Episode 3893 (10th November 2004)

Plot
Matthew takes a look around the B&B with Steph. Steph refuses to let him look round on his own and Matthew jokes that she has got something to hide after all. Matthew tells Steph that subject to a full survey he’s prepared to buy the property. Matthew asks her why she keeps Alan’s door locked and Steph explains that it’s because Alan keeps falling down the stairs. Leaving the B&B, Matthew heads to the shop and finds that Alan is the topic of conversation. He says that he was just round there on business and he looked fine. Emily goes round to see Alan and is concerned to find the house is up for sale. Steph tells Emily that her dad thought selling up was for the best. Steph refuses to let Emily see Alan because he’s asleep. While Emily is there a Trading Standards officer turns up and arranges an interview date with Steph. He notices the house is for sale and warns Steph not to leave the country. Steph looks downcast and Emily insists that she has some lunch with her in The Woolpack. While Steph is away, Daz pays Alan another visit. Alan tells Daz that Steph has done something bad to Shelley and she’s going to do something to him as well. He asks Daz to tell Emily that Steph is putting pills into his food. Steph returns and notices crumbs on Alan’s duvet from the biscuit Daz gave him. She threatens to tie Alan to the bed if he doesn’t behave himself. Daz heads to the shop and blurts out everything that Alan’s told him. Emily tells him to stop making things up. Daz tells her she’ll be sorry when Alan’s dead. Jimmy shows Zoe a pair of earrings that he’s bought for Sadie to say sorry for her horse’s death. Jimmy tells Zoe that he can buy Sadie a new horse and it’s not as if a child has died. Just as he says this, Sadie walks in in tears. Jimmy is unable to find the right words to console his wife. Later, at work, Sadie refuses to answer his calls. On a whim Jimmy decides to leave the earrings on Chloe’s desk with a note. When she returns she is delighted and assumes Carl bought them. Jimmy tells they are a ‘bonus’ from him. Carl joins Chloe in The Woolpack and tells her that he is going to cook for her. Chloe looks pleased. She asks Carl what he thinks of the earrings Jimmy bought her. Carl reminds her that Jimmy is married. Chloe takes offence at Carl’s suggestion that she shouldn’t be taking gifts from a married man. She tells Carl that she is going out with the girls and flounces out. Knowing that Jarvis was opposed to Frank living in the village, Scott turns to him for a character reference. Jarvis turns him down flat, explaining that he doesn’t approve of people taking the law into their own hands. Later, Scott sheepishly approaches Zoe in The Woolpack and asks whether Viv can look after Jean for the afternoon. Zoe refuses, telling him that he doesn’t want him looking after Jean. When Scott tells Viv what she won’t be looking after her granddaughter the consequences of Scott’s actions begin to sink in.