Newly-widowed Audrey fforbes-Hamilton, rejoicing in finding herself the sole owner of Grantleigh Manor Estate, is devastated to find out she must sell the estate to pay the debts left by her late husband, Marton.

The staff of Grantleigh Manor bid Audrey farewell with evident relief at her departure, only to find out the well kept secret of where she's moving--only a few hundred yards down the drive to the old gatekeeper's lodge, where she can still keep an eye on things and keep the new owner in his place.

Audrey berates Richard for failing to attend church at the Manor chapel on his first Sunday at Grantleigh, as well as lecturing him about other duties she feels he's failing to live up to as the new lord of the manor.

No longer able to afford an annual holiday to an exotic locale, Audrey pretends to leave for Spain while actually hiding inside the lodge with a sunlamp and Spanish language records.

Audrey and Richard engage in battle yet again, this time to see who can provide the best Christmas creche to the local church, Audrey with her homemade version or Richard with his commercially bought one.