The Penny Drops For Kate

Ian Pepperell (Roy Tucker)

Jennifer is in a bit of a tizzy - the photographer from the Estate Agent is coming to take pictures of Home Farm farmhouse and she has been frantically dusting and polishing to make the place look its best. She even makes Adam move the tractor out of the way. 

While in the shop, Jennifer is buttonholed by Susan, who says that she ‘happened to overhear’ Pat and Helen talking and saying something about Home Farmhouse being on the market. Susan expects that she has got the wrong end of the stick. On the contrary, says Jennifer, the Agent has taken photographs and they will be posted on the site later today. Furthermore, Susan is welcome to tell whoever she meets that Jennifer and Brian are downsizing and the farmhouse is up for sale. 

Later on, Susan drops some brochures in to Jennifer, giving details of Beechwood, the new development at Bridge Farm. Kate comes across her mother looking at Home Farm pictures on the Estate Agent’s website and she notices the Beechwood brochure. What’s going on? Jennifer shows her the pictures and says that the Beechwood houses have three bedrooms - one master, one for Ruairi and one for Brian’s office. 

Kate is horrified - “Where am I going to sleep?” she asks. Jennifer’s reply is that Kate is a grown woman (only physically, I would submit). “You can’t stay in the nest forever” she tells her daughter, adding that she could always live in a yurt. Kate loses no time in seeking out Roy at home (he has just seen Lexi off on her flight to Bulgaria - more later) and tells him about the sale of the farmhouse and the lack of bedrooms. “I’m going to be homeless” she moans. 

Kate also says that she’s nowhere to go “unless some very kind person comes to my rescue; someone who wouldn’t want to see me homeless.” Roy becomes pensive. “I can’t think of anyone offhand” he eventually tells her, but Kate persists, saying “It would be even better if it was someone I knew.” Roy, you suspect, is enjoying this. “Wasn’t it your idea to sell the house in the first place?” he asks. Kate says that she never believed that they would do it. For his part, Roy cannot believe that it has only just dawned on Kate and he tells her that at least she saved Spiritual Home and this could be just the push she needs to get her own place, as “it can’t be much fun living with parents at your age - this could be the making of you.” He adds that the yurts are relaxing and cosy, but, like Queen Victoria, Kate is not amused and tells Roy that he isn’t funny. I hope that Roy doesn’t weaken, as he’d probably kill Kate after a week or two living in the same house. 

It wasn’t a good week for Roy, as Lexi is suddenly homesick and wants to see her daughters in Bulgaria and she tells Adam that she is talking about staying there till the next school term starts. Not only will this leave Adam another picker short, but the third (and final) pregnancy transfer attempt will have to be put on hold. Ian wonders if Lexi will come back - she hasn’t booked her return ticket date - and he wonders if he and Adam should investigate having a plan ‘B’. Adam thinks Ian should have more faith in Lexi and he is confident that she will return. 

Roy too is worried at the lack of a definite timescale and he and Lexi have an emotional goodbye at the airport, with him telling her that he loves her and, when she returns, he will be there waiting for her. Lexi says that she loves him too, but then she suddenly breaks away and rushes off to her gate. I hope that Adam is right, and that Lexi does return, as both she and Roy deserve a bit of happiness. 

Someone who deserves not so much happiness as a good clout round the ear is Freddie Pargetter, who has spent the weekend being questioned by Detective Constable Zindalis. Elizabeth tells Lily that Usha said that Freddie’s best hope is to tell the whole truth and hope for leniency. Pity Usha didn’t tell Freddie, as he is feeding DCZ a story that has more holes in it than a colander. First of all, Freddie says that the drugs were for his own, personal use. DCZ remarks that there were rather a lot, but where did Freddie get them? It was from a man in the street - or at a club - Freddie replies. Well, which was it? DCZ asks. Freddie decides it was a man in the street and DCZ says can Freddie describe him? Older than Freddie and average looking is the best Freddie can do and DCZ reminds him once again that he is in deep trouble and telling the truth is his best option. 

Freddie does tell the truth, including giving Ecstasy to Noluthando, but only to Elizabeth. Lizzie says he must tell the police, but Freddie is adamant that he cannot - they would send him to prison. A piece of news, Freddie; they might well do that anyway. Elizabeth is loyal to, and protective of, her son and is alarmed when Kate turns up, threatening to report Freddie to the police, as Nollie nearly died. Lizzie begs her not to and points out that Nollie isn’t squeaky clean, as she was selling magic mushrooms round college. Kate doesn’t believe a word of this, but she is persuaded not to grass Freddie up to the police. However, she makes it clear that Freddie is never to contact Noluthando again and the trip to South Africa will not happen. Well, if Freddie is banged up in chokey, he won’t be flying anywhere in any case. Lizzie talks to Lily and she can’t believe that Freddie was dealing under their noses and they didn’t notice. Lily quickly changes the subject. 

