The bank sends a manager to oversee the daily running of the new business at Glenbogle and Archie soon discovers that Stella Moon is no push over. After everything they've been through Katrina announces her decision to take a job in London and she and Archie reluctantly agree to part. Meanwhile Hector and Kilwillie stand against each other to take over as new chairman of the golf club.

Stella implements a series of money saving cut backs which include laying off Golly, Duncan and Lexie until further notice, cutting back on amenities and even getting rid of Hectors dogs. Archie will only go along with her so far and eventually ends up going on strike with his friends until Stella agrees to an amicable compromise.

Building supplier Stuart McIntosh arrives to repair the bridge and immediately starts flirting with Lexie. He has some big ideas for some of the derelict cottages on the estate but Archie pulls out of a deal when he realises that Stuart is not very trustworthy. Stuart however manages to wrangle a deal out of Hector behind everyone's back much to Archie and Stella's chagrin. In the meantime Golly has made a painful reunion with his daughter Jessica. She believed he had abandoned her but discovers that he tried to maintain contact but all his gifts to her were returned by her mother unopened.

With the bridge repaired, Archie plans an elaborate opening ceremony. He is horrified to learn that the council have approved Stuart McIntosh's proposal to turn Ben Bogle into a holiday village. Molly enlists Duncan's help to prove that the proposed site is actually a place of historical interest but they must work against the clock if they are going to save the mountain. All Stuart's plans are scuppered when Duncan finds a secret passage full of artefacts and Lexie discovers that Stuart made a pass at Stella.

Archie invites a journalist to visit and write an article on Glenbogle. Graham, however turns out to be Stella's embittered ex and he writes a scathing review that will finish the estate for good. While Duncan kidnaps a coach load of tourists and brings them to Glenbogle , Lexie and Archie break into Grahams computer and emails a new and improved article to his editor. Duncan's tourists have a fantastic time fortunately and Glenbogle becomes an official stop off place on the tour.

While Duncan tries to impress his visiting pen-pal Marie-Helene by swapping places with Archie and becoming Laird for the day, Archie, now as Head Keeper, has to impress an inspector from the Health and Safety Directorate. Nothing goes right however and the inspector threatens to have the place shut down. Broken hearted, Duncan discovers that Marie-Helene is in love with another man but helps her get back together with him. Molly manages to get the estate a stay of execution by playing the sentimental card when she recognises the inspectors face from a visit he and his now ex-wife made to Glenbogle years before.

One of Hector's old army buddies called Toad, arrives at Glenbogle for a regimental reunion followed closely by his police tail. To his credit, he manages to point out that a valuable borrowed regimental painting that Lexie has managed to put a hole in, is in fact a fake, which saves the estate a huge insurance pay out. The whole thing ends with a huge Great Escape style exit with the veterans and Hector helping Toad escape the police again and fly off to freedom in a sea plane.

When Stella realises that the estate doesn't need her anymore and the bank will send her to a new assignment she decides to sabotage everything she can lay her hands on to secure her position at Glenbogle.. Archie discovers what she has been doing and she admits that she loves him and doesn't want to leave but she also realises that there is no way she can stay now, after all she has done. Lexie pulls everyone together at the last moment and the bank are satisfied that the estate is running smoothly. Shamefaced, Stella leaves and Archie begins to realise how he really feels about Lexie. He proposes straight away and although Lexie hesitates to make the leap from cook to Laird's wife, he places a ring on her finger.

Molly is delighted to hear of Archie and Lexie's engagement but Hector declares the marriage doomed. Archie severs all ties with his father saying the marriage will go ahead with or without his approval. Molly's brother Jo arrives unexpectedly from Africa. Meanwhile Hector is horrified to find his trout are being decimated by a killer pike and he decides to take matters into his own hands, planning to get rid of the brute with plastic explosives. The inevitable happens and Hector manages to kill himself off in the most unusual circumstances.

Poor Lexie finds herself feeling trapped. She is developing serious cold feet about her impending wedding and beginning to wonder if Hector's predictions of doom might just come true. Archie however is determined to carry on witht the wedding plans and he muddles through his fathers funeral as best he can but is haunted by the knowledge that he lost his father while the two of them were not speaking. Hector however appears to him in a dream and gives his blessing to the marriage and although this makes Archie feel much better, Lexie takes to her heels and heads back to Glasgow. Archie is quickly in pursuit and ends up declaring his undying love for Lexie in front of a bus load of people.