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[PseudoBadger]

Chocolate Chip cookie anyone?

She must be on the pill though, surely? I can't see Rob as a condom man. Unless he is- because that gives him complete control..........

I listened again but wasn't much the wiser. Helen seemed to be up for it, suggesting that they go upstairs rather than do it downstairs. Perhaps the contraceptives are upstairs? I can imagine that Helen isn't on the pill because she doesn't want all those chemicals washing round her organic insides.

Compare and contrast: at work, Rob doesn't get the cows impregnated according to schedule but at home ...

I too thought it was lack of a condom that surprised her. She is perhaps organic enough not to use the pill.

I've no idea what that 'rob' was about. And given the sw at the moment, we may never find out...

Yuck.
We'll never hear her tell anyone exactly what happened either because she has no friends. At best we'll hear Rob half-apologise in the morning - "I'm sorry if you thought I was quite full-on last night, it's just that you were so beautiful, you don't know what you do to me.." We'll know and she'll tell herself that rape = love.

Oh dear, that was a lesson in control techniques. Start off by taking a lot of trouble over a romantic meal, move on to extravagant declarations of love interspersed with a bit of guilt tripping with references to how lucky someone was that she was prepared to give him a child, move on to make her wallow in her vulnerabilities, move in for the kill. Yes, I think the question at the end was down to the fact that Rob wasn't using a condom. Let's hope she has the sense to go straight out and get the morning after pill.

And let's not forget trashing the dress she was going to wear tonight........

That she bought without permission/consultation.........

Thursday is a weird night for a romantic night in - unless you're tracking your wife's menstrual cycle and reckon she's ovulating.

Poor, poor Helen. I don't see how she's ever going to get away. I think we could be listening to creepy controlling relationship for the next ten years at least.

Poor Helen? She is as weird and controlling as he is. Poor Henry more like!

Oh Lordy Northern I hope not, I found last night acutely uncomfortable to listen too. I had to re-listen to the ending, as am still not entirely sure I understood it, but even DH, who is an Archers refusenik was gripped. IAs others have said, it was a master class in how this type of abusive relationship establishes itself, I was close to recording it, so I can play it to DD in 15 year's time as a lesson in what to avoid.

I think the creepy feeling started from him telling her to put the dress on, as you just knew from then on what would happen. I know these things tend to play out over years rather than months in real life, but please let this come to a head soon, I like change counting, the agricultural calendar and some panto tomfoolery, not Brookside meets Brookfield.

Oh God he's awful. 'Find him and kill him?' oooookaaaay! What sane person (yes, I know, I know!) wouldn't be a leetle bit freaked out by that?

Probably going to get ejected from the thread because though he's clearly vile and manipulative, based on what we heard I think 'rape' is a bit strong. I wouldn't be at all surprised if it turned out he forced himself on her, but again based on what we heard all that panting and giggling didn't sound like someone who didn't want a bit, frankly. She said no to him when she was trying to tidy up, and 'wait, stop' or something similar when she wanted to ask about Jess (fishing much?!) but I didn't hear anything to suggest he forced her. The 'Rob?' was stupidly ambiguous - if it had been more of an exclamation than a question I don't think I'd be saying that. And as the Helen actor is so good I think she was directed to say it like that. And I didn't hear a dress being ripped, either.

But can I just say.......'I will never stop loving you!'. A shiver went down my spine at that.

but please let this come to a head soon, I like change counting, the agricultural calendar and some panto tomfoolery

I like the daily-life bits but I also like this SL. It is classic TA subtle slowburn that will takes years, or decades, to play out. This is much better than some acting out of character nonsense like Hadley Hough or Tom's recent melodramas.

could he have picked something up to hit her with?

I strongly suspect that last night's episode will be a lot easier to follow in the omnibus, as happens so often.

I thought the sounds before the rob was the dress being ripped?

So will she be pregnant?

"Find him and kill him" was really chilling.

Listened to this over breakfast this morning and rather wish I hadn't

Totally agree Gasp, seems to have become a bit of a theme since SOC came on the scene - I hope he doesn't want to do away with the dailies!

scary I thought it sounded more like trousers being removed [boak]

R4 I agree this is the kind of thing TA does well, and the slow burn is much better than an Eastenders style all done in 3 months approach, but I confess I do find it tough to listen to, so need a bit of 'everyday story or rural life' to counter balance it.

I heard a dress rustling, not ripping. I assumed he was 'disarranging' it.
She was surprised, perhaps even shocked, at something he was doing but not horrified.

I was puzzled by the "Rob?" too! Need to listen again at 2pm

I'm really not sure what went on, but pretty sure he raped her. It would be good if they pick up where they left off tonight, rather than a horrible cosy/creepy breakfast scene.

The worst bit was "tell me all the things you hate about yourself, Helen".

My BF who of course doesn't listen to the Archers. Of course he doesn't. He's not interested. Never listens thought the same squeaver

Add me to the list of somewhat mystified people...

Find him and kill him was definitely creepy - it makes Stevie Nicks in Silver Springs sound utterly sane!

Disclaimer I'm not saying the fabulous Stevie would ever be a psychopathic abuser, merely offering Silver Springs up as an example of someone who is a tad obsessive. See for the live version - you can see the fear in Lynsey Buckingham's eyes at the 4:20 mark. The actual has the really chilling coda (4min mark) you can hear the desperation in her voice!

BOOP for the cliffhanger. It's been a while since I've counted down the minutes with such impatience.

(And I'm sure the poor salmon was cured purely for our ongoing amusement.)