Spoilers week starting 17/11/08

Monday, 17 November 2008

Anna (Emma Davies) is on edge as she waits in desperation for Matthew’s (Matt Healy) return. However, he is picked up from the airport by a De Souza driver and soon finds himself confronted with Donald (Michael Jayston). Donald makes the point to Matthew that every relationship he’s had has ended in failure and expresses his desire to protect Anna. Matthew refuses so Donald offers to spare the Kings financial ruin if Matthew, in return, ends his relationship with Anna. Matthew is not swayed but is unsure he has made the right decision when Anna later confesses to him that she has been feeding her father information about the Kings but stopped as soon as she realised that she had fallen for him. Matthew is furious but Anna swears she will turn her back on her father and proposes. Matthew feels Anna’s sincerity and accepts.

Meanwhile, Bob (Tony Audenshaw) is at a loss when he senses the chilly atmosphere between Terry (Billy Hartman) and Brenda (Lesley Dunlop). Terry explains that Brenda caught him talking to himself in the mirror and blames Bob for his bad advice. Feeling guilty, Bob tries to apologise to Brenda insisting that Terry is a good man, but she remains convinced he is a sex maniac. Later on, Bob has another go at persuading Brenda and lets slip that Terry practised in front of the mirror because he’s been on his own for a while.

Also, with her plans to get money from Val (Charlie Hardwick) failing, Victoria (Isabel Hodgins) schemes to swindle Pollard (Chris Chittell) and gets a tenner from him for ‘dinner money’. After getting another fiver from Val for the same purpose, Victoria plans to start a pot to save funds for the New Year’s party. However, Val soon catches her out and packs Victoria off to school. Later, when Victoria interrupts David (Matthew Wolfenden) spending ‘quality time’ with Nicola (Nicola Wheeler) she blackmails him with telling Val about what he was up to in the living room, unless he hands over £20 each.

Tuesday 18 November

Donald (Michael Jayston) is cold upon hearing of Anna (Emma Davies) and Matthew’s (Matt Healy) engagement and makes one last protest against the union. As Anna moves out, Matthew happily tells Donald they will be in touch about the wedding. That evening the King family and friends are celebrating the engagement when Donald enters and announces Anna has been trying to ruin King & Sons. Matthew retorts with the revelation that Donald tries to pay him off, leading to a war of words with Donald accusing the brothers of murdering Tom and finally disinheriting Anna in fury. He hides his hurt when she snaps that she doesn’t care about his money and firmly reminds him she chooses Matthew.

Pained to see his fiancée so upset Matthew heads to Holdgate to confront Donald. Matthew angrily demands to know how Donald could behave so cruelly towards his daughter. Trying to call the police, Donald is thwarted when Matthew grabs the phone and the pair struggle. Donald suddenly clutches his chest and Matthew grabs his medication, realising he’s having a heart attack. Withholding the pills, Matthew demands that Donald agrees to attend the wedding first. Urging Matthew to hand the pills over, Donald’s eyes suddenly glaze over and Matthew is shocked to realise he’s dead. Matthew is frantic and wipes his fingerprints off the pill bottle, before walking away. As he lays down next to Anna back home, the reality of his situation dawns on Matthew, leaving him full of guilt.

Elsewhere, Terry (Billy Hartman) refuses to accept Brenda’s (Lesley Dunlop) apologies and scorns Bob (Tony Audenshaw) for his interference. When Bob accidentally on purpose spills coffee on Terry’s shirt he is forced to retreat to the B&B and Brenda hastily follows. She says sorry once more and they have a moment which is broken by Laurel’s (Charlotte Bellamy) interruption. Bob despairs at their uselessness and asks Val (Charlie Hardwick) and Betty (Paula Tilbrook) to help him match make. The ladies take Brenda to her flat and give her a seductive makeover to help her seal the deal with Terry. However, it’s still not enough to ignite the flames of passion and an embarrassed Brenda leaves Terry once more. Suspecting her love life to have failed, Brenda is surprised when Terry follows her and they manage to resolve their differences, agreeing that their relationship might work if they give it time.

At Home Farm, Jimmy (Nick Miles) can’t hide his delight when Scarlett (Kelsey-Beth Crossley) says she can’t move into Daz’s (Luke Tittensor) pig sty. Scarlett’s hurt that her problems don’t seem to bother her brothers. Despite this, Scarlett tales a more proactive approach and hires Laurel to clean the apartment, much to Daz and Jake’s (James Baxter) horror. Seeking advice, Scarlett talks to Lexi (Sally Oliver) who advises her that if she plays hard to get, Daz will soon come running.

