When Dorcas and Emma each want to give Laura the same gift for Christmas, an old family wound is opened up and Laura finds herself torn between two mothers. As the inhabitants of Lark Rise and Candleford prepare for the festivities, loyalties are tested and, amid the gift-giving and carol-singing, tensions are building. However, the arrival of a ragged, barefooted young woman, who goes by the name of Cinderella Doe, introduces a note of Christmas mystery. Dorcas also receives a Christmas letter from Sir Timothy.
The plot revolves around Richard Bean (Kline), a Broadway star known for his egotism, who experiences a public breakdown and retreats to his hometown. After returning to the family-run theater where he first discovered his talent, he finds his father, the
