1886 UK-Snatched at birth, a girl escapes poverty and meets a man she loves, learning later, he could be her brother. But her employer’s son has intentions of his own.

SYNOPSIS:

‘THE WHITE DRESS' by Denise Buckley

1886, Clara, a young peasant girl and prostitute, steals a baby from a rich family. Clara hopes that Henry, the man she loves and shares her home will believe the baby his and marry her. Henry doesn't believe the baby to be his and leaves. Stuck with the stolen child she names Nellie, Clara has two more children with unknown fathers and spends all her money on drink.

One day while Nellie is out looking for food, the police arrest her "mother" because of her neglect of the children, and her "siblings" are taken to the workhouse. Nellie runs away from her hometown and settles in Ulverston, Cumbria, making a makeshift bed near the canal and boat yards. She eats what she can forage and steals when she must.

Nellie meets a rich boy named Charles Nicholson, who left home to become a sailor. Nellie persuades Charles to return home and they become friends.

Nellie becomes employed by a farmer who tries to assault her. The man injures himself when he falls on the pitchfork she uses to defend herself and Nellie runs away. The farmer finds her, beats her badly, and leaves her for dead. Charles and his father find Nellie and get her medical attention, leaving her in the doctor’s hands.

Charles needs to go to Canada on business so Nellie doesn’t see him for a while.

When Nellie has recovered, the doctor’s wife finds Nellie a job, working as a kitchen maid in the Warburton household. Their son, Edward Warburton, throws his attentions on Nellie secretly, and she dreams of becoming his wife, until she overhears his conversation with his friend saying he intends to make Nellie his mistress, but fancies marrying another woman.

The farmer sees Nellie one day in the street and accosts her, but Charles passing by saves her, and they start a new relationship.

Charles returns to Canada, and the Warburtons invite the Nicholson’s to dinner one evening. Nellie meets Charles sister, Victoria, and she invites Nellie to a party at their home in the near future as Charles had told her so much about Nellie, and he is expected to be home for the party. Charles danced with Nellie after overhearing her turning away Edward, and introduces her to his parents. The following day, Nellie receives a message from Charles father asking her to go and see him. Nellie thinks she has overstepped herself and is very nervous, but is then told she is the stolen baby as she is so much like his late wife. When she realises Charles is her brother, she becomes ill. Her Father is very concerned and realises she is in love with his son. He tells her a secret. His first wife, Nellie’s mother, had a bad heart. He was told she could not have children because of this, but she had an affair with the handy man who didn’t know anything about her health. The results were Nellie, but her real name was Margaret. Having Margaret ended her life and he was heartbroken, and then she was stolen. He moved house and hired a housekeeper. His health deteriorated until his housekeeper took a firm hand, and after a while, he married her. Charles and she were not related, and he apologised for the upset he had caused through keeping his secret.

Charles and Nellie still love each other and find it hard to keep their distance. Charles has an urgent call to Canada and leaves. In his haste to return home, he takes a return trip on an untrustworthy ship. It sets on fire, and Charles is a hero but almost drowns. He is taken to hospital but finds himself with no memory of his past. The family believes him to be lost at sea. He meets a devious nurse who tricks him into marrying her. He eventually returns home with his new wife but his memory is still not fully recovered. Nellie is upset and suspicious of Charles wife. Delving into the woman’s past, she discovers she has a husband and facing the woman with the news, asks her to leave. Still Charles can’t remember the past with Nellie, and one day goes riding alone. When he doesn’t return, Nellie goes to look for him. She finds him unconscious and gets him home. He gradually remembers her after the fall, and they marry.