William buckles down.

Radio Times: William buckles down.

Characters: Clarrie, Eddie, Hayley, Joe, Tommy, Tony

• Joe’s been doing the numbers and, with the Lady Day rent cheque due next week, they are still the best part of a grand shy. Eddie’s sceptical, but he’d forgotten a couple of bills. He’s immensely frustrated – especially with the refusal for family credit still ringing in their ears. He ponders on why working so hard for so little reward is worth it when jacking everything in would entitle them to every benefit going. He and Joe will head over to Brian Aldridge tomorrow to see if a review is feasible – after all, they reason that they won’t be the only tenant with paymnet problems.
• They are the only ones we hear worrying about it though, they are frying other fish at Bridge Farm (or frying sausages, rather). Hayley’s over to talk to Tommy about the possible production of the next batch but he’s been a bit cagey and noncommittal and later, when she’s come down from visiting Pat (who is still laid up in bed), Tommy’s positively evasive and leaves her to talk to his Dad.
• He kicks off with the soft soap about that they’ve got the new look labels and that the sausages are a good idea before dropping the bombshell that he doesn’t think the partnership that she and Tommy drew up is worth a jot and that the best plan is to employ her on a decent salary to reflect the effort she’s been putting in to the pig business. Hayley is, to say the least, offended that Tony doesn’t want to allow her to be a partner in the business – merely an employer on the farm, the same status in the setup as Tracy Horrobin in the dairy. After all the work in the pigs, after convincing them not to get rid of business when John died, she feels slightly betrayed. She feels that equality with Tommy in the pig business is her right and, if Tony (and Helen’s name is mentioned and sneered at) cannot let her have that, then she’s wasting her time. She storms out.