Eddie ‘donates’ his; Pat and Tony are worried about how much of it Tom needs; Matt offers David and Ruth a lot … !

Radio Times: David and Ruth have a proposition to consider.

Characters: Clarrie, David, Eddie, Jennifer, Matt, Pat, Ruth, Tony

• Clarrie is still playing it cool with Eddie. He’s got his eye on the car adverts in the paper and still refusing to give up his share of the windfall to buy the land for Ed, so she is refusing to do more than the bare minimum to keep his body together – he’ll either have to make himself some sandwiches for lunch or put his hand in his pocket for pie and chips at the Bull. And NO chance of steak for tea … !!
• Pat and Tony are still bothered about Tom’s big plans for the Bridge Farm sausage enterprise. The British public change their minds so often – will they continue to be willing to pay top prices for traditional sausages when these days they know how to cook linguine with scallops but not good old bubble and squeak? Clarrie requests an early lunch – she wants to get to the Bull before Eddie has time to buy that 4WD he was on about at breakfast – she’s going to get him to change his mind if it’s the last thing she does!
• In the Bull, Eddie tells David he is depressed that the vehicle he was after was sold by the time he got there. They discuss the ups and downs of farming and Eddie declares yet again that he would never go back to it, not after everything terrible that happened to them. Clarrie arrives on the scene and having overheard their conversation, reassures Eddie that she’s only got Edward’s future at heart – he’s really taken to livestock farming, which has given Joe a new lease of life as well. She’s really proud of the success Eddie has made of all his new businesses, William’s doing ever so well, they’re ALL so much happier and – come on, let’s give our Edward a chance, let’s help him buy this land? Eddie slowly rationalises the whole situation, and – agrees! Clarrie is delighted and promises him “somethin’ a bit nice for tea” … ! Good old Clarrie!!
• Matt surprises David in the yard at Brookfield. He wants a chat – about Midsummer Meadow, 22 acres which adjoin the Estate. He wants to buy it.
• Jennifer is chatting with Pat at Bridge Farm. Lynda Snell has been bombarding her with material for the web site – including an editorial of 1000 words! They share news of their children, including the fact that Adam is coming home in March. After Jennifer leaves, Pat and Tony again chew over Tom’s finances – what on earth are they going to do about it? The implications of such large borrowings seem so great, both for them and Tom, especially the way things are in farming at the moment. Is it the right time to take such a risk?
• Matt is looking for land on which to keep horses, near to his weekend cottage, but near also to the Estate for convenience. He would be willing to pay £3000 an acre – £66,000, and it would be a private purchase, not for the Estate. He leaves David and Ruth to chat about it. They are a little sceptical about Matt’s motives, but agree that the money would help ease their current financial burden. But they’re not looking forward to telling Phil …