13/03/2024

Alice is dressed to the nines as Vintage Spring for a day at Cheltenham races. Kate has pulled out all the stops putting a smart outfit together for her, even sewing some parts. Alice feels bad about leaving Lillian to cope with meeting clients and booster vaccinations for some of the horses at the stables. At Cheltenham, though, Alice is having the time of her life and Brian says, despite a lack of winners, he is having his best day ever. There’s no need to hurry back to Ambridge as Chris is happy to have Martha tonight. But Alice doesn’t want to talk about him when Brian asks how things are going. When she goes off to find a dinner table, Brian is greeted by Miranda Elliott. She asks after Jennifer and is full of condolences. She suggests they meet up for coffee sometime, but Brian says he’s too busy. Later he calls Miranda to say he would like to meet her after all.Paul tells Jakob he has plans to meet Kate for a drink that evening. As Kate and Paul swap stories about past embarrassments, she asks him how things are at work and he reveals that Jakob is trying hard – even to the extent of trying to make small talk. Later they arrive at Jakob’s home early from the pub as he sits in his pyjamas reading quietly. He is horrified and it takes him a minute to regain his composure but then he insists Paul must stay – it would be rude to turn him away. It’s Kate’s idea, they reflect, and she is a force of nature.