The two women in his life make Matt feel uncomfortable. Jennifer does her best to make Brian feel uncomfortable.

Radio Times: Lilian is confronted by the enemy.

Characters: Annabelle, Brian, Jennifer, Lilian, Matt

• A depressed Lilian meets her equally depressed sister at the shop. They decide to go to Grey Gables and pamper themselves.
• Unfortunately Annabelle is meeting Matt at Grey Gables, ostensibly to talk business over lunch. Lilian spots them, and glowers at Annabelle, who tells Matt she has no wish to cause a rift between him and Lilian. Blithely and wholly untruthfully, Matt assures her that they have an open, adult relationship, and that things are fine between them. Meanwhile he’s keen to establish his credentials as friend to all species of wildlife.
• Lilian pours out her heart to Jennifer. She knows Matt’s a swine, but she loves him. Jennifer suggests keeping a diary – it’s what she does when she has problems with Brian. Lilian wonders whether Brian is up to his old tricks, but Jennifer quickly scotches that idea; she isn’t keen to tell Lilian about the latest upset, though.
• Meeting Lilian seems to have unsettled Matt, and he whisks Annabelle off to Botticelli’s. Archly, Annabelle asks whether it’s going to be all business.
• Jennifer tells Brian about her day with Lilian. Brian is dismissive – Matt hasn’t a chance with Annabelle, according to him. He tries to placate Jennifer with talk of an idyllic retirement spent together – with Ruairidh, of course – but she won’t be put off. Angrily she tells Brian that he’s exploited Adam and Debbie for his own ends, and that ultimately he’ll do whatever he wants, and the family will just fall apart.