In 1855, when Doctor Thorne's impoverished niece, Mary, found herself barred from the wedding festivities of a friend from her youth, she pressed her uncle to reveal the circumstances of her own beginnings.

A grave illness seized Sir Roger, and Dr. Thorne feared his end was near. Then, the railway magnate’s son arrived for a call, an encounter that filled the doctor with disquiet as he observed a sudden fondness develop between the young man a…

As Frank and Mary made preparations for their wedding, Lady Arabella remained steadfast in her efforts to prevent the union from taking place. Meanwhile, Louis, Sir Roger’s son, found himself grappling with the complexities of his newfound …