Life in the Glasgow tenements was never easy, but life for Beth is becoming increasingly harsh. In wartime, everyone grabs what brief happiness they can and, in Beth's case, she finds herself drawn to Steve, a flying ace. Their relationship blossoms, but fate deals Beth a cruel hand when Steve is killed in action, leaving her pregnant. Disgraced and dismissed from the family home, Beth must struggle to fend for herself and her tiny son. Enter Gene McKay, a Canadian farmer, who sweeps her off her feet and on to a new life in Canada. But, thousands of miles from her Glasgow home, Beth discovers that her husband has a dark secret - and she and her son are in danger.