At Pony's Home, an old church and orphanage run by Miss Pony and Sister Mary, young Tom discovers that something is amiss outside. When Miss Pony and Sister Mary go outside to investigate, they find two abandoned babies, Annie and Candy White. Over the next decade, the girls become best friends who try to sabotage visits from possible future parents in order not to be adopted.

Annie thinks more and more about having parents. To console her, Candy takes her on a picnic without telling the Pony House where they are going. Candy just leaves a letter explaining that they will return before nightfall. During their journey, they are swept away by the current of a river but brought back safely to the Brighton house.

The Brightons pretend to have a barbecue at the orphanage to ask to adopt Candy, but she wants to stay with Annie so she forces them to change their mind, which makes them fall back on Annie who agrees to be adopted.

Candy's life is punctuated by the passage of the letter carrier, Mr. Mathieu: she harasses him to get letters from Annie. But one day, Annie, under the pressure of her adoptive parents, writes her a farewell letter. In her sadness, she wanders to the hill where she meets a young man in a Scottish outfit who encourages her and whom she calls her "prince of the hill".

Candy departs for Lakeweood together with her raccoon Klint. She hitches a ride with Tom and his father Mr. Steave on their wagon. Mr. Steave expresses his doubts about the Leagans and advises Candy to be strong and never cry. From the very moment of her arrival, Candy is the victim of the nasty pranks by the Leagan children, Neil and Eliza.

Candy wins the sympathy of the servants, but Daniel and Elisa continue to play nasty tricks on her. She hides Capucin in the stable after trying to abandon him, but Daniel and Elisa take advantage of this to blackmail her. She runs away and meets a handsome boy at a flowery gate who reminds her of her prince from the hill, which encourages her to stay with the Legrands.

Candy attracts the wrath of the Legrands again and they punish her. So she decides to make an effort and become a real lady, but the Legrands want to make her a servant, so she runs away again and meets Archibald who is gallant.

Eliza takes Candy as porter into town on a shopping excursion with Neil to buy a new ballroom dress. When Neil and Eliza leave her behind, she encounters Archibald's brother, Alistear Cornwell, on her walk back to the Leagan house. Alistear offers her a lift in his car. However, neither his driving, nor the car are in the best shape. Alistear suggests a shortcut through the forest, both hopping from tree to tree. Back home, much earlier than Neil and Eliza expected, Candy learns that the old Ardley matron will take her residence in the Ardley estate and there will be a ball to welcome her. Both Alistear and Archibald send an official invitation for her to Mr. Leagan. Despite Eliza's protests, Mr. Leagan will not ignore two personal invitations and orders Eliza to gift a dress to Candy. Eliza gives one that is much too small to fit. Dorothy soothes Candy's mind by reminding her that Candy's conduct will be of far greater importance at the party than an expensive dress out of Eliza's closet.

At the party, Elisa makes fun of Candy's outfit, but her friends put on casual clothes to support her. During Aunt Elroy's speech, Archibald makes Candy laugh, which brings shame on her. Archibald and Alistair make her a dress, and she gets a dance with Anthony at Elisa's expense.

Unhappy with Candy's performance, the Legrands move her to the barn, but Sister Maria and John come to visit her, so she must keep up appearances, despite Elisa's protests. But the visitors discover the truth and Sister Maria gives her recommendations. Anthony, in compensation for Candy's difficult life, promises her a special rose for her birthday.

The Brightons visit the Legrands, but Annie must not show that she knows Candy. She is offered a horseback ride, but a trick by Daniel and Elisa wraps up the horse, and Candy must go to Annie's rescue, who shows her friendship by giving her a ribbon.

Candy discovers roses in the barn, but ends up understanding that it is Daniel who wanted to anger Anthony by making her look like a thief. She implicates him, but he says that the cat scratched her hands and accuses Candy of having stolen the ribbon, which discredits her. She flees to the river where she is saved by Albert, a vagrant, to be brought back by her three friends who have discovered the truth. Anthony gives her a new variety of rose, tender Candy.

Neil attempts to poison the horses, however, a shadow rushes into the barn and punches him, before running out again just as Candy arrives. Eliza blames Candy for Neil's black eye at the first opportunity, and torn between his pride, Eliza's wishes and his mother's insistence, Neil elects to blame Candy. Candy realizes it must have been Albert.

