Ian presents the case for Ruairidh.

Radio Times: Lynda gets ready for business.

Characters: Adam, Caroline, Helen, Ian, Lynda, Mike, Susan

• Lynda is full of her Bed and Breakfast enterprise as she calls in at Helen’s shop in search of organic breakfast cereals. Helen dissuades her from offering Millet as an option, but can’t get Lynda to take vegetarian sausages.
• Mike’s in cheerful mood as he comes into the Ambridge shop, and almost lets it slip that he’s been dancing with Lilian. He clams up in time, but Susan is on the trail, and asks outright whether he has a new dancing partner. But Mike’s giving nothing away. Luckily Caroline comes in to divert Susan, who asks whether Neil has to dress up for his fiftieth birthday dinner at Grey Gables.
• Helen saves Ian’s reputation by delivering some fresh salad to Grey Gables. She’s anxious about the response to the cheese she made for Oliver, but is reluctant to ring him. Once again, Caroline saves the moment by expressing surprise that she hasn’t had a call from Oliver. He’s delighted with the responses to the tasting, and wants to go into production.
• Poor Neil takes his tie off at Grey Gables, then feels all wrong and puts it on again. Caroline has arranged for a free bottle of wine and a birthday cake to celebrate the fiftieth birthday of one of their best suppliers, but when she comments that Lynda also has a big birthday soon, Lynda accuses her of age discrimination.
• When Ian gets home, he finds Adam asleep on the sofa. Adam wants to talk; he’s worried that Brian is so besotted with Ruairidh that he might leave the farm to him. Ian reminds him that Ruairidh is only four, and might not be interested in farming. But Ian has a lot of sympathy for the child, remembering how he lost his own mother. Ruairidh has been dealt the worst blow of all.