1906. Emma Appleby's arrival in the County Durham village of Tow Law is sudden and mysterious.
The locals are deeply suspicious, and the fact she has a child with her, seemingly out of marriage, means they want nothing to do with her - except for publican Mick Castle. His marriage to Isabel is deeply troubled and his daughter Connie is running wild, and Emma offers him a lifeline.
As Emma opens her Academy, to help children such as Connie, she is met with a savage response from the community. But she will not be deterred - even when her past catches up with her, and Mick is forced to choose between family and love.