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- Tony's mother decides to move back to London, believing she is the reason Ruth is living apart from her son. She goes to see her and tells her not to be a part-time wife though it has little effect and Ruth stays in the flat. Tony takes Stephanie back to school, where he meets Jane Webster, a charming and down-to-earth single parent and they go for a meal together. It is not long before the staff know all about it. (en)
- Dawn is a regular visitor to Tony's house as Maggie is helping her pass her English exams but Maggie cannot resist telling Ruth that Dawn and Tony have gone fishing together. As a result Ruth spitefully tries to sack Maggie, causing Sam and Mrs Wembley to walk out. However Tony reinstates all of them and Ruth returns to London defeated. Maggie nonetheless decides to take a break, so Mrs Wembley suggests Dawn improve her social skills by acting as Tony's temporary secretary. (en)
- Dawn arrives to become Tony's secretary in Maggie's absence but she has no typing or computer skills. When half of Tony's drivers go down with 'flu though, Dawn, Sam and Tony take their places, leaving a confused Mrs Wembley in the office with Tony's mum. At least Tony gets a welcome fare in Jane, who agrees to another date whilst Sam comes to Mrs Wembley's defence against a rude gardener. (en)
- Tony resigns from the golf club in protest at the president's anti-Semitism. He then suggests a holiday in Barbados to Maggie, which she sees initially as a knee-jerk reaction to Ruth's trip with her new boyfriend. She is persuaded after Sam is also invited and later Mrs Wembley, expecting a marriage proposal from Sir Douglas and not the offer of being his cook, also comes aboard. Dawn, being hounded by the press after an affair with a footballer, makes up the party. At the airport Tony sees Ruth returning from her holiday, which does not seem to have gone that well. (en)
- Returning from holiday with his staff Tony finds Ruth in his bed. She is anxious to make a fresh start with him but, knowing the mutual antipathy that exists between her and his staff, he has to be extra diplomatic. When his mother comes to visit, announcing that she would like to move in, everybody expects Ruth to react badly but she is surprisingly welcoming. (en)
- Ruth demands a family meeting as she wants a divorce and wants to know with whom Stephanie will be living. Stephanie explains that she is sick of being in the middle and expected to take sides and opts to go with Tony's mother. Everybody is thrilled to learn that Ruth will be moving in with her boyfriend Stephen and that they will never have to see her again. To celebrate Maggie kisses Sam and Tony asks Jane Webster out to dinner. (en)
- Tony plays tennis with Jane before taking her to the house, where she makes a very good impression on the staff. Before she and Tony can get cosy Ruth storms in, angry that Stephanie went to stay with her grandma without telling her and announcing that she is leaving Tony for good. Tony suggests they see his mother to get Stephanie's side of things but Stephanie and her Gran are at the greyhound races. (en)
- Stephanie comes to stay and Ruth takes her shopping in London. Nonetheless Maggie finds it difficult to be civil to Ruth and gives her notice. Tony then discovers that Ruth has bought a flat in London just for the family and he realises how much he needs his staff around him. After cajoling from Sam and his mother he tells Maggie he refuses to accept her notice. Everybody is happy – except Ruth, who retreats to the new flat whilst the others celebrate. (en)
- Tony's mum comes to live with him and, whilst Ruth promises to make the effort to get on with her, they are soon disagreeing. Mum identifies with the staff and wants to eat with them whilst Ruth believes that a formal family dinner is in order. Maggie confesses to Mum that she dislikes Ruth but it is the older Mrs Carpenter who, deciding to muck in and help out, drives the cleaning lady away. (en)
- Tony worries how he will explain Ruth walking out on him to his mother. Further concerns about her health push Tony to consider getting her to move in with him. Ruth complicates matters by wanting the question of Stephanie's school open day resolved. Tony and Ruth consider reconciliation, conditional whether they can go a week without a fight. (en)
- Tony Carpenter has come to grips with his wife leaving. She's always been driving force behind the energy in the house and the social climbing that Tony needs as a self made man. As Tony comforts his daughter Stephanie, they wonder if this is the final straw or will she be back. The house is then thrown into an uproar when news comes through Stephanie has run away from school. (en)
- Ruth has moved back in and decides to throw a fancy dress party, an idea which meets with general approval. However Tony then discovers that he is meant to be playing in a Pro-Am golf tournament in Ireland on that day. Ruth agrees to cancel the party, but Tony, not wanting her to act the martyr, agrees to cancel the golf tournament instead. They settle for a romantic evening in front of the fire as opposed to the other options. Maggie has forgotten to notify the guests that the party is off, and brightly costumed people enter the house. (en)
- Tony employs his first woman driver, a strident feminist who almost causes a walk-out. Maggie's dour father also comes to visit and makes it clear he has no truck with working-class people living above their stations. Both matters are resolved thanks to Tony's mum as he organises her birthday party at his house. (en)
- Sam gets a call to drive a mystery woman to the airport. It turns out to be Ruth, who is going on holiday with a new lover but did not have the guts to tell Tony herself and wanted Sam to pass on the message. Tony is, however, much cheered when Sir Douglas, now dating Mrs Wembley, agrees to put in a word for him to join the golf club. (en)
- When Stephanie phones to say she is unable to get through to Ruth to collect her for half-term Tony arrives at the school, with Jane, to a frosty reception from Ruth, who has turned up after all. Stephanie opts to go home with Tony though she is unhappy with her parents' situation and feels torn between them as to where to spend the half-term. Tony's mum comes up with a classic compromise whilst Mrs Wembley, after Sam's having sacked the previous gardener for insulting her, finds the perfect replacement. (en)
- Ruth arrives to talk about Stephanie and manages to antagonize the staff but suggests Tony meet her at the flat to discuss their future. Tony and the staff go to a football match before he drives to the flat but finds Ruth is not there. On the rebound he takes Jane to dinner but she makes it clear she is not there to be used so Tony returns home to find an irate Ruth. She had been in a traffic accident and tried to ring the house with no success. Finally Ruth and Tony decide that sex is perhaps a better idea than discussion – for the time being. (en)
- Ruth visits, accusing Tony – wrongly – of having had sex with Dawn and announcing that she will not be accompanying him to Stephanie's school open day. He takes the staff instead and an angry Stephanie runs off before telling him she is unsettled by her parents' situation. At least Mrs Wembley acquires an influential new admirer, Sir Douglas Hoyle, chairman of the school governors who comes home to cook zabaglione with her. (en)
- Ruth has not returned and Tony asks Dawn to act as a model at his stall advertising his business at an upcoming trade fair. Maggie and Mrs Wembley accompany Dawn to a shop to buy a dress for the occasion, where a woman claims to recognize Mrs Wembley as a Miss Hayward, which she denies. At the fair a group of young upper class louts insult Dawn and Tony and his staff join forces to see them off. Back at the house Dawn expresses her gratitude to the others for coming to her defence and later propositions Tony, though he turns her down. Mrs Wembley explains that she is not who they think she is. (en)
- Having carpeted dim driver Chalky Smith for moonlighting Tony assumes that similar practice by other drivers is responsible for the fall in his returns but, having sent Dawn undercover, learns that he is being under-cut by ruthless younger rival Jimmy Quinn. Using Chalky as his inside man Tony devises a plan that will leave Quinn substantially out of pocket whilst Tony undercuts him even further. (en)
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