''Catherine Cookson soars above her rivals'' Mail on Sunday
''Her characters have the grit of real life'' Sunday Times
''Queen of raw family romances'' Telegraph
After making his money as a respected manufacturer of an array of shoes, Samuel Fairbrother decides to find a new home for his business and family. When a grand mansion becomes available Samuel buys it - and with it, inherits the servants.
But when his butler, Maitland, makes it clear he prefers Samuel''s predecessor, a conflict between the classes begins to emerge. Maitland, believes Samuel is nothing more than an upstart and because Samuel knows his well-educated but troublesome butler is indispensable - they reach a stalemate. Until Samuel''s eldest daughter, Janet, tries to reconcile the impossible; but can she bring the uneasy truce to an end?
From bestselling saga author Catherine Cookson, this forgotten classic captures the conflicts of class in