Episode 3813 (9th August 2004)

Plot
Believing it is only a matter of time before the whole village knows that her son has spent the last five years at Her Majesty’s pleasure, Pearl is a bag of nerves. Her mood is not helped when Laurel asks Lisa how Sam is doing in prison. She fears that her secret may be out when she comes across Lisa talking to Edna, but worse is to come when she runs into Zak in The Woolpack and he tells her that her secret is safe with him. Distraught Pearl goes home and starts packing. Len is shocked when he returns from work and finds Pearl with her coat on and her bags packed. Pearl breaks down and tells him that she’s done a stupid thing. She confesses that everything she’s told him about Frank Bernard has been a lie and tells him that he’s been in prison for five years. Len still wants to know why Pearl hasn’t been able to confide in him. She tells him that she was ashamed because her son has done something terrible and caused a lot of people a lot of misery. Zoe’s behaviour becomes increasingly erratic. When she runs into Sadie outside the shop she offers to sell her Pear Tree Cottage. Inside the shop, Emily makes an innocent remark about it taking a lot of time to get all of the chocolate off of Jean’s face. Zoe thinks Emily is calling her a bad mother and storms out of the shop. When Scott goes after her she ignores him. Later she snaps at estate manager Callum, before asking him whether he heard Jean crying. She then has a go at the nanny for leaving Jean alone. When they go to Jean she is playing happily. Charity tells Tom that Debbie has asked to move in with them. She tells him that if she tells her she can’t move in with them she will be upset. Tom tells her he’s happy with whatever she decides. When Debbie and Charity meet in the café, Debbie is convinced that Charity is going to say she can move in. Debbie is angry when her mum tells her that she can’t move and refuses to listen to what Charity has to say about seeing her brother whenever she wants. Debbie confides in Ethan. Emily looks concerned about Debbie's attachment to him.