Hetty – wild, impetuous and more vivacious than her sister – wastes no time in acquainting herself with the seaside town, and before long she is courting Albert, the sweet-natured lad next door, and singing in a Blackpool tavern. But when gypsies descend upon South Shore, and Hetty meets the darkly handsome Reuben, her attentions are diverted once again. Grace finds it harder to adjust to her new surroundings but a visit to Donnelly’s department store leads to an encounter with the owner’s son, so when Grace secures a job on the shop floor she looks forward to each day with mounting excitement. Although Edwin Donnelly is a Catholic and his parents want him to marry family friend Constance Whitehead, he ignores their wishes and embarks on an affair with the less suitable Grace.