- Freddie’s first Boxing Day Meet
- A “Sassenach feast”
- The Bridge Farm bust up
- Elizabeth and David were in the same room
- Alistair got tickets to the Olympics
- Bridge Farm bust up round 2
- Helen’s for turning
Freddie’s first Boxing Day Meet
Shula’s taking Freddie to the meet, though his thoughts obviously keep drifting onto his dad:
[Freddie] “We had a really good Christmas last year … I wish we could be riding together today”
Freddie said it in quite a happy (ish), fond way. Shula said it was good to have good memories.
Elizabeth and Lily are watching the start of the meet. Elizabeth again can’t believe how much Freddie looks like Nigel when he’s kitted out in his riding gear. Lily is slightly concerned that Freddie will get hurt.
[Elizabeth] “You don’t have to worry. Freddie’s a very good rider”
[Lily] “But he’s such an idiot!”
I learned today that one should call the riders’ coats pink, not red (!). Lily thinks they all look very smart, and that the hounds are “cut”.
[Lily] “I still don’t like the idea of them killing the fox, though”
[Elizabeth] “They’re not allowed to anymore, that’s what he was explaining, they’re just following a scent … you take after grandma, she’s never approved of hunting either”
[Lily] “I don’t understand why daddy did, he loved animals”
[Elizabeth] “It was the riding he liked really, between you and me, he used to be quite glad when the fox got away, but don’t tell Oliver”
A “Sassenach feast”
Pardon me? What is Helen on about?
[Helen to Tom] “I thought Jazzer didn’t mind doing the Christmas shift since he considers it such a Sassenach feast”
[Tom] “Well, that’s what he says but it never seems to stop him celebrating it”
Pardon moi? Since when did any Scot consider Christmas an English thing? I think you’ll find that Christianity first came to the Isles at Whithorn in Dumfries and Galloway, and Iona.
That aside, Jazzer is also dodging feeding Tom’s pigs as he reckons he has to put the finishing touches to his Christmas around the World song. We still don’t know what it is …
The Bridge Farm bust up
Seems there was a huge row at Bridge Farm after they turned off the secret microphones. The kids aren’t speaking to the parents. Seems Helen left Bridge Farm with Tom and Brenda yesterday.
[Helen] “I can’t trust myself around mum and dad at the moment”
[Tom] “I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to trust them again … I don’t know how they have the nerve to even mention that Rich in the same breath as our Henry”
Helen and Tom feel betrayed. That Pat and Tony went behind their backs by contacting Sharon, and also meeting Rich. That they don’t care and they certainly don’t “get it”.
[Helen] “They seemed surprised we were upset”
[Tom] “Unbelievable … what they did, what they’re doing, it has so many implications for you and me and Henry … yet they’re acting as though this is a private matter between them and this Rich … don’t we count anymore? Are we suddenly outside our own family?”
[Helen] “It was awful yesterday, us shouting to mum and dad though a soundproof window and they couldn’t hear me”
[Tom] “They’ve temporarily gone mad. We’ve got to make them see sense, Helen”
The added worry is that Pat and Tony will now do something even crazier … though what, they didn’t say.
Kidnap Rich?
Elizabeth and David were in the same room
Elizabeth and the twins “didn’t have a too bad” Christmas day. They were with Shula, Alistair and Daniel at the Stables during the day, and did go to Kenton’s party at The Bull during the evening.
[Elizabeth] “They made it easy for us. David and I were able to steer clear of each other without spoiling anything”
That’s progress, I reckon.
Alistair got tickets to the Olympics
For Shula and Daniel and himself.
They didn’t say what event they’re going to see, but Elizabeth was amazed that he got something in the rather high pressured lottery, and that Alistair didn’t tell them he was successful.
[Elizabeth] “He must be good at keeping secrets”
Hmmm.
Bridge Farm bust up round 2
Tom and Helen Vs. Tony.
[Tony] “Your feelings? I don’t know how you can be so selfish … and what about your mother, have you stopped for one moment to consider what all of this is doing to her?”
[Helen] “Of course we’re thinking about mum”
[Tom] “She doesn’t seem to be thinking much about us …”
[Tony] “Oh grow up Tom! The world doesn’t revolve around you … neither of you have made the slightest effort to see things from her point of view”
Seems Pat is still in her room, sobbing.
[Tom] “For Rich. For this previous grandson that she’s only seen for 10 while minutes”
[Tony] “No … for John … he left something behind, when we thought we’d lost everything about him forever … but you’re here, both of you here, Henry here, and John never will be”
And now Rich has also gone from their lives.
Helen’s for turning
As Tom and Helen talk things through:
[Tom] “It was always going to end in tears”
[Helen] “Once they realised John had a son, they were bound to want to find out more”
[Tom] “Technically, maybe it’s true. But it doesn’t mean anything”
[Helen] “Well, that’s a bit hard”
[Tom] “I’m being realistic Helen, you of all people should understand that … let me ask you a question, do you ever think about Henry’s father?”
[Helen] “No. No I don’t. I’ve kind of forgotten he had one”
[Tom] “We all have. He’s ours now, the next Archer”
[Helen] “I see what you mean. You think that’s how Sharon and her husband feel about Rich?”
[Tom] “Of course they do, he belongs to them like Henry belongs to us”
Tom thinks Pat is deluding herself.
[Tom] “Rich existing isn’t going to bring John back”
[Helen on Tony] “What he said shocked me”
[Tom] “Emotional blackmail, more like”
[Helen] “No. It’s more complicated than that. I need to think this through”
Ah – Helen looks to be switching sides …
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