"Workhouse trash, ye are " In 17th Century Ireland, Tara and Phinloe have grown up victims of society, slaves to the Dublin workhouse. Thrown together from the age of four with only each other for emotional support, they struggle for years to overcome the poverty and stigma that wreck their lives. With only the welfare of her friend in mind and determined to make the best of a rough situation, Tara encourages Phinloe to leave the workhouse when the opportunity arises to become a farm hand for a local couple. Left behind and lonely, she resigns herself to a monotonous life, believing she will never overcome her circumstances. But when she is offered a position as a household servant to a wealthy landowner who is interested in more than her housekeeping skills, Tara is lured by the promise of a life of privilege and luxury. And Phinloe soon discovers that hanging onto the woman he loves is no easy task.