Kenton’s good news heightens Ruth’s concern about her own fertility.

Radio Times: Children can be very cruel.

Characters: Alistair, David, Jill, Phil, Ruth

• Ruth is out with Pip and Josh and they bump into Alistair and Daniel who are on a nature ramble, looking for water voles. The kids start playing and Daniel asks why Ruth is wearing a woolly hat? When Pip says it’s because Ruth’s hair looks like a loo brush Ruth is very upset. Later Alistair mentions the incident to David.
• Kenton calls with the good news that he and Mel are expecting a baby. Phil and Jill are nervous about telling Ruth as she had been so keen to have another baby before the cancer. Jill eventually tells her and Ruth receives the news coolly.
• Later, at Brookfield, the strain is getting to Ruth and she snaps about the children. She reveals to David that what’s really worrying here is that the chemotherapy will leave her infertile. She wants to feel happy for Kenton and Mel, but she feels very ambivalent about it. David tries to re-assure her.