Mr. Leagan returns home from a long absence to find Candy downgraded to a servant, and decides Candy deserves a holiday at Pony's Home. Once there, Candy learns their neighbor, Mr. Cartwright, sold Father Tree to the eccentric Mr. Flannigan from Washington. He wants the tree all to himself, because he believes it would surrender the best business ideas. Candy leads the orphans and farm animals into an insurgency against the workers preparing the cutting and transportation of the tree.

At the Leagans, Candy learns that Dorothy will be sent off to Mexico as an extra hand for the Ardley property. Mr. Leagan is absent again and cannot intervene. Anthony helps Candy to retrieve the horses Eliza and Neil chased out of the barn and compliments her on her lasso throwing skills. The Leagan children chased off the horses as a distraction, so they can frame Candy for thievery. As a result, Mrs. Leagan decides Candy will be sent to Mexico in Dorothy's place.

The day before leaving for Mexico, Candy wishes to say farewell to Anthony, but instead witnesses how Anthony denounces his great-aunt when she orders her cousins never to play with the "thief" Candy. It does Candy's heart much good that all three believe in her, but she does not want Anthony to lose his family over her. She will go to Mexico and write him each day.

As they trek through the canyons, Mr. Garcia is a brutish cold-hearted man. He hits Candy and is unwilling to spare any water for Klint or Candy's rose in the desert. Aside from Candy, a destitute family, the Walters travel along because of a debt they could not repay to Mr. Garcia. Mrs. Walter's baby Jimmy develops a dangerous fever, but Mr. Garcia refuses to turn back to the nearest town. When Mr. Garcia inspects the bridals, Candy sees her chance and races off with his tilt cart to the town. The doctor can save the baby, but declares Jimmy will die if they continue their journey into Mexico. To prevent the Walters from being split up, Candy sells her Sweet Candy rose and uses the money to pay off their debt and helps them on the train. She herself returns with the tilt cart to the inebriated Mr. Garcia in the desert. When he asks her why she did not escape, Candy explains she had the impression he needs her help too.

Candy saves Mr. Garcia from a snakebite and Klint kills the dangerous rattlesnake. They halt at a Texan town where he wants to pick up some laborers. But when the local sheriff cautions them against kidnappers that sell children to childless Europeans, Mr. Garcia immediately goes on his way, not even caring about laborers anymore: Candy might render him a lot of money if he sells her to the child traffickers. While they sleep, bandits enter their night camp. Not finding anything of value, they intend to kill Mr. Garcia, but the coward exchanges his life for the knowledge they could sell Candy to child traffickers and runs off, leaving Candy with the bandits at the camp. But Mr. Garcia's conscience plays up and he returns for a daring rescue. Having managed to save both Candy and the cart, Mr Garcia did something for someone else for the first time in his life. But just then a motorist arrives out of nowhere, seizes Candy and Klint, and rushes off at a fast pace into the sunset

Sam transports Candy to a hotel where he meets his boss Mr. George from London. Several times Candy tries to escape, each time unsuccessfully. People laugh at her pleas for help and Candy is treated incredibly well. But eventually, Sam locks her up in the cellar to prevent any more escape attempts. Meanwhile Mr. Garcia arrives at the Ardley estate and brings the sad news of Candy's abduction. Realizing they cannot afford Pony's Home learning of this, the great-aunt wants Candy saved at all cost. Anthony and the Cornwell brothers set off in Alistear's car, while Candy is being transported eastward to New Orleans. Fearing Sam intends to put her on a ship to Europe, Candy escapes once more, this time successfully hiding in a cartload of hay. Candy boards a freight train when she sees Sam's car, unaware that her three friends commandeered it after meeting Sam. When the train stops and Candy is discovered, she runs into a forest. She collapses from exhaustion to wake the next day to the scent of roses - the Ardley rose gates - and into Anthony's arms. Right then Mr. George arrives in Mr. William's car with a letter from Mr. William Ardley who declares Candy as his foster daughter per the request of the three young men who wrote him to adopt her.

Candy now lives at the Ardley estate, together with the Cornwell brothers and Anthony and a closet full of dresses given by great-aunt Elroy. Neil and Eliza still try to persist in their lies and accusations, embarrassing great-aunt and provoking Anthony and the Cornwell brothers to remind them that Candy is a member of the family. When they make Neil beg on his knees for forgiveness, Candy stops them: without their deception, she would not have been sent to Mexico and Grandfather William would not have adopted her to save her. Meanwhile, Anthony has become envious about the hilltop prince, believing Candy only likes Anthony because he looks like the prince. The pendant confirms he must be an Ardley. But Candy declares she does not care who the prince is, and that she likes Anthony for being Anthony. Later, at the festive dinner table, the three young men are stupefied by her appearance in a green dress that matches her eyes and Anthony thinks that Candy reminds him of his dead mother. When Candy deftly repels Eliza and Neil's antics to make her appear without manners, she becomes so ladylike in Anthony's eyes that he starts to daydream about marriage.

