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Ewan and Amy are in the darkroom, as
she develops photographs of the loch for an art project. She's frustrated
to find a splodge ruining her best shot, but when Ewan takes a peep he gets
excited - he's not sure what it is, but he knows what it looks like: Glenbogle's
own loch monster! Seeing an opportunity to make some much-needed money for
the estate, Ewan calls in some research specialists to investigate the creature.
Meanwhile he starts dreaming up all sorts of marketing and merchandise ideas
for 'The Beast of Loch Bogle'. Paul is initially unimpressed, fearing public
humiliation for him and the estate.
The laird's cynicism is nothing new to Dr Simon Cotter, the scientist running
the research project at the loch with his assistant Bill. Despite Simon's
belief that these creatures exist, Paul simply doesn't buy it. One night,
after a discussion with Simon about their responsibilities and fears for
the future, Paul has an experience that changes his entire outlook. The
following morning his new found interest in Simon's research confuses the
scientist. Then Paul confesses that he has seen the creature. Golly tells
Paul that a sighting of the creature is said to be a blessing, and asks
him what it is that he wants from the creature. Although bemused by Golly's
question, Paul is determined to find the Water Horse again and accompanies
Simon out on the boat.
Paul's sudden endorsement of the research also comes as a surprise to Iona,
who had been the only other person that shared his scepticism. But it seems
she is proved wrong when - much to Paul's delight - the sonar eventually
picks up what appear to be the lungs of a massive loch-dwelling creature.
Now alone with her doubts, Iona has an uneasy feeling about Dr Cotter's
discovery and pays Bill a visit to suss him out. Later that evening, she
returns to the same spot alone and takes herself out on the loch in a small
boat to take a look at the location of the sonar reading. All is dead calm
until suddenly Iona's boat is overturned and she is thrown into the freezing
water. Could it be the monster?
After a few moments of panic, Bill's head breaks the surface. It turns out
Iona's suspicions were correct. Back on dry land she demands an explanation
from Bill, who confesses all. He had placed two barrels in the water which
registered as huge lungs on the sonar. Far from being pleased that she was
right all along, Iona is aware that the news will devastate Paul, but she
is determined that someone tells him the truth.
Simon urges the disappointed Paul to let them continue their research, and
Ewan begs him not to bring an end to the merchandising - they've made quite
a bit of money and they can still make more from the idea of the monster
even if they have no proof. However, after contemplating the question Golly
asked him earlier, Paul cannot betray his conscience and decides to send
Simon and Bill away. As calm returns to Glenbogle, Paul maintains that he
did actually see the Water Horse and seems more at peace with himself and
his financial worries. But his new found tranquillity doesn't help when
Iona breaks the news that her croft is ready for her to return. Reluctantly
the pair agree that it's right she move out of the big house, back to her
own home, leaving them both with heavy hearts. |
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When Jess spots a potential infection in
a tree on the estate, she advises Paul to call in a specialist. Paul realises
that he doesn't have much of a choice and calls Dr Malcolm McRae. The two men
hit it off immediately, and Paul insists that Malcolm stay with him at the big
house. Later, when Malcolm interrupts an intimate moment between Paul and Iona
the atmosphere in the room changes immediately. It becomes clear that Iona and
Malcolm know each other.
After meeting Iona whilst working in the area a few years ago, Malcolm fell for
her and they planned to marry in Brazil. But he broke her heart when he left her
at the altar. A free spirit who loves travelling the world with his work, Malcolm
decided that he couldn't be tied down. Seeing Iona again made him realise how
much he gave up when he left Glenbogle.
As well as the bombshell about his past with Iona, Malcolm is the bearer of more
bad news when he announces that the trees have a serious disease and acres of
forestry must be felled. It's a nightmare scenario for Paul. All hopes of salvage
seem to be dashed, however, when he discovers that the local sawmill has shut
down. Malcolm and Paul nearly come to blows when the latter decides not to cut
down any trees until he has somewhere else lined up to process the timber. Malcolm
makes it clear that Paul doesn't have a choice - the trees must come down or he
could destroy masses of Highland woodland.
