Agnes Conway is unhappy with her life behind the counter in her family's candy store. One day she meets the affluent Farrier family. Charles Farrier falls in love with her. He helps her to help her sister Jessie, who is in trouble. Charles and Agnes want to get married, but the wealthy Farrier family vehemently opposes the wedding plans. The young couple persevere, but must deal not only with the prejudices of English class society, but also with the atrocities of the First World War. Charles, who is recovering from tuberculosis, doesn't have to go to the front, but his brother Reg does. He survives the trenches, but returns badly battered.