as Marilyn walks over to the sink, then offers her the lipstick. Bet you missed this on the raft. I think this shade would suit you, if you wanted to try. Sally tenses as Marilyn's eyes move down to her press badge, her smile tightening. Thanks, but no. Her heart hammers as Marilyn turns to go. All those guys in there, they don't really get it, do they? Sally stays on the back of Marilyn's head. She holds her breath. Get what? What it takes to make a marriage work, really work, in the toughest circumstances.

• 35:20Alice Levine?

  I've been married 10 years, and sometimes, my husband...

• 35:24Matt Forde?

  Yeah, the guys, right, I mean...

• 35:27Alice Levine?

  They nearly killed you out at sea, oh, could just get him and... Rawr!

• 35:31Matt Forde?

  Yours forgets to pick up the Tesco shop, mine got me attacked by a whale. We were in the same boat, literally, not literally.

• 35:36Alice Levine?

  Boys will be boys. Sally rolls her eyes to the heavens, notes a smile from Marilyn. If you weren't one hell of a team, you would never have survived. I'm interested in that story. Sally feels a frisson of excitement as Marilyn nods. She steps forward. Everyone wants the exclusive with you guys, including me. She watches Marilyn's smile fade, but presses on. And I won't bullshit you, you could get more money elsewhere. But I will tell the real story of you and Maurice. Not a bunch of crap about a radio. Sally takes her card from her purse, holds it out.

• 36:19Alice Levine?

  Me and my husband, we have a beach house in Malibu. You guys could come out, enjoy the Californian sun. Do your story in your own time. Your own words. Sally feels her heart rate speed up as Marilyn takes the card. She's sure she's given herself the edge. She's determined to get this story. Not the one they've told a thousand times already, but the full, unvarnished truth of their marriage at sea.

• 36:56Alice Levine?

  One week later, Malibu, California. Marilyn shifts on the sofa, stares out the window along the white timber deck out at the Pacific. She shifts her focus back to Maurice, sitting awkwardly beside her. Sally enters the room, dictaphone in hand. Marilyn leans over, whispers. How's your leg today?

• 37:23Speaker 05

  Much better, doc. I'll be running marathons in no time.

• 37:28Alice Levine?

  Marilyn stitches on a smile as his chest jerks with a cough. She'd hoped the California climate and distractions would help with that, but it doesn't seem to have improved since they left Hawaii.

• 37:40Matt Forde?

  I'd argue he's adding off some.

• 37:42Alice Levine?

  Yeah, quite. Okay, guys, ready to do this? Marilyn takes a breath. She's been putting off this interview, unsure if Maurice is ready, but he pats her hand. She watches Sally sit, take out her notebook. Everyone knows about the wheel, the boat going down. I want to get into how it felt when reality hit. That it was just you two. Husband and wife, alone in a raft at sea. Well, we were terrified, but Maurice quickly made a plan. She gives his hand a squeeze. But then everything went wrong.

• 38:24Alice Levine?

  There must have been moments when you were really tested as a couple. Marilyn squirms as memories flash through her mind's eye. This is how cooked it is. I'm as good as a famous explorer. You're a bloody type setter from Derby, Maurice. What were you thinking?

• 38:42Alice Levine?

  At times, I was really awful, but Maurice never...

• 38:47Speaker 05

  We both had our moments.

• 38:50Alice Levine?

  What kind of moments? Marilyn grimaces. Well, I said things in the heat of the moment, but I didn't mean them. Marilyn feels Maurice drop her hand as he addresses Sally directly, his eyes glistening.

• 39:06Speaker 05

  She was right to. I was an idiot not to buy a radio. And I lost it, mentally. Over petty, stupid things.

• 39:15Alice Levine?

  I wallowed in self pity. She rose above it. She never gave up. She saved us. No, we, we saved us. She shrinks as Morris turns his gaze back on her. Doc, please. I can fight my own battles. Marilyn feels a lump form in her throat as she looks at Morris again. Really looks at him for the first time since they left the hospital. Only now does she realise they've never actually talked about what happened. Not to each other. She stays on him. I'm sorry, I thought I wanted to help. Marilyn watches him lean forward and sigh. I know, Doc.

