Tom King’s (James Chase) abuse of Belle Dingle (Eden Taylor Draper) reaches the most terrifying danger level when he traps her and leaves her to die in Emmerdale.
Tom’s constant barrage of cruelty and determination to keep it all a secret has seen Belle left a wreck; her self-confidence has been vaporised and she questions every thought to work out what’s right. Tom is a master manipulator and Belle is more vulnerable than ever.
It’s the worst time, then, to discover that she’s pregnant. She carries out the test at the surgery with Wendy (Susan Cookson) at her side, who picks up on the fact that Belle doesn’t jump for joy at the news. Internally, Belle is screaming.
‘Wendy checks she’s okay and asks if everything is okay at home with Tom but Belle covers that it is all fine,’ actress Eden Taylor Draper reveals to Metro.co.uk.
We’d love to say that’s a hint that Wendy is the one to uncover the abuse, but sadly, Eden confirms that there is a lot more suffering ahead for Belle.
‘Slowly she is cutting her family off as she is being pushed by Tom to keep the Dingles out of their life,’ she said of whether anyone will see the signs. ‘So they are now not close enough to actually see
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what is going on in Belle’s life. Little signs are starting to come out, but nothing tangible, or enough for them to really seize upon. He’s a clever manipulator.’
So when Belle learns she is pregnant, she goes to great lengths to keep it to herself. It’s a frightening and confusing time for her, having recently spent time in her crisis unit facing questions about her marriage. She wants it to remain a secret from Tom for now.
But when Tom is triggered after Cain (Jeff Hordley) gives him a hard time for selling Belle’s car without his knowledge – another power move to isolate his wife – Tom returns home ready to take the anger out on Belle.
As tensions rise, so does Tom’s hand as he seemingly prepares to beat Belle again. In a panic and in preservation mode, Belle blurts out that she’s pregnant.
‘So she only tells him to stop him hitting her. She didn’t mean to tell him,’ Eden explains.
All of a sudden, Tom’s demeanour changes on a hairpin. Suddenly he’s filled with joy and pulls Belle in for a hug. Emotions flow, although Belle’s tears are not of joy. She swears Tom to secrecy, a promise he has form for flouting.
They take Piper for a walk and Tom is like a new person, which is something Belle struggles to believe. He seems genuine in his desire to change, and Belle lets her guard down, but is it more manipulation?
It would seem so, as it’s not long before Belle learns that Tom has blabbed to Rhona, and then Jimmy. She’s furious at having her privacy invaded, but keeps her anger to herself. Having not yet decided if she wants this baby, the decision is being taken away from her.
But there’s something far more sinister and threatening around the corner for pregnant Belle. On the day of Ethan’s funeral, after Tom tells her she shouldn’t go, she finds herself locked in the house. Exhausted and with no way out, Belle goes for a nap with Piper. But she forgets she has food cooking on the stove.
While upstairs, disaster strikes when a tea towel starts to singe while an unwitting Belle naps.
The tea towel catches fire and Belle is trapped in a locked house with no means of escape. Has Tom sentenced his wife to death?
