25/04/2022

Worried Tracy checks on injured Clarrie, who has an adductor strain (not a groin injury!). Clarrie reports that Oliver looks awful – exhausted and hardly eating. Hurt by her own situation, Tracy doesn’t feel sympathy. Susan’s aghast to see Clarrie turn up at work and insists she’s fine with Adam supporting, with Pat worried about Clarrie. Adam’s showing a client around the farm, as Helen’s desperate to find new customers. Tracy tells Susan about Roy trying to make waves at Grey Gables by involving a solicitor. New face Adil Shah has got Tracy’s back up, but more happily Lily has agreed to recommend Tracy for a telesales job. Brian and Stella discuss the spring barley at Home Farm, which is coming along nicely. Stella knows about rumours going around about slurry and distracted-looking Brian admits he has other things on his mind, namely the impact of Alice’s divorce on the farm business. Hopefully for Stella she’ll keep her job. Brian feels he’d be less vulnerable if he hadn’t set up the family partnership, and regrets Alice marrying on a whim with no pre-nup. Brian is going to call an accountant friend – but Stella warns Brian not to muddy the waters by involving friends and give Chris any legal ammunition. Stella may have spotted something to work in Brian’s favour – a legal provision for the rest of the family to buy out Alice’s partnership share and leave Chris unable to make a claim. Brian will start with Adam (and Ian), and thanks Stella for giving him a ray of hope.