Jennifer finds family bonds hard to break. Peggy persuades Lilian to help Elona.

Radio Times: Peggy has a proposition and Tom feels flustered.

Characters: Brenda, Jennifer, Lilian, Matt, Peggy, Tom

• Over lunch at Lilian’s, it becomes clear that Jenny has mixed feelings about Ruairidh’s departure for school and Phoebe’s for South Africa. She is appalled at Alice’s use of cheap supermarkets and pound shops, but Peggy is quick to come to Alice’s defence. When Lilian, with tongue firmly in cheek, comments that a cleaning job is advertised at the shop, and it might suit Alice, Jenny falls neatly into the trap in an expression of horror.
• Brenda finds a very depressed and humiliated Tom googling Bridge Farm. She suggests ways of introducing more positive coverage to the internet, demoting the E-Coli coverage, and even suggests getting Pip to help via social networking. Even if they have to get professional help, it would be worth it. Tom slowly comes round to the idea.
• Matt claims to have work to do, so will not accompany Lilian to the Open Gardens, and sounds even less keen when reminded that James and Leonie are coming tomorrow in search of material for their book.
• Peggy tells Lilian her plan for helping Elona. She would guarantee the deposit of Lilian would reduce the rent at The Green; Peggy would make up the difference. She would give Elona some work at The Lodge, and that would mean Elona could still work at The Laurels. At first Lilian refuses to listen; the family will help Peggy if she needs it. But then Lilian begins to see the advantage in Peggy’s peace of mind and in having a reliable tenant in the house. Persuading Matt is less easy, but finally Lilian reminds him that Amside is her business, and she intends to go along with Peggy’s idea.