The Edwardian era is coming to an end and in Chester a young maid, Emma, strives to keep her head above water, as poverty threatens to engulf her and her family. Driven by a deep-seated desire to avenge the death of her sister Aggie, who had committed suicide after falling pregnant and being abandoned by the father, Emma attempts to piece together the events leading to her sister's death in the hope of tracing the man responsible. A chance meeting with another young servant, Alice, who is struggling to escape her violent and unhappy past, introduces Emma to the Waters household and the demanding young Victoria Waters who is passionately involved in the embryonic Suffragette Movement. As Emma and Alice become closer, Emma learns of Alice's destructive and deranged ex-fiance Bert, and it soon becomes apparent that the two girls lives may be linked in more ways than one. Just as she has found a love of her own, Emma is drawn into a dangerous situation, which threatens her newfound happiness as she realizes that she may not be the only one seeking revenge.

The Edwardian era is coming to an end and in Chester a young maid, Emma, strives to keep her head above water, as poverty threatens to engulf her and her family. Driven by a deep-seated desire to avenge the death of her sister Aggie, who had committed suicide after falling pregnant and being abandoned by the father, Emma attempts to piece together the events leading to her sister's death in the hope of tracing the man responsible. A chance meeting with another young servant, Alice, who is struggling to escape her violent and unhappy past, introduces Emma to the Waters household and the demanding young Victoria Waters who is passionately involved in the embryonic Suffragette Movement.