Nearest And Dearest

Walter is ill and laid up in the Pledge household following subsidance problems and an evacuation of his and Lily's own home. Eli and Nellie are quite keen to see that his will is satisfactorily completed before he, you know...

It's Friday night! And the Pledges are looking forward to two wholes days without pickling... until Lily and Walter appear. Apparently their house has subsided and they've got nowhere to go.

The doctor is sent for as Walter has severe shock. He's soon sent straight to bed to be waited on hand and foot by Nellie. Whilst there he sends Lily down for paper and a pencil to write out his will. The pound signs ring in Nellie and Eli's eyes, and they are soon dashing upstairs to be at his bedside. To make things worse, Stan is setting out to woo Miss Lily. "With her money, and my looks, we'll be the toast of Colne!" he says.

It turns out that Walter is set to get better, and Lily is despatched back to make the house "fit for co-habitation", but while she has gone, Walter sends the three knock signal on the ceiling, the sign that he thinks he's going. The Pledges could be in the money after all!