The House of Eliott

The sisters are shocked to find shops full of the Crystal Collection, a poor copy of the Aurora Collection. Larry Cotter, Grace and Betty are apparently responsible. The clothes in the Aurora Collection are stored at the House of Eliott but they are almost impossible to sell, even at vastly reduced prices. To make matters worse the sisters are confronted by the seamstresses who made the Crystal Collection, demanding their wages, even though the defaulters are Jack and Grace. Publicity gets out which also harms Jack's reputation in the light of his article on fair pay. Charles and Madge also have a problem when his wife Dora, who is not dead as he claimed but deserted him, returns to stake her claim though Charles and Madge combine in a united front against her.

Betty explains that financial need forced her to abet Grace and Larry, who tricked her, but, in exchange for keeping her job, she helps the sisters trap the guilty pair as they attempt to sell the Crystal Collection to another store. Bea exposes the couple in the press, thus exonerating the House of Eliott as they sell the Aurora Collection to America. Miles is taken on to replace Grace at the house. Jack considers running for parliament and Tilly decides to accept her child's death and move on whilst Agnes is encouraged in her desire to be a professional singer by pub pianist Barney and Evie and Daniel agree to get married.

Jack is selected as a Labour Party candidate for the Newford constituency. Agnes's singing career flourishes when she meets an impresario and Madge is made manageress of the house's Bayswater work-shop. Tilly visits elderly Lady Westlake to fit her for a new dress. They get on well but Tilly is shocked to find the old lady covered in bruises. It transpires that her maid and her daughter ill-treat her but, as a result of her discovery, Tilly is invited to become Lady Westlake's companion and Norman her handyman, with a house to go with the job. Charles gives Madge a ring despite the fact that he is still legally married. Evie and Daniel tie the knot, which reconciles him with his estranged family and the next day he hears that he has been granted a bursary to study art in Paris.

The new collection, displayed in a film studio with designs by Daniel, is a success, as is Agnes's debut at the Hackney Empire. Jack stands as a Labour MP against the long-standing member John Crowborough, who employs dirty tricks to discredit his rival. However it comes to light that Crowborough himself is a fraudster and a liar and Jack wins the election after exposing Crowborough to the press. This has a knock-on effect for Tilly as Crowborough is Lady Westlake's son-in-law and the resultant scandal leads to the family seat being sold to recover debts. Lady Westlake must move into a home and so Tilly remains at the house. Miles's parents invest money in the house and ask for a say in its running. Bea and Jack accept but Evie resigns, believing Miles, jealous that she chose Daniel and not him, is behind it. However, when Daniel agrees to forego his scholarship to stay and help Evie, she withdraws her resignation.