At Home in Mitford

Father Tim’s missing Bible mysteriously reappears on the church pulpit. Police Chief Rodney Underwood tells him about an investigation into antique dealers smuggling stolen jewels inside furniture and asks to see the candy wrapper found in the attic. Rodney determines that whoever ate the candy was wearing gloves, and a subsequent police search of the church yields no clues.

The next morning, the stranger who had sought Father Tim’s counseling calls and introduces himself as Pete Jamison. Pete asks if he can call on Father Time for advice again, which the rector accepts.

Father Tim visits Pastor Absalom Greer at his general store, where he also meets Absalom’s sister, Lottie Miller. Absalom recounts his life story, from seeing angels as a child to working in a silver mine and resisting God’s call until he finally surrendered and dedicated his life to preaching. During their conversation, Absalom reveals that he once proposed marriage to Miss Sadie Baxter.

Later, Olivia calls Father Tim to say that her fear about a potential heart transplant is beginning to fade. That evening, Cynthia brings Father Tim dinner and gives Dooley one of her books, which he surprisingly enjoys. Cynthia shares that she was previously married to a prominent but unfaithful public figure who was desperate for children she couldn’t give him. As the evening ends, she asks Father Tim if he has ever had a broken heart, a question he skillfully avoids answering.

Cynthia attends the early Sunday service but flees in embarrassment after realizing that she’s still wearing her bedroom slippers. During the service, a man with bare feet, George Gaynor, descends from the church attic. He confesses to the congregation that he has been secretly living there for months. George, a former economics professor, recounts a life of crime that culminated in his theft of roughly $2.5 million in gems from a friend who was an antique dealer. He admits to hiding the jewels in an urn in the church’s hall closet. He explains that while hiding in the loft, he overheard Father Tim counseling a desperate stranger and was so moved that he prayed the sinner’s prayer along with them, leading to his conversion. George explicitly confesses to stealing Father Tim’s Bible and implicitly acknowledges eating Esther Bolick’s famous marmalade cake by praising whoever made it. At the end of the service, parishioner Ron Malcolm gives George the shoes off his own feet before Father Tim turns him over to the police.

Later that night, Hoppy calls Father Tim in distress over Olivia, whose health has taken a critical turn. At her home, Father Tim finds her experiencing severe fluid retention. Hoppy discloses that he has already placed her on the national heart transplant list without her knowledge.

Father Tim baptizes George in the Mitford jail, with the police chief and his officers serving as witnesses. The town’s brief peace is shattered when an assailant in a rusted Impala with a license plate reading “VAT” strikes Father Tim and abducts Barnabas, yelling, “That’ll learn you to steal our dog, Preacher Man!” (292). The community immediately rallies, raising a $2,500 reward for the dog’s safe return; Cynthia provides a watercolor painting of Barnabas for the missing posters.

Meanwhile, Dooley curses at Father Tim over a heated request for new shoes. When confronted, the boy starts sobbing uncontrollably. Father Tim holds and comforts him, and Dooley later apologizes. During a subsequent conversation over hamburgers, Dooley tells Father Tim how much he misses Barnabas. The next day, Father Tim buys Dooley the athletic “pumps” he wanted. 

The townspeople line Main Street to wave a silent goodbye as agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation transport George out of Mitford. Father Tim then proposes a plan to the mayor: The town could acquire the deteriorating Porter Place if it agrees to provide Miss Rose and Uncle Billy with a life estate in a small, renovated part of the house.

Father Tim plans a dinner for Cynthia. However, Puny accidentally stews the duckling he bought for the special occasion. Despite the mishap, the dinner goes well. Father Tim tells Cynthia about his upbringing, contrasting his devout Baptist mother with his cold, distant Episcopalian father. Cynthia, in turn, tells Father Tim that she finds him deeply romantic, citing his love for poetry, his rose garden, and his choice to go without a car for many years as evidence.

After dinner, they take a walk and spontaneously visit Miss Rose and Uncle Billy at the dilapidated Porter Place. The house is in a state of extreme decay, filled with towering stacks of old newspapers. While exploring, Cynthia and Miss Rose discover a small, hidden playroom from Miss Rose’s childhood. Inside, they find a forgotten stack of ink drawings that Miss Rose had meant to burn. Miss Rose insists that Cynthia take the drawings for safekeeping. Later, on Cynthia’s front stoop, the evening takes a surprising turn when she asks Father Tim, “Would you be interested in going steady?” (335). He is left speechless and unable to answer.

Betty Craig, the nurse caring for Russell Jacks, reports that her patient is being exceptionally mean and uncooperative. During a visit, Russell confesses to Father Tim that he resists God because he doesn’t want to have to “mind ’im.” Father Tim motivates Russell to improve his behavior by threatening to replace him as the church gardener.

Agitated by Cynthia’s unanswered question, Father Tim grows moody and avoids her when he sees her in her yard. His week is further complicated when Dooley gets into a fight at school. The brawl started after another boy, Buster Austin, called Father Tim a “nerd.” Dooley is sent home, where he later receives a visit from a pretty, blonde-haired girl. 

That evening, instead of punishing the boy for fighting, Father Tim goes to his room. Acknowledging the reason for the altercation, he tells Dooley, “I’d like to thank you for standing up for me today” (350), strengthening their bond.