Lizzie gets mixed news from the cardiologist and Julia gives Brian short shrift over the Grundys’ eviction.

Radio Times: Elizabeth calculates the odds.

Characters: Brian, Dr Beck, Julia, Lewis, Lizzie, Nigel

• Julia’s helping Lizzie dress the twins. Lizzie’s being even more nervous than normal, although this has more to do with her appointment with the cardiologist than with the prospect of Lewis and Julia childminding.
• Lewis and Julia are teaching the twins how to feed the ducks (nice and early!) and Julia’s explaining how saintly she’s being considering the prospect of the great unwashed trooping through her home. She’s less pliant when they meet Brian. Her coolness is barely concealed and Brian quickly leaves. Lewis noticed and Julia, almost strangely, defends her own family’s estate management in that they had never threatened to evict tenants at their lowest ebbs.
• Nigel’s trying to keep Lizzie’s mind off her appointment by discussing the future for Lower Loxley, but the appointment comes soon enough. It’s generally good news in that the operation to replace the faulty valve in her heart could well not be required this year – but it will be needed at some point. The operation has a success rate of about 96%, but even this risk scares Lizzie, mostly for the sakes of the twins – but it’s a problem she knows that she will have to face eventually.