Sammy Maxton is found injured on Shafton Moor and witnesses heard a shot and saw Barry Rooksby running from the scene and driving away with is daughter Suzy. Rooksby has recently lost his job as game keeper and blames Maxton for telling lies about him to get the job himself. Alice Jessop is released from hospital after a stroke and hires the butler Alan Lester to look after her. A couple of days later Eileen discovers that a valuable clock is missing from Mrs. Jessop's home Gina is nervous because she has to appear in court to apply for the license to run the Aidensfield Arms. Steve tries to comfort her, but his mind is more occupied by the American pool match, which Greengrass is arranging. But his pool table is confiscated as evidence when it turns out that it was stolen, and Greengrass is under pressure to get a new one. He soon finds out that American pool tables are rare in North Riding. The preparations for Nick's and Jo's wedding are in full swing, and Phil is hoping that Nick will ask him to be the best man. A ghost from nurse Bolton's past arrives in Aidensfield. Her husband Neil who hopes they can back together again.

Lord Ashfordly's sister Patricia Brewster is visiting her brother to present her new fiancée Ronnie Harper. Sober. While his lordship is giving an engagement party in their honour one of his guests is burgled and another one was the previous night. Lady Patricia asks her fiancée, who has a criminal record, if he knows something about it, and the police have an eye on Harper too. Harper on the other hand has both his eyes set on Gina who is not insusceptible to his charm. Greengrass is harbouring two workmen, Keith and Chas, who do some renovations around the village. Among other things they are refitting Oscar Blaketon's bathroom, and he smells a rat.

PC Bellamy set off in pursuit of a pursuit of a man, who supposedly stole the purse of Alice Armstrong. He does not catch the guy, but manages to retrieve the purse - minus her money. He is sure he will catch the culprit, but it may take some time because a series of break-ins at fashionable estates keep the police in Ashfordly occupied. The burglar may be a member of a small circus, which Vernon Scripps puts up for the winter. Scripps persuades Lord Ashfordly to let the exotic animals graze on his estate and open a wildlife park. But they may get more than they bargained for when the whole circus turns up and the animals escape and scatter all over Aidensfield. Col. Barber is very fond of telling stories about his exploits during the war, but his memory may not be what it used to be. Maybe it never was?

Vernon Scripps has really made a killing on the paintings he bought from Steve Crane's mother. He kept one of them though. The one called "Tower Bridge". He organizes an auction for the benefit of Sir Nigel Fethersone's charity foundation and is "persuaded" by Oscar Blaketon to donate the "Tower Bridge" painting himself. But somebody steals the painting and he gets David to make a duplicate. Jenny surprises an intruder at Sergeant Merton's house. He does not hurt her, but only looks firmly at her and walks calmly away. The intruder is Eddie Harvey and he wants the sergeant to tell him the name of the man who grassed on him and an accomplice on a bank robbery. If Merton does not yield Harvey will kill Jenny.

The Frankie Rio Trio once belonged at the top of the charts, but popularity has dropped and now they are struggling for a comeback. Now finances are so low they have to skip a hotel bill. They are on their way to Aidensfield, where they will stay with their old friend Vernon Scripps until an important gig in Whitby. On the way pick up a young woman, Rachel Godwin, and her baby and give her a lift to Aidensfield where her parents live. She has run away from a maternity hospital because she does not want to give up the baby for adoption and is now on her way to her parent's house in the village. While she calls her mother to prepare her Frankie is scared off by the sight of PC Walker and the trio drives off without knowing they have an extra passenger.