As the Second World War continues to rage over Bristol, Mary Anne Randall, now estranged from her abusive husband, Henry, is struggling to keep her family together. Her lover, Michael Maurice, is away fighting, and news is scarce. Young Stanley is torn between his warring parents, and Lizzie is unhappily in love. Then a mysterious lawyer appears at Mary-Anne's old home with news of an unexpected legacy, which Henry tries to conceal from her, and the pawnshop which she is caretaking for Michael is damaged, supposedly in an air-raid. Mary-Anne must draw on all her resources of resilience and determination to keep going during these difficult times.