News of Brian’s revelation begins to spread; Jennifer makes it clear he has to choose.

Radio Times: The truth begins to unfold.

Characters: Brian, David, Debbie, Heather, Jennifer, Ruth

• The children are getting excited by Christmas. Pip is keen to get in an extra rehearsal for carols by candlelight. Heather seems to be settling in. They want her to have good Christmas in spite of everything.
• Brian is still in a state. It’s a good job Alice was away. She mustn’t find out anything is wrong. Debbie doesn’t want to talk to him otherwise.
• David turns up at Home Farm, but Debbie tries to get rid of him. David does drop in on Brian in his study though. Jennifer hopes he’s in a state to be seen – she doesn’t want everyone knowing. Brian, however, is still drinking and is rambling. David offers to listen to what is wrong. He tells him everything. He fell in love, he didn’t mean to but he did and he still loves Jennifer. He collapses in tears. He doesn’t know what to do. David gets him to shower and shave and takes him out for a walk.
• Ruth is shocked. What was Brian thinking of? Ruth thinks it is worse that Brian went into it as a quick fling. What a thing to risk a marriage over! Ruth doesn’t care about that. He deserves to suffer. And what about Siobhán and the baby? She’d like to take out a full page advertisement in the Echo and expose him for the rat he is.
• Brian and Jennifer manage to talk. Brian promises he will only tell the truth. Jennifer doesn’t want to be made a fool of. She doesn’t want people knowing. So all those times over the last 18 months when he was out with friends or too drunk to drive home he was with her. Jennifer is devastated to think he might have been there for the birth. He didn’t make it for Alice. Brian tries to tell her that they were always happy when they were together. He never thought about Siobhán then. He tells Jennifer he loves them both. But Jennifer thinks that is unfortunate – he can’t have both of them.