Bristol, 1924: kitchen maid Cherry O'Neil is besotted by the son of her wealthy boss, and when she is seduced by him she imagines herself truly in love. The feelings take a sharp knock when she thinks she may be pregnant and is too afraid to tell him. Her brother, a rough, bare-knuckle fighter, thinks this is a perfect opportunity to blackmail her lover, Captain Lance Melchoir. Demanding money to avoid a family scandal, the two men fight and Lance is put in hospital. When he recovers he proposes, but soon Cherry has to admit that she's harbouring a scandalous secret. Will their love ever survive such an admission ...?