In which Mark Robarts comes into his prebendal stall, bringing both dignity and domestic perplexities, including the contentious arrival of a new horse, while Lucy wrestles with the unspoken turmoil of a relinquished affection and the shifting prospects of a certain match. Meanwhile, the gentle stirrings of spring inspire renewed parish duties and heartfelt visits, casting light upon the differing fortunes and private trials of those connected with the parsonage.