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 Jack returns to the village. Yet more trouble lies ahead as Hannah is arrested accused of bigamy and threatened with deportation herself. Having fought so long for her and her children's freedom Hannah must once more dig deep to keep her family together.