Jude makes an impression on the Pargeters. Kate is impressed by Jennifer’s parenting skills.

Radio Times: Elizabeth and Nigel meet the new boy.

Characters: Elizabeth, Jennifer, Jude, Kate, Nigel, Pip

• Jude takes Pip out for a meal. Pip seems impressed that there’s a two-for-one offer. Jude wants her to come away with him in the Easter holidays, to a foreign music or film festival. Pip doesn’t seem very sure about the idea. When Jude asks whether she’s sorted out some driving practice, she reminds him that he had offered to let her drive his BMW. Somehow Jude doesn’t seem very sure about the idea.
• Jennifer puts Ruairidh to bed, and Kate comments on what a marvellous job she’s made of him. She realises it must have changed Jennifer’s life entirely. Kate is still sore about her failure to relate to Phoebe.
• To Pip’s dismay, Nigel and Elizabeth come to the same restaurant, and because it’s so full, Jude invites them to join him and Pip for a drink. Pip is not pleased. While Nigel and Jude fetch the drinks, Pip asks Elizabeth about the age gap between her and Nigel. It seems that Pip has been somewhat economical with the truth; Jude will be thirty next birthday. Elizabeth tells her that David’s reaction is borne of his wish to protect his little girl.
• Kate shows Jennifer a child-care manual she’s written for the orphanage at which she volunteers. Wistfully, she says she’d like to do more with her life. Jennifer reminds her of the rate at which children grow up, but this serves only to remind Kate of the gulf between her and Phoebe.
• Jude tells Pip that his insurance would go sky-high if she were to practise on his car, so maybe she’d better ask David to sort something out. Since Nigel and Elizabeth haven’t managed to get a table, he suggests that they share one; Pip is not pleased, but Nigel and Elizabeth decline the offer. When they’re alone, Nigel comments that Jude is too old for Pip. Elizabeth thinks David is going the right way to alienate Pip.
• Kate seems unwilling to talk about Lucas. Instead she wants to hear all the Ambridge gossip. Jennifer tells her about Matt’s mother and arrival on the scene of Paul. She couldn’t believe that Lilian actually wanted to attend the funeral. Luckily, says Jennifer, I talked her out of it.