Abigail Beadle has given two decades of her life to first caring for her father who has developed Parkinson's, then, at his request as his health fails completely, looking after the centuries old family home Ashgrove House, In order to do that she has to put up with being ordered around by her stepmother Edwina, who is not a pleasant person. Abigail has never married because Lucas Chadwick, the man she loved when she was young, left the village suddenly with his family. This was due to her stepmother's machinations and threats, but as Edwina also intercepted his letters to Abigail afterwards, the relationship was broken up. When her stepmother dies suddenly, Abigail is glad to be released from the woman's nagging and bullying, but doubts she'll manage to keep her beloved home, because of the need to pay inheritance tax. Various people start plotting to help Abigail put together enough money to pay the inheritance taxes and keep her family's home. Will they succeed or will she lose everything?