Charlie clearly means business; Shula is desperate to delay Dan.

Radio Times: Shula is grasping at straws, and Charlie is making waves.

Characters: Adam, Alistair, Brian, Charlie, Jennifer, Shula

• Shula is having a heart to heart with Jenny about her fears for Dan. She’s concerned that he may be making an enormous mistake. Jenny offers sympathy; she does understand how Shula must be feeling… really. But her mind is on other things and a phone call from her kitchen contractors sends her happily on her way home. Shula is desolate.
• At Adam’s meeting with Charlie, spreadsheets, e-mailed figures from Debbie and arable results from another Damara estate show that Borchester Land really is seriously under-performing. It does need turning round. Poor old Adam is left with little to say except to ask how the turn round might be achieved.
• Shula is helping Alistair with a horse. She has been thinking that rather than change Dan’s mind, why not give him time to think through the possible outcomes of his present actions? Employ delaying tactics? Alistair offers a crumb of comfort and agrees that it wouldn’t hurt to try, but that Shula shouldn’t get her hopes up.
• Adam’s meeting goes from bad to worse. Charlie suggests “switching priorities” by dumping fodder and growing global market crops such as wheat and oil. Adam suggests that they may just as well tear up their existing cropping plan. Charlie sees no problem! Adam asks where Rob will get his forage from. Charlie suggests that they ask him! Adam asks that they include Debbie in their discussions. Charlie will arrange a conference call! As a parting shot, Charlie asks to see Adam’s field diary. Adam sounds distinctly unimpressed.
• Shula tells Alistair of her plan to delay Dan. She will shortly need help to cover maternity leave at The Stables. If she added enough management experience to the mix, perhaps Dan would offer to postpone his application and help out. They both agree that if they are to give it a shot, they should wait until after his next interview.
• At Home Farm, Jenny is complaining to Brian that her kitchen may be delayed by two weeks. Adam walks in looking shell-shocked and is whisked to The Bull by Brian. Over a drink, Adam vents his spleen about parting with his field diary. He is having difficulty coping with the new hotshot. Brian’s advice is to play along and be patient for the moment, especially as his own position on the board is weak to say the least.