Season 3

2003 · 8 episodes

Episodes

1Episode 1The islanders are in a celebratory mood as Carolyn gives birth to a beautiful baby girl, Isla. Everyone turns out for the celebrations and Gordon, dressed to the nines, is out to impress Marjorie. After an ego boosting "man to man" chat with Kenny, he's prepared to show Marjorie exactly what he's made of. But just as he and Marjorie get down to business at Marjorie's place, Heather makes a very untimely entrance… Abby and Kenny's relationship has found a platonic middle ground. But Kenny is feeling restless - he needs to move on but feels unable to until Abby feels secure without him being around. And the perfect opportunity presents itself when Robbie, Alfie and Charley's father, gets in touch. Robbie wants to see his kids but Abby refuses to let him back into their lives. So Kenny, secretly, heads for London to find Robbie. He needs to see if Robbie has changed. As the subject of Robbie has arisen, Charley questions Abby about her father. But Alfie is adamant - he doesn't want to meet up with his father; what if he turns out to be just like his dad? Alistair is struggling with the reality of fatherhood. He distances himself from Carolyn and the baby. Malcolm is excited about his new business venture. There's big money to be made in cattle breeding so he invests in buying a bull. Mary approaches Gordon - she needs the cottage back, for when Alistair and Carolyn live there together, as she is sure they will. Gordon is utterly bereft - where is he going to live? But Marjorie comes to the rescue. Why doesn't he move in with her?
2Episode 2Malcolm's new bull is unwilling to perform, much to the annoyance of Marjorie and Douglas, the co-owners. Meanwhile in London, Kenny looks up some old contacts and goes for a drink with Robbie. Despite his best intentions Robbie doesn't take too kindly to being given advice by Kenny and becomes aggressive. Feeling he's been chasing a lost cause Kenny returns to Ronansay by himself. So he is as surprised as Abby when Robbie turns up unannounced. Carolyn's post-natal depression worsens and Mary doesn't know what to do. She needs to keep a full-time eye on Carolyn and, as a result, Abby's time at the school increases. She finds herself enjoying the challenge - unlike Alfie who can't believe he's being taught by his mother! Now that Mary has reclaimed the cottage, Kenny is living back at Abby's guest house and Gordon is at Marjorie's. Since the birth of Isla, Alistair feels completely impotent in the face of so much new responsibility. Alistair decides it's best for him to leave the island and does so in secret, leaving a note for Big Jerry on the door of the boathouse. Things aren't going too well at the Campbell farm. Colin's simple manner unnerves Ida. He compliments her excessively in an effort to be polite but Ida feels threatened and demands from Malcolm that Colin leave. But Malcolm realises that Colin means no harm and lets him stay. Ida is furious.
3Episode 3Abby is furious with Kenny for bringing Robbie to the island. Alfie and Charley are full of curiosity but have mixed reactions to meeting their father. He tries to make an effort with them but too much time has elapsed and they remain unimpressed. Alfie really isn't convinced but Charley decides her dad is worth a second chance. Robbie decides that the trip was a waste of time but Kenny, in league with Gordon, scuppers his plans to leave. Once faced with the prospect of having to deal with each other face to face Abby and Robbie start to talk to one another. The bull's continuing lack of performance as prime breeding stock, causes Malcolm to call an expert in. But with the persuasion of Marjorie and Douglas, he finally gives in. The barn is set, the bull installed - now all they need is the music. Kenny and Heather duly oblige. And while the anxious trio wait outside, Kenny and Heather weave a little amorous magic of their own inside the barn. As the bull finally succeeds in delivering the goods, Heather and Kenny finally consummate their friendship. Marjorie also takes note of a few tips from the seduction catalogue, much to Gordon's delight. It seems that a sensual atmosphere doesn't only work for bulls…. Malcolm decides to take the bull to a local fare, and much to his and everyone's surprise, the bull wins a prize. Ida too is finally able to come to terms with Colin when, at the fare, he is maliciously teased by some youths. She comes to his aid, mending the relationship between them
