Emma gets a shock. The digester moves a step nearer. Pat prepares to brave the planners

Radio Times: Will is the bearer of good news for Emma.

Characters: Annabelle, David, Emma, Lilian, Matt, Ruth, William

• Will is in an exceptionally cheerful mood as he talks to David about the shoot. Emma calls him to ask if he has seen the rain cover to George’s buggy. He has; he and George were playing with it, and he’ll drop it round at lunchtime.
• Ruth and David attend a meeting with Matt and Annabelle. Matt is his usual brash self, and leaves Ruth and David very quiet. Annabelle is more emollient, and announces that she’s negotiated a huge discount on the cost of accessing the grid. Then she gets a call to say that the packhouse application will come before the planning committee next week.
• Pat’s also heard about the planning application, and she intends to make a short presentation to the committee. Will, by now almost manic with happiness following the thawing of relations with Emma, offers to come and support her.
• Matt tells Lilian that his meeting with Social Services will now be in Borchester, and that he wants to go on his own. Lilian is rather hurt.
• Will delivers the buggy cover and stays for a sandwich. He lets it slip that Ed and Fallon have split up, but fails entirely to pick up on Emma’s shock. She asks how Ed’s feeling, but Will says he neither knows nor cares.