When Henry announces to Vera that he has invited Llewd George down to Sizzlinghurst to advise him on the best way to become a Labour MP, Vera flies off the handle. Can she get no privacy in her own garden? All she wants is to be left alone.

Not only does Llewd George live up to his reputation as a randy old goat (as Vera suspected), but Mrs Gosling takes affront at his politics and, after a row with Mr Gosling, goes on strike and storms off to live with her sister.

Meanwhile Vera has resorted to digging in the corner of her garden to escape Llewd George's clutches, only to be interrupted by Ginny Fox and a BBC producer, Miss Hilda Matthewson. There is a fascination between Vera and Hilda, much to Ginny's chagrin, and plans are immediately set in motion for Hilda to arrange a BBC tour for Vera talking about her books and her garden so that the two women can be together.

But telling Henry that she is going on tour raises Henry's suspicions. After all, it was only this morning that Vera craved solitude and swore she would never leave her precious castle again.

A Little Brother production for BBC Radio 4.

VERA SACKCLOTH-VEST.........................MIRIAM MARGOLYES
HENRY MICKLETON..................................JONATHAN COY
LIONEL FOX.................................................NIGEL PLANER
GINNY FOX...................................................ALIS0N STEADMAN
HILDA MATTHEWSON...............................MORWENNA BANKS
MRS GOSLING..............................................ALISON STEADMAN
LLEWD GEORGE..........................................JOHN SESSIONS
GOSLING THE GARDENER........................NIGEL PLANER Show less