Laura Cannock is on the run, suspected of killing her bullying husband, and his family are out for revenge. Fleeing from her beloved home of Bolton to Manchester, Laura seeks refuge with her coal-merchant uncle. But her relief is short-lived as it soon becomes clear that a roof over her head comes with a price - of a type so unbearable she must escape once more. Destitute and penniless, a stench-ridden housing court in the back streets of the factories is Laura's only hope of a dwelling - a place where both the filth and the kindness of neighbours overwhelm. Here people stick together through the odds, leading Laura to true friendship, and possibly love. But with the threat of her past still hanging over her, there's still one battle she must fight - and win - alone...