The twin’s third birthday party is full of surprises and shocks.

Radio Times: Clowning around at Lower Loxley.

Characters: David, Debbie, Elizabeth, Kenton, Ruth, Shula, Siobhán

• Kenton is building a muckheap at the stables – not well, as far as Shula is concerned! David calls in on his way to do his Christmas shopping, and they discuss this afternoon’s third birthday party at Lower Loxley. Even though there will be a professional clown there, Kenton has some entertainment plans up his sleeve …
• Ruth, Siobhán and Elizabeth are chatting about motherhood and how it seems to shut down your brain for weeks. This is Siobhán and Ruairidh’ s first big expedition into the outside world and it took the best part of four hours to get them both ready! Kenton arrives with presents for the twins and immediately homes in on Ruairidh. He was wrong about him looking like Gary Rhodes – it’s someone much closer to home. Much to Elizabeth’s relief, he comes up with Nelson Gabriel!
• Shula and Debbie are chatting together about Simon going to Canada. Debbie feels it is for the best – she will be able to draw a line under the whole episode. Kenton muscles in with comparisons to his separation from Mel, then starts up again about Ruairidh’ s resemblance to Nelson. Shula is concerned when he asks Debbie outright whom she thinks is the father, especially when Debbie appears to have a moment of strange anguish – it was a flashback, she says, something Simon said …
• David and Ruth have located Pip and Josh at Kenton’s alternative party – for the children who are bored with the clown. The action, in true Kenton style, seems to involve a lot of jumping on the antique furniture and swinging from the curtains. Good job Elizabeth is otherwise occupied!
• Everyone is preparing to leave the party. For some strange reason, the Archer grandchildren are arguing about which of them Uncle Kenton should go home with!! Debbie has had a really good time – in fact at one point she hadn’t thought of Simon for ten minutes. Siobhán is about to leave and Debbie asks if she may hold Ruairidh. As she does, she remarks on an amazingly close resemblance to Alice. He is slightly sick on her, Siobhán mops it up and takes the baby home. Ruth asks Debbie if she is all right – she has gone as white as a sheet. She needs to speak to Elizabeth …
• … And when she gets her alone she challenges her directly with knowing whom Ruairidh’ s father is. Elizabeth’s hesitation confirms the truth – it’s Brian, isn’t it, says Debbie – it’s my Dad.