While Candy is bored by having to learn the aristocratic ways - being dressed, butlers delivering messages, learning all the Ardley names, dates of birth and death by heart - Eliza lures Anthony on a horse riding trip with a lie. After a dispute over it, both horse riders nearly collide with Tom's cart. When Tom demands repayment for the spilt milk, Anthony gives his name, before leaving with Eliza to have her taken care off and upon her pleas remains at her bedside until late at night. Upset at being snubbed by Anthony's no-show, Tom first accuses Anthony of being a coward and a womanizer at the Leagan estate and then at the Ardleys. Early the next morning, Anthony meets Tom in the forest to own up for his mistakes. They hold a fistfight that ends at stalemate when both are exhausted and agree to be friends. To make amends, Anthony and Candy escort Tom when he delivers the milk, and this inspires the townspeople to gossip. Great-aunt Elroy is so incensed that she confines Candy to the house and sends Anthony to live in the dilapidated mountain mansion where Albert used to live. Anthony spends his time with Tom, working at the house and training a pigeon to carry a message to the forlorn Candy. In the message he assures her that he loves his new living situation and freedom.

The messaging via pigeon continues. One day, they learn Anthony plans to participate in a rodeo in Tom's village. When Eliza learns of Anthony's plans, she informs great-aunt Elroy who charges Candy with the mission to dissuade Anthony on a visit out of fear for injury. Tom puts the risk of injury in perspective, and Candy mostly fears that Anthony will never really be able to embrace life under his great-aunt's wing. As they discuss the several rodeo contests, including a lasso-throwing contest, Candy has the idea to recruit Archibald and Alistear into joining along with the argument that if they all join the rodeo then their great-aunt cannot be angry with Anthony alone. But upon great-aunt Elroy's request the organizer denies them entry into the competitions. Per Candy's suggestion, Tom spreads the rumor in town that the Ardleys are cowards and the rodeo becomes a matter of family honor. Great-aunt Elroy relents and even cheers on Anthony from her carriage as he attempts to remain in the saddle while bronco-busting and beats Tom.

When Anthony's rodeo prize calf wanders into the house in the middle of the night, Great-aunt Elroy orders it to be removed from the premises. Anthony and Candy take the calf into town and look for a new owner there. At the fair they finally meet Steve, Tom's father, who adopts the calf gladly as long as he gets to buy it. Neither Candy or Anthony ever possessed or used any money before and have all they need anyway. So, they decide to spend the money on a service. They take a horsemill ride at the fair, but since they are the first customers, they get a free ride. Then the twelve-year-old Candy and fourteen-year-old Anthony decide to eat hot dogs in a diner. When the owner recognizes Anthony as the winner of the rodeo, he gives him the hot dogs for free. Still looking for a way to spend the money on a service, they decide to visit a fortune teller. Candy will have a happy future full of love, but Anthony's cards foretell death. While it upsets Candy, Anthony assures her he is no child anymore and he is not afraid whether he comes to harm or not. They end the day at dusk by climbing the church's bell tower and enjoy the view. They have only two coins left of their money, which they keep for memory's sake.

After the fortune teller, Candy has nightmares and discovers that the roses in the garden are losing their petals, just like before Anthony's mother died. Great-aunt Elroy and Candy make peace, and Candy realizes the folly of her superstition when Anthony laughs about it. When the family holds their annual fox hunt, Candy gets the honor to welcome the hunters. Once the hunt starts, Anthony and Candy break away and ride to a hilltop precious to Anthony. Candy compares it favorably to her Pony Hill that Anthony would like to visit someday. Anthony talks more about his mother who loved the horses as much as Candy. Finally, Anthony asks Candy who her hilltop prince is, and she tells Anthony he is her prince, regardless of the other. Anthony has something to tell her, but wants to wait until they visit Pony Hill. As they continue their ride, Anthony suddenly understands the mystery of the "hilltop prince": when he was a toddler, another boy who looked like him was often together with his mother. It all makes sense to him and he would have told Candy ... if not for the bear trap. Anthony gets thrown off his horse to never wake up.