• 40:00Alice Levine?

  But reliving what happened time and time again. Running all over Hollywood, cameras flashing. It's not what I want. It's not what I need. Only when Marilyn hears the scratching of Sally's pen on her notepad does she remember a journalist is still there. But she doesn't care. She stays fixed on Morris. What do you need? To go home, Doc. To Britain. Peace and quiet. Work out what to do next.

• 40:31Matt Forde?

  Go back to our home that we... Oh. Oh. Sold it.

• 40:36Alice Levine?

  Marilyn finds herself nodding. Then that's what we'll do. Marilyn's face breaks out into a smile. Mirrored by Morris's. She feels herself stand. It's time to stop running and instead confront their time at sea. Out of the limelight, but together. She shakes Sally's hand.

• 40:59Alice Levine?

  I think we're done here.

• 41:08Alice Levine?

  Two months later, September 1973. Leamington, England.

• 41:15Alice Levine?

  Morris sits across the desk from his GP. Watches him flip open a folder, then spread out several papers. He anxiously checks his watch. He told Marilyn he was popping out for some fresh air. He didn't want to add to her worries, especially as she's already struggling to adapt back to life in Britain.

• 41:33Speaker 05

  The good news is that the infection you were fighting when you were found doesn't seem to have left any lasting damage. Your scars are healing nicely.

• 41:42Alice Levine?

  Morris takes a breath. He's finally starting to stabilise. He can even sit down again without grimacing.

• 41:48Matt Forde?

  Unusual for a man of his age.

• 41:50Alice Levine?

  But he can see from the GP's expression that there's more.

• 41:54Speaker 05

  Bone density is lower than I'd like, but given the degree of malnutrition, it's miraculously good.

• 42:01Alice Levine?

  The doctor closes that folder and opens another.

• 42:05Speaker 05

  There is something, though. With your lungs.

• 42:09Alice Levine?

  Morris tries to stifle a cough. His stomach lurches as the GP steeples his fingers and looks at him gravely.

• 42:17Speaker 05

  You have a pulmonary cavity. Likely caused by the fungal infection you picked up at sea.

• 42:23Alice Levine?

  How, how serious is it? The doctor hesitates. Morris eyeballs him, urging him on.

• 42:31Speaker 05

  It can be extremely dangerous.

• 42:34Alice Levine?

  What, I mean, could it kill me? He stiffens as the GP stays on him.

• 42:40Speaker 05

  A cavity of this type will require regular monitoring. If it grows, we may need to consider a surgical resection. But given your body's weakened state, that carries significant risk. You need to speak to your wife, Mr Bailey.

• 42:58Alice Levine?

  Morris walks down Leamington High Street in a daze. In truth, it isn't just Marilyn who's struggled to reintegrate into life in Britain. It feels like the entire country is falling apart. An IRA bomb detonates every other week. The economy is tanked. The government has even introduced a three-day working week to save on electricity.

• 43:22Matt Forde?

  You had a better standard of living on that raft. But obviously this 1970s Britain was in a very bad way. This is pre Thatcher. You had a Labour government that was basically being bullied by the trade unions. You had mass strikes in all sorts of industries. You know, the famous one is the undertakers went on strike. You had Tory MPs saying you can't even bury the dead. The binmen went on strike. Leicester Square was full of rubbish. I mean, this was the absolute pinnacle of industrial strife and it's what led to Thatcher wanting to not just smash the unions but effectively deindustrialise Britain.

• 43:54Alice Levine?

  So they thought when they got home, you know, pooing in cake tins and rancid turtle meat was behind them. But the price of rancid turtle meat was through the roof. They dream of it. He stares into the semi-darkness of the shop fronts, some lit only by candles. He stops as he nears the small Tesco. Looks up at the windows of the unit above, where Marilyn will be waiting. They're rented flat. It's starting to feel more like a prison.

• 44:22Alice Levine?

  He fumbles with the key when he hears a familiar voice. Love.

