After the heartbreak of World War Two, newlywed midwife Cathy hoped Liverpool life would offer some joy. But a terrible miscarriage and the escape of her abusive stepfather Jack from prison make happiness hard to find.

Meanwhile, Cathy's beloved granny is ailing. Whilst at the hospital, Cathy sees her midwifery friends, who are planning to open a home for unmarried mothers. After losing a baby of her own Cathy would love to help, but for now, she must take care of her grandmother.

As her granny's health worsens, she writes Cathy a letter. The day her grandmother dies, Cathy goes home and opens the envelope: Thank you for giving me a reason to live. Everything I have in the world is yours now, my darling. Cathy is devastated but determined to honour her granny's memory, hoping the maternity home can be her legacy.

Just as Cathy and her friends are about to open their doors to the first expectant mothers, Jack is spotted in Liverpool. It's only a matter of time until her cruel stepfather catches up with her, determined to pay her back for getting him locked up in prison. Can Cathy keep herself and her grandmother's legacy safe, and see Jack sent away for good at last?