Saran Chandler is a locksmith's daughter but following her father's death, her happy family is torn apart and she is left to fend for herself.
Luke Hipton is a workhouse orphan with a murky past who is wise beyond his years and becomes her loyal friend and companion.
After the death of her father, Saran Chandler stands helplessly by as her mother and sister are sold by the vile Enoch Jacobs. But when Enoch drowns, Saran swears that she will not rest until she has secured her family's release. Penniless and alone, she barely knows where to start until she teams up with workhouse orphan Luke. Together they try to survive in the harsh environment of the industrial Midlands but before long they make both dangerous enemies who prey upon the vulnerable. Will they ever find Saran's family and their happily ever after?