Happy Ever After

General O'Leary is fatally injured while attempting to jump a wall on his horse and dies on his deathbed. Before dying, he bequeaths £1,000 to his loyal servant Thady O'Heggarty, £1,000 to Major Monty McGluskey for caring for his horse and dog, and £1,000 to Doctor Michael Flynn for keeping him alive longer than he would have lived. He also cancels all debts owed to him. The rest of the estate goes to his distant relative, Jasper O'Leary.

Jasper O'Leary quickly inherits the estate and is immediately unwelcome in Rathbarney. His windfall comes after a supposed romance in Capri that never materialized, leaving locals wary of his motives and character. The sense of unease marks the start of a tense new chapter in the hamlet.

Jasper confides to Serena his plan to drain the estate's value and then depart. Serena, a beautiful widow recently returned to Rathbarney, becomes his object of interest and their uneasy dynamic begins to influence future decisions.

Disgruntled locals gather in Dooley's pub to secretly lottery who will be assigned the task of murdering Jasper. Dooley's assistant Terence faints when his name is drawn, underscoring the danger and volatility of the plot. The secrecy heightens tensions across the town.

Several groups, unaware of each other's involvement, set out to kill Jasper. Their plans repeatedly fail because the conspirators interfere with one another or misjudge the risks, leaving Jasper alive and the town unsettled.

Doctor Flynn remains infatuated with Serena, despite being jilted in the past. Kathy, Serena's sister, is secretly in love with Flynn. Serena's newfound interest in Jasper—and Jasper's own evolving feelings—begin to soften the hard edges of resentment around him.

Serena resists Jasper at first, but his persistent advances eventually lead her to agree to marry him. The engagement shifts the town's power dynamics and signals a possible resolution to the conflict, even as distrust lingers.

On the night when the supposed ghost of an ancestor wanders the halls, the various plotters make another attempt to kill Jasper. Once again, their plans collide and fail because of miscommunication and interference from others.

Seizing the moment, Jasper tries to burn down the ancestral mansion for the insurance. The attempt fails, further exposing his unscrupulous nature and escalating the tension among the villagers.

Father Cormac arrives and unveils a letter opened by General O'Leary's instruction. The letter contains a new will declaring that the estate would pass to Major McGluskey if Jasper proves unworthy, reshaping the contest over who should control Rathbarney.

Accepting the will's implications, Jasper offers to leave if the others withdraw their machinations. In a decisive turn, Serena asks to go with him, signaling a united break from Rathbarney's scheming.

Serena chooses love and agrees to accompany Jasper as they prepare to leave Rathbarney behind. The couple's decision ends the central power struggle, though the fate of the estate remains tethered to the will.