19/12/2022

Ben’s helping to clear up in the Brookfield Barn. Ruth hopes it’s not too much for him, but Ben maintains he’s fine. Ruth asks if he’d like to join her at choir practice later. Ben declines. He asks Ruth about his dad, who he feels is acting a bit strangely around him. Ruth explains David feels he didn’t deal well with Ben’s situation when it happened. Ben doesn’t want him to feel guilty – he needs a proper chat with his dad. Ruth reminds Ben David’s still haunted by guilt over the death of Nigel. Ruth assures Ben they’re both there for him, and Ben acknowledges his dad probably understands him better than most. Ed calls round with some edible decorations from Emma, and Ben enjoys the opportunity for a normal chat. Ben’s pleased Ruth’s joined a choir, resolving to be there to support her.
Ed tells Emma that Rex caught everything they did in the woods on camera. Emma’s mortified. What if he shares the footage? Much as she doesn’t want to, she feels she has to face Rex, in the hope he’ll be so embarrassed he’ll hand over the material. Later at choir practice Rex sees Emma and tries to escape. Fallon thinks that maybe he’s ill, his performance was so bad. Emma catches up with him and attempts to explain about the logging, but only succeeds in making things worse. Rex gets totally the wrong end of the stick, and believing Emma’s condoning what he sees as an affair between Ed and Fallon, he quits Fallon’s choir.