Episode 705 (Monday 8th January 1990)

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* SYNOPSIS: Eric overhears Alice and Joanna discussing his ability to get work is because people feel sorry for him

## Plot

   Emma has another driving lesson with Dougal. He continues to stall her when it comes to actually driving his 4x4, instead asking her to recall everything he taught her yesterday. In the end however, Emma finally takes a drive - albeit a hairy one, as Dougal discovers! Colin becomes suspicious when he sees Claire walking arm-in-arm with Sneddon in the woods, as she helps him to recuperate. Claire realises that Sneddon has developed a crush on her, but jokes that it is a hazard of the job and lightheartedly brushes it off. However, Colin later shares his suspicons with an intrigued Morag. Elsewhere, Eric overhears Joanna discussing with Alice that people are only giving Eric jobs he is unskilled for out of pity. As a result, Eric phones Inverdarroch to cancel the job he had in mind for him. A jealous Lynne confronts Sheila over her knowledge about Susan's secret, and they take their argument outside the shop. However, a concerned Isabel goes after to them and asks what their dispute is all about. In the end, Lynne blurts out the truth - that Jamie is the son of Isabel's late son Jimmy, and therefore Jamie is her grandson. Michael later has an argument about it with a crestfallen Lynne, whilst Sheila insists to Isabel that it wasn't her secret to tell. As it turns out, Isabel is fine with the news, and discusses it with Susan. Susan admits she thought Jamie might be her husband Bill's at first, but when tests revealed that Bill was infertile, their marriage began to suffer, with Bill becoming a drunk, then verbally abusive and eventually violent. Fearing for Jamie's safety, Susan fled with Jamie to Glendarroch. However, much as Isabel wants them to stay, she advises an uncertain Susan that the best place for both her and Jamie right now is with Susan's parents. The episode ends with Isabel glancing sentimentally at an unseen family picture, one that presumably includes the late Jimmy.

## Episode Cast

* **Colin Begg** (Kern Falconer)
* **Dougal Lachlan** (Alec Monteath)
* **Emma Aitken** (Amanda Whitehead)
* **Eric Ross-Gifford** (Richard Greenwood)
* **Isabel Blair** (Eileen McCallum)
* **Jamie Duncan** (Brian Buchanan)
* **Joanna Ross-Gifford** (Tamara Kennedy)
* **Lynne McNeil** (Gillian McNeill)
* **Mark Ritchie** (Peter Raffan)
* **Michael Ross** (Gordon MacArthur)
* **Morag Stewart** (Jeannie Fisher)
* **Sheila Ramsay** (Lesley Fitz-Simons)
* **Susan Duncan** (Jacqueline Gilbrook)
* **Tom Kerr AKA Inverdarroch** (John Stahl)

## Episode Crew

* Written by - **Tom Wright**
* Location Unit - **Malcolm Campbell** • **Len Southam** • **Dorothy C. Le Grove**
* Location Editor - **Allan Armstrong**
* Cameras - **Jack McNairn**
* Vision Supervisor - **Jim Aldebert**
* Vision Mixer - **Norman McNeil**
* Lighting Director - **Joe Malcolm**
* Sound Supervisor - **Andy Baird**
* VT Editor - **Robert Scott**
* Wardrobe - **Liz McKinlay**
* Make Up - **Fiona McLennan**
* Stage Managers - **Malcolm Morton** • **Edith Hornall**
* Production Assistants - **Elizabeth Webb** • **Margot Cunningham**
* Unit Manager - **Joe Miller**
* Floor Managers - **Vince Carey '***• Hugh Boyle'*
* 'Take The High Road' Theme - **Arthur Blake**
* Series created by - **Don Houghton**
* Stories by - **Janice Hally** • **Peter May**
* Script Editor - **Michael Elder**
* Designer - **Steve Baldwin**
* Executive Producer - **Robert Love**
* Associate Producer - **Jim McCann**
* Producer - **Brian Mahoney**
* Director - **David Andrews**

## Continuity Notes

* First episode broadcast in 1990; first episode broadcast in the 1990s

## January 1990 Episodes

• Fri 5th • Mon 8th • Fri 12th • Mon 15th • Fri 19th • Mon 22nd • Fri 26th • Mon 29th