06/05/2021

It’s the day of Martha’s christening, and outside St. Stephen’s Pip and Rex bicker like children and wind each other up over Rex’s successful move from Hollowtree to Lower Loxley. Emma knocks their heads together. She’s a godparent too, and they’re not setting a great example right now. Rex and Pip are duly chastened, apologise to one another and agree Rosie makes them family. They’ve missed each other. And they won’t fight again – Emma’s terrifying!
At the Nest anxious Alice waits as Jennifer mends a tear in Martha’s christening gown. She’s thrown by a gift of a bottle of champagne, and urges her mum to have it – she and Chris aren’t drinking right now. But later suspicious Chris finds miniatures in Alice’s bag. He’s disgusted. She’s already drunk. Maybe after some coffee she might be able to come to the church. Alice begs him; she needed something to help her cope. She has to be there. When they arrive at the church Alice almost drops Martha. Chris tells Emma she’s drunk. The truth about Alice tumbles from Chris, and appalled Emma pieces together the events of the last few months. A crowd gathers and friends and family begin to hear what’s going on. Chris gets Emma to take Martha away from the scene. Alice is distraught and begs Chris not to leave her there. But he declares he has no choice; Martha’s not safe with Alice. He walks away, leaving Alice weeping for her husband and her little girl.