It is January of the winter following series 1. Abby has left the community following Ruth's news of her son.Greg is travelling to Whitecross, where he hopes to find Charles Vaughan (Corn Dolly). It is about 50 miles away - Greg is hoping to trade
some animal skins for wheat.
He is also looking for Ruth - although based in his community, she's touring round helping anyone who needs medical treatment. Greg wants to find her, as Jen's baby is due soon.
Charles is leading a settlement of fifteen people at Whitecross. He seems to have abandoned his previous philosophy and is living with a single woman, called Pet. The place was formerly a commune, so there are several cottages and houses around the site of
a central farmhouse. Greg admits to Charles that life is much easier now that Abby has left his community and he's in sole charge. They also discuss the feasibility of laying telephone cables between the communities. Greg stays the night, but after he leaves in the morning Pet expresses surprise that Charles didn't ask him to join them at Whitecross, as he wishes to expand the settlement.
Meanwhile, back at the main house, disaster strikes. The fire
in the children's bedroom catches on the curtains and soon the whole house is ablaze. The house is burned out - all but Paul, Arthur, Jen and the children perish. Greg returns to find that the survivors have taken up residence in a barn for a couple of nights, but it is snowing outside and very cold. They load up a cart, and migrate to Whitecross.
Back at Whitecross, all is not sweetness and light. The community's shepherd, Hubert, is arguing with Pet. He
resents the fact that without his knowledge, Charles killed one of his sheep for food. In retaliation he's taken and killed a pig for himself (the pigs being Pet's responsibility). The argument is interrupted by Greg's band arriving. They are put up in an empty house on the site.
Charles is obviously uneasy about having Greg there, as he feels his leadership will be threatened, however he tries to persuade him to stay on after his baby is born. Greg feels
the same way as Charles and declares his intention to move on in the spring.
Jen's baby is close to arriving, and there's still no news of Ruth's whereabouts. Greg realises he has left no message for her at the main house. Charles makes the gesture of using the last of his petrol to go off in search of Ruth on his motorbike, and finds her. They returns while Jen is in labour.
