Oliver receives an offer for Grey Gables but staff employment cannot be guaranteed; Susan insults Clarrie and angers Pat with her kefir obsession.

Radio Times: Lynda makes herself indispensable

Characters: Clarrie, Lynda, Marian, Oliver, Shula, Susan

• Shula asks how Oliver’s meeting went. Oliver says the potential buyer seems keen and she wants to look around Grey Gables. Shula is incredulous; how will he keep the possible sale secret? Well, answers Oliver, this is Lynda’s day off.
• Horrors! Lynda is on the front desk when Oliver and Marian arrive. There is staff illness and Lynda was happy to come in and help. Grey Gables is the kind of place where everyone pitches in when and where needed. Marian tells Lynda she works for a chain with a nice reputation and she is visiting small, private hotels with great reputations. Lynda offers to show Marian around, much to Oliver’s consternation.
• Susan and Clarrie talk about the drinkable kefir and kefir face masks that Susan is developing. Clarrie is sceptical but when Susan criticises Clarrie’s plain kefir as boring and unimaginative, Clarrie loses her temper and stomps off on a break.
• Lynda knows the details of Grey Gables where Oliver is a bit lost. They look in on an anniversary celebration and Lynda notes that the happy couple spent their honeymoon at Grey Gables. This isn’t unusual, Lynda observes. Many customers have a long history with Grey Gables and are very loyal. Marian’s mobile rings and while she leaves to take the call, Lynda and Oliver talk. Oliver reassures Lynda that she doesn’t need to worry about him. Lynda brings up the idea of staff members buying a commemorative bench with the money that Caroline has left them. Oliver is touched.
• Clarrie tells Susan Pat has a large order for yoghurt. She wants Clarrie and Susan to concentrate on making yoghurt and Pat has asked that they work through lunch to make sure the order will be filled. Susan is too involved with her kefir experiments to worry about plain old yoghurt, and she insists that she must run off home to check on it. Clarrie tries to stop her but Susan won’t listen. Susan runs off while calling to Clarrie to cover for her in case Pat shows up. When Susan returns, she is annoyed. Pat found out that Susan left and she wasn’t best pleased. Pat told Susan the priority is yoghurt, not kefir. In any case, Susan has brought back a sample for Clarrie. It is a kefir face mask and it is for ‘oleaginous’ skin types. Clarrie asks innocently what that means and when Susan answers it is for oily complexions, the silence is deafening.
• Lynda shows Oliver where she would like to place the bench. It was Caroline’s favourite spot at Grey Gables. Oliver is very touched but he soon receives a call from Marian. Her hotel chain wants to buy Grey Gables and make it the jewel in their crown. They can’t, however, agree to keep the furnishings and staff. Marian would try but she can’t promise to meet Oliver’s terms; in any case it cannot be written into the contract. Oliver turns down the deal before hearing the price. Marian protests that Oliver wouldn’t receive terms any different from another chain. She urges Oliver to read the hotel chain’s offer carefully and take his time to consider their excellent offer. Oliver agrees to think about all that has transpired.