• 44:27Alice Levine?

  He spins round to see Marilyn coming out of Thomas Cook across the road. She waves a bunch of brochures aloft and dashes towards him, grinning. I know we said we'd wait, but I couldn't resist having a peek. Morris watches her flick open the brochure at the top of the pile. Train journeys across New Zealand. We never did make it there and that Daily Express money is just sitting in the bank.

• 44:52Matt Forde?

  Right, but this time we fly.

• 44:54Alice Levine?

  Morris barely sees the photos because he's watching Marilyn. She hasn't looked this alive in weeks. I think we could make it quite comfortable. We could see kiwis and kakapo. She lets out an excited laugh. He feels a heaviness in his chest. Doc.

• 45:14Alice Levine?

  We need to talk. He watches her expression cloud as she studies his face. He takes in the grey sky hanging over them, the steady rumble of cars trundling past. Then he returns his gaze to Marilyn's searching, worried eyes. He had hoped coming back here would give them some peace, some clarity. Instead, he's about to crush his wife's dreams. For now at least, they're stuck here. And he's not sure if they'll ever escape again.

• 45:56Alice Levine?

  On January 1st, 1892, a young Irish immigrant named Annie Moore became the first person processed at the new immigration station on Ellis Island. For the millions who followed her, this small island in New York Harbor would become the place where their American dream would either begin or end. Hi, I'm Lindsey Graham, the host of the podcast American History Tellers.

• 46:16Speaker 03

  We take you to the events, times and people that shaped America and Americans, our values, our struggles and our dreams. In our latest series, we trace the history of Ellis Island. For more than three decades, it served as the gateway through which millions of hopeful immigrants entered the United States. But as the nation struggled to decide who belonged, some would find the gate shut to them. Follow American History Tellers wherever you get your podcasts. Audible subscribers can binge all episodes of American History Tellers early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts. There are books that change how you see the world. And there are books that change how you see yourself. In a new podcast series, A Great Book with Barack Obama.

• 47:01Speaker 03

  President Obama sits down with a series of surprising and sharp guests to explore six books that have shaped his life and perspective on the world. From Song of Solomon and The Fire Next Time, to All the Pretty Horses and Gilead. The president is joined by guests like Tom Hanks and Ta-Nehisi Coates to reflect on how these timeless stories shaped his thinking on everything from fatherhood to leadership. And discover together what they tell us about the world we live in and the world we want to create. Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of A Great Book with Barack Obama ad-free right now. Plus access each audiobook discussed in the series. Download the Audible app today.

• 47:56Alice Levine?

  Four months later, the 5th of January 1974. The Boat Show, Earl's Court, London. Marilyn steps into the dinghy and tightens her life jacket over her checked coat. She grabs an aw and looks into the cameras pointing at the stage, forces a wide smile. She glances at Morris, squashed beside her. When he clears his throat, she grabs his arm, feeling a familiar stab of panic. Love? I'm fine, don't fuss. Not in here. Marilyn pulls back her hand. She can't help but worry. While the doctors stated his lung cavity is manageable, they also warned he must avoid putting himself under any undue strain.

• 48:41Matt Forde?

  So Marilyn's brought him to a boat show to relive the trauma in front of the media.

• 48:45Alice Levine?

  Sometimes a little bit of what made you sick is actually the cure. Hair of the dog, Morris?

• 48:50Matt Forde?

  Hair of the whale?

• 48:52Alice Levine?

  How does it feel to be back in a dinghy, Marilyn? Let's just say this one smells a lot better. Marilyn catches the eye of the PR woman to the side of the stage, standing in front of a large image of their new book, 117 Days Adrift. All right, ladies and gents, we're going to take a short break, then Marilyn and Morris will be signing copies. Marilyn thrusts a bottle of water at Morris, who rolls his eyes but dutifully drinks. She only agreed to write this book and do the necessary press to raise more money for a bungalow so that Morris can recuperate properly. Her eyes wander to the pristine boats all around.

• 49:33Alice Levine?

