Big decisions loom for the Hebden-Lloyds and Brian accedes to Debbie’s desire for large machines

Radio Times: Joe offers to help.

Characters: Alistair, Brian, David, Debbie, Ruth, Shula

• While looking at a lame horse at the stables, Shula and Alistair go over again the opportunities created by Christine’s decision to retire. Alistair is very keen on going ahead with buying the business and the house, although he agrees there is some careful thinking to be done. Shula is keenly aware though of her emotional ties to Glebe Cottage, it was her mother’s and, after all, where Daniel was born, it holds a lot of memories. They need to look at the figures carefully.
• Brian and Debbie have gone to look at one of the combines she’s so desperate to get for Home Farm. In spite of himself he’s very impressed, with some incomprehensible technical talk following! He wants to go over the figures again, and suggests they have dinner in the Bull. That, at the very least, will keep him out of the house, where a Kate/Lucas ‘atmosphere’ is still simmering.
• David and Ruth are still in the lambing shed, over some orphaned lambs, making small talk about the need for more localised farming. Lambing at least will be more or less over by the weekends. Ruth sees some comfort in the fact that they’ve now got the Herefords. They are local breeds who don’t require a lot of additional feeding. She feels more in control.
• Over a drink in the Bull, Alistair and Shula are listing the advantages and disadvantages of ‘living over the shop’. Obviously they would be ‘on site’ should there be problems, otherwise they would have to rely on whoever was living in the house to keep an eye on the place, and Shula really doesn’t want to take a partner. (She is uncertain if she could do all the work herself, running the place and the paperwork.) Alistair comes back with the fact that the cottage is cramped, Daniel is growing, and he has never felt that the cottage is theirs – jointly – whereas a new house would be. Also. there is the possibility, given the land and the outhouses, of moving his practice to the stables.
• The Bull is popular tonight … Brian and Debbie are back after their long day, and on the drive back he has come to a decision. He’s been won over by all Debbie’s work and her obvious enthusiasm, they must look ahead. She can go ahead and order that combine – and the new tractor she’s got her eye on while she’s at it. Debbie is over the moon, she promises he won’t regret it.