Raised in an atmosphere of equality, Daughtie Winfield is outspoken in her support for the rights of others, from the mill girls threatening a strike over pitiful working conditions to the immigrants living on the other side of town. So she is unprepared for the hostility—even from some who claim to hold similar beliefs—aroused by her growing friendship with Liam Donohue, an Irish artisan. Behind the scenes, a disgruntled former employee conspires with a one-time mill partner in a devilish plan that imperils not only the operation of the mills but those dearest to Daughtie. As dissention and upheaval threaten the future of the textile industry, Daughtie longs for peace—in her working world and deep within her heart.