EastEnders - 12/03/2010

At Patrick’s house, most of the family are quite happy to accept that Lucas sent the flowers to Liz in what was just a slightly misguided gesture of sympathy. Libby, however, is not so easily convinced. Taking her aside for an eerily private one-to-one, Lucas explains that he and Libby’s father Owen are the same kind of man, both being former bad-boy-alcoholics. He says that the best thing a man can do, when he is on a downward spiral, is to isolate himself and leave his family in peace. If Libby makes contact now, she will only expose her father’s shame and make things worse. Ready to accept that her father has fallen off the wagon again, Libby hugs Lucas and thanks him for such kind consideration on Owen’s behalf. After a short discussion, the Beales decide that it is best for everyone if Leon never discovers that he is the father of Lucy’s baby. Assuring Jane that no one else knows, Ian rushes over to Dot hoping that she has kept his secret sacrosanct. Dot readily admits that, burdened by Ian’s confession, she had to tell Heather. Discovering that Heather is already over at a meeting of the book club, the pair rush over to Bianca’s house to try and stop Heather from letting anything slip. They manage to get to her just before she lets the cat out of the bag, but they do not realise that Whitney has overheard the conversation. Wanting a way to get back at Leon, Whitney takes out her mobile phone – what will Whitney do? Danny’s plan to help Peggy finally unfolds as he sabotages a pump in the Vic. Taking Peggy out for a nice lunch, he leaves Roxy to deal with all the mess. After a lovely day out, the two return to find Roxy cracking under the pressure, unable to fix the problem with the taps herself. When Peggy heads down to the basement to sort things out, she realises what Danny has done and the new allies share a smile as Roxy admits that she may need Peggy’s help after all. Danny even manages to convince Roxy to keep the Queen Vic bust in its rightful place on the bar. Still believing that Whitney is responsible for the graffiti on Arthur’s bench, Bianca insists that she clean it off. Mocking Whitney, Leon films her working away on his mobile phone and sends the footage around to some friends. Annoyed at the trouble his girlfriend is in, Billie tells Carol that he sprayed the bench. Whitney steps in, however, and confesses that Connor carried out the crime. Carol, a little embarrassed, apologises to Whitney much to the satisfaction of Bianca. When Heather recognises Carol in an old photograph with Dot in the launderette, Carol is reluctant to admit the truth about her less than glamorous past working there. After her attempts to find a job of her choice leave her depressed and humiliated, though, she goes back to the launderette to eat humble pie and decides to ask Heather about a job. She also talks Bianca and, more importantly, Ricky into offering Billie a job at the Arches. Spurred on by the graffiti incident, Jean and Charlie put together a petition to have the square’s garden re-done. Lucas is concerned, realising that re-doing the garden would mean digging up Trina’s tree and possibly discovering what, or rather who, lays beneath it. As the Beales sit down to enjoy a drink together in the Vic, an angry Leon approaches them and, with the rest of the pub watching, asks Lucy if the baby is really his.