The episode unfurls in the bustling docks of Yorkshire, 1891, where fishworkers toil relentlessly amidst the salty breeze. Sam Hardacre (Liam McMahon), strident and authoritative, bellows orders as he patrols the area. Upon depositing a basket into a waiting boat, he pivots to behold Mary Hardacre (Claire Cooper), who adores him as the paragon of Irish virtue in Yorkshire. Lena Temple (Siobhan O’Kelly), with a hint of mischief, offers to relieve him of his burden whenever he desires. As Sam empties his fish-laden basket into Mary’s barrel, their lips meet in a tender kiss.
Little Pete (David O’Reilly)’s urgent cry draws Sam’s attention to a malfunctioning crane. Liza Hardacre (Shannon Lavelle), ever the voice of reason, reassures the women that existence holds more than just men. Sam, alert and concerned, cautions Mr. Shaw (David Pearse) against using the crane in its precarious state. Shaw, puzzled, wonders how they’ll manage to load his fish without it. Sam stands firm, advocating for manual loading onto the Lady Jane. Shaw pauses to commend the women on their adept fish-gutting skills, earning a sarcastic retort from Liza once he’s out of earshot.
Emerging from a nearby building, Sam spots Albie (Paul Ward) directing a crane-borne crate of fish. He sternly orders Albie to halt its use. Albie, under pressure, reveals Shaw’s threat of termination if they refuse. The crane groans and cracks ominously. With lightning speed, Sam dashes forward, shoving Albie to safety mere moments before the crane collapses. Mary rushes to Sam’s side, finding his hand injured, while Albie lies wounded beside them.
Shortly thereafter, Dr. Mason (Chris McHallem) attends to Sam’s battered hand. Mary anxiously inquires about pain relief. Mason prescribes laudanum for a fee of two shillings, prompting Lena’s dry suggestion of a more drastic solution—shooting Sam. Mason solemnly warns of potential nerve damage and a severed tendon, leaving Sam to wonder when he’ll be cleared for work. Mason’s grave prediction hints at permanent disability, yet emphasizes the preservation of his hand. Mary hastily pays the fee.
Liza offers solace to Sam, while Joe Hardacre (Adam Little) urges her to give him space. Sam, resolute, assures them all that his hand will heal in due time. The following morning, Mary confides in her family that Sam’s hand is causing him considerable pain. Mr. Gibbons (Andrew Bradley), the landlord, arrives to collect the rent. Realizing their shortage, Mary reveals Sam’s accident, only to be reminded of the stringent no-credit policy. She protests their impeccable payment history and refuses eviction. Sam vows to settle the debt upon his return to work in a matter of days, to which Ma (Julie Graham) scoffs from across the room. Gibbons, reluctantly, agrees to wait.
At work, Lena informs Mary that she and Betsy (Temple), though struggling themselves, wish to help. Their conversation is abruptly interrupted by a speeding horse-drawn carriage narrowly missing them. Mary’s mind wanders to a world devoid of financial woes. Desperate, she seeks a payroll advance from Shaw, who rejects her plea, fearing a domino effect among the workers. She reminds him of her unwavering dedication, but Shaw, closing the door behind him, makes lewd advancements. Mary, feigning compliance, whispers a rejection before delivering a swift knee to his groin. Shaw, grimacing in pain, vows retribution, promising to end her employment there.
Mary shares her ordeal with Liza, Joe, Betsy, Lena, and Ma, sternly warning them against informing Sam. Outraged, Liza and Ma resign, while Joe stays to confront Shaw. The scene pulses with tension and resilience, painting a vivid picture of the Hardacres’ struggle against adversity.
Sam, despite his injured hand, reaches out for the teakettle, only to have it slip from his grasp and crash to the floor. As Mary hurriedly mops up the spilled water, she confesses to abandoning her pursuit after Shaw denied her payroll advance. Sam, puzzled, wonders aloud how they will manage to scrape together the rent. Mary vows to secure employment for them.
The following morning, Mary, accompanied by Liza and Ma, treks towards Thornton Hall. Mary paints a vivid picture for Liza, portraying it as a golden opportunity to embark on a grand adventure, residing in opulence. Ma, however, remains skeptical, muttering that they'd be fortunate to find menial tasks like cleaning toilets. Mrs. Dryden, played by Ingrid Craigie, opens the door to their hopeful faces. Liza introduces themselves as seekers of employment, while Mary emphasizes their diligence. Dryden's nose twitches, catching a whiff of fish, and she inquisitively asks if it emanates from them. Insulted by the implication, Ma retorts that no amount of money could entice her to work under her roof. With that, Dryden curtly dismisses them.
Over dinner, Harry Hardacre, portrayed by Zak Ford-Williams, proposes selling the pony and cart as a desperate measure. Ma steadfastly refuses, insisting that they are crucial for her clandestine smuggling endeavors. Mary reminds her of how the last venture almost overwhelmed her, but Liza steps in, eager to lend a hand. Mary, cautious, suggests they might consider setting up a fried herring stall instead. Sam urges Mary to appeal to Shaw, who is soon to return to work, but she stubbornly declines.
Next morning, Ma and Liza slip out undetected, heading towards the bustling docks. Meanwhile, Harry and Mary attend an auction where fish are the main attraction. With a bold bid of 27 shillings, Mary secures Lot 27. Harry seeks assistance from a passerby to load the fish onto their cart. At The Lucky Sailor, Ma and Big Jonesey, played by Eddie Capli, seal a deal with a 70/30 split, sealing it with a spit and handshake. Ma cunningly attaches the contraband to Liza's leg.
