James' 10 year-old son Sydney arrives in Candleford and takes an immediate liking to Dorcas and the post office. He doesn't bond with his father, however. Discharging himself from hospital early, James finds himself with the strange situation of his own son living down the street. He decides to do something about it. Meanwhile, Nan seems to have tired of her romance with Alf. She tells Emma that she likes bad boys and Alf is just plain boring. Finally, the marriage of Thomas Brown and Margaret Ellison is fast approaching. Margaret, however, is suffering from the Ellisons' Pox, a disfiguring rash that covers her. Thomas is searching his soul and looking for a sign that he is ready for marriage.
—garykmcd