Episode 3, tx. 7/3/1993
At the cinema, Sylvia watches a newsreel about Liberace's arrival in the UK. While Mick reads about the Suez crisis in the paper, he imagines Harry, as Anthony Eden, singing 'Blue Suede Shoes' while giving a speech in Parliament. Mick is upset over the Suez news reports and tells Francis that if war breaks out he probably won't get demobbed. They both notice that even the normally insensitive Corporal is highly agitated. During lunch with the other officers it becomes clear that Bernwood and Carter are also extremely worried about the implications of the crisis. Bernwood is clearly distracted and keeps letting his mind wander, while Carter seems to get angry without any obvious provocation. Harold goes to see Sylvia but she pretends to be out. He waits outside her flat, sitting in his car.
As the officers are late back from lunch, Francis has to take a message when the scrambler phone unexpectedly rings. Mick and the Corporal both laugh when Francis inadvertently says that the officers are in the toilet. Mick is convinced that the obscure phone message is in code and that it signals the imminent outbreak of hostilities in Egypt. Harold drives up to Sylvia when she leaves the flat, offering to giver her a lift. She gets in, but then threatens to tell his wife that he paid her to touch him. He is close to tears and begs her not to let anyone know what happened between them. She walks away saying he disgusts her.
Francis daydreams and only remembers to give Hedges the message when reminded by Mick. Hedges is furious as the message was actually a tip on a horse from his friend Philby. Francis is dreaming about Sylvia, the Corporal's wife and Mick imagines him singing 'Raining in my Heart'. On the way home, the Corporal sees that Francis is heading the same way, and insists the two go and have a drink as they are now away from work. He mentions that Sylvia will be home late that night.
Trekker falls asleep while watching a stage performance of Chekhov's 'The Seagull', embarrassing his niece who is visiting from America. Francis waits for Sylvia to come home and accosts her in the street. She suggests they meet at her dance class on Sunday morning. Trekker brings his niece to the office and Mick is immediately enamoured with her.
