Newly weds Jack and Bea find their marital bliss is disturbed by the arrival of Jack's old girlfriend Clara Rhoades. Things are made worse by Clara's interference in the running of the House of Eliott when she manages to persuade Bea to employ Alice Bourgoyne, an ineffectual vendeuse. Evie arrives from Paris and is committed to making the House of Eliott as successful as Maison Gille. Sir Desmond suddenly dies. Tilly continues to experience difficulty working with Florence but when she meets Norman Foss things don't seem quite as bad.

When Evie is invited to spend the weekend at the Douglass family home, she becomes embroiled on their family conflicts. When she encourages Frances to go to art college, she succeeds in alienating nearly all the Douglass family. However, speed racing enthusiast James Douglass strikes up a friendship with her and is determined they be more than just friends. Jack's work commitments keep him away from Bea while she is concerned about the finances of the House of Eliott. Could Sir Desmond have been involved in fraud? In the workroom, Florence is perturbed when Tilly's old ali resumes her old post.

Following a head on collision with a herd of cows, James and Evie become close. However, his obsession with racing proves too much for her so soon after Sebastian's plane crash. Bea meets Jack's parents for the first time when they spend Christmas together. His mother, an artist, proves to be a design inspiration and Bea resolves to alter the artistic direction of the latest House of Eliott collection. Alice's husband dies and the sisters realize why she has been so inefficient. Tilly and Norman decide to get married.

When The House of Eliott agrees to design the costumes for a ballet, Jack becomes jealous of the amount of time Bea spends with David, the choreographer. Their already troubled marriage suffers another set back when they go to the cottage to spend their wedding anniversary and the conversation turns to having children. Joseph expresses concerns about The House of Eliott finances and Ralph Saroyan suggests that Joseph may not be as honest as he appears. Tilly and Norman get married in style.

Evie finds herself attracted to government treasury minister Sir Alexander Montford. Bea and Evie hope that Lady Elizabeth Montford, in her role as trend-setter, will give her custom to their fashion house. Saroyan is determined to remove Joseph from the House of Eliott, but Joseph is equally determined to clear his name.

A romance between Evie and Lord Montford risks scandal, which could ruin them both. Bea is worried by business pressures. Ralph Saroyan criticises the way the sisters run their business and demands that all cheques should be counter-signed by him.

Alexander has a heart to heart with Jack about his feelings for Evie but Jack fails to tell Bea what has been going on. It appears that Ralph Saroyan is guilty of more than just fraud when he is implicated in the death of Sir Desmond, however can the sisters do anything to bring him to justice? After yet more furious rows and acrimonious accusations, Jack and Bea make a decision about their future.