Plans for the Hunt Ball seem to be on track; what on earth can have happened in Northumberland.

Radio Times: Elizabeth speaks from the heart, and Johnny leads Tony astray.

Characters: David, Elizabeth, Johnny, Pat, Ruth, Shula, Tony

• Johnny and Tony are out in the field cabbage trimming. Pat turns up bearing ginger cake and coffee before going out. Talk turns to how Johnny is getting on at college. He much prefers the hands on stuff to bookwork. Tony offers to help with any part of his college work if he feels it would help.
• Elizabeth and Shula are finalising arrangements for the Hunt Ball. Not only will Justin Elliot and his wife be there, but so will Helen and Adam. Elizabeth mentions that she feels as though she is somehow the subject of village gossip. Shula is certain that tongues are not wagging.
• David and Ruth are visiting another Northumberland farm. It has a river, a stile, is south facing and is In a TB free area. Even Jill looks happy. David owns up to a feeling of being able to see them there. Meanwhile at Bridge Farm, equivalent fractions are put on hold as Tony and Johnny look through some of John’s memorabilia. Rather conspiratorially Johnny downloads a Pac Man game on his computer and challenges Tony to a real game.
• Shula and Elizabeth are talking after lunch. Shula wonders how Ruth and David’s visit is going. Talk turns to how their Brookfield shares would be dealt with, perhaps by buying shares in the new farm. In her current frail emotional state, Elizabeth just can’t think that far ahead and the subject is dropped.
• Pat finds Tony remortaring a wall and mentions to him that she feels that Peggy is showing signs of not wanting to celebrate her upcoming ninetieth birthday. Tony is horrified and starts to lay plans to have the party at Bridge Farm. What will Jennifer and Lilian say, they wonder?
• Ruth and David are genuinely starting to think that this could be the ideal farm. He wonders just how many get the chance to start a new enterprise in an area that suits them. It’s almost providence that plans are coming together so easily. Ruth’s phone rings, it’s Mrs Watkins, her mother’s neighbour. Silence… and then “no mum, no, no” from a distraught Ruth.