4Episode 4It's Mary's birthday and the islanders celebrate it by having a beach party. Robbie plans to leave Ronansay. It's not really of his choosing but he thinks he's wasting his time with the kids and Abby. But to his surprise, Abby's response is dismissive - why does he want to leave? So with a new purpose, Robbie faces his challenge. Kenny takes charge of the 'how to talk to your kids' lessons and Robbie's unexpected success results in his making some real progress with Alfie. Carolyn, feeling depressed and isolated, misreads Dr Talbot's professional concern and kisses him - leaving him speechless. Big Jerry goes to see Carolyn and realises that she needs Alistair. He goes to find him - Big Jerry offers to take his place on the boat, and Alistair, after a few home truths given to him by Big Jerry, decides to return Ronansay. A stranger turns up at the school asking questions. Having lied on an Education Authority register Douglas fears he's been found out. Gordon persuades Abby to conspire with him into being economical with the truth, but it proves fruitless - the stranger returns, and this time it's with the police. He represents Ida's ex-husband who wants custody of Peter. Malcolm along with the Islanders band together to protect them but Ida and Peter have no choice - a distraught Malcolm is forced to accept that they have to secretly leave the Island if they are not to be deported.
5Episode 5As Robbie and Abby's relationship grows stronger Kenny knows that the time for him to leave is fast approaching. Kenny is instrumental in helping them remember some of the good times they had together, and in giving the kids space to get to know their father. Robbie needs Abby to believe he's changed and tells her about a darker period in his life - a time he looks back on with regret. She listens - remembering the man she loved, and that she still loves. She kisses him. Douglas mentions to Mary that he wishes his son Hamish would visit more often. Mary takes note and conspires with Hamish's wife Angie to pretend to Hamish that Douglas is on his death-bed. Worried, Hamish brings his wife and kids over for a visit. He's furious when he realises he's been lied to but he and Douglas start talking properly for the first time in years. Once tempers have cooled, Hamish tells Douglas that he was made redundant, but he was too afraid to tell his father. Hamish decides it's time to spend some time with his family on Ronansay, for a short while anyhow. Alistair is trying to come to terms with what it means to be a father while he and Carolyn remain estranged. But Carolyn is still infatuated with Dr Talbot; Alistair is incensed at the idea of the doctor taking advantage of her and confronts him face to face. Dr Talbot reminds him of his responsibilities and points out that he's only angry because he cares about Carolyn. The truth in this is not lost on Alistair.
6Episode 6Hamish enjoys re-acquainting himself with the island and he's delighted when Douglas finds the fishing boat he used as a kid. It ushers in warm memories of his own childhood. The boat is almost seaworthy, but it just needs a little work to prevent any leakage, which Robbie is happy to undertake. Kenny is preparing Abby, and in a subtle way, the kids, that it's time he left the island for good. She knows he finally has to move on, but she can't allow herself to loan him the money he needs to return to London. That night Kenny boards Hamish's boat to mount a salmon rescue mission of his own - maybe he can make a few quid on the catch. But as he's out to sea, the boat takes on water - he can't bail it out quickly enough to prevent the craft from sinking. In the freezing cold water, he abandons ship and manages to struggle ashore an inlet. Abby, meanwhile, is finally allowing Robbie back into her own life, and for the first time in many years, they sleep together. Kenny, now frozen to the core, manages to light a fire. In the morning a rescue helicopter spots him and he's taken to safety. He's surprised to be met by his father, Gordon, the kids, and finally, Abby. He finally sees her speak the words he's wanted to hear for so many years - that she loves him. But frustratingly, he can't hear the them. He awakens. He's back on the beach, freezing, and desperate to get a fire going…and again, he lapses into his dream world. He reconciles himself to all the important people in his life, but especially his one true love - that of Abby. Daylight breaks, and the alarm has been raised that Kenny is missing. Gordon takes Abby on the ferry, and together they desperately try to find him. The coastguard have mounted a search and rescue, as the islanders wait helplessly. Only Charlie seems oddly calm about Kenny's disappearance. The tiny boat has been found and on the beach, Kenny's body is discovered next to an unlit fire. He's dead….