The whole family is in mourning, and Anthony is buried in the cemetery, Candy being relegated to the church. Aunt Elroy sees Candy as a bird of misfortune and Elisa accuses her of being responsible for Anthony's death. Finally, Candy decides to go back to Pony's house.

At Pony's Home Candy wallows in her sorrow over Anthony's death. The new, bossy orphan Jimmy is fed up with Candy weeping her days away. He taunts her and calls her cry-baby. Finally, when Candy notices Miss Pony and Sister Lane raising money to buy Christmas gifts, she realizes she has neglected the orphans around her. Supportive of her, Miss Pony directs her to find her way back to life. Candy searches for Jimmy and finds him at the base of Father Tree crying and calling for his mother he lost so recently. The tough boy feels as alone and sad as Candy does. Jimmy challenges Candy to a race and tree-climbing contest to figure out who is the true orphan boss. Candy defeats him along with her anguish over Anthony's death. Meanwhile, Mr. Brown, Anthony's widowed father, visits the Ardley family to mourn his son and asks Archibald and Alistear to gather Anthony's things and give them to Candy. He also expresses the desire to meet her someday.

As Christmas day draws near, the news comes it might be their final Christmas: the owner of the land of Pony's Home, Mr. Cartwright, wants to expand his cattle range and wishes to evict everyone. Candy takes seven-year-old Jimmy with her to talk with Mr. Cartwright in person. After escaping an intimidating cowpoke, Candy investigates the premises and notices a gardener who is making sure the trees will keep warm through the snowy winter. She asks him where she can find Mr. Cartwright. When he asks her why she wants to talk to him, she launches a defaming tirade about his greed and heartlessness, not knowing the gardener is Mr. Cartright. When the intimidating cowpoke appears on the scene again, Candy and Jimmy run to return to Pony's Home and find out the gardener's true identity. Candy fears the worst for Pony's Home. In a last attempt to soften Mr. Cartwright, Candy leads the orphans dressed like angels to his home. Each "angel" gifts the rough men a kiss for Christmas. Not even the roughest of the cowboys is able to resist such a confrontation with innocence.

Miss Pony and Sister Lane wonder about the Ardleys' silence and what will become of Candy. When Candy learns that Mr. Cartwright wants to adopt Candy, she thinks becoming a cowgirl might fit her better than becoming an Ardley lady. Still, Candy feels it would betray the Ardleys even if she were never to return. On Mr. Cartwright's cart Candy rides the orphans to Tom's ranch after receiving an invitation from him. There she sees Alistear and Archibald again. The meeting opens a whole new venue of emotions, shared memories as well as love and sorrow. When Tom puts on a rodeo for entertainment, he inadvertently reminds Candy of Anthony's performance, as well as the accident. The barely healed wound is ripped open all over again and Candy flees, crying her heart out. Strangely enough, Albert appears and tells her that she has cried enough. It is time to choose her path in life. Candy rejoins the party and rodeo dance, while Alistear and Archibald inform her they are going to London to be educated. On the drive back, Candy ponders her options and realizes the orphans look up to her. She decides her path is Pony's Home and taking care of the orphans.

While surprised, Miss Pony and Sister Lane give their consent for Candy to become a caretaker and teacher with them. But when Candy returns from a field trip with the orphans, Candy notices a fancy car, thinking it must be Archibald and Alistear visiting before they leave for London. Instead it is Mr. George who has come to retrieve Candy, not to the estate, but London. Miss Pony and Sister Lane agree it would be the best thing: she must be educated first before being either a caretaker or teacher. Upset, Candy runs off with Jimmy in a rainstorm. Wet to the bone, Jimmy develops a high fever and despite her efforts Candy cannot help him. Luckily, the adults catch up, and while George takes the ailing Jimmy in his arms, Sister Lane slaps the panicking Candy. Candy realizes she is a playmate to the other orphans rather than a caretaker and she accepts the trip to London, even if Jimmy swears he hates her for not keeping her promise.

The Atlantic crossing is Captain Wells' last voyage before retirement, which seems uneventful, until they pick up on an SOS from a capsized fisher boat. The captain orders his ship to the rescue, but Mr. Stafford, a rich businessmen, stands to lose a big contract and threatens to have Captain Wells fired for insubordination and sends a telegram to the ship's company. When they come upon the wreckage, they manage to save all fishermen. Once they set course again for England, Captain Wells packs his belongings in order to face the music for his heroism. Candy sees a picture of the captain and his son and learns his son drowned as a sailor at sea. Candy rushes off to tell her mind to Mr. Stafford, reciting the losses both the captain and she experienced and how his telegram might have cost the lives of several more. Eventually, Mr. Stafford regrets his actions and arranges a farewell celebration for the captain. A bit tipsy from champagne, Candy heads out onto the deck where the dense fog obscures a mysterious figure watching out into the sea. For a moment Candy thinks and hopes it is Anthony.

