Episode 1.7
Written by Ann McManus, Maureen Chadwick & Liz Lake
Produced by Spencer Campbell
Directed by Brian Kelly
As the new owner of the Hope Springs hotel, Ann Marie wants a quick sale to fund her dream move to Edinburgh. Relegated to living in the caravan, Ellie, Hannah, Shoo and Josie bury their resentment towards their new boss, agreeing to work for an early pay day in exchange for being nice to the potential buyers – Ann Marie’s flamboyant friend Flavio and his partner David. The girls aren’t the only ones to be put out by Ann Marie’s plans – Euan’s horrified at the thought of potential new owners for the hotel and offers to outbid them, much to the delight of Ann Marie who’s happy to play along.
Already irked by the city slickers’ pushy presence, Sadie’s further enraged when the pair announce their plans to transform the hotel into a ‘destination restaurant’. Knowing there will be no place for the locals under the new regime – and fearing that the heart will be ripped out of the village if the hotel closes – the women devise a series of unfortunate incidents to show the incomers the perils of country living. Dead rats planted in the kitchen don’t seem to do the trick, and so Josie takes a spanner to the septic tank. However, even a jet of raw sewage in the face doesn’t seem to faze Flavio. As a last resort, Ellie and Sadie set about stirring up animosity amongst the villagers... it’s time for a peasant’s revolt!
A loved-up Shoo and Dean make plans to move into their own little rented cottage. Knowing Ellie won’t be best pleased, Shoo keeps the move hush hush, but that’s not the only secret she’s hiding from the others and Ellie is furious when Dean turns up with a handful of passports he’s just found in Shoo’s bag – the same passports that Bronius supposedly refused to hand over! Shoo meanwhile has bigger things to worry about and skulks off in search of a pregnancy testing kit. Back at the hotel, Gil hopes to rustle up some home-cooked food but finds more than he bargained for in the kitchen. Hannah is upset at the prospect of leaving Hope Springs and as he offers her a friendly shoulder, Gil realises that he doesn’t want her to leave either.
Down at the lochside, Ronan is assisting Gil with the search for Billy’s body but frustratingly, his vague information proves unhelpful. Just as hope begins to fade, Gil receives good news – a submerged car has been found and there’s a severed arm in the boot. Back up at the hotel, Shoo faces the wrath of Ellie. As she tearfully admits that she hid the passports because she wanted to stay in Hope Springs, Josie and Hannah also voice their misgivings about leaving. However, Ellie is resolute and when news of Gil’s gruesome find reaches the hotel, it becomes clear that they need to leave Hope Springs before Marius’ identity is discovered.
At least the news of this latest murder – the third in the village – manages to scare off Flavio and David. However, Ann Marie makes it clear that she holds Sadie, Ellie and the rest of the girls responsible for their sudden attack of cold feet and not only sacks them, she refuses to pay the wages she owes them. Ann Marie now has no option but to agree to Euan’s terms, however, their plans hit a brick wall when Ina finally puts her foot down – Euan won’t be getting any more money from her, in fact, the only thing he’ll be getting is a set of divorce papers. Ann Marie and Euan now have nowhere else to turn but each other.
Ann Marie returns to the hotel and tries to turf Sadie and the girls out with only £15 in back pay. The girls however have other ideas and after tying her up and locking her in a cupboard, they take all the money they’re owed. Outside, Shoo makes a last ditch attempt to get Ellie to change her mind about leaving by announcing that she’s pregnant with Dean’s baby. Josie and Hannah also plead with Ellie to reconsider, but then Gil arrives. Realising that he knows about Marius, the women pile into the Land Rover, but they’re too late. Unbeknownst to them, Gil is the least of their worries as the past is about to catch up with them in the shape of Ellie’s vengeful husband, Roy...