Having barely survived their first winter, the entire population of the Pilgrim village decides to return to England. The only holdout is James, who argues fiercely for sticking it out -- and wins only because the relief ship from England arrives carrying plague.

Polly's childhood nemesis, now married to a rich Virginia tobacco farmer, comes to visit and is less than impressed with Polly and James' ""rural"" lifestyle. When the visitors start giving out samples of their crop-tobacco-the townsfolk immediately embrace the new weed. James can't keep it on the shelves and realizes that selling tobacco could make him a fortune. Meanwhile, Abigail wants to go to the fur trappers' dance and James doesn't want her associating with ""their kind.""

When Grammy complains about always feeling underfoot in their one-room house, James creates a social revolution in the village by building Grammy her own room.

Lonely and desperate for companionship, Cotton answers an advertisement placed in the local paper by the London Bridal Exchange offering a warehouse of beautiful and obedient maidens for marriage. As the impending nuptials approach, Polly prepares the wedding feast and excitement in the colony mounts.

The snow has finally thawed, flowers are in bloom and Grammy has spring fever. When the always mean and hostile Grammy suddenly becomes sweet and demure, James is immediately suspicious of his mother's new behavior. It soon becomes apparent that Grammy's new demeanor is due to the arrival of the handsome and single Burnaby Fitzhugh. James goes to great lengths to prevent Grammy from discovering Burnaby's promiscuous nature.