When Dryden's wife dies after a long illness she leaves him with their beloved son, Tommy, and free - in theory - to pursue his true love. But Vinia is married to Dryden's employer, Joe, manager of the Black Prince coal pit in County Durham, and Joe will always stand between them. Dryden has gipsy blood running through his veins, and he is an intensely passionate man. When Joe's jealousy threatens to drive a permanent rift between the two men, Dryden turns elsewhere for comfort - into the arms of the beautiful daughter of a prosperous local factory-owner, the fiery and independent Roberta Grant.