After Kate's death Nick Rowan discovers that taking care of a new-born baby is a full-time job, and he sends for his mother to help him out for a while. There is bad blood between Colin Dewhurst and his neighbour Oliver 'Tugger' Barker, who shoots at Dewhurst's cat with a rifle. And he does not stop at that and the matter escalates. Greengrass is visited by his nephew Norman. They decide to cash in on Norman's abilities as a dart player.

Someone has let Bill Ruane's horses out, but he manages to catch them with the help of Jo Weston, who is on an outing with her students. Ruane has financial troubles because nobody has money to pay him. He is suspected to be behind a series of burglaries in the area including one at Ashfordly Hall in which his lordship's game keeper Gillies is knocked down, and part of the loot from that burglary is found at Ruane's stables. Greengrass has a flat tyre, but luckily his is picked up by his nephew Norman and Jeb, Norman's new friend from the American air force. They have a business proposition for him. The have started an import business and need storage space.