A father and his son come to Peter after their insurers refuse to pay when their fishing boat is destroyed in an explosion. Lyle investigates further, discovering that the father once served a prison sentence for insurance fraud. Beatrice meets a local artist, Alan, and joins his life class as the model. The council takes revenge on Snell after his many small plots of land prevent them from building anything. Peter meets Christopher Waller's parents when he finds out that Simon's bank account has been regularly paying out to them.

A girl's parents retain Peter to sue Cambridge University because she has not been offered a place. Peter visits his old tutor to investigate and learns that Simon contacted him for money shortly before he disappeared. Gloria is upset because it is a year since her husband died, and her son is picked up by the police for breaking windows in the town. Lyle assists Snell in a scheme to stop the gas company building on a piece of local grazing land. Beatrice uses Lyle to win back Alan, but on discovering that Alan has again been cheating on his sister Peter confronts him.

Peter finds himself becoming a surrogate father to Daniel with his brother still away. Lyle doesn't notice when Honor takes an interest in him.

Peter finds hiding his brother difficult. Peter is asked by a woman to investigate the nurse looking after her ill father as she is worried she is more interested in his money than his health. Lyle finds himself involved in a dispute between a naturist community and a group of unhappy local residents.

Peter represents a pregnant woman who wants child support from the missing father to be.

Peter finds out who the real father of his niece is. Lyle tries to sort out a depute over some land between some golfers and druids. He also tries to take the next step in his relationship with Emily. Peter tries to help somebody who is being blackmailed.

Lyle returns home to Stockport to try and help his mother keep her allotment. When Scott is caught on the school's CCTV playing up he is suspended. Peter attempts to help a local family video their daughter's appearance in a school concert. When Mr Snell gets married everyone is left feeling shocked.

When a duke starts selling his titles on eBay his estranged brother seeks out Peter to ask for his help - thinking the man is doing it to fund a drug habit.

Having previously collapsed after feeling unwell, Peter makes a trip to his doctor for test, resulting in the doctor wanting to run more tests. Gloria, meanwhile, frets about how to tell Peter about the birth certificate she discovered up in the attic... Does it have anything to do with his current state of health?