The story is based in England at the end of the nineteenth century the story is mainly regarding Benjamin Rawlings the farrier's son and Elizabeth Gatcombe the daughter of the lord of the manor and how their lives entwine together with many twists and turns But later takes in countries such as Australia, New Zealand and Greece and through two world wars it follows the main characters of Benjamin Rawlings and Elizabeth Gatcombe two young children brought up in very different circumstances, Benjamin the son of a Farriers at Gatcombe manor and Elizabeth the heiress of Lord Simon Gatcombe.They become friends early on at the age of thirteen then Benjamin and his family are let go of Gatcombe as it falls on hard times and Lord Simon gives the Rawlings chance of a new life in Australia they leave on a convict ship that is sunk in a hurricane off the east coast of Australia Benjamin climbs back on board to try and help the prisoners escape but is captured as a convict and chained up. Elizabeth gets a letter off her father when she is sent to Italy away from Benjamin as Lady Elanora Gatcombe does not want her daughter mixing with a farrier's son the letter says Benjamin and his family have been killed in a shipwreck.She believes Benjamin to be dead, he believes Elizabeth to have been married off and throughout their lives they meet many new people and many adventures are bestowed on them, Elizabeth builds a business and then goes to war as a nurse in world war one Benjamin gets involved with Jonathan, who rescues him they in turn get involved with Henry a gold miner and Josephine a shop keepers daughter and Grant Farnsworth a captain of the garrison in Australia Benjamin and Grants paths have crossed when they were young, and things become nasty and a fight to the death is certain