20/12/2023

At Brookfield Stella rehearses her dance moves with Pip but finds it tricky, convinced their routine will be a disaster. She suggests an alternative comedy routine, but when they toss a coin Stella has to accept they’re sticking with the Sound of Music. Jill’s glad it fell out that way as Rosie’s looking forward to it. Stella then commits the cardinal sin of agreeing with Jill’s criticism of her own lemon drizzle cake, before Stella doubles down in a frosty exchange about post-war farming methods not being up to the standards of modern-day ones. Jill staunchly defends her generation before Pip intervenes as peacemaker. Perhaps they should agree to differ – and eat more cake.Whilst shoeing Harry’s horse, Chris tells him how much he likes his job and the independence it affords him. When Harry gives his first name Chris realises who he is and Harry apologises for his subterfuge. Chris says he’ll finish this job, but won’t take any more work from him. Harry admits he’s handling this badly, but avers that Alice only has good things to say about Chris. Harry doesn’t want him and Chris to be enemies – he’s not trying to take Chris’s place in Alice and Martha’s lives. Later, Susan agrees with Chris that he’s right to be suspicious of Harry’s intentions in offering to put more work his way. Chris admits Harry is easy to get on with, but found his self-confidence unsettling. As far as Susan’s concerned though, Chris is just as good as Harry and has nothing to feel inferior about.