Siobhán decides to move out and finds sanctuary at Lower Loxley.

Radio Times: Elizabeth makes an offer.

Characters: David, Debbie, Elizabeth, Nigel, Phil, Siobhán, Tim

• At Honeysuckle Cottage the atmosphere is still frosty with minimal interaction. Tim had spent the previous evening with a friend but they talked about other things. He needs to retrieve his car, since he came home by taxi, but prefers to ring Alistair than take up his wife’s offer: the less he depends on her the better. This sends Siobhán reaching for the phone; Tim assumes she is calling Brian.
• On the other end of the phone, Elizabeth says she would welcome a visit although in fact she now has to opt out of a planned walk with Nigel and the twins. Nigel gets a warning not to invade Siobhán’s privacy about the affair, which they still think is with a man in Hannover.
• At Brookfield, Phil has stepped in to finish decorating the nursery and reveals that Jill is making curtains; he hopes that wasn’t meant to be a surprise. When Debbie calls to inspect the wheat, the decorator cannot resist inviting himself along; if the mildew is localised, they should be wary of deciding to spray too soon.
• Siobhán is grateful for the chance to unburden herself on Elizabeth; she still cares about Tim but not ‘like that’ any more. She has decided that she has to leave, so that he knows where he stands. Rather than go into a flat, or whatever she can find, Elizabeth invites her to stay at Lower Loxley and Nigel confirms that she is welcome for as long as she likes.
• The mildew on the wheat is indeed localised and Debbie bows to the majority decision. This is the way things have to be: in order to survive they must tighten their belts and keep costs down. The imminent arrival of a new ‘sprog’ only emphasises this.