Robbieeeee! It's meee, it's Jessieeee! I've come home. I'm so cold! Let me in-a-your window. The Archers pay homage to Wuthering Heights?

[PseudoBadger]

A new thread in time for the film this morning.

Yes I wonder if Rob has seen the dress? I don't think Helen will be allowed to wear it if she looks too fabulous.

When is the ball?

Tonight apparently!
Why a Wednesday though?

i suspect Rob knew perfectly well that he could hire a dinner suit if he had to. Though maybe his idea was to go all martyred and say he couldn't go to the Hunt Ball, therefore Helen couldn't either, she doesn't get to wear the gorgeous dress and gets yet further isolated.

Hurrah I'm going to be home in time to listen tonight.

Icimoi that sounds scarily plausible on both counts. I can't imagine him not going though...

Yes, Rob was clearly desperate for a way to put Helen on the back foot and make her all on edge about the Ball. It won't matter whether the dress makes her look fabulous or not, if Rob decides she should wear something different, that's what will happen and she will apologise for not choosing something that meets with his approval. We had this once before, can't remember when, so she will already be worried about whether he will let her wear this dress.

We already know she does her hair the way he has told her she should. Wasn't there something a few months about make-up too - he thought she had too much or too little so she did it all again?

And finally - Emma's admiring remark about Helen's figure could of course mean that Helen is stick thin, not that she is curvy and can carry off something low cut and sexy. How long before Helen is starving herself again, I wonder?

i'm hoping for a danny the champion of the world style pheasants flocking all over justin elliot's fancy car

(i did always wonder, re that story, is it really wise to be eating pheasants that have consumed a sedative?)

I would have thought rob would enjoy Helen being attractive and other men looking at her. He gets to be the guy who has everything

Then behind closed doors it is her fault and why was she flirting etc etc

He gave me the absolute chills this evening.

But I can't help but hear Mr Gently Benevolent's evil laugh everytime he opens his mouth.

I'm not sure whether or not he planted the crisps & cupcake but, if he did, maybe he has no intention of going to the HB. I can't work out the motivation though unless he knows something about Jess that we don't.

I think the HB is on a Wednesday to set up stuff that will hit the fan on Friday.

BYOS - I think he'd prefer to choose the dress

He'll want her to change the dress merely to assert his authority over her. She slipped the leash a bit by going ahead with the party so he'll feel the need to bring her back to heel.
Utter bastard.

i don't know though - from his POV her cancelling the party might send out red flag signals to others that get back to helen. this way, she's unlikely to organise anything again because he has an "i told you so" to fall back on

Fair point, Pumpkin.

it's difficult to judge isn't it? is he simply going to punish her for stepping out of line, or is he going to give her enough rope for her to hang herself?

Really, it's quite bizarre that someone aspiring to be a father to Henry should in effect say he can never have a party at home, or even have friends at the house, in case they make a mess which might make him feel vaguely uncomfortable when he gets home after it's all over. It's quite dim of Knob not to see that if he wants to isolate Helen by stealth whilst convincing her that he's Mr Wonderful as a father figure, that's not the way to go about it

I'm convinced the SWs have been reading the MN relationships board.

What's next? Alienating her from her family? (although that doesn't suit the Rob takes over Ambridge Organics theory). Not letting her leave the house without his permission?

I think he's getting a bit edgy about the impending birth and wants to make sure Helen's well and truly under control but I can't judge what he'll do next because, thankfully, I have no experience of this kind of behaviour.

They must both be aware that Jess is due any time now.

By which I mean that it's obvious his goal is complete control but I don't know the tricks of the trade, so to speak. Everything he does is a surprise to me though he has form for manipulating her dress choices before going out so that's predictable.

That's a point re the birth. Knob must know that Jess is entitled to maintenance and can if necessary insist on blood tests, so surely someone as controlling as him will be frantically thinking up ways to minimise the damage. It could well be that trying to get Helen completely undermined and under his thumb will be his weapon of choice, if only because that's the way his mind works anyway. So there could well be a major Hunt Ball related blow-up.

So was the recorded package 1 tsp of Rob's essence?

ew!

Yuk, Pseudo!

I've just remembered for the first time in ages to look at the RT spoilers for the next couple of weeks. Don't worry, I will reveal nothing! I will just say that I raised an eyebrow slightly at one or two of the things I learned...

He will deny baby is his right up until it is proven to be his then he will say well yes I did sleep with her that once but it was your fault because you did x.

And if the issue of maintenance comes up he will no doubt say something along lines of well you gave up work just assuming I'd pay for everything so you can sit at home with your child all day while I pay for everything and now you are moaning when I intend to pay for my own child...or something along those lines.

Any protests such as but you thought it was a great idea I give up work will be met with (gaslighting) I said at the time I had reservations I only agreed to it because you clearly weren't coping (because you are mental) what would you do without me to look after you you poor thing?

Or similar if he follows the usual script.

I also think he will go to HB and then accuse her of embarrassing him by making a show of herself.

But it could go many ways "you look nice tonight. Glad to see you made an effort not like usual" or are you sure about that dress you don't think it's a bit.....? Let her fill in the rest or H may well undermine herself by trying to guess and saying "what do you think? Its not right is it? I'll just change" etc. They'll be late. Then he will blame her cos there was nothing wrong with the dress in the first place.