The Tide of Life, Pt. 1

S8, E1: Emily is happy in her work as housekeeper to Mr. and Mrs. McGilby, and is able to keep an eye on her sickly sister Lucy while their father is away at sea. Everything changes with the death of Sep McGilby's invalid wife and nobody more so than the widower himself, who kicks over the traces of his old life and asks Emily to marry him. Although she is not in love with Sep, she can see a good life with this caring man and accepts his proposal. However, their wedding plans come to an abrupt and tragic halt when Sep is killed in a dockyard accident. Emily and her sister are thrown out of the McGilby home, but not before Emily has found the beautiful jewelled watch which Sep had promised her as a wedding present. Desperate for work, the girls take their aunt's advice and head for the hirings at Fellburn market. Emily is offered the post of housekeeper at Croft Dene House, but as the girls approach their new home they begin to wonder just what they have let themselves in for.