Though Peter is still in Cranford Matty now lives alone. Following his wife and baby's death in childbirth Jem goes to Manchester for better work prospects and Mary moves to London to pursue her writing career. Following Lady Ludlow's death her greedy son sells land to the railway company and wealthy in-comer Buxton also lets its construction onto his property. His unpretentious son William angers him by falling for lower class Peggy Bell - whose shifty brother Edward is Buxton's land agent - and also by working with Captain Brown on the railway. Mrs. Jamieson's widowed sister-in-law Lady Glenmire arrives in Cranford and, to her snooty relative's annoyance, is charmingly down-to-earth, captivating everyone, notably Captain Brown, whom she marries after a whirlwind courtship. Edward Bell steals money given him by Buxton to compensate families made homeless by the railway building and goes on the run.He is killed in a train crash which also injures Harry Gregson, fleeing school bullying, but Miss Galindo nurses Harry back to health and becomes his landlady, permitting him to attend day school. Jem returns with his daughter and, as Peggy and William prepare to marry, everyone attends a Christmas magic show at Cranford's newly-restored Assembly Rooms.