Have I missed an episode?? I can't for the life of me understand why Lilian is all of a quiver about Rob's thinly veiled blackmail, simply because she left a scarf at the Dower House. It's perfectly understandable that she would, surely?

On that point, why confess all to Tony? It's as though the blackmail is a done deal.

Guilty conscience? Perhaps Rob was just the catalyst to get her sharing a secret that's been weighing on her?
It does seem a bit hurried though.

Because she is having an affair with the man who has employed Rob who raped Lilian's niece .Her brother Tony's daughter.

I didn't quite get why a scarf was such a big deal, either. If it had been her knickers, her reaction would be a bit more plausible, but it wasn't.

Hee Hee!

I don't think Lilian does knickers.

Good on David having a go at Toby. I'm not normally a big David fan but I like Toby a lot less!

Was he just 'fishing' for conformation of his suspicions which dopey Tony then gave him? Wouldn't it have been better for Tony to act ignorant of the affair.

Maybe I've missed something, but why would Rob stir it, with the chance of upsetting Justin, the only person who has stuck by him, and his employer to boot?

Revenge on Lilian for not letting him Hillside? Tho short-sighted because Justin will realise what a snake Rob is if Lilian tells him of the threats.

Pip is such a dope.
Toby phones her up from some bar where he's probably on the pull, and basically fobs her off saying he might be back with a takeaway and for sex!

Yep and she just laughs it off. Not saying she needs to go crazy or anything but he's unemployed so why is he wasting money in bars by himself?

Market research. Yeah ok Tobes.

I'm not too sure about that. It feels like the writers are trying to show that Rob and Justin have similar attitudes in some respects - I.e. both well formed public school boys.

Justin seems all too eager to see the good in Rob and seems to assume Helen's either lying or exaggerating ("he hasn't been convicted of anything").

Lillian has complained about Rob to Justin quite a few times now so if she starts again about this Justin will assume Lillian is exaggerating.

Yeah that's true.
I think, as someone said on here before, there is a certain 'numbness' caused by how horrendous Rob is/was; he eclipses the other 'villains'.

Justin is like that. Listeners used to hate him but perhaps he now gets an easy ride due to Rob's sheer evil in comparison?
Justin is a nasty manipulator - something to bear in mind.

I remembered the other day how I was riled by Charlie Thomas.... who now seems a veritable flufffy kitten!

David was brilliant and Pip and Toby need to be thrown out into the street. I don't understand how Pip can be so stupid. It's not even as if she is blinded by love.

Yeah Justin was brought in as the mean city bloke intent on ruining the countryside which has kind of gone by the wayside now that Lillian's hopped into bed with him and -- like you say -- Rob has overshadowed him.

He also strikes me as incredibly stubborn. He won't want to admit that employing Rob was a mistake so I think the more Lillian complains about him, the more Justin will dig his heels in.

However, I kind of feel like the writers are giving us listeners some rewards for putting up with ghastly Rob for so long. Seems like Tony and Lillian aren't going to play his games, so I think we might see Rob try his usual tactics only to be foiled. The psychologist's report was fabulous and Rob's sounding more and more deranged -- e.g. his refusal to call Jack by his name and assuming he will get custody of not only his son but Henry too. I mean, that shows he's completely delusional.

I think he really has to go soon. I can tell the writers want to keep him on, given how divisive he's been and the mileage they can get out of the constant contact necessary between Helen and Rob, given their shared child, but they're going to run out of road for him (well, I think they already have really). I also hear rumours that the actor has been poached by some TV series, so with any luck he'll meet his end soon enough. I can dream.

It was good, but it's ruined my "exploding still" storyline!

Yes I agree. I said before that he cannot have much mileage left as a regular character.
This is because he's done something so irredeemable. He cannot meaningfully interact with any of the other characters and he cannot be a 'bit-part' in another character's storyline as that would be tantamount to condoning what he did, with impunity.

The reduction of his contact time with Jack will mean fewer confrontations with Tony and the Archer family; does this herald his gradual departure?
Either that or, as you say, he's going to do something dangerous / insane after being foiled, and he'll be dispatched fairly pronto.
Rob will still be mentioned in absentia, and as Jack grows up he will probably crop up at key moments to cause tension. Jack or Henry will obviously have 'issues' and that will give narrative fodder for the future too.

Sorry to change the subject, but have been wondering about the missing. Do you think that Jill, Ruth, Fallon, PC Burns, Ed, Carol and Bert are all off doing pantos together? Particularly Jill is usually constantly on, but since her Toby-tantrum ...nothing. Maybe they've locked her in the attic?

They have been temporarily transported to the same black hole that has swallowed up Kathy and Jamie Perks, Usha Franks, Christine Barfoot, Jim Hebden and many others before them.

Oh I don't know. Maybe you have a case of familiarity breeds contempt Welsh Lad. Barmouth isn't a bad place, if its the place I think it is. Isn't it the town with the funicular railway?

But I agree about Portmerion. Its a fabulous place to go. I have stayed there a couple of times - in the Toll House if I remember correctly. In fact I have been on the beach there in shorts and vest top on 24th November ( a few years ago). Mind you it's pricey.

I thought they went to Bournemouth ...

I think you are mixing Barmouth up with Aberystwyth, further down the coast.

Barmouth itself is a bit of a rundown place but the surrounding countryside is spectacular.
The Mawddach Estuary in particular is a really "must see" area. Beautiful river scene surrounded by hills and the mighty Cader Idris overlooking the whole scene.

I think you are right. I have stayed in Barmouth though or at least near it, inland at a place called Llanfracreth I think

I don't get this narrative device either. Nothing suspicious about leaving a scarf at the home or office of an empoyer, it happens all the time and is evidence of absolutely nothing. I don't know why she went into contrite confessional mode with Tony. I would have just said - Thanks for returning the scarf and Yeah what of it? " and laughed if Rob had gone around suggesting anything untoward.

Agree though that Rob probabaly sees this knowledge as a weapon he can hold over Justin by threatening to tell his wife. But agree with Diamond Doll that from what we have seen of the imperious Mrs Elliot, I can't see her being bothered. She probably views Lilian as the help, hired to service her hubby so she doesn't have to.