When Helen Walker first moves to the village of Weobley in Herefordshire, her intentions are simple. She wants to lead a quite life, keep herself to herself, mend a broken heart, and keep who she is from the other villagers. It takes just one day before all that becomes impossible. On her first night in the village, Helen and her dog Charlie stumble across Lydia Dunton, a fifteen year old with emotional problems and no mother, and before long, the two of them form an unlikley friendship, leaving Lydia's father to wonder how a stranger can reach through to his daughter and bring out the best in her in just weeks of knowing her when he has been trying to do that very thing for five years. Where does Tom fit into their freindship, and what does he do when Lydia, desperate for a mother figure, decides that Helen would be the perfect replacement for Tom's late wife, Mary? And how does Helen feel about Lydia's poor timed attempts at match making? After all, it's not that long since she herself was dumped at the altar by her two timing, tennis playing boyfriend, Keith.