Nigel’s bird has flown; Brian’s is coming in to roost.

Radio Times: Nigel loses a loved one.

Characters: Brian, David, Elizabeth, Nigel, Tim

• Tim is enjoying a full day falconry course and admiring Nigel’s favourite Harris Hawk, Eleanor. Siobhán enjoyed her half day course so much that she gave this one to Tim as a Christmas present; he laughingly toys with the idea that she might want him out of the house for the day.
• David and Brian are driving to the Oxford Conference and not seeing eye to eye about how to tackle the world farming situation: David is for pulling together and cutting costs, Brian is for producing cheaply abroad and under-cutting the home market. Thoughts of home are never far away: Debbie lost a ewe during the night and David is worried about leaving Ruth, 7 months pregnant, although she should have enough help. Eddie had been round to Brookfield seeking some work for Ed.
• Tim has enjoyed his day. There are longer courses available but not at Lower Loxley, although he could repeat the one day course. Nigel cannot resist showing off by allowing Eleanor one last flight into the gloom.
• David returns from the bar surprisingly quickly and makes Brian look guilty for phoning home. What a good job Siobhán hadn’t answered. Brian boasts of his attraction for the ladies; it seems his room is next to that of a gorgeous lady farmer called Charlotte, who looks remarkably like Siobhán Hathaway. They agree that she looked stunning at the Masked Ball, though Brian is careful to point out that she asked him to dance.
• Nigel’s favourite hawk has not come home. Tomorrow they will widen they search but she may be gone for good; Elizabeth is remarkably and uncharacteristically forgiving of the incompetence.