Tim and Siobhán part company with Honeysuckle Cottage; Marjorie’s dogs make a bid for freedom in the sheep meadow.

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  • Jennifer is at Lynda’s, researching Borsetshire’s notable Bard, Josiah Goodall, for her website. Lynda leads off about the Grundy’s newest mess – a heap of old wood that she can see quite clearly with binoculars from her bedroom window …! Luckily Jennifer is too engrossed in the poet’s works to notice the gaff. She has discovered that he wrote a poem about Lady’s Bedstraw, much to Lynda’s delight! Surely this must be provenance for its choice as County Flower.
  • Honeysuckle Cottage is relinquishing its contents in equal shares to Tim and Siobhán. The pair are understandably melancholy about their past, regretting that they haven’t spent nearly as long in the cottage as Walter and Mrs P. did. They share a final stilted conversation about their movements for the rest of the week then part with a warm hug and wishes of good luck.
  • David and Ruth are on their way home, discussing Janet’s farewell supper tonight and the fact that Freda has ‘finally come out with it’ – she can’t keep up with the work at Brookfield. Ruth doesn’t want to have to pay Freda any more so new time allocation strategies will have to be worked out. As they pass the sheep meadow they notice two dogs, Marjorie’s dogs, chasing the ewes. The ewes are terrified and the dogs seem to enjoy the added excitement of human intervention. What is Marjorie thinking of, letting them out like that? She knows the County Law. David intends giving her what for when he phones.
  • At Ambridge Hall, Joe is telling Lynda the good news about Baby Spice’s impending move. She is terse to a fault on that subject but seizes the opportunity to berate him about the woodpile and the shed she is told it is going to be! Can Joe register his choice for County Flower via Lynda’s e-mail? Mistletoe! Not likely, she says. And typical of a family like the Grundys to choose a parasite! Anyway her choice is bound to be right because of the poem. Joe can send a postcard. He accuses her of ballot-rigging!
  • Janet and Tim are entertaining Ruth and David to supper. Apparently there is a relief postman in Ambridge at the moment, who is not au fait with closing gates behind him. And Marjorie’s dogs are not getting the exercise they’re used to because her arthritis has been so bad. David is glad he didn’t get a chance to phone Marjorie, and feels guilty that he was so critical. As Tim and Janet leave the room to prepare supper, David and Ruth remark how good they are together. It’s weird the way things work out – Tim is with someone else already and Siobhán is on her own. David, you’re right and wrong …!

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