This sequel to 'Hallam Square', set in a 19th century Lancashire mill town, follows the further fortunes of the Gibson family. Rebecca is about to marry Simon Darrington, Tom is happy with his new wife, Rosie, and Joanie meets dashing Bart Burns.

1892. After her beloved father dies, young Juliet Harper and her mother, Agnes, are left to fend for themselves. When Agnes lands a job as a live-in seamstress with a well-to-do family on the Lancashire moors, things begin to look up. But their new life brings new challenges, and Juliet soon finds herself defenceless and alone. Without her mother to protect her, Juliet becomes the victim of a traumatic incident. She flees to her estranged family in...

Agnes Cavanah has watched her mother, Kitty, struggle to put food on the table ever since they crossed the sea from Ireland. So when she sees an opportunity to help earn some money by selling cheese at the local market she begins to work with the local farm to maximise on sales. Much to her mother, Kitty's, disappointment, Agnes is immediately drawn to the farmer's son, Jonas. And Jonas can't help but be enchanted by Agnes. But their love faces many...

When the parish guardians send Lydia, daughter of convict James Knowles, to be an apprentice in the cotton mill at Caton, she is distraught at being parted from her younger siblings and mother, Betty, but she has no choice. At the mill, Lydia is bullied by some of the other girls and things do not go well when she stands up to the ringleader. Fearing she has killed someone and with the word murderess ringing in her ears, Lydia runs for her life. Meanwhile,...

Will love be enough to protect her children? After her husband Jack is transported to Australia as a convict, Hannah and her children are sent to the workhouse. Hearing nothing from Jack and believing he's dead, Hannah reluctantly agrees to marry widower Ellis Duxbury. But her children must remain in the workhouse, and when they are sent away as apprentices, it's up to Hannah to track them down. On Christmas Eve, Hannah is blessed with a miracle when...