05/07/2024

Lilian gets her hopes up, and Ben lends a helping hand.

Frustration grows for Chris, and Denise is in a quandry.

Writer: Sarah McDonald Hughes Director: Peter Leslie WildKenton Archer…. Richard Attlee Josh Archer…. Angus Imrie Lilian Bellamy…. Sunny Ormonde Harrison Burns…. James Cartwright Alice Carter…. Hollie Chapman Chris Carter…. Wilf Scolding Susan Carter…. Charlotte Martin Harry Chilcott…. Jack Ashton Justin Elliott…. Simon Williams Ed Grundy…. Barry Farrimond Emma Grundy…. Emerald O‘Hanrahan George Grundy…. Angus Stobie Paul Mack…. Joshua Riley Adam Macy…. Andrew Wincott

Alice is greeted by an awkward George and tells him if it wasn’t for him rescuing Fallon and Joy she’d be in even bigger trouble. To his embarrassment, she tells him he’s a good person and she is not. Lilian is at The Bull when Alice arrives. She turns on Lilian, saying Justin had put pressure on her to resign. Kenton offers to drive Alice home but she says, instead, she’d like a double gin and tonic. Kenton refuses. She asks Lilian what Carlotta is like and suggests a summer equine fete to let people know the stables is back on its feet, before storming out. Kenton chases after her and reassures her that no-one hates her, they just want her to get better. Susan and George are discussing tricky child care arrangements for Martha when Alice walks into the shop. Susan lays into her, saying people are being run ragged looking after Martha. She’ll bring Martha for a visit this afternoon but warns Alice if she’s drunk they won’t be staying. Alice stumbles out of the shop, desperate for a drink. She returns to The Bull and begs Lilian. In desperation she snatches a bottle of wine and flees. Later, when Alice arrives home, Susan is there without Martha. Alice was late so they took her home and it’s lucky she’s not there to see Alice drunk again. Susan says Brian is ringing rehabs – only the best for his little girl – and that’s Alice’s best chance. Alice says she’s scared but Susan counters there’s only one thing she should be afraid of – losing Martha.

Adam checks in with a grumpy Alice on the phone. He tells her Brian has been trying to contact her. They’re both worried about her. He presses her on how she is. ‘I’m in hell,’ she snaps. And she doesn’t want to see anyone or go to rehab – she can’t face it. She tells Adam Justin came around yesterday and asked her to resign. There’s a knock at the door. It’s Harry and he wants to help her. But she shuts the door in his face. After a while she chases after him. He tells her Chris confronted him. Harry stresses her addiction put her where she is now and it’s a disease. He thanks her for saving him, for encouraging him to go for treatment. He tells her she can come back from this. He knows she can. But she rushes away.Later Adam confronts Lilian and criticises her for letting Justin go round to try to force Alice to resign. They both admit they are scared – Alice is getting worse. They discuss how Brian is going out of his mind and Lilian promises she’ll have words with Justin. Adam concedes they have to face facts. No-one knows what will happen when the case comes to court. But there’s not much any of them can do. She really could lose everything. Lilian says when Jennifer died she swore she’d be there for the children but she doesn’t feel like she has been.

Justin is up early, telling Lilian he’s off to back-to-back meetings but then turns up at Alice’s door. He tells her they’ve found someone to fill in for her at the Stables in her absence. He says she must be aware that a return to work might not be possible if she’s jailed. He wonders whether it might be better for her to consider resigning, as they have a new manager – Carlotta – and all he wants is for the Stables to get back on track. But Alice says she’s not going to resign. She’s ashamed and embarrassed but she needs to hold on to things that can bring her back to normal life. He states she has used up her annual leave for the year and she’ll be on statutory sick pay from now on. Later at the Stables he tells Lilian he has spoken to Alice. She is furious and wanted to visit Alice as well. But Justin says there’s very little anyone can do for her at the moment.Ed and Emma bring George along on their latest tree surgery job – it’s near Bartleby’s new home. Emma insists it’s her turn to do the aerial work, in the biggest tree they’ve worked on to date – 10 metres. Emma makes a start on cutting the smaller branches and she’s so high up she can see Bartleby’s paddock and George giving him a hug. She has a great time up in the tree – delighted that she and Ed are working for themselves. George is happy with Bartleby’s new home but gets upset when Emma enthuses about the future. He covers by saying he’s thinking about Granddad Joe.

