29/04/2024

Alice is groggy when Jakob - hammering on the door - finally manages to rouse her. She needs to call the nursery as she forgot to tell them Kate would be picking Martha up. Alice is defensive when Jakob tells her Kate thought something terrible had happened when she didn’t answer her phone after calling in sick. Jakob’s suspicions grow when he notices Alice’s phone is under the coffee table, where its ringing should have woken her – then, as he’s about to leave, he notices a poorly-hidden empty wine bottle. Alice tries to talk her way out of it but he says he’ll have to tell Kate. Alice promises it’s a one-off and says she’ll call her sponsor, Lisa, if he’ll keep her secret. She says she can’t risk Martha being taken away from her. Reluctantly, Jakob agrees.

Chelsea is being trained by Emma at the Tea Room, although her experience at The Orangery has Chelsea overflowing with confidence. Robert comes in for a cup of tea and she is soon trying to persuade him to buy cake as well – her overselling of the various teas is overwhelming and he buys a cappuccino instead. Almost as soon as he has finished his drink she is fussing around him and urging him to buy another. He’s engrossed in a mystery game Lynda bought him for Christmas but Chelsea won’t relent and pretty soon drives him out of the Tearoom. She starts boasting about what she has done, but far from being impressed, Emma is horrified, saying Robert is a loyal customer.