The artist Joe Vaughan has rented a cottage from Lord Ashfordly to do some painting. He has had a bit of a clash with members of the local rugby club and they do what they can to annoy him. A Liverpool gangster, Boyd, is also interested in him and he has sent two goons to do the dirty job. His benefactor Rod Dundas organizes an exhibition at the cottage, but the night after the opening the cottage burns and all Vaughan's paintings are destroyed. Well not all of them, since one of them is missing. Greengrass gets a grant from the council for his new "romantic boarding house" and can soon greet his first guests. His old friend Betty persuades him to buy a share of the race horse Alnwick Flyer, which must be sold for tax reasons. There is something about Gina's boyfriend Andy that Oscar Blaketon does not like and he starts to follow Andy around like a shadow.

Barbara Simner sospecha que su esposo Ken está tratando de matarla debido a varios incidentes llamativos. Ella se niega a llamar a la policía, pero ellos se involucran cuando ella es atropellada por un tractor descontrolado. Oscar Blaketon quiere que el premio al "Pueblo Mejor Conservado" sea para Aidensfield. Un obstáculo para este objetivo son varios montículos de topos, pero Vernon Scripps tiene un polvo pesticida multiusos que debería funcionar. Y es un producto potente. David se desmaya mientras lo usa y el Dr. Merrick sospecha que es muy venenoso. El olor es lo suficientemente fuerte como para asustar a todos. Incluso a los topos. La amiga de Gina, Diane, se muda al Aidensfield Arms para ayudarla durante las etapas finales de su embarazo. Diane rápidamente pone sus ojos en el oficial PC Crane. Mientras tanto, Phil Bellamy está más preocupado por encontrar a un padrino para su boda con Gina que por su trabajo policial.