Jill is happy with her move and Dan is with his. Perhaps the rest will come round in time.

Radio Times: Dan gets new boots and Coco misbehaves.

Characters: Alan, David, Elizabeth, Jill, Kenton, Shula

• Shula introduces Alan to Coco, the donkey for the Palm Sunday service at Darrington. He’s a touch concerned that Coco seems to be a little frisky. Shula reassures him that though it’s Coco’s first time, she comes from a child friendly family and all will be well.
• Elizabeth calls in to Brookfield as Jill sets off for the Darrington service, leaving David with lunch preparation instructions. It’s clear that she’s in her element being back at Brookfield, though she rather misses her bedroom curtains from Glebe, which were just too small to reuse. Once Jill has gone, Elizabeth makes it perfectly clear that she feels utterly excluded from making the decision to move her mother back to Brookfield. David tries in vain to pour oil on a tricky situation, but Elizabeth flounces off home to cook her own family lunch… unaided!
• As soon as Alan starts the service, Shula loses control of the donkey. Amid much braying and clattering of hooves, Coco makes a break for it. Shula later apologises to Alan for Coco’s antics and receives sympathy for her sore shoulder from Jill. Conversation turns to Dan, who is out breaking in his new Army boots. He has been accepted by the Royal Tank Regiment and has another interview later in the week. As Alan says, “it’s all full speed ahead”.
• At Brookfield, it seems that David may have persuaded Kenton not to sell hot cross buns at the crucifixion enactment on Lakey Hill on Good Friday, on the grounds that it may have been seen as poor taste. Kenton agrees to stick to selling afternoon tea at The Bull instead. He is pleased that his mother is so obviously delighted to be back at Brookfield permanently and simply can’t understand Elizabeth’s earlier altercation with David.
• Kenton drops a computer game in at Lower Loxley and takes the opportunity to discuss Jill’s move with Elizabeth. She feels that, given Ruth’s less than perfect household management skills, her mother may be overworked. Also, she is angry that Jill was not given the option of moving to Lower Loxley where, as a single parent, Elizabeth would have valued a little help! Kenton calms the situation and points out that Jill is so happy, it would be pointless to object now.
• David is washing up at Brookfield while chatting to Jill. Shula drops in with a parcel of spare curtains from Elizabeth, in the same material as those left at Glebe cottage. Jill is delighted, a wonderful “welcome back to Brookfield” gift. Shula is still concerned about Dan’s decision. On Tuesday, he goes the King’s Royal Hussars in Wiltshire for an interview. Shula acknowledges that it is not a passing whim, no matter what anyone else thinks, Dan is quite set on becoming a soldier.