Working as a lady's maid to Miss Olivia Mercer in Liverpool in 1919, Phoebe-Ann Parkinson dreams of a grander future. But when a tragic attack threatens her sister Emily's life, Phoebe-Ann is driven from the Mercer household and into the arms of Jake, one of the notorious, drunken Malone clan. Phoebe-Ann is abandoned by her family, and her dreams are turning into a nightmare. But as Emily begins to recover, Phoebe-Ann is able to look forward to leaving Liverpool and her past behind her.