In 1897, following the death of their parents, the three Pearson brothers have reached a crossroads in their lives. Having grown up on the family farm it was always assumed they would continue with the tradition, but two of the brothers have ambitions of their own. The youngest, John, had always yearned to be a soldier, and the oldest, Paul, saw his future and fortune in the newly discovered gold fields of South Africa. With farming in his blood, Matthew feels betrayed by his brothers and is determined to hold onto the farm at any price. As they go their separate ways Matthew's bitterness intensifies, harming everyone who gets in the way of his ambitions. With the outbreak of the Second Boer War both John and Paul face their own tragedies and betrayals with circumstances that are set to affect all three brothers. Events come to a head as all three brothers are reunited back in England.