Wednesday 19 November

Anna (Emma Davies) tries to put a brave face on the situation with her father and pushes ahead with the wedding plans, asking a surprised Katie (Sammy Winward) to be her bridesmaid. Anna notices Matthew’s distant mood and believes it to be connected to the ongoing deal with Polek. At Holdgate, Betty (Paula Tilbrook) and Laurel (Charlotte Bellamy) discover Donald’s (Michael Jayston) body. Laurel calls Anna and tells her father is dead. Rodney (Patrick Mower) delivers the news to the Kings and Matthew struggles to hide his prior knowledge. At Holdgate, Anna feels guilty that her father died alone believing that she hated him. She sobs a heartfelt goodbye to him and Matthew takes her back to Home Farm to rest.

Matthew is full of remorse and pours himself a whisky to drown his thoughts while Anna sleeps. Carl (Tom Lister) notices his brother alone and decides to join him. Matthew can tell that Carl has been hit hard by Donald’s death. Carl expresses his wish to have had time to patch things up with Donald, but when Matthew replies that sometimes things happen, Carl picks up on his tone of voice and asks what’s wrong. He quizzes his brother and a guilt-ridden Matthew finally confesses that he left Donald to die, but didn’t touch him.

Meanwhile, when Lisa (Jane Cox) offers to look after Sarah (Sophia Amber Moore) Jo (Roxanne Pallett) sees an opportunity and arranges for Andy (Kelvin Fletcher) to go round for supervised access to his daughter. Andy heads over and Lisa firmly puts him in his place, insisting she’s helping Sarah not him. When Jo arrives to pick Sarah up she’s pained to see Sarah so upset when she has to separate her from Andy. Jo agrees to discuss more access with Andy.

Thursday 20 November

Anna (Emma Davies) is grateful when Rodney (Patrick Mower) agrees to assist with Donald’s funeral arrangements. The police confirm to Anna that Donald’s heart failed and that he would have died a painless death. Matthew (Matt Healy) cringes at the thought of how wrong their assessment is. Later, Carl (Tom Lister) questions Matthew as to how he can look his fiancée in the eye, but Matthew reasserts that Donald died of natural causes. When he takes Anna to the funeral home Matthew struggles to look at Donald’s body. He considers telling her the truth but she stops him in his tracks by insisting they carry on with the wedding in spite of Donald’s death. Carl pours scorn on the decision and Matthew explains he wants to tell Anna the truth but can’t bear to lose her. Carl sees that Matthew genuinely cares for Anna but warns him the guilt will eat him up.

Meanwhile, Daz (Luke Tittensor) agrees to look after Sarah (Sophia Amber Moore) while Jo (Roxanne Pallett) visits a farmer’s market with Lee (Lewis Linford). Katie (Sammy Winward) notices Jo leave and mentions this to Andy (Kelvin Fletcher) when he asks about her accompanying him on his next supervised visit. Angry and believing Jo is messing him around, Andy vows that he won’t be kept from his daughter any longer. He heads over to Butlers and endures a stand-off with Daz after demanding to see Sarah. Jo is aghast when Daz tells her what happened, while Andy pledges to Katie that Jo has started a war which he’ll win.

Elsewhere, Jimmy (Nick Miles) regrets his scheming with Daz when he sees how upset Scarlett (Kelsey-Beth Crossley) is by the situation. Jimmy tries to berate Daz but knows he is party to her mood. Daz apologises to Scarlett and convinces her that although he is not ready to live with her he still wants them to be a couple.

Friday 21 November

Andy (Kelvin Fletcher) and Jo (Roxanne Pallett) receive a warning about arguing around Sarah (Sophia Amber Moore) when they have a confrontation outside playgroup. However, the warning comes too late as Sarah gets sent home from nursery for biting. Jo is stunned when her teacher states that Sarah cannot return to nursery for the rest of term. Her reaction is to tell Andy his visit if off, as she just wants to get Sarah home. Desperate to see Sarah, Andy slakes his anger with a bottle of scotch and receives a dressing down from Katie (Sammy Winward) over his self-destructive behaviour. However, Andy decides to go to the farm and launches into a huge argument with Jo. When Andy ignores Daz’s (Luke Tittensor) request to leave he punches him. Shocked by his own behaviour Daz worries to Jo that he may be just the same as Billy and Andy.

Meanwhile, Matthew (Matt Healy) fears Anna (Emma Davies) is trying to bury her grief when she starts giving Donald’s clothing away. Still struggling with his conscience, Matthew is advised by Carl (Tom Lister) to concentrate on his work and give Anna some space. Later, Anna fears she may have misjudged her father when her solicitor informs her that she will always receive an income from De Souza Enterprises. Convincing herself that Donald still wanted to care for her, Anna’s remorse makes Matthew feel even worse.

Also, Brenda (Lesley Dunlop) and Terry (Billy Hartman) hit a problem when TJ (Connor Lee) objects to his dad’s special friend. While Terry tries to talk TJ round, Brenda grows more and more uncomfortable with the villagers’ tendency to gossip about her private life. Discussing the situation with Gennie (Sian Reese-Williams) Brenda expresses her fear that TJ doesn’t want her around. Taking her daughter’s advice, Brenda considers winning TJ over by bribing him with sweets.