A conversation with Molly alerts Paul to the fact that Glenbogle once had its
own sawmill and with Golly's help Paul tracks it down. Despite their best efforts
Paul and Golly can't get the engine running, and all hope of saving the wood once
again seems lost until Malcolm suggests an idea and Paul is reluctantly forced
to accept his love-rival's help. Together, the three men successfully fix the
engine.
But Malcolm's presence is having a less positive influence on another aspect of
Paul's life, as he notices that the tree doctor and Iona have been getting close
again. Paul is desperate to know how Iona feels about Malcolm's return, but he
misinterprets her reticence as confirmation of his suspicions. Paul fails to realise
that just one word from him is all it would take to win Iona's heart.
Meanwhile, Jess is feeling taken for granted by her father. Golly, who is so taken
up with looking after baby Cameron, has failed to notice that his daughter is
exhausted by doing the work of two ghillies. When neighbouring ghillie Robbie
Rintoul comes to Glenbogle to drum up entries for the annual Cuach na Curaidh
(Cup of the Strong Man - a Ghillie's Challenge), Golly - three times winner and
record holder - turns him down. Jess is appalled that Robbie doesn't even consider
asking her because she's a girl. When she shares her annoyance with her father,
he is less than supportive.
When Molly hears about Robbie's chauvinistic behaviour, and sees how sad Jess
is, she convinces the girl to compete in the challenge.With Molly's assistance,
the training starts with a vengeance. On the day Jess reaches a nail-biting final
that sees her go head-to-head with Robbie. A trick she learned from Golly helps
her to victory in the final, but it's a bittersweet success as her father wasn't
there to witness it. When he comes to apologise and tell her that she's proved
her point, an irate Jess tells Golly that it wasn't about proving anything; she
just wanted him to notice her . Humbled, Golly struggles to express his emotions
but his pride is clear for all to see when he leads the ritual celebration later
that night.
While Jess is preparing for the Cuach na Curaidh, Amy is struggling to prepare
her portfolio for an art project until Molly calls in a favour with a young local
artist Danny, who runs an art class nearby. With his nose firmly out of joint,
a well-intentioned Ewan manages to disrupt the private tuition on more than one
occasion, until a frustrated Danny storms out. Before leaving, he tells Ewan that
he is spoiling Amy's chance at success. Ewan is torn between keeping hold of the
girl he loves or telling her what Danny said and pushing her to take the chance
he's offering, even if it means letting her go. |
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With the news of Iona’s forthcoming wedding to Malcolm still fresh in his mind, Paul thinks that life couldn’t possibly get any worse. But he was wrong. A letter from the bank brings with it the news that the bank is foreclosing on the loan that keeps the estate afloat. Paul is forced to sell Glenbogle. The dreadful news causes distress for the residents and employees, but they all cling to the hope that no-one would be mad enough to buy it. This small comfort evaporates with the arrival of a helicopter carrying Peter Finlay, a millionaire with a grudge wants the estate.
Donald holds a stubborn rooftop protest in the hope that his action will make the bank change its mind. After a stressed-out Paul loses his temper with his uncle, Donald realises that he can no longer be a burden on the family. He checks in to a retirement home in secret, under the auspices that he is going to live with a friend to Nice. Ewan is disappointed and thinks that the old man is deserting the family.
After a cold-hearted farewell that masks his pain, Donald departs to his secret location. But when Donald sneaks back later he is unknowingly spotted by Amy. She alerts Ewan and together they follow him back to the home. The teenagers kidnap Donald and return him to Glenbogle, unaware that he was quite happy at the home, in the company of former striptease artiste Sadie.
