A  gripping, atmospheric tale of two women, destitute, and in love in 19th century London.  In the quiet Waveney Valley of Norfolk, 1813 the body of a woman - Mary Tyrell - is found. She's been accused of murdering her own newborn, and has taken her own life. Her young daughter, Hannah, is left behind, and, with her world turned upside down, she is sent to the "Refuge for the Destitute" in the bustling big city, London, where she will be trained for a life of domestic service. It is at the Refuge that Hannah meets Annie Simpkins, a fellow resident. Together Hannah and Annie forge a friendship that deepens into a passionate love affair. But the strength of their illicit bond is put to the test when the girls are caught stealing from the laundry and sentenced to be transported to Autraliaa--perhaps never to have their paths cross again. A  gripping, atmospheric tale that brings to life the forgotten voices of the past - convicts, servants, the rural poor - as well as a moving evocation of love that blossomed in the face of prejudice and ill fortune.