Cissy Farmer longs to escape her life in London's Docklands where times are hard and money is tight. And when she meets the debonair Langley Makepeace her dream seems within reach. But the price of belonging in Langley's brittle sophisticated world could be much higher than Cissy ever imagined. Torn between Langley and her gentle childhood sweetheart Eddie Bennet she is forced to gamble on her future chance of happiness a decision that will change her life forever...