It is 1838 and whilst John and Daniel celebrate the reprieve of the Tolpuddle Martyrs the new Poor Law drives economic migrants from Southern England to the mill in the form of agricultural worker John Howlett and his family and shoemaker Abe Whittaker and his grandson Will, who takes a shine to Esther. Hannah has also brought Peter, a freed slave from the former plantation, to work in the garden whilst Robert is now an MP and younger brother William, the father of Susannah’s eldest child, is in charge of the mill. Esther threatens to tell Hannah of her son’s indiscretion unless he recognizes when her indentures end and loans her money for sister Martha, still unemployed. She is successful but wages are cut, William attempting to blame the fact on the Corn Laws. However Daniel knows that William intends to spend the money saved on more machinery. John Howlett fails to see this and refuses to countenance Daniel’s proposal that they espouse the union though Peter is more sympathetic.

以前过年的时候，怕过年车多人多，坐车麻烦，就提前几天买好了火车票，把行李衣服什么的先寄回了家。今天一吃完早餐就往火车站赶，刚到火车站门口，老妈来电话了：儿啊，你火车票都到家了，你怎么还没到呀？