Fresh Fields

After a sojourn in Italy, the Fields return home to celebrate Hester's 45th birthday. Despite William's back going out, and some complications arising from misunderstandings, they settle on dinner out to celebrate whereupon Hester is summoned to deal with an emergency at Lucy's Kitchen. This turns out to be a ruse as the restaurant is packed with their friends for a surprise party, and Guy and Nancy announce that they were re-married that morning, leaving Hester in floods of happy tears.

William insists on mending a leaky kitchen tap himself, necessitating an expensive visit from the plumber. Meanwhile, Hester gets a call from Peter's parents, the Richardsons, who are coming from Dorset to London for the day and invite themselves to dinner and to stay overnight. Driven mad by overbearing Margaret and epically boring Henry, and dismayed when their guests decide to stay another night, the Fields invent a dinner engagement at a Bournemouth hotel, but actually bundle themselves and Nancy next door to Sonia's for the night. Then Margaret and Henry turn up to chat with Sonia, and the Fields flee to Nancy's granny flat only to be mistaken for burglars. They excuse their return by claiming that Nancy has come down with flu; but next morning Margaret cheerfully announces that Henry has caught it from Nancy and will have to remain in bed for several days.

William has financial problems, so Hester takes him to Bologne, France, for a carefree day and Duty Free goods. It's far from plain sailing.

Upset that a Victorian mansion is to be torn down and replaced by ""a block of flats,"" Hester starts a campaign to persuade local councillor Mr. Gardner to convert the premises into a seniors' residence. When he doubts the need for such a facility, Hester invites him home, having persuaded Nancy, her sister Winnie, and Guy to pretend senility. The appalled Gardner not only approves the home but telephones to notify William and Hester that he has arranged for their dotty dependents to move in immediately....