By the end of the war, there is less demand for tin, and Mark is refusing to keep the mine open because it will not make a profit..and would cost a fortune initially to make sure it is up to standard. Philip becomes embroiled in a constant battle with his father over keeping the mine going. He has no friends of his own class, and his best friend is Trevose. Soon after the war, Elizabeth, the youngest girl of the family goes to university and Jeanne the middle daughter, joins a nursing order. Hugh marries Rebecca Roslyn, the daughter of Joss, Janna's stepson.
As time passes Janna hints to her son that he should get married but although his siblings are now marrying Philip continues to focus on the mine and his miner friends, particularly Trevose. As Mark comes closer to shutting down the mine, Philip tries desperately to think of a way of stopping him. With a change in the divorce laws, he suggests to his brothers that Janna could now divorce Mark for adultery alone, and that he's sure that his father is having an affair with Alice Penmar. Jan Yves has gossiped about this, and Philip hopes he could get him to testify to an affair.
He writes to his father saying that if he closes down the mine, he will advise Janna to sue for divorce and that it will drag Alice's name through the mud. Mark reads the letter, has a stroke and dies.
At his death, Philip is upset that they were estranged.. but he fears that Mark will have left the estate and mine to Jan Yves.... and is amazed when he finds that his father, in spit of their problems, left Penmarric to him.
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