Robert is working in Oxford and sending money home whilst Ruby Pratt has returned from Pontefract after splitting with her gentleman friend. Gabriel Cochrane, whose wife has died and whose foundry has been repossessed by the bank, comes to Candleford, penniless, and Dorcas employs him in her forge where the work interests Sydney. After Edmund has collected money from Robert at the post office, he arrives home saying he has been robbed. The whole village rallies round Emma.
A journalist, Daniel Parish, arrives in Lark Rise with news that Emma Timmins is set to inherit a large amount of money, enough to change the family's life forever. Daniel plans to write their story for his newspaper, but Dorcas is suspicious of his motives,. Can Laura and Daniel's friendship survive this?
When Dorcas and Emma each want to give Laura the same gift for Christmas, an old family wound is opened up and Laura finds herself torn between two mothers. As the inhabitants of Lark Rise and Candleford prepare for the festivities, loyalties are tested and, amid the gift-giving and carol-singing, tensions are building. However, the arrival of a ragged, barefooted young woman, who goes by the name of Cinderella Doe, introduces a note of Christmas mystery. Dorcas also receives a Christmas letter from Sir Timothy.
A recently retired English professor discovers a real knack for investigation and cannot help but interfere with the cases assigned to her police detective son.