Paul offers Iona Glenbogle House as a venue for her wedding reception and is forced by Malcolm to be the person who gives her away at the altar. When Paul reveals his concerns about Finlay, Iona encourages him to fight the stranger all the way. Iona plants the seed of a plan in Paul’s mind. He decides that the only way to stop Finlay is if the crofters unite and invest in a community buy-out. With the help of a government grant, the crofters could buy their own land and the houses they live in, while the McDonalds would hold on to the big house. The crofters seem impressed by the idea of owning their own land.
However Finlay delivers a crushing blow to Paul’s plan. He tells the crofters that if he is successful in his bid for Glenbogle, he will give them all their crofts and land for nothing.
Down but not out, Paul confronts him to find out why he is so eager to punish the McDonalds. Finlay reveals that he used to work on the estate, but as a young man he was wrongly accused of theft by Hector, who put him on trial and sent him away from Glenbogle. Older and richer, Finlay wants revenge. As Chair of the Tenants Association, it’s left to Iona to take a vote at a meeting the following day and deliver the verdict to Paul.
Finlay is not the only long-absent resident to return to Glenbogle.
The late Hector McDonald makes a ghostly appearance to comfort a distressed Molly. With her home under threat, Molly finds herself at a crossroads in life. Harbouring a torch for Golly the mere mention of him as a romantic prospect in conversation with Hector’s spectre causes her late husband such consternation that he shows himself for the first time since his death to voice his objections. He suggests his mate Kilwillie instead: He’s of a much better pedigree and could keep her in a manner befitting a lady. Kilwillie himself has been having similar thoughts so he plucks up the courage to propose to Molly for a second time. Although moved by his offer, Molly is hiding a sadness in her heart; she may have to accept Kilwillie’s proposal in the absence of an offer from Golly, or risk a life of loneliness.
As the final dawn breaks on Glenbogle, it’s a day of reckoning for everyone. While Iona fights his corner in the crofters meeting, Paul and the rest of the family pay tribute to Hector at service of remembrance at the local church. Just as the ceremony begins, Golly interrupts and makes a public confession. He produces a ring, which is recognised by Molly as a ring given to her by Hector when she was a young woman.
Golly addresses Finlay, who he invited to the ceremony, to admit that it was him who stole the ring and allowed an innocent man to be punished for his crime. He tells Molly that he has loved her since the moment he saw her, but she was out of his reach. Young and reckless, he took a small token instead – her ring, which he has kept close to his heart all these years.
Golly believes he has been punished for his crime ever since as he has never found true, lasting happiness with another woman.
He apologises to Finlay and to Molly, who is still shocked by his confession of love – words she has been desperate to hear for a long time. Everyone is left to contemplate Golly’s revelation as the minister continues with the service. Molly and Golly finally face up to their feelings for one another, and share a sweet kiss. Hector concedes that Molly is happy and thus gives his blessing to her future with his former right-hand man.
Finlay makes it clear that Golly’s confession in the church doesn’t change things as far as the estate bid is concerned. Iona leads the crofters up to the church to reveal their decision. As the McDonalds have always looked after the community, the crofters propose opening discussions with the laird about a community buy-out. They tell Paul they would like him to stay and help run the new Glenbogle in the future.
Having saved one thing he was sure he had lost, Paul realises that he can’t let Iona marry Malcolm. He does choose the worst possible moment to tell her how he feels – at the altar as he’s about to give her away. Although his timing could be better, Iona is overjoyed that the man she loves feels the same way. The wedding is called off, and the lovers finally share a kiss.
With Iona and Paul together at last, and Golly and Molly contemplating their future together as a family with Cameron, a lonely Jess becomes very aware that there’s no partner there for her. But the surprise return of Duncan sees her reunited with her man in all his chaotic glory. As all the family celebrate at the reception for the wedding-that-never-was, they look to a secure future. Watching over them is Hector and, as he takes a final stroll through his beloved house, he joins us in saying farewell to Glenbogle and the extended family one last time. |
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Series 7 Eps 1 -3 |
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