It is winter, 1901. The ancient facade of Cresswell Manor surveys a vast and rich estate - but the land has fallen into decay. A broken gate hangs open - always about to be mended - while the workers' cottages are in dire need of repair. Mortimer Cresswell is an old man now, about to breathe his last, and at his deathbed the members of his family hover, waiting to scrap over his fortune. Only Hannah, Mortimer's daughter, can see that the family has become consumed by private ambition, jealousy and greed. When Stanislas von Ehrlich, a self-made man of fortune, moves into the neighbourhood, the natural order of things changes. Stanislas - ruthless in his desire to succeed - has his eye on Mortimer's land, but the Cresswells refuse to sell, sparking a massive feud. Where tempers flare, passion may follow. Esmeralda von Ehrlich - headstrong, spoilt and beautiful - has never been refused. When she finds herself drawn to a member of the Cresswell household, she is determined to exact her will and exercise her desire. Bound to one another by conflict, passion and betrayal, both families are set on a collision course so powerful, it will completely alter their world.