Candy approaches the young man who sheds tears at the ship's railing and does not even remotely resemble Anthony. The son of the Duke of Grandchester turns, disturbed out of his reverie, laughs loudly and calls Candy "freckles" before retreating as George walks onto the scene. Candy is welcomed into Southampton by Alistear and Archibald. Because the strict school does not allow pets, George wants to give Klint to the zoo. But when Terry Grandchester chases their carriage and its horses off the road, honking his horn, Klint makes a break for it. When they find Kint playing dead, Alistear has the idea that Klint could pretend to be a fur collar around Candy's neck. After a sightseeing tour in London, Candy proposes to visit grandfather William, whom neither has ever seen, at the Savoy Hotel. But inside, they only find the insolent Terry who gives "Freckles" a letter from Grandfather William. Candy's guardian has already left on his voyage back for the US and advises Candy to study hard, to grow into a lady. He promises that some day they will meet. Finally, they arrive at Saint Paul's Academy, where Candy learns the principal has been waiting for her arrival for three hours already. This does not bode well.

Candy gets Klint into St. Paul's College, but he gets her into trouble. The rules are very strict. She meets Patricia, but Elisa starts to bully her again and plays new tricks on her using Patricia who doesn't dare to oppose her. Finally, Terrence makes a scandal during the service of the mass. She discovers a hill which reminds her of her own.

Candy is quarantined by Elisa, but Patricia's grandmother steps up and pushes her granddaughter to bond with Candy, all the while wanting to experience life as a middle schooler in a strange way.

A bad trick of Elisa's turns against her, as she was making fun of Candy's letter. So, she sends Daniel and his cronies to take revenge on her, but Terrence intervenes. Alistair and Archibald invite Candy and tell her that Archibald had a fight with Terrence and that Annie will come to the school.

On the fifth Sunday of the month, pupils get a day off from campus as long as they are accompanied by an adult. The Cornwell brothers are shocked and angry with great-aunt Elroy when they learn Candy was excluded from the company and will not receive a gift either. Before the room's temperature can reach the point of freezing, Annie and her mother visit the Ardley family. Candy decides to relax on the Other Pony Hill that renders a great view over London with Klint. But Terry is there too, smoking and being his usual obnoxious self. Candy fumes at Terry's jokes and claims the hill as her territory. Mr. Brighton, Annie's adoptive father, surprises Candy and invites her for a day into town. Understanding why she cannot join Annie's company, Candy wishes to visit a place where she can shout and hurl. Mr. Brighton takes her to the horse races at Epsom and they learn that Pony Flash, one of Tom's horses, rides the next race. When they go check out the horse at the stables, they meet Terry who goads her into a bet. If Pony Flash finishes as one of the first three he will never call her "Little Freckles" any more, but if she loses she will have to serve him. Pony Flash photo-finishes in fourth place. Candy admits her loss, but Terry declares that it looked like third place to him from where he sat. At the end of the day, Mr. Brighton asks Candy to watch over Annie.

When Annie Brighton arrives at Saint Paul's Academy and is formally introduced to Candy at an Ardley meeting set up by Alistear and Archibald, Annie grows fastly envious of Archibald's attentiveness and admiration for Candy. Much later, Annie approaches Candy, begging her not to steal Archi. Candy assures Annie they are solely friends. But when Archibald witnesses Candy give Terry a harmonica to play every time he wants to light a cigarette at the Other Pony Hill, he confronts Candy and expresses feelings of betrayal and jealousy. Archibald has loved Candy for years and does not want to lose her to an undeserving miscreant. Annie who overhears this runs off, heartbroken. When Candy runs after her, Annie accuses Candy of always being everyone's favorite, even at Pony's Home. Eliza and Louisa overhear Annie's words and make sure everyone knows Annie's origin. Candy discovers Annie's hiding place, a cave, but realizes Archibald should talks with her. Meanwhile Archibald discovers that while he likes and loves Candy, he thinks of Annie all the time, and convinces Annie of his feelings. While Annie recuperates from her fever, Candy and her make peace.

