Lister begins a playful but dangerous courtship of Ann Walker, who quickly finds herself captivated by the attentions of her neighbor. Lister's plan to excavate her coal mines brings her into the path of local magistrate Christopher Rawson and his brother Jeremiah. While Ann Walker prepares for a trip to the Lake District, her cousin's reaction to her budding friendship leads her to realize that Lister is not popular with everyone in the community. Back at Shibden, Lister's servant, John Booth, offers a solution to Eugénie's problem. Meanwhile, Lister wonders if confronting the past could be the key to finding future happiness.