At the racetrack, Mary and Harry face challenges selling their fried herring. Doubts creep into Mary's mind, questioning the wisdom of their venture. Harry, ever the optimist, urges her to exude enthusiasm. Finally, they make their first sale to a well-dressed gentleman, followed by two more orders. Meanwhile, at the docks, Albie expresses gratitude to Sam for averting an accident. Sam informs Shaw of his readiness to resume work, but Shaw, tossing him a herring as a test, mocks him when Sam fails to catch it, leaving Sam disheartened.
Back at the racetrack, Harry counts their meager earnings – a mere two pounds and six pence. The Wilson brothers observe them from afar, their eyes glinting with greed. Elsewhere, Liza and Ma make their inaugural smuggling delivery to Chinny the Butcher, played by Stuart Wolfenden. Liza insists on turning away as she fills his cup with illegally smuggled firearms, to which Chinny remarks that she is undeniably Ma's kindred spirit.
At the racetrack once more, Harry and Mary celebrate their earnings while loading their wagon. Suddenly, Paddy Wilson and his brother confront them, demanding their cut. Harry defiantly tells them to beat it, but one of the brothers responds by twisting his arm. Fearing for Harry's safety, Mary reluctantly surrenders all their hard-earned money and rushes to his side.
Harry recounts to Sam and Ma the tale of the thieves who swiped their two pounds and sixpence. Ma, in turn, hands over their portion from the illicit gin dealings to Mary. Mary boasts about how she jeopardized Liza's safety for just a couple of shillings, prompting Ma to chastise her for her arrogant demeanor. Mary berates herself for not returning to the docks, but Ma questions how she could even entertain such thoughts after Shaw's actions. Sam, furious, demands further clarification. Soon after, he collects their pay from Shaw and warns him with a stern threat if he dares to lay eyes on Mary again. He instructs Joe to go home, then dumps the money on the table, revealing it came from Shaw, who also conveyed his apologies. Sam acknowledges that his condition is graver than he had wished to believe and insists that Mary use the remaining funds, after paying the rent, to purchase herring.
The next morning, Harry crafts a sign for their fish stall. Joe, with a hint of sarcasm, remarks that they won't need it. Harry accuses Joe of being selfish while he was busy assisting Mary. Joe claims he thought Sam would want the sign, expressing regret for letting Mary down. Sam shares his troubled history with his alcoholic father, leading Joe to apologize, and Mary gives him a heartfelt hug.
At the racetrack, the Hardacre family works in unison to prepare and sell fried herring. Their earnings for the day total four pounds, six shillings, and five pence. Mary notices the Wilson boys intimidating a man. Everyone flees except Mary and Ma. Paddy Wilson (portrayed by Ben Carolan) demands they cough up the money. Ma threatens to inform their father unless they return Mary's three pounds and sixpence. When Paddy protests, Ma hikes up the amount. He reluctantly hands over the cash and Ma introduces Joe and Sam to him.
Sam and Mary seek financial guidance from Callum Saunders (played by Taheen Modak), Mr. Pearson's successor. Callum urges them to open a bank account and offers his services, assuring them of full control over their finances if they hire him. Mary dumps a sack of money onto his desk, and he suggests expanding their operations. Later, they launch their own restaurant, Hardacre Herring. They deposit their earnings with Callum and continue to broaden their business horizons. Meanwhile, Ma and Liza carry on with their smuggling endeavors.
When Sam and Mary deposit their earnings with Callum, they receive dividends from the Grand Junction Canal. They persist in selling fried herring, expanding their enterprise, and acquiring shares in diverse companies.
Joe petitions for an advance on his earnings, but Mary, noting his consecutive three-night absences,拒绝了他的请求。Eliza confronts Ma, dissatisfied with receiving a lesser share than her, only to be told by Ma that she is still in training and free to leave if dissatisfied. Disheartened, Eliza decides to resign. Callum drops by to update Sam and Mary on their inventory, prompting Ma to accuse them of hypocrisy, given their own gambling habits while scolding hers. Callum reveals the South African mine they invested in has struck gold, proposing they acquire a more befitting abode to match their newfound wealth. Now worth an impressive sum of 249,146 pounds and 16 shillings, the family rejoices in their triumph, with Mary rewarding Callum with an affectionate kiss.
Later, Sam is overwhelmed by melancholy, reflecting on his humble beginnings. Mary reassures him that Harry can now receive a proper education. Ma interjects, insisting that Mary will require her assistance in navigating the elite social circles. In a private moment, Mary hands Lena an envelope, which she reluctantly accepts. Betsy urges Joe not to forget them, to which he vows to make every effort not to.
Meanwhile, Dryden, Mr. Harker (played by Graeme Coughlan), Maggie (Ella Maria Carmen), Mrs. Henderson (Paula Wolfenden), and the other servants stand in attendance, awaiting the new manor owners. The Hardacre family arrives in their humble horse-drawn cart, prompting a frantic Dryden to demand their departure. Mary, unperturbed, reminds Dryden of her earlier refusal to hire them and strides past, asserting her identity. Dryden, puzzled, wonders aloud who they think they are. With a smile, Mary introduces herself as a Hardacre and claims the right to address Dryden as 'mam.' The episode concludes on this intriguing note.