  She knows she shouldn't torture herself, but she can't help but head over to the big ocean cruisers. Marilyn's heart flips as she looks at the tall masts of the ships and remembers the excitement she felt at the idea of a big adventure. She just wishes she could make herself stop thinking about how much is still out there, unseen.

• 49:55Matt Forde?

  Marilyn, you've had your go.

• 50:00Alice Levine?

  And you really gave it your all.

• 50:02Matt Forde?

  You don't really need to do it again.

• 50:04Alice Levine?

  I'd say now's the time for your bungee jumping, your jumping out of aeroplanes, your land-based terror.

• 50:09Matt Forde?

  I don't know whether there's a God or not, and I'm not sure whether there's karma in the universe and all that sort of thing, but if there's even a sort of scintilla of doubt after something like that, surely you feel like, even if just it's omens, something or someone has sent you a message that you really shouldn't go out to see.

• 50:31Alice Levine?

  That's a near-death experience, that's a death experience, really. You've been brought back from the dead. Are you gonna say, I for some reason have a guardian angel and they have pulled me from the brink? I think it could happen again.

• 50:43Matt Forde?

  This time, we take a radio and some anti-whale spray, and we're all good.

• 50:49Alice Levine?

  Anti-whale spray? Can you imagine the size of the bottle? Takes two of them, both hands.

• 50:54Matt Forde?

  That's what I'd sink the boat.

• 50:56Alice Levine?

  Everyone to the exits, quick as you can, now! Around her, stewards in orange tabards suddenly appear, directing the crowds towards the exit. Confused, Marilyn scans the room for Morris and the PR woman. This is not a drill, the exit, now! Marilyn watches the crowd surge towards the hall's large double doors. She keeps looking around, more frantic by the second. What's going on? Why? She again desperately scans the crowd for Morris. Madam, it's a bomb threat, evacuate!

• 51:37Alice Levine?

  Marilyn feels the floor lurch beneath her, and then everything goes black.

• 51:45Matt Forde?

  This really is that final destination.

• 51:47Alice Levine?

  This is crazy.

• 51:48Matt Forde?

  Whatever force there is controlling this world, it is telling you to stay away from boats.

• 51:55Alice Levine?

  Also, did you break a mirror? What did you do in a previous life? What on earth is going on? Moments later, the Boat Show, Earl's Court, London. Morris pushes through the white smoke against the flow of people running through the open double doors. Marilyn! He chokes as the dust hits the back of his throat. A hand grabs his shoulder. Marilyn! Marilyn! Sir, this way. Morris tries to escape the security guard's grip, but the strength of the man's hold and the surge of the crowd is against him.

• 52:36Alice Levine?

  Out in the cold air, he drops to his knees and splutters into his hands. He scans the brick and steel facade of the exhibition centre as more people pour out. Morris feels his stomach drop further with each unrecognisable face that emerges. He can't have lost Marilyn, not now, not after everything. He blinks as a familiar figure limps into view, covered in white dust, leaning on a woman with an exhibitor's lanyard. He jumps to his feet and vaults towards her. Doc! Morris envelops Marilyn in his arms. Are you hurt? No, I don't think so.

• 53:20Alice Levine?

  Someone knocked me over, that's all. He cups her face, checks her head, pulls her tight and squeezes as a woman nearby sobs quietly, gripping her two small children. Morris takes in the cries, the carnage, the precarity of it all, and a thought hits him with the same force as the whale crashing into their boat. I don't wanna live in a bungalow, Doc. This money, it should be for another boat. A bigger, better one. One that will show us the entire world. He pauses, squeezes her hand.

• 54:01Alice Levine?

  The Orlin II. For Patagonia. He watches her eyes widen. You remember that? Of course, Doc. It's what kept me going. He smiles at her, brushes her cheek. And that bungalow in Austria was never our home. The Orlin was. Morris's heart plummets as her shoulders slump. Your lungs, it's too. Morris grabs her shoulders, eyeballs her. Everything's risky.

• 54:40Alice Levine?

  We could have died in there just now, in London, at a fucking boat show, doing stuff we hate. His eyes don't leave hers. He can see her working it through, fighting with herself, but for both their sakes, he can't let her talk herself out of this. If we're gonna cork it, wouldn't you rather it was out there, on the ocean?

