In 1845 Annie Gibson can finally leave Salem Street. Her dreams of being able to open an elegant dressmaking salon in the High Street of Bilsden a Lancashire mill town have come true. & she is going to take her father & his second family with her away from poverty away from the Rows. But Annie has not left trouble behind. Someone is trying to undermine her business. Her family have their own ideas about what they want to do with their lives. & several men are persistently trying to win favour with the beautiful young widow
- including Frederick Hallam the mill owner & Daniel O' Connor her childhood friend. As Annie gets better acquainted with both she becomes increasingly confused about her feelings. Can she really be in love? & can she risk trusting any man again?