Soon, however, Elizabeth’s worries take a turn (or two) for the worse. Firstly, Freddie’s hearing at the Magistrates’ Court is set for Thursday and he is out on bail. However, he cannot return to Lower Loxley, as it is the scene of the (alleged) crime, so Lizzie and Lily try to find a relative willing to put Freddie up. Kenton is a no-no, as Jolene doesn’t think that having a suspected drug dealer in the pub will draw in the crowds - well, not the right sort of crowds, anyway. David says sorry, but not with Pip’s baby (does he think that Freddie will try to eat Rosie?), so it is Shula that draws the short straw. Freddie is not impressed and whines at the choice of his new, temporary home. You could always stay in your cell, Freddie. 

Elizabeth’s second blow falls when she learns that the Local Licensing Authority has been told about Freddie and they are suspending Lower Loxley’s licence to sell alcohol. As Lizzie tells Lily, this is why she (Liz) is clearing wine from the Orangery and, if they cannot get the licence back. It will be a disaster for the business. 

Even more alarming, there is a big wedding coming up at Lower Loxley at the weekend and, if they are told that they will have to supply their own alcohol, they will not be happy revellers. Elizabeth decides to appeal to the LLA, and it goes badly, as the Authority has heard about the Noluthando incident and refused to rescind the suspension. 

We have further proof that Freddie is never going to be a criminal mastermind, when he is talking to Elizabeth and says he wishes he had listened to Lily - he stops talking, but it’s too late, as Lizzie has picked up on the inference. She goes back to Lower Loxley and confronts Lily - Liz cannot believe that Lily never told her she knew about Freddie and that hiding it was almost as bad as what Freddie did. Can’t Lily see that her mother feels let down and betrayed? Lily is unhappy and says she’s off to see Meredith - to see someone who cares about her and who will treat her with respect. Lily storms out. 

Well, that was a good week, with Elizabeth losing her son to the long arm of the Law and her daughter to an imaginary lesbian partner. In fact, we know that Lily consulted her phone before she flounced out and, given that Meredith isn’t a real person, one presumes that she is off to inflict herself on Russ. As Russ hasn’t, as far as we know, told his wife that he is bonking a student at the college and that he is going to forsake his marriage for her, we have to wonder how thrilled he (and his wife) are going to be if Lily turns up on his doorstep, saying that she’s all his and let’s run off together. 

OK, have you got your rubber gloves and Wellingtons on, as we are venturing into the sea of sleaze that is Robin Fairbrother? Robin accuses son Rex of staying in Ambridge because he is “infatuated” with Pip Archer and he should accept that Pip and Toby are an item. Rex protests that they aren‘t even a couple, but we think that slimy Robin has touched a nerve. 

Robin has a hidden agenda - Toby was surprised when he had an afternoon with Rosie and he was joined by David on a walk and David was almost friendly. Robin says that David has developed respect for Toby, after Robin talked with David (personally I reckon David was checking that Toby didn’t leave Rosie in the pub) and that it’s time that Toby repaid that respect. He shows Toby the ‘Fairbrother engagement ring’ that Toby’s grandmother wore (as did his mother) and he should propose to Pip. I’d like to think that, should he do so, she would a) slap him in the face and b) knee him in the goolies. To be fair to Toby, he did point out that he and Pip are a long way away from bring a couple. Just sod off home, Robin. 

We had an example of Robin’s smarminess when Shula was in The Bull to celebrate her (and twin Kenton’s) 60^thbirthday. Robin deserts Rex and moves in on Shula, telling her how attractive she is and he understands what she’s going through, as he had the same with his wife Simone. However, when the final break came, he felt liberated. Shula says that, so far, she just feels lost and Mr Smarm says that, if she feels she needs a guide, he is available, and should they go somewhere else?

Fortunately (for Shula, at least) there is an altercation in the bar, where Jazzer has played Alistair at pool (Alistair refused to play for money) and Jazz invites him to a poker night at Jazzer’s brother’s. Alistair says ‘no’ and Jazzer, who has all the diplomacy of a rampant bull, says why not, as Alistair is on a lucky streak, after his recent win on the horses. Kenton hears this and takes Alistair away, but not before Shula has heard - and not just Shula, as the whole pub has learned of Alistair’s gambling problem. 

Next day, Alistair and Shula have a row and they decide to put their divorce in the hands of their solicitors. They decide too that they cannot go on living as they are and Alistair will move back in with Jim and Jazzer (tough luck, Alistair). However, it’s an ill wind, as they say, and Shula should be mightily relieved that the furore in the pub rescued her from the slimy clutches of Robin Fairbrother.