Lancashire, 1930s. When her mother dies, leaving her an old sewing box and a clue to her father's identity, 22-year-old Maisie Bassett is determined to make a fresh start. Changing her name and moving to the small town of Rivenshaw, she finds a respectable job in a grocery store. But unwanted attentions from a man at her new church make life increasingly difficult - until the shy, handsome Gabriel Harte comes to her rescue. Then she receives an inheritance from a distant relative and her world is turned upside down. The home she's always dreamed of may finally be hers - if she can keep it safe from a grasping slum landlord. With Gabriel's help, can Maisie untangle the secrets of her past?