Mary O'Connor dreams of being a teacher, but her father plans to negotiate a lucrative bride price for her. She has no wish to wed, to endure the life of poverty and of 'carrying and losing' babies that she sees in Brogue Lane. William Mulchinock, heir to Westville's estates, has sacrificed his dreams of being a poet for the family business, overseen by his mother Margaret, but secretly he is campaigning with Daniel O'Connell for Repeal of the 1800 Union. When Mary goes to work at Westville, first as a kitchen skivvy and finally as nursery maid/governess to Mrs Mulchinock's granddaughters, she realises ther is life beyond poverty of the Lanes.