Declan home, he douses the living room with petrol. Charity tries to stop him, but he sets the room on fire in a bid to end his life. However, he changes his mind and flees the scene with Charity. They later learn Megan was in the house, but that she was rescued by the fire brigade. Looking for a way out of the damage Declan has caused, he and Charity decide to create a scam so they can claim the insurance money, leading to framing Sam and his girlfriend Rachel Breckle (Gemma Oaten) for the crime. Charity then forces Rachel to take her son and leave the village. Declan and Charity soon begin a relationship, but Charity is horrified when she becomes pregnant. When she tells Declan, he is delighted, and proposes. Although she initially refuses and walks out, she later changes her mind and accepts. Their wedding follows weeks later, but is interrupted when Megan, who hates Charity, sets off the fire alarm and hides the rings in an attempt to halt things going ahead. After Charity confronts her, they fight, which Declan breaks up, but they still marry, Megan forced to lend Charity one of her rings. During a second argument with Megan, Charity falls when Megan grabs her and later lies to Declan that she has had a miscarriage. He is devastated the hospital staff confirm she has lost the baby. A guilt-ridden Megan admits that she is to blame, leading to Declan forcing her out of the house. Incensed, Megan vows revenge on Charity, and takes the chance when Robbie finds an address to the abortion clinic on the sat nav. They try to convince Declan that Charity had an abortion, but he refuses to believe her, while Charity manages to come up with an excuse by telling Declan that her daughter Debbie (Charley Webb) had the abortion. When her son Noah (Jack Downham) takes a bottle of wine, he collapses and is taken to hospital, where it is revealed that the drink was laced with pesticide. A suspicious Declan begins to doubt Charity, but stands by her when she accuses Megan of trying to poison her, because of their long-running feud. Worried for her health, Declan persuades Charity to go away to a cottage for a break. Whilst his behaviour begins to unnerve Charity, she remains otherwise oblivious. He puts the pesticide container into the