In the years immediately after World War II families all over England are starting to rebuild their lives. Sebastian Crawley's four children, living in Yorkshire with their mother Celia, must come to terms with the fact that their parents' marriage is a hollow sham and that their beloved father will never be happy until he can be reunited with Diana Arndale, the love of his life. His youngest daughter, Felicity, determines that she will somehow achieve this. But first Felicity must confront tragedy in her own life and, as she grows up into an attractive and highly intelligent young woman, she starts to make her mark on the world embarking on a journey that will, ultimately, bring her back to Northrop Hall and to the family who once lived there.