Brian finds a protector and Ed confronts Will

Radio Times: Emma demands answers and David proves a sympathetic ear

Characters: Brian, David, Ed, Emma, William

• In an attempt to clear a thick head, Brian comes across Will, feeding the birds. Brian makes it clear that he is not checking up on Will, and in turn, Will is quick to find consoling and sympathetic words.
• When Emma brings Ed a cup of tea and some of Susan’s fruit cake, she tells him how concerned she is about Neil. He is still in bed following his time spent rounding up pigs in the cold and wet, and worse, is talking about retiring. How will her parents manage? Ed dismisses her concerns, saying that escaped pigs are just part of the job, and that Susan is a tough old bird. Susan would be pleased to hear that. But her father’s illness is not all that Emma has to worry about. Hilary Noakes and Kirsty have been bending her ear as Parish Councillor about the contamination, and frankly Emma feels out of her depth. Ed thinks the solution is to talk directly to the land owner.
• Heeding Ed’s advice, Emma goes straight to Home Farm where she finds Brian and Will. Brian blusters in the face of some direct questioning, but Will becomes truculent and aggressive, finally ordering Emma off the farm because she is trespassing. Emma is furious, but has little option but to leave. Brian thanks Will for his support and rings David to see if he can spare half an hour.
• David is duly sympathetic, and compares Brian’s situation with the IBR outbreak. Family rifts are to be avoided at all costs. Pip, of course, turned up trumps when they had such problems at Brookfield, facing the problem and buckling down to put things right so that she earned respect. Selective memory is a wonderful thing, David. Brian is concerned at the possible financial loss.
• When Emma tells Ed about Will’s high-handed attitude, Ed is understandably protective. Emma is worried that he might compromise his position working at Home farm, but Ed doesn’t care, and goes round to Will’s.
• Will sneers at his brother, who goes straight into attack mode, telling Will he was totally out of order speaking to Emma as he did. Her job as Parish Councillor is to get answers to questions, and that is exactly what she was doing. Will retorts that she was harassing Brian, their employer, adding that if Emma wants to be treated like a grown- up she ought to behave like one. They part on bad terms (Once again.)