Jessie Price is young and beautiful, and has travelled the drovers' roads from South Wales to London's Smithfield Market. She is anxious to escape from her wicked boss, Jed Lambert, and becomes a milkmaid in London. Her ambition to own her own dairy grows, and she is helped by young Albie, who has fallen in love with her.

Meanwhile, Non Jones is desperately unhappy. She knows that her husband Caradoc loves her despite the hostility of his family. Non is miserable when Caradoc leaves her and their son to go to London on the drove, and when she receives news of a terrible accident, her world falls apart.
Jessie is fighting to make her business a success, but is devastated when Albie is arrested and sent to Newgate prison. She knows that he is innocent, and will rely on Non to speak for him in court. But Non has many worries of her own, and hasn't given up hope that she will be reunited with Caradoc, whatever it takes...