The Dark is Rising, a drama by Susan Cooper for BBC World Service.
Episode 10, The King of Fire and Water.
Will was running, running with his brothers and his father across the melting snow.
And as he ran,
he remembered a hand on his shoulder and saw Merriman beside him and knew from the concern in Merriman's eyes that in some way this was the next attack of the dark.
An hour later, after the doctor had safely arrived and examined his mother in the living room,
James drew aside his brother's will and pawn.
I'm so worried.
Why, what happened?
Mary's disappeared.
Disappeared how?
I told her not to go.
Honestly, I did.
I didn't think she would.
I thought she'd be too scared.
Go where?
Out to the manor.
She said, you've both been gone far too long,
and someone ought to go and bring you back from Miss Greythorne's.
So I went out of the room to make up a fire to keep mum warm, and when I came back, Mary was gone.