Lilian is over the moon about her engagement; Pip would give anything to be over the moon… on it’s dark side.

Radio Times: Lilian has a spring in her step, and Toby offers little comfort.

Characters: David, Jennifer, Jill, Lilian, Pip, Ruth, Toby

• It seems that Pip has had a rocket from David about the trouble caused by her wandering cattle, unfairly so according to Toby. Pip’s far more worried about Ruth’s reaction, to date almost total silence. Toby offers to stay at home with her for the day, but Pip insists that he shouldn’t let Kenton down. At least she has the prospect of Jill’s roast lamb dinner to brighten her day.
• At Brookfield, David helps Jill to prepare the meal. He’s very despondent and is concerned about the dishonesty of Pip’s cover up. Jill feels that her behaviour smacks more of Toby than anything else. David has had similar thoughts. Jill councils him to take no further action until matters have calmed down. She draws his attention to the fact that everyone makes mistakes; she recalls that even he did, in his earlier years.
• Lilian is in a terribly “skittish” mood. When challenged by Jennifer as to why she says that she’s simply “drunk on life”. She’s looking forward to the traditional Easter Sunday Archer get together at Home Farm but is slightly disappointed that Tony’s family and Kate won’t be able to make it. Jenny explains that it’s Helen’s birthday and she wants to celebrate quietly at home, while Kate is busy with her guests.
• Lunch at Brookfield is a gloomy affair. Josh has been conveniently called away by an impending business deal, leaving Jill to jolly things along but even David can’t seem to rescue Ruth from her mire of misery. Pip offers to help Jill with the dishes and in the kitchen admits to feeling universally hated. While putting her mind at rest, Jill does wonder how she got the idea of remaining silent. Pip really doesn’t know but is at pains to point out that it wasn’t Toby. Jill isn’t wholly convinced.
• Lilian is out for a postprandial walk with the family. Justin has stayed behind with Peggy. Under the onslaught of sisterly enquiry, Lilian eventually admits that she’s engaged to Justin and yes…it does have something to do with Matt but in a positive way. She now sees that Justin is far more her type than Matt ever was. She receives warm congratulations from Jennifer but makes it clear that Peggy must not be told until Lilian is in possession of the ring. Oh, and she will be moving back to the Dower House very shortly.
• Pip pops into The Bull for a catch up with Toby. She admits that the meal went badly with everyone except Ruth being terribly polite. Ruth was just silent. Toby still insists that she should have kept her own counsel. She insists that she couldn’t stand by and watch Brookfield’s reputation go downhill for something that was her fault. Had it not been for Toby, she may well have owned up earlier. With his objections ringing in her ears, she leaves to help her mother with the milking, as promised. However, Ruth has already started milking and asks David to text Pip saying that she needn’t come round. He’s clearly unhappy and comments that none of the family has really spoken to each other since Friday. Ruth agrees, but in all honesty, she really wouldn’t know what to say to her daughter.