In which the festivities of Christmas bring an undercurrent of disappointment and tender apprehension, as Lucy wrestles with her feelings for the house overshadowed by sorrow, and Everard’s hopeful plans for their future quietly take shape. Meanwhile, Miss Entwhistle, worn by mounting tribulations and longing for tranquillity, perceives the subtle shift in Lucy’s affections with a touch of reluctant hope amid the complexity of their shared lives.