Living in the Stationmaster's cottage at Partick, Carrie Burgess leads a charmed life, cushioned from the world of poverty surrounding it. Her only real problem is her mother, who thinks Ewen Livingstone, the railway labourer Carrie's in love with, a poor catch; Matt Campbell, a clerk, seems a much better prospect. Carrie's father dies suddenly and his wife and daughter are forced to move out of their home. Money is tight. Carrie ignores her true feelings and marries Matt, only to find that his devoted front conceals a man of violence. When the Second World War starts, everything changes, but Carrie remains sure of one thing: that her heart will always belong to Ewen.
