S27·E157 Episode 2461 (Wed 23rd Dec 1998)

There is consternation among the Tate household when Eric walks into the Home Farm auction and starts to bid against an incredulous Chris. In a fit of pique, Chris asks for the auction to be halted as Eric clearly hasn't got the kind of money he's bidding. But Chris is left helpless when he's informed Eric is bidding by proxy. It's all a fabulous game for the one time auctioneer as he plays with Chris as the bidding shoots well past the expected selling price and Eric sweeps the Tate empire from a distraught Chris and informs the lucky winner of their win who turns out to be Stella Jones. Butch is beside himself. He's been kicked out of his home and now he's badly beaten up Marlon.