In Loving Memory

- Season 5

(1986)

At his wedding to Mary Billy is dismayed to learn that Ivy intends to accompany them on their honeymoon to Harrogate so to foil her he switches the location to Whitby but she still finds out and insists on going with them. They eventually manage to get rid of her for some privacy when she takes great delight in attending a local funeral.

Still on honeymoon Mary and Billy are puzzled as to Ivy's whereabouts. In fact she is being romanced by undertaker Mr Wagstaff and she announces to the newly-weds that she is staying behind to marry him. They look forward to having the house to themselves but the dream is shattered when Ivy returns suddenly, declaring that Mr Wagstaff was looking for an embalmer rather than a wife.

Billy reluctantly agrees to partner saucy Tiger-Lily Longstaff at a marathon dance competition in the hopes of winning prize money to buy Mary a present but lies to Mary about where he is going. She and Ivy are suspicious and eventually track him down, though Mary relents when he tells her that he has won the money.

Looking through the family album with Ivy and Billy, Mary is shocked to see a wedding photo with Billy as bridegroom. When Ivy explains that this was his elopement, carried out to please her, with the already-married Cynthia, Mary insists that Ivy accompanies her to visit the lady in question. There is a surprise in store for them both.

Ivy and Billy acquire their latest client, wealthy Arnold Slaithewaite, who gave up the ghost at the local fell-running contest, but after the funeral is sabotaged by the rival Pardoe family, a challenge is thrown down. Billy is to race against Malcolm Pardoe, the loser's firm to give up the business to the winner. More than brute strength is required to ensure that Billy is king of the mountains, so Mary attempts a little cheating.

After yet another disastrous funeral, Ivy decides to take on an apprentice, though the only applicant, Harold Barlow, is not only Mary's old flame but a crook who intends to run off with both her and the petty cash. When Billy gets wind of this he decides to take action to get rid of him.

The bankruptcy of the Pardoes generates extra work for Ivy and Billy who have high hopes of betterment but business is so brisk that it puts a strain on Billy's marriage to Mary, who walks out on him. But after an unexpected ride in a balloon she returns, literally the bearer of good news.