It is 1920 in the Derbyshire dales. The Ryan family are adjusting to life now that the war is over. Walter has returned home a broken man and so it falls to his son and daughter, Josh and Emily, to keep the family business going.

The Ryan children grew up with Amy Clark, daughter of the village blacksmith, and Thomas 'Trip' Trippett, whose father owns a cutlery manufacturing company in Sheffield. The four are still close and as romance blossoms for Josh and Amy, Emily falls in love with Trip - but is unsure if the feeling is mutual.

Martha Ryan is fiercely ambitious for her son and so she uproots her family to Sheffield, where she feels Josh will have more opportunities. But all Josh wants is to continue his father's candle making business and marry Amy. As the Ryans do their best to adapt to city life, their friendly next-door neighbour Lizzie helps the newcomers settle in. She even finds Emily employment as a Buffer Girl for the cutlery industry; though her attraction to Josh worries Emily.

Though her mother cannot recognize it, it is Emily who is best equipped to forge a career, while Josh's ambitions lie in a different direction. And as time goes on, problems and even dangers arise that the Ryan family could not possibly have foreseen.