Sophie, her mother, Helen and baby Belinda begin a new life. They move to Harrogate to live with Helen and her new husband George Baxter. There Sophie's life becomes one of drudgery forced to work for a pittance for the family company. The three become pawns in George's scheming. His plan is for Sophie to marry a dissolute young man, Harold. Sophie renews an acquaintance with the handsome entrepreneur, Joel Markham, who has commenced a take over bid for the Baxter family company "Baxter Engineering." This gives Sophie hope that she can at last break free of George's clutches. Soon afterwards Joel asks Sophie to marry him. Joyfully Sophie accepts, but days before the wedding Joel discovers a dark secret that Sophie and her mother have been hiding since their arrival in Harrogate. With Joel's trust in her shattered, and her hope of escape from Baxter dashed, Sophie knows she has to protect Belinda whatever the cost.