Mike’s moaning (and Betty doesn’t like it) and Caroline will have that drink with Oliver

Radio Times: Betty plays the diplomat.

Characters: Betty, Caroline, Joe, Lynda, Mike, Neil, Oliver

• Betty and Neil are collecting eggs when Betty brings up the subject of Clarrie, but Neil refuses to talk about any of the Grundys. When Mike arrives, she asks him if he’ll help Neil move the hen houses so that Neil can get to the hospital to see Emma. Mike reluctantly agrees but when Neil goes he tells Betty to stop volunteering him to help other people.
• Caroline has gone to have tea with her uncle Lord Netherbourne and comes across Oliver at the kennels where he is looking over the hounds. The conversation is rather awkward until Oliver, having told her that he has put in a good word for Ed with the Youth Offending Team, admits to Caroline that she was right about him but he can only speak as he finds. He asks her if she would like to go out for a drink. Caroline says she’ll think about it.
• In the shop, Betty is sorting out a delivery when Mike comes in to moan about having to pick up Phoebe. Elizabeth Pargetter wants to visit Emma, which means Hayley will have to stay late to look after the twins. Betty is taking him to task for being so miserable when Lynda arrives full of joie de vive until she senses she has walked into something.
• Oliver, back at Grange Farm, finds Joe there. He thanks Oliver for the word he put in for Ed but he really came to ask Oliver if he could use the old cider press to make cider. Oliver doesn’t realise that Joe is spinning him a tale about pressing apples last year in a tin bath for want of a press. Caroline arrives and when Joe leaves, she fills in Oliver about how last year the Grundys sneaked into Oliver’s barn to use the press. At least this year they are being up-front. She tells Oliver she would like to go out with him.
• In the evening at Willow Farm, Betty listens to Mike feeling sorry for himself. Finally she has had enough and tells Mike to give her a break and to count his blessings. Unlike the Carters, both their kids are alive and well so he should stop moaning and cheer up.