Lincolnshire, 1910. Shunned by her own family, Esther Everatt walks through the night to Sam Brumby's farm, seeking the chance to earn her keep. Reluctantly, the old man takes her on. Able to work alongside any man, Esther soon earns Sam's grudging respect and affection, and at last feels she has found a home she can call her own. But her peace and security are cruelly shattered when old Sam dies. As a woman, she has no right to inherit the lease on the farm. Believing her passion lies solely with the land, Esther prepares to risk everything to secure her future, seeking marriage with a local farmhand. But as the First World War arrives to dash the hopes of a generation, Esther begins to discover that it is only the