7Episode 7In the wake of Kenny's death, the islanders are coming to terms with the loss. Alfie particularly, is finding it difficult to deal with. Abby decides that it's best Kenny were cremated. As the funeral approaches she's puzzled as to why Terry and Kenny's friends haven't made an appearance. Then it all becomes predictably clear - Gordon has made a huge gaff - he's given everyone the wrong date. Sure enough, the day after the funeral, Kenny's friends start arriving. What else is there to do but go through the ceremony again? Mary is mortified but they really don't have any choice. Gordon is saddled with the responsibility of getting another vicar on the island to perform the ceremony, with little success. Robbie and Alfie are struggling with their new found roles as father and son. Robbie tries to assert himself with Alfie but Abby puts her foot down - she's not sure if she's ready for him to become the children's father. Meanwhile, Hamish has been looking around the Ronansay distillery which has been dilapidated for years. Maybe life on the island wouldn't be so bad for Hamish and his family, and the distillery could provide some much needed income for him and the islanders. On the morning of the 'funeral' Abby and Terry are reminiscing about Kenny, but suddenly she feels unable to deceive him any longer. She blurts out that Kenny is already buried. But Alfie confides in Terry that he wanted to write to Kenny to say goodbye properly and where better to deliver the letter than in the burial urn - Alfie has dug Kenny up. This turns out to be a blessing in disguise - everyone can say their farewells to Terry without the pomp and ceremony of an official burial. Now that Alfie has had the chance to make his peace with Kenny, he allows Robbie to finally get close to him. Abby too, feels ready - maybe it's time Robbie took on the role of father after all.
8Episode 8Desmond Cholonbury is dead! As the highly unpopular and disliked owner of Ronansay, his untimely demise is a cause for celebration for the islanders! Douglas sees this as a chance to finally unite the island. There's just one tiny snag - Cholonbury declared that the islanders are not to be sold the island, unless there are no other takers. As far as Douglas is concerned, this is just a minor obstacle. He starts to form a plan for them all to band together and buy the island themselves. Gradually the islanders begin to discuss the idea seriously, but Abby can't commit. The nature of her economic circumstances is such that she's unwilling to take on the risk of a mortgage - which she would need to do were she to stay on the island. But does she really want to commit to staying on Ronansay at all? Terry measures her uncertainty and offers her the option of financial help. Abby protests but now that Kenny's gone, he'd like to leave something for Alfie and Charley. After all, they are the closest he'll ever come to having granchildren. Robbie wants them to move and start afresh, but for Abby the draw of the island is too strong. She accepts Terry's offer and unites with the islanders to fight for making Ronansay their own. A rich American, Snyder, arrives with a view to buying the island himself. The islanders have no choice but to present themselves as a distinctly odd and macabre bunch in order to try and put him off. Surely the burning of the Wicker Man will ensure his quick exit! But with a little help from Charley, Snyder sees through their actions. Realising the fairness of the islanders owning the land, he withdraws his interest. Hamish is offered a fantastic job in New York but now feels his heart is in the island. He puts forward the idea of renovating the distillery. If the distillery is in good working order, it will provide a viable asset, adding to the island's worth, thus ensuring a much needed loan to buy the island. Working against the clock, the entire island manage to make it look presentable and in the nick of time they find the source of the stream which had dried up. The bank agrees the loan and the future of the island is finally in the hands of the people who live there. Abby, Robbie, Alfie and Charley are finally reunited as a family. Making a go of it won't be easy, but the future for them looks secure on Ronansay …