Ruth and Pat are ready to throw in the towel over the dairy project.

Radio Times: Tracy considers relative values. Meanwhile, Pat wants to pull back.

Characters: Hattie, Keith, Pat, Ruth, Susan, Tracy, Usha

• Tracy has a visit from her brother, Keith. He has come to announce that his daughter Samantha is getting married and would like Chelsea to be a bridesmaid.
• Unhappy about how much Pip is taking on, Ruth has a moan to Pat about Tom’s offer – to no avail because Tom’s business is Tom’s business. The real purpose of Ruth’s visit is to meet Hattie and discuss a possible appeal against the dairy project, but first there is a call from Usha; they will meet this evening.
• Over lunch, Keith relates a near miss on the way here – a large animal. Susan hopes that this wedding will spur Ed and Emma into action.
• In short, it’s unlikely that an appeal against the dairy project would succeed, in which case they would also be landed with costs. Hattie suggests keeping up the pressure on BL until they lose their appetite for the venture, for example the market protests. Ruth is worried about putting David in a difficult position as local NFU Chairman. The idea of fostering a boycott of Home Farm produce is not well received: Pat and Ruth point out that that would hit Adam’s enterprises and he is as opposed to the dairy as they are. Ruth doesn’t really think they can win and neither does Pat; only Hattie is for fighting on.
• Usha pours out her troubles; she realises she has made an awful hash of things. Alan is wretched; he can’t talk to Usha about it; they barely communicate. He and Amy are very close. It was a long time before Usha was allowed to be part of their little family. Now she finds herself on the outside again.