1907, County Durham Lorna Robson works long and tiring hours in her aunt's hat shop in a small pit village. Although she tries not to complain, the genteel poverty they live in, and her lack of freedom, depresses her. But when she discovers that a relation has left her a large dilapidated property, her aunt is strangely furious. Lorna knows she can never return. However, it is only when she sees Snow Hall - and falls in love with it - that her situation truly dawns on her: selling the house is unthinkable, but without money or friends, how can she survive.