• 55:11Matt Forde?

  That is what I was saying earlier, is that actually, I think once you've been through something like that, and it clarifies your thinking about life, you're like, well, we're gonna go anyway. What's cooler, to die at sea on a boat or in an armchair in a bungalow in Derby?

• 55:25Alice Levine?

  I love that you're like, which is cooler? That's why they're doing it. Do you know what would be really cool, Marilyn? We could die at sea.

• 55:31Matt Forde?

  I just wanna cool death, that's what I've always wanted.

• 55:37Alice Levine?

  Morris's stomach flips as something in Marilyn's expression shifts, like a light going on, and then he sees it, that familiar grin. Okay, but we take a radio this time. He beams and pulls her in for a hug. All right, it's a deal. Slowly, the sound of the sirens fade into the lapping of waves, the crying of gulls. Morris smiles at peace.

• 56:07Alice Levine?

  They still have each other, and finally, they're going home. The 45-foot Orlin II set sail from Clonelly, South West Wales, on the 15th of July 1975, in a blaze of publicity. This time, Marilyn and Morris took three other crew and a radio. They made it to Patagonia and back in 14 months without incident.

• 56:49Alice Levine?

  On their return, the couple found themselves with a tax bill so large, they were forced to sell the boat. They used the money made from a second book to buy a bungalow on the edge of Limington, which they named Lenora. They lived there until Marilyn's death from cancer in May 2002, aged 61. Morris died in December 2018, aged 85. His ashes, like Marilyn's, were scattered in the New Forest. Years after their rescue, Morris said of their time lost at sea, "We explored the hidden depths of each other's character. We had no secrets, no privacy, and no inhibitions.

• 57:31Alice Levine?

  In some weird way, we found peace in our complete isolation." From Audible Originals and Samizdat Audio, this is the third episode in our series, The Shipwrecked Marriage.

• 57:52Matt Forde?

  A quick note about our dialogue. In most cases, we can't know exactly what was said, but all our dramatizations are based on historical research.

• 58:01Alice Levine?

  If you'd like to know more about this story, you can read 117 Days Adrift by Maurice and Marilyn Bailey, Maurice and Marilyn by Sophie Elmhurst, and 117 Days Adrift, the full story, on paradise.ducastaway.com.

• 58:16Matt Forde?

  British Scandal is hosted by me, Matt Ford.

• 58:19Alice Levine?

  And me, Alice Levine.

• 58:20Matt Forde?

  Written by Wendy Granditer. Additional writing by Alice Levine and Matt Ford. Our story editor was James Maniac. Sound design by Rich Evans. Our engineer was Jai Williams. For Samizdat, our series producer was Chica Ayers. Our assistant producer was Louise Mason. Our senior producers were Joe Sykes and Dashillic Sina. Executive producers for Audible were Theodora LaLudis and Estelle Doyle.

• 58:53Speaker 03

  There are books that change how you see the world, and there are books that change how you see yourself. In a new podcast series, A Great Book with Barack Obama, President Obama sits down with a series of surprising and sharp guests to explore six books that have shaped his life and perspective on the world. From Song of Solomon and The Fire Next Time, to All the Pretty Horses and Gilead, the president is joined by guests like Tom Hanks and Ta-Nehisi Coates to reflect on how these timeless stories shaped his thinking on everything from fatherhood to leadership, and discover together what they tell us about the world we live in and the world we want to create.

• 59:36Speaker 03

  Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of A Great Book with Barack Obama ad-free right now, plus access each audiobook discussed in the series. Download the Audible app today.

• 59:53Matt Forde?

  You stepped out for your morning jog, except it's not your usual morning jog. You started listening to an epic sci-fi book on Audible. Thirty chapters later, you've accidentally run a half marathon. You've lost track of how far you've run, somewhere just past the city limits. You can't stop, you have to find out what happens next. Then it's over. The universe seems bigger. You feel different. You feel like you have no idea where you are. Audible, stories that speak to you.