Elizabeth’s knickers are everywhere; Jennifer utters prophetic words of marriage guidance to Debbie.

Radio Times: Chaba has gone missing at Brookfield.

Characters: Chaba, David, Debbie, Elizabeth, Jennifer, Kenton, Ruth

• It’s 5.05am at Brookfield and Ruth wakes to complete silence – no cows in the holding yard. David doesn’t really wake until he realises he’s going to have to do the milking – Chaba is nowhere to be found and his bed hasn’t even been slept in!
• Predictably, Elizabeth is in a foul temper with Kenton, whose hangover is comparable with Nigel’s. Owen has rung in sick (yes, he was, as a dog! confirms Kenton …) and Chaba (who had been invited by Owen, who was also clubbing on Thursday, to look round Lower Loxley) has spent the night on the sofa in Elizabeth’s office! She is now short staffed and can see Bank Managers beginning to arrive for a conference. Why are they pointing and laughing at something outside? Kenton and Chaba desperately try to intercept Elizabeth as she goes to investigate. She all but explodes when she discovers three pairs of her designer knickers adorned with N loves (as a heart shape!) E in red lipstick flying from the flagpole! The boys (stifling their hysteria) are ordered to get them down while Elizabeth tries to regain her composure and welcome the conference delegates!
• Meanwhile at Brookfield, Ruth and David are finishing the milking when Elizabeth arrives bringing Chaba back. He is very apologetic (and obviously quite human after all!) when David and Ruth tear him off a strip. Elizabeth is still seething and cannot understand why they find her explanation of the whole incident so amusing – apparently Shula was just the same when she rang her to make sure she gave Alistair a good ticking off! (Next time, Elizabeth, buy three pairs for a £1 in Pennywise … !!!)
• Debbie is in lighter mood as she tells Jennifer about getting something out of Alistair’s bag for him, and much to his confusion, finding also a pair of black lacy knickers – hidden there by Kenton and Nigel! What a pair of silly adolescents, comments an amused Jennifer, much relieved that Debbie seems so much brighter. She mentions having been to see Brenda in order to corroborate Simon’s story. Debbie is annoyed that now even her mother seems to acting as Simon’s advocate, but Jenny assures her she is only seeking Debbie’s happiness. Debbie should think more rationally about the situation – Simon admits he was stupid to be flattered by Brenda’s attentions, but doesn’t blame her. She admires him as a wonderful teacher, but is still young, naive and impressionable. It’s the price Debbie must pay for having such a charming, good-looking husband. A sound marriage like theirs is worth saving. Look at Brian and Jennifer’s marriage – not always a smooth path but made stronger by weathering this kind of storm. Whatever the outcome, Debbie should at least talk to Simon.