From Time to Time 2009

Arrival at Green Knowe and news of his father

Near the end of World War II, teenager Tolly is picked up at a rail station by Mr. Boggis and taken to Green Knowe. He quickly learns that his soldier father, David, has been reported missing in action rather than confirmed dead. The uncertainty weighs on him as Christmas approaches.

Christmas at Green Knowe

Tolly travels to Green Knowe, the grandmother's country estate in Cambridgeshire, to spend Christmas. His mother remains in London awaiting more news about David. The holiday atmosphere is strained by the weight of wartime news.

Financial trouble and risk of losing Green Knowe

Mrs. Oldknow confesses that she is financially strapped and may be forced to sell Green Knowe. Tolly pleads for the estate to stay in the family, showing his attachment to the ancestral home. The threat of losing the house adds tension to their stay.

Ancestors and a regretful letter

The grandmother recounts the Oldknow lineage, focusing on Thomas and Mariah’s ill-fated marriage and their gambling past. She recalls an angry letter accusing his wife of being a commoner, a wound she later regrets. The tale crosses into the 19th century and hints at buried secrets.

Susan the ghost appears

That evening, Tolly sees and hears a ghostly young girl, later identified as Susan, the blind daughter of Lord Thomas Oldknow. Mrs. Oldknow confirms Susan's lingering presence in the house. The apparition marks the start of the supernatural events that follow.

Spur discovery links present to the past

The next day, while climbing a tree on the grounds, Tolly hears a girl and an adolescent boy giggling and finds an old spur hidden in a hollow. His grandmother recognises it as belonging to Seftan, the eldest child of Thomas and Mariah. The relic ties the present to the house's haunted past.

Jacob and the servant’s warning

Butler John Caxton voices wariness about Jacob, the African boy Captain Oldknow brought home. Jacob’s presence in the household suggests hidden tensions and possible misdeeds from the past. The conversation foreshadows the dangers lingering within Green Knowe.

The gift of time travel

Tolly discovers he can travel between the present and the early 19th century inside the old manor. Some people in the past can see and communicate with him, while others remain oblivious to his presence. The time-travel ability builds the bridge between two eras.

Susan guides him across the centuries

Susan becomes his guide across the centuries, bridging the centuries and revealing family secrets buried for generations. She can speak to him across time, and Mrs. Oldknow begins to perceive the ancestral spirits too. Their alliance unlocks crucial truths about Green Knowe.

Fire, jewels, and the press-gang threat

During the adventure, a terrible fire breaks out; a tale of stolen jewels surfaces; and there are threats that the servant Fred could be sold into a press gang. Tolly and Susan navigate the danger, trying to safeguard the estate and uncover the truth. The stakes rise as past and present collide.

The treasure is found

With Susan's help, the lost treasure is finally located, revealing the long-hidden secret behind the house. Susan confirms that John was responsible for the fire, and he likely perished in the blaze. The revelation shifts the balance toward saving Green Knowe.

War’s cost and family news

Though Green Knowe is saved, Tolly learns that his father David has fallen during the war. The news casts a somber tone over the house's victory. The family endures, held together by memories and the ghosts of the past.

Reconciliation and welcome home

Mrs. Oldknow welcomes Tolly's mother into the family, acknowledging the changed circumstances. The household begins to heal old wounds and rebuild its sense of belonging. There is a renewed sense of unity at Green Knowe.