Ruan is an intelligent and imaginative child, who gradually comes to understand the nuances of the adult world around her, as she moves from the Manse, under the strict rule of her father, a minister, to Cobbets, her mother's ancestral home, under the tutelage of her Uncle, and back to the guardianship of Rosie Day at Bolton House high up on the moor. Her young life is shaped by a series of tragedies, but also the warmth of enduring friendships. A coming-of-age novel set before the First World War.