During a bar fight, Terry's leg is wounded and Albert, who works at the Blue River Zoo tending animals, helps and guides him to the Academy, but delivers him at the girls' dorm. Delirious, Terry wanders into Candy's room. She takes his teasing in stride, while trying to patch him up. But Terry needs medicine, and since the school's pharmacy is closed, Candy ventures into town to find a pharmacy. When Albert notices Candy pass by, he calls out after her. Candy barely recognizes him without his beard and moustache, looking so much younger. When she explains her mission, Albert helps her find the pharmacy and escorts her back to the Academy. Candy promises to visit Albert on her next day off, while Klint declines Albert's offer to stay with him at the zoo. But when Candy gets back safely to her room, she finds Terry gone. When next Candy meets Terry at the other Pony Hill, he upsets her for not showing any gratitude, but teases her instead and rejects her concerns. When Candy visits Albert at the zoo as she promises, she discovers Terry there as well. Albert calls them the two rebels of Saint Paul's. As the two young men laugh heartily together, Candy starts to see Terry in a different light.

One night, because Archibald's beacon to identify the correct balcony has gone out, Candy chooses wrong and lands in Terry's empty room. Candy picks up a picture of the American Broadway actress Eleanor Baker, who turns out to be Terry's mother. Terry enters his room, orders her out and shouts she may never tell anyone about it, while ripping the picture into tiny pieces. She jumps to the other balcony to Archibald and Alistear's room and discovers the two are great admirers of Eleanor Baker and own a huge collection of her pictures. By chance she comes across a picture of Anthony, which Alistear gives her. Meanwhile, Terry realizes Candy meant no harm and also regrets tearing up his mother's picture. Terry was born out of wedlock after a romance between his father and the actress, and though the eldest son, he is treated by his stepmother as a bastard. Terry had traveled to New York in the hope of finding and meeting his mother, but she asked him never to visit again before returning to her admirers. Upset, Terry steals into the barn and gallops off into the woods on his white horse. When she sees Terry galloping through the park, Candy rushes down the emergency stairs in a frenzy and trips. Terry dismounts and carries Candy inside for medical treatment, while she calls out to Anthony. He retreats after Sister Margaret fetches Sister Gray to cure Candy and wonders who this Anthony might be.

When Candy steals away to the Other Pony Hill to spend time with Klint, Terry finds Neil and his friends skulking around to find out her secret and scares them off in a fight. Having witnessed the fight, Patricia too wonders what Candy's secret might be. Patricia reveals to Candy she has a secret, a treasure, and she will show it to Candy later. At class, Candy learns she is selected as one of the May-flower girls on the May festival, which involves a dance where she is free to pick a partner and invite loved ones. Patty expresses feelings of envy that Candy has two handsome friends like Archibad and Alistear to dance with, while she has no such friends. Candy promises to convince Alistear into dancing with Patty, sure that he would love to. Meanwhile, Candy hopes she might dance with Terry, and sends an invitation to Albert to come to the festival. Eliza's head is filled with dancing with Terry too, after he rescues her out of a pitfall that Neil had meant for Terry. Sister Gray intercepts Patricia bringing her treasure for Candy to see - a turtle named Yuli. Patricia is ordered to dispose of the turtle and remain in confinement in the contemplation room. Incensed, Candy launches a tirade against the Academy, its rules and Sister Gray, earning her confinement as well as a prohibition to take part in the Festival.

When Sister Margaret asks Patty to surrender her turtle Yuli before being locked in her contemplation room, Candy uses the nun's goodwill towards her to have the turtle handed over to her. While Patricia is set free the next morning, Candy has to stay locked in her contemplation room until the festival. When Candy accidentally stumbles against the attic's window that drops out of the roof, she steals out and escapes for the zoo. At Albert's, Candy finds Terry and Albert laughing about Terry's nickname for her, and she hands Yuli to Albert. After Albert is called back at work, Terry eventually invites Candy to visit the zoo with him and inquires after Anthony. When Candy speaks highly of Anthony and mentions his passion for roses, Terry makes fun of her beau and her feelings for him. Hurt, Candy defends Anthony and reveals the circumstances in which Anthony died. Terry realizes his wild horse ride caused Candy to relive her fear. Although he feels sorry for speaking as he did, Terry cannot utter an apology and runs off. Shocked that Terri would speak ill of the dead, Candy tells Albert she believes Terry is a bad person, but Albert refuses to mingle in their fights. Candy explains about her prohibition to take part in the festival, and Albert, disappointed in the academy, invites Candy to live with him. But Candy knows she has to go back and sneaks back in to the contemplation room where Klint awaits her company.