Caz and Lynda have bonded.

Radio Times: Robert and Lynda have an early Christmas.

Characters: Alistair, Coriander, Jim, Lynda, Robert, Shula

• Christmas comes early at Ambridge Hall; Lynda is cooking a traditional Christmas lunch, for which a jet-lagged Justin is determined to be awake. Robert is thrilled to see his daughter so bubbly now that Justin is back.
• Alistair is off on an emergency call and then to do some Christmas shopping; what should he get dad – a bottle of scotch, even though it will earn him a lecture on single malts. Talk of the devil, here he comes to report that Usha has turned down his offer on Blossom Hill Cottage but he can stay on as a tenant. He fears he will not have much time for house-hunting now that he and Kenton have the go-ahead for Jaxx; they have research to do – that sounds like code for a pub crawl. What can he get Alistair? – a bottle of scotch, even though it is such an unimaginative present.
• Lunch was great. Caz is stuffed. She persuades Lynda and Robert to go to Lower Loxley but when? Mysteriously, Robert wants to keep Thursday free; they will go tomorrow. Tonight, however, Lynda has invited all the friends Caz has made.
• The party is going well and Lynda needs to roll out more canapés. Caz is really grateful for the chance to say goodbye to her new friends but she senses that Lynda is a bit subdued. It has hit her that the house is going to be so empty tomorrow. Caz had thought she would be glad to see the back of them but not so. She admits that she couldn’t have got through the last few weeks without Lynda.