Chris turns up early to speak to Susan. He can’t pick up Martha, he says, because he has a late appointment. But when she questions him he admits he’s actually going to see Harry, who will be handing out prizes at the Borsetshire Young Horse Championship. Susan says she’ll drive him there. Later, Chris accosts Harry at the event. He accuses him of being there on the night of the crash. But Harry genuinely has no idea what he’s talking about. He didn’t know Alice had been drinking either. Chris rages at him, but Harry is genuinely apologetic, leaving Chris taken aback. As Susan drives Chris back to Ambridge she says he has to accept that Alice did this and there’s no other explanation. He needs to put all his energy into Martha and leave Alice to herself. Paul and Josh discuss the weekend’s Pride parade – it was brilliant, dancing from midday until four in the morning says Paul. Lily managed to find the only straight guy in the club and hooked up. Paul managed to get a few guys’ details too, but he’s not planning on contacting any of them. In fact, he’s off to meet Etienne for a session of couples therapy. They are seeing a counsellor in Borchester to discuss Etienne’s desire for an open relationship. Paul returns upset. Etienne didn’t even bother to turn up – he fell asleep in front of the TV. Josh is furious – Paul deserves better! Josh says it’s time to dump him – but Paul still wants to give therapy a chance.

Harrison and Chris are getting ready for a cricket match against Leyton Cross who have won their last four games, buoyed by a new young player. Chris raises the question of Alice’s crash and how she wouldn’t buy cider. It’s a mistake discussing it with Harrison who insists she was drunk behind the wheel and she should face the consequences. Later, Susan congratulates Christopher on a 176 innings but asks if he has fallen out with Harrison, who threw his bat in disgust after Chris ran him out. He confesses that he talked to Harrison about Alice’s case. Susan says he mustn’t let it come between them. Later, Chris buys Harrison a pint and apologises. But then suggests there was someone else in the car with Alice – Harry Chilcott - he might have persuaded her to drive and then ran away. Emma and Ed prepare for a tree surgery job – albeit for Justin Elliott at mates’ rates. As they start work Justin rushes out in a panic. Contrary to what they thought was agreed, he didn’t want more than a small trim on the trees. It soon becomes clear that – without naming names - he’s using this to put pressure on Emma to change her online comments about Alice at the Stables. Emma gets the message and Justin says he can see his way to giving them a good online review. Later she tells Susan she has deleted her post about Alice. Susan says Christopher is running around after Alice again, the last thing he needs. Emma says Chris needs his head tested.

Susan serves Neil lunch and he says Christopher is taking Martha to see Alice. Together they seem almost like a normal family and it’s obvious he still loves her. Susan can’t help thinking things could be better for Martha with all the privilege Alice was born into. She can’t get yesterday’s conversation out of her mind – Brian and Adam fussing over Alice, Lilian keeping her job open. No one is questioning her behaviour. Her not guilty plea is more proof that she’s in denial. Alice is never going to hit rock bottom, says Susan - no one is letting her. Neil says it’s Christopher’s life and they should put his needs first. But Susan wonders if enabling her to keep drinking is helping Martha.Meg Mellor stops to ask Lynda for directions as she goes to collect Bartleby. George, Neil and Eddie are waiting for her and saying their farewells to the pony. Eddie has yet another suggestion about how to spend the money – a new cider press. For the first time George agrees. Meg tells them how she got started taking care of retired horses after her husband died. Lynda has left a fancy, colourful rug for Bartleby. As Meg goes to get her notebook Eddie suggests some new tries for their cider orchard. George agrees and suggests a new marble headstone for Great Granddad Joe. George says farewell to Bartleby and thanks him for listening, particularly over the last few weeks. They fasten the horse box and Meg drives away.

At Bridge Farm Lilian bumps into Miranda, who asks if they can put aside their differences to help Brian. When George passes Lilian apologises for the stress Alice has caused him. George makes a cryptic remark about people chatting rubbish online before going. Later at The Stables, while filming a video with Justin for one of their livery clients, Lilian still can’t understand what George meant. Justin’s more keen to press on with appointing Carlotta as their temporary manager, starting on a six week minimum contract, but later tells Lilian he knows what George was referring to. He’s found an online thread suggesting Alice could have been drunk while taking riding lessons – and one of the people suggesting this is Emma. Susan goes to see George, taking some carrots to cheer up Bartleby. George is defiant about cancelling Bartleby’s sale, even when Susan points out the vets’ bills will only get bigger. George insists he knows best. But Susan reckons it isn’t always clear what’s best for other people, also thinking of Martha. In the end no-one knows for sure, do they? George thinks he gets what she means.Later Lilian bumps into Susan at the Tearoom. Miranda turns up and says Brian is beside himself with worry. He spent yesterday phoning round rehab centres. Lilian promises to keep Alice’s job open for her for as long as it takes, leaving Susan distinctly unimpressed. Will tells George that Oliver will be returning Meg Mellor’s money tomorrow. But George is having second thoughts about what will be best for Bartleby and decides to call Meg back.